The sound of helicopters filled her ears; it was probably the most beautiful noise Megan had heard in her life. She yelled and screamed for help, waving her arms in a furious effort to be noticed. The crew did notice her, and they began to land. Somehow, she managed to wobbly cover the distance between her and the grounded helicopter, and as she reached the side door, it slid open to reveal Rhodes.
"Next time, you ride with me, okay?"
Megan collapsed into his arms, tears streaming from her eyes.
Invincible
By: Eva Grimm
Chapter Two: Rising Up
"Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties."
Helen Keller
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Iron Man, Tony Stark, or any other Marvel intellectual property. Invincible is a fan-based work and not sold for profit.
***SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers for any Marvel movie and comic book — they're going to happen. You've been warned.
Saturday, December 6th, 2003 11:35a, AFT | Bost Airport, Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan
Megan stirred from her sudden, unintended nap. She initially panicked, since she was surrounded by men with guns, but quickly identified them as U.S. Marines. She glanced upwards and found that her makeshift pillow had been Rhodes.
Rhodes, upon seeing Megan had awoken, smirked and inquired, "How was the nap, Sleeping Beauty?"
Megan blushed and pulled herself upright while she replied, "Sorry. Didn't mean to fall asleep on you." She looked out the window and noticed that they were over civilization and rapidly approaching the ground. "Where are we?"
"Bost Airport. It was the closest we could get to from where we found you. We're shipping you back home where you belong."
Rhodes had anticipated any of several responses. Megan being happy to go home, worried about work, falling asleep again... Hell, he wouldn't have been surprised if she had demanded to have an American cheeseburger. What he hadn't expected, however, was her reply, "Rhodey, I need to talk to you." She glanced at the other men in the helicopter. "In private."
Rhodes groaned and Megan blushed furiously as the rest of the craft's crew catcalled and wolf-whistled.
Megan studied the meeting room Rhodes had brought them to. If she was being honest with herself, she knew that true privacy was hard to come by after the P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act passed two years ago. They were in a foreign country, but she suspected that national boundaries were of little consequence, especially Afghanistan, which had been a hotbed of activity since the Towers fell.
Regardless, the room would have to do. "I need two things. One, I need hormones — badly. I've been having serious withdrawal symptoms."
Rhodes, to his credit, maintained perfect composure in spite of the sensitive subject matter. "Naturally. I'll see what I can scrounge up before we starting flying back."
Megan chipped in, "Estradiol is used to treat women who are post-menopause or otherwise suffering from a lack of estrogen."
He studied her, taking note of her condition. Megan had always been a bit petite, something he had chalked up to her reliance on hormone medication. Truth be told, however, he wasn't sure if he was right. She was his best friend, but he was definitely not an expert on trans* matters. Her short, pixie cut black hair was dirty and matted from her unwanted stay in Afghanistan, but otherwise, she had made it out clean — of injuries, at least.
"Okay. What's the second thing you need?"
Megan locked eyes with Rhodes, "We need to talk the future of my company."
Rhodes froze, caught off guard. "Wait, what?"
Megan steeled herself for the difficult, but necessary, conversation, "I want to change how we do business. As the military liaison to Stark Industries, I know you'll be affected, so I wanted to make sure I wasn't springing my plans on you. Just... please hear me out."
Rhodes grimaced. "Tell me what you had in mind."
Rhodes didn't know what to think. Stop making weapons? Stark Industries was one of the most, if not the most, successful weapon-manufacturers ever. The idea of the company doing anything else was outrageous, at least from his perspective. But her perspective matters too, Rhodes mentally chided himself. Megan was the CEO, after all; her word was law within Stark Industries.
His initial reaction had been to dismiss her plans as the product of PTSD, but he had to admit that her position was well thought out. He disagreed with it, but that was his own, personal view.
"I think you're gonna make a whole lotta people back home unhappy, Meg."
Megan frowned. "It's inevitable, yeah. But..." She briefly debated whether to let him know her solution. It wasn't a tough decision. "Rhodey, there's something else. Something big."
"I doubt you could hit me with anything bigger than your company's new, humanitarian outlook on life. Spill."
Megan's frown slowly grew into a smile as she remembered the name Yinsen had branded her suit. "I don't want to say much, at least not here, but let's just say that I want to take a more personal role in world peace. I escaped from the Ten Rings because a friend and I built a suit." She leaned in, driving her point home. "A power suit. Armor that made me the weapon."
