A Tangle for Two.
Ch 1
Tony Stark paused in the entryway of one of the oldest buildings in Manhattan. It was nearing ten o'clock, and he was being unfashionably late to this, the most exclusive party of the year. Giving the nod to Happy Hogan, his chauffeur, he moved forward through the noise of clinking glasses and gaudy laughter. A liveried gentleman smiled in greeting, and Tony happily took a flute of champagne from his tray.
So, Tony thought, this is the Hellfire Club. The inner sanctum of New York's most exclusive executive club was lined with dark wood and priceless art. Cigar smoke and expensive brandy oozed from the glossy polish that coated the centuries-old paneling. The entry room seemed filled to capacity, and the young man took stock of both the noteworthy and notorious in attendance. It wasn't exactly his kind of crowd.
The hand-lettered invitation, delivered only days ago, had promised a feast for the senses. Naturally, he had made the time to peek in on this forbidden slice of old money. Not even his famous father had been invited to the Hellfire Club. Smirking, Tony looked around the room, taking a long sip. No one he knew personally; some he'd like to know intimately.
Of course, he was merely twenty-five, fresh from MIT with his second PhD. His regular friends were party maniacs, hot with sex and beer bongs, still perfecting designs for robotic panty-removers. Not like these wonderful caricatures before him. An older gentleman, one of the few with a full head of hair - or was it a toupee? -smiled, moving through the crowd to join him.
"Anthony Stark!" He said, offering his hand in a fluid gesture, "Sebastian Shaw. Glad you could make it." The statuesque man wore an odd costume, much like the waiter, but all in black. His hair was tied back in a black satin bow.
"You aren't going to a funeral, are you, Bas?" Stark shook the hand, noting the strength of it. "I think your jimjams are too flashy for a wake."
Shaw chuckled, "They said you were the direct sort. I like it! Please, follow me to the salon. The rest of the inner circle are wanting to meet you in the worst way." Shaw placed a hand over his mouth for secrecy, "That's where the real party is." He winked.
Tony smiled, "As long as it's not a threesome with you and Henrietta Hyena over there, I'm intrigued." The large woman noticed him pointing, but was quickly distracted from flirtation by an hors d'oeuvres tray.
Shaw's smile changed, leaving his eyes as he nodded, leading the way through a set of heavy oak doors. The raucous noises vanished as a pair of liveried men closed the massive things behind them. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Stark glanced around during Sebastian's introductions. This was too weird.
"My friends, make welcome for Anthony Stark. Mr. Stark, may I present the inner circle of the Hellfire club."
Before Tony stood a small gathering of people, all dressed in either completely black, or completely white. The men wore outfits similar to Shaw, while the women...Tony drained his glass. Regardless of age or size, every woman in the room wore as little as possible.
"We dress as pieces of a chess board, you see. I am the Black King. My Queen is...unavailable tonight." He glared a warning to the others, "Before you stand rooks, knights, oh! And a bishop. Glad you could make it, your excellency." As he said their rank, the various members nodded. Many of them seemed annoyed at Tony's presence.
Tony was about to make a Clue reference to Shaw when an overly tall man in white, who had earlier indicated his knighthood by giving an angry nod at the right time, slammed a hand into the wall and stormed out, giving Tony a nasty sneer on his way. Oh, He knew that one. Donald Pierce had stolen a few ideas from Tony's first graduate paper, leading to the older man's rise to fame. Stark had filed a million-dollar lawsuit that had left Pierce bankrupt.
The room had quieted, with all eyes turning from Pierce to Stark. Tony smirked and snagged another glass. "Party foul! Am I right?" He drank the champagne in a gulp as the inner circle returned to completely ignoring him. This party was getting too strange for sobriety. He turned, snatching a whiskey from a passing tray, only to find Shaw in his face again.
"You must forgive our white knight. He's just lost a bet with his queen, you see."
Shaw turned toward the smaller figure in white that accompanied him. The girl on the king's arm was incredibly beautiful, and Tony remembered to close his mouth at the last second. He smiled, mainly at her. Only at her. She was wearing a corset. Not much else, either. Ooh, Tony bit his lip. Party favors.
