They call her Human Torch! Chapter 11

We worked in silence for the most part and I was happy to see that even though he presents himself as irresponsible and aloof to the public, here in his home he got to work and took it seriously. We had scoured most of the files and nothing helped really, I mean I learned so so much from reading all these journals but still it was nothing that helped. After some hours he started playing an old clip on the projector, it was in the box and it looked like it was the unedited version of Howard Stark's speech for the Expo, there was a bit where a young Tony came into the shot and started messing around with a building on the model. I saw the look in Tony's eyes, both as a child on the video and now as an adult, as his father scolded him and asked for his mother to take him away. Tony tossed aside a notebook and was reaching for another when we both looked up to the screen as his father said his name again.

"Tony. You're too young to understand this right now, so I thought I would put it on film for you. I built this for you. And someday you'll realize that it represents a whole lot more that just people's inventions. It represents my life's work. This is the key to the future. I'm limited by the technology of my time, but one day you'll figure this out. And when you do, you will change the world. What is and always will be my greatest creation is you."

My heart broke for him, after hearing earlier today what he thought his father felt for him and now watching this video. He looked like he was about to cry, before he could see me staring at him I simply looked down to another book, avoiding eye contact.

"Do you know where that model is?"

He cleared his throat and turned to me.

"What model?"

"The one on the screen. It might help to see it up close."

"Why? It is just a model of what the Expo grounds looked like back then."

"He keeps repeating 'key to the future' like it's suppose to mean something. And if you look at the model in the video the p-"

"Yes it says 'Key to the future' on it! Well then I guess we are going to my office."

On the way there he stopped on a curb to buy strawberries. I have no idea why but he did. The man actually took off his gold watch to pay for a 6 dollar box, I quickly took out my wallet and payed the vendor before Tony took out some diamonds to go along with the watch. I swear this man is crazy! I told him I would wait in the lobby since explaining me would be too tricky. He came back really quick with the model in 4 pieces but he looked kinda off.

"Everything okay?"

"Yep, got the model."

Alright then. We got back to his house in record time and got to work on putting the 4 pieces together again, he used his awesome voice activated system who he called 'J.A.R.V.I.S.'

"Jarvis, could you kindly Vac-U-Form a digital wire frame? I need a manipulable projection."

"1974 Stark Expo model scan complete, sir."

That is amazing! Tony used his hands as sensors and lifted the projection away from the actual model.

"How many buildings are there?"

"Am I to include the Belgium waffle stands?"

"That was rhetorical. Just show me."

He spun the map and put it upright.

"What does that look like to you?"

I took a closer look at the globe specifically.

"Not unlike an atom. In which case the nucleus would be there."

"Jarvis, highlight the uni sphere. Lose the footpaths. Get rid of them."

"What is it you are trying to achieve, sir?"

"I'm discovering… correction, I'm rediscovering a new element, I believe. Lose the landscaping, the shrubbery, trees."

He started using his hands to flick things off.

"Parking lots, exits, entrances. Structure the protons and the neutrons using the pavilions as a framework."

Holy fuck! The model was now bare and as soon as he expanded the image it blew up and looked just like a nucleus. We both looked around ourselves in amazement. This was a new freaking element! He scoffed in awe.

"Dad, dead for almost 20 years, and still taking me to school."

"Congratulations. That was… wow."

"Thanks. It would have taken a bit longer without your help."

"I doubt that. This should serve as a viable replacement for the palladium. Now we just have to figure out how to synthesize it."

He had a new skip in his step as he got to work in making blueprints to remodel the lab. Once he was done he showed them to me so I could start making a list of what we would need to buy. I recognized the design instantly though.

"Pack your bags and your suit. We are going to New York."

"What? Why? We need to finish this."

"Well New York is where the Expo is, and it is also where my lab is at. I already have this design in one of the rooms. We would save like a whole day of work if we fly there instead of building this."

"Wow, well alright then. Help me pack all this up while I go pack clothes and my suit. I will need to call and reserve a jet immediately. Pepper took mine there already so I will have to rent one."

