Pepper stood looking down to the mirror near the floor. She turned her head to the side and turned her feet. These were soft pale white suede shoes. With one inch heels, she smiled. Tony shook his head "Absolutely not Miss potts." She turned and looked at Tony Stark with awe. He was sitting in a large chair. "No." He said pointing at her and turned to the man. "Get her flat shoes I see anymore high heels I'm gonna take a hack saw to your shoe collection, and a pair of sneakers…puma's or something."
"Of course Mr. Stark." The tall gentleman said as he stood tall turning around to find a few pairs of shoes that had no heel. Boxes were scattered on the floor, they had been at this for hours.
"Mr. Stark…." Pepper turned slowly and sighed crossing her arms across her chest.
"Don't you…" he took a bite of his cheeseburger pulling the paper wrapping down. "Start with me." He said, speaking through half chewed Cheeseburger. He gave her that look, the look, of pure seriousness. Though how serious he could be stuffing his face with a drive through hamburger she wasn't sure. "No heels from now on."
"You can't do that."
"I'll fire you." He said with a nod. "Then Hire someone else."
"That's discrimination." She said shaking her head. "No one is as good a PA as I am and you know it."
He pointed to her feet with a serious look "And that is self destruction…your feet are awful…and you're right ...you are the best aren't you…damn…" she had him in a corner.
"And why do you care so much about my feet Mr. Stark?" She sat down removing the pumps.
"Because I need you on them." He said and pulled French fries out of the bag in his lap and started too much, he smiled as a man came in with two smaller boxes both with sneakers, a pair of running shoes and a pair of puma's. "There we go." He said pointing with his now French fry free hand. "put those on you'll never regret it." He smiled. "Puma's I have like four pairs."
Pepper gave him a sideways look but sat and pulled them on. "You're impossible" she shook her head.
"You keep saying that…as if it's new information"
"not bad…but I can't wear these at work." She said standing and turning to the mirror
"Of course you can" he said "you work for me ...I'm initiating a No HEELS for my PA rule."
"You can't do that." She shook her head with a smile she knew this was just playful banter.
"Last I checked Ms. Potts it was STARK industries." He smirked and returned his hand to the bag for more fries. "And stop telling me what I cannot do." He insisted.
She sighed and reluctantly continued to try on the shoes passed to her. After finding three pairs of shoes; the sneakers and two flat dress shoes. Tony stood behind the Charger with the trunk open. He smiled and set the two small shopping bags into the trunk and then slammed it down.
Pepper sighed it was starting to get dark they'd spent two hours arguing about shoes and now it was getting late. She stood on the passenger side of the charger waiting for Tony to get in on his side and reach over pulling up the lock. Her door opened slowly and she got in. On her feet were the puma's Tony had just bought her along with a new pair of socks. He bought her the big bag when he found out that she didn't own one pair. As much of a turn on stockings were to him, he knew that she would need socks with those sneakers. "How do they feel?" he asked.
"Fine."
"Much better than high heels admit it." She sighed and rolled her eyes a bit.
"A bit yes." She nodded "Mr. Stark this is not important really."
"On the contrary Miss Potts I beg to differ." He turned putting his arm up on the steering wheel. He was about to open his mouth when his phone went off. He looked down pulling it out of his pocket and shook his head "this is Tony...you don't say…" he was moving his hands keys to the ignition foot to the clutch. "Alright we'll be there in twenty." He sighed "Miss Potts is with me." Pepper was only hearing half the conversation but she didn't like it. "Like I said twenty minutes." He snapped the phone shut dropping it to the bench seat.
Tony loved his classic cars, and his 1971 Dodge Charger was no different. The black charger was nothing but pure power. Tony had found it in a junk yard and fell in love with the beat up shell, and pepper had been with him when for five hundred dollars he had purchased the car in cash and had the shell taken to his home. She smiled at the car running a hand along the door panel. "What was that all about."
"A meeting…one I …" he turned to her correcting "We cannot miss." He sighed "Listen closely." She turned to him and her head shifted "There will be others there, Peter Parker." He sighed.
"I don't know who that is." Pepper said.
"Spider man." He nodded "He's a boy really ..fresh into College." He sighed "Bruce Banner, a biochemist…he's called The Hulk."
"That green monster the government was trying to catch?" she opened her eyes softly.
"Yes he's a result of that soldier program with gamma radiation, they asked for my help a year or two back remember?"
"Yes I do…is he tame?" Her eyes softened and she bit her lip a bit.
"You make him sound like a dog…" he shook his head. "The hulk only comes out of Bruce when he's angry…so just …don't do anything to make him mad." He sighed. "Keeping him calm at times like this is important…other times it's nice to set him off…" Tony shook his head "There will be others, an archer named Hawkeye, I haven't the pleasure of meeting him yet, but from what I hear he will be an immense help to the Avenger Initiative." Tony's carefree attitude had gone out the window and he was dead serious now. "If they call us to do something I'll need to get back to the house ASAP to get ready. I'm not really a mutant or anything…I'm just a man." He said it as though it was a letdown. "I rely on my suit."
