Chapter 27: Puzzle Pieces

"What h-happened? Wh-why was I never told?" I stutter. This was making me panicky.

"Mom wanted you safe." She gasps, her wound bleeding heavily now and I wasn't sure how much blood she had left. Her face was already ghastly pale.

I feel around the walls, there is a tiny indention that just might be our last hope! I push it. Slowly a panel withdrawals from the wall. Inside was a small escape lever I look down at Bea.

"What's our real names?" I ask pulling the lever.

"Yours *gasp* really is Tony *gasp*! Mine was lost *gasp* in the files, then later destroyed *gasp* accidentally! My file is entirely lost *gasp*!"

"Okay, it's getting hard for you to breathe. Just remain still and try and stop talking."

I push the panel closed and try the door. It's covered in old bread dough. It opens slightly though. I knew they had to have an emergency way out. Pushing the door further I realize something is blocking it. They must have put a bar between the handles. I take off my booster shoe.

"I'm gonna try and bust us out! Stand back!"

I aim my shoe at the door. And let go. It makes a dent in the hard, new metal but doesn't break whatever is blocking the door.

"*gasp* wouldn't it be *gasp* easier *gasp* to hit the *gasp* ceramic part?"

"No! It is old and packed. Its also used to withstand the effects of heat. Hints, were in an oven!"

Bea laughs. It was the first time I had heard her laugh. It soon turns into a fit of coughing.

"Hold on Bea! If we can get out of here, Nicholas's wheelie chair has a first aid kit."

I aim another blaster at the door. BAM! It opens!

Out comes Bea and me, covered in Alysha bread. From our head to our feet. We looked like old baguettes.

Nicholas comes zooming over to us.

"Where were you guys? We took down the whole squad without help!" He sees Bea and pulls out his first aid kit without saying another word.

"Where's Honey and Conn?" I ask, a bit dazed from the trama.

"They are celebrating our victory, well kind of. We got the box. They were looking for you but Honey had to show some of the flesh and blood soldiers she had learned how to tap dance. As if being tied up wasn't bad enough for them. I therefore sent Conn with her and used my chair to try and locate you both. It can't read you inside there."

"Yeah well it isn't made for phone calls, it's made for Alysha bread, so it is probably led lined. We need to get out of here now! I don't trust these guys have left us alone for good."

Bea's arm is repaired as best as we can but she is still weak and needs a doctor. We call Conn and Honey on the comms and arrange for us to meet them.

They meet us at the rendezvous point, where we are picked up by choppers and a waiting doctor. Then transported to a plane back to the US. On the way back I sit next to Bea and the doctor while Nicholas and Honey go to the bathrooms to get cleaned up from the assignment.

"So, uh, hi?" I ask uncertain. "Did you like the assignment? Well, I mean, I know you got hurt but would you have still gone on this assignment? I mean with me here?"

"Don't you mean did I like getting nearly killed and trapped in an oven of Alysha bread? Yeah, it was pretty fun!" She smiles and gives me a hug. "And I found you."

Conn comes out of the back, his mouth stuffed with food from his just finished meal.

"Dat miffon waf awefome!" He swallows his food. "So Bea what are you thinking?" Nicholas comes in behind Conn, Honey bringing up the rear.

"Well, I'm thinking my name shouldn't be Bea anymore."

"But that's your name!" says a shocked Honey.

"No, it's really not. My name was lost years ago. I was assigned this name for my camp instead of a army number. And I think it's time for a change."

Who do you want to be?" I ask. "You have an endless amount of names to choose from."

"Ooh How about Connie? Get it?" Conn laughs "Conn and Connie?"

Bea frowns "We have enough of one Conn to last a lifetime, we don't need a clone."

I laugh, I am sure she gets her humor from dad. Dad, what a funny thought. It seems weird to call the great Tony Stark 'dad', I think I can get used to it though. In time anyway.

"Hmm, let's see?" Bea begins "I don't want to go with Pepper, and no normal name. We went to Russia, we fought in an old supermarket, we were locked in an oven of Alysha bread."

"What's Alysha bread?" asks Honey.

"Well it's a bread made by Americans a long time ago. They would give it to new people that came to their country as a way of saying 'you can start over'. Kind of a welcome gift that provided hope, it soon became popular all over the world." replies Nicholas.

"Alysha bread, Alysha bread." Thinks Bea out loud. "Alysha, that's what I want to be called Alysha!"

"Then so be it!" I give Alysha a hug as the plane lands in New York. I am so glad to have found new friends and family.

'Maybe?' I think, 'Maybe this will be the start of something grand? After all, dad didn't start doing great things until after he met mom. So maybe I do need family and friends after all. Its actually great to be around them. THE END.