Radioactive | Bucky Barnes

IRON MAN: CHAPTER FIFTEEN

She paid the cab driver and headed up to the mansion's front doors, suitcase in hand. Chaos was her plan.

Just as she raised her hand to knock, Jarvis's voice echoed through the entryway.
"Hello, Rhiley. It appears Mr. Stark isn't ready for visitors."

"I'm not a visitor," she said flatly, dropping her bag. "Tell Mr. Stark he can either let me in, or file a police report to have me removed. I promise to drag the process out until he's drowning in paperwork."

The door clicked, then swung open. Tony Stark stood there, unimpressed.
"Don't you understand what being fired means?"

"Yeah." She picked up her suitcase and brushed past him.

Tony frowned. "What's with the bags?"

"Didn't you hear? I got evicted. Apparently, getting fired from the only job I was good at has consequences." She let her suitcase drop to the floor and turned to face him. "And since I have absolutely no one else in my life, I guess that means crashing with my ex-boss." She shrugged. "You can call it charity or you can rehire me—your call."

"You're stubborn."

She crossed her arms. "So are you."

Tony smirked, walking past her. "This is grown-up work, Jones."

"I'm older than you."

Tony laughed. "I read your resume. Don't lie."

She wasn't lying. But at least he didn't stop her from following him down into the lab.

"You gonna tell me what's going on?" she asked, watching from the edges of the room as Tony stood in a scanning booth. Lasers danced across his body.

"If you must know," he said, arms out, "Jarvis is scanning me."

"Why?"

Before he could answer, Jarvis spoke.
"What were your intentions for this device?"

Rhiley, curiosity piqued, circled the lab slowly, eyeing Tony from time to time.

"It powers an electromagnet," Tony said, "keeps the shrapnel from entering my heart. Can you recommend any upgrades?"

"You're building a new heart," she muttered.

Tony pointed at her. "Bingo."

"It is difficult to offer counsel," Jarvis interjected, "when your stated intentions conflict with your actual designs."

"What are you talking about?" Rhiley asked, looking between Tony and the booth. "What's he not telling me?"

"That is ridiculous," Tony scoffed. "That's exactly what this is for."

"The energy yield of this device exceeds your stated intention by eleven orders of magnitude. A car battery could accomplish your goal."

Tony stepped out of the booth. Holographic schematics whirled around him, too fast and too dense for Rhiley to follow. She looked away. Out of her depth.

He hasn't kicked you out. That's a good sign.

"Upgrade recommendations," Tony ordered. "List."

Jarvis replied, "Why are you speaking to me like a computer?"

"Because you're acting like one."

"Shall I disable random pattern conversation?"

"No. It's fine," Tony said. "You're the only one who understands me."

"I don't understand you, sir."

Rhiley laughed. "I always liked Jarvis more than you."