Insert Movie Title: The New Shield
Chapter 2: Stark Industries, Westchester, California
July 9, 2015: 1630 PST
"The thing of it is," Steve chooses her words carefully "we thought we were meeting Tony…Mr. Stark, personally."
Siting across from Steve in an elegant conference room is the CEO of Stark Industries, Ms. Pepper Potts. With short blonde hair, she wears a smart Marc Jacobs navy blue suit with a hint of gold around her wrist and ears.
The large mahogany conference room is meant to broker deals with large teams of lawyers not a small intimate meeting of three. The three are dwarfed by the cavernous room. It reminds the participates that they are on opposing sides. A row of white leather chairs encircling the Black Marquina marble table with track lighting on tiny fixtures. Peggy sits beside Steve wearing a fifteen-years-old red Talbots pant suit with gold buttons. It still fits he like a glove. Steve is wearing simple Kirkland polo shirt with slacks, figuring he was meeting his friend. He realizes he made massive miscalculation. Why would Tony meet with someone he does not recognize on paper. This meeting was over before it ever began.
"I know. Everyone is so disappointed when they discover that they are not meeting with Tony, but with just lil' ol' me," she is exceedingly charming especially when she is self-deprecating. "As you can imagine, Tony is extremely busy these days so I do appreciate your understanding." Feeling compelled to move the conversation along, "so you are both old S.H.I.E.L.D. members?"
"Former…correct," Peggy takes the lead.
"Yes of course. Sorry about that," being sincere is another one of Peggy's winning traits.
"That's quite alright," Peggy says, but by her tone it is obvious it isn't.
"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Director called me personally on your behalf. You two must know some people."
Expecting Steve to reply, Peggy notices him struggling for words and quickly interjects, "just lucky I suppose."
Peggy shoots him a darting look, momentarily snapping him out of it.
"So you are currently civilians?"
Steve replying for the first time in the meeting, "yeah, that's correct."
"So, may I ask, what are civilians doing in a meeting with the CEO of a weapons manufacturing company?"
Steve turns to the Peggy and starts guffawing. She, in turn, laughs a little too loudly that it's genuineness is highly questionable. Potts knows this technique, seeing it performed consistently in 80's sitcoms. The couple appears to be stalling for time while they get their act together. Potts finds it endearing.
Potts joins in for a polite chuckle allowing her guests some levity while trying to predict where this odd little meeting will go.
"He doesn't talk much does he," Potts remarks to Peggy.
"He just…well, don't take this personal, he had his heart set on the former CEO being here."
"We were…are, we are friends," Steve replies with a level of gravity Peggy was not anticipating.
"Really — I did not realize Tony had any. Your name sir? And I will be sure to pass a message along, I am afraid my secretary just had Mrs. Carter's name on the books."
Peggy and Steve do not look at each other, but their shoulder slowly stiffen, enough for Potts to register.
"It's more of a face thing…he would recognize my face."
Peggy exhales, corrects her posture, then gives her signature chirpish smile.
"I see," Potts replies confused by the obvious evasion and losing what remains of her patience. Peggy quickly glares at him, 'relax.'
Potts cannot imagine how this oddball couple got a meeting with Tony. She thinks about all the emails she will have to write to get to the bottom of this Twilight Zone moment she is trapped in.
Potts feels a sense of desperation grow in her guests.
The mysterious gentleman exclaims, "we actually just came by in the hopes of swapping stories about his old man."
Potts decides to play along, "aww, that's so sweet, unfortunately, I cannot help you there. I don't know any stories about Howard." Potts takes the opportunity to ratchet up the tension in the hopes of getting to the real purpose of the meeting, "but I do appreciate you coming by and I will pass the information over to Tony personally."
Potts stands, giving the universal signal that this meeting is wrapping up. They both stand as if trained. As they do Peggy's face grows a few shades redder. Potts is relieved having finally arrived at this moment. "This might seem odd," wetting her lips, "you wouldn't happen to have any vibranium lying around would you?"
"Vibranium," wow okay, was not expecting that.
The man shoots Peggy a concerned glance, which she ignores.
"Yeah, say…I don't know…three pounds give or take," Peggy is now on a roll.
"Let's just round it up to five shall we," Potts plays along to see where this will go.
Peggy's face grows redder as she opens her mouth, ready to let a verbal tsunami loose, when the man blurts out, "golf clubs."
The words hang in the air for what feels like a good five seconds before anyone says anything. Potts attempts to process this.
"Golf clubs," Potts echoes. The temperature in the room slowly cools. The tension on Peggy's face dissipates, but her shoulders remain elevated.
"Sure" Potts replies without missing a beat, "actually we are having a sale today, for every one pound you buy we give you the second one half off."
As the three laugh it off, Potts's attention shifts to the mysterious gentlemen, the guy who doesn't talk much, but then suddenly charmed them with his last remark. Her eyes narrow, where have I seen these features before?
Peggy subtly takes a step in front of him blocking Potts's view, "well we have taken up more than enough of your afternoon as it is. Thank you for your generosity."
Potts finds herself holding the door for the two of them, Peggy with her rollator and this man right behind.
