Of Choices and Tribulations

Chapter 5

Tony Stark

It seemed like an eternity before Rhodey finally told him over the comm that the lockdown code had been cracked. The bad news was that they couldn't get Tony or the others out of the X-Lab until they neutralized the gas that had flooded the entire facility. Hang tight was what Rhodey had said. How long ago was that? Tony didn't know. Didn't care. He just wanted them to hurry the hell up because Peter didn't have long left. The boy's chest was barely rising and from anyones standpoint, the boy looked gone. The only reason Tony knew otherwise was he had FRIDAY monitor for Peter's life sign and though it was there, the kid's pulse was fading fast. Not only was Peter in danger, but time for Helen was also running out. Tony didn't know how much air there was exactly in samples fridge, but he was sure as hell that the doctor couldn't stay in there indefinitely.

"Tony, we're almost there. We've locked down parts of the facility and have already released an agent that should neutralize whatever Quinn used." Rhodey paused for a beat before asking in a concerned tone, "How's the kid doing?"

"Not good Rhodey," said Tony, with his eyes locked on the still and unmoving figure in the AC-Lab. "Did you bring the special med team I requested?"

"Yeah, I did. The kid..., is he enhanced?"

"You met him. At the airport in Germany."

There was a pause and Tony knew that Rhodey made the connection in his reply.

"He... that guy was the kid?" It honestly wasn't the best time to talk about it, but Tony needed to get a special team specifically to treat Peter. Regular hospitals would reveal that Peter wasn't your average teenager.

"Yeah. He is. Rhodey, he's running out of time and so is Dr. Cho.

"Don't worry, we're hurrying." There was a slight pause and then Rhodey added, "Dr. Grayson here says about five minutes tops.

The five minutes felt too long for Tony, but when it finally came, things moved quickly.

The door to the X-Lab slid opened and medics rushed in and went directly to the AC-Lab. The scientists in the room filed out and a number of armed security literally dragged out the rather battered looking Quinn Sharpe. The scientists that had restrained the man had tried to give the man incentive to talk about the gas that had been released. It hadn't worked unfortunately, but at least the scientists got to take out some of their anger on the man.

The last person to leave the room was Harley. A medic was by his side, helping him limp to the exit of the lab. The kid looked conflicted, but he knew he couldn't do anything by being there. Instead, he said to Tony, "You'll tell me when he's okay?" There was optimism in his words. When , not if . Tony thanked Harley for using that word. He nodded and the kid gave a half smile before he disappeared through the doorway of the X-Lab. Just as Harley left, Rhodey entered, still suited up but his mask lowered.

Tony didn't waste a moment and he started to the AC-Lab with Rhodey trailing behind. The sight he saw, made Tony sick to his stomach. Through the pane and the misty gas, it had blocked out the true state that Peter was in. FRIDAY was only able to give Tony specs on Peter's condition - that he still had a pulse going, that Peter was still fighting for his life. But it didn't prepare Tony to see Peter's ashened white face, near colorless lips, nor his clothes... that were soaked and covered in blood. Of course he would be in this condition. Helen didn't operate on him. Kid used that as a distraction to get help. Peter. God... Peter.

The medics had set up the defibrillator machine and Tony knew that Peter's heart had given out. No. No. Please, no! Kid, you gotta hang in there. Don't you give up!