After this part, Reclaimed will officially be the longest series in this book.
Don't question why the photo exists, okay. I just had extra time.
"What are you doing?" Peter asked Ned, who was furiously typing at a computer.
"Shh, you'll break my focus." Ned murmured back. Peter rose a brow, looking over to MJ, who was sat behind Ned.
"He's hacking into the hospital's cameras." MJ hummed. "The one Bucky dropped Benjamin Miller off at."
"Good idea." Peter nodded, sitting next to Ned.
"Almost....there!" Ned smiled, pressing a button. Suddenly, the footage of the hospital was in front of them. "Now I just have to rewind it to a few months ago...and there!"
They stared at the screen, watching as various people came in and out.
Peter was a little embarrassed when he physically flinched when a carbon copy of Joshua was on the screen.
"There he is." MJ mumbled, an unreadable expression on her face.
Benjamin walked out of the building. Ned pushed a button and suddenly they were seeing out of the camera from the building across the street.
Benjamin walked through the street, keeping his eyes on the ground. The hospital had given him some clothes, and his hands were shoved in their pockets.
Benjamin then stopped in front of an orphanage, an unreadable expression on his face.
He walked in, and that was the last they would see of him that day.
"Dolly Benson's Orphanage." Peter mumbled.
"I've been there." A new voice joined in behind them.
Chase had apparently walked in while they hadn't noticed. "Why?" MJ asked.
"My sister." He answered. "She's adopted. She lived in this orphanage."
Ned studied Chase's face for a bit, before he looked back to the screen. "Can you take us there?" Ned asked.
"We aren't allowed to leave." Peter sighed. "Tony would kill us if he found out we left the tower."
"Who said anything about Tony finding out?" MJ asked. Peter pursed his lips.
"I-I don't know guys...what if--"
"The Avengers are too famous to show up at the orphanage. Someone is bound to spot them and then it'll be all over the news." Ned furrowed his eyebrows.
"If the Avengers end up on the news, Joshua will see it and there's a chance he'll find Benjamin first." MJ finished. "We don't want that, do we?"
"I guess..." Peter mumbled. "But--"
"Babe, listen," MJ sighed, standing up and placing her hands on Peter's shoulder. "it'll be fine. We'll be in and out before you know it."
"...fine." Peter relented. "But if anything goes wrong I'm calling Mr. Stark immediately."
---
Tony walked into the common room, freezing immediately at the sight before him. "Shit." He mumbled.
Joshua was sitting on the couch, looking boredly through Steve's sketchbook. His head shot up at the sound of Tony's voice. "Hello," Joshua smiled. "It's nice to see you again, dad."
"Don't call me that." Tony hissed. "You never earned the right to call me that." Joshua hummed, but didn't bother to reply.
Joshua stood up. Tony shifted slightly towards the exit reflexively. Joshua chuckled slightly, as if Tony's alarm was amusing.
"What do you want?" Tony mumbled darkly.
"You're well aware of what I want." Joshua shrugged calmly. "What you're asking is why I'm here."
"Whatever." Tony scoffed. "State your business."
"Can I not pay a visit to my boss?" Joshua asked. Tony glared at him, his features set in a scowl. "Ouch, guess that's a no."
"Leave." Tony growled. Joshua raised a brow.
"Oh? You're giving me orders now? Isn't that cute?" Joshua giggled. He turned to Tony who reflexively closed his eyes. "Kneel."
Joshua's voice was so compelling. So hypnotic. He had fallen to his knees before he knew what was happening.
"Wh-what?" Tony stammered, eyes flying open in shock.
"That's a good boy." Joshua smirked, mockingly walking over and patting Tony on the head.
Tony reached up to grab Joshua's neck. "You little--"
"Don't." Joshua told him sternly, running his fingers through Tony's messy hair. Tony felt his arms snap back to his sides.
"Stop that." Tony hissed, not sure if he was talking about the weird hypnotism thing or the petting thing.
"I've raised an army." Joshua mused, ignoring Tony completely. "I've worked on this plan for months." He chuckled. "Just so I can stop the mighty Iron Man." He roughly grabbed Tony's face.
Tony glared at Joshua with as much hate as he could muster.
"Now look at you." Joshua mumbled. "Powerless against me. It would be so easy to end your pathetic excuse of an existence right now." He released Tony's face.
"Why are you such an asshole?" Tony spat. "You could've left us alone. Lived a normal life. Made friends."
"This body can't grow, Stark." Joshua frowned. "I'll be sixteen until the day I die. Who knows when that will be?" Joshua sighed. "So I might as well make my eternity somewhat enjoyable while I'm here."
"Isn't that sad?" Tony rolled his eyes. "Poor little clone, abandoned by his maker. Left with no real purpo--"
"Shut up." Joshua hissed. Tony's mouth snapped shut. "He didn't abandon me. The redhead killed him." Joshua clenched the fist that wasn't playing with Tony's hair. "Did you know he didn't die immediately? After you left, he layed there for hours. He bled out slowly. Alone."
Tony huffed through his nose.
"Not even the scum of the earth deserve a fate like that." Joshua whispered. "He was like a father to me. He taught me how to use my powers. He taught me what was good and what was bad. He taught me that being superior to everyone else is all that mattered."
Tony felt his heart clench. Would Joshua have turned out differently if it wasn't Ock who raised him? This could've been avoided if they had stopped Ock sooner.
No. This could've been avoided if they had saved Benjamin and the rest of the test subjects.
"I'll never go against his word." Joshua finally stopped playing with Tony's hair, instead choosing to sit on the floor in front of him. "Never."
Tony sighed.
"Now I know what you're thinking." Joshua shrugged. "Why hasn't he turned me yet? Well, Stark, the answer to that is simple. I want to make you suffer first. I want to make you bleed and scream and beg for mercy."
"Kinky." Tony thought, grossing himself out.
"And when I'm done," Joshua smirked. "You'll know the definition of pain by heart."
Joshua lifted his hand, and suddenly an intense pain shot through Tony's head. "Release." Joshua said.
Every command Joshua had given Tony vanished. Tony fell on his side, gripping his head in agony.
"Isn't that sad?" Joshua spat. "Poor little billionaire, abandoned by his friends."
A/N:
Bro I've been working on this foreverrrrrr. Writers block can suck my slimy dick.
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