Hearts Collide

Alex's heart was racing as she and Steve ran to where they saw the black smoke coming from. When they arrived, they saw parts of a yellow taxicab scattered on the city street and the rest of the car lying on the side on fire.

"What's going on?" Alex asked as she looked at the sight before her.

"I'm not sure," he answered as he spotted a few S.H.I.E.L.D agents evacuating the area "But I'm going to find out. You go head back to Stark Tower," he ordered as he made his way inside headquarters.

"No, Steve. I'm staying with you!" she asserted as she grabbed his hand and stopped him in his tracks.

"No. We don't know what's going on. It might be danger—"

"Ms. Stark, I'm glad you're here. We were trying to get a hold of you," interrupted a female voice. Alex turned and saw a red haired woman approaching her. "I'm Agent Becky Clarkson. Will you please come with me?"

"Sure," Alex responded as she and Steve followed Agent Clarkson into the building. "What's going on?" Alex asked. "Why was there an explosion? And why do you need me?"

"Someone tried to hack into our security system again," Agent Clarkson answered.

"Okay, that doesn't explain the explosion."

"A few minutes after the attempt, the taxi outside exploded," boomed Fury's voice from behind. "We're not sure if they two are linked since Mitch Carson and our other personnel don't fully understand how your system works. That's why we've been trying to contact you.," boomed Fury's voice from behind.

"Well, the system I created was designed so that whatever hacking device someone uses back fires on them. So unless the person was trying to hack from that taxi, which is impossible, they we're probably using the explosion as a distraction for something else."

"In that case, Agent Clarkson, I want agents Romanava and Barton over here now to do a thorough sweep of this building and Captain, suit up," Fury ordered.

"Yes, sir," Steve responded as he made his way to the security vault where S.H.I.E.L.D kept his suit and armor.

"Fury," Alex began, "You don't think that the person that attacked Steve on New Year's Eve has anything to do with this, do you?"

"Well, I can assure you that it wasn't the same person. The man who hacked us on New Year's Eve is currently locked up and under S.H.I.E.L.D's eye. However, he was part of an organization that Captain America took down, so it is possible that—"

"Alex, there you are," Tony interrupted as he strode into S.H.I.E.L.D's security room clad in his Iron Man Armor.

"Dad, what are you doing here? "

"I heard about the hacking, the explosion, and that you were down here, so I came to make sure that you were okay."

"I'm fine."

"Good. Now go back home, it's not safe here. I can take over whatever it is your doing."

"Dad, I'm not leaving. I'm going to stay and help Fury figure out what happened. Now you can either help me or you can leave me to work alone," she asserted as she turned her attention to the main computer.

Tony left out a long sigh, knowing that Alex wasn't going to change her mind, and asked,

"What do you want me to do?"

"You can go over the security tapes and tell me if you see anything suspicious that occurred within half an hour of the explosion.

"Wait," scoffed Tony, "that's all you want me for?"

"Well, I don't need your help short cutting through my system to figure out the kind of hacking system this person used," Alex stated nonchalantly. "Plus I get bored of staring at the same thing for too long."

"Fine," Tony grunted as he began playing the security tapes, "But when you're done with this, you're going straight home, okay?"

"Fine."
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"This doesn't make any sense," Alex said as she ran her fingers through her hair in frustration.

"What's wrong? Hackers are undetectable?" Tony asked.

"No. It's quite the opposite. From what I can tell, whoever tried to break in this time was using the same system as the person who broke in a few weeks ago," Alex stated as she looked through S.H.E.I.L.D's files.

"Well, Fury did say that the guy that broke in on New Year's Eve was from an organization. Maybe they sent one of their guys here."

"But why?" she questioned.

"Maybe they were trying to bust out their buddy?"

"Well, if they were, they did a very poor job at it," Natasha's voice interrupted. Alex turned her attention to the door where she saw Natasha, Clint and Steve standing.

"Did you guys find anything?" Tony asked.

"Nothing," Clint answered. "It's almost as if there was no attempted break in."

"Well, then I guess you don't need Alex anymore," Tony stated which earned him a glare from Alex as she grunted softly.

"Tony's right, Alex. You should go home," Steve urged.

"I guess I can't say no to Captain America," she sighed as she noted his spandex suit. "Come on, dad, let's go."

"Not yet. I'm going to do an aerial sweep of the area. I'll meet you back at Stark Towers," he stated before he left the security room.

