Meant to Be Yours

Chapter 2

"Victoria!"

The voice is full of panic mingled with relief. Someone spits out a quick order, but the first set of footsteps don't even falter. The weight pressing down on my legs lifts immediately and a gentle pair of hands drags me backwards, away from whatever fell on me.

"Victoria, are you alright? Wake up, please?"

I blink up at my rescuer and find myself looking up into my dad's upside-down brown eyes. I stare stupidly at him, trying to remember what happened. My ears are ringing, there's a steady stream of warmth trickling down my face, and my legs are throbbing with pain.

I turn onto my side and stretch my arm out, feeling my elbow crack. Tears stream down my face and my breaths come fast and shallow. A shiver runs up my spine and I tremble.

"Dad, where is he?"

"Steve just moved the door out of the way. He'll be back in a moment –"

"Not Steve," I interrupt. "Where is Peter?"

"We haven't found him yet, Tori. Clint, Thor, Vision, Wanda and Bruce are combing the tower for him."

I shake my head. He won't be here. He'll be setting up his plan. I get my hands under me and shove myself to my feet. My knees shudder violently under me, my chest burns despite the metal suit clamped around it. The rest of the suit expands now, flowing down my legs and up my arms. It makes the pain easier to bear since it supports me and holds me up.

"No! Victoria! What are you doing?" Dad demands, grabbing my now-suited shoulders. "You're injured. I need to get you to the hospital."

I throw my arms around his neck as the helmet covers my face and the heads-up display appears. I know my voice comes out slightly echoing and robotic, but I don't care. "I love you, Dad."

"Victoria Maria Stark!" he starts, but I aim my hand at his face, turn the setting to its lowest option and let out a repulsor blast in his face. He flies back, crashing into Steve, and the two of them crash into the wall.

"Get him out of here, Steve. Get everyone out! Just in case I can't stop him."

"Stop him? What are you talking about? Stop who from doing what?"

I turn and jump into the air, firing up the rockets on my feet and the repulsors on my hands and crashing my way out the window. I twist my body downwards and send myself hurtling towards the ground.

My heart is thundering in my ears, and I know the strain can't possibly be good for my battered body, but I know that if I don't stop him nobody can... especially since I just knocked out my dad and probably caused Steve a headache, at least.

At the last moment, I angle my arms parallel to the ground and shoot off at a ninety-degree angle. I fly above the streets closest to the tower, my eyes scanning the ground for a sewage pipe entrance.

The closest one I find is three streets west. I drop down right next to it, nearly causing a car crash. I'm about to yank the protective cap out of the street when my eyes catch on a police car parked just down the street from me. I growl but take off with a burst of arc reactor power to jump the distance to their car.

I bang on the window and with a thought send the face plate to the sides. I bend down next to the officer on the driver's side.

"Listen, sir... I know that there is currently a bomb being placed at Avengers Tower. Get people as far away as possible – including any Avengers that you can find. Get the whole police force out and give me three square blocks on every side. Otherwise, lives could be at risk. I've already told Captain America to deal with the Tower itself, but everyone near it will be in danger, too."