Winters War Phase 3: Some Kind of Monster

Part 22

Tony and Natasha were walking along the corridor of the 25th floor. They came to a mahogany brown door with a secured lock. In Tony's mask, he saw an X-ray vision of the room and noticed a person sitting in a chair. His mask lifted up.

"One person inside," he reported in a soft voice.

Natasha placed a device on the lock and pushed a button. She took a few steps backwards, as a yellow light on the device started flickering.

"Guys, we've found Julia," they heard Sam in the comms.

Natasha let out a relieved breath while Tony furrowed his brows.

"Good work, Sam. Bring her to the QuinJet as fast as you can," Steve said in the comms. "As soon as we find Pepper, we leave."

Tony shook his head and stomped away from Natasha. She ran up to him and grabbed his arm which made him stop and looked at her, annoyed.

"Where are you going?"

"Going to search for Pepper before the Living Dead Girl finds her."

"Tony, Julia won't harm Pepper when she's herself."

She tried to calm down Tony with a soft voice as she looked him in the eyes. He jerked his arm out of her grip.

"How do you know she's her fucking self at this moment?" he hissed.

A bleep caught their attention. They looked in the direction of the sound. The device on the door had done its job and the door was now unlocked and slightly ajar.

"I need you for this mission, Tony. Don't leave me behind," she pleaded, softly.

Explosions sounded in the distance, and the building shook under their feet. This seemed to persuade Tony to stay. He reluctantly went into the room, covering Natasha who aimed her gun towards a desk. An office chair with a high back turned around and revealed Madame HYDRA with a glass of champagne in her hand. When the chair had turned she placed her feet on the desk.

"Mister Stark, such a pleasure meeting you."

She greeted him before taking a sip of her drink. She gasped and blinked rapidly when she saw Natasha behind Iron Man.

"Natasha! What a surprise! It's so good to see you after so many years."

Tony looked between the green haired woman and his partner in confusion.

"You know this chick?"

"Her name is Ophelia Sarkissian. We were students in the Red Room," Natasha explained as she still had her gun aimed at the green haired villain. "Almost took my life during an exam."

Madame smirked while taking another sip of her drink. Tony internally panicked, scared she might have tortured his Pepper.

"Okay, Medusa, tell me one thing and we're gone. Where's my Pepper?" Tony demanded after he gathered all his inner courage.

"Medusa?" The Madame called out, surprised, followed by a laugh. "You may call me Madame HYDRA. You see, Daniel Whitehall gave me that name," the villain explained as she gazed at her half full glass. "Or shall I say.... Werner Reinhardt?"

More panic developed in Tony's chest, though he hoped he was showing his poker face.

"Once again, where's my Pepper?" he growled.

"Update, Julia has been shot," they heard over the comms.

Natasha's mouth tightening slightly and her spine stiffening as she heard the news. The Madame noticed it.

"What's the matter, Natasha? Are your emotions taking over again?" she asked, amused. "It has always been your weakness."

"Bring her to the QuinJet as fast as you can," they heard Jemma say.

Madame HYDRA glanced back at Tony.

"You can find your lady in the basement. You can take the elevator to the parking garage. There you'll find an entrance to a second basement. Be careful of the rats out there."

"Doctor Banner and I will set things up for surgery immediately."

Suddenly, Tony snapped the mask of his suit shut and blasted himself through the window, into the darkness of the night. On his way to save his loved one. Another explosion sounded from far away.

"Tony, don't..." Natasha yelled at the departing Iron Man, but a kick of a high heeled shoe into her face interrupted her.

"FRIDAY, activate the prepared hack," Tony ordered his AI while rushing into the air.

"Hack activated," FRIDAY confirmed.

"Barton, to the parking garage! Help me find a secret basement. Pepper is there!"

Clint and Steve were sneaking through an empty hallway. They had just gotten the news about Julia being injured, and Jemma advised them to bring her to the QuinJet, as soon as possible.

"Barton, to the parking garage! Help me find a secret basement. Pepper is there!" a panicked Tony followed in Clint's ear.

Clint was gazing at the back of Captain America.

"Sam, go to the QuinJet through outside if it is possible," Steve said in the comms.

The Captain waited for a confirmation.

"Sam, do you copy?"

The comms were silent. That meant, for Clint, that Tony's plan was in progress and the hack had succeeded. He sneakily left the leader and ran off. Steve turned around and saw Clint running away.

"Clint!" Steve called out.

Quickly, Clint turned around and shot an arrow into the floor. It exploded and a thick cloud of smoke escaped from the arrow. Steve hid behind his shield. Then the smoke dispersed and Clint was gone.