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Chapter 49 – The Climber
The Doctor stood in the kitchen of the island home. He was busy cooking banana pancakes and bacon. He was already dressed in his three piece suit. His tie hung loosely around his neck and his vest wasn't buttoned. His jacket lay on the back of one of the bar stools.
Genie was spinning around in the barstool across from him. Zeus watched the Doctor cooking, and occasionally was tossed a bite of something for his patience. The long kitchen table had nine of the Quauhtin men sitting around and chatting animatedly about something.
Genie looked at them, "What are they saying, Daddy?"
He glanced over to the men and smiled, "Adult language, Genie. I'm grateful they are speaking in Quauhtin so you can't understand what they are saying."
Genie pointed at herself, "So, I'm not old enough for that conversation?"
The Doctor laughed, "My child, I don't think I'm old enough for that conversation. And it's not often you will hear Daddy say that."
Genie continued to spin in her chair as the Doctor sipped his coffee.
"Hello?" A voice called from the main entryway.
"In here. Come in." The Doctor yelled back.
Zeus barked and stood in front of Genie.
Genie jumped off of the chair and ran with the dog to meet Tony as he walked in the room with Pepper. "My Tony!"
He was wearing dark sunglasses and drew his face up at her loud shout. He caught her nonetheless and kissed her cheek as he carried her over to the bar. "Gene! Good morning, John. You remember Pepper."
The table of Quauhtin all greeted Tony and Pepper and went back to their conversation.
Zeus returned back to sitting next to the Doctor in the kitchen, waiting patiently for another bite of food.
The Doctor wiped his hands on a towel and shook Pepper's hand. "Of course I remember her. It's nice to see you again, Pepper."
Pepper smiled, "Hi, John. I didn't know that you had a dog?"
He smiled down at Zeus. "No, that's Tony's dog."
Tony quickly pointed at himself. "Not mine, Pepper. Tony Tyler. Where is he? Sleeping?"
The Doctor tossed Zeus another bit of bacon, "Nah. Pete and Jackie went back home last night with Jacob and Tony. Zeus stayed here with us. He thinks he is my dog now."
Zeus whined.
The Doctor waved his hand. "Yeah, you can be my dog, Zeus. Tony and I will share you. You need to have a biscuit or something instead of all of this bacon."
Zeus barked and lay down on the floor.
The Doctor pointed at him. "You are a junky. A bacon junky." He tossed him another bite.
Pepper sat down at the bar, as Tony sat Genie down back on the barstool. She pointed over to the Quauhtin. "Daddy says there is a lot of adult language going on over there with that lot."
Tony looked surprised, "Really? That's the conversation I want to be part of."
Pepper playfully smacked him. Genie rolled her eyes.
The Doctor asked, "Come over for breakfast? It will be ready in 8 minutes."
Tony moaned, "No, man. I needed to see you. I needed you to do that thing."
The Doctor looked confused as he sipped his coffee. "The thing? What thing?"
Tony sighed, "I drank too damn much last night. Can you help a brother out here? I'm dying."
The Doctor chuckled. "Sure. Come here."
Tony walked over and stood in front of him. He positioned his hands on the sides of his forehead and within a few moments, Tony yelled, "AH!"
Pepper rolled her eyes. "He's always so dramatic. What is that? Like a chiropractic thing, John?"
The Doctor realized that Pepper didn't know that her, Tony and Genie were the only people from Earth in the room at the moment. He smiled and rubbed the side of his head. "Something like that. Yes."
Tony sat back down next to Genie. He lay his head down on the bar with a loud thump.
Genie laughed at him and walked into the kitchen were the Doctor was cooking. The Quauhtins only got louder.
Pepper pointed at the Quauhtin. "Who are those guys?"
The Doctor smiled, "Our bodyguards. Some of them."
"I can't understand what they are saying. Are they Russian?"
He chuckled as he continued to cook, "No. But, they are speaking their own language. They are talking about…..well.….things guys talk about."
Tony took off his sunglasses and seemed to come back to life. "That shit is amazing. Works every time. Thanks Doc'."
