XxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxxx

Chapter 78 – A Meeting with Tony

The Doctor dealt with the three people that needed to see him. He then broke the hearts of the scientists who he told would have to give up all of their Cyberman parts. But, when he explained the threat and why, they agreed to have everything cleared out and destroyed within the hour. He told them that he would continue to allow them to work on their experiments, but they just had to get rid of the Cyberman parts.

Jake also popped in with a report from the doctors downstairs that proved he had perfect vision. "Happy?" he complained.

The Doctor shook his head. "No. Put in some extra time at the firing range. I don't want to be shot again."

Jake rolled his eyes. "Alright. That's fair. Now?"

The Doctor chuckled. "Nah, go see Rose's speech. Help me keep an eye out for her. This speech has been so heavily publicized that I'll be surprised if someone doesn't try to cause trouble there today. CNN is even sending a reporter out there. Rose has no idea, so keep it to yourself."

Jake looked surprised. "When did Physics get this damn popular?"

The Doctor shook his head, "It's not the Physics. It's my Rose. Everyone wants to know what we are doing, all of the time. Go keep an eye out with everyone. I'll recall you if I need you. I need to discuss some stuff with you, but it will wait."

Jake smiled, "Got 'cha!" Jake popped away.

The Doctor also had Malcolm and Tosh up to thank them for their help in getting Jack out of the Void. He had a diagram of a project he had dreamed up that he wanted them to help with. They also pitched him a mad idea they had which he got excited about. He approved both projects and they bounced out of the office in excitement.

He was rubbing his face when he heard Rose in his head.

'Oh my goodness! I can't wait to tell you!' Rose said.

He smiled. He could feel her excitement. 'Tell me what, sweetheart?'

'Oh, maybe I'll wait until I can see your face.' she told him.

'Ugh! Really? You're going to do that to me?' he asked her.

He could feel her happiness. He laughed, 'I can feel you are so excited about something. If you want to tell me later, that's fine. It's your news.'

She didn't hear anything.

'Rose?' he asked.

He could feel her laughing. 'Yes. Let me wait until I can tell you in person.'

He tossed his hands up as Tony walked in. He was wearing his usual sunglasses and three piece suit.

The Doctor saw him, "Hey! Come in and have a seat. Drink?"

'Rose, I'm in another meeting. I'll chat later.' he told her.

'Love you. I can't wait to see your handsome face!' she told him.

The Doctor, made sure Michelle was out of the office completely, and smiled as stood up and shook Tony's hand, "It's good to see you again. What brings you by?"

Tony walked over and poured himself a drink. "Shall I pour you one, Doc'?"

He shook his head. He walked over to the small refrigerator and got a bottle of water. "Sorry, I've lost a bet with Rose and have to spend the next three days without drinking any alcohol."

Tony laughed at him. "What the hell was that bet?"

The Doctor smiled and shook his head. "Oh, something I still can't believe I lost."

"She's not here and you are still honoring your side. I like you. Good man." Tony told him.

The Doctor led Tony over to the sofa and they sat down. The Doctor propped his leg up on the table. "Help me out here. I injured my leg yesterday at the football match. My secretary thinks it's much worse than it is. I'm supposed to be wearing a leg brace. If she comes in, make sure I'm keeping it straight."

"Wear a leg brace over an expensive suit like that? Hell no! Let it hurt!" Tony agreed.

"I am determined she doesn't find out. It's my little game I'm playing to get me through today."

Tony laughed. "Ah, you worry too much! She's not going to figure it out. I will bet on that."

The Doctor smiled, "Alright. It's been a weird sort of day. What do you want to bet? I'm telling you. She is good. Single mother of six boys. She knows things."

"Maybe she's an alien." Tony whispered to him.

The Doctor laughed. "That was my bet with Rose! She's not! I can assure you that she's not."

Tony laughed. "I've got it! I have a sailboat in Princeton. Beautiful 43' Beneteau 43 Cyclades. Has a double berth. Sleeps six. Washroom with a shower. Bar and dining area. Even has new sails on it! She figures it out before the end of the day, it's yours! She'll never figure it out."

