The Devil With The Face of an Angel | Irondad, pepperony

Chapter 89

A shot was fired.

The world around him stopped. His ears whistled. The adrenaline fell from him and he tried to orient at this moment. He held Beck's hand, but it was too late. He fired before he could reach him. He gave him a blank look. He gathered all his strength and snatched the weapon from his hand.

"How could you?!" he asked coldly, pointing at him. He had to avenge Pepper. He had to avenge his mom. His hands were shaking, hard to tell if it was out of fear or the loss he had just suffered.

"Peter, no!" cried a woman's voice, which he knew too well. It was her voice. It was probably a voice in his head that was trying to stop him from doing what he was about to do.

"You killed my mom," he said, completely emotionless. For the first time in his life, he felt nothing at all. No anger, no sadness. Just emptiness.

"Peter, honey, look at me," her voice said again, and someone's hand touched his shoulder. Peter winced and turned his head quickly.

"Mom?" he breathed in disbelief. He took a step back to examine her, and when he realized she had no gunshot wounds, he threw himself around her neck. "Mom! You're fine," he muttered, hugging her tightly. Emotions hit him, and tears welled up in his eyes, and he didn't even try to stop them. His mom was alive! After all, he had to get to Beck in time and shake his hand before he fired.

"Never scare me like that again," she said, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Unperturbed by the situation, Beck slowly began to back away from the door. Along the way, he did not forget to reach for his devil's diary, which lay on the table. The two were so busy with each other that he quietly and unobtrusively managed to escape.

"Where did they all go?" he asked as they pulled away and he looked around the lab.

"Most of them probably run away when we started fighting," she muttered, and she began to look around. "Peter?" she said in a slightly shaky voice as she noticed the body on the ground.

"What?" he blurted out. His gaze followed hers, and he was surprised by what he saw. "Damn," he cursed, setting the weapon on the nearest table before running to the motionless body. He could see that she had lost her life, but he still reached for her neck and tried to feel her pulse.

"Honey?"

"She's dead," he said, closing her eyelids. He didn't know what to think about it. He knew he shouldn't be glad for her death, but he couldn't force himself to feel sorry. Better her than Pepper.

"I'm sorry," Pepper whispered, though she was actually relieved. It was over. Now they will finally be able to live normally again. Well, normally by Tony's standards.

"Sorry? Why would you be sorry?" he didn't understand.

"She was a terrible person, but we will never change the fact that she was your biological mother. The fact that she had no feelings does not mean that her death cannot affect you," Pepper explained. Peter was always sensitive and cared about every person, so she wouldn't be surprised if her death hit him.

"We should call Dad, he is probably all crazy," he changed the subject and stood up to find the phone somewhere.

Pepper watched him intently, but a small smile appeared on her face at the thought that everyone would be home in a few hours.

•••

"Do you have anything?" Tony asked Natasha. For the last half hour, he had been flying around where Mary had last been captured, but there was only a dense forest all around. He saw nothing from above, only stupid trees.

"Nothing yet," she replied, looking around with a sigh. She thought it was a clear clue, but now she wasn't so sure. "Maybe you should look down with me."

"I'm already here," he said behind her. "Are you sure we're in the right place?"

"It couldn't be elsewhere."

"I'm really going to break something," he snapped, frustrated.

"We'll find them, Tony," she tried to reassure him, but the truth was, she wasn't sure herself at the moment.

"Sir, you have an incoming call," Friday told him, and an unknown number appeared on the screen. He didn't hesitate for a second. It could have been the bitch Mary, and he really needed to know something about Peter and Pepper.

"Daddy?! Dad, is that you?" Peter's voice came from the other side, and Tony's heart missed a beat.

"I should rather ask you that. Peter, my little bat, where are you?" Tony asked.

Natasha immediately gave him a look of hope when she heard him say Peter's name. "Is that him?" she blurted out, moving closer to him if she couldn't hear her nephew from the mask either. Tony nodded but said nothing.

"I don't know, it's a laboratory. Can you trace this signal?"

"It's already being worked on, kid. It's a bit of a lousy signal, but Friday can handle it. Peter, is your Mom with you?" he asked the question he feared most now. Mary didn't need her for anything, and unfortunately, he knew she was capable of everything.

"She is here. We're both fine, just get us out of here, please," he said wearily, and Tony was beginning to worry if he was lying about his injuries. That would be all Peter.

"Peter, are you really all right? You sound very exhausted."

"I'm not completely fit yet, I'd like a nap. Please come for us," he pleaded again. At that moment, Tony was so aware that Peter was still his little child, even though he had superpowers.

"We're on our way," he assured him, turning to Nat. He had to get to his family as soon as possible.