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Charlotte struggled against the larger man's grip. Obadiah was struggling to maintain control over the girl as he dragged her by her arm down the winding underground tunnels at Stark Industries. She used her freed hand to throw a blindsided punch in his direction, it limply connected with his side and back, but he remained unfazed. Only stopping momentarily to turn abruptly and grip Charlotte by her upper arms. He leaned close and hissed through clenched teeth, "Would you stop squirming? I'm not going to kill you!"
Halting her movements, Charlotte raised a brow and threw Obadiah an apprehensive look. "I'm seven, not stupid."
He took a second to ponder her response before standing up straight. "Fair enough." He continued to lead her down the runways until they reached an underground laboratory. Charlotte noted that they had walked past several alternative renditions of her father's arc reactors, each one seemed as elaborate and expansive as the last.
Pulling open a metal door, Obadiah did not hesitate to shove Charlotte into the cramped and dimly lit room, before following her in. She flinched as the door slammed behind them with a thud that seemed to vibrate through her bones. The chill remained with her as one by one, fluorescent lights began to turn on, revealing the laboratory they were standing in. However, Charlotte's eyes were only fixed on one thing, and one thing only. In the center of the room, surrounded by wiring and circuit boards, was a colossal grey metal suit. Its body was bulky and imposing; it hung from thick, rusting chains, elevated in mid-air. The slightly off-cut, oval headpiece was basic looking with two rectangles for eye holes and a long horizontal slit for a mouthpiece. In the center of the creation, was an empty crevice; wires protruded from five different points.
Charlotte gasped inwardly as she began to piece together the events of that night. Obadiah had attacked her father and left him to die - all for the arc reactor.
"Isn't it beautiful?" He marveled at his creation.
"No." Obadiah folded his arms across his chest and stared down at the girl. She shrugged and glanced at him, not seeming to understand why he was confused by her response. "What? Mom said that it's wrong to lie."
She was too much like her father; he smirked knowing that inevitably, it would be her downfall. "Yeah, well what do you know?" Stalking across the room, he brushed past her, not seeming to notice the shaky breath Charlotte released.
"You're not going to get away with this." He turned abruptly and glared at her. "My dad will come to me. And when he gets here he'll destroy your crappy tin suit." At that moment, any sense of confidence and adrenaline she had, instantly drained from her body. She was scared of Obadiah Stane - he was a dangerously unstable individual, and she knew that he would not think twice about killing her if she stood in his way. If he would not hesitate to harm a child, then what damage could he cause to others, and with a suit of armor?
