The Traitor
A set of elevator doors opened, and Pepper stepped out of them. She looked cautiously around as she walked. All three of the assistant's offices were empty.
“This is not going to go well.” grimaced Thor.
Onscreen Pepper pushed open the door to Tony's office, slipped inside, and shut it behind her. Pepper cast an uneasy glance over her shoulder as she walked to the desk (which was of course in the middle of the room right in front of the door) and sat down in front of the computer. She brushed the mouse, and the screen saver disappeared. A Stark Industries logo appeared on the screen, followed by a login and password box.
“Nice screensaver.” Scott commented appreciatively.
Pepper pulled the jump drive out of her purse and plugged it into the USB port. A red warning box with the words "Warning: Security Breach" appeared momentarily on the screen, blinking and blaring quietly. Then a box with lines of code appeared on the side, and in a moment the red box turned green and the words "Access Granted" replaced the warning.
“The idea you can do that with a USB is never going to get old.” smiled Sam.
The jump drive brought Pepper straight to a ghost drive, just as Tony had predicted, and she clicked the latest file. It opened, and a pile of shipping manifest documents flashed onto the screen in quick succession. The next file back yielded much the same results. But the file after that brought up a number of images of the Mk I with the words "Sector 16" on top of them.
“Asshole.” glowered Tony, then he remembered that the day the current scene was set, didn’t have… the nicest ending. He shuddered slightly in the memory. Rhodey squeezed his shoulder in comfort.
"Sector 16?" murmured Pepper. "What are you up to, Obadiah?"
“Just the usual illegal things,” Clint said sarcastically.
But the next file was even more damning. It was a video. Tony was slumped in a chair, surrounded by men with the Ten Rings insignia hanging behind them, half a dozen guns trained on him. A voice was speaking, and the words were not in English except for the name "Tony Stark."
Tony grimaced at the video, going back to tapping the Arc Reactor.
Onscreen Pepper clicked a box and typed "TRANSLATE" into it.
“That’s simple,” Wanda muttered, trying to conceal the worry she was feeling for the redhead on screen.
"You did not tell us that the target you paid us to kill was the great Tony Stark," came the translated words "As you can see, Obadiah Stane, your deception and lies will cost you dearly. The price to kill Tony Stark has just gone up."
“I’m honoured.” Tony snapped bitterly. Most everyone sent worried glances in his direction.
Pepper started copying the files, all of them, onto the jump drive at once.
"So!" said a voice.
On-screen Pepper started and looked up. There was Obadiah Stane standing in the doorway.
“Shit,” swore Quill. Everyone was glued to the screen, in fear for Pepper. Tony had begun to tap the Arc Reactor more frantically, reminding himself Pepper was alright.
"What are we going to do about this?" asked Obadiah as Pepper sat in front of the computer, files copying away.
“Nothing. She has every right to be there.” Natasha answered. “She is Tony’s PA”.
Onscreen Pepper watched as Obadiah walked to a small side table on which sat a glass bottle with whiskey in it and a few drinking glasses. He picked one up and poured himself a drink.
"I know what you're going through, Pepper," said Obadiah, his eyes on Pepper as she glanced back at the screen. "Ah, Tony!" He picked up the bottle and sniffed it. "He always gets the good stuff, doesn't he?"
“Always.” Tony crossed his arms, taking deep breaths to avoid another attack.
“Not as good as Asgardian ale though,” Thor smirked.
“I prefer the Midgardian drinks.” Loki hummed.
“When on earth did you manage to get a drink on Earth?” Clint asked suspiciously.
“Loki came to Midgard many times when we were younger.” Thor boomed. The Avengers looked startled that he had been on Earth without their knowledge.
“W-what?” sputtered Clint. Loki was glaring at Thor as Thor answered.
“Before the whole thing in New York of course.”
“I have found your Terran drinks disgusting.” Drax blinked. Quill looked at him offended.
“Don’t give him that face Peter.” Gamora sighed. “You haven’t drunk anything from here in decades.”
“As fascinating as this discussion about alcohol is I think we should continue watching.” Shuri rolled her eyes, gesturing towards the screen.
Onscreen Pepper just smiled and nodded, and when Obadiah looked down for a moment she picked up the paper, which was lying beside the computer, and slid the edge over the jump drive. Obadiah poured a second glass, picked it up, and came around the desk.
Tony groaned slightly.
