Second Chances

Sixteen

“Mr. Stark, you have a meeting with Aldrich Killian and Stephen Strange.” Pepper notified walking into Tony’s lab. 

“Strange? No one told me Strange was part of this project,” Tony spun around in his chair, lifting his welders mask.

“I told you seven times and asked if you were okay with it the same amount.” Pepper deadpanned, and Tony got out of his chair, shouldering on his button up shirt.

Pepper walked towards Tony, scooping his blazer off a chair. “I can cancel the meeting, and reschedule it with Mr.Killian only.” Pepper offered, handing Tony the jacket.

“What would be the fun in that? I’m sure Strange took on this project for the simple satisfaction of annoying the ever-loving-shit outta me.” Tony smiled at Pepper, and she sighed. 

“Play nice, okay Tony? This is an extremely important project, and I know you know it. It will do a lot of good, Tony.” Pepper licked her thumb to scrub off a bit of grease on Tony’s cheek, and he swerved from the touch.

“Damn, Pep, you’re acting like my mom.” Tony chuckled, and Pepper smirked.

“If I have to act like your mother to get you cleaned up, I will.” Pepper raised one of her perfectly colored eyebrows, and Tony kissed her cheek before leaving the room and buttoning his suit jacket.

“Hello, mates,” Tony greeted smugly, walking into the conference room and unbuttoning his suit jacket. 

“Good morning, Mr.Stark,” A woman dressed in a light blue pantsuit greeted Tony from Killian’s side. 

Tony licked his upper teeth, nodding slowly, his eyes moving from Ms.Maya Hansen to Aldrich Killian to Stephen Strange. Two of Tony’s exes in the same room accompanied by a man he decidedly didn’t care for, especially when he would harass Pepper with flirting.

Stephen looked fine. He was dressed in a navy blue button-up and a red jacket. His hair seemed a little longer on the top, several strands brushing against the top of his forehead. There was a little gray behind his ears, that Tony raised an eyebrow at, and the most noticeable addition was the new goatee. Strange’s green eyes were locked on Tony, watching his every movement closely. 

Tony smirked as Strange’s eyes traveled down his body, and he took a seat across from Maya. He placed his left arm on the tabletop, leaning against the table, and he took off his tinted-red glasses, eyes locked on Strange’s.

“I’m pleased to see you all made it,” Tony’s eyes moved to Killian and Maya, before landing back on Strange.

Tony licked his lips, watching as Strange’s eyes tracked the movement, and he tried his hardest not to snicker. 

Boy, was he going to tell Bruce about this. Natasha would appreciate it too.

 “Let’s begin?” Killian asked, and Tony nodded sitting straighter in his chair, and he made a hand gesture allowing Killian to begin his presentation. 

“So, after years of dodging the President’s ban on ‘immoral’ biotechnology research, I...Think Tank, has a little something in the pipeline.” Killian stood, and Maya handed him a pair of metal beads. 

“I would like to discuss our bioelectrical potential. I have found a slot in the human brain that is empty. Meaning, that our mind is meant to be upgraded. Now, I’m not speaking of giving people superpowers, because that would be ridiculous. We can’t have Captain America running around our streets,” Killian laughed, and Tony nodded leaning back in my chair to watch as he projected an image onto my holographic table. 

It was a picture of the brain, and it zoomed into to reveal a piece of the brain that was not flickering with neurons. Strange leaned forward, folding his hands atop the table, and Tony turned to Killian.