The Ex And The Soulmate

I know,

I woke up and my head was pounding. My throat felt raw and dry. I looked around the room and all I saw was dirt. My blurry eyesight swore a rat just ran across the floor. I tried to stand but I felt my body tied to the chair I was on. The metal creaked as I tried to tug myself away.

What the hell happened? What the hell is happening?

The door across the room opened with a loud scrapping noise. I would have covered my ears if I could have. The sound of metal against the concrete floor was horrific. Someone walked through towards me. I blinked, trying to focus my eyes but it wasn't working. I could see the outline of a man, a huge man.

I struggled against the chair again, wanting to move away, anywhere away from here. The man ignored me, taking the extra chair and sitting in front of me.

"How long have you dated Iron Man?" He asked, with a thick French accent that definitely sounded fake. If he was disguising his voice to hide who he was, I worried about my blurry eyesight. Was this intentional? Was this permanent?

"I asked you a question." The man sounded angry now.

"I'm n-not. I'm not dating-g anyone, you have me confused with someone else. Pepper... Tony is dating Pepper Potts." I stuttered out.

The man scoffed and adjusted in his seat, leaning towards me. "He sent you flowers. After paying for your parents funeral arrangements." I froze. Wait. What? "You wish for me to believe that Tony Stark is sending you flowers and caring for you in such way to someone he has no relations with?"

"We... We dated in college. But, that was so long ago. We- we don't speak. The flowers were just... he sent his condolences. I thought it was a joke, please. I don't have anything to do with him. I didn't even know he paid for the funeral." I started sobbing now. I don't know how much was fear or the fact that Tony did that for me. Did he do that? They also think I'm dating him, so all their information is not accurate. But it didn't seem to matter what I said.

The man scoffed again. "Well, you better hope he cares. Because he's the only one who can save you now. We requested a million dollars if he ever wants to see your head still attached to your body again." He loudly pushed his chair away and stepped towards me. I struggled against the chair again, useless.

"For now, you're under the soldier's care. And he is not as patient as I am." The man grabbed my arm and stuck me with something, I'm assuming another needle.

God, Tony... I hope you'll save me.

I felt my body loosen.

And everything went black again.

Back at Stark Tower

"Sir, you have an incoming message I believe you would like to see." JARVIS spoke as Tony was sipping his coffee.

"Sum it up for me, Jarvis."

"It seems we've received a ransom demand. In exchange for Candace Powers."

Tony froze, coffee mug still pressed to his lips. He gulped. "Candace? From who? What happened?"

"They sent a photo along with an amount and a location, sir. I'm unaware of the sender."

"Wire them the money, Jarvis. And get my suit my ready."

"Wire who what money?" Pepper walked in the room at that moment.

Tony sighed, this wasn't going to go well. "I've gotten a ransom demand, Pep."

"And you want to pay them? No, absolutely not. How much?"

"One million dollars, Miss Potts."

Pepper looked shocked and turned to Tony. "In my defense, I didn't ask the amount." Tony justified.

"This is absurd, Tony! Who is it for?"

He didn't want to answer. He knew damn well how this conversation would go, and he wanted to deal with it after. Better to seek forgiveness than ask permission, right? But now here he was. Stuck.

"Candace. They have Candace, Pep. And before you say anything-"

"Are you fucking kidding me? You want us to pay one million dollars, for a ransom. For your ex girlfriend you haven't seen since college? Is that still the lie you're telling me? Or are we going to switch it up now, because obviously someone thinks she's pretty important to you Tony! Guess they know something I don't!" Tony opened his mouth to speak but Pepper stopped him. "I don't care. I'm done. Do whatever you want with your money. I quit this company, and I quit you."

Pepper stormed out of the lab, leaving Tony alone. He sighed and stood up.

"Should I still get the suit ready, sir?" JARVIS spoke.

"Yeah. Let's go. And get the others."