My Turn
Chapter 12
It happened without warning. The strands she attributed to the Fates wove themselves before her eyes, and she stiffened at what she saw. She was thankful when Luna was suddenly just there, likely knowing what she'd seen, already gently moving her aside to take control of the helm. With a nod, Hera made her way to the back of the ship, her eyes searching for something she knew she wouldn't see yet. James noticed the change in her demeanour, following after a moment.
“Tell me something, James.” Hera began, still staring out at the sky. “How much faith do you have in the military?”
“I'm gonna hate why you're asking me that, aren't I?” Rhodey reasoned, grim already. “I wouldn't have joined the Air Force if I didn't believe in them, Hera.”
“Perhaps I should rephrase.” She allowed, looking to him now. “The various branches of military are a weapon, powerful and strong; can be used to hurt or heal, aid or destroy. That will never be in question from me. But the hands that wield them? Those that tell them where to go, and what to do. What about them? Do you trust them to make the right decisions? Do you even know who they are?”
“You're telling me someone's strong armed the military?” Rhodey asked, dubiously.
“Can you really tell me your superiors haven't been swayed by 'funding' before?” She countered, raising an eyebrow at him. “In this case? No. Not entirely anyway. They have, however, been influenced. It's just a piece, but it's enough to make something look like an accident, or a training exercise gone wrong, an unfortunate tragedy; anything to buy them more time to do what they really want.”
It took all of a moment for him to understand. “This Stane's doing?”
“It is. Those in power, as well as those who have been influenced, have turned a blind eye; Plausible deniability at its finest. To have Stark Industries funding without having to deal with Tony's personality? Too tempting a carrot to resist, you see. And well, those pesky siblings would just get in the way. Inheritance really is such a bother. Shame we have to lose a good man too.” Hera's words painted a picture she knew he didn't want to see, his objection dying under the conviction in her eyes. “Because nothing, no matter how horrible, ever really happens without the approval of the government. The problem isn't the doing. It's the people in power having to admit that they knew.* In this case, I'm thinking Stane got to someone in the World Security Council, and convinced them to give the order I now have to deal with. He went through someone else for Tony's situation. He just didn't tell them who it was they were really after, which is the only reason Tony's not already dead.”
They looked up at the sky then, both wanting to avoid thinking of Tony as anything but alive, when Hera saw it. There was only one pinpoint of light, easily dealt with, but one turned to ten. Ten turned to thirty. Thirty turned to…oh, dear. Hera wasn't sure she could protect them from so many. A grounding touch had her looking to Rhodey once more, and he nodded to her.
“Any chance this thing has defensive capabilities?” He asked, a little strained, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
“In my panic, I had forgotten.” Hera admitted sheepishly, before rushing to the controls in front of her.
There were several such stations all across the ship, with one at the helm to encompass everything. The shield – a sheer green – formed around the ship, and Hera watched as a barrage of missiles collided with it, exploding on impact. It shook the ship, and an arm wrapped around her to keep her from stumbling backwards. Hera looked to her friends first, checking that they were alright; relief rushing through her when she saw that they were. Rhodey looked more than a little shaken at how close they'd been to becoming a blood stain in the desert, grim with the knowledge that she'd been right.
“What now?” He asked, but was stopped from asking further questions by a barrage of explosions against the shield.
It continued on like that for what felt like ages. It could have been seconds or minutes. The only sound they heard over the muffled explosion was Luna humming nonsensically as she continued to steer the ship. Hera started to hear a rhythm to the sound, and slowly raised her hands above her head; using her magic to grasp at the flames. They were not like those of a dragon, but the flames responded to her the way all fire did when asked; eagerly seeking the source of her desires and following it without question, and for a moment only Luna's humming pierced the silence.
“What did you do?” Rhodey asked, once it was clear more bombs were not coming.
Hera lowered her arms, and gave him a calculating look as she replied. “Return to sender.”
Her words carried more weight when a moment later an explosion could be seen in the distance. It kept happening too, and Hera didn't look back over at the man as more explosions rocked different far off locations. His arm was still clutched around her waist, tightening as he saw just how many bombs kept trying to find them. Eventually they tapered off, and she found herself looking over at him tentatively. She hadn't meant to disillusion him to the military, because she did believe there was good in it, but he did look distinctly disheartened by what had just happened.
