Chapter 26 Silk The Movie Part 1

My heart is pounding against my head, my back hurts as I can feel my body trying to heal, its hard due to what just happened. Taking a few steps forward that take everything out of me I notice the mess I made. Smoke comes from the city similar to the fires from the battle of New York. Not surprising with the amount of explosions that happened.

My feet are bleeding as the soles of my boots melted a while ago, looking at how the wreckage and fire around me I'm not surprised by the amount of police officers in front of me. My mask is out of place as my hands can barely move, my eyes can barely focus. I need to save them, I HAVE TO SAVE THEM. As I keep running away from the crash. A big explosion nearly knocks me off my feet. My entire body is in pain.

"CINDY MOON! ITS OVER! RAISE YOUR HANDS OR WE WILL SHOOT!" That's Officer Wagner, I think. A bright light stands above me as a megaphone sounds loud enough for me to hear clearly. "YOU'RE UNDER ARREST FOR DOMESTIC TERRORISM, ASSISTING A TERRORIST AND TREASON! HAND OVER YOURSELF! DO NOT RESIST!" My body is not answering but raising my head I can see the terminal of the airport the windows filled with people with phones out, my face is now public. Not that it matters now, not after what he did.

"HANDS IN THE AIR! STILL OR WE WILL USE FORCE!" That voice is definitely captain Wagner, she warns as I wave my hands as I know another one is coming at us, "RUN!" I barely croak out as I pull out my last trump card for that bastard, a bang interrupts the chaos around me and my body screams in pain followed by my voice. Warmth began to run down my suit but turned cold soon after the cold winds of late September made me shiver. Three days, its al it took for him to ruin my life... but I made my choice, it’s what a hero would've done. I can barely hear anything anymore as my vision blurs for a second, the edges of it are fadi-

---

"-on! -oon! MOON!" I turn my head as my statistics professor calls my attention.

"S-sorry." I said to him as he only glared before taking a deep breath.

"I noticed, I know you're good at the subject. But please keep in mind that I want respect for doing my job. Miss if you don't want to be here then don't come to my class. The door is always open; I'm not your Mother to discipline you." I flinch as he said that and look to my hands.

"I- I said so-sorry."

"I don’t need apologies; I need respect; more so from a girl that claims to be a genius." He says as he motions to the class, my eyes trail over the class most look uncomfortable.

"B-..." I try to answer but it’s hard, the amount of people looking at me, the glare of the professor is not helping as I feel the need to avoid looking at him. He walks forward and I flinch again, I can hear a smirk coming out of him.

"For the project that is word 40 percent of your grade I want a presentation and an essay on the interpretations of probability in statistics. We have 29 students, so it will be in teams of three; just let me know who you want to be your teammate before the end of class which is in... Five minutes." The professor said as he began to put close up attendance list and logging off from the computer.

Shit, who do I pick? Can I even ask someone? Turning to my left the girl beside me is already talking to another 2 girls. To my right the guy beside me is laughing with 2 other guys. 'Who do I ask? Do I wait for the last person to notice?' Looking around I see a girl on her phone distracted in her own world. 'HER! I will do everything but I won’t have to be alone... dragging someone else’s grade is not fun, but doable.'
Only for my thoughts to be cut short as 2 guys approached her. 'OH FUCK.' My gaze trails over the rest of the students, everyone has a partner now.

"Hey." I move my body right dodging a finger that was about to poke me in the ribs. "Whoa! You have eyes on your back?"

"N-no." Looking around I see a girl who has brown hair, greenish eyes and looks like she does a sport of some sort.

"So, want to be on a team?" She says with an easygoing smile. "Because I think everyone else has one."

"S-sure." I whispered as I nodded. "Now we only need, HEY! Football, got a team? We need a third."

"Yeah, you saved me! Thanks."

"Give me your names so I can write them down." She says as she tears a piece of paper that makes me cringe and my heart begin to race. Images of 

"Cindymoon, here'smynumber." The sound of paper tearing from notebooks is now common and my back feels tense.  I leave my phone number on the same piece of paper and run out the door. I feel my head pounding as I run to the nearest bathroom. The smell of the bathroom changes to that of mud, scrambling for my phone I dial Erica's number.

"Sup Cin?"

"Youinclass?" I enter a stall and fall to my knees as I lose balance.

"Nope, just finished and have a free-"

"I need help, secondfloorbath-" I proceed to vomit as the images of that day replay in my mind, I can’t help but cry as begin to puke again. I try to get a hold of myself but I can't I'm slipping., it feels like hours that I'm on my knees as the images keep repeating. "Hey, you alright in there?" I hear voice I don't know knocking on the door. I feel too afraid to answer, only for the door to burst open.