Pepper's hand was on the mouse. The last of the files copied. She hovered the mouse over the top of the screen and clicked "Screen Saver" as Obadiah came and stood behind her.
“That was a close call.” Vision breathed.
"I was so happy when he came home," said Obadiah, standing so close to Pepper that he was almost touching her. "It was like we got him back from the dead." He moved around and sat down on the desk beside her. "Now I realize - well - Tony never really did come home, did he?"
“No, he just brought a better part of himself back.” Steve retorted. Tony looked at Steve, confused about his defence. Didn’t he disappoint the Captain?
“He left a part of himself in that cave." Obadiah's eyes flickered to the screen saver, "Breaks my heart."
"Well," said Pepper as he looked back up at her. "He's a complicated person."
“Truer words were never spoken,” Rhodey said solemnly. Tony rolled his eyes at his friend.
Obadiah took a sip from his glass.
"He's been through a lot," Pepper went on. "I think he'll be alright."
Obadiah looked over the woman in front of the computer. "You," he said. "are a very rare woman. Tony doesn't know how lucky he is."
Far too lucky. Tony thought to himself.
Onscreen Pepper looked down and tried to smile bashfully. "Thank you," she said. "Thanks. I'd better get back there." She got up, taking the paper and unplugging the jump drive in the process, and walked toward the door.
“That was actually pretty smooth.” Natasha complimented.
"Is that today's paper?" asked Obadiah, pulling Pepper up short.
“Oh shit, he knows.”
"Yes," said onscreen Pepper, turning around with a smile.
"D'you mind?" asked Obadiah, coming up to her.
"Not at all," said Pepper, handing it back to him. Her hand curled as he took it.
"Puzzle," he said, matching her smile.
"Of course," said Pepper, and she turned and walked through the open door.
“That seems pretty passive aggressive,” Scott observed.
"Take care," said Obadiah as she left. She looked back briefly at him standing in the middle of the office. She glanced down at the jump drive in her hand as she went. As soon as she was out of sight, Obadiah slammed the paper down on his desk and brushed his hand over the mouse. The screen saver vanished and up came the desktop with a box in the middle. The box showed the number 100, and the words "Download Complete."
“Well fuck.” Brunnhilde grimaced.
Obadiah ran his hands over his head and practically leapt to his feet. Pepper made her way down the stairs, clutching her purse.
“Move faster.” Steve urged.
"Ms Potts?" said a voice from in front of her. "We had an appointment," said Coulson as she came clicking up to him. "Did you forget about our appointment?"
“Oh thank god.” Bruce smiled. “Phil to the rescue.”
"Nope, right now," said Pepper. "Come with me."
"Right now?" said Coulson, getting up.
"We're going to have it right now," said onscreen Pepper. "Yep, walk with me."
"Okay," said Coulson, suddenly finding himself nearly running to keep up with her (he was not a tall man, and his legs were short).
“He seems slightly confused.” smiled Mantis.
Pepper glanced up and behind her. "I'll give you the meeting of your life," she said as she and the SHIELD agent passed out of view. "Your office." Behind and above them, Obadiah Stane stood watching.
Next moment Obadiah Stane strode into what could only be Sector 16. A group of men in white lab coats were hovering around a station on the bottom of the great Arc Reactor, one of them on the phone. "Yeah, we've been working our best to do it," he said. "Absolutely, and we're -" The door slammed and he looked up to see Obadiah walking up. "I'm going to have to call you back," he said and hung up the phone.
“They don’t look like they’re getting results.” observed T’challa.
“Very perceptive.” Shuri snorted.
All the assistants fled, leaving the one who'd been talking on the phone to face Obadiah. "Ah, Mr Stane, sir," he said. "Ah, we've explored what you've asked us to, and it seems as though there's a little hiccup - actually, ah -"
"Hiccup?" asked Obadiah, looming dangerously over the unfortunate man.
"Yes, to power the Suit," said the man. "Sir, the technology actually doesn't exist, so it's -"
"Wait, wait, wait, the technology?" Obadiah's arm went around the smaller man's shoulders and his head came down till his face was about an inch away from the other's. "William here is the technology," he said, gesturing with his other arm to the Arc Reactor in front of them. "I've asked you to simply make it smaller."
“It’s not that easy.” Bruce sighed.
"Okay, sir, and that's what we're trying to do," said William as Obadiah straightened up and gave him a moment's reprieve.
