Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Rescued
[Third Person's PoV]
Tony felt the vehicle suddenly stop. He thought it was another red light, but then he felt the engine turn off. He was then picked up and slung over someone's shoulder.
"Woah!" Melissa yelped in surprise. "Where are you taking us?" she asked nervously.
"To meet the boss, obviously," Liam answered.
Tony, still with a bag over his head, just felt himself being carried. He could have watched himself from a third-person perspective, but the area they were bringing him to didn't have any cameras nearby. After a while, and many twists and turns, Tony felt himself being sat down and tied up with rope. The bag over his head was then removed.
Melissa's bag was removed as well. They sat back-to-back, tied to their chairs.
Melissa had to look away due to the sudden light, but Tony wasn't bothered. He looked around, and his glasses locked onto faces, pulling up information on their quirks and criminal records.
"So which one of you is Liam, and which one of you is Terry? I'd like to make a formal complaint about how I was treated on the ride here," Tony said.
"If you have any formal complaints, be sure to take them up with me," an amused deep voice responded.
"Who's 'me,' you dumbass? My back is turned toward you, and I can't exactly turn around," Tony said, irritated.
"Tony, please stop antagonizing them," Melissa pleaded in a scared tone.
The man who spoke had black hair and glasses. He wore a burgundy business suit and had a glass of whiskey on his desk. He looked toward one of his men and twirled his finger around.
A man with dark blue hair, who looked to be in his early twenties, picked up the chair and turned them around.
"You better listen to the little lady, boy. Antagonizing me isn't in your best interest," the man said.
"So you're the boss. What do you want? Money? Like I told Liam, I have plenty," Tony said with a straight face.
The man grabbed his whiskey and twirled it slightly before drinking it.
"Really? Intimidation tactics on a child?" Tony said plainly.
The man chuckled as he put the empty glass down. "I'm afraid money isn't what I'm after. Since you're in a family business, you know money comes and goes. No, I need something else."
"Sorry, I don't deal in prostitution. I don't sell my body to anyone."
The boss heard someone snicker, causing him to shatter the glass with his fist. "The name is HammerFist, and I used to be one of your dear old dad's employees."
"So I know firsthand how incredibly smart he is. You'll be used as a ransom, alright, but not for money. For power. I will make him create a weapon strong enough to threaten any hero and villain alike, making me the kingpin of the underworld. And if he doesn't comply, your life is forfeit, along with the little missy here, who is an added bonus."
"My uncle is All Might, you know!" Melissa suddenly said in desperation. "Once he learns what happened to me, he will come flying faster than a plane to save me."
HammerFist scoffed. "I don't have time for your lies, little girl. Cover her mouth," he ordered.
"She isn't lying," Tony said plainly.
HammerFist looked at him with a raised brow as Tony continued, "You should really look at who you kidnap first. That is Melissa Shield, daughter of David Shield, whose party we were just at. And everyone in the United States knows that David Shield used to work for All Might."
The reason Tony was doing all this talking was that his glasses were warning him of someone fast approaching.
HammerFist scoffed again, but before he could finish, they heard someone behind the door.
"New Order! The air around Anthony Stark, create a barrier to protect him," the voice commanded.
The air around Tony suddenly shifted, creating a bubble around him. Due to their close proximity, Melissa was also protected.
The door was then suddenly punched open, causing HammerFist to click his tongue. His figure shifted as he was suddenly covered in a rock-like armor, resembling The Thing from Marvel.
"I don't know how you found us so quickly, but I'll make sure you don't get out of here," HammerFist said, rushing toward Stars and Stripes. He went to punch her, but she blocked it with her palm, catching him by surprise.
While HammerFist was busy with Stars and Stripes, his men were trying to break the barrier to use Tony and Melissa as hostages.
"His name is Irvin Patrick," Tony said, looking at Stars and Stripes.
She smiled and nodded before looking at HammerFist. "New Order, Irvin Patrick is unable to use his quirk."
The rocks around him crumbled as he looked at himself in surprise. Before he could retaliate, Stars and Stripes knocked him out with a single punch.
"New Order, I'm super fast," she then smiled, turning into a blur and running around, knocking out everyone else in the room.
When she punched the last one, he went flying back and ended up embedded in the wall, unconscious.
"Cancel New Order," Stars and Stripes commanded. The barrier surrounding Tony and Melissa vanished, and she untied them.
"Thank you!" Melissa said with a large smile and a look of deep admiration.
Tony, however, looked at her quizzically. "Why would the Number 1 hero come to personally save us? Aren't you more of a military hero?"
She chuckled. "Let's just say your father has a very close connection with the military and is highly respected among them."
"So tell me, boy. How did you do it? How did you warn the police and the heroes that you were kidnapped, if you were… well, kidnapped?" she asked.
Melissa, hearing this, looked at Tony in surprise. "Did you really?"
Stars and Stripes nodded. "It was one of the reasons I was able to find you guys so quickly."
Tony tapped his glasses. "I don't wear these just to look cool, you know."
"I see," she said with a smile. "It looks like you inherited your father's smarts."
"Don't patronize me," Tony said, walking away.
Stars and Stripes had an awkward smile as she watched him leave, with Melissa following after him.
"You were able to warn the heroes and get us help. You're amazing, Tony!" Melissa said in awe.
"I know," he said arrogantly.
"So how do the glasses work?" she asked, curiosity burning in her eyes.
"Friday, I'm giving her access," Tony said as he handed the glasses to Melissa.
Melissa put them on and held the sides as she looked around. "Minimum Clearance level towards Melissa Shield activated."
"How may I be of your assistance, Melissa Shield?" she heard Friday ask.
"Woah! Who's that?" she asked.
"I am F.R.I.D.A.Y, Tony Stark's personally crafted A.I. that helps him with his needs."
"You made an A.I!?" Melissa asked in amazement.
"You said you have a lab, right? You have to let me come and see it," Melissa said in a begging tone. She took Tony's hand and pleaded, "Pretty please!"
"Fine, but only if you promise to be my lab assistant," Tony said. His smile then grew a bit sad. "I'm in need of one after all."
Melissa nodded her head. "I'll be the best assistant ever!" she declared.
They soon found themselves outside with police cars parked everywhere and Howard, Maria, and David all waiting for them.
"Tony!" Howard and Maria yelled.
"Melissa!" David yelled.
Seeing her dad, all the emotions Melissa had been suppressing came flooding back. Tears flowed from her eyes as she clung to her dad. "Daddy! I was scared!"
Tony surprisingly wasn't any different. As soon as Maria and Howard knelt down and hugged him, he broke down.
"Dad… Mom… Jarvis, he gave his life for me," Tony sobbed.
"We know, baby, we know," Maria said, tears in her eyes.
"And I couldn't be more grateful to him," Howard said, tears in his eyes as well. After all, Jarvis had been with him for a very long time.
Tony's heart-wrenching sobs caused them to break down as well. Even when Tony was a baby, he didn't cry. Hearing him cry so much for Jarvis made them realize how much he was hurting over his death.
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