"Stark, I thought I'd make this introduction myself. This is Emma Frost. She's our White Queen."
The girl was not smiling. Her eyes sparkled, waiting for- no, daring Tony to insult her. Time to be smooth.
"What did they do, take your clothes away until you said you'd meet me?" Tony took note of every part of her. From the neck up, of course. Not.
"Actually, this is the costume for all females in the Circle. If they want in, they have to comply." Shaw winked at Tony, and the younger man's stomach turned. Sure, he liked eye candy as much as the next guy, but the expression on the girl's face made it feel weird. Wrong. The Shaw guy was leering a bit too much, like he'd waved a carrot around in front of the young man. Tony wondered what the stick was.
"A pleasure, Miss Frost, in whatever you are wearing." Tony kissed her hand. He meant it. She softened in surprise. "But, I think I'll go. I like my ladies half-naked because they want to be." Tony turned for the door, but ran into Shaw's hand. It stopped him cold. Literally.
Normally, there was some give in a person who was trying such a thing, but this Shaw, he was more like solid rock. Tony looked down at the hand, then into the king's eyes. Ah, the stick.
Shaw's determined mouth split into a wide smile, "I apologize. I had hoped you and Emma might take a tour, get to know each other."
Emma nodded, her blue eyes less cloudy, but keeping an eye on Shaw, "I would love the company."
Ah. Definitely a party favor. Tony bowed to Miss Frost slightly, "When in hell, right?" She laughed, probably for Shaw more than him, pointing him towards a staircase.
He guided Emma away from the rest of the inner circle, folding her arm over his. Her blonde hair brushed at his shoulder as she walked. What was that scent? "Here is the founder of the club, Milton Bradley." The young queen's voice was soft and resonating.
Tony kept glancing back, only once seeing Shaw raise his glass towards the couple. "Dick." He muttered. They entered into a vacant salon.
"Oh, you have no idea, darling." Emma whispered back. Her accent was familiar. "The power plays, the backstabbing -literally. Where do you think the White King is?"
"Hudson River?"
"Insane asylum."
Tony nodded, "And you are paid to, um. Entertain new blood?"
She paused in her step, "I am not paid anything. Do you not re-…" Her eyes narrowed, "You think I'm a whore!" Emma pushed him against the wall, cape flowing about her.
Tony didn't know whether to be embarrassed or turned on. Her hair and her angry face... just wow. "Hold it, hold it Bondage Barbie!" He held up his hands in defense, trying not to giggle. "I apologize! It's just... you didn't seem thrilled to be around Shaw, and I..."
A polished white fingernail poked his chest, "Emma Frost," she growled, "Frost Enterprises. Frost Holdings, Frost International!"
Ohhh shit. John Frost's daughter. One of them, anyway. Should have known from the Old Boston accent.
"Heyyy! Emma!" Tony stayed up against the wall, but his hands relaxed, trying to placate, "I'm sorry, okay? Last time I saw you, we were throwing seaweed at each other."
"That was Adrienne." Emma raised a perfect eyebrow.
"We were... " shit shit shit. "Wait, I've almost got it..." he grinned, leaning close to whisper, "feeding the birds".
A genuine smile crossed those frosty lips. "Yes."
He had been ten, she a shy, quiet eight, mainly hiding from the rest of her family during their summer vacation to Maine. Now she was… legal.
Tony grabbed her hand, pulling her to a nearby couch. He rested his chin on his hands, giving her an adorable flutter of eyelashes, "So, how have you been?"
Emma curled her legs underneath, smirking, "Better. Father died a few years ago, and left everything- what was left, anyway, to my brother. Remember Andrew?"
Tony nodded slowly, "yeah. Psychopath in the making, even at fifteen. So wait. All of the Frost things you named, they're..."
"Mine." The girl lifted her chin, "and only mine. Built on my ideas, my patents. While you've been away at school, so have I."
"Damn. Nothing for a guy like me to offer, then." He smiled kindly, realizing he wanted more than chit chat, "Want to blow this museum and get some clothes, maybe dinner?"