Pepper looked shocked, "What, he's alright?"
The Doctor smiled, "Old medicine."
Tony laughed as he walked over behind the Doctor and poured himself a cup of coffee. "Pepper, coffee?"
"Sure. John, I'm sorry we just popped by unannounced." Pepper told him.
The Doctor pointed at the Quauhtin and laughed, "Do you see that lot over there? They do that all of the time. This house is like Grand Central Station. It's really alright. I don't mind. I love a full house."
Tony handed Pepper a cup of coffee and sipped his own, "Where's Rose?"
"Sleeping. She asked me to wake her before I leave."
Pepper pointed at the loud Quauhtin. "She can sleep through that?"
The Doctor smiled, "My Rose can sleep through anything. Besides, our bedroom has soundproof walls. I insisted on that."
Tony laughed, "Too much information, my friend."
Pepper smiled and looked impressed. "That's important."
Lewis walked in, "And good morning to everyone!"
The Doctor rose his eyebrows at Pepper, "What did I tell you? And, here's another one."
The Quauhtin at the table cheered for Lewis. He patted Tony and the Doctor on their backs. "Coffee is ready? It's going to be a wonderful day!"
Tony pointed at Lewis. "Pepper, this is Lewis. He just got married. Why are you here, man? Aren't you still on your honeymoon?"
Lewis shook his head. "Arla wanted to come home. She said she would rather clean the flat once, than twice later tonight. Besides, I have that debriefing we all have to go to."
Tony shook his head. "Nope. I'm not going to that. Hell no."
The Doctor laughed, "I feel the same way."
Tony sat back down at the bar, "I bet you do. Your father in law is going to picking pieces of your ass out of his teeth by this afternoon. Take him a toothpick. Show him that you care."
Lewis reached around the Doctor and grabbed some bacon out of the skillet. "Damn, it's good to be home."
Pepper smiled, "It smells good. What is it?"
The Doctor laughed at Lewis who was blowing air out of his mouth. "I fucking burnt my tongue."
He laughed, "Banana pancakes. You are joining us in the midst of a crisis at the Smith house."
Tony looked concerned, "Crisis?"
"Still haven't found it?" Lewis chewed at his tongue, touching the burn with his lip.
The Doctor shook his head. "No. Genie's Goofy doll is missing. Lewis, put some sugar on that. It will make it feel better."
Lewis turned around and poured a spoonful of sugar on his tongue.
Tony leaned over and explained to Pepper. "That's Gene's prized thing. Gene. Where are you?"
Lewis and the Doctor turned around to see Genie climbing up on the cabinet. She was reaching for something just barely out of her touch on top of the cupboards. The Doctor spotted it about two seconds before it happened. He dove just as Genie's foot slipped off of the cabinet. He had already fallen on the floor when she fell on top of him just a second later.
Pepper covered her mouth and shouted, "Oh my God! Are you alright?"
The table of Quauhtins were all in the kitchen instantly. Lewis picked Genie up off of the Doctor. He sat her on the cabinet and looked her over with Poltoius.
Summus and Gobbo helped the Doctor off of the floor. After he assured everyone he was alright, he looked over to see that Lance had taken over cooking breakfast. Lewis leaned against the cabinet where Genie sat and returned to drinking his coffee. "She's fine. Killer reflexes. Why didn't we put that in the trials?"
Impressed, Tony laughed and shook his head. "Damn, John."
The Doctor groaned as he put a hand on either side of Genie and leaned into her face. "My Sara Gene. Haven't we talked about climbing on the cabinets?"
Genie had covered her face with both of her tiny hands. "Did I hurt you, Daddy?" Her muffled voice said.
He laughed quietly. "No. Daddy is alright. Don't worry about me. I don't want you to get hurt. That's why I don't want you climbing on the cabinets."
She didn't uncover her face. He tickled her hands gently with his finger. "My Sara Gene, look at me."
Genie uncovered her eyes slowly and looked at him. "This floor is stone. Imagine we're standing on a large rock. When you fall on it, it's really going to hurt. I want you safe. Alright?"
