Chapter 4: Iron Man and SHIELD
This chapter is for Natalie. Toni. Barton (aka Gabrielle-Lucy-Di'Angelo) ^_^ Hope you will like it!
Oh and I apologize for any OOCness you find and grammar mistakes!
Now, enjoy! :)
"Welcome to my Malibu home Yinsen!" Tony said when they stepped into Tony's home that would be Yinsen's home as long as he would want it to.
"It is very nice Tony." Yinsen smiled at the enthusiasm Tony showed while showing him around the house, Happy following quietly since he wanted to stay close to his boss/best friend.
"And now we come to the best part of it all: the workshop!" The doors to the workshop opened without Tony typing in a code, which surprised Yinsen but he followed nonetheless. As soon as Tony had stepped into the workshop, it came to life – literally – the light brightened, screens turned on, three robots rolled towards Tony and chirped happily and a voice came from seemingly nowhere. "It's good to have you back sir. Dummy, U and Butterfingers missed you deeply, as did I."
Tony kneeled in front of the three bots, patted them lovingly and said "I missed you too guys. I'm glad to be home… I'm surprised you stayed silent for so long Jarvis. I began to worry that something had happened to you in my… absence." "I'm sorry sir. I didn't want to worry you but I wanted to assess Mr Yinsen before announcing my presence." Tony nodded in understanding and suddenly turned around. "Which reminds me: Yinsen meet Jarvis, Dummy, U and Butterfingers. They are AIs I created and are my family alongside Happy, isn't that right boys?" The three bots chirped happily, while Jarvis and Happy said "Of course sir/boss."
"It is nice to meet you all. I'm glad to finally met Tony's family."
"Now since that is settled, how about we order some pizza for tonight and plan what we do next."
"The usual boss?"
"Yep."
"And for you Yinsen?"
"Anything is fine really."
"Alright."
And with that Happy went upstairs and called Tony's favourite pizza place meanwhile Tony ordered the bots to clean up a bit of the mess that was on his worktable (while helping out of course) and Yinsen slowly walked around and looked at the things that were lying around.
Minutes later Happy, Tony and Yinsen were sitting around the now cleared worktable and ate their pizza while talking about what had happened during Tony's absence and what was to come now that Tony had just stopped weapons manufacturing.
"The stocks will fall but since we already slowly withdrew form weapons and had started to focus on medical and technological advances it will help to cushion the fall. But the weapons that are still out there and in the wrong hands have to be destroyed and I have just the idea how. We won't tell anyone else about this, understood? Only he will be told but not Pepper, not Rhodey and definitely not Stane!"
Happy and Yinsen nodded in agreement, Tony grinned and grabbed another piece of pizza before addressing Jarvis. "J, could you start a new file on my private server for me?"
"Of course sir, for you always. Under what name shall I out the file?"
"Mark II."
Tony started working on an advanced version of the suit that had gotten him and Yinsen out of the cave and Yinsen despite having seen it the first time – in a cave – was stilled awed while watching Tony, as was Happy who hadn't exactly known what Tony was planning.
Happy and Yinsen gave their own ideas to improve the armour where they could, like that Jarvis should be made able to walk it around when Tony wasn't in it so that Tony could keep his identity secret. After asking Jarvis for his consent at the idea – which he gave – Tony built the armour and so Iron Man began to rise…
The armour was almost finished when they saw the TV news about the gala 'sponsored by Tony Stark' to which Tony himself hadn't been invited and since he wouldn't become a hermit just because he was now afraid of big masses of water and had nightmares almost every time he slept, he decided to go there and maybe get to enjoy himself a bit.
After thinking about it Happy and Yinsen decided to tag along (thank god Pepper had already bought new clothes for the good Doctor) but their god mood they had from sitting together and talking almost vanished completely when they saw Stane talking to the press. Tony slipped on a friendly mask and did as if nothing was wrong even if the magic inside him screamed that Stane was wrong in a way and stepped into the hall. Happy moved into a more shadowed position to get a better overview over the crowed and Yinsen stayed at Tony's side – getting introduced as personal physician of Tony (which he was now).
Tony chatted with some people to be nice and even exchanged few words with Pepper who had been pleasantly surprised at Tony's appearance. Tony and Yinsen were finally alone for a few minutes and trying to get a bit more breathing room from all the people when a man in a black suit that screamed government approached them.
