Chapter 10
TONY
Control Room
Tony watched the live feeds, particularly the ones inside the main entrance of the Innovation Center. His eyes trailed over to the larger feed ad he could see a woman hugging a small girl. His thoughts went to the boys, wondering how they were doing before turning around and walking towards the back of the control room, getting his phone out, dialing and holding up to his ear. On the second ring, his friend had picked up.
"Hello?"
"Natasha. I need you to bring the boys back to the hotel right away."
"Oh, I would...if I wasn't looking everywhere for them."
"What?"
"Your boys ran off."
"They did what?!" Tony could feel his heart sank at hearing those words.
"They are too much like you. Tony...look, I'm sorry, I didn't think..."
"It's fine." Tony assured her. "Really. I forgot how teenagers are like. I'll call them."
Tony hung up, dialed Peter's number and called. Peter answered on the third ring. "Hey, Dad."
"Peter, is Harley with you?"
"I-I can't r-eal- hear y-u. We're i- the ham-ter ball."
"Okay Peter, listen to me. I need you to get back to the Hotel, okay?"
"Hello?"
"Pete?"
The call dropped a second later and Tony stared at the phone before he inwardly cursed himself. He thought they had fixed the issues with the whole connection between phones inside and outside of the Gyrospheres. He walked straight to Clint after a moment. "Are there any Gyrospheres left in the Valley?"
"No, they're all accounted for. It's my job." stated before he noticed one of the icons turned red. "What? Yeah, here's one in the field."
"Send a team of rangers, bring them in." Tony told Maria, who nodded.
"Security, we need a search and rescue in the Valley."
"It's gonna be a while." said the man over the radio. "We've got our hands full out here."
Tony grabbed a headset and put it up to his face. "No, there are two guests missing- you need to make this your top priority!"
"There's a lot of guests missing. We're doing the best we can."
"Alright, fine, I'll go get them myself."
Tony walked through the crowds of people in the Innovation Center, his heart pounding in his chest. He was looking around, trying to find Natasha as he runs both of his hands through his hair before he gripped his locks, feeling his anxiety spiking. He tried to keep calm, to not loose his cool, but it was so damn hard when it's his damn kids. He needed to go get those kids, to have them in his arms so nothing harmful could get to them.
"Tony!" A sudden voice called out from behind him, making him turn. Bucky was heading to him and the man's steps seem to falter at the hopeless and panicky look on Tony's face. "Tony, what-"
"I need your help." Tony hurriedly interrupted Bucky as he walked the rest of the way to the other. "My sons are out in the Valley."
Bucky seemed surprised before he gripped Tony's arm gently and lead him to a much quieter spot in the main area. "How old?"
"Peter's fifteen and Harley's thirteen." Tony swallowed slightly. "I called Peter a few minutes ago before I came here. He said he was in a Gyrosphere and he and Harley hasn't came back in yet. I tried to get a team of rangers out there for them but they can't- they're swamped with the other search and rescue operations."
Tony tried to keep his 'everything's fine' face up but he couldn't, not now, and he knew that Bucky saw that. he didn't care. He can't care.
"Alright Tony- calm down for me." Bucky put both of his hands on Tony's shoulders comfortingly. "I'll go out, find them and bring them back-"
"I'm coming, too."
"What? Tony, I can't-"
Tony's eyes hardened, his frame tensing as he took a step closer, staring right up into the other man's eyes. The hopeless and panicky look in Tony's eyes were replaced by a stormy look of determination and protective paternal instincts. "I'm going, Barnes. You can't say anything to change my mind and you can't stop me."
The two stared into each others eyes, neither moving or breaking the eye contact. It went on like this for another moment before Bucky closed his eyes and let out a long, defeated sigh as he allowed his hands to slide down from the other's shoulders.
"Alright," Bucky finally relented. "You can come- BUT you need to listen and do everything I tell you, understand?"
Tony nodded in understanding as the tension eased from his frame.
"Good. Let's go."