"CINDY!?" Erica's voice sounds too loud.

"Uh, there is someone here, crying and puking." The previous person said as I sniffle, the sense of being worthless fills my body and mind, the strength in my body is not letting me even move, I feel like I'm seconds away from death. But as those thoughts reach my head I feel a gentle warmth over me as a hand rubs my back slowly.

"Shh, it’s okay Moonpie, you're fine. You're not there, you're not alone, and your sister is here." Erica says with confidence and care as I feel my tears cloud my eyes as I begin to cry. "There, there. You're okay." Erica flushes the toilet, she has this down to an art, after the first fifteen panic attacks she's good at comforting me, as the feeling of my stomach recedes and my body feels lethargic.

"Thank you." I say to her.

"Okay, let's get you washed up; you kinda have puke over your mouth." She says as she opens the stall help me up and leads me slowly to the sink. After five minutes of calming myself down, I notice the girl that asked is actually the same girl from my class, the one who is supposed to help me with my project.

"Feeling better?" The girl asks as she looks at me worried.

"You are?" Erica steps in front of me to cover me from her.

"Whoa, chill, I'm in the same class as your... sister, we have to work on a project for a class but she ran out and I came in to whatever that was." I feel guilty from making someone else uncomfortable, as if everything I did is wrong.
"Whatever that was, is none of your business. So out of the way." Erica picked my bag and hers and pulled me out bumping shoulders with her.

"What's her deal?" Erica seems angry.

"Sorry, I made you angry, It’s my fau-"

"No, it’s not, she has no reason to be in yours or our business. So you're fine, now come on. Let’s get some food in that belly, you look tired.
Maybe we can eat and you can take a nap while I finish some homework?" I only nod as that sounds really nice. We made our way to the cafeteria; I got a meal for two people since I'm not that hungry. We find a table and we eat together, chatting a bit. "What happened?"

"It's just I was distracted... and the professor went after me saying stuff and I got nervous and then I had to talk to people I don't know and then people starting tearing paper from their notebooks and that was a trigger... I think... I didn't know that was one." I said as I began to push a very interestingly shaped potato fry.

"That's okay, just let me send mom a text about what happened and you can go take a nap and I'll wake you up when it’s time."

"That sounds nice. Also I got to go to Stark Industries, so I'll swing by there after my last class, then I have to go to the police academy and I'll probably be home late because Tony arrives today. But I'll text mom and you to let you know." She only nods. We make our way to the library where Erica actually talks to a few friends along the way but nonetheless accompanies me until we're seated and she pulls out her notebook and a book that is extremely thick. She only pats her leg twice and I lean back slowly taking my place on her lap her fingers begin to smooth out my hair. Lulling me to fall asleep.

---

"I don't get it? What am I doing wrong?" I scratch my head as I make my way through the hallways of Stark Industries. Checking a tablet that has the data of the simulation I ran a few minutes ago. But it puts the electrical use puts me in the red no matter what I do. It's like an endless use; the arc reactor just gets burnt. Or well... like this last one it just blew up.  I groan in annoyance. "I need a snack." I groaned as I just reached the one vending machine close to the workshop.

There are a few people talking around the hallway, either slacking off or making plans. The vending machine has snickers.... "Nice." I say to myself as I place a bill and order a snickers, but the stupid thing got stuck, as in, in an impossible angle. Even if I order another one it won’t fall. My annoyance is palpable as I feel the need to lift this thing and throw it at the nearest wall. "You bitch." I gently smack it on the side, enough to make it lift itself off the ground. But the fucking thing didn't move. I groan in defeat as I place an order for a coke can. "I will destroy you. No, I will throw you into a river."

"You know that she won't like that, right?" I hear a voice behind me, making me jump in fright. "Sorry didn't meant to scare you." He said, he looks like a textbook nerd, he has round square glasses, messy brown/blonde hair and a beard that looks kept and at the same time unkempt. He's wearing a button up shirt that I've seen in Walmart and other cheap stores.

"Uh, hi?" He fidgeted as his gaze went from me to the Vending Machine behind me.

"So, you got it stuck? She let's go when she's treated nicely. Here, let me. Chocolate, right?" He said as he looked around to see that nobody was watching. He put a dollar bill pressing the return button then did 2 slams with his hands on the side of it followed by a kick and a slap. Then pressed the code for a bag of chips, the vending machine absolutely malfunctioned as the lane with the chips he selected fell followed by the entire row of chips. He then imputed the code for the lane with snickers and proceeded to spin thrice.

