The next day, 10:00 AM.
New York City, Stark Tower
"Um, security breach," Tony Stark called out loudly, looking up indignantly from the floor. He pulled off his protective goggles. "Excuse me, how did you get in here?" Octavia struggled to remain calm and control the exhilaration coursing through her. She ignored Stark's question, nodding politely to the scruffy, grey-haired man hovering over a table.
"Mr. Stark," she stated. "My name is Octavia Anderson. I'm CEO of SongCroft." Her company name dropped out of her mouth. The room seemed to tilted and grow out of focus. What the hell was I going to say?
"Yes, and?" Tony Stark frowned push the bottom of her car with both hands. Octavia imagined screaming at him and genuinely believed her head might explode.
No, that's irrational. Focus.
"Stark Industries recently bought out Songcroft." She managed to continue. The cool calmness she had maintained with Devon was hanging by its last thread. "Yep, we're expanding." Tony said absentmindedly. Octavia cut to the chase. "I can't allow you to do that." She put as much authority into her voice as she could. "Huh." He didn't even bother to look her way. "Well, to be honest, it doesn't look like you have much of a voice in that matter." Octavia's vision snapped. Ske kicked out the car jack viciously, causing the car to crash down. "I don't think you understand, Mr. Stark." Her heart beat a tattoo on her ribcage and she glared at Tony Stark, forgetting the rest of the room, enjoying the adrenaline pumping through her veins. She leaned closer. "I have come to far to be dragged back by a pampered, immature boy who has never had to struggled in his life." Her words tasted bitter. "I will not allow that to happen. Not as long as I can fight." With one last jerk she stood up and stalked out of the room, blowing past the other man. Tony Stark yelled something behind her, but whether Octavia ignored him or couldn't hear past the roaring in her ears wasn't clear.
She took the stairs to the first floor. Security didn't stop her as she blew through the large glass doors onto the driveway. She chaffer was ready and Octavie stepped in, slamming the door hard behind her. Breathing heavily, she stared unseeingly ahead, gripping her legs tightly with her hands.
"I take it it didn't go very well." The hooded figure sitting across from her spoke up. Octavia jerked her head up, avoiding his gaze. "I tried." She said flatly. He didn't press for details. They drove silently for a few minutes, the sunny day flashing past their windows, unnoticed. "My offer still remains." He finally spoke up. He leaned forward slightly, steel gleaming under his cloak. Octavia couldn't help herself from staring at it. She swallowed and then spoke. "Good." She grimaced as Tony Stark's face floated in her mind's eye, hardening her resolve. "I accept. How soon can we start, Eric?" Eric shifted and the cloak fell the the side, revealing a hard body half encased in metal. Where his right arm should have been was a metal sheath. Octavia started, openly shocked. "As soon as we arrive. The system is fully operational."
The hooded face made it impossible to read his emotions, but Octavia could have sworn he was smiling.
