In My Eyes

Ch•5- Holiday greeting

       They bombed the Chinese theatre, that's where Happy was. He could have died, he should have! But he's Happy and nothing can ever kill that man, thank God. Just a few hours ago, there was another Mandarin video that took over all the Tv's. I was at home when it came on.

     Dad sat on the other couch in the corner near me, he was staring at the Tv. The nurse entered the room to check on Happy. She hadn't seemed to notice our presence until Dad spoke up.

     "Do you mind leaving that on?" He asked. The nurse gasped slightly, not knowing that we were there. She held the remote up to the Tv, about to turn it off.

"Sure." She set the remote back down on the table beside Happy's bed.

     "Sunday nights. PBS. Downton Abbey" Dad explained, standing up from the chair "That's his show. He thinks it's elegant. One more thing. Make sure everyone wears their badges. He's a stickler for that sort of thing. Plus, my guys won't let anyone in without them.

     "Come on, kid!" He waved his hand to me. I stood up from the chair and followed after him, giving a small smile to Happy and the Nurse before exiting.

     "What do we do now?" I asked once we were inside the elevator that takes us to the ground floor of he hospital "and the Mandarin. Are you thinking about putting a stop to all of this? Because you heard what Rhodey said-"

"Yea, I know" Dad said quickly "it's not Super Hero business. But I have a plan"

"Okay..." I nodded as the elevator doors opened "what is it?"

"Dunno"

     Oh, typical. Ahead, a crowd of paparazzi and news reporters had positioned themselves outside the hospital entrance, pointing their cameras at us. I sunk in to my navy blue sweatshirt, feeling very uncomfortable.

     Dad put his arm securely around my shoulder as we pushed open the front door. Immediately reporters thrusted their microphones and cell phones in my Dad's face, desperate for his opinion. They totally disregarded me (which I totally wasn't upset about) and hammered Dad with questions.

     He kept his arm around me until we reached the sports car and he opened the door for me. I climbed in over the drivers seat and sat down in the passenger, bringing the seat belt over my chest.

     "Hey, Mr Stark. When is somebody gonna kill this guy?" A man asked, holding up his phone "I'm just saying" he added once he saw Dad's aggravated expression. All the reporters crowded around our car, pressing their bodies up against the windows.

     "Is that what you want?" Dad challenged, turning to face the reporter who was video taping the whole thing "Here's a little holiday greeting I've been wanting to send to the Mandarin" Dad raised his voice to make sure that every camera was getting this "I just didn't know how to phrase it until now"

     "No no no no" I whispered. He's going to do something that he'll regret later, I just know it. It's how he works.

     "My name is Tony Stark and I'm not afraid of you. I know you're a coward. So I've decided that you just died, pal. I'm gonna come get the body. There's no politics here. It's just good old fashioned revenge. There's no Pentagon, it's just you and me. And on the off chance you're a man, here's my home address"

"Dad!" I hissed, but not loud enough for him to hear.

     "10880 Malibu Point. I'll leave the door unlocked. That's what you wanted, right?" He looked back to the man. All of the other reporters were astonished by Dad threat, and mainly because he just gave out our address. Dad reached and grabbed the mans phone, chucking it directly at the wall of the hospital "Bill me"

     He climbed in to the car and didn't waste anytime in pulling out of the crowd and speeding down the street "What?" He finally asked after a few moments of silence. He looked over to me before returning his eyes back to the sea side highway.

    I sighed, bringing my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them "That wasn't smart"

"Look Jes" Dad smirked, changing lanes "The Mandarin is all talk-"

"They bombed the theatre, and the air base. I don't think that they are all talk"

      Dad glanced over to me "Yea but let's be real for a sec, would they really attack me? Would they even dare"

     "They might" I said in a hushed tone and leaned my head back against the seat, watching the city fade to nothing but ocean and palm trees.