Chapter 4
Tony plots in the back seat of the 4-door coupe all-electric E-Tron GT.
It had been a guilty pleasure purchase. Pepper had scolded him for weeks for dropping over 100K on a car. But hey, it was electric! Besides, she didn’t need to know he had actually spent closer to 200K with all the upgrades and toys, not including the93 kWh battery and the fast charge to 80% power in about 20 minutes. No, his model produced around 637 horsepower, had a leather-free interior (better for cleaning up after dumb Avengers if decided to bleed in his car, or eat, heaven forbid) option and a carbon fiber roof. He had also added some… special features when he first bought the car. Sure, he had a collection of arguably nicer cars, like his 1932 Ford Flathead Roadster and his favorite just-look-don’t-touch Shelby Cobra, but he was a sucker for the Audis. Something about them made it seem like luxury in a not so in your face sort of way.
But Tony wasn’t about not being in your face. He was determined to make a scene. But the RS Audi was all that was ready to go. He had to bug Happy into driving him. The security guard grumbled about it all the way to the parking garage, but as soon as they had made it into the car, Tony had locked the doors, tinted the windows through his app on his phone, and sound-proofed the thing. Just a few of the special features.
They had wheeled out of the parking garage, set to drive to Oscorp. FRIDAY had confirmed a meeting for later than morning. Just enough time for Tony to check on Dr. Stacy, change his clothes, and put on his ‘douche CEO’ attitude he often wore when dealing with another douche CEO’s.
“Feel like telling me why the hell I’m up driving you at this ungodly hour?” Happy grumbles, blinking the sleep from his eyes. Tony feels a twinge of guilt. The man had just worked a 16 hour shift the previous day before, herding the tour group of Japanese investors and taking them on a tour of the city. He made a mental note to give the poor guy a hefty bonus in his next paycheck.
Tony spares a glance out the window. They’ve hit some heavy rush-hour traffic.
“Norman Osborn appears to have taken something of mine.” Tony says simply, reaching for his phone.
“The CEO of Oscorp?”
“Duh.” Tony rolls his eyes.
“What, he took your parking space or something?”
“More like an employee.” Tony says, sending off a quick series of texts.
“Did he offer them a better job with better hours? Because If so, maybe I’ll talk to Oscorp Human Resources.”
Tony sniffs as the car trudges to a standstill. It feels like every muscle is tightening and relaxing every time he breathes. He always gets like this just before something goes off the rails.]
“Not exactly. He kidnapped him.”
Happy jerks the wheels in surprise. Tony doesn’t notice, too absorbed in his phone.
“Oscorp kidnapped a scientist?”
“Mail clerk. Intern, actually.” Tony corrects easily. He finally pulls his eyes away from the phone to concentrate on telling Happy the situation; Dr. Stacy and Peter getting jumped in the alley, the doctor’s escape to StarkTower, and the Q-Blood project that they had been working on.
“So, you want me to look around? See what I can find?” Happy asks.
“No, you’re here for appearances. As far as Norman is concerned, you are. But I’m think you’ll just be a distraction for the real spies.”
As if on cue, Tony’s phone rings. He picks it up.
“Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?”
“Red,” Natasha answers easily. “In position. What’s your ETA?”
“Five minutes.”
Natasha hangs up the phone instead of replying. Tony fights every urge in his body to text her a gif of a dog looking sad. Then he gives in and texts it to her anyway. She ignores it.
The pull up to the front of the massive, towering Oscorp building.
Happy puts the car in park, gets out, and opens the door for Tony. Tony pats him on the back.
“Find out what you can,” Tony says as they stride to the door. Happy opens it for him.
“Chat up the receptionist or something.” He adds, not at all helpfully.
Happy frowns. “I’m not the chatty type.”
Before Tony can reply, there’s a smartly dressed woman is curly brown hair drawn into a ponytail. Even with the designer clothes, she looks somewhat mousy and unkempt; like the clothes aren’t hers.
“My name is Michelle. Mr. Stark, I presume?” she says dully.
“And company.” Tony says, motioning to Happy.
The girl looks like she couldn’t care either way.
“This way.”
“Lead on, Stanley.”
She smirks, and then takes them past the public lobby to a private elevator. She scans her ID badge and the door dings open.
They all step into the office.
The elevator is quiet.
Happy clears his throat.
“Come here often?”
Tony has to suppress a groan. Michelle, however, takes it in stride.
“Only to see you, hot stuff.” She says, deadpan.
Tony snorts. Happy goes red. Michelle keeps staring at the door.
The door opens to a dim hallway. Michelle steps out first, leading the duo down it. To a large set of wooden doors.
Michelle knocks.
“Come in!”
She opens the door, offering the entrance to Tony and Happy, who looks nervously at Tony. They hadn’t expected Happy to be included.
Michelle shuts the door behind them.
Happy stays by the door and folds his hands in front of him, the picture of professional. It makes Tony want to chuckle. He’s seen the man drunkenly snort milk up his nose for a bet.
