"I told you" Neora said in a firm voice, "I don't want you to help me"

"And I told you that I'm not helping you, I'm just following you" Tony replied back.

"Then why did you drug me and take me back to your Malibu home?" Neora asked as a small tornado formed in the corner, "You do realize that once he knows you're here you won't be calling this place a home, just a pile of dust"

"Right!" Tony nodded as he noticed a few of his tools smashed the glass wall, making Neora stop her tornado, "Well, I was a bit concerned for you and I didn't really know how to put it. I hope you can forgive me"

"I've dealt with men like him before" Neora rolled her eyes.

"But I've grown up with men like him"

"You don't understand!" Neora shouted out, "I don't want you to help because I don't want you to distract me! I'll worry about of what he will do to you once the both of you are in the same room together"

"Because of your feelings for me"

"Which is why you need to stay behind"

"And what about me?" Tony took a step toward her, "You don't think I'll be concerned for you after your client knows that you backstabbed him? I hate to break it to you but mutants aren't really the only thing that you should be worried about as of now"

Neora swallowed hard as she turned and looked around at the many Iron Man suits in the room. She had to admit that Tony was right about her newly found enemy. She prefers to not know too much about her clients for she hates to give them the false hope that they were acquaintances. The last man who tried to kill Tony was just a normal human with no special powers of his own. Who else would the boss try to send this time? She felt hands on her arms making Neora look up into Tony's eyes.

"His target was you" Neora said in a low voice.

"And now it's both of us" Tony replied, "I'm not going to let you go through with this alone. Hell, I may never let you out of my sight ever again"

"Isn't that pleasing to hear" Neora huffed.

"You have the mastermind of an assassin and I can help with the technical genius part" Tony offered.

"You really want to do this?" Neora questioned, "Team up on a man who is set out to kill us?"

"Why not... let's bring the party to him" Tony shrugged.

Tony clucked his tongue as he slightly nudged Neora's chin before he went back to his work bench. She folded her arms and looked over to him as he put on his safety goggles and started to talk to JARVIS overhead. She let out a sigh as she ran a hand through her hair and closed her eyes. Neora was terrified of what may come into play in these next couple of days and didn't know whether she was coming back out alive. Neora looked up and placed hands on her hips as she tried to steady her thinking.

Tony was well aware of Neora's mental war going on behind him as he tried his best not to say anything to her. He knew someone with her type of personality would rather face her demons alone. He was also like that before he was signed onto the Avengers and ever since, he felt more open to the idea of a team. Tony looked through a reflection off of a piece of metal as Neora bowed down her head and shoved her hands into her pockets.

"We need to make a stop somewhere" Neora broke the silence, "Before we start going off into an endless battle. I need to see my son one more time. Just to make sure that he's okay"

Tony turned around and looked at Neora as he noticed that tears were forming in her eyes. He took a rag towel and started to slowly wipe his hands as he gave her a nod. It was something in her expression that made him not want ask where her son was.

Neora nodded to him as a sob escaped her lips, she walked up and kissed him on the cheek before she exited the room. She stubbornly rubbed her face with her sleeves as she ran up the stairs and tried to prepare herself for the drive over to Pomona.