Phantom | S. Rogers

-𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑-

december twenty third, 2012
malbu, california; and
rose hill, tennessee

"Fun fact: before he built rockets for the Nazis, the idealistic Wernher von Braun dreamed of space travel. He stargazed." Maya chuckled softly before she took a sip of her drink. "Do you know what he said when the first V2 hit London? The rocket performed perfectly. It just landed on the wrong planet. We all begin wide eyed; pure science. Then the ego steps in; the obsession. You look up and you're a long way from shore."

"You can't be too hard on yourself, Maya." Pepper said, shaking her head lightly. "You gave your research to a think tank."

"Yeah, but Killian built that think tank on military contracts." Maya countered, making the blonde shrug.

"That's exactly what we used to do, so don't judge yourself."

"Thank you, Pepper. I really appreciate that." Maya said, Pepper nodding before she got up to answer the door.

"Hi, good evening." Pepper said, opening the door for the waiter before she gestured for him to come inside. "Come on in."

"Good evening."

As she held the door open for the waiter, Killian appeared, breaking the waiter's neck as Pepper let out a gasp. "Maya, run!"

"Hi, Pepper." Killian said with a smile, holding Pepper to the wall by her neck before he looked at the brunette. "So you wanna tell me why you were at the Stark's mansion last night?"

"I'm trying to fix this thing." Maya said as she got off the bed and walked over. "I didn't know you and the master were gonna blow the place up."

"I see. So you were trying to save the Starks when they threatened us?" Killian questioned, cocking his head.

"I told you, Killian. We can use them." Maya said, Pepper hitting Killian to try to get free.

"Pepper. Pepper. Pepper."

"If we wanna launch product next year, I need the Starks. They just lacked a decent incentive." Maya said before she gestured to Pepper. "Now they have one."

"This is support team Blue Zero." A tech said as Rhodey flew to Iran. "Sending coordinates for a suspected Mandarin broadcast point of origin."

"Copy. Nobody move." Rhodey said after he kicked the door down, glancing at each occupant before he realized they weren't a threat. "Oh. Support Blue Zero, unless the Mandarin's next attack on the US involves cheaply made sportswear, I think you messed up again." Rhodey said, the women thanking him as they left the room. "Yes, you're free; if you weren't before. Of course. Yes, ma'am. Iron Patriot on the job. Happy to help. No need to thank me, ma'am. It's my pleasure." Rhodey said before the last woman heated up the hand of his suit when she was pretending to thank him.

"Savin? I acquired the Patriot armor." The woman informed, glancing down at the floor where Rhodey and the suit were laying.

"If you want this suit, you're gonna have to pry my cold dead body out of it." Rhodey said, the woman chuckling as she looked at him.

"That's the plan, Colonel."

"Harley, tell me what's happening. Give me a full report." Tony said as he glanced at the phone, which was resting on the console.

"Yeah, I'm still eating that candy." Harley said, popping another piece into his mouth. "Do you want me to keep eating it?"

"How much have you had?" Brooke asked, leaning forward so he could hear her.

"Two or three bowls."

"Can you still see straight?" Tony asked, Harley looking at his fingers before shrugging.

"Sorta."

"That means you're fine. Give me Jarvis." Tony said, Harley nodding before he put the phone on Brooke's suit. "Jarvis, how are we?"

"It's totally fine, sir. I seem to do quite well for a stretch and then at the end of the sentence I say the wrong cranberry." Jarvis said, making the trio give each other confused and concerned looks. "Sir, ma'am, you were right. Once I factored in available AIM downlink facilities, I was able to pinpoint the Mandarin's broadcast signal."

"What are we talking?—Far East, Europe, North Africa, Iran, Pakistan, Syria?" Brooke listed, shrugging as she looked at Steve. "Where is it?"

"Actually, ma'am, it's in Miami."

"Okay. Kid, I'm gonna have to walk you through rebooting Jarvis's speech drive, but not right now." Tony said, Harley nodding as he picked up the phone. "Harley, where is he really? Just look on the screen and tell me where it is."

"It does say Miami, Florida." Harley confirmed with a nod after he tapped the screen.

"Okay, first things first: we need the armor. Where are we at with it?" Tony asked, Harley's eyes widening as he looked at the screen.

"It's not charging." Harley said, making Tony slam the brakes as he pulled over, Steve putting his arm in front of Brooke so she wouldn't hit the back of the passenger's seat.

"Actually, sir, it is charging, but the power source is questionable." Jarvis said, Steve and Brooke giving each other concerned looks as they looked at Tony, who tried to catch his breath. "It may not succeed in revitalizing both Mark 42s."

"What's questionable about electricity? Alright?" Tony asked, glaring at the phone. "It's my suit and I can't—I'm not gonna—I don't wanna—oh God. Not again."

"Tony? Are you having another attack?" Harley asked, Tony getting out of the car before Brooke and Steve did the same. "I didn't even mention New York."

"Harley, sweetie, not helping!"

"Right; and then you just said it by name while denying having said it." Tony reminded as he sat on the ground, trying to catch his breath as Brooke and Steve tried to comfort him. "God, what am I gonna do?"

"Just breathe. Really; just breathe. You're a mechanic, right?" Harley asked, making Tony nod.

"Right."

"You said so."

"Yes, I did." Tony recounted, him calming down as he looked at the phone.

"Why don't you just build something?" Harley suggested, Tony looking up before he stood up.

"Okay. Thanks, kid." Tony said, getting in the car as Brooke and Steve hesitantly followed.

After hanging up with Harley, Tony found directions to a hardware store before he drove off, Brooke looking out the window before looking at her brother. "Do you want me to sing for you?"

Tony let out a chuckle as he glanced at Brooke in the rear view mirror. "Yeah, baby."

"What do you wanna hear? Are you in the mood for Christmas music? Because I'm not." Brooke said as she shook her head, Steve and Tony chuckling at her. "I can sing Grease!"

A confused look made its way onto Steve's face before he looked at her. "The movie with John Travolta?"

"Yeah!"

Peter, learning geology: there's a new jersey?

Brooke, after trying to tell him that New Zealand exists and that he's been there: yeah, they just opened it.