Disclaimer: Don't own, don't care, don't sue.
(Paris, France, July 8th 2008, 2:09pm)
Anastasia stretched out on towel, soaking up the sun. Issac and Mia were in the pool three feet to her left having splash war. Naomi and Zane were inside, searching for their next job, the pair of buzzkills that they were.
It had been over a month since the Stark job and they hadn't heard from Stark or Colonel Rhodes since. The only contact they had was when the money transfer came through. Twice.
Instantly they had called Stark, not wanted to cheat him out of his money via relief high. Mia, when she called, had been directed to someone named Jarvis and was pleasantly told that Mr. Stark was immensely grateful for their timely rescue and that if they ever needed anything then they only needed to call.
That had shocked the hell out of everybody.
Still, they had tried to give back the money to Stark and he refused it again. So they all decided to put the extra half a million dollars to charity. Five different foster homes in Switzerland suddenly got new clothes, books and bedding from a mysterious benefactor overnight right before the five of them left.
All of that was the reason it was so surprising when Naomi walked out and told them. "Mr. Stark wants to talk with us."
Isaac and Mia stopped splashing each other and stared at the second oldest child. Anastasia paused in her tanning and raised her sunglasses as she sat up.
"Why would Stark want to talk to us now?" Isaac asked in a confused voice as he shared a look with Mia.
Naomi helplessly shrugged, throwing her hands up. "I don't know, he wont tell us until we're all together. So, get outta the pool and come inside."
She turned and walked back inside when she saw Mia and Isaac pulling themselves out of the water. Anastasia rolled to her feet and grabbed her sundress, throwing it on while speed walking through the door.
"What could Stark possibly want to talk about?" Mia asked as she came up on Anastasia's left side, Isaac appearing on her right.
"Maybe it's about the guys who kidnapped him?" Anastasia suggested. "I mean, if I were kidnapped and rescued, I would want to know everything about my captors."
Isaac and Mia both nodded, agreeing with her theory as they stepped into their dining room/ control room.
It was a medium sized room, with four complete wall with no windows. One wall had a fairly sized door leading into a decent kitchen that was rarely if ever used by anyone other than Naomi. Three thirty five inch screens were hung on one wall, facing the kitchen door. A seven foot long desk sat under it, stacked high with files and photographs. The other two walls were barren completely except for one lone overstuffed file cabinet.
They had a big table in the middle of the room, it being big enough to fit eight adults comfortably, surrounded by eight amazingly comfortable and expensive office chairs.
Sitting in one of them was, leaning back with his legs kicked up, was Tony Stark.
Anastasia slowly stepped into the room and eyed the man she'd last seen looking like death warmed over a month ago. His hair was freshly cut and washed, his facial hair well-groomed as well. He wore a black sports coat over an AC/DC shirt with what looked like old oil stains covering it, paired with black slacks and an old pair of converse.
All in all, he looked exactly like Tony Stark again. Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist.
"You look good for a battery in his chest, Mr. Stark." Mia said warily, sitting down in one of the office chairs next to Zane, who was silently observing the billionaire.
Stark smiled tightly. "Thanks, Cupcake."
Mia frowned at the nickname but didn't comment, seeming to resolve to let him speak.
Stark cleared his throat nervously and drummed his fingers on the table. "I guess, I'll cut right to the chase. I, uh, would like to put you five on retainer for Stark Industries."
Silence reigned for a few seconds before Naomi spoke up. "On retainer for what?" she asked in a slightly confused voice. "To rescue you when you inevitably get kidnapped again?"
"And isn't it illegal to hire anyone under the age of sixteen in the U.S?" Issac tackled on.
Stark shifted uncomfortably as he nodded, "Yes, if that happens you would get me back. And none of you would officially be on the payroll, at least not until you're all eighteen. There would also be another part to the job."
"Which is?" Zane asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Helping me track down shipments of SI weapons illegally being sold to terrorists. The same terrorists that kidnapped me." Stark said with a wrathful look in his eye.
"What?" Anastasia asked in a shocked voice. "Stark Industries sold weapons to the same…?"
Stark grimly nodded his head. It was extremely obvious to Anastasia that he had no idea what his company had been doing and was severely pissed off at what he knew now.
"Who did it?" Naomi questioned suddenly. "Who sold the weapons, your weapons, to those assholes?"
"I don't have solid proof yet," Stark admitted sullenly. "But I suspect Obadiah Stane has something to do with it."
Anastasia frowned at the name, it seemed oddly familiar. The only thing she was certain of was that it related to what they had on the terrorists who kidnapped Stark.
"That name sounds familiar." Mia mumbled as she got up and walked to the desk, pulling out a wireless keyboard and began tapping on it.
"He runs my company for me," Stark said with a bemused expression. "Of course you've heard his name."
"No, that's not it." Anastasia said, staring at the screens on the wall as digital files were pulled up, Mia hunting down whatever she was searching for. "I recognize it too, and not from anything to do with SI."
"Hatter, what are you talking about?" Zane asked.
"I don't remember in what context he knew them but I know Stane had some sort of connection with Stark's kidnappers." Anastasia bit her lip as she stared harder at the computer screens, hoping Mia could find the connection.
"Wait, you think he knew them? Why would Obadiah know them?" Stark asked in an almost frantic tone.
"I don't k-" Anastasia started to say again before being cut off by Mia.
"Found it!" Everyone crowded around Mia as she pointed at the middle screen. "He both sent and received a number of emails to and from an encrypted email address. He's the one who's sent most of the emails between the two of them, though."
"Can you see who's email it is?" Naomi asked her.
Mia shook her head. "Not right now, this guy is well versed in hacking. I'm gonna need a day or two to crack his encryption."
"Do it," Zane told her before turning to face Stark. "The rest of us are going to hunt for some physical evidence."
Stark eyed him curiously. "Does this mean you're accepting my offer?"
Zane took a deep breath and nodded, holding out his hand to shake. "Congratulations, Mr. Stark. It would appear we're in business together, for now at least."
Stark stared at his hand for a moment before accepting the handshake, the two pulling away after a couple seconds.
"We'll see about a more permanent job later. For now, lets go get that evidence you mentioned earlier."