“You knew this would happen?” He asked, his expression becoming guarded as he tried to process what had happened.
“Someone there knew where he really was, and specifically kept the search pattern away from this area. That much I knew.” Hera admitted with a grimace. “What their reaction would be…because my existence and decisions changes things…I could only guess, but I knew that whatever reaction they had, it was one you needed to see.”
“Why?” He wondered, confusion showing through.
“Do you really think Tony is going to keep the weapons division open after this? That he wouldn't sever the contract he has with the military once he realizes what they were willing to do?” Hera pointed out. “You needed to see that, because you wouldn't understand otherwise…You wouldn't have sided with him.”
He looked shocked at that.
“The Air Force uses you as a liaison for Stark Industries, and it's worked out well for everyone involved, but there's a limit. No one is resistant to the kind of pressure they would put on you to make Tony see 'reason'.” She knew her point had hit home, but he still looked torn.
“…It's my life.”
“Yeah, and they were willing to sacrifice it for unfettered access to Tony's weapons and money.” She pointed out, before grimacing, because there it was; the brutal truth of it, the thing she hadn't wanted to say. “I shouldn't have-”
“It needed to be said.” Rhodey insisted, cutting her off. “Let's go rescue Tony. I can figure out the rest of my life after we get him out of there.”
“Well then, I suppose it's a good thing we're here.” Luna cut in. Hera looked over in surprise, only to realize that Luna had directed them to the very cave Tony was held captive in. “We are, aren't we? I followed the strands the Fates showed me.”
There had been a pinging sound to her right, something Hera now realized were bullets hitting the shield. To be fair, they hadn't exactly been subtle. Arriving in the middle of a desert war zone on a ship that sailed through the air as if it were water, Hera hadn't even been trying for subtle. The men shooting at them were covered in some kind of camouflage, some wearing red or black keffiyeh that covered their faces; the colours of which were something she thought defeated the purpose of said camouflage, but they were shooting at the ship, so maybe that part didn't matter so much any more. She looked to her friends then, all looking grim but determined even so, and knew it was time to act.
“Ron, you're my strategist.” Hera announced, looking to him. “How do you think we should approach this?”
“Who even are these guys?” He asked, grim as he watched them now.
“This is a muggle cell of a clandestine criminal organization known as The Ten Rings. It's mostly mystical in nature. It's how they avoided the Statute of Secrecy, because Sorcery isn't labelled as magic in the strictest of definitions; which is what those drafting the thing had used at the time.” Hera explained.
“Okay.” Ron nodded thoughtfully.
“Wait. He's your strategist?” Salazar objected, indignant.
“My main one, yes. Beat him in Wizarding Chess, and we'll talk.” Hera replied automatically, before returning her attention to Ron. “There's tunnels for days in there, and I can't be sure how many weapons they've managed to stock pile. They've been at this for some time.”
Ron thought for a moment, before speaking. “Right. At least one person should stay with the ship, ideally two for the security. We need a big distraction to bust up this lot to get you in. You should take at least two of us with you. I'd recommend Salazar and Draco. Draco's the better healer, while Salazar will do in a pinch; plus Salazar hasn't the same sort of hesitation we might when it comes to quick reaction times, and you'll need that.”
Hera took this into consideration, and made her choice.
“Alright. Salazar. Draco. You're with me. Luna. You stay with the ship. Ron. Hermione. You two watch her back.” Hera stated, but she could already see Hermione about to fight her on it. “It's not because I don't think you capable. It's because I do. I have people I trust to watch my back. I need someone I trust to watch Luna's. That's you two.”
These two were her first friends, and she needed Hermione to understand what that meant. She trusted them most of all, because though there had been rocky moments, they were always there for her when she needed them most. She needed to know that they would defend each other as fiercely as they defended her. Hermione nodded, relenting then, and moved to stand by Luna's side.