Rhodey's eyes widened, both from the craziness of Megan's escape method and also the dawning realization of what she was really going to do. "You want to become a vigilante. A vigilante in a goddamn suit of armor."
Megan flushed at Rhodey's incredulity. "Don't look at me like I'm crazy, Rhodey. Yinsen and I built a suit that I used to destroy a terrorist encampment. We built that suit while rotting in a god-forsaken hell hole, and we did it right under the terrorists' noses." Her eyes lit up as the possibilities unfolded in her mind. "Just think what I can do back home."
Rhodes did know what she could do without such terrible conditions. He knew that fire in her eyes. It was the same fire he saw when she first took over Stark Industries as CEO. He had been the military liaison to her father's company for a long time and had always seen her by her parents' sides. She was a genius, helping her father with projects from day one. As incredible as her idea was, he knew that she could make it reality.
"You know this puts me in a difficult position. What you're talking about doing is illegal, and the government is going to try to stop you and take that tech for themselves. They'll probably use me to do it."
Megan growled. "No. I can't trust them. Those terrorists had truckloads of my weapons. They didn't get that many in some accidental find; they were given them. It wasn't my company, and our biggest customer is the government." She took a deep, calming breath then continued. "I want to trust them, Rhodey; I really do. But until I know its design won't be stolen, I have to keep the government out of this. I have to build this suit. I'm not going to sell weapons anymore, but that doesn't mean I've given up on world peace."
Rhodes was torn about what to say, so he settled for, "I need time to think about this. C'mon — let's get you home."
Megan followed Rhodes out of the room, worrying her lip. Well, at least I told him beforehand. Better than springing it on him.
Sunday, December 7th, 2003 12:33a, MST | S.H.I.E.L.D. Secret Base, Roswell, New Mexico
P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act, indeed, Director Fury thought to himself upon reading the transcription of what had transpired in a Bost Airport meeting room. It was only natural for them to have bugged meeting rooms in an Afghan airport.
He looked up from the paper file and fixed Agent Coulson, who had brought him the report, with a serious eye. "Get to LAX, and take Agent Romanoff with you. Give Miss Stark her father's strongbox. She's a strong candidate for the Avengers Initiative, Coulson. I want her on-board."
"Are we to force the issue, sir?" Coulson inquired.
Fury glanced over the report again, piecing together the puzzle of Megan Stark.
Armor that made me the weapon... Just think what I can do... I have to build this suit. I'm not going to sell weapons anymore, but that doesn't mean I've given up on world peace.
"No. She just needs the right push."
Sunday, December 7th, 2003 09:42a, PST | Los Angeles International Airport, the Tarmac
As Megan exited the plane, she took a deep breath of American air, her eyes closed in pleasure. I'm finally home! she thought to herself as she opened her eyes to descend the stairs to the ground. She could only groan when she saw the black government car waiting for her, Happy, Pepper, and Obie nowhere to be seen.
The car doors opened, revealing a man and a woman. The man was clearly the older of the two, his brown hair having begun to recede, yet Megan had the odd feeling that there was more to him than met the eye. He wore the quintessential "secret agent" attire: a black suit, relatively plain tie, and an earpiece. The woman had dark red, curly hair that fell below her shoulders; but for her attire, Megan would have written her off as an average, albeit beautiful, woman. She wore a black one piece, front-zip uniform that covered her arms, shoulders, torso, and legs completely. Strapped around her waist was a utility belt with numerous pouches and a gun holster on her left, which was further secure by a second belt strapped around her thigh. She wore black, fingerless gloves that reminded Megan of driving gloves, and secured to each of her wrists were straps bearing numerous black cylinders.
The man spoke. "Miss Stark, my name is Agent Phil Coulson, and this is Agent Natasha Romanoff. We need to debrief you regarding your escape using the power suit."
Rhodes, who had begun to exit the plane behind Megan and carefully eyed the pair of agents. He wasn't terribly surprised to see them and suspected they had been sent by higher-ups in the federal government.
Megan ground out her response, "Five minutes. You people couldn't even leave me be for five minutes. Is Pepper here?" She had sent word ahead of her return and asked for both a ride home and for the driver to bring her meds. Rhodes had managed to locate some Estradiol for her, but as a transwoman, she needed more than just estrogen. She also needed Spironolactone, her anti-androgen. Together, the pills would suppress her naturally high testosterone levels and elevate her low estrogen levels. Without them, her hormonal balance wouldn't stay at those of a ciswoman, like Agent Romanoff.
