The Unknown Variable
Marvel/Disney owns everything and I do not. Oh, and JK owns the rest.
Dr. Foster hung up soon after that, and I reached the Expo. Talking to the Astrophysicist did not help my grief and deep anguish, but it did ease a small part of my mind, knowing that I wasn't the only one in such pain.
I had managed to shut out the feelings, knowing that the night could go straight to hell, and thankfully it cleared my mind…a bit.
"Sir, the Mark II's energy signature has been detected, and my scans indicate that the armor has been heavily altered." Jarvis reported as I flew down towards the auditorium.
"Can you get in?" I asked trying to keep a grim on my wild emotions. If Rhodey was involved…things could get complicated.
"Barely sir, it shall require time, but I can open up a com. link with the Colonel." Jarvis stated instantly in reply.
"Do it." I commanded as I flew over the, now silent, crowd and landed in front of Rhodey.
"What did they do to my suit?" I asked myself with barely suppressed rage, before shaking my head. I couldn't change that now.
The crowd erupted into cheers and I stood up and walked towards Rhodey.
"We've got trouble." I stated the moment Jarvis got the com. link up, thankful that my voice didn't hold the same harsh tone it had a few minutes ago.
"Tony, there are civilians present. I'm here on orders. Let's not do this right now." Rhodey replied, he thought I was still mad at him…my voice must not be as masked as I thought. Damn.
"Give them a wave." I stated, wanting our conversation to go unnoticed and trying to smash down the whirring emotions. I wasn't completely sure what Ivan had planned, and I needed to pretend that I wasn't having a mental breakdown...
"Not with you, you big dummy. Vanko's still alive," my voice held a snap that I knew Rhodey noticed.
"Hey, alright! Yeah!" Hammer said, but I ignored him, looking like I agreed with whatever Justin had been saying.
"All of these people are in danger, we have to get them out of here." I stated my voice going cold again. "Trust me; no one will want to be here…please, just trust me for five minutes!"
"I tried that, I got tossed around your house. Vanko's dead Tony." Rhodey snapped. He really was still all hot and bothered about that.
"Did you not hear me? I think Hammer's working with Vanko!" I stated coldly with a snap, I was not in the mood for Rhodey's trust issues. "Called me up, told me himself. Now I'm really NOT in the mood for this, do you or do you not have my back?"
"I got your six Tony." Rhodey said after a long period of silence, and I rolled my eyes, he was a military man through and through.
Nodding to Rhodey I walked up to Hammer, who was still milking the crowd for all it was worth. Oh, how I wanted to just punch him.
"Where is he?" I yelled, my hard voice echoing through the speaker system.
"What?" Justin asked, turning around to face me. Oh…he was asking for it…
"Where's Vanko, Hammer?" I asked my voice hard like ice; I was this close to crushing him like a bug. But I needed answers….
"Who?" Hammer asked, but he was a horrible liar and a worse actor….it was made him a bad business man…among other things.
"Tell me, now, Hammer. I'm not in the mood for your games." I stated coolly. Today was not the day to push me. I will snap, and he would be the one to break.
"What are you doing here…man?" Justin asked, but Rhodey was the one who distracted me.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Tony someone's hacking my suit!" Rhodey yelled with concern.
"What?" I yelled wondering what on earth he was talking about; I had made the suits hacker resistant. "That's not possible!"
The large gun on the back of Rhodey's shoulder sprung up and started to spin to life. Shit.
"Rhodey, is that you?" I asked, preparing my own systems.
"That's not me Tony! I'm not doing that! I can't move, my controls are frozen." Rhodey stated worry in his voice.
"Great," I muttered under my breath, "What on earth did you guys do to my suits?! That shouldn't be possible!"
"Get out of here Tony! The suit's been compromised! Go, go!" Rhodey yelled through the link and I cursed. Now was really NOT the time…great, just great.
"Jarvis, I want you to get in there and disengage the suit. Now!" I ordered as all of the drones on the stage all awoke and aimed their weapons at me. Great, this night was just getting better and better.
The crowd all started screaming as I jumped into the air.
"Come on you big buckets of bolts!" I yelled, letting the fury consume me and the rage fill my voice. "Let's take this outside."
