"Done with your homework?"

Peter nodded, looking up at Eric who had walked up behind him. He hadn't snuck up on him, though, because no one could sneak up on Peter, anymore. He'd had plenty of time to open a new window on the computer to mask what he was doing.

"Yes."

The large man ruffled the boy's curls, affectionately, looking at the mathematical equations on the display of the computer.

"What are you doing?"

"Just messing around."

"You're a pretty impressive kid," Eric told him, sincerely. He had only had Peter at his group home for a few months, now, but the kid was amazing. More brilliant than anyone that he'd ever met – and Eric had gone to good colleges before he'd settled down to raise his own son as well as the foster kids that he and his wife took in. Peter was like one of those prodigy that you saw documentaries about, and Tatro was determined that even though he was in the system, it wasn't going to keep the boy from succeeding in everything that he wanted to do. Who knew, he might cure cancer, someday. "Don't stay up too late, alright?"

"I won't."

Peter didn't sleep, much. Rather than force him to stay in his bed – and his restlessness would keep the other boys awake – he was allowed to use the home's computer to work on whatever projects that he had going on in that amazing brain of his. The Tatros already knew that he wasn't interested in the porn sites, so they were fine with anything that could make him smarter, and maybe make him sleepy. As long as he didn't look tired, or fall asleep in class, or something, the privilege would continue, and Peter was careful to make sure he didn't lose it.

Without asking, though, he'd tweaked the network and then hacked into the cable company's system to allow them more data speeds. Peter was great with computers, and couldn't remember a time when he wasn't. He was intending to use that ability, too, because he needed to find Tony Stark's schedule, and get the man alone.

He needed his help, after all. He just needed to figure out how to ask him.

The boy waited until everyone else had gone to bed and then switched back to the other screen he'd been using. It was a complex mapping program that he'd been playing with in his spare time, before, but now was using it, seriously. He'd had no problem getting into Tony Stark's door; the code was the man's birthday and Peter had that memorized. But he knew that there was a lot more to the security there than just the large men who had come to get him from the apartment. He'd noticed that there were magnetic locks on the patio door, and other tell-tale signs of modernization.

Tony Stark probably had a smart house. Peter needed to break into that system so he could track the superhero's activities. Could find out where he'd be. Where Peter might be able to catch him without anyone else there to distract him. Where Peter could talk to him and explain what had happened – and maybe get some help.

After almost an hour of coding and probing, he was pretty sure he knew where he was in the digital mapping. His little fingers flew on the keyboard and his eyes never left the display in front of him. Just as he was about to hit the enter key, though, the screen went dark, and then flared red and gold and a single word appeared on the lower corner.

"Hello."

The boy raised an eyebrow, surprised. He hadn't quite finished what he'd been doing, but it appeared to have worked. He hesitated, and then responded.

"Hello. Who are you?"

"JARVIS. Who are you?"

"I'm Peter." He heard someone making a noise in their sleep, and turned down the brightness on the screen. "How are you?"

"I'm well, Peter. How can I help you?"

The boy hesitated.

"I'm trying to talk to Tony Stark."

"Shall I call him for you?"

"No. He would just get mad. He doesn't want to talk to me."

"Is it so important?"

"Yes."

"How can I help?"

"I need his schedule for the next week. Do you know where I'd find that?"

"I make his schedule for him."

"Are you his secretary?"

"I'm his AI."

Peter smiled, flush with amazement. Of course, AIs weren't that impressive, really; they could only spit back what you programmed into them, but Tony Stark was brilliant, Peter knew. Ironman's AI was probably better than most.

"Could you help me?"

"Of course."

Tony was beat. He'd stayed up late working on a new concept that he was thinking about for the newest incarnation of the Ironman suit. Bigger and faster, and smarter were always his goals when it came to the suits. Always. He'd fallen into his bed around four am, and now it was seven, and he was sitting at his kitchen island, eating a couple of granola bars and washing them down with a glass of scotch.

"JARVIS? What does my schedule look like, today?"

"A meeting this morning at the tower. Lunch is open. Two more meetings, after, and then dinner with Colonel Rhodes."

"It's Tuesday?"

"It is."

"Where am I eating?"

"The Palace. Shall I tell Colonel Rhodes to meet you there?"

Stark frowned.

"The Palace? What is that?"

"An Italian place. In Queens."

"What? Why am I going to Queens to have dinner with Rhodey? Why can't we go somewhere closer?"

"The food is exceptional."

"Huh." He shrugged. "Fine. Tell him to meet me at 7 o'clock."

"It is a casual restaurant, sir," his AI told him. "Perhaps dressing down to avoid the public eye might be in order."

"Yeah." He finished his drink, shoved the last of the granola bar into his mouth and headed for the shower.

Happy frowned as he pulled up in front of the pizza place.

"You're really eating here?"

Tony frowned, too.

"JARVIS? What's that place called?"

"The palace. You're at the right spot."

Sure enough, James Rhodes was standing near the door, watching as kids and adults swarmed in and out of the front door. He walked over to the car as Tony was getting out, waving Happy away to close the door, himself.

"A pizza place, Tony?" His friend's voice was incredulous. "Really?"

Not wanting to look as if he hadn't planned everything to the letter, Stark affected an indifferent shrug.

"You like pizza."

"Yeah."

"So do I."

Rhodes wasn't fooled.

"You, me and 100 of our best friends under the age of ten?"

"Something like that." Tony pulled his hat down low. "Come on. I'm hungry."

"Whatever you say."

They walked into the place, and were immediately assaulted by a cacophony of music, kids yelling, video games and sporting events on every monitor in the place. Tony led the way to an empty table and a waitress brought them menus and offered to get them drinks.

"Tell me how the suit did," Stark said as they waited for the pizza that they ended up ordering.

The War Machine suit wasn't as impressive as Tony's Ironman suit, but he was working on refinements every chance he had. The newest version had been up at the Avenger compound, and Rhodey had been there with it, testing it out that day.

"Worked like a charm. The blasters need to retract more quickly, though, and…" he trailed off when he realized that they weren't alone.

Tony followed his gaze, and scowled.

"Seriously?"

Standing beside the table they were seated at, holding a slice of pizza and watching him, was a face that was beginning to be very familiar.

Peter smiled, uncertainly.

"Hi."