In The ice (July 1998)

Isabella was doing her best to avoid the missiles, but she knew she needed help. She was growing tired and she began to fear she was going to make a deadly mistake. She was about to call Tony, when he suddenly contacted her.

“Uh, no...I’m not alright. I could use some help. I’ve got two missiles locked on to me.”

Tony hurried into his suit. Logan heard him take off and he stepped out into the weather a moment as he watched Tony fly into the sky. He did not know where Colleen had gone but he figured something must be happening.

Tony turned on his afterburners and instructed Isabella to turned back toward him. From Jarvis he saw the missiles. The Triton 2s were based on one of his designs. They had alot of fuel and their AI was impressive. "Ok baby, just a bit more south. I'm coming, we're going to pass close and when we do, I need you to stay as level as you can," He told her.

As they passed one another, they almost collided, Tony was able to reach one of the missiles. He blasted it with a repulsor blast and though he took some of the impact charge none of the shrapnel hit him. Isabella was now just dealing with one missile. However being in front of it was not good as if it exploded, it would propel its shrapnel back at her. She needed to get it to start going after her in a tight circle. When she began her turn the missile tried to intercept her instead of follow her. She knew it was going to hit her but before it did Tony smashed into the side of it. It went off but not before he fell several yards. Isabella was hit but her suit integrity was not compromised. They flew back together in tandem.

"I know where those missiles came from. One of your drop points. Someone is trying to hack into the sensor itself," He said as they flew.

Isabella’s heart was beating quickly after the close call, but thankfully she was alright. She knew that if Tony hadn’t been there that the end would have been much different. She flew next to Tony. This mission to find Steve Rogers had just turned dangerous.

“We need to find these people and stop them.”

"Then follow me," Tony said as they took to the air once more. Both Tony and Isabella had a digital map of all the detectors. They were designed to work together not be singled out. The blips were all green except for one that was red. And that was where they headed. They stayed low to avoid being detected on radar and tony prepared countermeasures. Once they were close enough Tony jammed their radar.

"I'll take out the missile truck, you take out their auto cannon," He said into her helmet. As they came up on them it was 2 vehicles. A missile truck and what looked like an armored carrier with a auto cannon on top of it. As they attacked, the men and women that were there were caught completely offguard. Tony ran right into the side of the truck. He hit it so hard that it broke in half and exploded. Isabella landed and tipped the armored carrier upside down. The men and women fired weapons at them but Tony was angry that they had almost killed Isabella.

Isabella followed after her husband. They both had a digital map of all of their sensors. They could see all were green except for one that was red. They flew that way and stayed low. As they came up she saw a missile truck and an auto cannon. She heard Tony's order and she focused on the auto cannon. She landed and tipped the carrier upside down. Men and women began to fire at them, but their suits protected them. However, they didn't have any weapons to fire back at them.

"Who are these people?" she asked Tony through her helmet.

“I’m not certain,” Tony responded as he used his repulsors on two men who were firing at him. Isabella took two others out then punched another that sent the man flying backward into the snow. He did not get back up. Finally there was just a single man left but he wasn’t dressed in the same outfits like the others. He was in a parka and snow pants and boots and held his hands up. He looked terrified.

“I’m not with them! They forced me to come!” The man exclaimed. His hands shook due to his fear of them.

“I’m not certain,” Tony responded as he used his repulsors on two men who were firing at him. Isabella took two others out then punched another that sent the man flying backward into the snow. He did not get back up. Finally there was just a single man left but he wasn’t dressed in the same outfits like the others. He was in a parka and snow pants and boots and held his hands up. He looked terrified.

“I’m not with them! They forced me to come!” The man exclaimed. His hands shook due to his fear of them.

Isabella fired her repulsors at several of the men and women who attacked them. They were able to easily take them out, until one man was left standing. He quickly put up his hands in surrender and looked quite terrified. Isabella approached him.

“Who are you and why are you here?”

“I’m...I’m Gunther Taborvind!” The man anawered quickly and swallowed hard. “A scientist, I’m just a scientist!” He said quickly. “They made me come...I didn’t want to but they made me!” He said worriedly. His heart rate was going a mile a minute.

“Oh your...your Ironman...And Sapphire...I know you!” He said and a smile broke on his face. Only briefly though.

Isabella was losing her patience with this man and quickly. She had almost been killed out there by whoever these people were and she wanted answers...now.

"WHO made you come? Who are these people and why did they need you here?"

Isabella's harsh tone made the man nearly jump out of his snow boots. His face was red and his eyes had a desperate look in them. Tony saw what he was about to do...lie or evade.

"Tell her!" He said in a threatening tone. Isabella's close call had set a dark mood in him. The scientist knew what they were after and finally he relented and lowered his head.

"THey're the SSB..." The man said worriedly.

Isabella's eyes widened when she heard the man say that they were the SSB. She knew about the SSB, Soviet Special Branch, from her time in the CIA. They were a dangerous organization and not people to mess around with. If they were here with a scientist that meant that they knew that she and Tony were close to finding Steve Rogers. That thought concerned her for a multitude of reasons.

"Alright, you're coming with us," she told the man and had Tony carry him back to base camp. They took him to their bungalow. It was just Sarah and Serena in there. With her suit off, Isabella stood before the man with her arms crossed over her chest. "What's your name?"

Being carried like he was was a terrifying experience. Gunther was German and was just hired for his expertise with electronics and sensor and communications systems. He was attempting to add a communication feed to one of the sensors, he explained.

"Gunther Taborvind. I'm just a contractor. I didn't know who they were until they told me. I didn't have a choice!" The man said again. Sarah held Serena on the other side of the bungalow. Tony removed the man's coat.

