Grand Prix De Monaco Historique
May 24, 2011
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The two females continued watching the television. Astra's heart beat so fast it may as well not be human anymore. A strange man walked on to the track. Ripping open his shirt to reveal an arc reactor and then electrical ropes burned through the orange uniform. The man swings one of the electrical wire and cuts through one of the cars.
"Oh my God." Astra whispered. Happy arrived at the door with the Iron Man case. Pepper and Astra stand up to leave.
"No! You are staying here where its safe." She then rushed out leaving the worried female behind. Knowing that arguing would only waste time, Astra stayed put. Which is hard for her to do.
She stared back at the screen with wide eyes. Holding her breath when the man cut though the Stark car and it flipped in the air. She closed her eyes tightly when it crashed down.
She didn't want to look up and watch, but she did. The man sliced through the car to reveal Tony gone and smashing his head with a piece of metal. The man turned around with a hateful expression. Astra watched as the explosion happened, and when Happy drove into the man.
It's funny when you think the worst has past, and then it's not. The man was still alive, and angry. Very angry. Happy ran into him a couple more times. Pepper looked, well, terrified as she screamed.
She threw Tony the case and he put on the suit. The mechanics of the suit wrapped around the genius, forming the well known Iron Man. Tony pushed Pepper and Happy out of the danger and faced the man.
The man seems to be blocking all of Tony's shoots with the electric whips. Astra eyes bolted from corner to corner, observing the guys blocks, attacks, and many other things through the TV. Eventually, she snatched her phone and called her brother. Not being able to do nothing while her brother is being beat up.
"Listen, Ash, now isn't the TIME." He dodged an attempted hit.
"I wouldn't be calling if it wasn't important." She stated quickly to get to what she wanted to say. "He has arc reactor technology, obviously, which is kind of acting as an equal force." Astra got interrupted by Tony being thrown back and forth. "That's gotta hurt" She commented to herself.
"It does." He groaned, before being pulled down to the ground.
"You are going to need to hit him somewhere exposed. He's going to want to keep you vulnerable and hit you in that state. Most likely going to aim for the top half of your body, but I don't think he's trying to kill you. I recommend avoiding the attacks and getting closer. But, the suit can only handle so much." Astra tried to help.
It seemed to click something in Tony, as he stood up. The 26 year old put down her phone and continued staring at the TV. Tony took his sister's advice and the man is taken by law enforcement.
Astra took a deep breath in and then out. How did he build an arc reactor? She asked herself, furrowing her eyebrows slightly. She grabbed her bag and rushed out the building. Finding Tony pushing aside reporters and Pepper right beside to him. Both in shock.
The young girl stood in place as she waited to join. "Don't scare me like that, ever again." She punched her brother lightly on the shoulder.
"Can't make any promises." He responded as they stepped into the car. "This S.H.I.E.L.D. thing really taught you to read people like that?"
"Yeah." She nodded. Tony looked deep in thought while he sat there. "Don't tell me your planning on seeing the guy."
"He recreated my technology. I need to know how."
"I guess." Astra shrugged.
"I have Natalie scheduling a ride home."
The female nodded her head, staring at the road. "Stay safe." She told him quietly, continuing to stare blankly. Tony just gave his sister a half smile. After that, things got really, really quiet.
*****
Pepper and Astra sat on opposite sides of the plane, staring at the TV. Senator Stern was on, making his dumb opinions. "Its just unbelievable. It proves that the genie is out of the bottle and this man has no idea what he is doing. He thinks of the Iron Man weapon and a toy. I was at a hearing where Mr. Stark in fact was-" Astra got tired and decided to tune out what he was saying..
"Mute." Tony ordered.
"Thanks. His voice was getting on my nerves." Astra voiced plainly, shifting her position.
"He should be giving me a metal. That's the truth." He set down a plate in front of his sister, then a plate in front of Pepper and took a seat.
"What is this?" Pepper asked, shaking her head slightly.
"These are you in-flight meals." Tony answered.
"Did you just make it?" Astra questioned a little surprised at the gesture. She took of the lid an sniffed it.
"Yeah, where do you thing I've been for three hours?" Tony gots offended.
"Tony," Papper started while Astra put the lid back on the food. "What are you not telling us."
It got quiet and Astra looked over to her brother, waiting for the truth. "I don't wanna go home." He started answering. "At all. Lets cancel my birthday party, and uh... we're in Europe, lets go to Venice, Ash, you've always loved Venice." He said, then turned back to Pepper who just sighed. "Remember its a great place to..." He caught himself for a moment. "Be healthy." Astra simply rolled her eyes, knowing what he meant to say.
"I don't think this is the right time. We're in a kind of a mess." Pepper answered.
"Yeah, well maybe that's why is the best time."
"Well, I think as the CEO I need to show up."
"As CEO you are entitled to a... leave."
"A leave?" Pepper exclaimed.
"A company retreat." He re-stated.
"A retreat during a time like this?"
"Well, just need to recharge our batteries and figure it all out."
"Not everyone runs on batteries, Tony."
"Yeah, I run on caffeine." The sister said with a straight face to lighten the mood. She did receive a small smile from Tony, but there was still a gloomy look in his eye.
Things are changing too fast. Astra thought. There's something else coming.
"I'm going to go annoy the pilot. This is gonna be a long flight." She announced and made her way down the plane's isle.
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