Fic: In Extremis, part 9
TITLE: In Extremis, part 9
Iron Man (movie)/Transformers (movie)
AUTHOR: Macx
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money
Author’s Voice of Warning (aka Author’s Note):
English is not my first language; it’s German. This is the best I can do. Any mistakes you find in here, collect them and you might win a prize The spell-checker said everything's okay, but you know how trustworthy those thingies are....
FEEDBACK: Loved
BLAME: Sapphire made me do it. No, seriously, I was toying with the idea and Sapph wasn’t trying very hard to discourage me. She actually went over some of the ideas with me. Between her leaving on Sunday and the next weekend I wrote this baby. All blame to her. And the rather receptive brain cell.
PLOT-BETAS: Sapphire and elfin
GRAMMAR-BETAS: okami_myrrhibis and elfin
Pepper had the distinct feeling of a déjà vu as she waited for the Airforce transport plane to taxi into a parking position.
Tony didn’t feel anything as he watched the arrest of Dr. Maya Hansen. There was no official police presence, just lots of cars and people in smart looking suits. Will stood off to one side, watching it all, leaning against Ironhide. Someone Tony thought he had seen at the Autobot base was pushing Hansen into the back of an unmarked car. The carrier full of Extremis vials had been secured. Tony would see to it that the contents were destroyed. He had survived the injection; the next person might die or go insane.
Stark smiled darkly behind the helmet’s cover. Maybe he was insane already and didn’t even know it. Everyone else apparently thought he was.
Rhodey had been there and he was currently talking to the plain-clothed guys. Now and then he glanced at Tony, but when Hansen was in the car, he got in as well. All Tony received was a nod. He nodded back.
Lennox walked over to the quite prominent armored figure and raised his brows. “Closure?” he asked.
Tony chuckled. “It’s only just begun, Will.”
The car with Maya in it pulled away. One of the plain-clothed men walked over to Lennox and almost saluted. It was quite clear that despite having no more rank in the military, Lennox was respected and still viewed as a figure of authority. Tony smiled to himself.
“We’re done, sir,” the man said. “Where should we take the cargo?”
“I’ll take it,” Tony said before Will could answer. “It’s my responsibility.”
Lennox just nodded his agreement and the plain-clothed soldier left. Soon there was no one in the dusty parking lot but Iron Man, Lennox and Ironhide.
“You want to ride back with us or fly?”
“Fly,” Tony said tonelessly.
He needed the time in the air. He needed to get his thoughts straight.
“Sure. Want us to take the Extremis stuff?”
“No need.”
He raised a gauntlet and fired up the repulsor. One controlled blast was all it needed and the carrier was dust; totally obliterated.
“Problem solved,” he said levelly, then fired the propulsion system and took off.
No one tried to stop him. He just accelerated and headed as high as he could, keeping out of the way of any planes or other airborne vehicles. His mind cast out toward the data streams all around him and it was actually more relaxing than anything he had ever felt. It was almost peaceful. Just data, no emotions. Nothing that was either good or evil. Data was neutral. It was what people did with it that made it evil - or good. Like Extremis. The nanotubes as such were neutral. They did what they were programmed to do. The person handling them decided what to do; it was the decision of a human being.
Like Tony Stark.
Tony knew he would have taken Extremis. If Maya had run successful simulations, he would have injected himself.
He smiled to himself. Was he good or evil? Evil, according to the media. A killer. A merchant of death. Even his change of course hadn’t quieted the voices. Weapons contracts had dwindled to only those associated with the Autobots, but the public didn’t know that. The public only saw him as a weapons monger. His past would always haunt him.
SHIELD had taken care of Tony’s declaration in front of the assembled press years before. He had ‘outed’ himself as Iron Man, but that had been corrected to Stark supplying the gear for the unknown man in the high tech suit. Fury had arranged for witnesses to claim to have seen Iron Man while Stark had been answering questions for the press. There had been visual proof of Stark being in New York at a dinner while Iron Man was taking care of some terrorist group somewhere else.
The media interest in Tony Stark as a new kind of superhero diminished. While Tony hated to play the game, he knew Fury had made the right decision. He would have killed himself and SI with this. It had been a heat of the moment decision, riding on an adrenaline high, wanting the good press to finally annihilate all the rumors and lies.