Coulson answered, unrattled by the venom in Megan's words. "Miss Potts is with your bodyguard, Mr. Hogan. They've been temporarily detained by California highway patrolman until after we've debriefed you."
Megan began descending the stairs, despite her dread of the two at the bottom. "Well undetain them. She has my medication, which I've been missing for over three months now." She reached the bottom of the stairs, her lips quirking into smile. It couldn't hurt to lay on some charm, right? "Please, Phil?"
Rhodes chuckled in spite of the seriousness of the situation, and Romanoff raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Coulson procured a bag containing two pill bottles from the black car and held them out to her. "We knew about your medical needs, so we brought some Estradiol and Spironolactone with us. The car, please, Miss Stark."
Megan stared at the pills in the bag then up at Coulson, who easily had half a head's height on her. Her nostrils flared in anger at the injustice of it all. More people knew her secret — agent people.
She surged forward, covering the short distance between herself and Coulson in a flash, and snatched the bag. She examined the bag, confirming that Coulson had been telling the truth. Her eyes returned to Coulson's. "Debrief my escape, right?" Coulson nodded. "Rhodey wasn't there, so he can leave." It wasn't a question.
Coulson shrugged. "He will still be debriefed by the Marine Corps, but he doesn't need to be debriefed by us."
With a huff, Megan viciously tore one of the black car's rear doors open. "Then let's get this over with."
Coulson drove the car while Romanoff conducted the debrief. Megan told them the exactly what she had told Rhodes. It was obvious that they knew about the entirety of the conversation at the airport — they had made as much clear with their casual reference to her power suit and medication — so she saw no reason to lie. Coulson had taken the car onto the I405 and I10, and they were presently on state road 1; they were clearly taking her home. Megan hoped that Rhodes had had the foresight to call Pepper and Happy with an update.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Stark."
There had been no humor in Romanoff's words, but Megan wasn't fooled. They have a very loose definition of cooperation, she thought to herself. "Is that all then?"
Romanoff, who was sitting in the back with Megan, fixed her with a 'not even close' look. "Regarding your plans to build the 'Iron Woman' —"
"No, no," Megan interrupted. "I'm going to build a power suit. It's... Without me..." She floundered for an explanation that didn't sound corny, but finding none, she met Romanoff's gaze and firmly explained, "I am 'Iron Woman.'"
Coulson glanced at her briefly in the rear-view mirror before watching the road once more. He hadn't been able to help it. Her statement, while simple, had had intense fire in it. Coulson's mind rang with Director Fury's words once more: She just needs a push.
Romanoff gave nothing away. "Regarding your plans to build a 'power suit': Our boss asked us to deliver Howard Stark's strongbox into your possession. The contents should help in your endeavor."
Megan blinked. "My dad's strongbox?" She had been under the impression that she'd received all of his possessions when he died. "And you're going to... just give it to me."
A ghost of a smile crossed Romanoff's lips. "That is what I said, yes."
"But," Megan began, flustered. "I don't get it! What's the point of all this strong-arm nonsense? I thought you wanted to stop me, not help me!"
Agent Coulson smirked from up in the driver's seat and replied, "We wanted to let you know that we're serious, Miss Stark. You'll be monitored, of course, but you already knew that."
Megan's conversation with Rhodes briefly crossed her mind. I definitely know now.
In a flash, he pulled a business card from heaven knows where and contorted his arm to hold it out to her. "My card. We'd like to cooperate with you on this, Miss Stark. Please don't hesitate to call if you have questions."
Megan numbly took the card from Coulson. Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division? Somebody really wanted the acronym to be S.H.I.E.L.D... Having nowhere else at the moment to put the card, she tucked it into her bra. Romanoff raised an eyebrow but made no comment.
They reached Megan's home soon after. To Megan, it was a beautiful sight. Home, at last! she thought fervently.
She opened the car door and moved to leave the car but stopped. After a moment's pause, she closed the door, settled back into her seat, and cast an inquiring eye on the agents.
"You said you wanted me to know you're serious. I know you are." She let her words sink in for a moment, then continued. "So be serious with me. You know about my... meds. You want me to 'cooperate' with you. It all sounds an awful lot like blackmail to me, Phil, Natasha."