Pepper reached over and put a hand on his shoulder "you forget one thing Mr. Stark, you are a brilliant man." She said quietly.
He smiled as he pulled to a stop at a red light and turned to her and smiled "thank you Ms. Potts."
"You're welcome Mr. Stark." They sat for a while staring at one another until a honk from the car behind them demanded they continue to move. The light now green, Tony let the car roll forward slowly as the light turned yellow he pulled through the intersection. "Anyone else I should know about?" Pepper asked softly.
"Um…not sure if any of the Xmen will be there or not." He said
"The mutants?" She asked
"Yes." Tony smiled. "Like the girl you hired last week for the secretarial pool…um…Amelia." He said.
"Amelia McWilliams?" she blinked "Is a mutant?" her eyes widened.
"Oh yeah." He smiled "Shield got in touch with me last week after you hired her." He smiled.
"What does she do?" Pepper asked almost not wanting to know.
"She's a lightning bug." He smiled thinking of bugs in a jar. "She's a back-up generator for our building. If the power goes out she can keep the servers running…and I need the servers to keep Jarvis active." He said. "She's not very strong and it's just for her safety and ours. " he said.
"So she was planted…it had nothing to do with me." He kept his eyes on the road. She was obviously upset she hadn't been told anything, but then again until after she was hired he didn't have a clue either. He was counting streets she was almost sure he was lost, but his face suddenly changed he shot her a glance then turned back to the road.
"Oh no had you not wanted her they would have found someone else" he shook his head "they needed to know you could trust to hire her." He said softly turning on his turn signal and turning left around the corner coming up to a large fence. "Ah found it." He said triumphantly. Shield agents were everywhere. Tony pulled up to the dark gate and cranked his window down "Tony Stark….and Pepper Potts…."
"They are expecting you." The man said and turned "OPEN THE GATE!" he called. Tony turned to Pepper as the large gate swung open.
"Don't take any notes…just listen and try to remember as much as possible." He said looking up "good thing you're wearing sneakers …this may be a long night." He said quietly pulling the car ahead. "The last time you were at one of these meetings you came back to the estate in a deplorable shape. She insisted.
"Oh yeah…forgot to tell you about Steve." He nodded "I gave him a bloody nose too." He smiled.
"Who is Steve?" Pepper turned to him.
"Captain America." He said, and he nodded hearing Pepper's gasp.
"Tony you didn't!"
"You called me Tony again." He smirked "And yes I did…that …egotist is in dire need of a reeducation." He shook his head. "I promise to be a good boy this time…"
"You best be." She said "or I'll cancel your cable."
"You can't do that." He shook his head.
"What are the last four digits of your social to get into the account?" She crossed her arms.
"I am not a child Pepper….I don't know honestly but if you shut it off I'll just ….get out my boxes." He insisted tossing the charger into park and setting the brake.
"Oh no you are not stealing cable again!" she pointed to him her eyes that of a scorned girlfriend.
"Ah free porn channels." He smiled "Oh reminds me of college." He unclipped his seat belt and immerged from the car.
"I'll pretend for the sake of this meeting I did not just hear you say that." She said exiting the dodge pushing the door shut.
"You've heard worse outta me." He smirked and started up to the doors of the complex, hands in his pockets he knew it would be a test of his temper. The blonde man stood at the door waiting outside looking solid and stone faced.
Tony approached the man, Pepper one half step behind him, the blonde looked him over once and nodded to the woman. "Stark if you want this….you and I need to readjust how we negotiate." His words were simple.
"Is that an apology?" Tony asked.
"No…You tossed the first punch if anyone was apologizing it would be you." Suddenly Tony made a move at the man to Pepper's dismay. Tony was stopped short by an arrow that landed between the two of them.
"oh no kids.." A figure said from the roof. "We play nice…." The figure jumped down to the pavement. Barton was long and lanky a bow in one hand his quiver to his back. Pepper couldn't help but see robin hood in her head."Or we don't play at all….and if anyone does any head busting it's going to be me." He said to Tony and turned to the strawberry bonde behind him and smiled softly. "Oh hello beautiful."
Tony turned to Pepper and gestured to the man. "This is Hawkeye."
"Pleasure." She said.
"Not yet it isn't" he said softly giving her a wink. "Ok Cap inside…no one will question you're the leader here…" Captain America took one look at Tony, but he did not speak, he merely turned and walked into the complex. Once he was out of range Hawkeye sighed leaning down pulling the arrow from the pavement. "Don't mind him." He continued. "Just mad you got a fist in on him, not many can…good to see you again." Tony shook the man's hand. "Girlfriends go to the meeting room….we go to the main conference area."
"She's my PA not my Girlfriend." Tony said.
"Whatever…tagalongs to the meeting room…Dr. Ross is there now." Hawkeye turned "hurry Tony this is big."
"Bruce is here already?" Tony asked stepping inside holding the door for Pepper.
"Here already? Hell Bruce lives here…along with the rest of us…you're the only one besides Logan and Storm who do not live here." He said moving inside putting his bow to his back.
"Are any of the Xmen here?"