"QB! Really? Come on, we said we only did that once a month!" One of the guys that were talking turned towards us.

"It’s not like they realize." The guy that helped me said as I just took out one Snickers bar.

"You know you can take more right?"

"Y-yes, but it feels wrong... thi-this is someone’s job and... it-it's kinda wr-wrong."

"Multibillion dollar company and you're worried about a few bucks?" The same dude that complained said as he walked forward and grabbed one of the five bags.

"Ah, ah." The dude that helped me stopped him.

"No, it’s my turn now. You got yours last month."

"But, come on."

"Miss, you can grab the ones you want." He said and with guilt I grabbed three bags and another snickers. Leaving only 2 bags and a snickers bar.

"Th-thanks... Ci-Cindy..." I extended my hand to the guy who helped me.

"I'm Beck, but everyone calls me QB, well that's my last name. I think I'm the only person with that last name here. You're new here, right?" I nodded.

"S-se-second we-week." I said as I heard steps coming this way to the person that was annoying me.

"Moon! Back to your station, everyone has fifteen minutes, not thirty. Back to the workshop. I don't care if you got here through nepotism. Get back and help Wilkins with the project." That's Jerome; he has a balding head with three hairs barely holding on. His square glasses, mustache and neck beard give me the feeling that something ain't right with him and he's been targeting me for the entire week.

"Ye-yes... so-sorry... bye." I said to Beck as I walked with my head down to the ground and the candy and junk food carried as I used the tablet as a tray. He began to walk in front of me.

"Mr. Stark is coming tomorrow and while he isn't the CEO. He has to make sure that everything here works as intended, we can't let Musk get ahead of Stark Industries and you should be helping. Not flirting with guys and wasting time." I want to answer but he would interrupt me and he can make sure my job here is to make coffee runs. Maybe I can talk with Tony about him, but this is just 20 hours and he only talks to me when I'm free.

Arriving at the workshop and my station, depositing the loot that Beck gave me, maybe he's using me as the scapegoat. That would be bad, what if Tony gets mad? What if pepper finds out and I-

"Hi, you’re new here?" The voice of a woman sounded behind me, I turn to see a girl with black curly hair, she has a tanned skin tone, and her face has Asian features as she looks at me intrigued. "Oh, you're Asian too, NICE, also finally a girl!" She flopped down on the open seat next to mine.

"Umm... h-hi." I said awkwardly as I opened my snacks and began to eat the chocolate bar.

"I'm Ruth; I'm working on a project for transportation. What about you? That looks like a window?" She turned.

"I-its... a-..."

"MOON! I need the data from Wilkins, and did you get my coffee?" Jerome again yelled at me. Ruth just grimaces mouthing sorry but return to work. Looking at the data transfer I had received from Wilkins and handed it to Jerome as he reached my workstation.

"..." I handed the tablet so he can transfer the data for whatever reason he needs it.

"My coffee?"

"... I-I did-didn't know..."

"Th-th-then get to it. Frappuccino, with whole milk, whipped cream at the top and chocolate crumbs." I only nodded, a memory surfaced that I pushed down by repeating the list of things to keep memories at bay, as I made my way towards the Starbucks inside the cafeteria. I considered putting an order for me, but I just realized he didn't give me money. 'Ugh that guy is an asshole.' I end up using the card Tony gave me.

"Coffee for Jasmine?" The barista said with a chirpy tone. I raised my hand and the guy deflated. "Dammit, he's not here. He always gets mad when I call him by another name." I just grabbed the coffee and left, not even ten minutes passed and I was already on the workshop again. He took the coffee from my hand.

"Finally, now back to whatever you were doing." He said as he just winked and a bit coffee stained his gross old shirt, one of the downsides of knowing about fashion is that I can tell when something is cheap and old or new and expensive. Not even half an hour after, I was trying to get close to the solution on barriers of energy but my phone rang to my surprise its Tony. "Sup?"

"Are you at the company?"

"Yeah, working. I need time, I'm sure I'm close to figuring it out." I silently grumbled. “I need help with some simulations.” I know he’s smirking.

"Good, then you're free."

"No, I'm... why can I hear you nearby?" I said as I turned my head towards the door which has people in an uproar.

"Moon! Hang up your phone!" Jerome snarled at me quietly as I hung up, only for Tony to burst in and turn to me then turned to everyone else.

"So, this is workshop 5. I thought it was bigger.” I am resisting the urge to say “That’s what she said.”