For a moment he had felt incredible.
Now he was just the billionaire playboy again.
Tony adjusted his course, accelerating a little more before going up into the atmosphere. He flew through low-hanging clouds, felt them brush over his armor even though there was no sensor net in the suit, and he spread his arms when he broke through. It stopped his propulsion, kept him hovering in the nothingness of the stratosphere.
He exhaled sharply, tilted his head back and looked at the darkness above him. Space. He had been there already, but he would be there again. The Ark project was still not written off for him. He would step aboard this alien vessel.
Whether he was good or evil.
Tony laughed.
Iron Man was good. He was a hero. Tony Stark was a man with a black vest that was only now taking on a few white spots.
One day he might even be able to look at himself in the mirror and accept what he saw.
He was so tempted to fly higher, to try orbit again. It was like a secret longing, a goal in life he had yet to achieve.
“Jarvis?”
“Yes, Sir?”
Tony chuckled. “Good to know you’re still here.”
“Where would I go?” the AI asked, sounding slightly sarcastic.
Tony smiled. “Download and store all data on the private server assigned to Maya Hansen at Stark Labs. Run a check on any entries made by her on any of Stark Industries’ servers. Then erase whatever she did. Delete her presence from the virtual world. Compress all data files on Extremis and put them on my private server, file them under XTR01. Password and securlog them.”
“May I remind you that you don’t need me for this, Sir?”
Tony raised his brows. “No?”
“Extremis renders me obsolete.”
“Nothing can ever render you obsolete, Jarvis,” he said softly. “I need you. Never doubt that.”
And when had the AI started to develop such thoughts… even emotions?
“Good to hear, Sir. I’ll get right on it.”
He smiled again.
“Thanks, Jarvis.”
“Anything for you, Sir.”
He smiled humorlessly. “I’ll be home soon.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Tony lowered himself back to flight level and headed toward LA. In the back of his mind the data streams were a reassuring hum.
* * *
Rumiko Fujikawa stood at the corner of the intersection and watched a large black truck pull up to the motel she was supposed to meet Dr. Maya Hansen. Just twenty minutes earlier someone else had entered the room. A man dressed in a full body armor, red and golden, and she had known she had lost.
Hansen had been made, the stupid bitch.
Rumiko had told her father it was a waste of time. Waiting had brought this upon them. If they had immediately made the deal, Extremis would be in their hands now. As it was, Hansen had had cold feet after she had attacked and probably killed Tony Stark. She had contacted them twice, first to tell them what had happened and that she would run, and then a day later to change the meeting point.
Now everything was lost.
She witnessed how Hansen was put into an unmarked car, then how the man in the armor blew apart the box that contained the Extremis prototype.
The pretty Japanese woman zipped the heavy leather combination closed and started the engine of her rented bike. She rolled down the street, then accelerated. Only when she was away at a safe distance did she switch on the lights.
Tomorrow she would be back on her way to Japan. The failure of Dr. Hansen would remain on her mind.
* * *
Pepper had the distinct feeling of a déjà vu as she waited for the Airforce transport plane to taxi into a parking position. When it had finally stopped and was lowering the cargo ramp, Pepper half expected to see a wheelchair, Tony sitting in it, Rhodey at his side. She expected an exhausted looking man with haunted eyes, signs of pain and injuries, being carefully accompanied by Rhodey to walk down the ramp.
As it was, Tony Stark looked like life itself. He was smiling broadly at her, almost bounced down the ramp, and it was such a contrast to the last time she had been here and waited for her boss’s return, she felt her eyes starting to sting. Clutching the computer pad, she locked her knees.
“Welcome home, Mr. Stark.”
Pepper was so proud that her voice didn’t waver. She caught people moving a well-known crate toward the Rolls where Happy was already waiting to put it into the trunk.
“Is it just me or are we having a déjà vu moment?” Tony asked, still smiling. He peered closely at her. “You were crying again.”
“Tears of joy,” she repeated the same words she had said years ago.
“I’m sure they are.”
Tony still looked at he and Pepper didn’t break the contact. His smile softened.
“I’m fine.”
