Breaking Iron Will

~ Tony

Tony grunted barely holding back his scream, his agony mounting with each new device that Ross tested on his flesh.  Between the stabbing, burning, and slicing he had last track of time.  Tony huffed out a breath trying to calm the erratic beating of his heart and the fresh pain it festered in his chest.

“Tony, I swear to you this will all stop if you just give me a location.” Ross smirked from his chair eyes flitting a crossed Stark’s broken body.

Tony sucked in a few more harsh breaths, his bruised and broken ribs aching from the effort.  He lifted his bruised face to the ceiling sighing in relief as the stale water dripped onto his face. The water helped remind him that he could still feel something other than pain. Dropping his head Tony met Ross’s cold gaze, there he found no pity, no honesty, only amusement. He really was the bastard of the of the decade. But Tony had to give the man credit; he was awfully creative with his games of torture.

Even so, the team was counting on him and his strength and it was that thought that kept Tony going.  It would take a lot more than this torture to break him.   Tony shook his head sending water, sweat, and blood splattering on his loathsome companions’ fine dress.  He grinned at their looks of disgust before he replied in typical Tony Stark fashion.  “I said it once, but I’ll say it again, stick it where the sun don’t shine.”

Ross raised a hand and gestured lazily to his henchmen.  The man moved behind Tony and out of his eye sight.  Tony shifted against his chains trying to find the man.  The second man grabbed Tony’s chained wrists holding him in place.  “No peeking Stark, what’s coming next is a surprise.”

Tony struggled against the hold of the man, he cursed these chains and he cursed his weakened body.  The crackling of fire and the smell of smoke assaulted his senses and his brow furrowed in confusion. How long had the fire been burning and why would they need it when the place clearly had electricity. It was only when the sound of searing metal greeted his ears did the panic set in.  They meant to brand him.  Tony renewed his struggle against his captors, but his blood weakened exhausted body couldn’t put up much of a fight.  The first goon came back into view brandishing the flaming blade. Tony’s eyes flickered to the blade, chest heaving, before landing back on Ross.

“Last chance Stark, I’m growing tired of this game.” Tony’s only response was to spit at the bastard. Ross sighed, bored.  Clearly, he needed to go about this differently, find a new weak spot to exploit. Ross nodded to one of his goons before getting up from his chair.  “Once you are done return to my office.  There are matters to discuss,” Ross paused, gripping Tony roughly by the chin. “Don’t fret Stark, I’ll be back soon enough, and I will get the answers I’m looking for. I always get what I want, and this time will be no different.” Ross released Tony with a shove and exited the room the cell door snapping shut.

Tony didn’t get a chance to think on Ross’s parting words before his back was met with the red-hot blade, slicing a burning path from his right shoulder to his left hip.  Tony let out an agonizing scream, the knife cut so deep that even the temperature of blade couldn’t completely cauterize the wound.  Thick heavy blood streamed over the angry burns irritating them further. In that moment Tony’s world centered around one thing, pain.  Tears streamed down his face as he let out a sob, his vision spotting with black as he struggled to remain conscious.

The man made several more cuts mapping out Tony’s back once satisfied with his work he set the blade down on his torture cart. Tony didn’t get the chance to recover before the man’s fist brutally connected with his gut.  Tony’s breath left him in a whoosh his lungs struggle to regain the life-giving air.

His torturer reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping his work from his hands. Tony panted while he watched the pristine fabric soon become soiled with his blood.  For some reason the blood on the fabric bothered him. It echoed a hideous memory of his father.  Howard never missed a chance to remind Tony that his entire existence was born of pain and blood and it was a stain on this world.  When the man finished cleaning the gore from his hands, he balled the fabric up and threw it to the ground and he swiftly exited the room.

Tony stared at the ruined fabric for a moment before he closed his eyes as a weak chuckle left him.  It was almost to perfect; the handkerchief was ruined and now that it was tarnished it was tossed away like garbage.  Tony could relate to that he had always been damaged, and he did his own far share of damaging. He wrecked a lot of things and lives in the process. Peter was his only silver lining but even, so he didn’t doubt he had set the kid up for some kind of pain and suffering.

