[1] BROKEN ONE // t. stark

8

Warning: How this chapter is tricky to write. And it is quite a crap. Every writer has that phase but I feel responsible to say I'm sorry!

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I followed Dad into the quarters, which was just as advanced and lavish as the New Avengers Facilities. It is also just as big - or bigger - because Dad said it has jails and more offices and departments here. Truthfully, I don't care about how big the headquarter is or how many officers and departments and levels they have. I wanted to know why I'm even here - or I mean, why Dad had to be here.

Everybody looked rush and occupied. They didn't turn for a second glance at anyone who walked pass them. With their long legs, they walked as fast as they could towards their destination. They also had tight faces, in which very different than the agents in the Facilities. If I didn't know them, I would say they're a bunch of arrogant people. The new environment almost got me choking because looking at them made me rushing too. What is it called? Anxiety?

Entering a cooler area, I slightly shivered. I turned to look at my father and saw that his face tightened in a deep thought while he was talking to someone on the phone. I didn't hear his phone ringing, but by the time we stopped at one point - his phone was still at his ear - he turned to me. Instantly I knew what he was going to say.

"You go to my office, Terri," Dad instructed. "I have some works here."

"Okay." I nodded without protests. I walked slowly with my crutchers along the corridor that was filled with suited men and women. They didn't even take a glance at me, but I was lucky Dad provided me with the tracking device I used back at the Facilities. I walked towards the still neon red dot, hoping it wasn't that far as it stated in the device.

I turned to glance at my father one last time and saw that he was already talking to Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson. Then going in the opposite direction, he walked with Natasha Romanoff while Steve and Sam stood at the door with hands in their pants. I quickly turned and walked away before any of them saw me. It might not be good even if Dad didn't say anything.

By the time I reached Dad's office here, I knew I'd passed several confidential rooms; and with them looking at me as if they were hiding something, I knew they were doing a secret experiment. At least, secret from an outsider like me. I decided not to acknowledge about it. If they were Dad's work, he will eventually let me know, right?

I sat on the leather sofa Dad had in his office set aside the main area. The smell of it tells me that it was new. The big wooden table located in front of the big double door had a set of computer that wasn't Dad's. Other than a keyboard and a mouse, the desk was empty and shiny under the light outside. There was also a tall bookshelf near from where I was sitting, filled with files and books that were too thick to be fiction.

I hung my legs on the hand rest, my arms hugged myself as I settled into the seat. My crutchers was on the floor beside the sofa and my phone was on the coffee table. Jet lagged, I started to doze off in the expensive sofa when I heard the door opened and closed.

Dad? I wondered. Could it be him? How fast can his work finish?

I strained my neck and peered in between my knees to see the incomer.

"Hello, Terri," Rhodey said, smiling at me. He had a chocolate paper bag in his hand with a cup of hot drink. Coffee, I guess. Most people just "didn't know" tea.

"Ah, Rhodes." I got up into a sitting position. I was tired, but I think I could stay up for a little longer.

"Tony asked me to come here. Said that you haven't taken anything so here you go," he said as he approached me and then put the paper bag and the hot cup on the table under my nose.