"Sir...there is a signal coming from this man," Jarvis said. Gunther's eyes bulged. "They made me swallow it!" The man cried and fell onto his knees.

Isabella was angry and frustrated and wanted to know what was happening. However, when Jarvis told them that there was a signal coming from the man she and Tony both looked sharply at him. Upon hearing that he had swallowed a sensor, Isabella's eyes widened and she looked at Tony. Suddenly, not only was the mission in danger, but their lives and their daughter's life was in danger.

"What do we do Tony?"

Tony looked at the man sharply. "Well we know they don't want to confront us directly," he said as he rubbed the hair on his chin. "I say we continue on as we have been. We've dealt them a blow and taken their scientist. We can put him under guard," Tony said. "I'll have the Sergeant put his men on alert. They have missiles so we can't put Serena on the helicopter without us to protect it," He reasoned and looked at Isabella.

"I'm going to go back out and set the rest of the sensors," Tony said. "Remain in your suit incase something happens," he said.

Isabella listened to Tony's plan and she nodded. Tony informed the Sergeant of what was going on and Gunther was placed under guard. Isabella remained in her suit as Tony left to go place the rest of the sensors. She was on alert and ready to go help Tony if he needed her. She hoped they would find Steve Rogers soon so they could get out of here quickly.

Tony dropped the rest of the sensors. Somewhere in the massive circle The plane that Steve Rogers went sown in was buried. He could be revived or he could not and he hoped that whomever Dr. McCalister was she could bring him back. It didn’t change that they had to find him first.

Logan wanted to go see the prisoner and he asked Colleen to join him. The soldiers had created a makeshift holding cell for the scientist and a man was set to guarding him at all times.

Corporal Janson stood when they entered. “Hey...Logan, what’s up Doc?” He said. The soldiers said that a lot to her.

Natalya had heard that a German scientist had been found and taken prisoner. Natalya knew that the people that had been using him were the SSB. She didn't know how much this man knew and didn't want him to blow her cover. She could think of no excuse though not to go with Logan that wouldn't sound suspicious and so she had to go with him to go see the man. "Colleen" walked in with Logan and she had to keep herself from rolling her eyes at Corporal Janson and the running joke towards Dr. McCalister.

"Logan and I would like to see the prisoner."

"Well, it's a free country," He said and shifted to unlock the man's door. The bungalow was the barracks for the soldiers and they installed walls and a door. He opened the door for them.

Gunther was sitting on his bunk when they came in. He looked a moment at Natalya then shifted his eyes to Logan. His eyebrows rose when he recognized Logan.

"Ahhh...the Wolverine, what can I do for you?" He asked. "I was not with the SSB by choice. I'm not certain if anyone is," He said though his eyes shifted to Natalya a moment when he said that. "And who is zis with you?" He asked.

Natalya cursed silently when she recognized the prisoner. It was Gunther Taborvind. She just hoped he wouldn't recognize her with her bleached and dyed hair and blue contacts. However, when he kept looking at her, particularly after mentioning the SSB, she knew she needed to give him a little warning.

"My name is Dr. Colleen McCallister," she told him with a dangerous look in her eye...a look that warned him against giving her away. She would not hesitate to kill him.

"Oh, you know me?" Logan said. "Then you know that no one here will do to you what I will if you don't start talking!" Logan said threateningly. He moved up to him and grabbed hold of his shirt and shoved him hard against the wall behind him. He extended a single claw up to the man's throat.

"What was your mission!" Logan snapped in a rasp and the man gulped loudly. "I was supposed to patch into the sensor and use it as a data mole into the others," he said. "I'm not a fighter, im just a scientist!" Gunther exclaimed. "Well, you smell like an SSB agent ta me!" Logan growled.

"Uh, Logan...can I have a word with you?" Sergeant Hark asked from just outside the room. Logan narrowed his eyes at the man. "I'll be back!" He said angrily and stood.

Natalya stood there and watched as Logan threatened Gunther. As Logan was suddenly called away by Sergeant Hark she watched him leave before stepping up to Gunther. She didn't touch him, but she knew she didn't need to in order to threaten him. Her gaze narrowed dangerously at him and she spoke to him in German, one of the many languages she spoke. "If you reveal me I will rip your heart out from your chest and then I will find every member of your family and do the same to them. Do you understand me?"

Gunther's eyes widen and sweat beaded up suddenly on his forehead. He nodded nervously as she stepped out of the room and the guard closed and locked the door. "My men are on watch until we find him. We need more security for The Stark Bungalow," He said. "Well i intend on going with them but I could stay behind," Logan said.

After their brief discussion Logan and Colleen prepared themselves to leave and go back outside. Logan stopped dressing and out his arm around Colleen's middle. "I'd like it if you didn't go...after we find him," Logan said. "I'd like it if...you'd consider going on a date? When we get back," Logan said.

"Colleen" began to prepare to leave the bungalow and head back outside. As she started to get dressed she suddenly felt Logan's arm snake around her middle from behind. She heard what he said and she wasn't sure what to say. She of course wouldn't be staying, but Logan didn't need to know that. "Well whether I go or stay will be entirely up to Mr. Stark," she said as she looked over her shoulder at him. "No matter what though, I would like to go out on a date with you."

Logan smiled at what Colleen said and he leaned in and kissed her. Before long Tony Stark was on his way back from laying the last of the sensors. He made certain to encrypt his communication with Isabella.

As Isabella held held Serena her wrist communicator went off. Both Logan and Colleen were playing cards with Sarah at the table.

"Are you alone?" Tony asked.