“Wait.” Rhodey objected, sounding panicked. “What about me? What place am I suppose to have? Also, I still need a weapon!”
“I mean, you have the cricket. You'll be fine.” Hera waved him off as she made her way to the side of the ship closest to the cave. “Stay here and protect them, or come with me and protect us. The choice is yours.”
He didn't look happy about that, but her focus was already shifting to the men below. They were still shooting at the ship, but hadn't moved on to more impressive weaponry; having likely seen what had happened earlier. She watched them idly, her thoughts occupied by what kind of a distraction would be big enough to disrupt what she saw there. They were going to get desperate soon, and then it wouldn't matter what they'd seen. It was amazing it hadn't happened already, given how long it had already been.
I have an idea.
Fen cocked his head to the side as he looked up at her.
~I don't believe we've had the chance to fight together like this~ Jör commented in agreement. ~Want to play who's the better killer?~
As if you could win against me. Fenrir scoffed in amusement, showing far too many teeth.
“Alright then.” Hera replied, grinning like a shark as she looked down to the men still shooting at them. “Play.”
…
Inside the cave, things happen quickly. Tony wasn't sure how they've lasted this long, but their luck had to run out at some point. He'd planned ahead for it, hoping it would be enough. Tony had been subtly trying to test the range of his recently discovered magic, not wanting to risk it making things worse for his heart. He discovered that his link to Jarvis wasn't entirely tethered to his tech anymore, but it wasn't enough to do more than assure the AI that he was alive. He'd do something to make sure the connection was stronger – or at least had a backup – later; as the watch that had been his main mobile connection to Jarvis had been destroyed.
There was shouting from the other side of the door. Yinsen shouted back, but the older man looked confused. It was like they hadn't even heard him. Sounds of gunfire soon echoed throughout the area, followed by explosions and screams. Slowly, Yinsen backed away from the door, looking more and more wary. He turned back to Tony, who had been stationary in the massive suit of armor, and began checking over everything.
“Function 11.” Tony rushed, knowing what the man was going to ask. “Tell me when you see a progress bar. It should be up right now.”
“I have it.” Yinsen nodded quickly.
“Press Control 1.”
“Got it.”
Both could hear the nervousness in their voices. Neither one called the other out on it. Whatever was happening beyond that door had moved up the timeline, and the risk had never been higher. Tony rushed through the instructions to get the massive suit charging and active, as Yinsen followed his words with shaking hands. The sounds were getting closer, and he had a sinking feeling that they wouldn't finish charging the suit in time to escape.
“We need more time.” Yinsen stated, watching the charging bar. He refused to look Tony in the eyes. “I'm gonna go buy you some time.”
The man didn't even get the chance to take more than a step before the door slammed open. Hera stared at them both with wide eyes, her face twisted in worry and rage, breathing heavily. Blood was spattered all over her, and she sported more than a few scrapes of her own. Outside the room, they could hear the fight continuing. It seemed she'd brought the cavalry.
“Broðir-”
That was the only thing Hera managed to say before a popping sound rang out, and she lurched forward; her head falling just enough that her face was no longer in view. She gripped the doorknob tightly as she lurched two more times. It was only when something metallic falls to the ground below that Tony has the sickening realization that he'd just watched his sister get shot in front of him. Two more metal bits hit the ground before Hera looked back up at him, but this time her eyes were red instead of their usual green. He heard Yinsen let out a quiet gasp beside him as Hera's skin slowly turned blue; a low growl emanating from her throat.
“My turn.”
She pulled the door to a close before either could think to stop her, and they were left in silence. Even the screams outside felt muted now. As Tony was stuck in the suit, he couldn't get out to chase after her, and the frost that sealed around the door itself probably meant that they weren't leaving anyway. Meanwhile, Yinsen seemed to be frozen where he stood, gaping at the door. At least he wasn't physically frozen, Tony consoled himself.
“So…” Yinsen began, finally coming back to himself enough to speak again. “That was your search party?”
Tony couldn't help but grin as he nodded. “That was my little sister.”
“Oh.”
