Still don't have that pool of Smarties :(
Also I've never been to New York and I don't really know much about it so if anyone knows where Stark Tower is supposed to be, please say. The pistols used by Lara are her TR Legend ones.
Charity Brings us Closer.
The New York skyline was lit up with the bright lights of the enormous buildings as a few flakes of snow floated down to the icy pavement below. The centre point, and the brightest light, was Stark Tower. A self sustaining building designed by the technological genius that was Tony Stark.
That night Stark was hosting a charity event to raise funds for the families who had lost their homes in the Chitauri invasion. In typical Tony Stark fashion, the party was loud and brash, full of cheering women as Stark showed off his new suit by blasting various items with his ark blasts much to Pepper Potts dismay.
In the far corner were two people, one male the other female. The man was dressed in a suit with his shirt showing off some of his chest. The woman was wearing a knee length, strapless, black dress that had a lace trim on the bottom.
"Okay not gonna lie but I'm kinda getting bored Skye." The man rested his head on his hand as he blatantly checked out some of the women in the room.
"You realise who we're hacking right? I've got to make sure his computer buddy doesn't sense me Hunter." said Skye with slight annoyance, not lifting her eyes from the screen of her tablet still trying to blend in with the party. Hunter sighed.
"Go do something then. I can take care of myself. May is my CO, so imagine the training I've done." Without a second thought Hunter stood up and strode across to the bar, smiling at any woman who looked his way. He sat next to a blonde man who looked really uncomfortable and bored.
It wasn't long before Hunter was joined by a young ginger girl giggling at everything he said. The man next to him kept looking over and sighing.
The main attraction, Tony Stark, had now moved to a sofa near the dance floor, still surrounded by women, watching them dance whilst talking shop with another man.
"Hunter get over here and leave her alone" Skye said sternly, sounding worried. She could tell that Hunter had entranced the girl, leaving Skye puzzled on how he did this but the man next to him was relieved that Hunter had moved away.
Somehow Hunter had managed to lose the girl amongst the crowd as he made his way back to Skye still trying to blend in.
"What's wrong? Tablet run out of battery." he jested as he sat down peering over her shoulder at the tablet. She ignored his comment and continued working as she explained.
"I'm running out of time. Friday..."
"Friday? Today's Saturday."
"The AI Hunter. It knows something is wrong and is searching for me. I need you to find one of Stark's computers and plug this in." Skye handed him a USB stick. Hunter looked at her blankly.
"All you do is plug it in, I do the rest. I'm not even going to waste my time explaining it simply because we don't have it." She rolled her eyes as Hunter left inconspicuously to look for a laptop or other technological devise that it would fit in.
He gently pushed his way through the dancing crowd bobbing his head and greeting people as he went. Hunter had seen no USB ports as he reached the elevator near the spiral staircase. He thought if he was careful enough he could get downstairs and look without being interrupted.
Need to wait for the right moment. All James Bond like, he thought with a chuckle as he leaned against the wall. Hunter surveyed the dancing people to see if any were looking his way but as he was about to head downstairs the ding of the elevator sounded temporarily halting his plan.
The elevator door silently slide open revealing a beautiful brunette in a tight deep blue dress that had a small slit on the right hand side showing a bit more of her smooth long legs. Her hair was partially tied up and curled.
It took Hunter a few moments before he realised who he was looking at. He turned his back to her to avoid her gaze.
"Er Skye..." he waited for her reply which was a small grunt "You know that artefact that we got in Mexico. Yeah, the woman we took..."
"We got it before she got there."
"Yeah her. She's here. Right I'm going downstairs as fast as I can so she doesn't murder me."
Without giving Skye a chance to respond he quickly ran downstairs.
(x-x)
The party was certainly lively but what else should she expect from Tony Stark. There were some many people that she was surprised that anyone else could even fit in.
"Finding Stark shouldn't be that hard. Convincing him to help however."
She took a deep breath and walked further into the room looking for the infamously flirtatious Tony Stark. When she found him he was bouncing coins into a cup like some frat boy in college. Making sure she made eye contact with him, and gave him an inviting smile, she headed towards the bar and sat in the only seat available.
"Why hello there beautiful."
Her plan had worked.
"Tony Stark, although you probably already know that" Tony chuckled as he took a sip from his drink trying to act all suave. A routine Lara was sure Stark had use on many women before her.
"Wow Tony." It was the blonde man still sat in the same place, still with the same unamused face.
"Hey! I invited you Steve so you could let your hair..."
"Wait...Steve Rogers" She turned to face him. She couldn't be wrong not with the amount of times that Lara had flown to New York just to go to the Smithsonian. "You'll be more help than he will...and much less annoying" she finished with a smile.
Tony winked at Steve who shot daggers back at him but as Tony went to leave the girl grabbed him by his sleeve.
"I'm down a techie so you could help, as much as I will want to punch you" Steve laughed and looked into the girl's mahogany eyes, "Anyway time's short, I'm Lara Croft. Is there somewhere we can talk privately Mr Stark?"
Noticing the look on her face and seeing that it was something serious, Tony nodded and led them downstairs with Lara in second and Steve bringing up the rear. As they passed through the crowd Steve found that his eyes kept traveling downwards on Lara. Stop it he thought as he entered Tony's tech area.
The room was filled with what would appear to the average person as scrap metal. Nearly every table was covered in it. In the centre of the room was a circle of computers not totally dissimilar to Lara's tech room.
