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

Chapter 2 - Awaken

By the time Tony's small helicarrier had made it back to the SHIELD base that was currently hiding out in his Tower in New York City, the two individuals that Tony had found in the middle of the desert were stable but unconscious. The medic on the ship with Tony managed to somehow stabilize both of the dehydrated and malnourished kids, while pulling out a bullet from the side of the girl. It was quite amazing actually. The flight from Desert Valley to New York only took a couple of hours, due to the advanced speed capability of the SHIELD heli-craft, which was good for the two strangers whose lives were still at stake.

As soon as the aircraft touched the ground on the roof of Stark Tower, the two were rushed away from the carrier and into the hospital a few floors down from the roof, a room that Tony had specifically installed during the renovation of the top floors when the Avengers all decided to camp out here when in New York City.

"Tony." A female voice called out, waking him from his thoughts. He had only landed a few hours ago and was exhausted but found himself unable to sleep.

"Ah." Tony looked up, "Nat. What's up."

Agent Romanoff brushed a strand of her straight red hair away from her face. She was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a leather jacket on top of a white T-shirt, a slight change from her usual leather jumpsuit that she wore during a fight or training, "Who are the kids you brought here?"

Tony shrugged, "I donno."

Nat rolled her eyes, "So you brought two complete strangers into our secret base?"

"Well what was I supposed to do? Leave 'em out in the desert to die? Besides they looked like they were running away from something..."

"Ok but when they wake up and decide to blow this place to bits, it's on your conscience." Nat scolded. Tony waved his hand at her, they were standing in the main room of the multiple Avenger's floors in his tower. Facing out were wall-to-wall windows, a perfect view of Manhattan on the other side. A large flat-screen TV hung on the opposing blue-painted wall, surrounded by plush cream couches. A small kitchenette was in the corner of the room complete with a refrigerator, microwave, pizza oven, and pantry to hold all the Avenger's food needs.

"You know what Nat -" Tony began, he was cut off from Jarvis, the life-like computer system that was installed throughout the tower.

"Sir, the boy has woken up. He wishes to speak with you and only you."

"Thanks Jarvis." Tony responded, shooting Agent Romanoff a look.

She sighed and followed Tony out of the room and down to the hospital.

*******

Tony and Nat entered the hospital room that the boy was stationed in, he was sitting up and looking much better than he did when Tony had picked him up roughly ten hours ago. His skin was still blistered from the desert sun, but the SHIELD medics has applied some sort of salve to the worst of it and wrapped it with white cloth.

Now that Tony was looking into the blaring sun he was able to get a closer look at the kid. His skin was dark and his eyes were a brown that was almost as dark as his skin. He looked like he was in his early twenties, at the oldest, and even though he was obviously underfed, he looked tall and strong, even from his sitting position on the hospital bed. The kid glanced nervously at Nat, who looked threatening in her attire, "Don't worry, this is Natasha Romanoff. She's with me. She just always looks like she either just killed someone or is about to."

Nat rolled her eyes and sat down in one of the visitor chairs in the corner of the small white room.

"Where's Kelsey?" The boy asked.

"Kelsey?" Tony questioned, "The girl?"

The boy nodded, and Tony continued, "She's in the room next to you. She's stable and going to be fine."

The boy sighed, relief washing over his features. Tony sat down next to Nat in the other chair, "Let's start off easy, what's your name kid?"

The boy looked up, "Stevens. Artie Stevens."

"Alright Artie, why were you and...uh" Tony clicked his fingers, trying to remember.

"Kelsey?" Nat completed for him. Tony touched his nose and pointed at her, "Yes, Kelsey."

"Why were you and Kelsey in the middle of that godforsaken desert?" Tony continued.

Artie sighed, "It's going to sound crazy."

"Puh-lease. I deal with crazy everyday." Tony replied.

Artie sighed, "Ok, Well, there's this group called H.I.D.E. It stands for something like Honing the Impossible and Defying something or other. That's who we were running from."

Tony nudged Natasha with his arm and gave her an I told you so sort of look, while the kid continued, "Ever since I was like, I don't know, five maybe? I've been there. Stripped from my home. My family. My life I was supposed to have. So was Kelsey, but she's been there longer than me, she was probably one of the first ones there.

"Anyway, this group, their evil alright. Downright evil, they would perform tests on us. And not like school tests but like, crazy mad-scientist stuff. Half the time I didn't know what they put in me."

Tony held up a hand, "Hold on, they tested you? Ever since you were five? How come you're just escaping now?"

"It wasn't just me and Kels there. There were- are- others. All about our age, some younger though, like a new - a new generation of experiments. Anyways, two days ago, one of the experiments went wrong. Knocked out the power, creating chaos. The doors all unlocked and Kelsey and I got out. I think a few others escaped as well during the diversion, but not many made it at all."

Nat spoke up, "What does that mean, they didn't make it at all?"

"Well the white coats, that's what we all called them, tried to capture the others and bring them back to the compound but these tests, they- they did stuff to our bodies, or brains. So when the other kids starting fighting back the white coats used force." Artie looked down at his hands, grief shadowing his face, "Kels and I stayed and tried to fight, tried to tell the others to just run, get away but then a white coat shot Kelsey on the side and I got us out of there. We wandered around the desert for a day, the white coats to preoccupied with the mess they created to follow us right away. Then you found us and thank God you did because Kelsey was definitely not going to make it another day."

Tony and Nat nodded, taking in his story, "So, do you think this group, this H.I.D.E, will be coming after you now?"

Artie looked up and met Tony's blue eyes with his brown ones, "Yes I do. They're coming alright. They can't lose an experiment as successful as her."

"Her? You mean Kelsey?" Nat asked, waving her hand towards the door.

Artie nodded, "She's the --"

He was interrupted by a scream followed by lots of shouting, all coming from the room next door.

Artie flinched and whipped his head towards the sound, "Kelsey!"

**************

A/N: Alrighty so there's the next chapter!! Yay! I'm really excited for this story and I can't wait to keep writing it and sharing it with all of you! :) Sorry this chapter is kinda short but it's just a filler to kinda give some back story to the new characters. I don't know when the next chapter will be posted with semester exams coming up next week, but hopefully I'll be able to post it soon! :) :) Love you all!!