Chapter 27
They had been two paragraphs into what Bruce found when they both heard the rush of footseps coming toward them. Not bothering to hide anymore, Harry waved his hand over the packet and cast a weak charm over it so nobody else would notice it. Even Bruce blinked at it as if he lost sight and Harry just shrugged..
Surprisingly, Fury was not leading the small group of people that came into the lab, but Natasha. She stopped in the middle of the room, Steve and Coulson flanking her, and crossed her arms. Thor slowly came into the room after them and Harry felt awkward under the gaze.
He forced a smile on his face. “What is this, a party?”
She turned to Bruce. “Doctor Banner, I think you should remove yourself from this room.
“I'm good,” Bruce said, as if the tension didn't bother him. Harry wanted to laugh. “This is my work space, after all.”
“It's rude to kick a man out of his room, Agent Romanoff.” Harry shook his head. “What can we help you with?”
“Loki said a few things we would like to clarify,” Coulson told them, face showing no emotion. “Thor told us that he likes mischief--”
“Than why listen to him?”
“My brother is not so far gone that he would lie about those loyal to what he is.” Thor walked along the edge of the room. “I heard him mention this man before, though not in the same way he has said to you. Only now do I realize just how far his mind has been poisoned.”
“Ah huh.” Harry leaned against the counter. “So why are you here?”
“Who is Harry Potter?” Natasha asked.
Harry sighed. “Harry Potter is nothing but--”
“A very powerful wizard who is said to have saved the world nearly eleven years ago.” Fury walked into the room, frowning at Harry. “And he is a fool. I expected better.”
So they were going to do this, fine. Harry narrowed his eyes at Fury. “Out of everyone on this boat, I'd think he would be the most qualified to deal with the threat you stuck in a cage.”
“My brother has not been placed anywhere,” Thor insisted. “He remains in there for good reason as no mortal prison can contain him. You should be thankful.”
Harry motioned toward Thor as everyone gaped at the god. “See?”
Fury took one glance at Coulson and the man left the room. Then he turned back to Harry. “You should have come to me first.”
“Since when do I ever listen to you?”
“Tony Stark would never listen to me,” Fury agreed. “Harry Potter however...”
“No.” Harry pushed off the counter and moved closer to Bruce. “Harry Potter is dead.”
“He would be essential to the team,” Fury said. “We both know this is true.”
“Right, because Iron Man isn't as needed.”
“If the only thing Iron Man can do is fly and shoot out high-tech lasers, then I'd rather have a wizard,” Natasha said, her voice hard. “I'm sure his arsenal is greater.”
“Are you not affected by this information at all?” Harry pointed to Steve. “Look at him. He looks like he thinks he's dreaming and all you can think of is weapons?”
Natasha shrugged. “I've seen quite a few strange things in my life. Does Barton know?”
“I live with the guy, of course he knows.” Harry turned away from her scowl and focused on Thor, trying to change the conversation. “What is your brother up to?”
“I fear I do not know.” Thor looked to where the scepter was set up. “This is the first I have seen of him since I returned from my banishment.”
“What happened?” Bruce asked suddenly. “I mean, if this is so new to you, what happened to make him change so much?”
“I fear he may have been like this for quite some time,” Thor admitted. “My brother thinks that we were treated differently and, when it came to our father, I can see why he thinks it so.”
“What happened doesn't matter,” Natasha snapped. “What matters is what's happening now. Director, I think Stark should return to his apparently false life. He's compromised here.”
“How the hell am I compromised?”
“Stark is going nowhere--”
“If you think that just because this man is a wizard--”
“We should keep him in a prison for taking an identity that isn't his--”
“As if you would have any right, Agent.”
“--We don't even know where the real Tony Stark is right now, if there ever was one.”
“We know where he rests--”
“Were you not going to share--”
“My life is not something that needs to be spread!”
“It's not really your life--”
A bang and a crunch sounded to Harry's right and he jumped, turning to see what happened. The room went silent as they saw one of Bruce's hands in the middle of a newly made dent in the steel tables.
“I would appreciate it if nobody fought while in my lab,” he said, voice calm.
“Sorry, Bruce.” Harry patted his shoulder.
Steve cleared his throat. “Not to start it up again, but I'm a little confused. Tony, did Howard...”
Harry arched an eyebrow. “Did Howard what?”
“Experiment on you? Is that why you're a wizard?”
He smiled a little. “Come on, Cap, you're smarter than that.”
“It's the only thing I can think of because I hoped you aren't the person that would take someone out just to inset yourself in their life.”
“Ah, right.” Harry rubbed his chest. “You read about the accident Howard had?” He waited for Steve's nod before he continued. “The real Tony Stark died in that accident, Cap. I was near when it happened and I made a promise to Howard. Becoming Tony Stark was the easiest way to do it.”
“So--”
“So that bastard isn't my father.”
Steve's shoulders tensed. “Howard--”
“Was an alcoholic who mentally abused his son. He isn't the man you knew.” Harry looked around the room. “Any other stupid questions?”
Natasha looked to Bruce. “Did you know?”
“I trust him, so of course he knew.” Harry pointed to Fury. “I don't trust him and he knew because it's his damned job. Why are you so concerned about who knew about this? I'm trying to live my life as Tony Stark, not Harry Potter. You should be happy I'm on your side and not trying to figure a way to break Loki out and help him.”
“Would you do that?” she asked.
Harry narrowed his eyes. “For a spy, you can be extremely stupid. Why would I help someone like that? Someone who would take people's lives?”
“You helped the Hulk.”
Bruce beat him in answering before Harry could retort on that. “The Hulk decided to help Iron Man because the man behind the mask refused to treat me like a time bomb. Maybe you should take a hint, Agent.”
She hesitated. “I never--”
“Yes you did. You and everybody else on this floating death trap.” Bruce looked to Fury “I wouldn't go for your gun, sir, it won't do much. You can't kill me.”
“No, but I can put you down for a bit.”
Bruce laughed, the sound making Harry nervous. “I doubt you would do anything more than making me even more angry. Want to know what happened last time a bullet was put into me? The Hulk spit it out and mangled the gun so that when I came back to myself, I could barely tell what it had been.”
“And the shooter?” Steve asked.
“Standing here, wondering why he was even called in the first place. Shield could have gotten what they needed without me here.” He turned back to the computer, then frowned. “Something's wrong,” he murmured.
Harry went around the counter to look at the data, but as soon as he saw it he knew that the problem wasn't with the data. There was a feeling, as if something was about to make things worse. He looked up to Fury, opened his mouth to say something, but he never got a chance.
Before he could get anything out, everything around them exploded.