"Is a private jet really necessary?"

"Yes"

"Okay."

Definitely necessary. Usually a plane ride from La to New York took at least 5 hours but on the private jet, we landed in only 4. It was amazing. In the cab to my apartment, Tony leaned over and whispered.

"Those 4 hours could be like 2 or 3 if you could fly you know."

I rolled my eyes at him.

"We are not having this conversation until this is all over."

"Alright. I can wait."

Once we were dropped off, I quickly went inside and was thankful that there was no one else in the lobby. As soon as I scanned my card the doors opened, since I left it down here and it is not used by anyone else that means I never have to wait for it to come down. We stepped inside and Tony was as surprised as I first was at the speed. I skipped the tour of the first few floors and had the elevator take me straight to the lab. The doors opened up and I stepped out, he followed at a much slower pace. It was amusing actually as he looked around. He put down his suit cases and went from lab to lab, looking at all the equipment until I grabbed his arm and took him to the robotics lab which was the one that most resembled his.

"This is not okay."

"What? What do you mean? I saw your design, you were gonna make something just like this room!"

"What is not okay, is that you have a better lab than me. How? What the hell?"

"Oh, well Reed was completely devoted to his work. I honestly do not know how he paid for this. It must have taken years just to build this floor and the observatory."

"Obser- you have an observatory in your apartment? Correction, penthouse? You are 19 years old! Where are your parents in all this? Don't you dare tell me you live alone."

I don't know if he saw something in my face or just the whole thing just kind of gave it away but his face softened and he patted my back, as if trying to comfort me without showing emotion.

"My dad was killed and my mom is against mutant rights. When she found out this happened to me and that I didn't care to find a cure..."

I just shrugged because I knew he got the picture. He stared at me for a long while before getting to work. I was actually able to help him in this part because we had a lot of things to put together. About 2 hours later we were ready to go. He tuned everything and came to stand by me, we both put our goggles on and watched everything start to light up. The little hard drive looking box that he said was Jarvis started talking through its little speaker.

"Initializing prismatic accelerator."

Tony motioned me to stand back as to give him space to turn the wheel.

"Approaching maximum power"

He was putting all his strength into it but if he didn't go faster then he was going to make a hole in my damn floor. I stepped in and fueled fire through the veins on my arms, giving me strength and turning the wheel as easily as turning a steering wheel in a car. Once the beam focused on the little triangle and shut off, he turned to look at me, then my arms, them back up at my face.

"What? I come with perks."

"Yeah, starting to see that."

He went towards the now glowing triangle and gently picked it up with a pair of tweezers. He placed it into the arc reactor and the whole thing instantly lit up.

"Congratulations sir. You have created a new element. The reactor has accepted the modified core. I will begin running diagnostics."

"Yes, congratulations are definitely in order. Besides, triangle is totally the new circle so you are modernizing Iron Man's look too."

"Huh, I guess I am. Shot in the dark but do you happen to have something I can celebrate with?"

I laughed and had him follow me down to the 2nd floor kitchen, I sat him down and pulled out a bottle that I had found in Reed's old office.

"Wow, now this is what I'm talking about! Impressive. This is a vintage. How did you get your hands on this?"

"Came with the apartment. All of this did. The only things I have bought for it has been the food."

"So how did this happen?"

"I asked for it in the trial. No one told me it was a penthouse. I thought it was going to be a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment with one of the rooms turned into a lab. I don't know how it was approved for me to get it but I think they just felt bad, I told them I wanted a lab to study myself, to know what I was, what the exposure did to me. Everyone was calling me a mutant but I wanted to know if I got the gene, if I already had it but it wasn't activated.. I just had a lot of questions as to how the exposure altered my DNA. I also asked for a formula, for unstable molecules. Its how these clothes don't burn to ash when I light up."

"Well you deserve a shot of this then. I won't tell."

