Stark's Winged Daughter (S.P.N.D. Book 3)

Chapter 3: Pepper Becomes CEO And Meeting Natalie

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Dad claps twice, and the lights all come on. "Wake up. Daddy's home."

"Welcome home, sir." J.A.R.V.I.S. says. "Congratulations on the opening ceremonies. They were such a success, as was your Senate hearing. And may I say how refreshing it is to finally see a video of you with your clothing on, sir."

"Not even going to ask," I mutter. "Don't want to know in the slightest."

I look over just in time to see Dumm-E cause the contents of the blender to splash all over the mini-kitchen.

"You!" Dad shouts, causing Dumm-E to knock over the blender. "I swear to God I'll dismantle you. I'll soak your motherboard. I'll turn you into a wine rack."

Dumm-E just powers down.

I walk to my work area, opening my phone and putting my headphones on. Sitting down, I wake up my computer and turn on my music, but I make sure I can still hear my dad in case he calls. The latest project of mine appears on screen, a device to use at camp to help against Luke. It's a spear that holds a potion vial in the shaft, and when thrown will break and activate. So far it's in the early stages, and I had to melt down one of my daggers to test the Celestial Bronze. At this point it feels like I am constantly calling both Ginny and Beckendorf- a child of Hephestus who is used to using Celestial Bronze- and working with my dad on a few of the moving parts.

"How many ounces a day of this gobbledegook am I supposed to drink?" Dad asks J.A.R.V.I.S.

"We are up to 80 ounces a day to counteract the symptoms, sir." J.A.R.V.I.S. answers.

"Check palladium levels." Dad puts his thumb on the device, not thinking that I can hear.

"Blood toxicity, 24%" J.A.R.V. reads.

Higher than I want it to be, that's for sure. I doubt mom or anyone in Cabin 4 would have anything. I've looked through the pictures of Ginny's spellbook just about a hundred times, but nothing has turned up. A few times I have checked with Ginny, Althea, or some of the other cabins, but nothing has turned up since one of the girls in Demeter came up with some of the ingredients of the green smoothie dad is drinking now. I had to tell J.A.R.V.I.S. not to tell dad I knew about what was going on with him while still trying to help.

"It appears that the continued use of the Iron Man suit is accelerating your condition. Another core has been depleted."

From the corner of my eyes I see my father reach under his shirt and remove the arc reactor from his chest. A second after the core comes out, smoking.

"Gods, they're running out quick." I mutter, and thank my mother that he didn't hear me.

"I have run simulations on every known element, and none can serve as a viable replacement for the palladium core."

Dad puts another into the arc reactor, then puts it back into his chest.

"You are running out of both time and options." J.A.R.V.I.S. tells him. When dad lifted up his shirt, I saw how bad it was getting. Blackish blue lines spread from the arc reactor. "Unfortunately, the device that is keeping you alive is also killing you."

I frowned, trying to think of anything that could help more than what we already are using.

"Miss Potts is approaching." J.A.R.V. announces. "I recommend that you inform her-"

"Mute." Dad says just in time.

"Is this a joke?" Pepper asks right as she steps through the door. "What are you thinking?"