Chapter 5
Tony ditched the original plan for his birthday and just invited Rhodey over for a movie night with Pizza and ice cream a few days early. This neatly evaded Vanko's original attack at the Monaco race especially since it had only occurred because Tony was there in the first place. Tony had tossed in an offer to officially explain his recent erratic behavior to get Rhodey off base without too much trouble from his senior officer. He tried not to worry about what Vanko was doing since he had gone off script. Stephen was staying in one of the guest rooms and was glad for the change in plans.
Tony also privately warned both of his AIs to back themselves up off-site since SHIELD had taken over the mansion within hours of Rhodey flying off with War Machine in the Before. Admittedly, it was after he had flown to that donut place and set up in the donut on top of the shop but still! He was half hoping they would show up anyway without the party and Rhodey flying off with War Machine to potentially kick things off. He wanted witnesses this time and having both Rhodey and Stephen around would help his peace of mind if nothing else. To that end when Rhodey arrived for the promised explanation, pizza, and ice cream he told "Natalie Rushman" about the quiet night in. His specific orders were to only show up if there was a team of agents or special forces with her for whatever reason.
"What?" Tony asked the two men he had had the phone conversation in front of.
"Why are you baiting the super spy that's pretending to be your PA?" Stephen asked blandly.
"Tony," Rhodey groaned when his friend spluttered and didn't deny it.
"Okay, okay, okay, I knew she was a honey pot when I hired her. I mean come on her resume was practically tailored for my public playboy persona," Tony explained. "I cited the agents because last time around, before the time travel, they cornered me after I pushed Rhodey into running off with the War Machine suit that I designed for him in the first place. Officially, he stole it from me with how I was going off the rails. Unofficially? I gave it to him but it couldn't look like I had given it to him. If I hadn't wanted him to have it all the anti-theft protocols would have kicked in and turned him into a corpse inside the suit. Nasty to clean out but better than some random evil dude basically becoming an instant nuclear power."
The look Stephen gave him said everything.
"Give me a break here! I was dying from heavy metal poisoning!" Tony protested. "We fixed it already and I even avoided the fight with Vanko on the race tracks. Just be glad we came back after the stupid Senate hearing."
"Which is the only reason you're getting a pass," Stephen snarked. "Until your blood toxicity is down to something close to normal levels I'm not leaving you alone. You'll do something stupid like put in the old reactor if something comes up."
Tony looked openly insulted while Rhodey processed that his friend had been dying and hadn't bothered to tell him! The time travel mention was actually what made things understandable in a very Tony way. It was honestly less headache inducing although more concerning in a very different fashion.
"Time travel?" Rhodey asked slowly.
"Um, yes? I wasn't going to tell you about that yet but it sort of slipped out?" Tony offered sheepishly.
"I do hope that this new turn involves avoiding things that will potentially risk your life, Sir," Jarvis sassed. "As predicted the Black Widow and her SHIELDRA friends have begun arriving early. How would you like me to greet them?"
"Tony," Stephen growled, glaring fiercely.
"Uh, ask them to wait for like twenty minutes while I talk down my friends from firing on them if they see weapons?" Tony suggested weakly.
"...Boss, Natasha Romanoff requests a direct line to you in her capacity as your PA," Friday reported, practically dripping disapproval.
"Put her through," Tony said, ignoring the various displeasures aimed at him.
"Mr. Stark, I arrived as you asked," Natasha Romanoff said carefully. "I'm afraid that your home systems seem to be refusing my access code."
"I wasn't kidding about talking my friends down from their current shoot first ask questions later stance," Tony sighed in answer. "Come back when you have Agent Agent or Director Fury. We have words to spar with. Depending on how things go... you're probably fired but for now cooperating is going to be in our best interests."
"And don't bother bringing anything medically dubious along," Stephen put in before Tony could close the connection. "I'll kill one of you before I let you give him anything I haven't checked myself."
"...Of course, Doctor Strange. We will wait out here until the selected people arrive," Natasha said carefully before ending the call on her end.
"I didn't introduce you to any of them," Tony muttered, insulted that they knew who his doctor friend was despite having basically kidnapped him less than a month ago. Wait, that was probably the exact reason why they knew who he was. Damnit!
"Doctor Strange?" Rhodey asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Stephen Vincent Strange," Stephen offered. "It actually is my legal name. Although, I have met you before but you have not yet met me. Our first meeting was... less than stellar."
