That's Classified~ Marvel WTM

Chapter 10: Iron Man II

[The scene changes back to the air base.] 

[The General and Rhodey were observing the War Machine suit Rhodey flew to the base.]

General: Unbelievable. This out to get the Senate off my ass. It's functional?

Rhodey: Fully mission-capable. 

General: Good. Get Hammer down here to weaponize it. 

Nikita had nearly burst into laughter at the General's order. She bit her lip and turned her head towards Tony whose reaction was no better. They held on to each other's forearms as they tried as hard as humanly possible not to laugh. 

Rhodey: Sir?

General: Justin Hammer's making a weapons presentation at the Expo. We'd like this to introduce it. 

Rhodey: Sir, I don't believe that the Expo... 

General: Colonel, the world needs to see this fast. We've got to make this happen. 

Rhodey: Yes, General, but...

General: It's also an order. 

Rhodey: Yes sir. 

General: Good work, Colonel. You've made your country proud. 

Rhodey: Thank you sir. 

[The scene changes again back to Tony's house. The house is still damaged from the fight between Tony and Rhodey.] 

Nearly everyone winced at the state of the Malibu mansion. Steve spoke up and asked, "Were you at least able to salvage the house?" Nikita quietly snorted so that only Tony could hear. Tony squeezed her closest leg before turning to answer the super solider.

"Yeah, everything was fixed for a while. Then... I did some things, and the house was blown off the cliff and into the ocean." Steve's eyes went wide just like everyone else's, except Nikita. She just subtly shook her head with a slight roll of her eyes. 

[Tony and Nick Fury are sitting in the house talking.] 

Fury: That thing in your chest is based on unfinished technology. 

Tony: No, it was finished. It has never been particularly effective until I miniaturized it and put it in my... 

Fury: No. Howard said the arc reactor was the stepping stone to something greater. He was about to kick off an energy race that was gonna dwarf the arms race. He was on to something big, something so big that it was gonna make the nuclear reactor look like a triple-A battery. 

Tony: Just him, or is Anton Vanko in on this too? 

Fury: Anton Vanko is the other side of that coin. Anton saw it as a way to get rich. When your father found out, he had him deported. When the Russians found out he couldn't deliver they shipped his ass off to Siberia and he spent the next 20 years in a vodka-fueled rage. Not quite the environment you want to raise a kid in, the son you had the misfortune of crossing paths with in Monaco. 

Tony: You told me I hadn't tried everything. What do you mean I haven't tried everything? What haven't I tried? 

Fury: He said that you were the only person with the means and knowledge to finish what he started. 

Tony: He said that? 

Fury: Are you that guy? Are you? 'Cause if you are, then you can solve the riddle of your heart. 

Nikita narrowed her eyes in disgust at what she just heard on screen. She barely resisted the urge to loudly gag at Fury's words as well. 

Tony: I don't know where you get your information, but he wasn't my biggest fan. 

Fury: What do you remember about your dad? 

Tony: He was cold, he was calculating. He never told me he loved me. He never even told me he liked me, so it's a little tough for me to digest when you're telling me he said the whole future was riding on me and he's passing it down. I don't get that. You're talking about a guy who's happiest day was when he shipped me off to boarding school. 

Steve had a strong grip on his arm rests as he suddenly exclaimed, "That can't be true! Howard was charismatic, charming, and he had a larger-than-life personality." Nikita didn't hold herself back as she turned around in her seat as she glared at Steve. In a stern voice that was more commanding than any yell, she said, "The amount of time you knew Howard Stark is nothing compared to how long his own son knew him. You knew him for maybe a few months. Tony knew him for 17 YEARS! You have no concept of who Howard was as a person, let alone what some of his core characteristics would have been." 

The room was shocked into a stunned silence after Nikita's rant. Steve's eyes had widened, and he had nothing to say in response. Nikita let out a harsh exhale as she turned back around and plopped back in her seat. Tony slowly and subtly reached over and grabbed her hand in comfort, not only for her, but himself as well. 

As Clint slowly came out of his shock, he became confused. Nikita had just fervently defended Tony. Usually, she would only do that for her extremely close friends. He didn't want to be rude to his best friend, but to his knowledge the only friends she had were those that she worked with. Not Tony Stark. 

Fury: That's not true. 

Tony: Well, then, clearly you knew my dad better than I did. 

Fury: As a matter of fact, I did. He was one of the founding members of SHIELD. 

Tony: What? 

Fury: [Starting to stand up] I got a two o'clock. 

Tony: Wait, wait, wait, wait. What's this? 

Fury: [Walking away as other agents bring in a few black cases.] Okay, you're good, right?

Tony: No, I'm not good. 

Fury: You got this? Right? Right?

Tony: [Standing up as well] Got what? I don't even know what I'm supposed to get. 

[Nikita and Coulson walk in as the other agents leave.] 

Fury: [Gesturing to Nikita] Nikita will remain a floater at Stark with her cover intact. [Now pointing to Coulson] You remember Agent Coulson, right? 

Tony: Yeah. 

Fury: And Tony, remember, I got my eye on you. [Fury leaves]

Nikita: We've disabled all communications. No contact with the outside world. [She gives him a smirk that Coulson doesn't see and Tony raises an eyebrow at.] Good luck. [She leaves]

Tony: [Turning to Agent Coulson] Please. First thing, I need a little bodywork. I'll put in a little time at the lab. If we could send one of your goon squad down to The Coffee Bean, Cross Creek, for a Starbucks run, or something like that, that'd be nice. 

Agent Coulson: I'm not here for that. I've been authorized by Director Fury to use any means necessary to keep you on premises. If you attempt to leave or play any games, I will tase you and watch Supernanny while you droll into the carpet. Okay?

Nikita and Clint had both started laughing after Coulson's deadpan threat. Tony even shook his head with a light smile on his face. 

Tony: I think I got it, yeah. 

Agent Coulson: Enjoy your evening's entertainment. [He leaves]

[Tony looks down at the boxes that have been left for him with hesitant intrigue.] 

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