At the mention of leaving, Emma paled. "No, I can't. There's too much at stake." She glanced around, putting her poking finger to his lips, "Not here." Standing, her hips swayed to the faint music below as she danced him further from the party. "Shaw wants you as White King. It would make you his technical equal, but he thinks he can manipulate your inexperience. Mold you."
Tony followed her lead, placing his hands on her shoulder and waist, but surprised himself by pulling her close. "No thanks. I have Obediah for that." He closed his eyes, "What is that perfume?"
"Gardenias." Emma was in his arms now, he could sense the heat of her cheek next to his, "See that door?"
Tony could see it, "Closet?"
"No cameras." She nipped at his earlobe.
In a heartbeat, he had turned his head, claiming her lips in a slow, breath-stealing kiss. Emma was twirled to the closet in a single motion, the door closing behind them. Tony grinned against her lips.
"No cameras, as requested."
The girl let out a breath from the kiss, then smiled back, "Thank you. Now we can speak freely."
What. "Speak?" He still held her.
Emma sighed, "Yes. Believe me, I am really enjoying you, Anthony, but-"
"Tony. Only jerks call me Anthony." Maybe if I just start at her neck...
"Tony. But!" She held him at arm's length, "You need to know that this place is not what you think. Something big is about to happen. I can't stop it, and Sebastian will kill me if I don't do my part. What I can do, at least, is make sure you are well out of it."
Something was wrong. Sure, a lot of people said someone would kill them, but Emma didn't act like she was exaggerating.
"Kill? What are you saying, Emma? That weird Scooby villain wanna-be is threatening you?" Tony grabbed her shoulders and traded places, "you stay here, I'm calling the cops. This freak show ends now."
"No! Tony, wait!" The girl pulled him back, "There are things you don't know. About me. About Shaw."
His back thumped against the door as his arms crossed. Still calling the cops. "I'm listening."
Emma took a deep breath, "Have you heard the reports on the news about Charles Xavier?"
He was getting a bad feeling, "yes. He opened a school. Teaching special kids, or something."
"Special is an understatement. He, and they, have potent abilities." Emma chewed on her lip, "So does Shaw. He gets what he wants, Tony. Nothing can stop him."
"He hasn't come up against me, yet. What is he wanting, Em?"
"I can't tell you. There's so many moving parts that it is impossible to stop. Sebastian's plan involves powerful people. That's why you have to leave. I know you'll try to stop his plans. It's what the last king did."
"Right, he ended up in an insane asylum." Damn. Might be a nice vacation after this place.
Her arms went around his neck. "Just go. For the sake of our old friendship, leave. Please. Now.' She was sincerely worried about him. Tony held her tightly, kissing more gently this time. "I can't do that."
There was a dullness in her voice as he felt her withdrawing, "Damn. I tried." Emma sighed, "Tony, I'm so sorry."
Tony closed his eyes for a second, resting his lips against her forehead. "I'll protect you, promise."
A socket wrench flipped in the air, and his hand caught it as he paused in his dance to some Ramones playing on the radio. Tony Stark turned around in a complete, confused circle. He was back at MIT, in his lab. What the hell just happened? Checking his watch, he realized more than a week had passed since the party at the Hellfire club. In a panic, he turned on the tv, flipping to CNN, MSNBC, any news channel he could find. Tony's memories began to return slowly, and within the hour, he was able to piece together everything but the day after the party. Emma Frost had kissed him. Said he needed to run. Tony had said no, but ... what had she said, there were things he didn't know about Emma Frost. What had she done to him, besides rescue him from involvement in the Hellfire club?
Happy wandered in, setting some burgers on a mostly cleared workbench. "Got you a bacon cheeseburger, boss." He was sipping on his own drink..
"Thanks, buddy. Hey, have I been acting weird this week?" Tony sat on a stool, exchanging burger for wrench with his back to the tv.
"No, well actually, yeah. You and me were supposed to catch a Knick's game two days ago, but you started muttering about staying in Cambridge. You had to stay. I was pretty disappointed, but it all ended well, cause, you know... Rebecca."
Tony tilted his head, "I know a Rebecca?"