The Doctor nodded. "Perfect! I've just bought a hot rod. Beautiful condition. Rose has no idea."

Tony looked interested. "Oh! Tell me more! I have a '32 Ford Flathead Roadster!"

"Oh! This is a 1929!" the Doctor told him.

Tony smacked the arm of the sofa. "Deal. Oh hell yeah! Don't let her know. I need that car! White walls?"

The Doctor smiled. "What else?"

"Damn! Yes. Better idea!" Tony stood up. "Take off your jacket."

The Doctor looked confused at him. But took it off and handed it to him.

Tony motioned with his hands. "Come over here and sit on the sofa. Lay your leg out straight on it."

The Doctor smiled, "Oh brilliant! Yes!"

Tony laid the jacket on the Doctor's leg that was stretched across the sofa. Tony sat down in the chair facing him and drank his whiskey. He looked at the Doctor. "Yeah, I think that will do. Call her in here."

The Doctor chuckled, "Michelle!" he shouted.

Michelle walked in. She looked at him on the couch. "Yes. What do you need?"

Tony turned and looked at her. "Sorry. Didn't really didn't think he meant he would yell for you. I apologize. The Doctor hurt his leg? Doing what?"

Michelle crossed her arms. "Playing football. It's alright. I had expected he would yell at some point today. I thought you were going to stay in your chair all day?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Nah. It was beginning to make my back hurt. I needed to move."

"Aren't you on crutches? Where are they?" Michelle asked.

The Doctor shook his head. "I propped them up behind the sofa. They fell over. Tony said he will help me get them before he leaves. Don't worry about me."

"Okay. Rose would be proper cross if you got hurt worse." Michelle told him.

The Doctor smiled, "Speaking of that, she told me to remember to eat some lunch today. She won't be home until late."

Michelle smiled. "That's true. With her speech. What would you like for lunch?"

Tony clapped his hands. "Fish and chips? How does that sound?"

The Doctor nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good. Get yourself some, too, Michelle."

Michelle nodded. "Sure. Are you comfortable? You look strange."

The Doctor nodded. "Nah, my back was hurting from sitting in that chair."

Tony added. "He's probably sitting odd to help with the ache. He just took a pain pill. He'll be fine."

Michelle looked suspiciously at them both. "Good thing you're not drinking with the pain pills, Doctor. Um-uh. Alright, I'll be back shortly with food."

She left the office.

Tony looked at him. "Damn, you aren't kidding! She's onto us. She's scary!"

The Doctor laughed. "I know, right? I think she's a mutant. She is part of the X-Men."

Tony laughed. "Awesome! Love that movie. So, did think about what we talked about?"

"I did. Gave it some thought." the Doctor nodded.

"And your thoughts are?"

"It's a great offer. It really is. I appreciate it." he told him.

"But... I feel a but." Tony told him.

"I couldn't come work for you. I understand you are getting out of making weapons, and I admire that. But, I just couldn't. I'm needed here. Pete asked me, well no..that's not true at all...Pete tricked me into taking this job and I can't hand it over to someone else. I want to give it back to Pete, like we planned, but well. Now he doesn't remember that."

"Pete's awake? That's great!" Tony exclaimed.

"He's fine. That seems to be the only thing wrong. He doesn't remember that one detail." the Doctor said.

"I can respect that. There some things I'd be interested on us working together on. If you are interested." Tony asked him.

"Ah. Maybe. What do you have in mind?"

"Some stuff. Stuff that would be helpful to people. The weapons business was built by my Dad. It's his. I don't like it. I want out of it. There are things that can be made to help people that are not weapons."

The Doctor nodded at him. "Why we are friends. I completely agree. I'd have to talk to Pete about it before I do anything you understand. We have a business together."

"Yeah, your medical thing. Brilliant stuff. Me, you and Pete could work together on some things and make a lot of money. Talk to Pete when he's better. We'll see where we are then. Pete thinks a lot about you. Worries though."

The Doctor looked curiously at him, "Worries? Why? What did he say?"