“Alright, everyone. You already know who I am; I need a bright mind for a project. Everyone here is participating, so check your company emails, and answer it by uploading a worksheet and a final answer by text and sending it back. Perfect answer gets to work with me on a special project." Tony smirked as he turned to me. 'Wait, no fucking way.' As everyone rushed to their station and computers or tablets I clicked on the email. 'The electrical cycle of a core is stable through loosing and gaining electrons, using a core of mixed components of zinc, silver and copper...' Taking my phone I just sent him a '.I.' as message. He only pouted as he checked his phone followed by walking towards me.

"You, name and what are you working on?" He said as if he owned the place which he kinda does.

"Mr. Name is, I'm Ci-. Stark... sorry, Mr. Stark I'm a big fan of your work. I'm Cindy Moon." I said with a fake nervous tone. "I'm working on making the equivalent of a shield energy barrier, as in a solid piece of wall made to withstand heavy blows of anything, this can reduce a lot of accidents and even work for security." I explained what he already knew of what my project was.

"Then you work on the problem and I'll see what I can do." I just nodded and proceeded to answer the question in three minutes as it was something I can calculate."Done? Did you guess?" I shook my head as I narrowed my eyes, my expression a clear 'How dare you?'

"Mister Stark, I'm sorry about her, she's new. She may be a pretty face, but right now she's just doing coffee runs and I'm sure she should've spent more time on the question. She's not even graduated, she's mainly looks. As in the pretty face of the-" As Jerome walked forward Happy Hogan stepped up and stood between them.

"Back off buddy." Jerome took a few steps back, his overweight stumble made it clear he was intimidated.

"Moon, show me your work." Tony said as I just turned the tablet towards him and placed it on the table after all he doesn't like when I hand stuff to him.

"Hmm." Tony mumbled as he just took out his phone at scanned the answer, followed by a green checkmark. "Well, we got a winner." Tony said which made everyone stop doing what they were doing.

"What?" I said as everyone has the same expression.

"Yup, you heard me. You're officially working on Avengers Tower. Move your things there by tomorrow, but don't worry I only need you for a while. But you'll be working here and there so no worries." Tony said as he began to fiddle with his phone.

"Also, it says here you're part time for Stark Industries High Fashion?" Motherfucker is smirking.

"Yes, I am... I have to be on a shoot for Balenciaga tomorrow."

"Good, now. I'll be seeing you in two days, you should be recieving your new badge tommorrow when you arrive at the tower." He said as he stood up before leaving he grabbed a copy of my work and left out the door not ten minutes after coming in.

"What just happened?" I asked dumbfounded, before others from the workshop began to congratulate me.

"You got promoted." Ruth said with a smile as I'm just confused at her words. "Also I didn't know you worked as a model, but I can definitely see it you're very pretty."

"Th-thanks..."

"How did you calculate the amount? That was harder than my thesis." A guy said as he sat where Tony was, he works two worktables from mine.

"I-I just calc-" But I got interrupted as Jerome in front of us with his arms crossed.

"Everyone this is not a school ground. Back to work." Jerome said as everyone groaned in unison. "Moon, don't get a big head. You're just a fluke; you're not only an intern and young. You don't know anything about how everything works. You're only a pretty face." Jerome snarled as the words hit me, my eyes got blurry as my back tensed up, my gaze locked onto the ground. "Don't cry, that wasn't my intention. Look, I'm preparing you for the future, I'm-" "That's enough." Ruth appeared beside me and grabbed my wrist; she then dragged me out, followed by another person. It took a few minutes of reassuring until I stopped crying. "Hey, it's okay. That guy is an asshole, everyone knows that. Why do you think people call him JL? Because he's a jerk and smells like lard. I need you to submit a complaint to HR, so they can work on this."

"No, it’s not going to fix anything."

"You can't think like that, speaking up is important."

"Well, you're not going to like this James. Lard over there is friends with the one in charge of HR."

"That doesn't matter, we can submit it."

"Actually, Moon, over here has to submit it."

"It won't do anything; it’s just a target on my back. Look, I just have to endure him for ten hours a week in three days. Its fine."

"It isn't, come on. Just submit it." She handed me my tablet.

"But-"

"No buts, he's been harassing you, and is weirdly always looking at you."

"No, he's no-"

""He is"" Both say at the same time. "He's creepy, always over you and ogling you and following you, I'm pretty sure he found you on
Facebook."

"I don't have one, or... any at all. I have twitter to look at memes."

"Don't deflect, here's the mail. Just send one." She gave me the email.

