INFERNO │ Marvel

5 - The Mandarin

"Alright, Harley, tell me what's happening," Tony instructed the kid. The Starks were on the road, talking with Harley over the phone. "Give me a full report."

"Yeah, I'm still eating that candy," he responded. "Do you want me to keep eating it?"

"How many bowls have you had?" the man asked at the same time Amelia said 'no'.

"Two or three bowls."

"Can you still see straight?"

"Sort of."

"That means you're fine," Tony concluded. "Give me JARVIS. JARVIS, how are we?"

Amelia was relieved to hear the robot's voice again when he spoke, though his words made her smile. "It's totally fine, sir. I seem to do quite well for a stretch and then at the end of the sentence, I say the wrong cranberry," he said. "And sir, you were right. Once I factored in available AIM downlink facilities I was able to pinpoint the Mandarin's broadcast signal."

"What are we talking?" Amelia asked. "Far East, Europe, North Africa... Iran, Pakistan, Syria? Where is it?"

"Actually, miss, it's in Miami," the AI corrected. She almost laughed in disbelief.

"Okay, kid, I'm gonna have to walk you through rebooting Jarvis's speech drive, but not right now," Tony sighed. "Harley, where is he really? Just look at the screen and tell me where he is."

"It does say Miami, Florida."

The siblings shared an uneasy look.

"Ok, first things first, I need the armour. Where are we at with it?"

"It's not charging."

Amelia gripped the side of the car as Tony swerved to quickly park it. His breathing became laboured and heavy and his hands shook.

"Actually, sir, it is charging," JARVIS explained. "but the power source is questionable. It may not succeed in revitalising the Mark 42."

"What's questionable about electricity?! Alright? It's my suit, and I can't... I'm not gonna... I don't wanna... Oh, god, not again," Tony stammered. He rushed to get himself out of the vehicle, no longer wanting to feel trapped. Amelia got out on her own side and ran around the car to be at his side. She wrapped her arms around him as he stared off into nothingness and tried to control his breathing. The pair fell to their knees.

"Tony?" Harley called out.

"It's ok," Amelia whispered into his ear. She pulled back and gripped his face. "Focus on me, Tones. Nothing else."

"Are you having another attack?" Harley asked. Amelia grit her teeth but decided it wasn't the time to scold the kid when he was probably just trying to help. "I didn't even mention New York."

"Right, and then you just said it by name while denying having said it," Tony retorted. His hands unconsciously went over his sisters on his face. "Oh god, what am I gonna do?"

"You've got me," Amelia said, letting a little bit of warmth into her hands to remind the both of them that they weren't defenceless. "And we'll figure something out with the suit."

"Just breathe," Harley added. The Stark woman would have smiled gratefully at the kid if she could. "Really, just breathe. You're mechanics, right? Why don't you just build something?"

Tony calmed down after that, finally focusing on his sister's face. She could see his expression turn from panic to determination. "Ok. Thanks, kid."