Fighting for Nothing

As the men walked, they're hands began to lift upwards on her arms, pulling her feet fully off the ground. "I can't-"she started, and decided otherwise, shaking her head. There really was no point, for two reasons: first and foremost, they couldn't understand her. And second, they wouldn't care in the slightest. In the end, it would probably just be easier for them to carry her anyways.

The men didn't speak a word when they tossed her back in the cave where Yinsen and Tony were leaning over a table, talking about something she must have missed in her time with Obadiah. The door slammed behind her, and the two grown men who were being held captive stared at her as if surprised she was standing there; living, breathing. With a sudden feeling of embarrassment of being stared at, she looked down at her feet. Had they so expected her to be killed? Did she really seem like such a liability?

"What happened?" Tony was the first person to speak, which took Mary slightly off guard. She looked up with her big green eyes and blinked.

"Well, there was . . . a man who spoke English. I don't know who it was, but they told me why I was here," she started, and Tony's face showed slight surprise when her so-childish voice echoed in the silent cave. Yinsen nodded her on. "He said he saw an article written about me in the LA Times newspaper - how I was invited to three top colleges with scholarships because of my science and physics . . . skills."

"Wait," Tony said skeptically, his eyebrows creasing. "You got accepted to three different colleges with scholarships? How old are you?"

"I just turned fifteen," Mary answered. "Scout's honor. I stopped growing last year, and yes, my voice has always sounded like this," she added quietly. Being who she was, predicting people's questions just seemed to be getting easier and easier.

"I . . . see," Tony nodded. Yinsen smirked, obviously amused by the exchange. "You were saying?"

"He asked . . . told me to help you make the Jericho missile." Mary sighed, and spoke before Tony could reply. "Don't get me wrong. I know you could make it with your eyes closed, Mr. Stark, let alone without the help of a fifteen year old. But . . . He has my family. He just said to make sure everything goes as 'planned', because of the . . . circumstances."

"Just call me Tony. You must be pretty bright if they're asking for you to help," Tony said, and she could swear she heard a hint of being impressed in his voice. "Well, another pair of hands could always come in handy," he said, and leaned back against the table. "It's late. We can get working first thing in the morning," he offered, and Mary felt a silent sigh of relief escape her lips, and she sat down next to Tony Stark, with Yinsen exact opposite to them. "What should I call you?" Tony asked, looking between Mary and Yinsen.

"My name is Yinsen. I'm from a small town near here - Gulmira," the older man said with a kind smile. He seemed to be the least tense one of the three. Tony turned to her, and raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Mary Taylor," She offered, with a slight inclination of her head. "From Los Angeles, California. It's, um . . . It's great to finally meet the famed Tony Stark," she said with a small laugh.

"And what do you mean by that?" Tony said, and an amused smile played on his features.

"Well, you could say that you 'inspired' me when I was little to get more into physics," Mary admitted shyly. "Newspapers, magazines, television - it all talked about Tony Stark, and how he was so great at his science and creating incredible weapons in his basement. It's kind of hard for somebody like me not to get a drive to try harder in school after seeing things like that."

"I'm flattered, really, I didn't think I spoke out to little kids," he said, and looked at Yinsen. "Can you believe this? I'm inspiration." The sarcastic irony in his voice caught an amused smile from both Yinsen and Mary, and immediately the tense air that had been in the cave just moments ago was washed away.

After a moments pause and silence, the three of them lost in their own thoughts, Yinsen spoke in a serious, almost worried voice. "Tony," he started. "I don't think you should make that missile. Look, what you just saw, that is your legacy, Stark. Your life's work, in the hands of those murderers. Is that how you want to go out? Is this the last act of defiance of the great Tony Stark? Or are you going to do something about it?"

"Why should I do anything? They're going to kill me, you, either way. And if they don't, I'll probably be dead in a week," Tony countered, and Mary could almost see the inside workings of his mind, the wheels turning, wondering - what was the right decision?

Yinsen nodded, and raised his eyebrows once again. "Well, then, that is a very important week for you, isn't it?"