…
Hera, meanwhile, was pissed. These assholes had actually shot her in the back! Fucking cowards! Now there were holes in her outer armour; the leather long coat that she'd taken to wearing after the incident at the Dursleys. It was a good thing she'd also taken to wearing something goblin made underneath it, or else there would have been an impromptu experiment as to whether or not bullets could pierce her skin; something she was not keen to try just yet. For now, there were bigger fish to fry.
They kept shooting at her, but all they ever seemed to hit was air. She moved through shadows, disappearing and reappearing, only to disappear again once she'd stabbed someone or hit them with a spell. Now, she didn't even bother with that. Many a man found out what it was like to be shot with a frozen projectile. Others found out what it was like to be frozen and shattered entirely.
Salazar and Draco shielded themselves and fought as they could, having the other's back while she lost her shit. Outside, she could hear Jör and Fenrir having the time of their lives competing for who was the better killer. Another one of Tony's captors had tried sneaking up on her while she was distracted, but they were quickly frozen and shattered like the rest. One abandoned his weapon altogether to rush her, and was stabbed with an ice shard for his trouble. Distracted as she had been with this, it is only when pain explodes across her forehead that she realized they had been a distraction while another prepared to fire.
~
“Well, isn't this interesting.”
~
There was a ringing in her ears when she came to. Draco's face swam into view. His mouth moved, but Hera couldn't hear him. Her head hurt like it had been split open, and she clinched her eyes closed against the pain as she tried to sit up. Draco helped her there, though she still couldn't hear him past the ringing in her ears.
She understood what he must have been trying to tell her when she opened her eyes again, only to see him gesturing to a far wall. Salazar sat there with his knees drawn up, eyes wide, breathing rapidly; his skin a light shade of blue. He held an ice dagger in the hand that rested on his knees, while his other arm was wrapped around his middle. She gestured to Draco, who seemed to understand what she wanted, and he helped her get to Salazar. The other boy only jolted a little when she rested her hand on the hand gripping the ice dagger.
“It's okay.” She tried to tell him. “I've got you.”
He just shook his head against the idea.
“I thought…I thought that when I chose this new life, I wouldn't…I wouldn't enjoy killing so much.” Salazar whispered, and Hera was thankful to realize the ringing had finally stopped. “I thought…I thought I had a chance to be good, if not Light.”
“You do.” Hera insisted through his disbelief. “Salazar, you're not bad because you enjoy killing people.”
He finally looked at her, confused.
“You didn't kill the Jotnar when you could have, because you knew I'd disapprove. You took another's thoughts into consideration. You wouldn't have done that before. That's personal growth.” She reminded him. “You killed now, because we went into this knowing it would need to be done. That you enjoy the act of killing might be questionable to many, but I will never judge you for that. There is something to be said for close encounters of might and skill, to knowing that what is on the line is the finality of life; either yours or theirs. What we must be careful of is not to fall into the trap of thinking we always know when killing another is deserved. It's why I'm glad I have my shield-brethren. They will and have told me when I go too far, and I strive to be better because of that. They would do the same for you. I will do the same for you.”
The moment felt like a precipice, something that would lead to a Vow.
“…I thought you died.” He finally admitted, belatedly vanishing the ice dagger, now looking away. “I thought you'd died, and there was no more reason to hold back or be better. You were hit directly on your scar. It wasn't enough to dislodge the horcrux within.”
“Then I didn't die.” She assured him, reaching out to grip his shoulder, steadying him.
“Your head did snap back so hard I thought it was going to pop off, though. It was rather impressive for how disturbing it was.” Draco added in, causing them both to look his way. “I know you two are having an important moment, but I don't know if that was all of them.”
Hera nodded in understanding, and stood up, grimacing a bit at the pain that still rocked her skull.
“This way.” She stated, gesturing off to the side. “I found Tony just before I lost my shit. I imagine he'll lose his when he realized what happened.”
“Which time?” Rhodey pipped up. Hera couldn't help but whirl around in his direction, grimacing when the pain reminded her what a bad idea that was.
“When the bloody fuck did you get here?” Hera scowled, glaring over at him through her pain. “I thought you stayed with the ship!”
