Stark International, New York City - Monday Afternoon
After a few weeks of school, it was time to go back to New York and finally check in at Stark International. He hadn't been back there since the plane crashed, but now was the time it seemed to try. With Rhodey.
Because Rhodey was worried about him or something. Not because he asked him along for moral support or anything like that. That would just be silly.
Now it was just a matter at getting past the very new and very dim security guard that didn't seem to want to let him anywhere near the offices. "Can you check again?" Tony asked, glancing past him at people he'd known for years as they hurried into the building. "I have an appointment."
"And you said your name was...?"
Tony just had to stare at that. Because, really? "...Tony? Tony Stark."
"Yeah, you know. As in Stark International?" Rhodey chimed in, annoyed about the situation on Tony's behalf. Because he was a damn good friend like that. "The company you work for?"
"Yeah, they say they've got an appointment with Mr. Stane," the guard said, completely ignoring Rhodey as he pressed the earpiece of his headset. "Says his name is 'Stark.'" There was a pause before: "Uh huh." Another pause. "Uh huh."
Tony shot Rhodey a look at that, sighing as this dragged out further.
"Uh huh. You can go up."
"Finally!" Rhodey said, grabbing Tony's arm to pull him past into the building.
Only to be stopped by a hand on his chest. "Not you, just him," the guard said, nodding toward Tony.
"What?!" Rhodey demanded, taking a step back. "Ah, c'mon!"
Putting his hand on Rhodey's arm, Tony shook his head and tugged to get them both a good enough distance away from the dumbest guard ever. "It's okay, Rhodey."
"Are you sure you're up for this?"
"Yeah," Tony replied quietly, looking down at the sidewalk like it held the meaning of life. Or a particularly complex math problem. "I mean, it's still my dad's company. Right?"
With one last nod toward Rhodey, he followed the guard on into what should be his company.
It was disturbing how different the office looked from the last time he'd been there. Stane, it seemed, was running a very different company than his dad, that was for sure. People at their desks hunched over, trying to look more busy as he passed, ignoring any attempts to wave at them.
That was... weird.
Tony brightened up once he reached where his dad's office had been, seeing his usual secretary still in place. "Trish!"
She glanced up, almost smiling until the guard who'd escorted him through the building placed a hand on his shoulder. Then she seemed to shrink back. "Mr. Stane will see you now, Tony."
Again that was very weird. Yes, weird. That was the right word for it.
With one last glance back at her, Tony swallowed and pushed through into the executive office.
"--that's right. I want them brought up to the specs that the military sent over. You have my authorization as CEO," Stane said, facing the window rather than turning to greet Tony.
Military?
"What's going on, Obidiah?" Tony asked slowly, glancing around the room. "What are you doing with--"
"Tony, Tony, Tony," Stane interrupted, spinning the chair around to face him with that same smile that reminded Tony of a dog baring it's teeth. "Don't worry. Stark International is in good hands. It's nothing you need to be concerned with."
He threaded his fingers together, leaning forward on the desk. Tony's father's desk. "I'm so sorry we didn't have more time to talk after your father's funeral. It hit us all so hard. But you have my word that I'll take care of everything until you're legally ready to step in."
Wait, what? "I want to be involved," Tony insisted, shaking his head. "My father built this company and he--"
Stane, it seemed, was a huge fan of interrupting. "This is what your father wanted, Tony. He wanted you going to school, being a normal kid."
Yeah, because normal really described Tony.
He inhaled, trying to keep calm about everything. "I want all of my research and my father's notes--"
"Everything you and your father worked on is all company property," Stane replied with that same smile. "It is a business after all, not your personal playground."
Before Tony could get another word in, Trish's holographic image appeared above the desk. "Mr. Stane, your next appointment is here."
Standing up, Stane moved around the desk to offer Tony a handshake. Like that made everything better after taking everything that belonged to Tony. "I'm glad we've had this talk and I'll see you again when you turn eighteen."