"Fine." I only wrote that he's made me cry because he insulted me and is always following me. "There, done. It's not going to help." When we returned to the workshop each of us returned to our stations I only focused on my work. Jerome walked past me a few times "making rounds" because he kept looking at me and I don't need super senses to notice him looking at me. Thirty minutes after I sent my mail, my phone began to ring. 'Why is Michael calling me today?' Looking at Jerome he turned his head towards me I just pointed to the door walked out the workshop. I heard his footsteps behind me.

"Hi Michael, what's up? Need me for a shoot?" I said only to hear a sigh.

"Cin, I just got a call from the Big Boss and I got an Email from HR. Did you submit a complaint? What happened?"

"It's just this guy the supervisor, used words that-"

"Cindy Moon, speak your fucking mind." I flinched and hugged my side.

"He said I was a fluke and how I don't know anything and how I'm only a pretty face."

"Has he been harassing you in any other way?"

"Yes... I got followed..." He sounds angry as he almost growled as he exaled through his mouth. "Look I'm sorry, I didn't want to make you angry. It's fine, its my faul-"

"NO, It’s not. Don't ever think that way again. Give me five to fix this."

"Wait, what are you doing?" But he already hung up, I walked inside only for Jerome to stop me again.

"Moon." His voice made me take a step back, I'm not afraid he's just creepy. Its just he has power over my career here... I can lift him and send him across three walls, but he... he can. "Look, I'm sorry." His voice is honest-ish. "I didn't meant what I said. I was just making sure to keep you humble. I'm your supervisor and as such I need to keep you who are under me working the same as others. I'm just looking out for you, you should be grateful. It’s not conventional but its tough love." I wince as I remember what tough love means, making me take a step back, which he only walks forward, I want to run so badly but how does that help when I have to return here next Saturday. "I'm doing this because I love you."

"Sorry..." I said in a low tone.

"It’s alright, I forgive you. But what I should receive are thanks."

"Thank you."

"Good, now back to work." He almost placed me in a one armed hug, but a pull saved me in the form of QB.

"QB?" I asked as he pushed me forward to my seat.

"Hi, I was looking for you. You solved the equation, can you give me a little rundown. I had to sprint to get here." I smiled lightly. "Your eyes are red, did something happen?"

"No, and you shouldn't be here QB, your station is on the other side of the facility."

"I know, but she is the one that's going to work with Tony Stark. So I want to see how she did the question. I got a 35 percent she got a hundred." I only nodded as he showed me his work, Jerome returned to his office as I gave QB a short rundown  of my process that people around us joined in to listen, only for my explanation to be cut as a group of five people walk through the door. Four people from security and one guy dressed in a suit.

"Oh shit, it’s the exterminator." James said as he is also paying attention to my explanation.

"Who?"

"The exterminator is part of the legal team and he's in charge of firing people. But he never shows his face unless someone fucked up badly. Anyone did something wrong?" Everyone shook their heads, but to our surprise they went straight for Jerome's office. Only to be escorted out a few seconds later. When they walked out the door nobody moved, it took a minute.

"FUCK YES!" James yelled out, followed by everyone quite literally jumping in joy.

"What just-" I was saying only for my phone to ring, quickly taking it using more speed than normal. I answered as Pepper is calling me, walking out again to take the call. "Hi."

"Cindy, how are you feeling?" Her voice is calm but stern at the same time.

"Weird, I heard you talked with Michael."

"I did, I also read the mail you sent to HR."

"oh, look I'm sor-"

"No, it’s my fault for not monitoring correctly where you're working. So I'm really sorry for not looking out for you. Right now I want you to go home and don't worry about your supervisor."

"You didn't fire him... did you?"

"Well, it’s up to administration and the legal team. But apparently he has a lot of complaints that HR swept under the rug. Again sorry and just take the day off. Let me send the email so that happens."

"Thanks... Ms. Potts it means a lot."

"Cindy, for you, it’s Pepper, we talked about this."

"Right, thanks Pepper... a lot."

"Don't thank me, thank Michael, he's looking out for you and helped me make the decision to call you. You're also a friend, so it’s okay."

"Yes... I should thank him... yeah. I'll tell him."

"You do that; you also have to go to the police academy."

"Shit, forgot about that."

"Don't let the captain hear you talking like that." I smiled a bit at her comment.

"Yeah, I should." Hanging up turning back to the people celebrating, a small smile crawled up my face. Maybe speaking up now is not bad;
yeah maybe Doc is right, I’m doing better now.

But is it a good enough reason to keep living? I don’t know but that question I couldn't answer before and it won’t be today.