“Hera, you sauntered into a cave filled with terrorists like you owned the place. Did you really expect me to stay with the ship?” He pointed out; which was fair. “Besides, I'm pretty sure the two living legends back there have it handled.”
Hera couldn't help but roll her eyes at him, before slowly making her way in the direction she sort of remembered Tony being in. The fight had been exhausting, and the pain in her skull was still pretty intense. Draco and Salazar, both still a little shaken, followed after her closely; one on either side. Hera noticed this, of course, and tried not to draw attention to that. Rhodey followed soon after, keeping an eye out for any stragglers.
Tony looked like shit, Hera noticed when she opened the door again. The arc reactor now rested where she'd warned him it would, something she really hadn't wanted to be right about. She'd hoped she'd get to him before he could be tortured, but it was clear just by looking at him that he had been. He was still trapped in that rather bulky metal suit as well. That would have to be remedied soon.
“Sal, come here if you would, please.” Hera gestured him over. Salazar, curious now, moved to where she was pointing. “I'll need you to hold him while I remove the chest plate to get him out of here.”
The other man was about to speak up when several things happened in quick succession. Salazar gripped the arm of the metal suit Tony was all but trapped in, instead of using a spell. Hera reached forward, and literally yanked on the collar of the suit. The other man watched with his jaw dropped as the metal ripped as almost as easily as cloth. There was still a bit of fight to it, but after a little while Rhodey was able to help pull Tony out of the suit.
“So…How was the Fun-Vee?” Rhodey asked, trying for levity, though it was clear he was trying to hold back tears. Tony choked on a laugh and a sob at that. “Next time, you ride with me, okay?”
“Sure thing, Platypus.” Tony nodded, clinging to his best friend as he looked over to Hera. “Hey, Frost, you okay?”
“I'm supposed to ask you that.” She replied, with a sniffle.
“Yinsen!” Tony suddenly exclaimed, pulling away from Rhodey. “We need to get Yinsen back to his family!”
Something settled into her mind, not unlike how the weave of Fate showed her what she needed to know in whatever moment they appeared. Yet, it was completely unlike anything she had experienced to date. A shadow stood near the man, now Yinsen. It shook its head, and Hera understood. What Tony wanted wasn't possible any more.
“Tony…” Hera trailed off, somehow also knowing that Yinsen knew what she was about to say. “his family is dead.”
“But he said he would be with them after we left here.” Tony insisted, and Hera's face twisted with understanding and pain.
“Tony, he didn't plan on making it out of here alive.”
“Yinsen?” Tony looked to the man with a pleading expression.
“It's how I was going to buy time for you to escape.” Yinsen admitted, looking off to the side. “It's all I've thought of while here, dying to be with them. Now that we're…truly safe…I don't know what to do.”
“Well, if you stand there for too long, Tony will end up adopting you.” Salazar commented, causing Hera to snort.
“He's not wrong.” Rhodey admitted, amused. “Tony's got a big heart.”
“You know, I could possibly have an uncle or something that wanted to reconnect with the family.” Tony suggested, running with it, to Yinsen's shock. “I could always say you were a black sheep that went no contact with mom's side of the family decades ago, and wanted to reconnect. What are the odds we'd end up held captive in a cave together?”
“We look nothing alike!” Yinsen objected, though it was half hearted at best.
“Eh, you were adopted.” Tony insisted, waving his hand as if to clear the air. “Sorry you're only just finding out now though.”
Hera snickered, unable to help herself, suddenly bringing his attention to her.
“Oh, don't think I've forgotten about you, Lil Blue.” Tony continued. He was shaky, but his eyes were alight with mischief again; though there was a great deal of concern as well. “Not that I mind, but why are you still blue? Also, why is there a suspicious amount of dark purple on your face? I don't think your plan to hide a bruise is working as well as you'd hoped.”
“Damn it.” She muttered to herself, before looking up as she let the blue fade. “I didn't want you to see this. You're already dealing with having been tortured, and the metal shards in your heart, and who knows what else. I didn't want you to have to deal with the fact that I'd been shot in the face.”
It took a moment, but then…
“WHAT?!”
AN: Quote from The Shooter (2007)