"Yes Storm, but that's only because The Black Panther is here." He stuck out his tongue. "stupid if you ask me…"
"Why is that stupid…if I might ask?" Pepper piped up.
"They both work with the Avengers, and they love each other, they are a risk to everything if one of them is captured the other may not act rationally." He said and continued to move.
"And you?" Pepper said not knowing she said it. Tony held up a hand.
"No it's ok Stark." Hawkeye turned around and sighed "I'll stick to flirting and drinking alone thanks."
"Oh I like the way you think." Tony said as they left Pepper by the meeting room door. Part of Pepper felt hurt in a way, but this was Tony Stark no one expected any more, and certainly not any less. She watched he and Hawkeye turn round a corner and she sighed and pushed the door open. The darkhaired woman sat at the small table and looked up.
"Hello…I'm Betty Ross." She smiled and stood extending her hand.
"Pepper Potts…Stark Industries." She said taking Betty's hand. "So what's the low down here?"
"Have a seat." Betty smiled "This may take a while."
Tony was having second thoughts about this seating arrangement already. Captain America to the left of Nick Fury, he sat to the right. To the right of tony was, Storm, The black panther, and spiderman. To the left of Captain America were Bruce banner, Hawkeye, and Logan. Tony hadn't met Wolverine but knew him the moment he saw him.
"Team leaders are Ironman and Captain America." Nick started, the room was silent. "Tony you will be taking Logan, Bruce and Hawkeye to investigate a weapons manufacturing plant. We think they are dipping into your technology to make biological weapons, Bruce is coming with you strictly on scientific recon." Tony nodded "Captain America you will take the rest of the team to investigate the disappearances in upper new York."
"It's not uncommon for people to go missing." Hawkeye said.
"No it's not Clint." Nick turned and the viewer behind him lit up. "But they are mutants…and this many mutants falling off the grid has both Professor Xavior and I both worried." Hawkeye nodded. "We have to find out what is going on."
"Understood." Captain America stood. "0800 tomorrow morning avengers."
Tony was still looking over the file. "Bruce I would like to speak with you about this tonight, Logan and Hawkeye, I'll see you both bright and early…Eight as well…We'll meet at my estate." He said smoothly "It'll be easier for me to suit up and easier for us to organize there." He said. Fury nodded to both men.
"Do not take these situations lightly people…there's major work to be done here." He turned around giving each member in turn a look of seriousness. "We have a weapons factory to stop and missing mutants to find."
Captain America stood up. "Storm I want you to go over the list of the missing mutants…tell me if any of the names stand out…we'll meet up in the morning." And with that Steve turned on the heel of his foot and walked out the door file open going over every aspect of it. One by one the members began to stand. Bruce made his way to Tony.
"Can you keep yourself in check?" Tony asked. Bruce gave him a distasteful look. "I have to ask."
"Heart monitor." Bruce held up his wrist and showed the device to tony who nodded. "I'll see if I can make one that won't rupture every time you have an episode."
"Don't call it that please." He said sitting down "It's not an episode, I see everything that's happening and can sort of aim it around, but please be aware that mostly he's just out of control, there are few things that stop him."
"Betty?" Tony ventured, but Bruce only nodded "Lucky man…" he shook his head "This mechanical stuff I can do in my sleep…this chemistry…well I mean I aced it but it wasn't my first love." He nods "really could use a refresher course."
"You got it stark, come on to the meeting room Betty and I can talk you through all this."
"Don't know if my assistant will be able to handle it."
"It's ok, we'll make it as quick as possible and in as many lamens terms as we can muster." Bruce smiled and gave tony a pat on the back "Come on." Tony nodded and stood. He liked Bruce alot, he was agreeable, and not always looking to pick a fight.
"Just keep me away from Captain Marvel." Tony rolled his eyes.
"America would kill you if he heard you say that right now."
"I know…I know…" he sighed and kept skimming through the logs.
"He's just mad…you threaten his position…you have the ability to not only fight but coordinate attacks and multitask in the heat of battle, not all of us are so lucky." Bruce said a bit let down.
"Don't worry we'll get this all sorted out."
"You better Stark or Betty will have my head for this one." He nodded again "Cause she can be mad all she likes, I just can't be." He looked down at his heart monitor again and sighed "I hate stress." He shook his head as the beeps slowly went down. Tony nodded "I'll see what I can make of that thing too…there's gotta be a better way to keep track of your vitals."
"You're the tech guy." Bruce said stopping taking off his watch handing it up to stark. "Have at it."
"Thanks." Tony exchanged the file for the watch and looked it over and nodded "Oh yes I can do something."
Bruce looked up to Tony after glancing at the file. "Stark …this is much more than biological warfare." He said quietly "This is a Neurotoxin."
Tony turned to the file "Then we have to be extra careful." He said. "I'll need to make some modifications to my armor."
"Is it here?"
"No…it's at my estate."
"That's not good….I could help you if you need a hand." Bruce said.
"I would like that …you and betty want to stay with me tonight?" he asked "We can go over this…eat something." He made a face his lip curled he was hungry. "And get this done."
"Deal …I'll grab Betty."