Natasha Stark: Arrival

Chapter 24:

Tasha: After dinner, I went to the 3D printer. There were my metal pieces. I got started, finding some colored wax that I assumed was used for stamps of some sort. Then I bound the wires together.

"Need any help?" Bruce asked.

"Nope," I said, "Child's play."

"Have you ever done an Electra-net before?" Tony asked. I nodded.

"When I was in high school I would put a net around my gum that only I could unlock, so no one could steal it," I said.

"Seems like a totally logical use for a high tech force field," Tony said. I rolled my eyes.

"So you know how to wire this?" Bruce asked.

"No, I just figured, ah what the heck. There's a world on the line, but let's have a little fun with this," I said, sarcastically. "Yes I know how to wire this."

I started wiring. I connected the wires one at a time, only to remember just how easy it really was. Wire by wire, the collar came together. Finally, it was wired.

"Who wants to try it?" I asked.

"Uh, try it?" Bruce asked.

"Well, yeah," I said, "I have to make sure it works."

"I guess I can," Bruce said.

"It might give you a small shock," I said, "Are you okay with that?"

"Maybe you should test it on your dad," Bruce volunteered. I laughed.

"Shouldn't you test it on yourself?" Tony asked.

"No," I said, "I am the fingerprint it needs."

"Okay," Tony said. He walked towards me. I put the collar around his neck. Then I heard a click and the blue Electra-net came up."

"Can you move your mouth?" I asked him.

He stayed pretty calm looking for a few minutes, but then made a confused look. He closed his eyes, but he still didn't move the bottom part of his face. He squinted and his face got red but it still didn't move.

Finally, he shook his head. I smiled.

"Nice job," Bruce said, "It's genius."

"Thanks," I said. Tony gave a thumbs up, then made a gesture asking if I could take off the collar.

"Are you going to take that off him?" Bruce asked.

"No, I want to see him squirm for a little while," I said.

"What battery does it run off of?" Bruce asked. I walked up to Tony.

"Turn a little," I said. He obeyed and I showed a mini arc reactor. "A mini arc reactor. I read up on it a year ago and tried it. It will power the collar alone for a hundred lifetimes, maybe more. And it's the size of a thumb nail."

Tony made an amazed face, then pointed to his neck. I rolled my eyes. I put my thumb to the collar's back, where the lock was. I unhinged it from Tony's neck.

"You weren't kidding about the shock," Tony said, "Hurts. But it works."

"Thanks," I said.

"And Arc Reactor?" Tony asked.

"I read you're paper," I said, "On how it works. So I tried it."

"Nice," Tony said, "How did you make it that small?"

"How did you make it small enough to put it in your chest," I asked.

"Touché," Tony said. I smiled.

"Let's bring it up," I said.

"First encode the other finger prints it needs," Tony said.

"Show it first," I said, "While we're doing that I can."

I showed it to everyone. "You're dad must be proud," Black Widow said.

"I don't know he can't really say anything," I said.

"I think I like him better that way," Carol said.

"I have to agree," Steve said.

"Much less annoying," Thor said.

"I'll go with that," Coulson said. I smiled.

"Maybe we should leave it on longer," I said.

Tony shook his head angrily. I took it off.

"Excuse me while I take a few minutes to mend my hurt feeling and pull out all Stark Industries weapons SHIELD has," Tony said.

I laughed, "Do you want me to put it back on."

"Heck no, that thing is mean," Tony said.

I smiled, "It works."