Natasha said nothing, but Phil turned around in his seat to face her and responded, "I'm afraid there's nothing I can say or do that will reassure you. I'm sorry."
The three of them sat there for some time: Natasha, quiet and unmoving; Phil, apologetic but unyielding; and Megan, intense and searching.
"There's something I can do though." And with that said, Megan opened her door and exited the car. The trunk popped open, revealing her father's container. She pulled it out and stepped back. She stood there, rooted to her driveway, and watched as the agents departed into the distance.
When the car had finally left her sight, she moved to go inside. Happy always parked his car in the driveway, since the garage was hers. The empty pavement meant that he and Pepper hadn't returned yet.
The front door opened itself for her, and as she entered, strong box in hand, Jarvis' smooth voice filled her ears. "Welcome home, Miss Stark."
"Sorry, Jarvis. I'm just here to grab some things."
Sunday, December 7th, 2003 11:22a, PST | Stark Industries, Press Conference Room
Megan's heart was heavy. She had intended to have a press conference all along but only about the new direction she had planned for Stark Industries. In light of her contact with S.H.I.E.L.D., however, she had a second item on the agenda: revealing that she had been born male. This wasn't the first time she had entertained the idea of being more open about being transwoman, but she had always decided against it. This was the new millennium, a digital age, and she was, unfortunately, a celebrity. She had always came to the conclusion that if she opened up too much, that the flood gates would open wide and the waters of pop culture would swallow her whole.
But the dam had begun to crack on its own. Yinsen was one thing, but S.H.I.E.L.D.? She couldn't trust her secret to them. Worse yet was how the agents had known. She needed to face facts and head things off before someone else overheard something they shouldn't. There wasn't a way to resolve the matter without her secret coming out, but she could at least do it on her terms.
"This isn't exactly going to be formal, as you can tell." An understatement, since Megan had come directly to Stark Industries following her drive with Natasha and Phil. Her hair was still caked with grime, and she still wore the ripped and torn suit pants she had been wearing when the Ten Rings kidnapped her. She had exchanged the battered tank-top she had acquired in the cave with a solid red, button-up blouse, which was presently buttoned high enough to block her miniature arc reactor from sight. Two reveals is more than enough, thank you!
The crowd chuckled at her joke, but the moment was brief. All eyes were on her again.
God, I hate doing these things, Megan thought to herself. Though it's nice to have my family here. She had instructed Jarvis to make the calls for her: Pepper and Happy, Rhodes, Obadiah, and Phil. She had briefly debated the option of not calling Phil, but she knew S.H.I.E.L.D. would find about the conference anyway and had decided to extend them the small courtesy. We'll be "cooperating," so we might as well be on friendly terms.
"I have two announcements to make today. I'm positive that you'll be interested in both of them, so please listen closely. I don't have time to repeat myself — I've got a bath back home with my name on it." Another wave of laughter came and went.
"I had many conversations with my dad, but there was one I never got around to: I wanted to ask him how he felt about what his company did... If he was ever conflicted — had doubts. On Friday, August 29th, I was in Afghanistan for a weapon demonstration. On our way back to base, my caravan was attacked by terrorists. I saw young Americans like me killed... killed by the very weapons I had created to defend and protect them. I realized that I had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero-accountability."
One of the reporters spoke out, "What happened over there?"
"I had my eyes opened. I came to realize that I have more to offer this world than just making things that blow up. And that is why, effective immediately, I'm shutting down the weapons manufacturing division —"
The reporters began to excitedly murmur. Megan pressed on.
"— of Stark Enterprises until such time as I can decide what the future of this company will be. The direction it will take will be one I'm comfortable with and consistent with the highest good of this country and the world."
The questions began to fly as the reporters, ravenous for a good story, could no longer contain themselves. Obadiah, who had been standing off stage, began making his way towards Megan to begin damage control. Rhodes and Phil, who were both backstage with Pepper, weren't caught off guard by the announcement, since they had prior knowledge. Pepper had not, however, and was gobsmacked.
"QUIET!" Megan loudly called out, impatience evident on her face. The frenzy of activity cooled down to a simmer at her reaction but refused to die out completely. With the volume low enough for her to be heard once more, she continued her statement.
"That is my first announcement." The reporters fell silent, not wanting to miss a single word.
