Playing Games (Stark's Daughter 4)

Chapter 5

Hope stands in front of me, crossing her arms in anger and her eyes bright blue like the see. But i stand my ground.

"Two months?" She repeats.

"Yes." I argue back.

"Dad?" Hope whines, tilting her head towards Zeke.

"You're mum is right. You're grounded for 2 months. And we want your phone for two weeks." He adds.

"What? My phone? Because i told Lucas something you should have told him at the start of his life?" She shouts.

"Don't. Phone. Now." Zeke demands, placing his hand in the air.

"This is so unfair." She mutters, pulling her phone out of her pocket and slamming it into Zeke's hand, she marches off and i sigh.

"Is Lucas in bed?"

"I think so. What shall i do with the phone?" He asks, passing me Hope's phone.

"I'll take it to the basement." I say as i march down the glass stairs and into my studio.

I sit on the desk chair and the computer screens light up.

"Jarvis, search Nancy Smith." I whisper, placing the phone on the desk and leaning back in my chair.

"Nancy Smith. Committed suicide on the Avengers tower on 15th June 11 years ago."

"Who was she?"

"A single young mother, she worked in a bank office. No parents. No friends."

"Who's Lucas' father?"

"Marcus Saunders." Jarvis announces.

"What? Why didn't you tell me this before?" I ask.

"Mr. Matthews searched 11 years ago." Jarvis announces.

"Im sorry." I hear a whisper behind me and spin to see Zeke stood at the basement door, his head bowed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I question as i stand up, feeling my eyes go ice cold.

"Your eyes." He whispers.

"I know. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know how." He admits, shaking his head.

"Zeke, we don't keep secrets from each other." I point out.

"Im sorry. I wanted to tell you but i didn't know how." He whispers, his fingers trailing across mine, leaving a trail of numbness.

"Marcus Saunders." I mumble.

"He's a bar tender, he had a one night stand with Nancy."

"How do you know this?"

"I have my sources."

"Did he know Nancy was pregnant?" I ask.

"No. Im sorry."

"Its okay. I forgive you. Can you give me a minute to calm down?" I ask.

"Okay." He whispers, kissing my forehead and walking out.

I sit on the desk chair and look at the computer.

"Jarvis, create a new folder called Lucas' 13th Birthday Present." I order. The folder appears in front of me.

"Add all information on Nancy Smith and Marcus Saunders to this folder."

"Done."

"And photos." I whisper as they pop up on the screen, the blonde pale woman that was used by Zeke's brother.

I sigh out loud and spin in my chair. My mind races.

*

"Mrs. Johnson. Have you ordered more of the chemicals?" I ask into the phone, swinging my legs onto my office desk.

"Yes, miss. The same quantity as before. They've been shipped and should be here tomorrow." She explains.

"Thank you." I reply and put the phone down.

The computer beeps in front of me and i accept the video call from Thor.

"Hello? Is this on?" He asks, a fingers tapping the camera. I smile.

"Yeah, Thor. I see you." I say, waving.

"Hello."

"Hey, how's Idun?"

"She's coming home later. I came to get her clothes."

"Good. What about Kara? Are you going home-home?" I ask.

"No, i have convinced her to stay but she explained that if there is another incident putting Idun in danger we are going home." He explains.

"Good. Someone stole my tracking device and put it in one of my computers." I explain.

"Okay. Thank you for updating me." He replies and ends the call.

Suddenly, the screen goes black. I turn the computer around and unscrew the wires and push them back in. The phone rings next to me and i pull it up, placing it against my ear and holding it in place with my shoulder.

"Yep?" I ask.

"My computers down." Pepper announces.

"Same. Im sorting it, hold on." I talk as i pull wires out and slot them into new places.

There's a bright flash blinds me and Im thrown against the wall behind me, pain erupting inside me.