"Talk about taking you work home with you." said Lara as she ran her fingers over some of the tech laid on the table in the centre of the room wondering what the hell any of it was used for.
Tony sat in a chair ans set his feet on the table while Steve was stood straight, hands in his pockets. Lara briefly examined both Tony and Steve. Tony's attire just screamed billionaire playboy while Steve was more conservative wearing a basic grey suit that Lara thought hugged his physique perfectly.
"How can we help you Lady Croft?" It took her back that he new her formal title was lady. It apparently took Tony back too.
"Lady?" questioned Tony with an eyebrow raised. Lara shuffled uncomfortably.
"Please just stick to Lara. Honestly I hate formalities."
"Why? You look hot formal."
"Tony!" Steve snapped staring at Tony as he just smirked.
"It's okay Mr Rogers. I recently was in mexico looking for the Suum Aantah" seeing the look on their faces she thought it best to give a brief explanation. "It's mayan, roughly translated to cord or rope of air. It's said to make the wearer lighter than normal. Although many different books have different interpretations."
Steve was listening intently not taking his eyes off of Lara. Tony, however, had begun to tinker but was surprisingly still listening. Lara continued anyway.
"When I got to the main hall of the temple..."
"It wasn't there." Finished Steve wondering how it concerned either him or Tony.
'Yes but that's not the issue. I know who took it but not who he took it for, Hunter's a merc. Again, that's not what may concern you. As I was about to leave a certain group of people burst in through the ceiling...and they were Hydra."
Silence filled the room, Tony had even stopped tinkering to turn to look at her.
"Are you sure?"
"They had red serpent skulls on their backs so yeah pretty sure. I'm an archeologist so I know a lot about the past."
"So could you tell us all about Capsicle here?"
Lara and Steve sighed. "If your asking if I've been to the Smithsonian then yes."
A flashing red light appeared on the computer next to Tony.
"Excuse me sir but I appear to be getting hacked. I might have to take a nap soon." The trio converged at the computer as Tony began to tap away. As Tony began to find the source of the hack, Lara and Steve heard a rustle behind them.
With amazing speed Lara pulled out her trusty HK USP Match pistols from the bag she had with her and kicked off her shoes. She noticed Steve was looking at her.
"Basic etiquette. Don't arrive empty handed." She winked at Steve until another rustle was heard coming from behind the shelves.
Steve silently made his way over to the noise by going to the left while Lara went to the right, her guns drawn and ready to fire. They nodded to each other and pounced around the back of the shelves.
"Don't Shoot!" It was a young man holding his hands above his head. Steve grabbed him and dragged the man into view of Tony.
"Do you know him Tony?"
"I do." the voice came from Lara not Tony. "That's Hunter." she said with disproving eyes and folded arms. Hunter just looked at her with a nervous smile praying that she wouldn't hit him.
"Hi sweetie." Hunter said nervously getting to his feet as Steve let him go but didn't take his eyes off of him.
"Ugghh" Lara rolled her eyes. "Tell me your not..."
Before she could finish her sentence all the lights went out leaving them in pitch black darkness. She began to search for Hunter in the dark and successfully found someone but was wrestled to the ground before she could decipher who it was.
"I got it!" Tony shouted as the lights flickered back on. "Friday tell everyone to leave."
"Will do sir."
Lara was laid on the floor with a well built man on top of her, only it wasn't Hunter. He wasn't nearly that muscular.
"Oh...erm...I'm sorry I thought you were..." stumbled Steve as he got up and helped Lara to her feet. The impromptu wrestling match had caused the slit in her dress to tear even further up her leg making Steve feel more awkward.
"Don't worry about it, I thought you were him. Come on." Lara rushed out of the room to chase after Hunter who had fled when the lights went out.
Upstairs was now mostly empty other then a few of the more tipsy people who were slowly but surely making their way to the exit.
"Bloody hell." Lara sat down on the nearest sofa as Tony came running up the stairs.
"Whoever hacked me managed to get away with my Ark reactor plans. They were one good hacker but not good enough. I blocked most of it. I should be able to trace it." explained Tony.
He sat down next to Lara, so close that she got up again and stood next to Steve.
"You know Hydra better than anyone Mr Rogers and I know Hunter. We need to find out why Hydra wants that artefact and who he's working for." Steve could barely look her in the eyes given he had recently wrestled her to the floor, a slight pinkish glow on his cheeks.
"Here isn't safe given he's been hacked." with a nod at Tony opposite "Do you have somewhere we can go?" asked Steve.
Lara nodded while Tony looked slightly annoyed.
"My house. I'm not that tech savvy but I do have a...recently vacated tech room that you might like Mr Stark although it's not as fancy as yours. I have a training room which you might enjoy Mr Rogers. But I think we may need more manpower."
Tony unleashed a loud laugh. "Don't worry we have friends that'll help. That is if you don't mind the possibility of a big green rage monster and a norse god smashing up your house."
Lara's eyes widened, her heart beating fast.
"Don't worry Lady Croft, Dr Banner and Thor won't damage you're home." explained Steve but Lara's face didn't change.
"Thor? As in, Mjolnir, Thor. The norse god of thunder?" Steve smiled and put his hand on her shoulder as Lara stood perfectly still looking like christmas had come early.
"I'll let Winston know so he can prepare the necessary rooms." she said with a massive smile on her face, although inside she had mixed emotions. The child in her was doing back flips at the thought of meeting an Asgardian but the adult in her was reminded of her recent loss.
