"Now I see. The demon is me."
Lisa May Stark is so much more than the child she used to be when she and her father were kidnapped in Afghanistan five years ago. She's Iron Man's daughter, she's the Red Raven, she's, well, you know who she is...
what if i'm far from home? oh brother, i will hear you call! what if i lose it all? oh sister, i will help you out! hey brother───avicii
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cia headquarters, germany june 9, 2016
"Lisa, it's okay, it's over now. Just open your eyes."
"You've said that before." I remind the soft voice before slowly following her instructions to stare at the much-loved person before me, "You're not really here."
Maria Stark gives me a sad smile as blood trickles down the side of her head, "No, Darling, I'm not."
"He took you away."
"Yes." My grandmother's eyes flicker down, "He did."
I nod a little and stay quiet, looking around at the burning car that surrounds us. We're in the middle of the woods and our smashed car lies broken on a dirt-coated road. The sky is a pitch black and a motorcycle's engine roars in the distance, humming and humming, growing quieter and quieter. There are bruises on my upper body and my window is completely shattered, but I can't quite remember the reason for either of those two things.
"You're so beautiful, Lisa."
I look back and give her a small smile, "People say I look a lot like you did."
"Well, in that case," Grandma gives me a teasing smile, "I should be complimenting myself on my own good looks, then."
I laugh a little and the fire in the hood of the car behind my grandmother continues to burn. My neck suddenly begins to ache and I wince, lifting my hand up to touch the bruises that are forming there.
"There's so much at stake here. I don't think I can get through this on my own."
"You've never been on your own." She tells me softly, "And you certainly aren't now. You have more family than most people realize."
She rests her hand to my cheek and my own hand lifts to wrap around hers. Grandpa suddenly appears by her side as a few tears slip down my cheeks. He reaches out to take my other hand in his and I grip onto his fingers tightly, not feeling anything other than them now. We had this last moment together. It belongs to us; this moment that they were taken from me. I was the last one to see them alive. Grandpa squeezes my hand in his, his white head giving me a small and encouraging nod.
Grandma and I each take a deep breath and we quietly begin to sing together, "Try to remember, and if you remember, then follow..."
My eyes blink quickly and I'm pulled into a reality I'd much rather not live in. The Task Force Headquarters still buzzes with activity around me, trying to hunt down my friends that are now fugitives. Helicopters are out searching for them, not to mention their faces are plastered all over every news network in both Germany and the rest of the world. Secretary Ross has decided to join the party, which is nothing short of wonderful. He is currently chewing out my father and Natasha who are both doing their very best to keep the reins on this situation before it spirals completely out of control.
