Unexpected

When Everything Blows Up in Your Face

As soon as my plane landed in Malibu Florida, I regretted not changing my outfit from what I had been wearing for work. My sweater, polka dotted scarf, and pencil skirt were not made for the palm tree infested, sun-soaked land of tropics and sunglasses that Malibu was. Sweat started beading my forehead before I even left the airport and by the time I had gotten ahold of a rental car and was on my way, with the help of a GPS system, to the hotel that Miss Potts, who had insisted that I call her Pepper, and Tony Stark were headed. I'd meet them there. At least that's what we decided on the phone before I drove through a basic snow storm to the airport.

It seemed strange to me as I made my way through traffic and palm trees that I was to be a sort of protection detail for Stark. He was Iron Man for goodness sakes! Did Iron Man really need a body guard? Well, he was dumb enough to threaten a terrorist, but that was beside the point! Was I even truly qualified to protect Stark and Pepper? Sure, I'd gone through S.H.I.E.L.D. training in weapons and hand to hand combat, but this was a real life mission. I had no back up, and I wasn't sneaking around as a spy.

Taking a deep breath as I flipped through the radio stations in an attempt to distract myself from the oppressive heat, reminding myself that this protection detail, taking them to a safe house and guarding them, would probably be rather quiet and relaxing. The Mandarin would probably be too busy with his crusade to take serious notice of Stark no matter who he was, and in a few days I'd be heading back to Michigan to spend my holidays with my grandparents as previously scheduled.

I yanked off my scarf and tossed it in the back seat of my car. Gosh, I need to change clothes! It felt like the wool of my sweater was clinging to me like an itchy, overheated second skin. Florida is beautiful but I was born and raised in Michigan! I'm not used to this kind of warm weather in winter!

It took half an hour until I could find a gas station to pull over in to refuel and change into something more tropical. Of course, gas station bathrooms are not ideal, and I had to struggle to make sure nothing touched the ground as I slipped out of my sweater and skirt that I had paired with tights into nice white capris and a tank top chevron blouse, finally digging through my bag to find sunglasses.

Exiting the bathroom, bag slung over my shoulder, I fumbled with my phone. I figured I should probably call Pepper, just to let her know that I was here and that I was on my way. Cellphone in the crook of my neck as I quickly grabbed a fountain soda for the road, I listened to the monotonous ringing. Pick up, pick up, pick up.

"I'm sorry I couldn't answer the phone-"

I hung up. She hadn't answered. I dialed again, standing in line to pay as I stared blankly at the screen, not really watching the newscaster as flashes of pictures of the recently blown up Chinese Theatre were displayed. This needed to stop. The Mandarin needed to be stopped.

"Hi. Can I help you?" the pimply gas station employee asked dryly as I set my soda pop down.

"Just this please." I smiled quickly at them before returning my eyes to the screen as a breaking news bulletin played. On the screen was a rather fancy mansion standing on the edge of a cliff. Below the video footage a line of script said that it was the Stark residence and that ever since Stark had made his announcement to the paparazzi people have been surreptitiously watching the house for a glimpse at the billionaire superhero. I rolled my eyes as I handed the cashier a buck and some loose change. The press was having a field day with all of this.

That mansion was huge! I knew Stark was rich but that fact had always seemed distant to me, ethereal, but now as I saw the palace he lived in, I actually understood the extent of his pocketbook. He looked so normal though when he walked around the Triskelion's labs in concert t-shirts and jeans, being an arrogant, self-oriented but goodhearted joker. It would be good to see him again. Last I saw him I was still recovering from the energy overload after our tests. I'd be able to thank him properly for my device that I still had hooked onto the rim of my capris.