Kitsune here with Chapter 2! It was about 1/2 done when Chapter 1 went up so it wasn't that hard. I hope you like it. 'Yonder keeps giving me ideas... It should be a fun story! Anyway, things have been crazy at work this last week and I hope you're all doing well. Thanks for the positive feedback!

Question of the chapter: Have you ever been to a play or musical? I've been to a few off Broadway ones... like 3? And a bunch of highschool ones to support my cousin who is really into theater arts. The singing gives me a migraine though, so...


"Howard, don't be ridiculous." Peggy said for what had to be the twentieth time that morning. "You said yourself that you placed all of your experiments in a new, more secure location, did you not?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"And Mr. Jarvis and I managed to retrieve the pieces that had already been stolen, with great risk to ourselves I might add, did we not?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"So wouldn't you agree that it seems rather far fetched that you have once again been the victim of such a theft?"

Howard glowered at her, "I know what I saw, Pegs! That rotten Frenchie had my tech in his bag!"

Alright, that was pretty damning if Howard had seen whatever this tech was. He did have an eye for his own inventions, after all. "Alright then, Howard. Say I believe you. Is it possible he might have bought it from you at an earlier time? During the war perhaps?"

Howard gave pause at that, taking a sip of his well doctored coffee. "Normally I'd say no, but… I'll be frank with you, Peg. I didn't recognize the man. And the stuff he had…" Howard shook his head, "It was definitely Stark Tech, but he'd done something to it. I don't like it."

"Well, that is troubling."

"Not as troubling as this." He leaned forward, "The smarmy bastard said he bought it off of me! Some guy is going around pretending to be me! I mean, of all the nerve! I know I'm good looking and all, but-"

"Your paper, sir."

"Thanks, Jarvis." Howard smiled up at his butler, knowing full well what the man had just done. "Anyway, you think you two could look into this for me?" He wiggled his eyebrows, "For old time sakes?"

"How about I agree to do it so whatever it is you lost this time doesn't end up blowing up half the city?" Came her arid reply. Seeing Howard flinch wasn't as satisfying as she'd hoped and Peggy sighed. "Oh, all right. I suppose I can look around and see what comes up. As a thank you for allowing Angie and I to stay here." She looked up at Mr. Jarvis, "The usual times will suffice?"

"Indudibly. I look forward to your call." Jarvis smiled, passing her a folded leaf of paper that no doubt had whatever relevant information the man had already obtained. It looked like Peggy was in for some more long nights.

It took her a little while to track down the Frenchman. When Peggy finally did, she wasn't sure she'd consider it ironic that the man was attending a play about Captain America. Honestly, she'd known that with the public still in love with Steve the way they were that Radio Shows were not going to be enough. The men in the office who had children had mentioned that comic books were coming out now, and she supposed she should just be glad that it wasn't a movie. At least as a play she wouldn't be subjected to whatever cobbled together footage they managed to dig up of him with some bad actor trying to be Rogers. As if anyone could. As a play it wasn't quite so bad.

Still, she winced a bit as she entered the theatre, climbing up into the private box seats to locate Mr Perrot. The singing wasn't bad per say, but the lyrics held an air of desperately false patriotism to one who'd been so close to Steve. It made her miss him all the more. Finding the Frenchman turned out to be a simple matter. Only two boxes were occupied, the first holding a man who appeared to be drunk. He was refusing to let the poor usher leave, instead pointing out every single plot inconsistency. Peggy found his insights humorous and if she had more time she might have joined him, but unfortunately she had work to do.

"Do you have zee item?" She ducked back behind the curtain, having almost been spotted. Peeking into the box she spotted the aged scientist Mr Perrot speaking with a man who in her not so humble opinion didn't look a thing like Howard. For one thing, he was shorter. His hair was longer with a bit of a curl, and he wore glasses. If that was Howard, she was a duck.

"Yeah, uh, I got it." The voice was all wrong too. This man was too soft spoken, almost unsure of himself. "I'm supposed to warn you not to press the destabilizer in the left atrium?"

"Silly man! Of course I know Zis. 'Oward thiks 'e is funny, no?" She watched as the Frenchman looked over the device, holding herself back from leaping upon him. She'd tracked him down once, it would be a simple matter to find him again if Jarvis lost him outside. No, she had to stay focused and follow their mystery man. Hopefully he'd lead her right to the stolen technology.

"Err…"

Perrot waved his hand, "Everything zeems to be in ordar. 'Ere is za money. Now, go. I wish to watch za end of the play."

"Right… Thanks for your time." The dark haired man stood, and Peggy barely had time to hide in an empty box before he walked by. "Asshole. Tony better appreciate this…." She was surprised when the man didn't leave immediately, instead turning into the only other occupied box. "Tony?"

"Bruce! Look at this! This is so bad, it's not even funny!" The loud man from before answered him. Slowly Peggy moved to where she could see them. The man, Bruce, sunk into the seat like a man who was beyond exhausted. Tony didn't seem to notice at all. "He'd NEVER do that! COME ON!" A fist slammed onto the balcony, and this Tony turned to the usher, a manic gleam in his eye that even Peggy could see from where she was. "First off, that actor is at LEAST two inches too short. Secondly, Steve has like, at least fifty pounds on him. The guy is pure muscle. Point Break is BARELY bigger, and he's a god!"

"Tony…."

"It's true! And a blonde?" He sounded offended by the very idea, and Peggy had to stifle a laugh. "He'd never go for a blonde. Unless it was a golden retriever. We should get him a dog-"

"Tony, did you get any sleep last night?" Bruce sounded resigned.

"Um. maybe about an hour? I fixed the radio though."

"There was nothing wrong with the radio."

"We couldn't get anything broadcasted past a ten mile radius! Ergo, there was something wrong with the radio." Tony sounded smug. "I listened to the BBC this morning."

"How much coffee have you had?"

"I lost track."

Bruce sighed turning to the usher. "Could you do me a favor and bring me some strong aspirin and water for my friend here?"

"I don't need any pills!"

"They're for me, Tony."

"Oh. Ok then. Carry on. Just hurry back for the finale! I can't wait to see what bull they pull out for this Red Skull guy." The usher ducked past Peggy, barely giving her a glance as he hurried out of the box.

Truthfully she doubted he'd be back. But that was fine. Now she had a clear view of the man called Tony. This man, she could possibly see mistaken for Howard. There was a certain resemblance in the way they carried themselves. The hair, of course, was styled differently. And she thought she spied a beard on this man. But if one had not met Howard, they could be mistaken. Committing both men to memory she hurried out of the theatre and over to where she was planning on a rendezvous with Jarvis. Now that she knew who her targets were, their first names at least, she just had to get them alone.