(DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything from Marvel.)
~:~
Ring. Ring.
"Hello?"
"Angie? Where've you been? I've been trying to call you."
"Sorry, Logan. What's up?"
"Nothing. I was trying to make sure you were alive."
I laughed. "I got a bodyguard on me 24/7. Didn't want to compromise the school."
"Understandable."
Wait a minute. "Logan, is there something else going on that you want to tell me about?"
"Um…"
"Logan," I warned.
He sighed, "Fine. He's back."
"He who?"
"I think you know who."
Warren. Nothing good ever came of that, well, for me. We met through the School and business stuff. His dad and Tony were working on a project, and we got stuck hanging out. We dated for a few years, but when the Apocalypse incident happened, he changed for the worst. I've tried being civil with him, but i can't forget what happened. He hurt me, and I've never healed.
"What did he want?"
"Nothing. Just came to visit."
"But?"
"He did ask about you."
I scoffed. "He always does. Let's please change the subject."
"You brought it up, Ange."
"Whatever."
"You coming back anytime soon?"
"I'm not sure yet. I found some stuff about my past. I kinda want to figure it out."
"The dreams?"
"Still there, but they're helping me. That's what's important."
"All you can ask, right?"
"Yeah." I heard a crash over the phone. "What was that?"
"Uh, I gotta go. BYE!" Click.
Pepper walked in the room, "You going to the Expo?"
I shrugged. "I don't know if I want to watch Hammer rip-off Tony."
"What if he fails miserably?"
That wasn't a terrible idea. "Now that I would pay to see."
Pepper laughed. "Well, if you're interested, we'll pick you up around 6."
"Sounds good."
"I'll see you then."
"Okay, Pep." I waived.
She turned back around. "Oh, you have a visitor."
"Okay…." I got up and headed towards the living room. When I got there, I was greeted by tall man with dark hair. "I'm guessing your the replacement?"
"Depends on what you mean."
I crossed my arms and jutted my hip out. "I know you're SHIELD, dude. You can cut the spy crap."
He was caught off-guard.
"I get that reaction a lot." I offered my hand, "The name's Angie. Who might you be?"
He shook it. "Grant Ward."
"Pleasure to meet you." I grinned, "Now, it took me five seconds to break Barton. Let's see how long you take."
~:~
STARK EXPO
"…Justin Hammer. His presentation will begin shortly in the main pavilion."
We sat down in our seats as the presentation started.
"Oh, God-" i said as I watched Justin Hammer dance across the stage. He was trying way to freaking hard.
He introduced his drones. Typical Hammer. Until, "Ladies and gentlemen, today I am proud to present to you the very first prototype in the Variable Threat Response Battle Suit and its pilot, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes."
Oh, no.
Ring. Ring. "Angie, where are you?"
"The Expo. Watching Hammer."
"Has he shown what he's been working on?"
"The suit? Yeah, he is right now." I replied.
Click.
I saw the Iron man suit land on the platform.
Pepper turned to me. "What's going on?"
"I'm trying to find out," I whispered, reaching for Tony's mind. Come on, come on….
I murmured into her ear "I can't, he's too far. There's too many people."
"Can you get closer?"
"I don't think that will help."
A gun came out of Rhodey's suit. Aiming right at Tony.
"Something's not right." I dialed my phone.
"You think!" Pepper yelled.
Ring. Ring. "Mr. Stark is unavailable at the moment. How can I help you, miss?"
"JARVIS, patch me through!"
"I cannot, miss. Mr. Stark's orders."
"Then, tell me what is going on!"
"It seems like Colonel Rhodes' suit is compromised."
"Can you break into it?"
"Already on it, miss."
"Thanks. " Click.
Suddenly, a flood of images filled my head. Vanko. Vanko was doing this.
We headed towards the stage entrance.
Hammer was yelling at the technician, "What's going on? What's happening?"
"Your drones and suit have been overridden Mr. Hammer." I crossed my arms.
He turned around. "What? What do you mean it's been overridden? Jack, call the guards."
