Kidnapped

Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Tony jolted from the chair, meeting eyes with Pepper. The fear was evident in her chocolate brown orbs, and somehow seeing how petrified she was made him force himself to keep cool. There was no use in freaking out; not only would it upset Pepper, but it would waste time and energy. Keeping his tone even, he asked her to listen out at the door while he searched the desk drawers for anything of use for Pepper to use in self-defense. He had to hurry, though, because he knew he didn't have much time. His chest was fit to burst with the strain his implant was putting on his heart, and his sight was brimming with red, despite his rapid blinking.

Pepper walked over to the door, pressing her ear to it and listening for any noise. She was terrified of what would happen when the thugs arrived, with Tony in the condition he was in. He had lost so much blood, and he had numerous broken bones and injuries in general. He wouldn't be able to run or defend himself at all! She was too scared to even consider the results of the next few minutes if she failed to protect him...

The redhead's head whipped around as she heard Tony cry out in pain, turning just in time to see him collapse, falling face-down on the floor. Pepper gasped, running over to him and dropping to the floor beside his limp body, her deft fingers gripping his shoulders and turning him on his back. His eyes were scrunched closed in pain, his skin chalky, and his hands scrabbled weakly at his chest as he fought to stay conscious. Pepper pulled him the short distance to the wall and leaned him against it, worriedly hovering over him, the dawning comprehension of her friend's condition overtaking her. She pressed her ear to his chest and listened to his erratic heartbeat and humming of the arc reactor, biting her lip and shaking her head. How had she not noticed-not realized... She noticed his eyes slipping closed, and she nearly panicked, terrified that if he blacked out he might never awaken.

"Stay awake," she whispered, stroking the sides of his face as his eyes slipped closed, trying to make him meet eyes with her. He weakly shook his head, a small groan escaping his bloodied lips.

"S-sorry, P-Pep...c-can't..." He forced his eyes open and stared at a point on the floor just beyond Pepper, and he hoarsely whispered, "Ged-geddit... Don't...let them...touch y-you..." His eyes flicked back to hers and they locked for a moment, everything he couldn't speak verbally reflected in his electric blue orbs. Then his eyes closed and he went limp, finally escaping the pain in unconsciousness. Pepper bit her lip, squeezing shut her eyes and clasping Tony's hand between her own as she struggled to keep a sob from escaping her clenched jaw. Why was this happening? What had they done to deserve this?

No. She didn't need to think like that. She had to be strong, not just for herself, but also for Tony.

Remembering what Tony had told her, Pepper turned around, her eyes focusing on a small automatic gun lying on the floor near where Tony had fallen, presumably from the desk drawers he had been searching through. Her shaking fingers had barely closed around the grip before the door began to shake and was knocked down, men in matching black-and-grey suits and masks trampling it and filing into the room with guns aimed at the two.

Pepper screamed, throwing her body over Tony's own to try to protect him, but she was roughly jerked to her feet in such a manner that she felt her ankle twist painfully as it was forced it into an unnatural angle. Hobbling awkwardly on one leg, she clawed at her buff, burly captors, screaming wildly as she saw Tony about to be gunned down, sheer desperation driving her actions now. She finally ripped free just as one of the thugs pointed the gun point-blank at Tony's heart and pulled the trigger. Pepper's own gun blindly fired, catching the man in the arm and making the bullet designated for the teen miss its target and hit the wall a foot from his shoulder.

Pepper cried out in pain as another bullet ripped through her sleeve and skimmed along her shoulder, fiery pains erupting throughout her upper arm. Her arm was roughly twisted behind her back, the gun clattering uselessly to the floor, and she was pushed to her knees, her arms behind her head.

Maybe this is it, Pepper thought to herself, determined to remain strong and not to cry, this is where it all ends.

And then the ceiling exploded.