“Your condition didn’t sound fine.”
“It wasn’t,” Rhodey interrupted. He sounded definitely peeved.
Something had happened and Pepper was sure she would find out soon, either through Tony, Rhodey or even Hot Rod, who was just now rolling down the ramp.
“How about we take this somewhere more pleasant? Have you had lunch yet, Pepper?”
“No.”
“You in the mood for a burger?”
Definitely déjà vu.
“What happened to you, Tony?” Pepper asked quietly.
His smile widened. “The best ever. C’mon, I’ll invite you to a super saver menu. We can talk then. Rhodey? Want in?”
Rhodes grimaced. “Watch you stuff your face with grease? No thanks, Tony. I’ll see to it that your… equipment gets home safe.”
“Thanks, Rhodey.” Tony’s expression was suddenly serious.
Rhodes just nodded, then walked over to the Rolls. Happy drove off with him and the armor not much later.
Tony smiled at Pepper. “Ready for our date?”
“A super saver menu in a burger place is not a date.”
“I’m paying.”
“Still no date.”
Tony made an inviting gesture toward the R8. “I’ll even spring for dessert.”
Pepper smiled. “I’m not that cheap, Mr. Stark.”
“I never said so, Ms. Potts.”
She slid into the passenger seat and Tony closed the door. “Hello, Hot Rod.”
“Hello Pepper,” came the pleasant reply.
Tony had walked around the front and now got in on the driver’s side, grinning. “Here we go!”
And they shot away from the airfield.
* * *
It had been inevitable for Tony that he had to talk to his new chairman of the board. John Keller hadn’t really pushed for an appointment; Pepper hadn’t made room for one either. Tony had walked into his office at Stark Towers and a minute later he found himself in the company of Keller.
“Optimus Prime already briefed me on what happened,” Keller simply said. “All I need to know is whether this influences Stark Industries operations or not.”
Tony poured himself a hideously expensive bourbon and raised his brows questioning at Keller, who waved him off.
“It influences nothing, John,” Stark then replied. “I’m back.”
“That I noticed.”
“What happened was unfortunate and not planned.”
“I hope not, though you seem to have a tendency to find trouble.” A fine smile played around Keller’s lips.
Tony smirked. “Trouble finds me.”
He emptied half the glass while checking his email account through Extremis. He found it cluttered with mails. Without breaking the conversation he pushed half of them into the spam folder, sent a large batch of the remaining ones to Pepper, and left three or four interesting ones on his server. One was about…
“… the Holland-Taki contract,” Keller said. “Mr. Holland will be here on time. His secretary called.”
“Is Pepper handing off assistant duties to you now?”
Keller smiled. “No, but I believe two people reminding you of an important appointment might get you there in time.”
Tony emptied the glass, checking the time. Still an hour left until then.
“Welcome to the club, John.”
Keller’s smile grew. “I doubt I qualify as a baby-sitter, Tony. Pepper, Happy, Jarvis and Hot Rod fill those shoes.”
Tony grimaced.
“I was just checking in. Let me know if anything… comes up. Prime mentioned your interest in the second Ghost-2 mission. Whatever you think of as an excuse for your absence, please let me know.”
“Well, I was thinking of something very mundane, like a vacation,” Tony replied off-handedly.
“As if the board would ever buy you going on vacation.”
“Hey, I did. Once. It was fun.”
“Until you came back three hours later, ripping your chief engineer a new one over the new VTOL engine. I heard that story, Tony. Your board was very… open about your behavior.”
“Great.” Tony shook his head. “But this time it will be a vacation. In space.” He grinned at the prospect. “Until then, day-to-day routine it is.”
“Whatever qualifies as routine in your book.” Keller walked toward the door. “Three o’clock, Tony. A minute late and I’ll find you and drag you there myself.”
“I never should have let Banachek bully me into this,” Stark muttered, but his eyes twinkled.
“You had no other choice. Given you other… hobbies… you need me.”
Only too true. Tony watched the former SecDef leave and leaned against his desk. He called up the contract for Holland and checked it, found nothing wrong, and filed it away once more. Extremis was very handy for that.
Forty-five minutes to pass.
Well, there were always the new armor designs. Those would keep him from boredom for sure.
tbc...