"Tried. The phones are down, so are their cells."
The tech turned to us. "He locked us out of the mainframe."
"Who locked you out?" Pepper asked.
"Please, leave. I got this handled. In fact, if your guy hadn't showed up, this wouldn't be happening. So, please, now go away.." Hammer ranted.
I scoffed. "Like heck you do. Ward, you know how to hack?" When he shook his head, I turned to the tech. "Move over and help me, I got something that might work."
Natasha grabs Hammer and holds him to the desk. "Who's behind this?"
"Vanko," I say as I hack the mainframe.
She turns back to Hammer. "Where is he?"
"At my faculty, " he stammers.
She releases him and leaves. Pepper calls the police, "Okay. Right away. Right away." She ignores Justin's objections and turns to the tech and me, "Tell me everything y'all know. Go."
He says, "Each set of drone is communicating in its own unique language."
"Well, choose one and focus on that."
I shake my head, "It's not that easy."
Justin mutters, "Have you tried Russian? Why don't you try Russian?"
I turn to him and smile. "Mr. Hammer, would you kindly stand over there and, please, shut up."
~:~
Natasha came over the line. "Reboot complete. You got your best friend back."
Tony replied,"Thank you very much, Agent Romanoff."
"Well done on the new chest piece. I am reading significant higher output and your vitals all look promising."
"Yes, for the moment, I'm not dying. Thank you."
Pepper's eyes widened. "What do you mean you're not dying? Did you just say you're dying?
Tony excliamed, "Is that you? No, I'm not. Not anymore."
"What's going on?"
"I was going to tell you. I didn't want to alarm you."
She scoffed, "You were gonna tell me? You really were dying?"
He said, "I was gonna make you an omelette and tell you."
Natasha called over the comm, "Hey, hey. Save it for the honeymoon. You got incoming Tony. Looks like the fight's coming to you."
"Great. Pepper?"
She replied,"Are you okay now?"
"I am fine. Don't be mad. I will formally apologise…"
I called out, "Tony, she's already mad."
" …when I'm not fending off a Hammeroid attack."
"Fine." she sighed.
"We could have been in Venice."
"Tony, shut up! You got bots on your 20!"
~:~
Police came and arrested Hammer.
"I'm trying to help here." He growled, "I get it. I see what you're doing. You're trying to pin this on me, huh? You think you're making a problem for me?" The officers started leading him away. "I'm gonna make a problem for you. I'm gonna be seeing you again real soon."
Pepper followed them outside.
The tech turned to me, "How did you already know about all this stuff? I mean like Vanko?"
I shrugged. "Besides being on the comms with Iron Man, I had some informants already on it."
~:~
As Tony and Rhodey fought off the Hammer drones, me and Natasha kept watch on the drones.
"Heads up. You got one more drone incoming. This one looks different." she said, "The repulsor signature is significantly higher."
Vanko landed with his own suit
"This ain't gonna be good," Rhodey said as Ivan's whips turned on. "I got something special for this guy. I'm gonna bust his bunker with the Ex-Wife."
Me said, "With the what?"
Rhodey shoots Ivan and it fizzles off as he hits the water.
I grin, "Hammer tech? Sweet."
They put their targets on Vanko. The three continue to fight and shoot at each other until TOny and Rhodey are grabbed by Vanko's whips
Tony said, " Rhodes. I got an idea. You want to be a hero? I could really use a sidekick. Put your hand up."
"This is your idea?" he asked. They turn their repulsors at each other and shoot, the blasts hit causing them to explode. Vanko is caught in the middle and dies. The reactor on his suit and all the drones glow red.
Rhodey said,"All these drones are rigged to blow. We gotta get out of here man."
Tony panicked, "Pepper!", taking off.
Come on, Tony, hurry.
Tony grabs Pepper just as a drone explodes, landing on a roof when they were safe.
I turn to Ward, "So, how'd you like your first day?"
~:~
So, next few chapters are going to tie up some loose ends and get into those lovely diaries.
