Radioactive | Bucky Barnes

IRON MAN: CHAPTER TWELVE

"You should be fine," Yinsen tells Rhiley, helping her to lean up, Tony handed her a wet cloth to clean her face with. She takes it gratefully, and with a limp smile, she watches him walk back to a table full of items. 

"What is he building?" 

"He's supposed to be building a weapon." 

"Suppose to?" 

"My people have a tale," Yinsen went on, looking over at Tony, "about a Prince, much hated by his King who was banished to the underworld and jailed there. The evil King gave him the most difficult labor -- working the iron pits."

Rhiley glanced over at Tony Stark. She should have known he wouldn't go down without a fight. He was a Stark after all. She, herself, had got the life beat out of her a few times in the last few weeks and still didn't know if it was night or day or what the date was. 

Sparks flew from the metal making Rhiley's own hands itch to release her own spark. She had lost everything -- no one would be looking for her in this place. 

Rhiley Jones was the poor assistant either dead or abducted alongside the infamous Tony Stark. 

Or would they even bother remembering who she was?

"Year after year the Prince mined the heavy ore." Yinsen went on, "becoming so strong he could crush pieces of it together with his bare hands. Too late, the King realized his mistake...." He watched Tony, "When he struck at the Pricne with his finest sword. It broke in half. The Prince himself had become strong as Iron..." 

That's when Rhiley noticed the iron mask Tony had been working on. She had been so caught up in everything surrounding her, the heat, the story, the pain that washed over half her body, she didn't even notice what they had been working on. 

And it was clearly not for the enemy. 

It wasn't until Tony had put down his tools that Rhiley decided to speak up. She ignored Yinsen's protest and stood on her shaking legs, and as her bare feet hit the ground a shiver went up her. "What can I help with?" She asked. 

Tony looked up from his work, eyeing lingering on Rhiley until he spoke up. "You don't need to help with anything, just rest."

"I'm not the one with metal in my heart."

Tony points a wrench towards her, "Near." He corrected Rhiley, "Near my heart."

"I can't help." 

"I work better alone." 

"Yinsen is helping you."

This battle of words ended up with a staring contest of glares until one of them would back down and since they were both Starks, it would be a long staring contest until Yinsen broke their concentration.

That's when Tony backed down and Rhiley won, "Fine."

She always won when it came to Howard too. 

So, Rhiley helped the best she could for the next week, and if she had thought this through she would have realized it would be exactly like helping Howard in his lab. When she was able to sleep, nightmares would plague her mind, the memories of her past collapsing with the present. 

But Rhiley helped and tried to keep her mind off the wounds that started to slowly heal. Her burning ribs, and the fact she no longer healed like she used to. 

Rhiley kept returning to the moment she broke the chains from the rock and how her strength, even for just a moment, came back and she felt normal. She felt complete. For the first time since waking up in a different century - she felt like herself. 

"How did you become Stark's assistant?" Yinsen asked. 

"He got me fired." 

Tony jumped in, "Technically." 

"Technically?" Rhiley echoed. 

"You were already bad at your job." 

Yinsen looked between the two and for a moment, their dynamic reminded him of two bickering siblings. "What did you do before?" 

"I was a barista." She continued, "I served coffee."

"Badly," Tony added.

Rhiley rolled her eyes, the same color as Tony's; brown. If Yinsen had known better he would have assumed the two were related. "Listen, I may have helped in getting you fired but I got you a much better job." 

"I doubt if I was still a barista I would be here." Rhiley jokes and Tony falls silent. "Tony-"

"Let's get back to work." Tony had gotten right back to work and his attention was completely taken up.

They didn't speak much after that.

A week later, Tony and Yinsen were by the workbench. A sensor attached to one of Tony's legs. "We're ready," Tony said, unplugging himself. "A week of assembly and we're a go." Tony had plugged a wire into his RT heart, a moment passed and data raced up on the crusty laptop. 

-

-

-

Rhiley watched the two play backgammon having turned down participating. She didn't like games. She found them pointless. But she did eat, at least, what she could stomach. "Ah, anchoring with 13-7. You know, I have never met anyone who understands the nuances of this game like you."

Rhiley lightly snorted, she had no clue what the hell was going on in the 'said' game. "Right back at ya." Tony had responded. He continued, "You never told me where you're from."

"I come from a small village not far from here. It was a good place... before these men ravaged it."

Rhiley frowned, her leg shaking as she sat on top of the table watching from above. She felt anxious as she listened. "Do you have a family?" Tony continued, he listened, intently.

Yinsen smiled, "When I get out of here, I am going to see them again." He then paused and asked his question, "Do you have family, Stark?"

Rhiley wanted to scream the answer, she was tired of this secret, especially since no one would believe her anyway. 

Tony took a moment to answer and the response broke Rhiley's heart even more, "No." 

"You're a man who has everything and nothing." Yinsen responded, looking towards an anxious Rhiley, "What about you, dear?" 

It took Rhiley a moment to register the question. "No." She glanced at Tony who didn't look her way. "It's just me." 

Abu shouts from the door slat and enters. He spoke to Insen in Arabic. 

Abu ventures in, with a basket of his laundry, neatly folded. He smells it, they smell of clean clothes. He heads for the door, shaking his head as he sees them play backgammon.

"You idiots don't know what you're doing with that game."

Tony didn't understand but still responded, "Yeah-yeah, enjoy your laundry."

Abu is about to head out when Raza enters. Abu freezes as Raza's eyes dip to the laundry, then without warning, he shoots Abu in the head startling the three captives, who stood stock-still.

Rhiley stared at the body as it hit the ground. "You have till tomorrow to assemble my missile." Raza told the three before heading out, pointing a glare toward Rhiley, "If you don't, she dies first."

She would have snapped if it wasn't for Tony grabbing her by her upper arm. Had he sensed what she was about to do? Had he seen the way she curled her hands into a fist and flinched forward? 

Raza left the room, "Just cause I'm the female in the group doesn't mean I'm the weakest." Rhiley smacked Tony's hand away, "I could beat the hell out of both of you." 

"I don't doubt it." Yinsen agreed, but Tony was silent.

"We can test that after we're free." Tony told her, "Until then, let's make sure we all leave, alive."

After all, it was time.