Project H.I.D.E (sequel to Newest Recruit)

Chapter 1 - Desert Valley

The desert was hot and dry and Tony Stark hated it. He hated how the air was void of all moisture and how dirt and sand got into his shoes. Most of all though, he hated how it made his hair frizz.

He knew that Fury was just punishing him for his little prank he pulled last month. Apparently he's not supposed to go around telling everyone his address and almost allowing a terrorist mastermind to kill the president, but at least Tony didn't allow HYDRA to infiltrate SHIELD and destroy everything. It had only been a couple of weeks since the fall of SHIELD, Fury was in hiding, but in contact with the Avengers exclusively, presumed dead by everyone else. Natasha and Clint were attempting to make sure the remaining loyal SHIELD agents stayed hidden and out of HYDRA's grasp. Dr. Banner and Thor were off doing whatever Dr. Banner's and Thor's do. Captain America was simultaneously helping out Nat and Clint with their 'protecting SHIELD' agenda and searching for his previously assumed dead and expertly trained assassin best friend, Bucky Barnes. Lastly, Peter Parker, who had joined the team after his childhood best friend and a HYDRA leader kidnapped Peter and Tony in an attempt to create super-soldiers, was across the country in Florida spending time with his Aunt on a vacation. Tony however, was stuck here in Death Valley searching for some secret facility the SHIELD had received an anonymous tip about.

Tony sighed as he drove aimlessly through the desert, knowing full well that by just sending him and a few other agents, they weren't going to find this 'secret' base. It was a secret after all. At the moment Tony drove in a SHIELD modified off road ATV by himself. Before anyone comments at his stupidity for driving through the desert alone searching for a location that could be dangerous, the ATV and Tony himself wore a tracker that allowed the other three agents know where he was at all times.

In the back of the dirt brown vehicle, the color allowed the car to blend into the surroundings, there was a cooler of water and a few snacks, as it was the desert and it was insanely hot out. Tony had stopped the ATV awhile ago and finished off the snacks and two of the six bottles of water from the cooler and now he was regretting eating all his food as he listened to his stomach growl at him from beneath the cotton t-shirt he was wearing.

Tony sighed and picked up the walkie-talkie that connected to his radio, "So how long do we have to be out here? And way am I the one driving the ATV and not the air conditioned plane?"

A voice crackled back at him, "You were the one that wanted to be quote 'alone'."

"Shut up Malone." Tony growled, "And you didn't answer my other question."

The agent on the other side of the radio, the one on the comfortable plane, responded, "Well until you run out of water I guess, we can't allow you to dehydrate." There was a pause, "And don't think about dumping all your water out to make us come pick you up. We can see you as well as track you down."

"What see me? Don't you think that's like an invasion of privacy?" Tony sarcastically responded, he had already known about the cameras that were supposedly hidden on the ATV so the crew on the plane could spy on him.

"Ha Ha. Just shut up and get back to searching." Agent Malone responded.

"Aye Aye." Tony answered, hanging the walkie-talkie back up on the dashboard of the ATV. He had met Agent Malone about a three days ago, right after he had received his mission from Agent Coulson who had taken Fury's place as standing head of SHIELD. Or what was left of it anyways.

Tony drove in the scorching heat for another hour or so, seeing no clues anywhere, Tony picked up the radio to order the plane to come pick him up. Tony didn't understand why he was on the ground anyways, what could he possibly find out here in this stupid desert when he couldn't see anything for miles, it's not like there was anything out here that could hide an entire facility. It wouldn't be safe to build it underground either, due to the sandy and unstable environment.

Suddenly the radio crackled to life, "Stark we see something from above, about 2 miles East of your location. It looks like two individuals, probably lost. Go check it out. We'll watch you from above."

"Got it." Tony sighed, revved up the ATV and head directly East, the sun beating down on his sweaty back. In no time Tony neared the two individuals. He slowed to a stop and called out, "Hey are you guys lost?" He hopped out the ATV and cautiously walked up to the couple, grabbing a gun before he left the vehicle.

Only one of the people looked up at him, and man he didn't look to hot. As Tony neared the two he saw that they were both around their early twenties, one was a male and the other the female. It was the boy that looked up at Tony when he neared. The boy stepped back cautiously away from him, he was supporting the girl that was with him and moved her she she was slightly behind him.

"Who are you?" The boy hoarsely called out. Tony assumed that they haven't had any water for a couple of hours.

"My name is Tony Stark. I'm here to help."

The boy sagged under the girls' weight who Tony could now see had a white bandage wrapped around her head and a bright spot of red on her side. She looks like she was shot. Tony thought, confused. What could possibly shot someone out in the middle of the desert and why are these two kids out here in the first place?

"How do I know that? How do I know that you aren't one of them?" The boy asked, shifting the unconscious girl's weight. She tilted her head towards the boy's ear and Tony watched as his eyes grew wide, "Put your gun down."

Tony stopped moving, "What gun?" Tony squeezed the gun that he held behind his back tighter.

"The gun that you're holding behind your back. Put it down!" The boy yelled, his eyes wide.

Tony held up his hands, "Ok, Ok. I just brought it in case you were someone dangerous but I don't think you are, I think you just need help."

Tony looked closer at the boy's reaction, he was nervous and obviously scared. Tony noticed something else though, it was embroidered in the corner of his jumpsuit, H.I.D.E. The facility I've been looking for.

"What's HIDE?" Tony asked as he set the gun on the sandy earth.

"Wha-"

"On your jumpsuit? What does it mean?" Tony followed.

"I- I-" The boy stumbled, trying to move away from Tony, suddenly more nervous than before.

"Are you trying to escape from them? Because I along with others, received a anonymous tip about a hidden facility out here in this desert."

The boy stopped moving, "You did?"

Tony nodded and began closing the space between them, "I did. I'm with an agency known as SHIELD. I have an ATV right over there and there's a plane above us that will come down and help you guys out. But you have to trust me ok?"

The boy looked suspicious but upon hearing the term SHIELD, he looked at Tony slightly more trusting. He nodded, "Ok."

Tony managed to convince the boy to let him help carry the girl, who was bleeding a lot more than Tony initially thought. Once the trio made it to the ATV which was packed a couple yards away he radioed the plane to land and pick them up.

A few minutes later the three were on the cool air-conditioned plane, and Tony began shouting orders immediately, "Malone get the medic up here. The girl's been shot and they are both severely dehydrated. And get us back to base."

Malone nodded and in a matter of seconds the boy and girl were both strapped into a hospital bed with the medic running frantically trying to save both of their lives. Tony watched, the medic had already kicked him out of the room because he kept getting in the way so Tony just sat and waited wondering who on Earth these two are and where exactly did they come from.

***A/N: As always please comment and vote!! Hopefully I'll get the next chapter up soon!!! Thanks for reading!! :)