Ian sighed and turned off the Jeep's engine. No sense in wasting any more fuel inching towards Thor's Hammer, the advertising company where he worked in the IT department. While part of him longed for the days of swinging high above the traffic, the Iron Man keychain dangling from his rearview mirror declared that those days were over. He wasn't Peter Parker or Spider-Man anymore, just Ian Storm, an ordinary man who did ordinary things. He had never been to outer space, fought arms dealers, or scaled the Washington monument. While not perfect, his life was safe and predictable. If that meant being a little late for work than so be it.
A car honked jarring Ian back into the present where the speed of traffic had increased from geriatric snail to the final lap of the Indy 500. He readjusted his company-issued holster and tucked the key chain into his pocket. Today would be the day he threw it out and put the past behind him. He had a good life in Chicago, no sense dwelling in the past. Tony Stark had checked out years ago. It was far past time for Ian to do the same.
Twenty minutes later he arrived at work with just enough time for a quick cup of lukewarm coffee in the break room. Hannah, his girlfriend of two years, was sitting at a table trying her best to remain upright. She was far too thin and her skin tone was like that of a snowman. She needed to lay off the all-nighters before it killed her. Ian sat down and pushed a jelly donut and a hazelnut coffee with two creams into the middle of the table. Hannah looked at the donut as though it was from another world.
"Eat up," he said with a frown. "Can't have you falling asleep today."
Hannah accepted the sugary treat with a weak smile.
"Thanks. Sorry I never made it home last night, I just wanted to make sure that everything was ready to go."
"No worries." Ian leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. "You're going to knock them dead today. Mr. Newtwon won't know what hit him."
"I hope so." Hannah yawed and rubbed her bloodshot eyes. "I hope that John doesn't regret putting me in charge."
Ian took a sip of coffee. "He won't. If anything he'll regret not putting you in charge sooner."
"I just can't help but feel like something will go wrong." Hannah sighed and picked at the half eaten donut. "No way I'll get that promotion if I screw this up."
"Ivan! Get in here!" Garret, the head of finance, screamed from his office where his computer had once again failed to bend to his will. In their five years of working together, Garret had not managed to learn Ian's name or how to log into his company email. He should have retired five years ago, but like many others, he had opted to continue working rather than face his empty home.
"I really hope you get that promotion soon," Ian said as he rubbed his throbbing temples. Hannah leaned forward allowing her knees to touch his.
"Five bucks says the issue exists between the keyboard and the chair."
Ian laughed. "I bet the computer isn't even plugged in."
"Ivan!" Garret screamed. "Get in here now!"
While giggling about Garret had calmed Hannah's fears for a few minutes, stress once again marred her beautiful face. Ian reached into his pocket and handed her the keychain. Hannah smiled, flipped it over, and read the inscription on the back. "Don't do anything I would do." She furrowed her brow. "What does that mean?"
"Nothing. Just an inside joke from my days interning for Tony Stark."
"I'd love to hear the story behind that." Hannah folded her hands and looked at him with pleading eyes. "It must have been fascinating to work with such a brilliant man."
Ian broke out in a cold sweat. He'd never told Hannah the true nature of his internship. As far as she knew he fetched coffee and made copies.
"Ivan!" Garret bellowed. "It's playing some sort of weird movie!"
Glad for the interruption, Ian headed off to prevent another monitor from being tossed out the window. "I'm coming," he said with a fake smile plastered on his face. "No need to yell!"
Ian entered Garret"s office and glanced at the computer screen. Much to his surprise, there was a golden ring with a movie playing inside. Alien ships were firing at hordes of soldiers from all around the world. He looked a little closer. No, it couldn't be? Could that man be Tony Stark?
"I'm going to grab some coffee," Garret grumbled. "This had better be fixed when I get back."
Ian didn't even notice when Garret left the room. He was too busy hoping that he wasn't seeing what he was seeing. It couldn't be happening, not again. Ian nearly fainted when a head poked out of the computer screen.
"Peter!" Dr. Strange shouted. "We're getting the whole gang back together! Grab your suit, we need you!"
"Stephan!" Ian hissed. "What are you doing in doing in Garrett's computer!"
"I'm not in the computer, I'm in a portal." Stephan sighed. "As I said before, we need you. It's a one in 14,000,605 shot, but I think we can win this time."
Ian stared at the hellscape behind Stephan. "No way! I almost got killed last time!"
"I don't have time to argue with you!" Stephan snapped. "The universe needs us!"
The edges of Ian's vision grew hazy. He wouldn't go through that portal for a billion dollars. Not after what happened during the last battle.
"I'm not going!"
What do you mean no?" Stephan gestured at the mess behind him. "You're an Avenger! It's time to avenge!" Ian heard voices at the end of the hall. He'd be fired for sure if they saw him screaming at a computer.
"My name is Ian Storm and I'm not an Avenger anymore." He straightened his back and puffed out his chest. "I'm not going and that's final!"
Stephan glared at Ian. Had looks been fatal Ian would have been pushing daisies.
"Fine," Stephan said, suddenly calm. "Stay here like a coward while the rest of us save the universe."
The portal disappeared and Ian sighed in relief. The Avengers would either save the world or die trying. Either way, it wasn't his problem anymore.
Twenty minutes later Ian took his place in the conference room. The CFO of Newton's food and most of the department heads were in attendance. They were staring at the newly installed projector system that had nearly given Ian an aneurysm on installation day. Who knew that adding a hologram projector to a building wired in the seventies could produce so much smoke? Ian certainly did and warned everyone what would happen, but as always he was ignored and blamed for the later electrical fire.
CEO Peter Hammer cleared his throat and crossed his arms, a clear sign to get things moving before any more of his precious time was wasted. Hannah rushed to cue up the presentation using Ian's "Garret proof" instructions. She had spent the last three months working on the presentation and couldn't wait to show off the fruits of her labor. If all went according to plan Thor's Hammer would gain a major new client and Hannah would become the new head of marketing.
Hannah stroked her keychain for good luck and started in on the speech she had delivered countless times to anyone willing to listen. "We at Thor's Hammer believe that all businesses big and small are worthy of,-" She was cut off mid-sentence when the lights flickered and the ground shook. An entire flock of geese smacked into the floor to ceiling windows on the opposite side of the room.
"What the hell?" Mark Foster, head of communications, said as he looked down onto the street below. Brakes squealed as a truck narrowly avoided colliding with a man standing in the middle of the road. Dozens of people and a few animals were wandering around the streets with dazed expressions of their faces. One unfortunate woman came face to face with the bumper of a speeding police car and did not come out the winner. CFO Tyler Briggs swore under his breath.
"This had better not be more Avengers bull shit!"
A scream came from the break room. Cindy, the office secretary, entered the room without bothering to knock.
"He's back," she exclaimed and kissed the silver cross necklace hanging around her neck.
"Who's back?" Tyler demanded.
"Alex! He appeared behind my desk where we were...working before the snap!"
A second scream came from Garret's office where Michelle, his daughter and former head of the marketing department, had appeared.
"Julie," Mark whispered his face white at the sheet of paper in front of him. He left his laptop behind and ran out of the room. His five-year-old daughter was one out of an entire class of kindergarteners who had disappeared at an elementary school down the street. According to the office rumor mill, the pain of losing Julie was a major contributing factor to his messy divorce eighteen months later.
Tyler stood and clapped his hands three times like an elementary school teacher trying to maintain control over a room full of rambunctious students.
"This meeting is over!" he declared. "Everyone go home until we figure out what happened this time!"