Fight or Flight » JW / Avengers

chapter fourteen

[ chapter fourteen ; ]

After Wanda had gotten everyone to the nearest clearing, Owen caught sight of an odd looking jet approaching in the sky.

"Is that our ride?" he asked as he glanced down at Wanda before watching it get closer and closer.

"It is," she agreed.

"Is that . . .?" Claire started to ask before trailing off, her awe evident.

"It is," Wanda agreed again, her smile growing.

"Is that who?" Zach asked, looking over to Wanda curiously.

Wanda just smiled and shook her head slightly. "You will see, Zach. Don't worry."

Owen studied her as she watched the jet landing, a little surprised at how relaxed she was now. Though he supposed it made sense; they were no longer in danger of death-by-hybrid dinosaur, and everyone she'd set out to save was alive . . . "You know the people on that jet?" he asked her, quiet enough that the others couldn't catch it.

"Oh, yes," Wanda smiled as it began to land a safe distance away from them. "I am good friends with the pilot . . . and the owner."

Without another word of explanation, she began to head toward said jet, tugging Owen along behind her by his hand. Claire and her nephews followed soon after. The ramp to the jet lowered as they approached, and Wanda's grin never left her face. Even her eyes were crinkled in bemused delight, and as Owen saw the man coming down the ramp, he understood why.

Approaching all of them was the one and only Tony Stark, otherwise known as Iron Man. He could feel his eyes widening somewhat, so he then began to work on keeping his face neutral, even as he heard Gray and Zach shout "It's Iron Man!"

He was also pretty sure he could hear Claire make a sound that could've indicated faintness, but he wasn't willing to tear his gaze away from the other Avenger to check.

"Madame Witch," Tony greeted Wanda as they finally reached him and began to head up the ramp. "Glad to see you're still in one piece . . . as are your friends, apparently," he said, eyeing Owen pointedly before looking back to his fellow hero. "Close friends, too. I mean, wow, witchy--"

"Shut up, Stark," Wanda replied briskly, batting at his arm unfazed. "Owen, this is Tony Stark, Stark, this is Owen Grady. He is the raptor trainer."

Tony stuck out a hand, which Owen was quick to shake. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Stark."

"Pleasure's mine," Tony shrugged dismissively as their hands parted. "Call me Tony. Any very-super-extremely close friend of Wanda's is at least a friend of mine," he smirked, before he turned his sights past Owen to the other three. "And you must be Director Dearing," he said, approaching Claire.

Claire was wide-eyed, and in Owen's opinion, it was miraculous that her mouth wasn't hanging open. She smoothed out her skirt before offering a hand to Tony, "Claire Dearing, yes, I--"

"Was in charge of this disaster that Masrani thought was an okay idea," Tony finished, shaking her hand and flashing a smile. "Yeah, I know. Masrani and I were close."

Claire nodded quickly. "I--I'm very sorry that he . . ."

"Yeah, so am I," Tony agreed, his face sobering for a moment before he sighed and turned to the boys. "The nephews Wanda spoke of," he said, flashing them a renewed smile. "Tony Stark," he introduced.

Gray and Zach both said their names at the same time, causing Tony to chuckle. "All right, then. Now that we're all familiar-- probably get in the quinjet. Miss Dearing, you and I specifically have something to talk about. Boys . . . and Owen," he said, glancing at the trainer, "probably go with Wanda."

Wanda grinned at Owen and nodded into the jet, indicating he go first, before she took Gray's hand and led he and Zach after her. "Let's go meet the pilot, shall we?"

"Is he an Avenger, too?" Gray asked hopefully as they headed in.

"Oh, yes," Wanda said proudly. "Hawkeye."

"Seriously?!" Zach asked.

"And he will be very glad you know who he is," she chuckled as she and Owen disappeared with the boys into the cockpit, leaving Tony and Claire alone.

"Mr. Stark, I--" Claire started to say as the ramp finished closing and the jet began to take off.

"No, no," Tony said quickly, "it's Tony. I'm not exactly the most formal person on the planet-- at all. So call me Tony."

She was still plainly nervous as she attempted to smile at him. "Tony, then. Again, I am very sorry about Mr. Masrani's death . . ."

"Yeah, trust me, I know. Simon told me how closely you two worked together," Tony said. "He said you did a good job taking care of his park, too."

Claire seemed to relax at that. "I did my best. He gave me a big job, and I didn't want to let him down."

"From what I heard, you didn't," Tony said with a slight smile. "This park's ending was just, ah . . . a bit more dramatic than the original's."

"You know about the original one?" Claire asked, incapable of hiding her surprise.

"Yeah, of course," Tony agreed. "I was actually an investor. Knew Hammond . . . it was back when I was younger. I looked into a lot of different revenues then." He shrugged, as if none of this was a big deal. "Anyway . . . I wanted to speak to you about the future of the park."

Claire's brows knitted together in confusion. "The future of it? Mr-- Tony . . . after this incident, it is highly doubtful the park will reopen. Ever. The publicity on this--"

"Will be more manageable than you probably think," Tony cut her off. "Simon left all of his money to this park, this island, Claire. He was extremely devoted to it. About as much as Hammond was, if we're being honest."

"You're saying the park will open again?" Claire asked, still staring at Tony in utter disbelief, the thought not even close to registering in her mind.

Tony shrugged, though their was a glint of his usual mischief in his eyes as he looked at the redhead. "I could use a side project," he said easily. "And I mean, it's not like it's going to happen all at once . . . or even in the next year. But with my tech and InGen's dinosaur science, it should be more than doable." He fixed her with a pointed look then. "And I could really use someone who understands the goings on of this kind of thing, to you know . . . put in charge of it."

"I . . . Tony," Claire took a deep breath and let out a quiet sigh. "I really am honored, honestly. I--I never expected this would happen--"

"No one will be," he said, because it was the truth, and he was used to it. He enjoyed the unexpected. "And it'll be better this time around. No more whacky hybrids--"

"Dr. Wu, I think he escaped the island--"

"He tried," Tony said curtly. "I stopped him. Whatever he was planning on helping the military with, it isn't going to happen. I hired his second in command to be in charge of the genetic coding and creation in the next park," Tony explained. "And also effectively put him out of business."

Claire decided she did not want to know how that happened.

"As I was saying," Tony continued, "it'd be done right this time. No whacky hybrids, no crazy stuff . . . just dinosaurs. And you know, probably better attractions. So what do you say?" he asked, flashing her another smile. "Want to work for Stark Industries at the next Jurassic Park?"

Claire studied him for a moment, before a small smile lifted the edges of her own lips. "I would be honored. Of course, I would-- yes."