Day 54
A manila folder landed in front of Rhodey’s face as he sat with his chin rested on his office desk lost in space. He sat up abruptly startled by the folder hitting he his desk.
The officer who put the file down exited the room as though she was fleeing an angry beast. Rhodey picked up the file and cautiously opened it. He only had to scan it briefly to understand why the officer had booked it out of his office.
“What the hell is this?!” Rhodey demanded throwing the file down on one of his superior's desks. In any other circumstance he never would have never dreamed of doing something like that, but he couldn’t keep a lid on the anger bubbling up inside of him, “You can’t call off the search! He is still out there!”
His superior leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyebrows tiredly, “I’m sorry cornel, but Mr. Stark has been missing for over three months, and with things heating up we can no longer utilize valuable manpower and equipment searching for someone who as of an hour ago was officially presumed dead.”
“What?!” Rhodey cried in dismay.
“I am sorry Rhodes, but with no word from the ten rings asking for ransom money we can only assume he is dead.”
“But he’s not! He can’t be dead,” Rhodey tried his best not to completely lose it.
“I’m sorry colonel, now please leave my office before I decide to press disciplinary actions against you for your very rude intrusion.”
“Yes sir,” Rhodey dismissed himself from the room. He hadn’t even made it two steps down the hallway before his cell phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Please tell me this report isn’t true!” Pepper anything but shouted in Rhodey’s ears, “Please tell me they didn’t call it.”
News traveled fast around here.
“I am sorry Pepper…”
“Did you read it!? It says: After three months of searching Tony Stark had been PRESUMED DEAD, and the search has been CALLED OFF!!!”
“I know-”
“This isn’t okay James! What if he is still out there?!”
“Pepper-”
“Listen to me damn it! I do not care what you have to do! You get him back right now. You do what ever you need to do to get him back James!”
“I will Pepper,” Rhodey confirmed.
“You make sure and get him home.”
“I will Pepper. This isn’t anywhere close to being over.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise Pepper. I will get him back.”
“Danny!” Rhodey shouted and ran after his friend on the helicopter pad. The man stopped and turned around.
“Hey James,” The man said with a smile, “What can I do for you?”
“Can I ask you a favor?” Rhodey said coming to a stop in front of the pilot.
“What do you need?”
“Can I tag along on you training run?”
“That’s not all you want is it?”
“No.”
“Of course not. What else do you want?”
Rhodey shuffled his feet nervously, “They called off the search for Tony.”
“I’m sorry man,” Danny patted him on the shoulder.
“I was wondering if you could maybe swing wide on your route… one last look?”
Danny smiled.
“One last look,” Danny said affirmatively.
“Thank you so much man!” Rhodey hugged his friend.
“Load up,” Danny said shoving Rhodey toward the helicopter.
“Holy shit,” The call came from the lead helicopter, “That’s Tony Stark!”
“Bring the choppers in for the landing!” Rhodey cried, as his friend came into view below them.
He was out of the helicopter before it had even completed its touch down.