Tony looks Osborn up and down. He’s sitting behind a marge mahogany desk, a pair of reading glasses on as he skims one last page before looking up.
“Ah, Mr. Stark. Welcome.”
“Norman.” Tony says curtly, nodding.
“I must say, I was surprised at your urgency to meet with me. What can I do you for?”
Behind the fancy clothes, the large leather chair, the huge, windowed office; everything about him screamed wealth and privilege. The thought of this guy having any sort of power over anyone makes his skin crawl.
“You know why. Your men attacked two of my scientists this morning. One of them is sitting in my med bay with a concussion and the other is missing.”
Norman’s eyebrows furrow, the lines in his face crease.
“I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”
Tony snorts. “Don’t play dumb, Osborn. Your men don’t act unless it’s under your orders. I want my employee, and I want you to back off.”
Norman stands and faces the window, clasping his hands behind his back. The view from the building is fantastic, looking over the whole city skyline. Tony wonders where Natasha is.
“I doubt that. All decisions are made with propriety. I know you’re a hands-off CEO-,”
“I’m not the CEO. Pepper Potts is.” Tony interrupts. Norman turns around, looking Tony in the eyes. The cold stare makes Tony feel like vomiting.
“Ah, yes. The woman.” He says, like he’s just tasted something nasty. Tony remembers sounding the same way when he was dared to drink the leftovers from the pour mat at a bar. He had done it of course, he’s no chicken, but he hadn’t been too thrilled.
“Yes, the woman. My fiancé.” Tony adds, hoping to guilt the man. It doesn’t work.
“Mr. Stark, I’m sure your accusations have validity, but I must assure you there is no way anyone in my company has gone so far as to kidnap any scientists of yours.”
Tony blows a huff of air from his nose.
“Semantics, Norman.”
Osborn tilts his head, questioning. “If I were to want any of your employees, I would just offer them a better position. More funding, a bigger lab. You’ll find my employees are happy with the benefits of working for me.”
Happy coughs, covering a laugh.
“Sorry.” He offers.
“You know the missing employee delivers interoffice mail. I want him back.”
Norman sighs. “I can check to see if perhaps we have employed this man.”
Tony rolls his eyes. “Are you seriously playing dumb right now, Osborn?”
The other man shrugs. “it’s not beyond the realm of possibility for one of yours to defect to me. I take a much more hands-on approach rather than the distant management you provide. Many like the personal attention. Tell me, did you know the name of this… mail clerk? Or how long he worked for you before he left?” Norman asks.
Tony frowns, thinking. No, he hadn’t. He hadn’t even known who Gwen Stacy was until she burst into the lobby that morning. Peter Parker… he hadn’t known who he was. Ouch.
Norman takes Tony silence as an answer.
“I think you may be mistaken. I saw you as a respect from one industry professional to another. I’m sure I can put you at ease by saying that I no one in Oscorp has gone so far as kidnapping competitor mail clerks. I’m innocent in this, Stark."
“Yeah, and you’re forty and your hairline looks eighty. I have a guy. You want his number?”
Norman purses his lips in a facsimile of a smile.
“Michelle will see you out. Michelle?”
The door behind Happy opens. Michelle is standing there, holding it open.
Tony looks back at Osborn.
“You’ll be hearing from me.”
Norman smiles. “I’m sure. Goodbye Mr. Stark.”
Tony turns on his heels and heads out the door, anger pounding in his throat. He stalks wordlessly past Happy and follows Michelle back down the hallway and into the elevator. Once all three are on, Michelle hits the button for the ground floor.
“What were you expecting?” Happy asks Tony.
“Not much, apparently.” Michelle says casually.
Tony narrows his eyes at her.
Suddenly, she reaches forwards and hits the emergency stop button on the elevator. The machine shutters to stop, red lights flickering.
“You know, when the elevator stops, so do the cameras. This elevator has been giving us problems recently.” She says, unconcerned. She reaches into her pocket. Happy tenses, but all she pulls out is a scrap piece of paper.
“Your Peter is here. I drew you a map of the lower floors and the room they have him in. you’ll have to solve it yourself, Osborn has greased the pockets of every police office there is.”
Tony takes the paper from Michelle suspiciously.
“Why?” he asks.
Michelle keeps her gaze on the elevator doors.
“I’m a scientist by trade. Osborn offered me a job. I signed the contract, and he changed the details. Here be thine assistant,” she utters bitterly. “Besides, kidnapping people is a red flag for a company.”
Tony looks at Happy how raises his eyebrows and shrugs. Tony looks back at Michelle. She cuts a glance towards him, brown eyes cool and unconcerned.
“I’d like to offer you a job.” Tonys says. Michelle smirks.
“I’ll talk to my employer.”
She reaches towards the buttons and hits the start button. The elevator lurches back to life.
“Sorry about that, gentlemen. This elevator is due for service.” She says, acting if nothing interesting at all has happened.
Tony ducks his head to hide his smile.
“That’s alright. I’m sure things will get corrected soon.”