And that bastard was wearing his father's ring.
[[NFI and NFB, of course. Just more of the first episode!]]
Because Rhodey was worried about him or something. Not because he asked him along for moral support or anything like that. That would just be silly.
Now it was just a matter at getting past the very new and very dim security guard that didn't seem to want to let him anywhere near the offices. "Can you check again?" Tony asked, glancing past him at people he'd known for years as they hurried into the building. "I have an appointment."
"And you said your name was...?"
Tony just had to stare at that. Because, really? "...Tony? Tony Stark."
"Yeah, you know. As in Stark International?" Rhodey chimed in, annoyed about the situation on Tony's behalf. Because he was a damn good friend like that. "The company you work for?"
"Yeah, they say they've got an appointment with Mr. Stane," the guard said, completely ignoring Rhodey as he pressed the earpiece of his headset. "Says his name is 'Stark.'" There was a pause before: "Uh huh." Another pause. "Uh huh."
Tony shot Rhodey a look at that, sighing as this dragged out further.
"Uh huh. You can go up."
"Finally!" Rhodey said, grabbing Tony's arm to pull him past into the building.
Only to be stopped by a hand on his chest. "Not you, just him," the guard said, nodding toward Tony.
"What?!" Rhodey demanded, taking a step back. "Ah, c'mon!"
Putting his hand on Rhodey's arm, Tony shook his head and tugged to get them both a good enough distance away from the dumbest guard ever. "It's okay, Rhodey."
"Are you sure you're up for this?"
"Yeah," Tony replied quietly, looking down at the sidewalk like it held the meaning of life. Or a particularly complex math problem. "I mean, it's still my dad's company. Right?"
With one last nod toward Rhodey, he followed the guard on into what should be his company.
It was disturbing how different the office looked from the last time he'd been there. Stane, it seemed, was running a very different company than his dad, that was for sure. People at their desks hunched over, trying to look more busy as he passed, ignoring any attempts to wave at them.
That was... weird.
Tony brightened up once he reached where his dad's office had been, seeing his usual secretary still in place. "Trish!"
She glanced up, almost smiling until the guard who'd escorted him through the building placed a hand on his shoulder. Then she seemed to shrink back. "Mr. Stane will see you now, Tony."
Again that was very weird. Yes, weird. That was the right word for it.
With one last glance back at her, Tony swallowed and pushed through into the executive office.
"--that's right. I want them brought up to the specs that the military sent over. You have my authorization as CEO," Stane said, facing the window rather than turning to greet Tony.
Military?
"What's going on, Obidiah?" Tony asked slowly, glancing around the room. "What are you doing with--"
"Tony, Tony, Tony," Stane interrupted, spinning the chair around to face him with that same smile that reminded Tony of a dog baring it's teeth. "Don't worry. Stark International is in good hands. It's nothing you need to be concerned with."
He threaded his fingers together, leaning forward on the desk. Tony's father's desk. "I'm so sorry we didn't have more time to talk after your father's funeral. It hit us all so hard. But you have my word that I'll take care of everything until you're legally ready to step in."
Wait, what? "I want to be involved," Tony insisted, shaking his head. "My father built this company and he--"
Stane, it seemed, was a huge fan of interrupting. "This is what your father wanted, Tony. He wanted you going to school, being a normal kid."
Yeah, because normal really described Tony.
He inhaled, trying to keep calm about everything. "I want all of my research and my father's notes--"
"Everything you and your father worked on is all company property," Stane replied with that same smile. "It is a business after all, not your personal playground."
Before Tony could get another word in, Trish's holographic image appeared above the desk. "Mr. Stane, your next appointment is here."
Standing up, Stane moved around the desk to offer Tony a handshake. Like that made everything better after taking everything that belonged to Tony. "I'm glad we've had this talk and I'll see you again when you turn eighteen."
And that bastard was wearing his father's ring.
[[NFI and NFB, of course. Just more of the first episode!]]