Backstory
Backstory
Ten years ago, Iris lived with her mother and younger sibling, Claire, in a quaint house in peaceful suburban Chicago. Their father, a military man, had been dispatched on a mission when Claire was a baby. They hadn't had any contact with him for over nine years. The family adjusted to the void left by his absence and strove to overcome the challenges they faced.
Sarah, their mother, was a strong, resilient woman, working as a government agent and civil cases lawyer between the people and the military court. Her position involved her in sensitive matters, often requiring long hours, but Iris was old enough to look after Claire.
Life was quiet until Claire's health deteriorated, her blood cells compromised due to the radiation her father had been exposed to during his mission in Iraq.
One grim afternoon, Claire collapsed suddenly, her small body convulsing before she fell unconscious. Iris, who was sixteen at the time, had been preparing lunch at the time, dropped everything and rushed to her side. The sight of Claire's limp body, her skin pale and her lips tinged with blue, sent waves of panic through Iris. Without wasting a moment, she picked up her sister's frail body and rushed to the hospital.
Once there, the doctors immediately took Claire for examination. Iris was left in the waiting area, her heart pounding in her chest as she anxiously awaited for her mom to pick up the phone or to read the thousands of messages she sent.
When their mother arrived at the hospital, her face was ashen. She had been in the middle of a meeting when she received Iris' frantic call. Sarah rushed to Iris, pulling her into a tight hug, her eyes filled with worry.
After what felt like an eternity, the doctor finally emerged, inviting them into the room. He had a grim expression on his face, his eyes filled with a sorrow that made Iris' heart sink.
"I'm sorry," he began, his voice low and filled with regret. "We've done everything we can. It’s not the first time we’ve seen this. The only way for her to stay alive is to stay here. These machines will clear her blood and her body will keep functioning as normal.”
“You mean stay in here forever?” Iris asked stunned as the doctor barely nodded.
“No no she can’t, what do you mean she has to stay here forever, she’s only nine!” her broken voice filling in the room.
The world seemed to stop. The words echoed in Iris' ears, each syllable a painful reminder of their helplessness. Sarah's grip on Iris tightened, her body rigid with shock. The room was silent, the only sound being the distant hum of the hospital equipment.
The reality of Claire's condition hit them like a bullet. Their world, which had been so simple and peaceful, was shattered in an instant. They were left grappling with the painful truth.
Iris adjusted her life around Claire's hospital schedule, driving to the hospital every morning and returning every afternoon to help with homework. Their mother worked tirelessly to cover the hospital bills, and Iris took on part-time jobs during school breaks to help out.
“You’re home early” Iris looked at the clock when her mother entered the kitchen.
She just nodded, placing a fold of papers on the table. Iris came closer and picked it up.
“I think I may have found something” Sarah pointed at the papers.
The first page was a piece of a military trial transcription. Iris read the highlighted part “…We tried our best, but McKnight was already in a bad state. Maybe the machine could have worked if he wasn’t already dead.”
“This McKnight was in the same platoon as your father. He died because of the radiation,” her mother explained.
“Okay, but “
“I’m going to find the doctors who treated him, if they had something back then, they might have something better now.”
“This document was classified mom,” Iris noticed the stamp on the page. “What are you doing?”
“I’m doing everything I can.”
“Yes but what happens if they throw you in jail huh? Who’s gonna pay for Claire’s bill? For food? For water?”
“Trust me on this one please, I can feel it, we’re getting closer.”
Eventually, Sarah found the doctor mentioned in the document. Their search led them to a remote military facility in New Mexico, where they were introduced to a team of researchers led by Dr. Knaur.
Dr. Knaur was a middle-aged man with graying hair and a serious face. He led them to a large room filled with high-tech equipment. On a table there was a pretty small device that looked almost like an insulin pump.
"This," Dr. Knaur began, gesturing towards the device, "is what we believe could help Claire. It's an advanced form of dialysis machine that uses nanotechnology to cleanse the blood at a cellular level. This machine is portable and can be used outside the hospital, allowing Claire to live her life normally."
Iris could hardly believe what she was hearing. She glanced towards Sarah, her eyes filled with hope. "Does... does that mean Claire can go to school, and... " Iris stammered, barely daring to believe it. Dr. Knaur nodded, a gentle smile on his face. "Yes, Iris. If all goes well, Claire can lead a normal life."
Sarah hugged her daughters tightly, tears of relief streaming down her face.
“You’ll need to stay here for some time, the time that will take us to adjust the device and for Claire to adjust to it.”
Claire's treatment began immediately. They stayed at the military hospital, where Claire underwent numerous tests as the doctors monitored her body adjusting to the device. Meanwhile, Iris was also subjected to an increasing number of tests. Initially, they thought it was to rule out any risk of Iris having the same condition as Claire. But when the tests became more complex, they grew suspicious.
When they questioned the doctors, they were told it was merely a precautionary measure, to ensure that Iris did not develop the same condition as Claire. Though they were somewhat reassured, a lingering sense of unease remained.
One evening, as Sarah was walking down the hospital corridor, she overheard a conversation between two doctors. She recognized one of them as Dr. Knaur, the man who had been primarily responsible for Claire's treatment.
"...the General was right," she heard Dr. Knaur say. "Iris, like the other children of the soldiers involved in the Atomic Mission in Iraq, exhibits an unusually robust immune system. She also seems to heal somewhat quicker than normal."
Sarah felt her heart pound in her chest as she processed this information. She had a sinking feeling that there was something they weren't being told. She returned to Iris' room, her mind racing with questions and concerns.
That night, Sarah and Iris had a serious discussion about what she had overheard. They decided to be more vigilant and question the doctors about these tests. The next day, they confronted Dr. Knaur with their suspicions.