"Alright, Steve, take me home," Alex insisted as she got up from where she was sitting and gathered her belongings.

"Wait," Steve began, "You mean right now?"

"Yeah, come on, let's go. You got your motor cycle here, right? Let's go take it for a spin," she grinned.

"But I'm dressed as Captain America."

"So, this is New York. People dress up as random stuff all the time. Now, come on," she demanded as she left the security room.

"She's got you there," Clint grinned as Steve sighed.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Nice Captain America suit. You look nothing like him though," commented a stranger as they drove passed Alex and Steve.

"Umm, thanks," Steve mumbled which caused Alex to giggle. "It's not funny," Steve sighed.

"We're almost home. Stop complaining," she said as she leaned forward to kiss his cheek from behind. Steve said nothing as he continued to drive his motorcycle toward Stark Tower. The two were silent until Alex asked, "So are you ever going to tell me why that person attacked you a few weeks back?"

"To be honest," he began, "I'm not exactly sure."

"What do you mean you're not sure?" she questioned with concern in her voice.

"Well, the guy that attacked me was part of a Russian gang that was selling nuclear weapons to one of America's enemies," he explained as he stopped at a red light. "I was able to stop them, but a few of them got away."

"Okay, but that still doesn't explain why they would come all the way to New York just to try to attack you."

"Well, you see, Ms. Alex," interrupted a female with a thick Russian accent who was coming out of a taxi behind them, "What your beloved boyfriend forgot to mention was that he killed my darling brother," she stated before she removed the safety pin to a hand grenade and threw it at Alex's direction.

"Alex, look out!" Steve cried out as he grabbed her by the waist, pulled her to the ground, and shielded her. Black smoke from the explosion surrounded the two as a maniacal laugh and footsteps could be heard approaching them.

"What do you want, Olga? Why are you doing this?" Steve demanded.

"Did you not just hear me say that you killed my brother?"

"I didn't kill anyone!" Steve shouted.

"I don't care. Boris is dead because of you. And now, I am going to kill the person you love most," she threatened as she took out a gun and aimed it at Alex. Steve immediately stepped in front of Alex and used his shield to block off her attack.

"Alex, run!" Steve demanded. But Alex just stood there with her eyes wide, breathing heavily. "Alex!" Steve's voice boomed as he firmly grabber he shoulder and shook her out of her daze. She inhaled sharply as she realized what was going on. She tripped a bit as she tried to get up and begin running toward Stark Towers.

"Viktor, Ivan, stop her," Olga commanded.

Just as Alex reached the corner, she was grabbed by two large men stepping out of a taxi cab.

"Let go of me!" Alex cried out as she elbowed the man behind her in the rib and punched the man in front of her in the nose. They immediately released her and she began running again.

"Steve!" she called out.

"You're not getting away, You little brat," one of the men uttered as he pulled out a gun and aimed it at Alex.

"Oh really," Tony's voice interrupted from behind, "Because I think she is. "The two Russians looked back and saw Iron Man standing behind them.

"Dad?" Alex gasped as Tony flew past the two men, grabbed her, and carried her away. "Dad, what are you doing?" she asked as she clung onto him.

"I'm taking you to Stark Tower where you'll be safe," he responded.

"What about Steve?"

"He'll be fine. You're my main concern right now. Jarvis," he began, "Get Pepper and Thor on the roof top entrance. I need them to take Alex."

"What for, Mr. Stark?" Jarvis asked.

"I'm putting the building on lock down. I need them to make sure Alex doesn't try to hack your system and get out."

"Daddy, don't do this," she begged. "I'm not going to leave Steve alone there."

"And I'm not going to let you get hurt," Tony responded as he landed on the roof of Stark Towers where he was met by Pepper and Thor.

"Tony, what's going on?" Pepper asked.

"No time to explain. Thor, take Alex. Make sure she doesn't go to her room or anywhere near a computer for that matter," Tony commanded.

"Yes, Man of Iron," Thor responded as he grabbed Alex by the hand and began walking her inside the building.

"No, dad. I can help!" Alex cried out as she tried to fight Thor's grasp.

Tony sighed before saying, "Pepper, as soon as I leave, put the building on lockdown. There's something I have to take care of."

"Alright," she nodded as she followed Thor. When she was inside, she turned and saw Tony fly away and immediately began to enter the lock down code into a keyboard on a wall panel.

"Pepper, please don't do this," Alex begged.

"I'm sorry Alex," Pepper responded as she hit the 'enter' button. "This is for your own good."