The Stark Chronicles: Book 1 The Decoy

Chapter 15 Impression

As much as I wanted to stay hidden in the tunnel, I knew I needed to save the hostages ASAP so I could jet back to the iron man suit and get back to D.C. I continued to crawl until I reached the vent above the conference room. My peered inside. There were no guards, only scared workers.

"Hey," I whispered.

Some man below me looked up. "Hey there's-"

"Shhhh!" I urged. "I'm here to get you out." I took a screw driver out of my belt and lowered it through the vent. "Unscrew the vent."

The man nodded and did as I told him. They slowly removed the metal out of the way and I quietly lowered myself down.

"Who are you?" A woman asked.

"An agent of SHIELD," I told her. "I'm here to help you! Just stay quiet and do what I say."

I tip toed to the door and saw the guards outside, their backs to me.

"Anyone got weapons?" I asked.

No answer.

"Any martial arts training?"

No answer.

"Any experience with fighting at all?"

"I beat up this kid at school once," someone muttered.

I sighed. "This isn't going to work."

"Someone's coming!" A woman shouted and I turned in time to see the guards shift.

In panic, I leaped onto a table and back into the vent. "Hand me the cover!"

The man tossed it up and I held it in place with my fingers. There was no time to screw everything back in place. The door opened and one of the men from the office came in.

"It's your lucky day," he groaned to the prisoners. "We have to abandon our base. Get out and stay in a line!"

One by one the prisoners shuffled out. The man who had handed me the vent looked backed up for a second too long.

"What's so interesting?" The office man asked him.

"Nothing!" The hostage said quickly and followed his coworkers.

The man began to come over and I held my breath as he peered up. I prayed he wouldn't notice the screw that was resting by his foot. He squinted and I almost lost every bit of control I had.

"Where are they!"

Steve saved me. The man spun around to face Captain America, who was alone in the room.

"We have let the prisoners go," the man muttered in annoyance. "You have destroyed our secret base. It's time to relocate, Mr. Rogers."

"How do you know me?" Steve asked in confusion.

"I have friends..." The man said. "German friends..."

Steve didn't say anything and I shifted into a crouch, ready to leap back down if need be. My fingers were beginning to ache from holding up the vent.

"Speaking of, those friends have a message for you Mr. Rogers..."

I gasped as someone snuck up behind Steve with a pistol.

"Steve!" I shouted and slammed through the vent, taking out the man who was speaking. That gave Steve just enough warning to block the bullet coming at him with his shield. The bullet bounced back and hit its owner. I grunted as the man pulled out a gun and aimed it at me.

"Tori Stark!" he gasped in surprise.

"Don't act so clueless!" I got to my feet and his gun followed me. "You knew I was here." The man gaped

"Tori!" Steve used his moment of distraction and disbelief to leap in front of me with his shield. "Stay back!"

"You are just as clever as I thought Tori," the man smiled, looking impressed. "How much do you know?"

"Enough!" I shot back. "I have eyes and ears."

He grinned. "Maybe Stan is right. We could use you..."

"Steve!" Nat and Clint ran in. Nat stared at me in shock. "Tori?"

"Why would you need her?" Steve questioned the man.

"Look at her," the man said, his eyes staring at me. "There are only a few people in the world for such a role. She's a beautiful algorithm for scientific exploration."

I took in a shaky breath at his words. There was something hidden in them.

Then suddenly I screamed as he shot himself in the head..