Kidnapped

Chapter 2

As the two walked down the overcrowded streets of upper New York, Pepper studied Tony's expression intently. The uncharacteristic playfulness he had been showing at the armory seemed to have worn off, replaced once again by his slightly cautious demeanor. Always on guard, always cautious...always the noble hero. Pepper sighed, wishing for a millionth time that Tony wasn't forced to carry the burdens on his shoulders.

Pepper wasn't sure when exactly the rain began to fall, but she did know that it was shockingly freezing and cut through her clothes like daggers. Tony grabbed her hand and directed her through the driving rain, swerving around pedestrians scrambling for a bit of shelter from the precipitation. Pepper's teeth began to chatter, and Tony slipped his book bag off of his shoulders, holding it over Pepper like an umbrella.

They reached the Rhodes' house in half an hour, teeth chattering and soaked to the bone. It took Tony's hands, trembling from the biting wind that had started up, six attempts at unlocking the door before it swung open. Pepper nearly threw herself inside, and Tony stepped in and closed the door.

The room was completely silent for a moment, not including the sound of water droplets dripping off the wet teens, until Pepper shivered.

"Brrr. Wow, it's cold."

Tony looked at her and blinked, as though just noticing she was there.

"You're wet," he mumbled, entering the living room and starting up the staircase. Pepper followed, folding her arms over her chest and clenching her elbows, shivering. She waited as Tony stuck his head in a bathroom, then tossed a navy blue towel to her. "Go on and dry off. I'll get you a dry shirt to put on." He disappeared into his room as Pepper toweled down her hair and body, wishing for heat of some sort. Tony popped back a moment later, and he handed her a red t-shirt.

"One of mine," he answered at Pepper's inquiring look. Pepper nodded and took Tony's bedroom to change, and Tony took the bathroom.

After a few minutes, both teens stepped back into the hall, wearing fresh clothes.

"How do I look?" Pepper asked, pinching the sides of the slightly baggy shirt. Tony grinned.

"Beautiful, Pep."

Pepper felt the thick red material between her thumb and forefinger. "It's really thick."

"Has to be," Tony shrugged, drumming his fingers on his chest. "Blocks out the noise of the arc reactor. I think people would go mad if they heard its humming twenty-four seven."

They walked back downstairs, entering the living room. Pepper plopped down on the couch, and Tony took the leather chair, pulling his knees to his chest.

"You can find something to watch," Tony mumbled, gesturing at the blank television. Pepper nodded and grabbed the remote, and Tony laid his head back on the back of the chair, closing his eyes as he drummed his fingers on the armrest and fidgeted uncomfortably. Pepper often wondered whether Tony had just a smidge of ADHD, because it seemed unnatural for the teen to stay still longer than a minute. He was always tapping a pencil, tapping his fingers, always in motion, always active.

Pepper surfed through the channels, finally finding a show that brought a smile to her face. She selected it and waited for Tony's reaction.

"Oooh, who lives in a pineapple under the sea-?"

Tony head jerked up, his eyes flying open.

"No," he deadpanned, glaring at her.

"Everyone loves Spongebob!"

"Not me."

Pepper laughed and shrugged, changing the channel to a science show. Tony didn't have a chance to protest before Pepper changed the channel again.

"No," she mocked him.

Tony rolled his eyes and sat back as Pepper turned on some sitcom. The minutes ticked by, and Tony was reaching the point of such severe boredom he was contemplating taking his phone apart and seeing what he could make out of it.

Suddenly, a crash and the tinkling of glass hitting the floor sounded from the kitchen, and Tony was on his feet in an instant.

"Don't move!" he barked at Pepper, racing towards the source of the noise. Pepper, of course, did exactly the opposite, leaping after the lanky teen.

She found Tony in the kitchen, a window busted out and a huge rock laying on the floor. In Tony's hand was a note, and what it read made him pale.

"Pepper, go," he said, eyes wide.

"What?"

"Go! Get put of here, run!" Tony grabbed Pepper by the shoulders and began steering her out the front door. Pepper squirmed in Tony's grasp, trying to free herself, but his grip was like steel. He pushed her out the front door, and their gazes locked for a moment before Tony slammed the door shut.

Pepper tried the knob, but it was locked. She tried pounding on it with her fists, but it wouldn't give.

"Tony! Tooonnnny!" she screeched, terrified for reasons unknown.

That's when she heard the scream.

It was agonizing and drawn-out, but cut off in the middle by something. Pepper started crying, having no clue what was happening. Finally, she regained enough sense to kick in a window, and she scrambled in the house, calling Tony's name. She reached the kitchen, which was a wreck. Chairs overturned, tables flattened. But that wasn't what made Pepper sink to her knees and start to sob. Not by a long shot.

In the middle of the floor was a knife.

And beside it a pool of blood.