Currently I am watching dad and Happy box. This is weird, but it's like a train wreck, you can't look away. Pepper enters and says, "The notary's here! Can you please come sign the transfer paperwork?" Dad says, "I'm on Happy time." Dad hits Happy in the face with his elbow and says, "Sorry." Happy says, "What the hell was that?" I say, "I call some kind of penalty on that one dad." Dad says, "It's called mixed martial arts. It's been around for three weeks." I roll my eyes. Happy says, "It's called dirty boxing, there's nothing new about it." I say, "I'm on Happy's side on this one." I look back at the mat as dad says, "All right, put them up. Come on." I notice the guys get distracted by something behind me. I turn around and notice a pretty red head make her way into the room. I subtly as I can try to get a read on her body language. One thing I pick up on her is that she has lots to hide. She carried herself much like Agent Coulson does. I see her go over to Pepper as Pepper says, "I promise this is the only time I will ask you to sign over your company." The notary says to Pepper, "I need you to initial each box."
As dad continues to watch the women Happy hits him on the head and says, "Lesson one. Never take your eye off…" That was a mistake on his part because dad kicks him and he goes crashing into the corner of the ring. Dad gets more hits in than turns to the notary. He says, "That's it. I'm done. What's your name lady?" She responds, "Rushman. Natalie Rushman." Dad says, "Front and centre. Come into the church." Pepper says, "No. You're seriously not gonna ask…" Dad says, "If it pleases the court, which it does." I need to send her to the ring because it will tell me the last piece of the puzzle I need to figure her out, but I don't want dad to know that so I say, "Dad, you can't be serious." Natalie says, "It's no problem." Pepper says, "I'm sorry. He's very eccentric." Natalie enters ring. Dad swigs down more of his sports drink. Dad turns to Happy and says, "Can you give her a lesson?" Happy says, "No problem."
Dad steps out of ring and goes to sit next to Pepper and says, "Pepper." I keep my back to them to pretend I'm not listening. I watch Natalie in the ring and can tell she is pretending not to listen too. Pepper says, "What?" As dad sits down next to Pepper he says, "Who is she?" Pepper says, "She is from legal. And she is potentially a very expensive sexual harassment lawsuit if you keep ogling her like that." Dad replies, "I need a new assistant, boss." Pepper says, "Yes, and I've got three excellent potential candidates. They're lined up and ready to meet you." Dad says, "I don't have time to meet. I need someone now. I feel like it's her." Pepper says, "No it's not." Pepper is jealous. That's cute, but if I'm right about Natalie I'm pretty sure she's not after dad like that. Happy says to Natalie, "You ever boxed before?" No surprise to me, Natalie says to him, "I have, yes." Happy the idiot he can be says, "What, like, the Tae Bo? Booty Boot Camp? Crunch? Something like that?" I see the flicker of annoyance flash on her face and I do not blame her even a little. She gets distracted by dad as he says, "How do I spell your name, Natalie?"
She responds, "R-U-S-H-M-A-N." Pepper says, "What, are you gonna Google her now?" Dad says, "I thought I was ogling her. Wow. Very, very impressive individual." Pepper says, "You're so predictable, you know that?" Dad says, "She's fluent in French, Italian, Russian, Latin. Who speaks Latin?" Pepper says, "No one speaks Latin." Dad says, "No one speaks Latin." Pepper says, "It's a dead language. You can read Latin or you can write Latin, but you can't speak Latin." Dad says, "Did you model in Tokyo? 'Cause she modeled in Tokyo." Pepper says, "Well…" But dad cuts her off saying, "I need her. She's got everything that I need." Natalie was looking over at them as Happy goes to hit her. Happy says, "Rule number one, never take your eyes off your opponent." He goes to take a swing, she grabs his hand and flips him over, legs over his head. Well my question is answered Natalie Rushman is an Agent and I'm guessing for SHIELD. If she works for anyone else I'll tell dad immediately, but if she works for Coulson I won't. I'm worried about my dad and I truly believe SHIELD is trying to help us. At this point, with how out of control dad is, I'll take all the help I can get.
My dad has been keeping things from me, locking me out of the lab, and just being sneaky. Right now I think it might be a good idea to have back up around, because I'm scared for him. His arrogance and his secrets are going to catch up with us. Pepper says, "Oh, my God! Happy." Dad says, "That's what I'm talking about." Natalie just secured a job she already had. Happy says, "I just slipped." Dad says, "You did?"Happy says, "Yeah." That look of pain on his face does not sell his story. In his defense I'm almost positive she's a government agent. Dad says, "Looks like a TKO to me." As dad rings the bell Natalie leaves the ring. Natalie says, "Just… I need your impression." Dad says, "You have a quiet reserve. I don't know, you have an old soul." I roll my eyes and says, "She meant your fingerprint, dad." Dad says, "Right." Pepper says, "So, how are we doing?" Dad says, "Great. Just wrapping up here. Hey. You're the boss." Natalie says, "Will that be all, Mr. Stark?" Dad says, "No." At the same time Pepper says, "Yes, that will be all, Ms Rushman. Thank you very much."As she's leaving dad says, "I want one." Pepper says, "No." While they have that little fight I hurry out an catch up with Natalie.
When I'm sure we are far enough away I ask, "Who do you work for and please spare me the lies." She looks shocked and I continue, "Do you work for SHIELD?" She says nothing. I say, "Look if you work for anyone else leave and don't come back, but if you work for SHIELD I won't tell my dad. His arrogance and the secrets he keeps are starting to scare me. Having backup wouldn't be the worst thing and I trust Agent Coulson." She studies me for a minute before sighing and saying, "Yes I work for SHIELD and I'm just here to observe your father." I nod and say, "I figured. I won't tell him, but I need you to do something for me." She gives me a skeptical look as she asks, "What?" I say, "I need to learn some self defense skills, but I can't go to a normal class or my dad, because he would think that means I think he can't protect me. I just think this Iron Man thing put a target on our backs and it scares me how not serious he takes that. It obviously can't be you, because we don't want to blow your cover, but do you have a co-worker or friend that can do it?"
She smiles and says, "I have just the man for the job. You are right this Iron Man thing puts a target on your back along with his. He isn't taking this very seriously, so it would be good for to at least somewhat know how to defend yourself. I'll call my friend and text you where to meet him tomorrow." I say, "Just have him come here. You guys will be in Monaco." She asks, "What do you mean?" I roll my eyes, "Dad will approach you in about let's say an hour or so and send you to Monaco ahead of him and Pepper as his new assistant, against Pepper's wishes. You are good at what you do. You knew how to play my dad, hell I wouldn't even know if I wasn't an expert on reading people." She nods and says, "Well he'll be here tomorrow at 6 am." I nod and say, "Can't wait!"
With that being said we separate. She leaves and I head back to dad and Pepper. Dad says, "Where'd you go?" I say, "Oh I had a legal question for Natalie. She's actually really smart and kind of bad ass I see why you want her as your assistant. I think she'd do an excellent job." Dad says, "Yeah she will." He says under his breath so I don't think Pepper heard it. if Natalie didn't already have the job she does now. Dad trust my opinion and I reinforced what he was already thinking so he doubly likes my opinion right now.