"As I said before, I had many conversations with my dad. He, my mother, and I were close. We loved each other a lot." Megan's eyes began to lightly shimmer, but she refused to let herself cry in front of these people. She was giving them enough ammunition already. "Life can be harsh — force you to compromise where you don't want to. The three of us made our own harsh compromise. It's why they sheltered me a lot when I was a kid, and it's why I'm making this second announcement." She took a deep breath and made the plunge. "My name is Megan Stark, and I am a woman who was born male."
Megan had already hinted to Phil about her intent, so he was unfazed by her announcement, but he was definitely the only one. Pepper dropped her clipboard, the attached paperwork scattering. Her hand had unconsciously risen up to cover her mouth, which still hung open from the shock of the first announcement. Rhodes and Obadiah were both rooted, unable to compel themselves to move from where they stood. The reporters practically exploded with shock and began to rush the stage while snapping pictures furiously and screaming out questions, many of which were incredibly inappropriate.
"Miss Stark, do you still have it?" " Stark, what is your real name?" "Miss Stark, are your breasts real?" "Mister Stark, were your parents ashamed of your condition?" "Miss Stark, do you have sex both ways?"
Megan's face burned bright red with embarrassment at how awful the questions were, the indignation crushing down her heart. She wanted to leave, to just get out of there and go home, but her feet felt like they were made of lead — she was caught in the warpath of the frenzy she had incited.
Phil took stock of the situation and decided to act. He didn't like the way Megan was being treated, and nothing in his assignment precluded him from helping her end the conference. He bustled forward towards her side, mentally noting that the closest exit was in the backstage area where he had been watching. As Phil made his way to the podium, Rhodes finally managed to convince his legs to move again and swiftly followed Phil.
Megan was on the verge of losing the battle to stave off her tears when the two men reached her. They each placed a hand on her shoulder, one on each side, and Rhodes down to the mic to briefly say, "We're done here."
Megan gladly followed her two saviors, vaguely aware that Obadiah had finally come forward and begun damage control. When they reached Pepper, Megan stopped them briefly and whispered with a dead voice, "I'm sorry, Pep. I have to be AWOL a bit longer."
Pepper nodded unconsciously, still grappling with the gravity of what had just transpired, but the three of them had already started moving towards the exit — towards home.
Sunday, December 7th, 2003 11:43a, PST | Stark Industries, CA
Obadiah had finally managed to disperse the conference reporters, giving them assurances ("Megan's back, and healthier than ever!") and the rest of the bullshit he usually used to handle such debacles. He began making his way to his office in order to work on a long-term solution. His cell rang shortly after he had closed his doors to shut out interruptions. He glanced at the number and his lips curled into a wicked smile.
He answered it. "Did you find all of the pieces?"
"Affirmative," the voice on the other end replied.
"I want them here ASAP. Kill all of The Ten Rings." He hung up.
Obadiah had been frustrated when the terrorist cell had contacted him about their capture of Megan. He had arranged for them to attack her convoy, but he hadn't informed them who they would be killing. Needless to say, they had upped the stakes on him. A hit on an American soldier caravan was one matter — Megan Stark was quite another. Opportunity had come to his doorstep, however, when The Ten Rings contacted him again, seeking his assistance in reconstructing Megan's escape method. Now, his men had secured the pieces to the marvelous machine, and they would soon be his.
So you don't to build weapons anymore, Megan? Ironic — you've just given the world its greatest weapon ever.
Sunday, December 7th, 2003 12:58p, PST | 10880 Malibu Point, 90265
It had taken some effort, but Megan finally convinced Rhodes and Happy, who had been filled in on about what happened along the way, to let her be alone for the night. Phil had bowed out soon after they had gotten her home (I'm afraid I have another assignment that I need to handle, Miss Stark.), and she had thanked him as profusely as she good for his impromptu rescue of her from the press conference.
With the house finally empty, Megan suddenly realized that she had no idea what to do. She had wanted — needed — time alone, but she needed something to do while she thought. There was a reason why she constantly played music in her workshop while she built. She wanted to start work on the suit but couldn't bring herself to. Her heart wasn't in it. How could she build a suit like the one she had made with Yinsen if her heart wasn't in it?
Unable to think of anything else, she pulled out her parents' old scrapbooks and took them into the living room. Before her parents died, she had rarely pulled them out, but since then, she had come to count them among her most prized possessions. Her mother had pieced the books together, so her handwriting adorned the pages within. It wasn't that her father wasn't sentimental — he assuredly was. But he had also been very busy, especially with his time divided between her and his work.