But before said man reached them a woman stepped into Tony's personal space so that he had to take a small step back. "Mr Stark."
"Yes? What can I do for you Miss…?"
"Everhart, Christine Everhart. Mr Stark do you call this" she shoved him some photos under his nose "responsible?" The photos showed people – glad similar to those that had held Tony and Yinsen – with Stark weapons and even Jericho missiles. Tony's good mood vanished completely and he asked in an icy tone "From when are they?"
"Yesterday. They were taken in a small town named Gulmira." Both Tony and Yinsen stiffened at the name and exchanged quick glances – seemed like the Mark II would have his first appearance sooner than thought.
Tony's gripe on the photos tightened slightly and he said with a for-the-press-smile. "I'm sorry but I'm not my company but I try to change certain things as fast as it's possible. If you don't mind I would like to keep these photos and investigate how these weapons came into the possession of these people."
Everhart nodded stiffly, seemingly unsatisfied at the reaction and walked away with quick steps. Before Tony or Yinsen could say anything to the other, the man in the black suit stepped towards them.
"I'm sorry Mr Stark if the moment isn't perfect. My name is Agent Phil Coulson. I'm working for the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division, also known as-" "As SHIELD, I know. What can I do for you Agent Coulson? Does Director Fury need something from me?"
Agent Coulson seemed a bit taken aback at the comeback – it seemed like Nick hadn't told his Agent that SHIELD and Tony had already met – but the other man quickly regained his composure.
"Yes. The Director had asked me to speak to you – preferably in private – about how you escaped from your captors alongside Dr Yinsen. If I'm allowed the remark; the Director seemed worried about you Mr Stark the whole time you had been captured and wanted to clear a few details with you. But since he is extremely busy at the moment, he couldn't come personally."
Tony relaxed his hold on the photos and tucked them into a breast pocket while smiling slightly sadly. "I expected him not to come personally. At least not here… Alright Agent Coulson you can accompany us back to my house and there we can talk. Maybe even get a hold of Nick through a phone call."
He gave Happy the signal that they were going and Happy left the hall to get the car. Yinsen walked alongside Tony as he led the way out while Agent Coulson followed them, still trying to sort the information he had been given by the billionaire. It seemed like the Director had withheld a huge amount of information concerning Tony Stark, which wasn't that unusual but unusual enough.
On their way out they met Stane (again) and Tony was talked into letting a few photos taken with Stane. Tony forced a smile on his face when the older man grabbed his hand for the photo – his magic screamed at him to take this man out but he restrained it, instead thinking of finding prove that Stane had something to do with the underhand weapons sell because his magic reacted like that.
When he finally let go, Tony practically fled to his car where Happy was already waiting with Agent Coulson and Yinsen hot on his heels. Happy gave Tony a questioning look concerning the Agent and Tony just muttered. "He comes with us."
Tony drove the car – with Happy in the front passenger seat, Yinsen and Agent Coulson in the backseats – and enjoyed the wind wiping at his face. The feeling of the wind on his skin always managed it to drain away negative emotions such as anger.
When they reached the house Jarvis opened the gates for them and let them onto the premises. Tony drove the car down into the garage to the other cars and got out of it once he had stopped. He strolled towards his desk were Jarvis was displaying a few facts they didn't take into account when designing the suit – such as that it would freeze at a certain height. He quickly took in Jarvis' suggestion concerning this problem and approved it. "You know what, throw a little hot-rod red in there."
"Yes, that will help to keep you a low profile."
"Hey! I like it." That was all Jarvis needed to start painting the almost finished suit and Tony turned back to the other three people in the room (that were not AIs).
"How about we call Nick and then you can ask the questions you want to ask?" Without awaiting an answer from Agent Coulson, Tony turned around and sat down at his worktable, the other three following the example.
"J, could you call Nick for me?"
"Of course sir."
A screen lit up and after a few seconds of waiting the face of Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD, greeted them.
"Tony."
"Hi Nick. Sorry I didn't call sooner."
"Hope for you that you are really sorry... So, what can I do for you Tony?"
