Lost in Time

Twenty-Eight

Tony double checked, triple checked the calibrations, and had Jarvis run the diagnostics on the cryo chamber. This lab was set up, on his private floor in the tower, somewhere no one else could get to. He had to keep this secure and a secret from Bruce and the others, even Pepper, he knew how important this was for Elle, and for Jace, that little boy deserved to have his dad in his life.

'Sir, the diagnostics are complete, the cryogenic chamber is operational and ready. From the files we have, we can start running phase two, when Sergeant Grey brings Sergeant Barnes here..'..

Tony let out a breath of relief, dropping back to lean against the edge of the counter behind him, running a hand over his face. He had been non stop with this, wanting to make sure it was ready in time... 'Thanks Jarvis. Lark, can you let her know..'

'Already have, Mr Stark. She will be with you soon..'..

Tony looked at the machine, and started to think about how Barnes would be. Elle told him briefly, about what Hydra had done to the guy, and even sent across some files, with all the information he would need, on how to break the conditioning. He couldn't imagine the horrific shit the guy had been through, but if in Elles time, he had gotten free eventually, and lived somewhat of a normal life, not that she said much about it, but Tony guessed that Barnes did have a life.

Though there was some doubt, that she hadn't told him everything, the files he did have, showed that his father and a few others, had found Barnes while he was on a mission for Hydra, incapacitated him, before putting him into cryo. It seemed they never got the chance to save Barnes, not without the technology they needed.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Tony turned to the little espresso machine on the counter behind him, preping a cup... 'I'll have one..'.. He jumped and the little cup he held, jolted from his hand and fell to the floor, shattering. He turned back, seeing Elle walk around the machine, looking at it... 'Thank you Tony..'.. She smiled up at him, walking over quickly, and hugged him... 'Thank you. You don't know what this means to me, to Jace..'

Tony hugged her back, and then let go, to pick up the broken pieces off the floor... 'You don't have to thank me, I got your back Elle..'.. He set the pieces on the counter, and grabbed another two cups.

'Yeah, I do. No one else could've done this, not for a few years at least. I really do appreciate everything you've done for us..'.. She said, moving to lean her hip against the counter next to him... 'In the next 12 hours, I'll have him here. Romanoff and Rogers are on a mission for Fury, retrieving Hydra data, which I've already got, but seeing as I've changed some things, need to know if there's anything new..'

Tony handed her a cup, and poured the other for himself... 'From the files Lark has sent me, I estimate three to five months, and he'll be free..'.. The pure happiness in her face, made Tony smile. Everything he'd done for this project she'd given him, the long nights, working alone was worth it.

'You're a real fucking genius Tony, and a real hero. Always so selfless..'.. She drank it in one, setting the cup down.

'You'd be the first to say I'm selfless, usually it's selfish..'.. Tony took a sip.

'Fuck them all. And I know that..'.. She pointed at him, narrowing her eyes... 'Came from the absolute bullshit Rogers said, back on the helicarrier. Fuck him! He didn't deserve to be chosen, let alone have the serum, the rank or the damn shield..'.. She scoffed.