Iron Man (movie)/Transformers (movie)
AUTHOR: Macx
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money
Author’s Voice of Warning (aka Author’s Note):
English is not my first language; it’s German. This is the best I can do. Any mistakes you find in here, collect them and you might win a prize The spell-checker said everything's okay, but you know how trustworthy those thingies are....
FEEDBACK: Loved
BLAME: Sapphire made me do it. No, seriously, I was toying with the idea and Sapph wasn’t trying very hard to discourage me. She actually went over some of the ideas with me. Between her leaving on Sunday and the next weekend I wrote this baby. All blame to her. And the rather receptive brain cell.
PLOT-BETAS: Sapphire and elfin
GRAMMAR-BETAS: okami_myrrhibis and elfin
Pepper had the distinct feeling of a déjà vu as she waited for the Airforce transport plane to taxi into a parking position.
Tony didn’t feel anything as he watched the arrest of Dr. Maya Hansen. There was no official police presence, just lots of cars and people in smart looking suits. Will stood off to one side, watching it all, leaning against Ironhide. Someone Tony thought he had seen at the Autobot base was pushing Hansen into the back of an unmarked car. The carrier full of Extremis vials had been secured. Tony would see to it that the contents were destroyed. He had survived the injection; the next person might die or go insane.
Stark smiled darkly behind the helmet’s cover. Maybe he was insane already and didn’t even know it. Everyone else apparently thought he was.
Rhodey had been there and he was currently talking to the plain-clothed guys. Now and then he glanced at Tony, but when Hansen was in the car, he got in as well. All Tony received was a nod. He nodded back.
Lennox walked over to the quite prominent armored figure and raised his brows. “Closure?” he asked.
Tony chuckled. “It’s only just begun, Will.”
The car with Maya in it pulled away. One of the plain-clothed men walked over to Lennox and almost saluted. It was quite clear that despite having no more rank in the military, Lennox was respected and still viewed as a figure of authority. Tony smiled to himself.
“We’re done, sir,” the man said. “Where should we take the cargo?”
“I’ll take it,” Tony said before Will could answer. “It’s my responsibility.”
Lennox just nodded his agreement and the plain-clothed soldier left. Soon there was no one in the dusty parking lot but Iron Man, Lennox and Ironhide.
“You want to ride back with us or fly?”
“Fly,” Tony said tonelessly.
He needed the time in the air. He needed to get his thoughts straight.
“Sure. Want us to take the Extremis stuff?”
“No need.”
He raised a gauntlet and fired up the repulsor. One controlled blast was all it needed and the carrier was dust; totally obliterated.
“Problem solved,” he said levelly, then fired the propulsion system and took off.
No one tried to stop him. He just accelerated and headed as high as he could, keeping out of the way of any planes or other airborne vehicles. His mind cast out toward the data streams all around him and it was actually more relaxing than anything he had ever felt. It was almost peaceful. Just data, no emotions. Nothing that was either good or evil. Data was neutral. It was what people did with it that made it evil - or good. Like Extremis. The nanotubes as such were neutral. They did what they were programmed to do. The person handling them decided what to do; it was the decision of a human being.
Like Tony Stark.
Tony knew he would have taken Extremis. If Maya had run successful simulations, he would have injected himself.
He smiled to himself. Was he good or evil? Evil, according to the media. A killer. A merchant of death. Even his change of course hadn’t quieted the voices. Weapons contracts had dwindled to only those associated with the Autobots, but the public didn’t know that. The public only saw him as a weapons monger. His past would always haunt him.
SHIELD had taken care of Tony’s declaration in front of the assembled press years before. He had ‘outed’ himself as Iron Man, but that had been corrected to Stark supplying the gear for the unknown man in the high tech suit. Fury had arranged for witnesses to claim to have seen Iron Man while Stark had been answering questions for the press. There had been visual proof of Stark being in New York at a dinner while Iron Man was taking care of some terrorist group somewhere else.
The media interest in Tony Stark as a new kind of superhero diminished. While Tony hated to play the game, he knew Fury had made the right decision. He would have killed himself and SI with this. It had been a heat of the moment decision, riding on an adrenaline high, wanting the good press to finally annihilate all the rumors and lies.
For a moment he had felt incredible.
Now he was just the billionaire playboy again.
Tony adjusted his course, accelerating a little more before going up into the atmosphere. He flew through low-hanging clouds, felt them brush over his armor even though there was no sensor net in the suit, and he spread his arms when he broke through. It stopped his propulsion, kept him hovering in the nothingness of the stratosphere.
He exhaled sharply, tilted his head back and looked at the darkness above him. Space. He had been there already, but he would be there again. The Ark project was still not written off for him. He would step aboard this alien vessel.
Whether he was good or evil.
Tony laughed.
Iron Man was good. He was a hero. Tony Stark was a man with a black vest that was only now taking on a few white spots.
One day he might even be able to look at himself in the mirror and accept what he saw.
He was so tempted to fly higher, to try orbit again. It was like a secret longing, a goal in life he had yet to achieve.
“Jarvis?”
“Yes, Sir?”
Tony chuckled. “Good to know you’re still here.”
“Where would I go?” the AI asked, sounding slightly sarcastic.
Tony smiled. “Download and store all data on the private server assigned to Maya Hansen at Stark Labs. Run a check on any entries made by her on any of Stark Industries’ servers. Then erase whatever she did. Delete her presence from the virtual world. Compress all data files on Extremis and put them on my private server, file them under XTR01. Password and securlog them.”
“May I remind you that you don’t need me for this, Sir?”
Tony raised his brows. “No?”
“Extremis renders me obsolete.”
“Nothing can ever render you obsolete, Jarvis,” he said softly. “I need you. Never doubt that.”
And when had the AI started to develop such thoughts… even emotions?
“Good to hear, Sir. I’ll get right on it.”
He smiled again.
“Thanks, Jarvis.”
“Anything for you, Sir.”
He smiled humorlessly. “I’ll be home soon.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Tony lowered himself back to flight level and headed toward LA. In the back of his mind the data streams were a reassuring hum.
* * *
Rumiko Fujikawa stood at the corner of the intersection and watched a large black truck pull up to the motel she was supposed to meet Dr. Maya Hansen. Just twenty minutes earlier someone else had entered the room. A man dressed in a full body armor, red and golden, and she had known she had lost.
Hansen had been made, the stupid bitch.
Rumiko had told her father it was a waste of time. Waiting had brought this upon them. If they had immediately made the deal, Extremis would be in their hands now. As it was, Hansen had had cold feet after she had attacked and probably killed Tony Stark. She had contacted them twice, first to tell them what had happened and that she would run, and then a day later to change the meeting point.
Now everything was lost.
She witnessed how Hansen was put into an unmarked car, then how the man in the armor blew apart the box that contained the Extremis prototype.
The pretty Japanese woman zipped the heavy leather combination closed and started the engine of her rented bike. She rolled down the street, then accelerated. Only when she was away at a safe distance did she switch on the lights.
Tomorrow she would be back on her way to Japan. The failure of Dr. Hansen would remain on her mind.
* * *
Pepper had the distinct feeling of a déjà vu as she waited for the Airforce transport plane to taxi into a parking position. When it had finally stopped and was lowering the cargo ramp, Pepper half expected to see a wheelchair, Tony sitting in it, Rhodey at his side. She expected an exhausted looking man with haunted eyes, signs of pain and injuries, being carefully accompanied by Rhodey to walk down the ramp.
As it was, Tony Stark looked like life itself. He was smiling broadly at her, almost bounced down the ramp, and it was such a contrast to the last time she had been here and waited for her boss’s return, she felt her eyes starting to sting. Clutching the computer pad, she locked her knees.
“Welcome home, Mr. Stark.”
Pepper was so proud that her voice didn’t waver. She caught people moving a well-known crate toward the Rolls where Happy was already waiting to put it into the trunk.
“Is it just me or are we having a déjà vu moment?” Tony asked, still smiling. He peered closely at her. “You were crying again.”
“Tears of joy,” she repeated the same words she had said years ago.
“I’m sure they are.”
Tony still looked at he and Pepper didn’t break the contact. His smile softened.
“I’m fine.”
“Your condition didn’t sound fine.”
“It wasn’t,” Rhodey interrupted. He sounded definitely peeved.
Something had happened and Pepper was sure she would find out soon, either through Tony, Rhodey or even Hot Rod, who was just now rolling down the ramp.
“How about we take this somewhere more pleasant? Have you had lunch yet, Pepper?”
“No.”
“You in the mood for a burger?”
Definitely déjà vu.
“What happened to you, Tony?” Pepper asked quietly.
His smile widened. “The best ever. C’mon, I’ll invite you to a super saver menu. We can talk then. Rhodey? Want in?”
Rhodes grimaced. “Watch you stuff your face with grease? No thanks, Tony. I’ll see to it that your… equipment gets home safe.”
“Thanks, Rhodey.” Tony’s expression was suddenly serious.
Rhodes just nodded, then walked over to the Rolls. Happy drove off with him and the armor not much later.
Tony smiled at Pepper. “Ready for our date?”
“A super saver menu in a burger place is not a date.”
“I’m paying.”
“Still no date.”
Tony made an inviting gesture toward the R8. “I’ll even spring for dessert.”
Pepper smiled. “I’m not that cheap, Mr. Stark.”
“I never said so, Ms. Potts.”
She slid into the passenger seat and Tony closed the door. “Hello, Hot Rod.”
“Hello Pepper,” came the pleasant reply.
Tony had walked around the front and now got in on the driver’s side, grinning. “Here we go!”
And they shot away from the airfield.
* * *
It had been inevitable for Tony that he had to talk to his new chairman of the board. John Keller hadn’t really pushed for an appointment; Pepper hadn’t made room for one either. Tony had walked into his office at Stark Towers and a minute later he found himself in the company of Keller.
“Optimus Prime already briefed me on what happened,” Keller simply said. “All I need to know is whether this influences Stark Industries operations or not.”
Tony poured himself a hideously expensive bourbon and raised his brows questioning at Keller, who waved him off.
“It influences nothing, John,” Stark then replied. “I’m back.”
“That I noticed.”
“What happened was unfortunate and not planned.”
“I hope not, though you seem to have a tendency to find trouble.” A fine smile played around Keller’s lips.
Tony smirked. “Trouble finds me.”
He emptied half the glass while checking his email account through Extremis. He found it cluttered with mails. Without breaking the conversation he pushed half of them into the spam folder, sent a large batch of the remaining ones to Pepper, and left three or four interesting ones on his server. One was about…
“… the Holland-Taki contract,” Keller said. “Mr. Holland will be here on time. His secretary called.”
“Is Pepper handing off assistant duties to you now?”
Keller smiled. “No, but I believe two people reminding you of an important appointment might get you there in time.”
Tony emptied the glass, checking the time. Still an hour left until then.
“Welcome to the club, John.”
Keller’s smile grew. “I doubt I qualify as a baby-sitter, Tony. Pepper, Happy, Jarvis and Hot Rod fill those shoes.”
Tony grimaced.
“I was just checking in. Let me know if anything… comes up. Prime mentioned your interest in the second Ghost-2 mission. Whatever you think of as an excuse for your absence, please let me know.”
“Well, I was thinking of something very mundane, like a vacation,” Tony replied off-handedly.
“As if the board would ever buy you going on vacation.”
“Hey, I did. Once. It was fun.”
“Until you came back three hours later, ripping your chief engineer a new one over the new VTOL engine. I heard that story, Tony. Your board was very… open about your behavior.”
“Great.” Tony shook his head. “But this time it will be a vacation. In space.” He grinned at the prospect. “Until then, day-to-day routine it is.”
“Whatever qualifies as routine in your book.” Keller walked toward the door. “Three o’clock, Tony. A minute late and I’ll find you and drag you there myself.”
“I never should have let Banachek bully me into this,” Stark muttered, but his eyes twinkled.
“You had no other choice. Given you other… hobbies… you need me.”
Only too true. Tony watched the former SecDef leave and leaned against his desk. He called up the contract for Holland and checked it, found nothing wrong, and filed it away once more. Extremis was very handy for that.
Forty-five minutes to pass.
Well, there were always the new armor designs. Those would keep him from boredom for sure.
tbc...