He pulled out a tumbler for himself and a small shot glass for me. I was not so sure on this idea but in the end I decided to be a little irresponsible, I drowned back the shot and I felt a slight burn in my throat. Big mistake because as soon as I felt the burn, my actual fire started to burn and the next thing I knew, I was coughing out fire like crazy. Every time I breathed out, a little burst of flame came out. I was so embarrassed that my cheeks were smoking again. Tony was bent over clutching his stomach from laughing so hard. He composed himself enough to look up at me but lost it again when he saw my cheeks smoking. I have no Idea what in the world possessed me to do it but I concentrated on his nose and had a small flicker of fire spout up and burn off his nose hairs. He snorted out startled and the sound set me off, we were both laughing now but looking at each other incredulously.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes actually. Any good restaurants in this area?"

"I'm not sure. I'll just make something. Korean style spare ribs sound good? I left some marinating in the fridge yesterday."

"Kalbi? Um hell yeah. Let me guess, chef on your spare time?"

"Ha! I wish. No, I just like to cook. Growing up I was always the one cooking. Renee would go through phases and once in a while she would go through a food phase where she would try mixing intricate flavors, but those days we always got a stomach bug, even her cat. So it fell to me to actually do the cooking. Good thing Grandma Swan taught me all of her mothers recipes. She never really liked Renee but it turned to hate when she left Charlie and took me with her."

"Hmm my mom was the same. She tried to take care of me but she had come from money so she always had nanny's to take care of her. I think her parents didn't show her any emotions so it felt natural to do that with me, she had a nanny on hand 24/7 so when she didn't want to keep trying she would just hand me off."

"That must have been confusing. Did you ever get close to a nanny?"

"No, I had a different one every 2 or 3 weeks so I never had the chance."

I nodded but didn't say anything, we both fell into a comfortable silence and I think we were both wondering why we would open up to each other like that. I quickly made a white rice while the meat marinated then took out the skillet and started cooking them.

"How do you like it cooked?"

"Medium."

"Good. Me too."

He told me a bit about Pepper Potts, he spoke about her like a man with a crush, I could tell he really admired her and she sounded like a strong woman who was perfect to keep him in check.

"So how did you join S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"They knocked on my door and told me about the initiative. I had no direction at that point. Everything I had been working towards for months suddenly didn't matter. The opportunity to better myself and learn new skills, to use my new abilities to help others. The chance was right in front of me and I just had to take it. We need you Tony. The rest of the team is not sure if you can learn to fight as a team, to consider yourself equal with the rest of us. I think that if you really wanted to, you could adapt. You are smart and would be able to help us if a time came where human armies couldn't take down the enemy."

"I don't know if they are wrong."

"Then prove them wrong. We are not asking you to become an Agent or turn your life inside out. It's just a promise to help if one day we needed it."

"I guess I owe that much at least for saving my life."

"No, if you agree because of that, it will be for the wrong reasons. Don't answer, just think about it when you have free time."

"I'll think about it if you try to fly."

I laughed but didn't answer, instead I got a plate and served him up a plate of food.

"Mmm

Wow, hmm this is good.

This is great."

"You know, for a billionaire you sure have bad table manners."

"Not usually, this is good. If you quit being an Agent, I'll hire you."

"I will keep it in mind."

When we finished I took him on a tour of all the floors and good thing I started with the 5th floor and worked my way down because when we got to the 1st floor, he went crazy in the arcade. Ironically it was over the same game that Clint came in to play.

"I would offer to buy this place from you but I have a feeling you wouldn't sell."

"You are correct. Why don't you build something like this for yourself in the old Von Doom building? It's been months since you bought it."

"It is really big. I want to expand the company over here but it would only take up 20 floors, if that. Plus now that I am not CEO, who knows what Pepper will do with it. Oh well, guess I'll just have to move in here with you, we can be science buddies while I figure out what to do with my life now that I won't be dying in a few days."

"That is really scary, I don't know how you didn't have some type of meltdown. Well, I guess your birthday party counts as a meltdown. That was pretty bad."

"Thanks."

"Welcome."

