A Game of Whitt

The One Where Tony Almost Dies

 Monday, January 12, 20xx

The Jefferson Conference Center

Hall X

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"-and it's only through innovation that we can truly change the world."

The Audience was silent, hanging off his every word with rapt attention. Every few moments a camera shutter would go off, the quick light of a flash.

Tony had been invited to speak at one of the biggest clean energy conventions in the world, a collection of scientists, politicians, businessmen with philanthropic hearts, and a wide array of press from various news outlets and sources.

A year or two ago he would have scoffed at the invite, thrown it in the pile for Junk mail and told pepper to 'Handle it'.

And then he went overseas for a weapons presentation and his entire world fell apart- changed.

He changed with it.

It was no longer enough to continue the legacy of his father, to profit from war and her instruments. It was no longer enough to be satisfied with the numbing idea of him serving his country by keeping it well armed.

He was Tony Stark, and he could do better.

"Beginning Today, my company will be using its resources to research the implementation of arc reactors in every major town and city in the Country."

There were gasps and excited murmurs in the audience. Once again Stark had managed to outdo, and maybe overdo himself.

"Yes," he confirmed their silent suspicious, "It means independence from fossil fuels, and the end of gas and oil corporations in the US...and someday," Tony paused for dramatic effect before adding, "The World."

The Audience rose almost as one to applaud, the sounds of hundreds of hands creating a dull roar in his ears. He smiled, the one used for television and interviews, and stood for the required thirty seconds of photographs.

The Coordinator and host of the event walked on stage to shake his hand.

Ignoring the outstretched palm, he instead used his own hand to turn them towards the cameras.

It was nearly over when suddenly, somewhere to his left was a shout. Happy.

"Hey! You can't go out there! Someone stop that kid!"

Kid?

Tony turned.

A young boy, no older than 11 was dashing onto the stage, gunning for him him.

Some of the press at the foot of the stage turned as well, trying to gauge what was going on.

Tony's eyes widened as the kid dived towards him, crashing into him and the coordinator and sending them all to the ground. Mere nanoseconds later three loud 'pop's' echoed, whistling through the space where his head was and embedding themselves in the wall behind them.

The Auditorium erupted into chaos, people screaming when they had processed the sound of gunfire.

Tony's ears were still ringing with the sound of it- the shock- when Happy hauled him to his feet. He blinked rapidly as the world came into sharp relief. "I'm Fine!" Tony insisted, his feet still not quite taking steps of their own, still being pulled along by Happy.

His head of security pulled him off the stage, into the wings, were three other men waited.

"Happy I'm Fine! I'm Fine," He looked beyond the intense expression of his bodyguard for the boy.