"You send one of your Agents to me and he seemed extremely surprised that I knew about SHIELD and you. Can it be that you forgot to tell him a few things? I mean it's not unusual that you din't mention things but i believe you overdid it this time."
To anyone else who didn't know the Director it would look like his face hadn't changed the slightest while Tony talked but Tony and Agent Coulson both saw the small signs that told them that he really had forgotten.
Tony laughed out loud. "Oh my god, you really did forget to tell him!"
Now Fury's face turned slightly angry at what Tony had said. "I'm sorry Stark" Tony flinched at the use of his last name out of Nick's mouth. "I was a bit preoccupied, first with you being captured and then your miraculous escape!"
Tony looked slightly ashamed; Nick had been worried for him even if he didn't outright say it.
"Sorry Nick…"
Nick Fury let out a small sigh and said. "Don't worry kid."
"But-"
Tony's reply was cut short when Agent Coulson took his turn to thrown in his own two cents. "I'm sorry sir to interrupt but my mission was it to find out how Mister Stark escaped. But you didn't tell me about previous interactions between SHIELD and Mr Stark."
"Agent Coulson, I don't believe it is really necessary for you to know the details especially not since I promised someone to keep them secret and in this case I will uphold my promise."
Fury looked Coulson dead into the eyes (with his one) who nodded in understanding and turned back to Tony. "But since you already took my away from work with call you can at least tell me how you did escape."
"Well long story short: they wanted my to built the Jericho, I refused and instead built an armour to escape with Yinsen. Which reminds me, Yinsen meet Director Nick Fury. Nick meet Doctor Ho Yinsen, he saved my life in that cave."
"It is an honour to meet you Director Fury." Yinsen said politely.
"I think that's my line Doctor, after all you saved Tony's life. You have my thanks."
"Ah… uhm… No need to thank me, he is a good man."
"That he is, if a bit too stubborn sometimes."
"Hey! Don't talk like I'm not here anymore! Anyway I told you how I escaped-" "In little detail" "- because I would like you to have my back in this. I created a better armour but I don't want it to get into anyone else's hands, which includes SHIELD, and want to make it look like the armour is my bodyguard while in reality I'm the one in it. I could work alongside SHIELD but with no ties and I will destroy all of my weapons out there that got dealt under the table. I also would like you to look into who it was that dealt them – my guess is Stane."
"Alright I think we can work with that but you have to work on the secret identity part yourself a bit. Are personnel from SHIELD allowed to know? We will also look into the dealing business for you but why Stane?"
"I would prefer it if only higher ranking Agents knew such as your partner Maria Hill, Clint and this Natasha Clint told me about. Agent Coulson already knows now because of this talk but I don't think it will be a problem, he seems like a nice guy that can keep secrets."
"He is one of my best." Nick agreed. Meanwhile Coulson was a bit taken aback by the mentioning of three names of people he knew pretty well. How come he didn't know that Stark and they had a connection? Had he gotten rusty or had they hidden it that well? But come to think of it, Clint had seemed a bit on edge the past few month and it overlapped with the time of Stark's capture. How were Clint and Stark related to each other?
"About Stane" Tony continued, not concerned with the thoughts running through the Agents mind that was sitting beside him. "He gives me even more the creeps than before Afghanistan and he even filled and injunction against me! I'm pretty sure that he has something to do with all that has happened recently, I just need prove but I can't walk into SI right know because of Stane."
Nick nodded in understanding. "Alright I will do what I can about it. For now I would like Agent Coulson to stay with you in case Stane tries something funny. I know you know have an invincible armour but it's better for my nerves when I know that Agent Coulson is at you side." With this Fury ended the call without any words of goodbye.
"Well looks like you will stay some time with us. Shall I show you to your room Agent Coulson?"
Tony almost bit himself on his tongue when he slipped back to the speech pattern he had as a child. It hadn't happened for some time – Tony had trained himself into talking like everyone else but when his emotions ran high or when he was just exhausted it came back.
He showed Coulson where he could sleep and excused himself, saying that he was tired himself and ignoring the worried looks Happy and Yinsen gave him when he said that – he never admitted to being tired and he would often stay several days awake without sleep without any side effects.
While dressing into comfortable boxers and a shirt Tony had a feeling that he would again have these strange dreams that plagued him since the first time he had met Maria…