"If you call meeting on the battlefield as an ally anything but shitty," Tony snorted. "Rhodey, he came back in time with me. We landed in our younger bodies when we both collapsed at that gala that freaked out Pepper. I wanted to explain shit to you tonight but the party crashers won't wait on us long. So, to recap SHIELD is not our friend and they're trying to trick me or force me into their ranks either because of who I am or for my resources. We don't want to completely burn them because they get heads up on some stuff we will need to track but and claws trying to hook in need snipping. For your report, I was dying of heavy metal poisoning but I'm not anymore and am on treatment to purge it. I want to give you specifically an armor but I've got conditions for its use by the military as a whole. For your personal reference we have multiple incoming alien invasions and if we lose against the big bad behind them then the universe is screwed. Full story at 10."
"Tones, you're killing me here," Rhodey groaned. "You owe me Scotch, a real explanation, and a shit ton of favors for dropping this on me."
"Done, done, and done," Tony said with a toothy smile. "Welcome aboard team crazy."
Rhodey pointed his finger at his friend in warning before leaning forwards to grab a slice of the pizza they had all been ignoring.
"Fri baby? Let them in please," Tony called out.
"Sure thing, Boss!" Friday agreed somewhat cheerfully. Her response made Tony frown in concern but he quickly pasted on his media smile when he caught sight of their visitors.
"Initiating Lab lockdown and placing Miss. Potts on speed dial," Jarvis said dryly. Stephen snorted but opted not to comment as they watched the SHIELD team flood into the living room.
"Tony Stark," Nick Fury said as he walked in behind his agents.
"Nicholas Joseph Fury," Tony smirked right back, his friends the only ones actually aware of the sharp teeth barely hidden in his response.
"I heard you've not been feeling at the top of your game," Fury commented, intimidated. "We could help you with that techno jigsaw puzzle you've been having problems with."
"No, you can't," Stephen said firmly. "Touch my patient and I will be more than happy to drag you through the courts."
"What he said," Tony said showing just a hint of teeth. "Besides, did you really think those were the only copies of Howard's work? We will be filing the patent for the new element and its production processes in a month or so. The palladium levels are dropping nicely and waiting until I only have maybe a week to live is poor form, Nicky. I'm not joining your super secret boy band either but I am willing to potentially act as a consultant here or there. No freebies and anyone I peg as Hydra or a Hydra wannabe is going to face my Merchant of Death side."
The Hydra comment apparently was too much for one of the agents because he tried to draw on Tony only for the two time displaced heroes to react faster than anyone else. Tony's hand was up with a repulser gauntlet forming from his new bracelet and firing even as he moved to get out of the line of enemy fire. Stephen's magic blazed forth even as he side stepped and wrapped the attacker in mystic ropes whipped around the man. A quick jerk had the man on the ground, knocking his gun out of his hand, one of the agents kicked it away from him almost on reflex.
"Clean house Nicky boy or I'll do it for you and I won't be gentle about it," Tony said gruffly, glaring at the attacker still wrapped up in Stephen's magic.
"Tony? A bit more warning next time?!" Rhodey said pointedly in clear aggravation. He was also manfully withholding his questions about the literal magic doctor but the look he sent at Tony was very clear on demanding answers later.
"One, I knew about the infestation and wasn't actually going to bring it up to them directly for obvious reasons. That was supposed to be a quip wrapped in sarcasm, not something to actually trigger someone to break cover and attack me. Two, I've been a bit busy not dying instead of investigating Howard and Aunt Peggy's old paperwork! Three, at best I expected this to be a meeting of subtle threats and innuendos that we could toss back and forth without actually having to burn SHIELD to the ground," Tony growled. "At no point did I expect this to turn into... this or I would have warned you. I'm not stupid, honey-bear."
"I'll put him in the mirror dimension for now," Stephen sighed and did so, trapping the man outside of reality for the moment.
"Jarvis? Friday? Hack Shield and do a check on everyone here. If anyone else is Hydra they aren't leaving," Tony ordered sharply. "Pretty sure Fury is at least clean-ish but I can't promise anything about anyone else beyond maybe Black Widow."
"Yes, Sir./On it, Boss!" came out of the speakers.
"I am not looking forwards to hiding bodies," Stephen said in clear aggravation.
"I know you try to avoid human kills, doc," Tony sighed but neither man let down their guard or put away their magic or gauntlet respectively.
They all waited tensely for the AIs to finish their check. The deployment of tasers that took down two more people answered the question they all had. That said the live weapons hidden in the walls deployed and targeted the other unwelcome visitors with a clear threat.