She flipped through the pages casually, a weak smile on her face as the memories in the photos helped dispel the dead feeling that had taken roost in her during the cataclysmic press conference. She didn't know how long it took her to work her way through all of the books. And it hurt. It hurt so much. She wanted to be in her mother's comforting arms, to hear her father tell her he loved and supported her. But they were dead. Nothing but photos remained.
The tears that had threatened to come all day finally broke free, and she wept into the night. She wept until sleep finally overcame her.
Megan woke up later that night, the sun long since departed. The unease in her heart still felt like an open wound, and the restlessness of her sleep had not recharged her at all. Her weary, tear-stained eyes fell on the albums, causing her to let out a choked sob. She had thought she was over relatively over the loss of her parents, but she had clearly been wrong.
"Mommy, Daddy... I miss you so much..."
"Miss Stark, you have an urgent message."
Megan blinked. She had forgotten Jarvis was even here, she was so lost in thought.
"I don't care — even if it's someone in the system. I am not in the mood, Jarvis."
"Ma'am, I'm sorry. My protocols are being overridden."
Overridden? "What the hell are you talking about? Grow a spine, Jarvis! I am so not in the fucking mood!"
"Miss Stark, I know this is a bad time; I'm sorry for interrupting." It was Phil. She opened her mouth to demand that he stay the fuck out of Jarvis, but Phil continued. "I'm leaving this message to remind you about your father's box. I've been assured that you'll be very interested in its contents, even at a time like this. Best of luck."
A recording then. Right, that makes sense. Otherwise, Jarvis would've said "call" instead of message. She played the message over again in her head when the exact words hit her. Herfather'sbox.
She bolted from the living room and found the box was still by the door where she had left it earlier. She stared at it for a moment, as if it were a priceless artifact in a museum — something that ought not be disturbed. This box was her father's, and she had never seen it before. Having it didn't make their deaths any easier, but this, unlike the scrapbooks, was a fresh memory of her father. For the moment, that box was worth more than gold to Megan Stark.
Eventually, she worked up the nerve to handle the box and took it back into the living room. She laid it on the couch, released the twist locks, and flipped the lid open. Inside, she found a small mountain of papers mostly comprised of newspaper clippings and academic papers. Laying on top of the mound, she found a movie reel. Her eyes opened wide at the sight of it. Is that a film of him?
"Jarvis, do we have a player this will work with?"
"Yes. It is in storage locker 3."
"Unseal that locker. I'll be there shortly."
"My child, you're too young to understand now, so I decided to record it for you. I built this for you. Someday, you'll realize that they represent much more than inventions of people. It represents the work of my life. This is the key to the future. I'm limited by the technology of my time, but... One day, you'll figure it out, and you will change the world. You'll make it a better place, one where everyone is free to be themselves, like you are always trying to be. You are my greatest creation. Your mother and I will always be in your heart. Remember: We will always be proud of you. We will always love you."
As the film ended, Megan realized that her tears had returned, but that there was something different about them. Before, they had come as she mourned the loss of her parents, but now it was different. She could practically feel her mother's arms embracing her as her father's words comforted her.
The diorama of her father's "City of the Future" stood nearby. He had built it for the 1984 Stark Expo, back when she was just four and still "Tony." Her father had been standing by it in the film; it was the key he had mentioned. Megan walked over to it and stood there — stood there in the same spot where he had proclaimed his pride and love for her.
"This is the key... One day, you'll figure it out, and you will change the world. You'll make it a better place."
"The key..." Megan gently toyed with one of the diorama's small buildings, smiling softly as she remembered playing with the same building as her father filmed nearby. She cast her eyes over it, drinking in the image of the city he had wanted to build.
She froze. This isn't a city.
Megan's eyes glazed over as she analyzed the buildings, roads, gardens, stands... Putting together the pieces of the puzzle her father had made for her. Is this a blueprint for an element?
"I'm limited by the technology of my time."
Her hand grasped at the arc reactor in her chest. It had been her father's design; she just miniaturized it. Her model, like his, contained a palladium core. She hadn't thought about it until now, but using a palladium core was a seriously bad idea for her. Palladium poisoning would become a very real possibility over time and would ultimately kill her if she didn't find a substitute. She gazed over the diorama once more. Would her father's theoretical element work as a substitute for her?