Dr. Knaur, caught off guard, admitted that the tests were indeed part of a research study investigating the potential effects of exposure to radiation on the children of the soldiers involved in the Atomic Mission in Iraq.
The worry and suspicion soon gave way to a sense of betrayal. They felt used, their trust in the doctors who were supposed to help Claire, shattered.
However, they also knew that they were in a delicate situation. Claire's treatment depended on these very doctors. They had no choice but to continue cooperating, all the while remaining alert and cautious.
One day, as Iris was taken in for yet another round of tests, she noticed something different. Instead of the usual syringe for drawing blood, the doctor held a larger one, filled with an unknown substance. Fear and suspicion gripped her, and she pulled away, refusing to let them inject her with the unknown substance.
The commotion attracted the attention of many in the facility, including the General head of the project. He was a tall man with a stern face, his gaze always holding a certain intensity. He walked into the room, his presence demanding everyone's attention.
He turned to Iris, her body frozen under his stare as he walked around the room. "Iris, this is part of a much larger project," he began, his voice steady. "We have been testing to see if you would be suitable to join a special force in the military."
Iris looked at him, taken aback. "What?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
She glanced towards her mother, who looked equally shocked.
The General nodded, his gaze never leaving Iris. "You're suitable, Iris. And your cooperation... you joining us... we would be very glad to send your sister home, to live a normal and happy life. Isn’t that what you wanted?"
Iris was silent for a moment, the weight of his words sinking in. She glanced at her mother who was looking at her with wide eyes. Understanding there was no other way out of this, she swallowed hard, her decision clear in her mind, unable to hear her mother's screams as she was dragged out of the room.
“You made the right choice, please call me General Kreigkopf, you will soon meet the others. The guards will show you your room and they will bring your dinner for tonight. Tomorrow be ready at 7, one of your teammates will show you around and explain everything,” he said, not watching Iris anymore.
“Someone report to Frank Castle that tomorrow he’s on babysitting duties for this one.”
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Iris' mind went blank, her heart pounding in her chest. "What... what are you talking about?" she stammered "How do you know?"
Tony hesitated, his gaze flickering to Steve and Bucky who had paused in their clean-up to listen. "I... I have my sources, Iris," he admitted "I've been... keeping an eye on your family for some time now.”
Iris' mind reeled, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and frustration. "You've been what?" she exploded, her voice loud in the silent room. "You've been spying on my family?”
Tony tried to placate her, his hands raised in a defensive gesture. "Iris, I didn't mean to-"
But Iris wasn't having any of it. "No, Tony! What the fuck” she shouted, her anger flaring. "If you were able to find that, that… that means Hydra can too. Oh my god, they’ve been this vulnerable the entire time, oh my god…”
Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She could feel the edges of her vision blurring, the room spinning around her as a wave of dizziness washed over her.
"Iris..." Steve began, concern etched on his face as he approached her. But she pushed him away, her hands shaking as she backed away.
"Don't touch me!" she snapped, her voice shaky.
Bucky tried to intervene, his hand reaching out to her. But she flinched away from him.
The room fell silent, everyone frozen in place as they watched Iris. She stood there, her breathing erratic, her body trembling as she fought to control the panic that threatened to consume her.
“Iris, they are safe” Tony's voice cut through her stormy mind
A question looked puzzled on her face
“I started looking for them when you left, it took me a while, but they are fine. They are on the Avengers watch list, if anything happens to them, we’ll know”
Iris' face turned pale, her mind trying to catch up with Tony's words. "You've been spying on my family?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Tony nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. "Yes, Iris. I have. But it was for their safety. And yours."
A silence filled the room, the tension so thick it could be cut with a knife. Iris' mind was racing, her heart pounding in her chest. She felt a lump forming in her throat, her eyes welling up with unshed tears.
"So, they're safe?" she managed to ask, her voice shaky.
Tony nodded, offering her a small, comforting smile. "Yes, Iris. They are safe."
With that, Iris let out a sigh of relief, her body slumping against the chair. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
"You should have told me, Tony," she said after a moment, her voice barely a whisper. "I had the right to know."
"I know, Iris," Tony replied, his voice filled with regret. "And I'm sorry I didn't. But I didn't want to worry you. You had enough on your plate."
Tony gave Iris a hesitant look, "Do you want Steve and Bucky to hear this?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Iris gave a slight nod, her eyes not leaving Tony's. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach, a chill running down her spine at the serious tone in Tony's voice.
Tony took a deep breath, his eyes flickering to Steve and Bucky who had paused their cleaning to listen. "Your mother was admitted to the hospital a week ago," he began, his voice quiet but steady. "She's home now, but... she has cancer."
The room fell silent, the only sound being the faint echo of Tony's words. Iris felt her heart drop, her mind racing as she tried to process the information.
"Iris, I'm so sorry," Tony continued, his gaze sympathetic. "Your sister... she's taking care of her. They're in Chicago."
The world seemed to spin around Iris, her knees weak. She felt a wave of nausea wash over her, her mind on overdrive. Her mother, the strong, resilient woman who had always held their family together, was sick. And her sister, who had been through so much already, was left to shoulder this burden alone.
The reality of the situation hit her like a punch in the gut. She felt a lump form in her throat, her eyes welling up with unshed tears.
"Iris," Steve began, moving towards her. "I'm so sorry."
But Iris simply nodded, the weight of the news still sinking in. She felt Steve's hand on her shoulder, his touch comforting.
“It’s not a good idea for you to go to them, If hydra follows you…” Steve noted
“I can arrange for them to move to a safe house outside of Chicago” Tony suggested as Iris nodded, unable to form a phrase.