Genie looked at him. "Alright."
He nodded his head. "Alright. I need you to repeat after me. I'm very sorry, Daddy."
He could feel Genie's fear diminish slowly. "I'm very sorry, Daddy."
He smiled. Genie's Rixalarian heritage always kept her from telling a lie. "I promise I won't climb on the cabinets again." He pointed at her forcefully. "Don't say it unless you mean it."
Genie looked at Lewis, then back at the Doctor. "I promise I won't climb on the cabinets, again."
He looked very stern at her. "I am a very smart, important young lady. Not a lizard that climbs on the cabinets to give her Daddy a heart attack."
Genie tossed her hands up, "Daddy! Really?"
He pointed forcefully. "Don't say it unless you mean it. Are you a lizard?"
Tony was laughing under his breath behind them, "I think she might be, John. She sortof looks like a lizard."
Lewis chuckled.
Genie looked around at Tony, "I do not!"
He smiled at her. "Check her fingers and make sure they aren't sticky. That's the way to tell. Lizard girl."
Genie shook her fist at Tony and made a face. The Doctor snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Look at me, Genie. Are we clear?"
Genie nodded her head and sighed, "Yes, Daddy."
He picked her up off the cabinet and kissed her forehead. "Okay. That's sorted. Wow, I'm awake now. Works better than coffee."
Tony looked back at Pepper. She held her chest and was still looking around with a stunned look on her face. Tony laughed at her. "Just a typical day over here at John's. Are you okay?"
Pepper seemed to find her voice. "That was amazing. How you caught her. How did you know she would fall?"
Lewis shrugged his shoulders, "He's just showing off. He's not really that impressive."
The Doctor sighed and shook his head. "Some days. Genie. What were you trying to get? Come show me."
Genie walked back over to him. She pointed up where she had been standing. "One of those jam jars. The empty ones. Just there."
He reached up and handed it to her. "Don't run with this. It's glass."
Tony teased her. "A lizard with a jam jar. Look out!"
Genie sat back down next to him. "I'm not listening to you. You're just trying to wind me up." She went to work using some markers and paper.
Lance put together a plate of food. He showed it to the Doctor. "This what you had in mind?"
The Doctor ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah, thanks Lance. How many are eating? The ten guys, me, Genie, Tony?"
Tony looked at Pepper. "Ever had banana pancakes? It's Gene's favorite."
Pepper smiled, "I'll just have a bite of yours."
The Doctor smiled, "Fourteen. I'll bring Rose a plate. Go program it."
Pepper looked surprised, "Program it? What?"
Tony had been waiting to hear the word. "Oh! Let me! I've only got to do this once. I love this damn thing." Lance handed him the plate. "Pepper, look at what John has. He's going to get us one for our apartment in New York."
Pepper watched as Tony walked to the food replicator. He sat the plate inside and pressed a few buttons. Friday's voice spoke. "Identify meal."
Tony smiled, "Genie's Lizard Food."
Genie looked up at him. "Tony!"
The room laughed. Tony handed the plate to Genie, then went back to the food replicator and said, "Genie's Lizard Food."
Just as if it had been transported from another place, another identical plate appeared. Tony picked it up and gave it to Pepper. "Isn't that the neatest trick?"
Pepper laughed, "That is impressive. John! How did you make such a thing?"
The Doctor sipped his coffee and smiled, "I really didn't do much."
After the rest of the room had their banana pancakes, they all sat down to tuck in. Tony looked up at the Doctor who was leaning against the sink eating bacon. He tossed Zeus bites. Pepper ate some off of Tony's plate.
"John, this is really good." Pepper sounded impressed.
Tony turned to look at Genie. "Gene. Where did you get this Goofy doll? You've never told me."
Genie wiped her mouth. "Disneyworld. Daddy danced with Goofy and it was so funny. The man that took our picture gave him to me."
Tony took his phone out of his pocket. "Disneyworld, huh? In Atlanta? Or L.A.?"
The Doctor thought, "Atlanta. There's one in L.A?"