I shot off, the bots shots echoing through the air after me. The glass ceiling around the auditorium shattered, and fell down on the crowd. I hoped that no one got hurt.
"Tony, I swear…I didn't…" Rhodey started through the com. "TONY! My repulsors are firing up!"
"Rhodey! Chill out and just keep me posted!" I yelled as I flew through the building.
"Sir, it looks like the drones can fly." Jarvis reported as many dots appeared on the screen.
"Just great…Jarvis, I need you in the suit." I snapped as I swerved around.
"I am attempting to, just a few more minutes, sir." Jarvis replied.
"Tony! I'm locked on, I have a target locked!" Rhodey yelled, he and the other drones were right on my tail, and refused to be lost.
"On what?!" I yelled, though I had a pretty good idea. This was just NOT my freaking day.
"On you!" Rhodey yelled, as his machine gun fired. I swerved through the air, avoiding the bullets, and stated,
"Jarvis, evasive maneuvers…I need that suit disabled." I snapped as I shot down towards the ground.
Oh, how I wished Pen was here.
"Tony! On your six!" Rhodey yelled as we swerved through the buildings and auditorium.
"You know, it would be nice to have some back up!" Rhodey yelled, and my gut clenched as I realized what he was talking about… "Is that daughter of your planning on showing up any time soon?"
I ground my teeth together as tears sprung to my eyes. "It's not the time Rhodey." I snapped, my voice quavering.
"I'm serious, where is she? She's always helping you out…" Rhodey started.
I fumed as the weak walls around my heart broke and I yelled at him my voice broken and shaking and I shook in the suit, "Shut up Rhodey! You don't know what you're talking about!"
I took deep breaths as I tried to get my head back on…why now? Why did it have to be now?
"Tony…Tony what happened?" Rhodey asked after a moment. He could hear my heavy breathing, and I knew that he knew something was wrong.
"Tony…" Rhodey continued when I didn't answer. "…Tony what's wrong?"
"Not now Rhodey!" I yelled as I desperately tried to blink the tears out of my eyes.
"Tony…what happen to Penny?" Rhodey asked.
My breath hitched and I took a deep shuttering breath…why did he have to mention it…why…
"Rhodey please…." I begged my voice broken and shaking.
"Tony…" Rhodey started again and I snapped, all of my fury and rage boiling to the surface.
"She's dead! Alright she's dead and it's all my fucking fault!" I heard Rhodey gasp on the other end but I couldn't stop. "I couldn't save her…it's all my fault…I didn't save her…."
I squeezed my eyes shut, knowing that Jarvis would make sure I didn't hit anything.
Rhodey stayed silent as I tried to get myself back under control.
Finally, after a few moments, I managed to open my eyes and say, "Jarvis, how's the hacking going?"
"I was unsuccessful, sir." Jarvis replied as my eyes hardened. Vanko would pay, he would pay for everything.
"Get in, Jar…use Pen's back door." I ordered as explosions shook the ground beneath us. It seemed the ground based drones were causing some damage.
"Right away sir. Initiating protocol now." Jarvis intoned. I had forgotten that Jar could only use Pen's protocols and programs when ordered.
"It's time to stop this game." I hissed as I turned around and fired a repulsor at a drone. It exploded and crashed into the ground.
One down…quite a few more to go.
"Tony." Rhodey stated softly.
"What?" I snapped, as I fired at another drone.
"I am sorry." Rhodey stated softly.
"Drop it Rhodey." I stated as my voice broke again. "Just drop it."
Rhodey didn't reply as the ground drones started attacking the buildings.
This was so not my day.
Hey people, *evil smirk* next chapter...that is the one you all want... hehehe!
Rhodey now knows and Vanko is messing things up as usual. Hope you all liked it...and stuff...
Heheh...
Alright, Guys and Gals, if the chapter title has (unbeta'd) in it THEN IT HASN"T BEEN BETA"D BY MY BETAS YET! They're still in the early teens...yeah...just wanted to mention that.
If I waited for them then well...lets' just say that updates would be A LOT slower.
Oh, you guys will like what is coming next!
thanks to my Betas and all of you wonderful people,
Cp