Avengers - Time Rift: Iron Maiden

Chapter 8 - Bonding and Agendas

The phone in Tonya's apartment rang Monday afternoon and the video display came on revealing Darcy with mussed hair and make up "The number you have reached doesn't give a damn ... leave a message" she giggled. Tony looked a bit shocked "Hell, did I dial the wrong number?" he asked looking at the speed dial display. "Not if you're trying to call Tonya" Darcy said suddenly squealing as the sheets covering her rustled in the background. Tony cleared his throat as he tugged at the collar of his henley "OK then. Let her know we finished her snack packs and need a quality control check when she has time and isn't ... preoccupied". "Will do mister man!" Darcy replied giving him a salute. A hand reached out from underneath the sheet covering her and hung the phone up just as her eyes opened wide and a shrill "OH MY!" came over the speaker from the intern.

Darcy stumbled out of the bedroom a few minutes after Tonya wrapping her arms around the redhead's waist and whispering in her ear "You have to drive, my legs are still like jello". Tonya laughed grabbing the keys to the camaro putting her arm around Darcy and grabbing her backside causing her to jump with a high pitched squeak "But I've been doing the driving all day" she said as they left the apartment to meet Tony at the Stark Industries complex. "AND it's Happy not Dorky!" Tony and Pepper heard Happy yell at Darcy as they entered the Research and Development lab. Tony chuckled motioning to the chairs across from him as the girls took a seat Darcy keeping a tight grip on Tonya's hand "He's kinda sensitive about that name thing, isn't he?" Darcy asked rolling her eyes. "He has his moments but nobody has been more loyal to Tony or SI" Pepper said with a smile. "This stuff wasn't the easiest to reverse engineer but we finally got it. Pepper thought some flavors other than the standard 'Hulk undies' might be nice for you though ... actually she was pretty demanding. She can be scary". Tony huffed as Pepper elbowed him in the side as he continued "So we have a brown gravy you can throw some vegetables and meat in and make a stew, fruit flavors and some dessert types. Let us know what you think is good and we'll go full swing. We also picked up a few government contracts for this stuff since a shot glass full will keep our solider boys going all day with no fatigue, thanks for that". "And you'll be getting a bonus as well for pointing us in the right direction, something I'm sure Tony would have been all to happy to not mention" Pepper interjected furrowing her brow at Tony. Stark rolled his eyes "Yeah, yeah. But the military wants this stuff since it's cheap to make now that we're synthesizing the base components properly, light weight and they have the shelf life of plutonium. It's going to make M.R.E.'s as conventional in the field as T.V. dinners". Tony pointed at a small stack of boxes against a wall near the door "That's the sample stack. We also took the liberty of resizing them so you'll need six a day, but it lets you mix and match a bit more. I think you'll like this one." he said pushing a cup with a spoon sticking out of it across the table to her. "Pepper took over the whole flavor selection but this ones my baby ... double fudge chocolate cake". Tonya scooped a spoonful into her mouth and her eyes opened wide "Oh my god. So good" she blurted out as she shoveled the rest of the cup into her mouth wiggling in her seat. "Well that's one for production" Pepper laughed holding out a manilla envelope "We just need a little feedback from you on these if you don't mind. What you think of the taste, and most importantly if they affect your performance. It's a quality control and you're the resident expert on this" she said with a smile as Tonya stared at the envelope. Darcy giggled as she took the paperwork "She doesn't like being handed things". Tony looked at Pepper with a smirk "I told you it was legit, didn't I?" he chuckled. Pepper shook her head "I never thought that quirk could be genetic".

Pepper and Tony walked the girls out after having the boxes loaded into the trunk of the camaro. "Hey Pep, see Darcy off would you? I need to talk to Tonya for a minute, and you two should stop by for dinner tonight, I cook some awesome Thai food ... and by cook I mean order" his comment causing Pepper to giggle as she led Darcy toward the parking lot. Tony and Tonya entered the garage "I have something at my place I need a hand with. The R8's firing is weird, up for it?" he asked. "Sure" Tonya said with a grin "Been a while since I worked on a classic". Tony frowned as he looked at her "Now I feel old, thanks". They came to the end of the garage and Stark stopped in front of a gloss black Colorado "I know you don't like being handed things so ..." he said tossing her the keys "Company car, as promised ... with a few perks considering your second job". Tonya gawked at the pickup as she circled it and looked inside listening to Tony "Alloy armor plating, solid puncture proof tires, SI prototype bulletproof glass, four wheel drive with the off road package, heavy gauge brush guard that will push a tank before it buckles, 502 cubic inch super charged engine. I rebuilt the transmission and reinforced the drive train components myself, high flow balanced exhaust, recessed storage compartment in the bed in case you decide to pack a suit for emergencies ... and a sound system Darcy will approve of not to mention leather interior" he said doing his best impression of a car show model as he gave her a wink "The billionaire thing has it's perks". "I ... I don't know what to say. It's awesome. Thank you so much Tony. Can I take it out?" she asked as he climbed into the drivers seat. Tony laughed watching her as she climbed into the truck "It's taking up my parking place, get it the hell out of here already and we'll see you tonight. Six O'clock?". Tonya nodded as she started up the engine "Six it is and thanks again for everything Tony, I mean it" she said pulling out of the parking place. Tony waved as she left "No double parking!" he shouted watching her leave before he made his way back to the main complex "So it was was little over the top, but it's not everyday your little girl gets her first car" he thought to himself with a smile.