"Is that how you want your legacy to end? Or are you going to do something about it, Megan Stark?"
"Mom, Dad, Yinsen — this is not how it's going to end."
Monday, December 8th, 2003 12:03p, PST | 10880 Malibu Point, 90265
Rhodes pulled into Megan's driveway and sighed when he saw one of the agents from yesterday. He might have been okay with the guy who had helped Megan retreat from her press conference, Megan had apparently taken a liking to him, but instead, it was the red-headed who had been decked out in super spy attire. Thankfully, she was dressed in casual wear today: a yellow jacket over a red blouse with black pants and heels.
He parked the car and hopped out. May as well try to be civil. "May I ask what you're doing here, Agent... Romanoff?"
"I'm here on assignment, Lt. Colonel."
"And how long have you been standing here waiting to get in?"
Natasha quirked an eyebrow. "To get in? No. On you."
That caught his attention. These people had known exactly when and where Megan's plane would land and whose arrival they needed to delay. If they knew all of that, then they surely knew where he lived. Yet she had met him here, at Megan's, rather than his own home. That could mean a number of things, but the most likely was that she needed him to do something here — something that almost certainly involved Megan.
He needed more info to be sure, so he calmly asked, "And how is Megan?"
Natasha smirked. "Yes, I've been in to check on her, and yes, I need you to do something for me; more precisely, Megan does."
Rhodey stiffened. Had he really been so obvious? Or was she just that good at reading people? I guess the spy suit is for more than looking good.
Natasha continued, "Megan is fine; see for yourself."
Rhodey's eyes narrowed. Fine? After yesterday? No, she's playing me. "Jarvis," he called out. "Did Megan let Agent Romanoff into the house earlier?"
"Good day, Mister Rhodes. Miss Stark did not allow Agent Romanoff into the house earlier, but she did speak with her after Agent Romanoff bypassed my security protocols."
Rhodey blinked, caught off guard. He had honestly thought she was trying to exploit him in order to access the house.
"Are we done playing games, Lt. Colonel?" Natasha quipped. "She wants you to install her new 'heart.'"
Clearly outclassed, Rhodes gave up and opened the door without a word.
The stairs descending into Megan's basement weren't lit when they reached them, so Rhodes asked Jarvis to turn on the lights. As they flickered on, illuminating the spiral stairway, he heard Megan loudly complain from downstairs, "Jarvis, what the hell! All night, remember? Nap time!"
"My apologies, Miss Stark, but Lt. Colonel Rhodes is here to see you regarding the installation of your new arc reactor."
Rhodes reached the bottom of the stairs, punched in the door code, and entered the workshop. "Your arc reactor, huh? That makes a lot more sense. Agent Romanoff said you wanted me to install your new heart."
He looked Megan over, and was pleased to see that while she was clearly drained, she nevertheless looked worlds better than yesterday. She was cleanly showered and had purged her hair of mats, but most importantly, her voice was free of the soul-crushing depression it had had yesterday. In fact, she looked more like herself than ever: she wore a pair of old, but well maintained dark red yoga pants; a short-sleeved, black zip-up hoodie, which was unzipped enough that her arc reactor was clearly visible; a pair of plain black sandals; and, last but not least, her faded gold work gloves and goggles. This was Megan Stark in her element: Queen of the Gear Monkeys.
Megan glared at Natasha as she pushed the goggles off her eyes and onto her forehead. "I swear to God, you S.H.I.E.L.D. people act like you own my fucking house."
Natasha shrugged and leaned against the wall next to the door.
Megan turned her attention back to Rhodes. "It is my heart. It keeps the shrapnel in my chest from entering my anatomical heart and killing me."
Rhodes was shocked. He had seen the reactor when his team had found her in the desert, but this was the first time she had explained why it was there. "Right. That makes sense." He glanced at the extra arc reactor that laid on the worktable Megan had working at. Or had she been snoozing? "And that's the new one then?"
Megan nodded. "My old one is dying out. If it had just been powering me, then that it would still have been fine, but it was the power source for the suit in Afghanistan as well." She picked up the new reactor, showing it off with pride evident in her eyes. "This bad boy was designed from the ground up with the intent to have an exchangeable core."
"Is that why the core is triangular instead of circular?"