We ended up back in the lab, he was showing me the suit and was touching up some things when his cell phone started ringing. Jarvis put the call through on his little speaker, and announced that it was from a blocked number.

"Hey Tony, how you doing? I double cycle."

"You what?"

"You told me double cycle's more power. Good advice."

"You sounds pretty sprightly for a dead guy."

"You too."

Tony muted his speaker and instructed Jarvis to trace the call. I quickly handed him his laptop and he started running a bunch of programs, I only understood some of it from my computer science courses in Arizona.

"Now, the true history of Stark name will be written."

"Jarvis, where is he?"

"What your father did to my family over 40 years, I will do to you in 40 minutes."

"Sounds good. Let's get together and hash it out."

"Accessing the Oracle grid. Eastern Seaboard. Tri-State area. Manhattan and outlying boroughs."

"I hope you're ready."

"Trace call incomplete."

He ended the call. We looked at each other and quickly got into action. I sent a text to Natasha and Fury, telling them everything from the new element working to Ivan being alive and his threat. Meanwhile Tony went and picked up the new arc reactor.

"Tony! The tests are not done!"

at the same time Jarvis also said

"Sir!"

"You wanna run some tests? Run them. Bella, help me assemble the suit."

"Sir, we are unclear as to the effects."

"I don't want to hear it Jarvis."

He snapped it in his chest and it started gaining power quickly.

"That tastes like coconut, And metal. Oh WOW, YEAH!"

I actually laughed at the incredulity I was feeling. This man really is crazy but it definitely looks like it works very well.

"Something is going to happen at the Expo. Learn to fly right now or so help me, I will carry you."

We took the stairs to the 5th floor and I opened the roof access. He quickly hovered but as I took off my shoes I wasn't sure what to do.

"Turn on your flames all over. Good, now focus all that power on only your feet. Make it strong."

I was doing it. I felt myself start to hover as well but once I reached his level my knees buckled and I fell back.

"You need to keep your core straight and strong. Keep all your muscles stiff at first until you have balance in the air. Look at me, you see how I position my hands when I land and take off. Do that. Good, now hold that position and go higher."

I felt so awkward in such a stiff position, I felt myself falling forward and instinctively I put my hands in front of me as if I were going to land on a floor, my hands released a strong flame that propelled me back to my original position.

"See!? Okay lets go to the Expo." I timed the roof so that it would close in 30 seconds and took off after him. I was much faster than him when I was going well but he kept up with me easily since I constantly was using the fire in my hands to keep myself in position. I felt stupid for actually doing a superhero pose but that was the only way to keep a good position. We did not go too high and I thank the lord in heaven that I am not afraid of heights, although this view was nice it was still intimidating.

"Try to relax!" He was yelling but I still had some trouble hearing him.

"What?!"

"Relax!"

I did as he said and tried to relax my pose, I guess I relaxed too much because suddenly I was falling and out of fear and adrenaline I lit up once again and shot up into the air! I looked down and saw the buildings looked so tiny, I wonder how high I am? Oh I see the Expo lights! As I got lower, I felt more in control but still not as good as Tony. I think it would be easier if my whole body was in flames but I wouldn't want to get too close to Tony when I am that hot. Better to learn like this. As I got lower I finally found Tony.

"To much on the relaxing but great comeback!"

"Yeah! Hey, I am gonna wait for you outside the arena okay? If I land in the stage with you it will be weird. I would be out of place!"

"Okay! We need to make Bluetooth earplugs to communicate up here!"

"My fire will melt it into my ear!"

"Have control of your ears then!"

"Screw you!"

"I'll think about it but I don't think it would be a good idea!"

"Oh god Tony shut up!"

I think I heard him laugh but I can't be sure. God this wind sucks! I couldn't even hear myself breathing. As we hovered over the open arena I saw Justin Hammer doing some funky dance and then I saw some guy in an Iron Man suit.

"That's my cue! See if you can find Ivan somewhere in the crowd."

I nodded and we parted ways for now. I pray tonight ends well.