A small tear slipped from his battered eye.  Tony believed he was doing this to protect his estranged friends, the world to, but there was another ugly reason behind his motives.  This was his punishment, his recompense to the world.  For most of his life he had made his profit from murder and war, he had thought becoming Iron man and fighting against tyranny would redeem himself. But that had been a foolish lie he told himself.  Even as Iron man he caused death and destruction and worse he destroyed his friends lives by signing those cursed Accords.  No matter how hard he tried Tony seemed to be a screw-up, so maybe this is how his story ended, tortured to the edge of insanity before Ross grew tired of the game and ended his miserable life.  But he would do this one thing right and keep his friends safe. If there was one positive thing the great Howard Stark taught his son, it was to have a will made of metal.  Tony had gone above and beyond that, he was Iron man, and he was about to prove that iron was not so easily broken.

~Avengers Tower

Peter sat on the living room couch picking out tiny fragmented concrete from his knuckles.  The skin was red and angry, blood still slowly oozed from the shallow cuts.  Peter hissed pulling the last sliver of concrete from his skin.  Flexing his hand Peter ignored the sting of pain that traveled up his hand.  This pain was nothing but an annoyance and he hardly felt the need to acknowledge it.  The real pain was buried deep in his heart, it was the pain of not knowing where his father was or what was happening to him.  It was the knowledge of having to call upon that Captain to help him.  But it was also the sinking suspicion that his may not have a happy ending and that was something that Peter wasn’t sure he could live with. 

Peter tensed when his enhanced hearing picked up the sound of Rogers heavy footsteps.  His temper was still hot from their previous conversation and Peter wasn’t sure if he was ready to go another round with the man.

Peter turned just in time to see Steve enter the room.  “Peter, I found something!” Steve crossed the room dropping a heavy packet onto the boy’s lap.

Peter gather the papers his eyes scanning over them quickly.  These were reforms to the Accords why would his father have these?  “What are these?”

“Those are the documents that your father has been working,” Steve paused as he caught the dark look on Peter’s face. “He was trying to bring us all home.”

Peter slammed the papers down on the coffee table as he stood up and began to pace the room.  Steve could hear Peter muttering under his breath as the boy ran his hands through his hair with intense agitation.  Peter abruptly stopped and turned to face the Captain. “So, are you telling me my father was taken because of the Rogue Avengers?  Because of you?”

Steve took Peter’s abandoned spot on the couch and ran a hand over his tired face.  “That is my current running theory, yes.”

Peter cursed anger boiling inside him.  “What else did you find?”  Steve held out the note to Peter. “What of it?  I already know what it says.”

Steve dropped the note onto the packet.  “It says “The 117remembers!” that is the number of countries that signed the Accords.  If your father had been working on reforming the Accords so that we could return home, he would be going up against those 117.” Steve could see Peter’s face pale as the kid was catching up on his train of thought.  “There is one person I know that would go to such lengths to stop this from happening.”

Peter held up his hand.  “Thaddeus Ross.” Steve jumped as Peter kicked the coffee table sending it flying through the room.  “I should have seen that one sooner.  There many times I would catch dad on the phone with him and they were arguing.” 

Peter met Steve’s concerned gaze and let out a humorless laugh.  “This is rich of course dad would be taken instead of you.” Steve felt a shiver go up his spine at the boy’s cold words. “Hasn’t my dad been through enough, given enough?”

“Peter, everything that has happened I know it isn’t fair and I feel bad about how everything turned out, but.” Steve tried but Peter scoffed and turned his back on the super soldier.  Frustration bubbled up in Steve the kid had a right to be angry, but they were getting no where like this. 

Steve crossed over to Peter and grabbed him by the shoulders so he could get the boy to face him.  What he didn’t expect was to be shoved so roughly away that he found himself flat on his back.  He had been caught off guard sure, but fully-grown men couldn’t do what this kid just did. Steve stood cautiously eyeing the teen with a new curiosity. 

“This isn’t the first time we’ve met is it?” Steve asked as memories of the Germany came into focus. The voice and mannerisms of the teen were so familiar it was almost embarrassing that Steve didn't see it before.  Peter looked down at his hands, his own outburst surprising him. “You are the Spiderman.  I’m sure of it.”