Obadiah came just short of strangling the man. "TONY STARK WAS ABLE TO BUILD THIS IN A CAVE!" he thundered, poking William's chest with his finger. "WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS!"
“Because he’s Tony fucking Stark.” snapped Rhodey.
"Well, I'm sorry," said William. "but I'm not Tony Stark."
Onscreen, Tony walked into his lounge just as his cell phone rang. He looked around, and then picked it up. It was Pepper.
Tony stiffened, paling at what was going to come. Rhodey looked at him worried, not actually knowing what had happened.
He flipped open the phone and put it to his ear. "Tony?" cam Pepper's voice through it, and at the same instant a high, buzzing whine sounded in the room as a small device appeared beside his head.
“No!” squeaked Peter, jumping. Tony flinched at the tone onscreen. Similar cried of distress filled the room.
Obadiah pulled the phone out of Tony's hand and hung it up. He eased Tony's head onto the back of the couch. "Breathe," he crooned. "Easy, easy."
Tony was having trouble breathing currently. He leaned forward, putting his head his hands as he heart began to race. He could feel the fear in Rhodey, Bruce, and Peter’s eyes on his back didn’t register it as he tried to calm down.
Tony's reddening eyes followed Obadiah's hand as he tried to keep breathing. Obadiah held up the little device before his eyes. "You remember this one, right?" he said as he clicked it off. "It's a shame the government didn't approve. There are so many applications for causing short-term paralysis."
“Asshole.” snarled Quill, his mind pulling up the memories of his father’s betrayal.
Obadiah got up and came round the couch. He pulled Tony's head around so that he was looking straight up into his face. "Ah, Tony," he said as he began to pull the little blue plugs from his ears. "When I, ah, ordered the hit on you -" Obadiah briefly leaned aside and reached into a bag for a tool. "I worried that I was killing the golden goose."
“Way to say it.” Rocket scoffed disbelievingly. At Obie’s words Tony flinched again, starting to ferociously rub his chest at the ‘Golden goose.’ comment.
Obadiah put the tool over Tony's shirt where the Arc Reactor clearly glowed through the fabric. "But you see, it was just fate that you survived then." He punched the handle, and the tool poked through Tony's shirt straight to the Arc Reactor underneath. Tony gasped and choked as the Arc Reactor was pulled from its socket.
There was disgusted and horrified noises at the assault on screen. Tony leaned back in his seat, one hand shielding his chest and the other rubbing his forehead. Steve felt sickened, unable to keep his thoughts of Siberia cropping back up.
"You had one last golden egg to give," said Obadiah, his face lit up in the Arc Reactors glow. He leaned forward over Tony, the short cable dangling into the socket. "Do you really think that just because you have an idea, it belongs to you?" asked Obadiah.
“That kind of defines an idea.” hissed Rhodey. Fear for his friend (both onscreen and offscreen) in his features.
"Your father - he helped give us the atomic bomb. Now, what kind of world would it be today if he was as selfish as you?"
Probably a world with less death, Tony thought glumly.
Then, with a jerk, Obadiah yanked the cable up, the magnet dangling at the end of it.
“Oh extreme utter and ultra shit.”
The thief held up the glowing marvel before the eyes of its creator. "Oh, it's beautiful!" breathed Obadiah, turning it over in his hand. "Oh, Tony - this is your Ninth Symphony." He sat down beside Tony, still holding the Arc Reactor aloft. "Oh, what a masterpiece!" he said. "Look at that! This is your legacy! A new generation of weapons, with this at its heart!"
“How long can you survive without it?” asked Gamora hesitantly.
“Minutes,” muttered Tony, opening his eyes and trying to maintain some composure now everyone was looking at him.
Onscreen Tony choked and gasped, blood leaking from the ear visible on the screen, his body clearly fighting to keep him alive.
"Weapons that will help steer the world back on course," continued Obadiah, “Put the balance of power in our hands - the right hands."
“That is a load of bullshit.” scoffed Sam. “The right hands my ass.”
Obadiah leaned over and stowed the Arc Reactor away in a small case. "I wish you could see my prototype," he said, smiling down at the genius. "It's not as. . . conservative. .as yours. Too bad you had to involve Pepper in this. I would've preferred that she lived. . ."
“He doesn’t hurt her though?” Thor asked worriedly.
“No, she was fine,” Rhodey answered for Tony who was still fighting off a panic attack.
Tony's eyes slid over toward the older man as he got up and walked away, his black case held in his left hand.