A Hero's Journey

Mark II

They were in an Air Force hanger, and both of them were walking towards Colonel Rhodes.

"Colonel?" Tony questioned, both men stepping towards the military man. 'Why not a pilot without the plane?"

Tony stepped up to the Colonel while Ghost stopped at the end, getting a look from the recruits. He was fully aware that he was someone you didn't see everyday, but come on, this was getting ridiculous.

"Look who fell out of the sky. Mister Tony Stark." Colonel Rhodes said, as Tony shook a soldiers hand.

"Hello, sir." The soldier greeted.

"Speaking of manned or unmanned, you gotta get him to tell you about the time he guessed wrong at spring break. Just remember that, spring break, 1987." Tony elaborated.

"Caity?" Ghost muttered.

"On it."

"That lovely lady you woke up with-" Tony talks fast.

"Don't do that." Rhodes tries to interrupt.

"-what was his name?" The soldiers laugh as Tony continued.

"All information on spring break 1987 at MIT is available. Filed away in your 'Look at later' folder."

"Thanks, Caity." Ghost thanked.

"Was it Ivan?" Tony questioned at the same time Ghost was talking to his AI.

"Don't do that. Don't do that." Rhodes tried to defend. "They'll believe it. Don't do that."

"Okay." Tony agrees.

"Don't do that." Rhodes reiterates as Tony turns to the soldiers.

"Pleasure meeting you." Tony says to the soldiers.

Rhodes, smiling, says with humor in his tone, "Give us a couple minutes, you guys." They all walk past them, and Ghost moves closer to be able to input on the situation. Stane's full background check wasn't done yet, but it would be soon.

"I'm surprised." Rhodes said looking at Tony.

"Why?" Ghost questioned. "About what?"

"I didn't expect to see him walking around so soon." Rhodes answered.

"I'm doing a little better than walking." Tony answered.

"Really?" The darker man questioned while crossing his arms.

"Yeah." Tony gives a small moment to add tension. "Rhodey, I'm working on something big."

"I wouldn't tell him." Ghost pipes in.

Tony retorts, "You, shush." Then he turns back to the Colonel. "I came to talk to you because I want you to be a part of it."

"It's a mistake." Ghost jumps in.

"Can you be quiet for two minutes?" Tony asked, turning to the assassin.

"No." The assassin answered.

"Well." Rhodes spoke. "Either way, 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." His tone is still humorous at the end.

Tony looks confused while Ghost sighs. "Here we go..." The white suited figure muttered.

"This is not for the military. I'm not- it's different." Tony explained.

"What?" It was the Colonels turn to be confused. "You're a humanitarian now or something?"

"I need you to listen to me-" Tony starts but gets cut off.