Search for the Soul Gem

Chapter Fifty-Eight

(Tony Stark's Point of View)

     I watched as plans were made and the supplies were set. It felt like I was in a haze. Nothing was sticking in my mind. Everything seemed out of focus. I didn't care what the plan was, I had my plan; get Lucy, no matter what. First thing before everything else. They had decided that T'Challa and Okeye would join us to the mountains. Shuri would stay here on Com for layout and visual support. They also decided we would take one of T'Challa's jets for the invisibility. Steve and T'Challa were talking now but I could only think about Lucy. All I could hope was that she was okay and that I'd be able to help her put herself back together. 

     "Stark?" Steve's voice broke through to me. I looked over at him, "You with us?" he asked cautiously. I nodded. 

     "Yeah, sorry," I murmured. 

     "Okay, well I think we should leave after dark," he suggested. I curled my hands at the thought of waiting any longer. 

     "I agree. The cover of darkness will only help us get in," T'Challa agreed. 

     "We will leave here at 02.30," Steve decided. A nod went through the table. 

     "Well while we prepare, let me put you guys up in rooms and supply you with dinner," T'Challa offered. 

     "That's very gracious of you," Steve said, bowing his head at the king. 

     "It's not a problem. If you will all just follow me," T'Challa said, standing from the table. We fell into line behind him as he led us through the castle. The labyrinth of hallways twisted and turned and coiled in on itself. He finally slowed in a long hallway with four doors, "There are four rooms here and five around the next corner. If you would like to eat, call out to one of the guards. They will be more than happy to help you," T'Challa said. 

     "Thank you," Steve said. 

     "If you don't mind, I must excuse myself. I will be back at the departure time,"  he excused himself and he, Okeye, and Shuri disappeared around a corner. Steve turned to us all. 

     "Well, why don't Tony, Rhodey, Buck, and I take these four, and you guys take the other five," Steve said. Everyone nodded and made their way toward their rooms. I trudged toward my room in a daze. The door clicked behind me and I leaned back against the door and let out a heavy breath. My eyes cast around my room. It was entirely rich in dark red and green on the walls and floor. There were three narrow windows that ran the entire height of the wall across from me, all fifteen feet of it. The bed in the center of the wall to my right was big enough for four people to lay in and still not touch each other. The four tall posts at the corners of the bed were a shiny, sleek black that ended in large panther heads at the top. It was very nice but I was distracted by the absence of a certain blonde scientist. Everywhere I looked, I could see her there. Peaking through the tightly pulled curtains on the floor-to-ceiling windows. Running her fingers along the deep velvet on the walls and floors. Laying on her back in the middle of the bed, her hair spread out around her in a golden halo, laughing hysterically. She was everywhere I looked but devastating she was nowhere I looked. I felt a hand run down my chest and arms wrap around me. 

     "Tony," she hummed in my ear. I closed my eyes and tipped my head back. "Tony," she hummed again. She sounded like she was singing, "Tony," she whispered. 

     "Lucy?"

     "Where are you, Tony?" she asked. 

     "I'm coming sweetheart. Just hold on a little longer. I'm coming," I begged. 

     "It's cold here. It's dark here," my chest clenched, "I'm scared here, Tony," there was silence for a moment, "He's coming back!"

     "Sweetheart?" there was no answer and then suddenly I heard her scream. I felt nails digging into my chest. And then suddenly it was gone. I opened my eyes and looked around the room, breathing heavy. Before I could do anything else, a knock on the door made me jump. 

     "Stark!" it was Thor. Another banging knock. I pulled the door open. 

     "What?" Thor eyes me up and down. 

     "Lady Lucy, was she here?" he asked. 

     "Of course she wasn't! Why do you think we're here!" I snapped. 

     "Not actually here! Did you hear her? Did you feel her?" he asked. I paused. How did he know?

     "H-how-"

     "I heard her too," he cut me off. I just stared up at him, "if you hear her again, you must tell me. We will have to leave immediately," Thor instructed. I nodded, dumbly, unable to form words. He turned and walked down the hall. I closed the door, caught off guard by everything. I leaned back against the door and let out a harsh breath. This could not be happening. It just didn't make any sense. I looked down, pulling my shirt up and checking my chest. Bright red on my chest were eight lines running up and down. My chest burned up at me and I felt a weight on my shoulders that I'd never felt before. I stood there for a long moment, trying to figure out what I could possibly do to keep my mind occupied until it was time to roll out. After a long moment, I pushed myself off the door and into the room further. I made my way toward the bathroom to the left. On the way, I kicked off my shoes, just leaving them where they landed. I pushed the door open and made my way to the corner where the shower rested. It was a large, stone walk-in that had no door but a half-raised ledge at the front. I didn't bother turning on the lights, I didn't have the energy. I reached into the shower and turned it on to let the water heat up. As it did that, I stripped out of my clothes, creating a pile on the ground. I stepped into the shower and let the water just run over me. I didn't have much motivation to move. The shower wasn't really to get clean, doing that before a fight would be relatively useless. I pressed my forehead to the cool stone and let the hot water pelt my back. I took a couple of deep breaths to try and cal mmy brain. Everything about me was on fire with exhaustion.

     How was I ever gonna last an 8 hour wait?