Tony shrugged his shoulders, "He says you are taking on a lot. More than even he would. I think that's rich seeing how he has put you here as Director on top of everything else. You know they say a sign of PTSD is staying busy like you and Pete do. Well, and me."

The Doctor nodded, "Yep. I've heard that. Rose used that technique for years. Hell, I have too. Interesting. Tell me, Tony. Have you ever heard of a man who calls himself the Time Weaver?"

Tony thought, "No. Sounds like an old song. No, I think that was Dreamweaver. Right? By...ummmm."

"The Easy Riders. Yeah." the Doctor told him.

"Damn. Now that's going to be in my damn head all day. Thanks for that." Tony told him.

The Doctor laughed. "I have sources that tell me that's who is bankrolling these attacks."

Tony looked interested. "Really. Time Weaver huh? What a weird ass name. What is it with bad guys and their damn names?"

"He claims to have weaved his followers into organizations and such. Even here."

"Well, hell you knew that! Who else could have been feeding this information to him?" Tony asked.

"I've got my top guys on it now. We'll get this sorted. Plus, I've decided to do some damage control of my own." the Doctor told him.

Tony looked impressed. "Time Weaver. What else do you know about him?"

"He has an arm that shoots an energy blast. Killed a friend of mine with it." the Doctor told him.

"Damn. I'm sorry to hear that." Tony told him.

"Do you have anything like that? I won't lie, when I first heard about it, I almost came to kick your ass."

Tony shook his head. "I understand why. No. Well, I do have something similar to that. But, it's in my private collection. I don't let anyone see that. Not after the Cyberman attacks. PR nightmare for sure."

"Where would he get something like that?"

"Oh, I have a very good idea. I'll do some digging. I bet I can get his name for you. Let me do this for you. For Pete. In good faith that I'm honestly here to help you, and you can trust me. Pete means a great deal to me. Deal?"

The Doctor smiled, "Brilliant. Thank you. I'll owe you one. Keep this between us. Rose doesn't need to know anything about this."

Michelle knocked and walked back in the room.

Tony looked surprised. "Damn, that was quick!"

Michelle smiled, "There is a cafeteria downstairs." Michelle put the two containers on the table. The Doctor started to move to get his. Tony jumped up and stopped him. "Wait a minute there, cold cheese! You're going to hurt yourself! I don't want Rose mad at me!"

Tony grabbed a container and handed it to the Doctor. "Cheers, mate."

Michelle put her hands on her hips. "I'll find out what you two are on about. Something is going on."

Tony shook his head. "Us? Nothing. Just don't want the man to get hurt. What did you say was wrong with your leg?"

"A gash. Stitches up the side." the Doctor told him

"Wishing you made that little device I asked for, huh?"

"Oh, I am. Thank you, Michelle." the Doctor told her.

She walked out the door and closed it.

Tony laughed as he opened his container. "Damn. I feel like I'm a teenager again, smoking pot with my Mom at home. She's intense!"

The Doctor laughed as he ate.

Tony asked, "So, did you talk to Rose about me? What did she determine?"

"I decided against that. I'm usually a good judge of a person's character. Rose doesn't need to know. I'll do that trade."

The Doctor reached in his pocket and took out the little box Tony had given him the night before. He opened it and took out a watch. He handed it to Tony who put it on excitedly.

"And remember our deal. You don't muck with it. It can kill you. Don't try to make another one, don't give it to anyone else. Only use it to transport yourself and one other person." the Doctor instructed him.

"Same thing with my little reenactment box. We understand one another." Tony said. He looked at the watch. "Damn. Can't wait to try it out!"

"So, how's Rose?" Tony asked.

The Doctor smiled. "She's fine. Speaking in Princeton. I talked to her just before you came in. Something is going on. She was going to tell me but decided she wanted to see my face when I found out."

"Oh, I hate that. Why even call?" Tony said.

"To torment me, apparently. She won't let me go see her speech."

"Fuck. I'd go any damn way." Tony told him.

"Oh I intend to! All of the bodyguards are expecting me. I'm not missing this!" he told him

Tony laughed, "Why we are friends. You sound just like me!"

XxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxx