𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐄 » avengers x reader

5. Being Responsible

Rhodes and I were guiding the team into the hangar of the Edwards Air Force Base for a presentation. I haven't told anyone about what happened with Lewis the other day because, honestly, I don't even know what happened. I know Rhodes will kill me if he finds out we spoke and I know he'd kill Lewis if he finds out what he did.

Everyone was dressed in the Air Force pilot uniform which was just khaki green overalls. Rhodes led the tour while I was just there for assistance. Although I'm 22 years old and the youngest in the aircrew, I had been training with Rhodes since I was 14 so I had over 8 years of experience and was worthy of higher ranks.

I was promoted to Senior Airwoman early through the Below the Zone program. Rhodes had considered me capable and deserving of an early promotion. I demonstrated the necessary skill required to rank up and I was offered the title of Senior, thanks to Rhodes and my early training.

"The future of air combat. Is it manned or unmanned?" Rhodes started as we began walking through the hangar towards one of the aircraft, "I'll tell you, in my experience, no unmanned aerial vehicle will ever trump a pilot's instinct, his insight, that ability to look into a situation beyond the obvious and discern its outcome, or a pilot's judgment."

As Rhodes was speaking, I saw Tony Stark approaching the group from the corner of my eye wearing a black leather jacket.

"Colonel? How about a pilot without the plane?" Tony asked walking up to us.

"Look who fell out of the sky, Mr. Tony Stark, " Rhodey said stepping away from the group we were talking to so we could speak to Tony.

"Hey, Tony!" I said before he continued.

"Speaking of manned or unmanned," he addressed the group, "you gotta get him to tell you about the time he guessed wrong at spring break. Just remember that, spring break, 1987. That lovely lady you woke up with."

"What? Rhodes?" I asked intriguingly. Rhodes is one to tell stories when he's drunk but I've never heard about this one before.

"What was his name? Was it Ivan?" Tony teased.

"Don't do that. They'll believe it," Rhodey replied getting defensive.

"Okay. Okay," Tony left it alone, "Pleasure to meet you," he finished referring to the group.

"Give us a couple of minutes, you guys," Rhodes said as we called further into the hangar to see what Tony wanted. "I'm surprised. I swear, I didn't expect to see you walking around so soon."

I'm surprised that Rhodes was surprised. I know very much that Tony would be doing anything but settling down and getting rest since he announced that Stark Industries wouldn't be manufacturing weapons anymore.

"I'm doing a little better than walking," he replied, which obviously means he's been working on something new.

"Really?" I said, desperate to know what it was.

"Yeah. Rhodey, I'm working on something big. I came to talk to you. I want you to be a part of it." He started before Rhodes cut in.

"You're about to make a whole lot of people around here real happy, 'cause that little stunt at the press conference, that was a doozy," Rhodes said quietly as the group was still within eavesdropping distance.

"This is not for the military," he stated, "This is different."

"What? So you're a humanitarian now or something?" I said jokingly, but Tony was being serious.

"Lucky, Rhodes, I need you to listen to me," he said seriously. The smile I had just wiped off my face. This could be the new future of Stark Industries and Tony wanted us to help, I was all in, but Rhodes wasn't having any of it.