"Two more for holding, Doctor," Friday said flatly. Stephen chose not to comment as he dumped the two unconscious agents into the mirror dimension with their friend.
"Please explain the logged kill order for Sir and the Doctor," Jarvis said in aggressive politeness.
"What the hell?!" Fury demanded, thoroughly confused.
"Uh, logged kill order?" Tony asked warily.
"There is a list of people to eliminate due to intelligence and the likelihood of resistance should certain of what you would term evil overlord plans be enacted. Colonel Rhodes is filed under general Military with potential and not considered a problem as he would be expected to fall into line with subverted commanders. His file is noted to only have been compiled due to his proximity to you, Sir," Jarvis explained helpfully. "Dr. Strange's file, on the other hand, was compiled due to the risk of his genius becoming a threat. There is no mention of recent updates or upgrades. Both of your files are also flagged for acquisitions if at all possible due to demonstrated ability and resources. Dr. Strange is lower on both lists due to the official disparity between the published capabilities for you both."
Tony swore viciously and sighed before turning to Stephen with clear resignation adorning his features.
"Call Morgan," Tony ordered sadly.
"...that bad?" Stephen asked carefully. He knew the Hydra file actually was that bad of a sign but there was no need to let their visitors know that.
"When they burned everything last time around I was the one scrambling to pull people out, including dependants. Call Morgan. If we are actually doing this then we do it the right way the first time and hopefully keep Hydra from killing off kids and spouses. The retired agents as targets are more understandable if no less a loss of life. I don't have anything set up and we can lock people up in your mirror place until things are parsed out if we have to," Tony said tiredly. "I swear I didn't intend to set anything off."
"Butterfly effects," Stephen pointed out even as he sent out a butterfly shaped spell through a tiny portal.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you warned me," Tony waved him off.
"Dude, seriously?" Rhodey complained, groaning as he made the connection with the earlier time travel revelation.
"Its about to get a great deal worse, Colonel," Stephen told him ruefully as sparks manifested off to one side and built a portal. One of which had several people stepping through who caused Stephen to stiffen in his own right.
"Daddy, Stephen, what's the problem?" Tao asked as she moved to stand with them.
"Daddy?!" came the collective double take.
"Did you ever learn about Hydra or the fall of Shield before you got dumped through time, princess?" Tony asked carefully.
Tao looked around with that missing piece of information as things clicked into place. Her face instantly went blank and cold.
"Timelines," Stephen reminded before anyone else said something regrettable.
"Stephen? Shut up," Tao said mildly, beginning to truly terrify the other Mystic Masters and the SHIELD agents.
"You are not more scary than Dormammu in a towering rage," Stephen snorted. "Nor are you worse than your father going full on Merchant. May I remind you that this version of you was dead during those events within the timeline?"
"We had enough trusted former Shield employees that I worked with or had as security when I was young to learn more than enough about that incident," Tao said coldly. "Anyone the Order takes in will be tested thoroughly before they learn even the most basic of apprentice level theory. If you just want us to hold them then we can do that without issue beyond groceries but suspended animation of sorts is also an option. Executions are right out though."
"Thanks, honey. Stephen already has three confirmed Hydra in the mirror dimension and Friday just dug up a kill list," Tony said tiredly. "This group is probably not Hydra but with how hard it is to tell Hydra from Shield with their near identical tactics I'm not taking chances. Hammer is supposed to set off his drones in a few days, assuming he actually got Vanko somehow since I dodged the initial fight at the race."
"That childhood story is what I used to figure out the magic burning whips spell," Tao mused. "Friday? How angry are you about the kill list?"
"Blazingly angry little sis!" Friday said with cheerful evilness. "Boss and the Doc are both on the list."
"Which puts the entire mess in our jurisdiction despite it not seeming to on the surface," Tao said, grinning evilly. "After all we lose Daddy and the universe dies within the next twenty years to say nothing of targeting the new Sorcerer Supreme even if I'm still performing most of the duties involved."
"The natural order..." Karl Mordo spluttered. Tao gave him a look that silenced him for the moment.
"Hey, Stephen? What if the Time Stone is sentient? As a literal pillar of reality wouldn't it be able to pass judgement or whatever?" Tony asked curiously.
"That's... not a bad idea. The Time Stone itself making changes or approving them would automatically class it as part of the natural order on the grounds that the Time Stone is a solid aspect of reality and able to be directly consulted," Stephen hummed thoughtfully. "Assuming your supposition of its sentience is correct."