Tony nodded his head and dialed a number. "Yeah, man. And Dallas."
Within a few moments, someone picked up on the other end of the call. "Hey! It's me. Listen, my goddaughter got a Goofy doll from there what? A few months ago?"
The Doctor thought as he sipped his coffee. "Six months? Maybe?"
Tony nodded, "Yeah. Six months ago. She's lost it and I wanted to get her another one. Can you put one to the side for me to come by and pick up?"
The voice on the other end said something. Tony sat up straighter, "Oh. I didn't think about that. I know I have a picture of her with it. I'll text that over. Could you get the right one from that?"
The voice on the other side said something else.
"Cool." Tony said as he continued to eat and chat on the phone. The voice spoke to him some more.
Tony shook his head. "That's a good idea. I don't know. Hang on." He held the phone to his chest. "Pepper, you are busy until this afternoon, right?"
Pepper nodded her head. "More like tonight. Yeah. Why?"
Tony looked at the Doctor. "Mind if Gene and I go get a new Goofy doll?"
The Doctor smiled, "I don't mind. You have to take two guys."
Tony smiled. "Two? Alright. Hey! Who wants to go to Disneyworld with me and Gene for a little while?"
All of the men at the table volunteered, excitedly.
Lewis smiled and yelled over their cheers, "Two men that don't have to go to the debriefing."
Most of the men groaned and sat down. Varro and Exton remained standing. They looked at one another and cheered. "Hell yeah!"
The Doctor and Lewis looked at one another and laughed under their breath.
Tony spoke on the phone again. "Yes. We'll do that. Thanks. I can have a look at that coaster launcher that isn't connecting correctly to that odd train for you. Have them go ahead and put it back on the track."
The voice on the other end spoke.
Tony continued, "Me, Gene and two bodyguards. Thanks. See you in thirty minutes. I'm right outside of Atlanta now."
Tony ended the phone call and slipped it back in his pocket. "Alright, Lizard girl. We'll go get you another Goofy. You were just too exciting for that other Goofy and he had to go hide for a while. It's his loss. I hear he had problems anyway. You deserve better than that. But, I want to ride some stuff before we come home. No, It's a Small World ride. I hate that one."
Genie was beaming in excitement. She rose up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, Tony!"
He nodded his head. "Yeah, go put on your Lizard shoes. Be sure to grab a sweater."
Genie looked at him confused. "What's a sweater?"
Tony looked at the Doctor. "What is this? A sweater? It's 40 degrees in Atlanta."
The Doctor smiled, "He means a jumper, Genie. Hurry up."
Genie jumped off her stool and ran out of the room with a huge smile on her face.
Tony looked back at Pepper who was staring at him. She asked, "I'm sorry. Who are you?"
He pointed at himself. "Me? I'm just helping Gene out. They are stuck at the damn debriefing all day, and this gets me completely out of it."
Pepper sipped her coffee and smiled. "You are being really sweet."
He rolled his eyes, "Phhh….whatever."
The Doctor looked at Tony, "Thanks man. What do I owe-"
"Don't start that shit. Your money is no good around me. Except if we are betting on something." Tony laughed then pointed at Lewis. "Fill me in, Lewis. Any good bets I need to be in on at the moment?"
Lewis looked up from his coffee and looked at the Doctor. He smiled, "I'll text you that information."
Tony slapped the bar. "Oh, I knew it. Thanks, man."
The Doctor looked back at Lewis. "What about me?"
"I didn't say it was about you-"
"You looked at me. What the hell?"
Lewis shook his head and smiled.
The Doctor nodded his head. "Alright. Fine. You lot have your damn secrets. Do me another one, Tony. Bring home about five of those Goofys. I'm putting a GPS on them all. This morning as been hell looking for that damn thing, and I know she won't sleep tonight without it."
Tony smiled. "That's a good idea. Debriefing. Anything I need to know, text me. Oh. I need to text that picture over to Eisner. He might want to take pictures, is that alright? Or what?"
The Doctor shook his head. "I'll leave it up to you. I didn't know you knew anyone down there. We have their characters on our bone regrowth machines."