Peter clenched his hands into his fist, glaring at the man in front of him.  His dad would be furious at him for letting Steve figure out his secret identity but he couldn't find it in him to care.  He was too angry. “It doesn’t matter.  It doesn’t change anything.” 

It was Steve’s turn to let out a fake laugh. “Kid, it changes a lot or at least explains a lot.” Steve rolled his shoulders his mind racing.  “How could Tony allow his own kid to fight in something like that?”

“It’s not like I gave him much of a choice after I found out what was going on.”  Peter hissed out quickly defending his dad.  “He was against it for the record but there was no way I was going to sit on the sidelines while you tore the Avengers apart.”    

Steve clenched his teeth guilt and frustration tearing at him. This kid really knew how to hit him where it hurt!  “Enough Peter!  I get it, you hate me and most days I hate myself too.  There is nothing I can say to get you to fully understand my reasonings.  What happened with your father in Siberia will always be one of my greatest regrets.”  Peter opened his mouth to argue but Steve raised a hand to silence him. He crossed his arms and snapped his mouth shut as he fought against the urge to interrupt Steve.

“You called me to help find Tony and that is why I'm here.  I want to find him, but I can’t do that if we keep having these arguments.” Steve eyed Peter, the boy shifting his weight from foot to foot. “Please can we put this away for now so we can find your dad.” Peter clenched and unclenched his fists, angry tears stinging his eyes.  Hatred still burned in his heart, but he could hear reason in the Captain’s words. If anything that pissed him off even more but now wasn't the time to fight.  They needed to work together to find his dad.

Peter gave a short nod and Steve let out a sigh of relief.  Grabbing his phone Steve quickly punched in a number and brought the phone to his ear.  Thanks to his spider hearing Peter could listen to the entire conversation. The person at the other end was Sam Wilson.

“Steve, where are you?”

“Home. It’s time for all of us to come home.  We need all hands-on deck.”

“That bad?”

“Trust me Sam, this is important, and I need all your help.”

There was a short pause at the other end.  “Alright Steve, send us the coordinates we will be there as soon as possible.”  Steve hung up the phone and noticed Peter giving him a knowing look. “What?”

Peter shook his head.  “You didn’t tell them.” Steve kept his face blank as the boy continued.  “You didn’t tell them because if you did, they wouldn’t come.” Steve felt his stomach clench because he had in all honestly, been afraid of that.

“Peter, it doesn’t matter they are coming and even if they don’t want to stay, once they see what your father’s been doing they will help.” Steve pleaded but he wasn’t entirely sure who he was trying to convince Peter or himself.

Peter scoffed as he crossed his arms catching the Captain’s uncertain tone. “You hope.” Steve reached out to grasp his shoulder but dropped his arm when the boy glared at him.  Peter sighed exhaustion washing over him. “You told my dad that you were a team, you tell me that your team will want to help, you tell me you will save my dad.  Stop making promises that you can’t keep.”

Steve studied the boy in front of him his heart aching at the pain he saw.  Peter was a mess his knuckles bloody, brown curls in disarray, and eyes rimmed red.  The more he looked at Peter the more desperation he could sense radiating from him.  Steve remembered Peter saying that Tony promised to never leave him.  If Tony were to die Peter would be all alone and that thought was starting to terrify Steve.  Peter was powerful with a lot of underlying rage inside him.  Without Tony, Steve could clearly see that Peter would be lost and filled with even more rage.  And what Peter would do with that rage scared Steve the most.  

The solution was simple.  Steve would save Tony and Peter would go back to the sweet teenager he had met in Germany.  “For what it is worth Peter this is a promise I intend to keep.”

Peter walked up to Steve until they stood a few inches apart, he looked at the man in front of him with an unwavering gaze.  Steve did his best not to squirm under the kid’s eye.  He felt as if Peter was trying to look into his soul and see what type of man he really was.  After a moment Peter took a step back.  “I can only hope that you are not lying. I pray that you can keep your word and save my dad.”

Peter stepped around the man and walked to the door. There he stopped and without turning to look back at Steve, Peter added in a low dark whisper.  “Because I don’t know what will happen or what I’ll do if you don’t.”