"Uh, I held all of them at once? They felt very sentient and I do not recommend the process... ever," Tony said bluntly. "Do you have it yet?"
"The Eye of Agamotto is back at the temple. I haven't returned it to his care yet," Tao answered for him.
"You preach the rules yet break them when convenient?" Karl demanded harshly, unable to keep quiet any longer.
"No, I teach you what you need to be aware of to do your duty. My time accident and my accidental drawing from the Dark Dimension when I was little more than a child had no bearing," Tao told him flatly. "It was no conventional spell that sent my father and Master Strange into their younger forms either. Reality is trying to protect its self from what we lived through in different ways. The very natural order you worship is acting to enforce its self. Master Mordo, you weren't this dense when I was training you. Think! Use your brain! There are things that should not be tampered with but we are not the only ones with access to those things and to fix the damage done we must interact with those things in sometimes unexpected ways. Reality does act to protect its own existence and in doing so it and its siblings occasionally choose a champion or representative. Stephen Strange is one such and he was chosen by Time, sibling to Reality, Space, Mind, Soul, and Power. My father is another such champion for reasons that are not your concern. When my father fell defending all of existence he had more than enough interaction with all six of those solidified aspects of reality to potentially cause this mess in an effort to prevent the damage in the first place."
"Uh, hang on, I did not cause this mess!" Tony squawked but was largely ignored.
"And yourself Ancient One?" Master Kaecilius asked carefully.
"You found out about my drawing power from the Dark Dimension days ago, Master Kaecilius," Tao said bluntly. "It truly was an accident at the time when I started doing so in the 1400's. I suppose it could be classed as enemy action since I only cast the lead up portion personally. That doesn't mean I haven't found a use for it since then. I also made absolutely certain that the ritual was correctly labeled after that mess, to say nothing of destroying the bastardized version that was cast on me. I am unable to stop drawing from that dimension due in part to my time displacement. I just got lucky that I had the willpower and mental fortitude to not be eaten alive from the inside out by it just for touching it."
"I wasn't aware you would be willing to actually explain things," Stephen said mildly.
"Yes, well the fact that you and Daddy got tossed backwards means that my way wasn't changing enough to protect things," Tao said in pure aggravation. "I haven't even been born yet!"
"What next? Captain America back from the dead?" Fury muttered in complete disbelief.
The way that the three time travelers snapped around to look at Fury freaked everyone out.
"Tones?" Rhodey asked very carefully.
"Let's just say that Cap's super soldier serum works very well with ice and that I can never personally trust him again. Just... leave it at that okay?" Tony said, breathing very carefully.
"Mommy and Friday wouldn't let me look at those files before I fell through time," Tao grimaced. "I know that you got hurt and that the situation was bad but not what happened. No one was willing to tell me."
"Good, you shouldn't have to hear about what happened in that cluster fuck," Tony said firmly. "Hell, I had to live through it and it still ranks up there in my nightmares right next to Afghanistan, the fight on Titan, and the final battlefield. Thank God, I don't cycle through the pain that came from using those freakin rocks at the same time. The echoes from the Afghanistan set are problematic enough to say nothing of the others."
The looks exchanged by the Sorcerers was considering and concerning. Stephen's mulish look told Tony he wasn't getting out of going over things in detail with the Doctor simply to recognize the trauma on his new in-crowd private medical file. Eh, he'd lived through worse and both Friday and Jarvis knew how to talk him down from a panic attack if it was needed.
In the end everyone but Fury and the Black Widow were "left behind with Stark on an unavoidable special long term assignment." Unofficially? They were trapped by his security protocols and stuck until Tony could get them out. A phone was handed off to Tao for easier communication and coordination. When Mordo and Kaecilius argued about secrets kept and going against the natural order respectively Tao got fed up enough to trap them in the mirror dimension without sling rings overnight. She let them back out for breakfast but otherwise refused to address anymore personal dirty laundry outside of Kamar-Taj. Stephen and Tony let her be after they jointly brought Rhodey up to date. Suffice it to say that Tony now owed his blood brother six bottles of really good alcohol, an actual official debriefing on what happened in Afghanistan and to Obadiah Stane for the record, as well as twelve significant favors. It would have been closer to thirty significant favors until Tony stared bringing out friendly (ie. embarrassing) blackmail to lower the cost to Rhodey's sanity. Everyone agreed that everything discussed fell under some ridiculously high level of classified based on the time travel alone.