Tony shrugged his shoulders as he looked on his phone. "I probably know someone, everywhere. You would be amazed who beats on my door wanting help with technology and the latest thing. I helped them a few months ago with a roller coaster that uses the same sort of launcher they use push Zeppelins out of the docks. Flips you right out on the tracks. 0-70 MPH in seconds. Kicks so much ass. Oh hey, I need you, and maybe Rose, to come back to the Expo. Just make an appearance with us. Pencil me in."
The Doctor nodded his head. "Mention it to Michelle. She handles that. I'm at her mercy."
Tony found the picture he was looking for. "There, John. Is that the Goofy with the Lizard?"
The Doctor looked at the phone and smiled, "Yeah, that's it. I didn't know you took that one of them."
Tony showed it to Pepper. "See, there's Gene and Tony. That's Pete's son."
Pepper smiled, "Such red hair! Wow. Nearly as red as mine!"
The Doctor smiled, "He just keeps it cut really short. I think it might be."
Tony put his phone back in his pocket. "Yeah, Expo. Did you get that sorted with Malcolm?"
The Doctor nodded his head. "I believe so. Hammer still promising something big?"
Tony shook his head. "That's the word. He lost whatever big thing, so he had to get someone to give him some money to do something else. I have no idea what he's thinking about."
Legate and Logan walked in the room. Legate smiled, "Are we too late for breakfast?"
Lance shook his head. "Nah. It's been programmed. Banana pancakes, but we are calling it, "Genie's Lizard Food."
The Doctor rubbed the bruise around his eye. "What does this Hammer guy even look like? I don't know him."
Tony took his phone back out of his pocket. "I'll show you the asshat."
Logan stood at the cabinet making himself a cup of tea. The Doctor looked back at him. "How are you feeling today, Logan?"
Logan shook his head. "I'll feel better after this debriefing is over with. I've never been to one. I'm a bit nervous about it."
"You? It's my ass that's going to get chewed. Pete has had all night to think on it. He hasn't called all day. That's never a good sign. You'll be fine, mate."
Tony handed the Doctor his phone. "There he is. Based in New York State. Upstate some place. I can't remember where."
The Doctor put on his glasses and looked at the screen. "Legate. Logan. Look at this man."
They both walked over to him and looked at the phone.
Legate nodded his head. "Yep. That's him."
Logan sighed, "Yeah. I agree."
Tony looked surprised, "What? You know him?"
The Doctor handed him back his phone. "Turns out I do. Met him last night. At the Palace. With fifteen of his friends."
Tony raised his eyebrows. "Wow. He's getting into some next level shit."
"Text me his name. I'll need a guy on him, if he's not part of the crater."
Tony didn't look up. "Done, man. Damn."
Genie skipped back in the room. She was wearing a pair of lavender athletic pants and a jumper that matched. She carried her pink trainers as she climbed back into the chair. She handed her trainers to Tony, who pointed at her plate of food. "I'll tie your shoes if you eat something. You need to be able to throw up if we ride something good."
Pepper laughed, "Oh my God."
The Doctor pointed at Genie. "Sara Gene. You are in charge of Tony. He doesn't need to ride anything that will get his heart rate really high. Keep it calm."
Genie smiled, "Calm. Yes, Daddy."
Tony shook his head and mumbled. "Lizard feet, here."
Lewis walked over to jam jar that Genie had been working on. He looked at it and smiled, "Genie. What is this?"
Genie smiled, "It's a dirty word jar. You guys have gotten way out of hand with bad words."
The Doctor smiled, "Have we?"
Lewis looked confused. "What is this? What is she on about?"
Tony rolled his eyes. "It's supposed to make you stop swearing. You have to put money in it when you mess up and say something vulgar." He turned to Genie and said, "You need to meet a friend of mine named Steve. You two would really get along."
Lewis looked surprised. "Uh. I've never heard of that. Interesting."
Tony already had his wallet out. He rolled up $200 and put it in the jar. "There Gene. That will probably get me through today."
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