Happy didn't answer, picking up the remote and turning up the tv volume, "Did you hear about this? Old place was probably a tinderbox, but some are calling it arson."
Tony turned in his seat. "Holy shit. Is that live?"
The only way he knew it was the Hellfire Club was from the scrolling words on the screen.
"No, it happened yesterday. You were in 'do not disturb' mode" Happy made quote marks with his fingers, "so I waited. Place is gutted. Police are saying it was probably a gas main." The words changed: No survivors. Total loss.
Sure enough, as Tony and Happy walked towards the blackened rubble of the Hellfire club, still smoking in the early dawn of the next day, the scene looked hopeless. He wasn't sure why he'd come, but Tony chalked it up to closure. Dirty water pooled on the damaged ground. The traffic was light, but already the city had begun to awaken. Happy went first, ever the protector. He poked at bits of ground aimlessly.
"Careful, that might be a friend of mine." That hurt just to think. Too soon.
Happy turned, "This is useless. C'mon, Tony. Let's get somewhere friendlier. I know a strip club in Jersey..."
That was when he heard it. Like a cat, but not. "Sshh...did you hear that?" Tony frowned, turning closer to the building's remains.
"I read about ghosts haunting old places-"
Tony put a hand over Happy's mouth, "it's not a ghost!" He murmured, cocking his head. There it was again. "You don't hear that?"
Happy shook his head, and the younger man released his hold. He stalked across the burnt wood flooring, stomping and pacing.
"Remember my aunt Gladys?" Happy asked.
"Happy, if this is about the ghost of your aunt, I swear..."
"No. I was just remembering how she lived in a real old crackerbox near here. She was so proud of it being old. I was just thinking how when a big company bought it from her in the 60's, they bulldozed it, and found a... what was it called, root cellar underneath."
"Root Cellar?" Tony stalked over to him, and kissed him on the cheek, "I am doubling your pay, Happy!" He pulled the big guy over to the burnt out building, and they both sat together. It took a few minutes to shush Happy out of questions.
"All right." Tony spoke loudly, "Now, I, the one a certain criminally-minded lady did not want involved, and Happy, who does not want to be here because he thinks you're a ghost, are going to sit here for a very long time, just in case you are trapped somewhere, and have changed your mind about dinner...And clothes." He held his breath.
Happy looked around. "I got nothin', boss."
Tony still waited, so Happy waited with him. A few minutes passed before Tony heard the sound again. He scrambled up, beginning to stomp on the burned floors harder.
"Boss, what if it's a cat? I didn't hear a thing!" Even so, the chauffeur began to stomp as well. Happy suddenly fell through the floor. "Definitely a basement or cellar here, Boss!"
Tony tossed a flashlight to his friend. "Emma!" His voice had turned more frantic now. "If you are down there, say something, or I'll tell everyone your secret." Even as he said it, he laughed in relief. Not dead. Can't be dead.
"Don't. Turn you...a chicken." That was NOT a voice. It was more of a thought, only not his own.
"Emma?" Tony managed, his voice cracking. What did she mean by that? Could ghosts do that?
A great crashing sound rose up from below. "Found her!" Happy's face appeared in the hole, "There's a huge place down here filled with cages and stuff. Someone liked animals."
Tony rolled his eyes, "You didn't see this place before it burned, Hap. Someone liked pets. Get up here and call 911 so I can take credit. Wait, get the Stark team here. No reporters that way." He jumped into the hole, mostly sticking the landing.
The beautiful girl from the party was now bloody and covered in dirt. Tony carefully dug around her in the rubble, talking to her softly. "What happened, sweetheart? That was a dirty trick to pull on me, sending my heroic ass back to Cambridge like that."
The voice spoke in his head again, "kept you safe."
"Point, but look what happened to you. Chipped more than a few nails, Em. And I know your secret."
"Turn you in-"
"-to a chicken. Yes, you said that. Maybe you have a concussion. You're way too smart to repeat yourself."
"Yes."
He brushed her hair from her face, "I'm holding you to that date." Emma Frost gave no outward sign that she was conscious.
"Might be... a while."
Tony kissed her dusty lips, "I've got time."