Work Text:
They're already talking about stopping the search. Barely a month since Tony was kidnapped and they're already talking about stopping the search. The only thing keeping it going right now is the fear of bad PR and Rhodey's immense stubbornness.
Stephen isn't supposed to know any of this, of course, but Stephen is also immensely stubborn and Rhodey knows that he loves Tony just as much as Rhodey does, albeit in a different way. So he's kept Stephen in the loop, partly for Stephen's sake and partly, although he's never said so, because Rhodey needs to talk about it with someone who understands how terrifying the idea of losing Tony is.
"They're saying that Tony is such a high value target, the only possible reason not to make a ransom demand is because he's dead." That's what Rhodey said.
Stephen doesn't believe it.
If Tony is so high profile, they'd brag about killing him if he was dead. Silence means they're using him for something other than money. Not that anyone believes Stephen when he says so.
"I'll keep the search going as long as I can," Rhodey had said. "But… it's starting to look like we're going to need some kind of miracle." He'd laughed, bitterly. "Except, our miracle worker is the one who's missing."
Well. There's no better place to go hunting for miracles than a hospital. Stephen's been listening, and he's heard whispers of a place that can deliver on desperate prayers.
Kamar-Taj.