Tattered Wings

Revenge

Max returned to Dylan during the middle of the night after ensuring JARVIS wouldnt tell Tony or Steve she was there. She brought a sandwich with her, knowing Dylan was hungry and she was going to taunt him with it. She shut the door behind her and sat in front of it, facing the sleeping bird-boy. She threw a piece of the sandwhich at him and he awoke with a start, a smile appearing on his face as he realised Max was sat there.

"What can i do for you Max?" He asked politely even as he worked his hands loose from his restraints.

"You can tell me why you really came back."

"Only if you tell me why you didnt go back to your mom."

"That has nothing to do with you."

"Oh, but Max, it does." Dylan answered, his voice taking on a patronising tone. "You see, in the past few hours, I've been thinking and I have come to the conclusion that since you don't love me and will never be with me, then i dont think anyone else should have you either."

"What are you-" Max didnt have time to finish her sentance before Dylan launched himself at her and wrapped his hands around her unprotected throat.

"I'm going to kill you Max, just like i did your flock, and Jeb." Dylan smiled at Max's suprised look, even as she tried prying his fingers off her throat. "Oh, Yes, I killed Jeb to. He found out what we were planning and tried to stop us, so he had to go." Dylan squeezed and cut off Max's air supply, but promptly let go as she kicked him where it counts. She rolled over quickly, wheezing, and stood up, delivering a round house kick to his chest, followed by a upper cut punch to his head. Giving him no time to react, she proceeded to elbow him in the face. As she took a step back, he grabbed her ankle, sending her crashing to the floor. She hit her head and momentarily saw stars and that moment was all Dylan needed to kick her in the side, breaking a couple of ribs in the process and stamp on her wing, snapping it in two and making her scream before clasping his hands around her neck again, positioning himself so that she couldnt kick him off. Her hands flew to his, trying to pry his fingers away from his neck so she could breath. Dylan watched as Max's face began to turn blue and her struggling became weaker and weaker. She gazed up at him with dull eyes and her arms fell to her sides as the last of the light faded from them. He let go, thinking she was dead and stepped back, not expecting her to suddenly shout out.

"Dad! Pops! Peter!"

Dylans hands immediately went back round her bruised throat and this time Max passed out just as the door flung open and Steve, Tony and Peter all came barging through. Peter launched himself at Dylan and punched him repeatedly, yelling in anger. Steve dragged him off the now unconscious Dylan as Tony ran to Max, JARVIS already bringing up her vitals. Steve tied Dylan up again, making sure the knots were inescapable and pulled Peter to Max's side. Peter's face paled as he saw Max's seeminly lifeless body on the floor.

"Is she-" he began unable to finsih.

"She's alive" Tony assured him and Steve. He nodded towards Dylan disgustedly, "And tomorrow I'm taking that to SHIELD and I'm going to get them to track down whoever sent him"

"What injuries does she have?" Steve inquired, trying to make sense of the projection JARVIS was supplying.

"Four broken ribs, minor crushed cartilidge in her neck from the strangulation however, it looks to be healing already, and a broken wing, which means were going to need a vet or someone who knows about wings because i have no idea and i doubt that Bruce does either."

"I can fix it." Peter whispered.

"What?" Tony asked in suprise.

"I can fix her wing." Peter answered, "They taught us how to in Biology when we were investigating birds, and the showed how to bandage the wing so it heals right."

Tony blinked, but then nodded in agreement. "Alright, but we have to get her to her room first."

Steve picked Max up carefully as not to jolt her broken ribs and carried her back to her room, Tony and Peter following close behind. Peter veered off to get the forst aid kit from the kitchen before joining Tony and Steve in Max's room. He watched as Steve put Max down on the bed as her eyes opened. "Dyl...an" she mumbled quietly, hands going to her neck. Steve pulled her hands away gently and laid them on the bed at her sides.

"Its okay Max, he's not here, he's tied up and we're going to take him to SHIELD tomorrow. He can't get you."

"Broke... my wing" she gasped in pain as Peter straightened ojt the wing in question and realined the bones before wrapping a bandage around so the bones healed together perfectly. "Thanks"

"No probs"

Max stood upright gingerly and grabbed the last bandage, making her way into her en-suite before re-emerging with bandaged ribs. Tony and Steve glared at her as she sat back down on her bed and she shrugged her shoulders at them. "What? It's not as if i haven't had broken ribs and wing before."

"Why did you go in alone?!" Steve demanded, falling into soldier mode. "He could have killed you!"

"But he didn't"

"That's not the point!" Tony butted in, "Why was you there in the first place?!"

"I wanted the truth about why Dr. Hans wants me."

"Who?"

"Dylans creater. Oh and i found out that Dylan also killed my biological father, not that i care, but still." She shrugged again, "I'm starving." Max announced and she left her room for the kitchen, pulling bacon from the fridge. "Bacon anyone?" Tony amd Steve rolled their eyes at her.

"This conversation isn't over."

As the baconwas cooking, none of them noticed Peter sneaking off to the room i which Dylan was being held, holding a baseball bat.