It's been a day since I've been notified that my father survived the plane crash; and since Rhodey told me about Justin's escape. Which I've had luck of keeping from Pepper. I keep the T.V off during the night and day just in case the news came on and started talking about his escape. I felt somewhat guilty for keeping something like this away from Pepper, but I didn't need her to worry. Course, when does she ever NOT worry? I still felt I should keep it from her a bit longer, seeing she'd find out sooner or later. I decided, later would be my best option. Just then, I saw Pepper come down the stairs in a light blue buttoned T-Shirt that came down to her hips, she looked a bit energized as she walked into the kitchen to make two cups of coffee.
"Someone seems as if they slept well...?" I said greeting a good morning start.
"I did sleep well," She said walking into the living to sit next to me on the couch. "What about you? You look like you haven't slept at all." She adds.
"That's because I didn't."
"Why not?"
I knew I had to make something up, I couldn't tell her the REAL reason why, she'd worry about me more than she seemed to be already. "I was up making adjustments to the suit. After New York, I don't know. Sometime about it seems off." I say picking up a tablet on the table looking through the options I have to work with on the suit. Obviously it needs upgrades, especially if I run into Justin Hammer again. Pepper didn't look convinced but, at my guess, she let is pass. She stood and walked back to the kitchen, I lean back and look over my shoulder as she's walking into the kitchen, turn back to the tablet with a slight smirk on my face.
Meanwhile...
Justin Hammer, the former escapee from a LA. prison, sits in a small room in a hideout, watching the news. He silently scoffs seeing Tony Stark's city celebration, after returning from New York. He rewinds it and pauses it on Tony's face. Glaring he quickly turns off the T.V.
"Melody!" Justin called with a firm tone.
A young, thirteen year old girl rushes down the steps of the small hideout with fear striking her eyes, she stops in front of him, head down terrified of him.
"Yes, Mr. Hammer?" She asks.
After being in prison for two years, Hammer changed from a tight, loyal business man to a firm, violent, and rage-full man. He stood above her like a hawk looking down at pray from a high perch. Justin lays a soothing hand on her shoulder which causes her to flinch just a bit, he made her look up. He looked at her with his snake-like eyes, "I need you to go into Mr. Stark's house and find his suits," He takes a camera from his small, junked side table and gives it to her. "Get as close as you possibly can and take pictures of each suit." He grinned. Melody didn't want to disappoint him, not again. She nodded quickly but before she could leave the room and gave her one more thing with a specific set of instructions; nodding she rushed out of the hideout taking what Hammer gave her.
Back at the Stark house...
"Have you checked on you dad, lately?" Pepper calls from up stairs.
"As a matter of fact, I haven't."
For a reason, actually. That jerk-off spent fifteen years his life searching for something-or rather a someone-that didn't turn up until just recently. And the night before his big search, he and my mother...yeah, I think some people know, I try not to remind myself. Then he disappeared until my mother showed up at HIS doorstep saying that I was his son.
"Tony. He's your father." Pepper called again.
Her heels the she had just slipped on came closer until they stopped behind me, I turned around with a slight smirk. She slipped her arms around my neck as she smiled.
"I need you to come with me, Tony." She said tilting her head just slightly to the right.
"Where?"
"The Stark Building. There's some questions the construction workers are needing to ask you."
I nod, buying into her game. Once we're in the car, Pepper leaned up to Happy's ear and whispered something I couldn't quite catch. Happy nodded slightly and left the drive way. I looked to Pepper curiously all she did was smile. Fifteen minutes later, the car pulls in front of St. Marks hospital. Of course. I think sarcastically.
"You're learning quickly." I say sarcastically to Pepper
She huffed happily with a smile and got out of the car as Happy opened the door for her. I stepped out and went inside with Pepper.
Meanwhile: at the Stark's residence...
Melody had waited until Tony and Pepper had left the house to slip inside by breaking the window, which made Jarvis quickly sound off the alarm. Scared and in a hurry, Melody rushed around the house looking for what Hammer told her to find, running down the stairs she finds what she's looking for. Tony's suits. She snaps a few pictures of each suit, she got a picture of the security system just in case Hammer wanted that as well. She rushed back up the stairs and ran for the door, then she remembered the clay-like box. She sets on the kitchen counter like Hammer told her too, opens it and presses a little bright red button that makes it count down stating from 60:00. She quickly runs out and goes back to give Hammer what he wanted.
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I loved writing it. :)