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𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐗 were sitting beside each other, on one of the couches, still in Tony's office. He was about to explain why he had left the kids in Athena's care as babies.
"You both were...barely 2 when I took the decision," He looked at the kids and saw their blank faces before continuing, "An authoritarian paramilitary-subversive organization hell-bent on world domination named Hydra, was very active in human experimentation during that time. In fact it still is, but they were specifically interested in my inventions as well. Your birth mothers both, gave you to me, they left you with me. They said that they didn't want the responsibility and that you both would be better off with me."
Tony paused and looked at the kids, they seemed unfazed, he hadn't meant to tell them that, it just blurted out of his mouth.
In their defense Valerie and Alexander had already figured that out, it was quite obvious that their birth mothers didn't want them, if not then why did they have to be sent away all the way to Greece with Tony's friend? They could've lived with their real mothers, taking their last names. So yeah, they both had it all figured out.
Tony continued, "Somehow, Hydra got to know about you two and attempted to kidnap you so they could lure me and get me to agree to sell my inventions to them. If I did so, then my inventions would be used in the human experimentation that Hydra partook in. I couldn't let that happen and nor could I risk you both into harm's way. So when you guys turned 2, I decided to send you with Athena, a close friend of mine, to Athens, Greece. No database contains information on Valerie Stark and Alexander Stark. The world knows Valerie Calisto and Alexander Calisto. I erased every trace of you both being my kids. I didn't wanna risk anything."
Nobody noticed it but Tony had deliberately left out a particular part.
A part only he knew about.
The kids seemed to have soaked the information in. "I've been meaning to ask you, dad...who gave us these necklaces, and why?" Alexander wondered out loud while taking his necklace in hand.
Valerie also looked at her father for an answer, "I gave them to you both. These necklaces have trackers inside them, so that I, or Athena could track you both down if you ever got into some serious trouble. The necklaces also act as receivers and transmitters, but only exclusively for Stark Industries satellites. I also kept tabs on you both through my satellites as much as I could. Basically you both were under my surveillance since Day 1."
Now this was something the siblings had not figured out. They never had any idea of such.....precautions taken for their safety.
"Okay, so seems like this Hydra is a big deal to you..." Valerie spoke up and looked at her father in slight understanding.
She was considering going a bit easy on the hardships she was about to make her dad go through to gain her trust. This was a special consideration from her side because she understood that Tony had to make the decision for her and her brother's safety.