"Nope. It's actually a new type of core altogether." She pointed at the reactor on her sternum. "Yinsen and I made this one a Palladium core, like the one my dad built at Stark Industries." Her finger moved to indicate the reactor in the palm of her other hand. "I made this one with a new element. My dad..." She paused for a moment, her eyes shimmering. "My dad left me a hidden blueprint for how to make it." Her lips quirked up into a real smile. "He's still taking me to school."
Rhodes looked on in appreciation. Discovering a new element was seriously impressive, especially given how torn up she'd been when he left yesterday. Is this why she's feeling better? Solving the puzzle her dad left for her? "What're you gonna call it?"
Megan blinked. "Err, to be honest, I hadn't thought about it. I was too busy constructing the array to build it and then the new reactor to house it." She began tapping her index finger against her chin. "Starkanium?"
Rhodes chuckled, making Megan blush. "You can work on it later. How do I install this thing?"
As Megan explained the swapping process, Natasha made a mental note to report Megan's successful creation of the element. According to S.H.I.E.L.D. file, Howard Stark made the film in the strong box back in 1984, but even as technology moved forward, he'd still been unable to make it. His daughter made it in one night. Granted, her tech was two years farther along than her father's, but it really wasn't that big of a leap. The real reason for her success was clearly that her mind was simply better. Howard Stark was a genius. What did that make Megan? This had been Director Fury's test: could Megan make herself into something more? She clearly had.
"Did you really have to make that into something provocative?" Megan muttered, as Rhodes began inserting the new arc reactor.
"Meg, you were only wearing a bra under that hoodie! The cleavage was one thing, but that was ridiculous. You're lucky you're not my type."
She grinned. I know his type, all right. He only plays with his "team," after all.
As soon as the reactor was set into her chest, she gasped. Rhodes took a step back in panic. "Are you okay? Did I put it in wrong?"
"No, no!" she moaned in ecstasy. "It's just so good! I feel like a million bucks!"
It was Rhodes' turn to grin. "You are a billionaire."
Megan laughed, "Oh, whatever!" She turned her attention to a nearby monitor and cracked her knuckles. "Jarvis! Let's build a suit!"
"I thought it was 'nap time'?" Natasha chipped in.
"Million buuucks, 'Tasha." She stuck her tongue out at the agent playfully.
Natasha quirked an eyebrow at the moniker but said nothing. Her assignment had been to check on Megan's progress with the new core and, if she had successfully made the new element, help her with installing it. She'd found the gear monkey snoozing at a worktable when she broke in earlier. The new arc reactor was on the table next to her, so she woke Megan up to ask if she needed help getting it in.
"Yes, but only people who know how to use a god-forsaken doorbell are qualified to handle my heart! Now let me sleep until Rhodey or Pepper gets here."
And so she had waited for either of Megan's friends to arrive and install the reactor. Her assignment was complete now, but it seemed her patience would be rewarded with a bonus. Natasha relished the prospect of surprising Fury with intel about Megan's suit, so she decided to stay. I don't have to be anywhere else right now, anyway.
Megan intently studied the hologram of the original suit, examining the blueprint she had replicated from memory. Finally, she nodded to herself.
"Jarvis, label this as 'Mark I,' and save it. Copy to new project file, index as 'Mark II.'"
"Too lazy to move your fingers, ma'am?"
"Shush, you. I'm creating."
Rhodes and Natasha watched with no small amount of humor as Megan began altering the hologram while engaged in banter with her AI. She flicked some parts away, stretched or moved the remaining ones, and added to the hologram display.
"Yes, that's it!"
The bystanders examined the completed hologram. The original armor had been bulky, simple, and boxy, but the new armor was sleek, intricate, and curvy. It had an air of feminine class that the other one had not, but would it function at least as well as the old suit? Could she even make this one? The idea seemed too fantastic, but this was Megan Stark's bailiwick — making the impossible possible. She had miniaturized an arc reactor and made a new element in a single night; her chest bore the proof.
At that moment, Megan's stomach rumbled as if to say, 'You can't start this on an empty stomach!'
Her cheeks tinged pink, she muttered to herself, "Right. Food. Still human." She turned to head upstairs to the kitchen and froze at the sight of Rhodes and Natasha. She had clearly forgotten they were even there.
Natasha laughed, quite possibly the only time Rhodes and Megan had ever seen her summon up more than a smirk. "Yes, you're still human, Stark." She picked herself up from where she had been leaning against the wall and exited the workshop, calling back over her shoulder, "You can work on becoming invincible later."