TONY
Seeing as my floor actually had the usual reunions and best floor plan, when the elevator doors open I almost drop Pepper.
They were all gathered in my kitchen, watching something on Natasha's tablet, and it looked to be absolutely fascinating since even Clint wasn't faking boredom.
Plus Captain America is up in the dead of the night, no visible emergencies going on or they would have called me. JARVIS isn't allowed to block those calls, no matter how much I beg.
I feel Pepper relax in resignation and I give her an apologetic smile, letting her feet touch the ground and moving to my fellow Heroes.
We have an unsaid understanding that I am allowed two days in the lab with whatever stimulations I want, but on the third, I've got to go easier on my brain otherwise I'll pass out on the fourth day from no sleep. Even Bruce follows the rules, because just his presence around me is stimulation enough.
Wonder if we can't change it to physical stimulation to help tire me out now that Pepper's allowed me to pursue the good doctor…
"So kids, why are all of you delinquents up?" I joke, reaching for Tasha's tablet, but her glare stops me.
"Natasha and me were on Bar Duty today and we got to see some very interesting stuff," replies excitedly Clint, almost jumping in his seat.
"Let's see here… JARVIS?"
Without anymore prompt, the television in the living room opens and via wireless internet, my AI was able to pull the tablet's video and run it.
The cam looks to be on Black Widow since we can't see her and Hawkeye is in front of us. I can now see the Leandros brothers, the Kid dropping his head on the bar top at Niko's words, which are too quiet to make out with all the noise around.
Clint and Cal exchange insulting pleasantries, which from the looks of it Niko breaks up before it can degenerate with only one stern look.
"I don't recognize that brand," I state – just because I can – when Cal bring out the desired vodka.
Boy, am I glad Natasha taped it now!
Clint makes a great fool out of himself and I gotta admit I'm starting to wonder where the camera is exactly. The Kid exclaims something about parenting to his big brother before he escapes to his work and it gets me thinking about how Natasha and Clint do act like siblings, so it wouldn't be too much of a stretch.
"You can easily skip half an hour without missing much," Tasha informs with a bored expression, now sitting on the arm of the couch.
"Without missing much? I think there was great acting on my part there!" Clint defends himself. "Not to mention you were all over him!"
She glares darkly at her fellow assassin and we all take a step back. Except for Pepper; she's cool like that.
"Start it there!" Clint changes everyone's focus back to the television.
JARVIS executes the order and it was to Cal coming back with a burning question.
~Aren't you gonna be late for your date with Promise?~
I turn to my second favorite redhead and her pet bird.
"Promise?"
"And she's not a hooker!" Clint giggles and I can tell the alcohol is still in his system.
I was actually impressed that Natasha didn't throttle Clint right then and there, so I turned back to watch what happened earlier.
Our new friend Niko doesn't look too happy about the attention brought on his lady friend, but I think it's a normal state for him since Cal goes right ahead and adds to the teasing, though Niko easily reins him in.
And when the not-hooker with the very-hooker-like-name arrives; what a jaw dropping moment in history.
"Isn't that-" I start, but Pepper's already nodding, as stunned as me.
"It definitely is," she answers out loud.
Both assassins perk up.
"You know her?" pipes up Clint.
"Of her. Obediah, Tony's previous mentor, tried gaining her attention a few times."
"We had a pool going on when she'd give up and accept or more like she realized she was done with old rich men. Five times widowed! You can definitely see the fascination," I explain, waving my arms about.
I scoff a bit at her idea that the term girlfriend is juvenile, but then I hear Cal ask her which term should be used instead.
You go Kid!
But there goes Miss Nottinger demanding to be proposed! The audacity of rich people sometimes! And while I do fall in that category, at least I don't pretend I'm not fully eccentric!
"At least she's admitting the proper number," I hear Pepper mumble from my side and I grin widely.
Cal obviously looks like he wants to say something, but instead he leaves the little group. Niko seems to breathe easier and I'm about to suggest another time skip when the Kid's voice is heard.
Loud and clear.
~Hey, Bad Breath! Settle down before I make you!~
Natasha – bless her dangerous heart – had immediately turned the camera in the direction of the crowd, making it easier for us to identify the hectic client.
"He should be seeing a dentist," Steve says; first words spoken since me and Pepper got on this floor.
"Dentist? Look closer at his head!" points out Clint.
We all reflectively lean closer to the screen.
"What about his head?" Bruce asks gently.
"Just watch," Natasha replies cryptically.
We do.
And something is very wrong with this picture.
"Auphling?" Bruce says under his breath, but no one says anything.
It happens relatively fast. A general question about some chick called Delilah, a vague answer and Cal gives the verbal left hook.
I seriously thought the gun was just for show, but out goes –
"What the heck?! That guy's face just!" I can't even fully formulate it into actual words.
"Not just the face. Look at his hands. His shoulders' disposition is now abnormal…" Bruce shoots out, putting his glasses on to see the details better. "JARVIS, play back the last ten seconds before the gunshot and after."
-Of course, Doctor Banner.-
And we point out everything that stands out, up to the point where the second guy's got the katana almost filleting his cheeks.
~Cal, I'm still waiting for my glass of wine,~ comes Promise's deceptive voice and I shiver.
Which ends with Niko's double threat and I doubt the Mistress he mentions holds the same meaning as Cal's earlier mistress one. The video ends with Cal teasing Clint, leering at Tasha and his brother's gal only for said sibling to deadpan the day of the week.
Something must have happened because there was no more video or audio feed.
"What were those?" Steve asks, turning to our resident assassins.
"And what about the feed? Why did you lose it?!" I demand, just to downplay the good Soldier a bit.
Natasha's glare to her partner and his actual blush were good enough for me, but Clint still said it out loud.
"I wanted more vodka. It's not my fault it all spilled over the cam!"
I did hide my snickers and Bruce had the look of a parent exasperated with his squabbling children. It's then I realize that I haven't heard Thor talk yet.
Looking over at him, he's looking very closely at the paused image of the two Cal confronted.
"Got an idea, Big Guy?"
"Aye. These are men of wolves, but they are… deformed. Those of old could never be told apart from normal Midgarians," he declares.
"It's because of the All Wolf sect, or so Niko told us," explains Clint, leaning back against the wall, arms crossed, looking very pensive. "The Kin are like a gang of Werewolves that stick to a code and to their businesses, but the All Wolves are those inbreeding to return to what they were supposed to be in their un-mutated form; actual wolves."
I'm not the only one with a shocked expression.
"Actual werewolves? Howl at the moon; one bite and you're a goner too?" Steve asks, looking very horrified the world isn't all daisies and roses.
"Yes, most likely and no," specifies Tasha. "There is no way to change from one species to another. They are born and will transmit genetically their inheritance, but you can't be turned."
And I let out a slow breath.
"Good to know, but they can still attack us like rabid hounds, right?"
Natasha shrugs, but her answer isn't that relaxing.
"Just like any good psychopath would. They're a short lived race, sort of like Fellows is a long lived one."
"Except that they can become wolves," hums Bruce and I can just see the poor hamster running to its death.
"You think?" I simply ask.
"We'd need to run a few tests on willing subjects, but it could have some merits," says with a smile of hope my hopefully-future-lover.
"It can wait until tomorrow," says sharply Pepper and we both pout at her. "Bed and rest. You can't tackle this without full brain capacities. Go, now. You too, Doctor Banner."
Just like the good little scientists we are, Bruce and I go to bed… and send each other theories by e-mails until Pepper catches me and confiscates my tablet.
Bummer.
