Date: 05/05/2008
Location: Italy, Montecagnano Siena. Stark test track
"Hey Matty, you ready?" the Italian came out the comms. The radio beeped in response as the driver of the new stark industry formula 1 car streaked past the pit. The race engineer only sighed as he smiled knowingly.
"I need a response kid." the Italian coaxes like a preschool teacher gathering her students .
"Yes, I'm coming off." an annoyed teen said, the sound of static cutting as the loud sound of a jet engine increases. The f1 car speeds through the turns and pulls into the pit. As the car came to a stop, the techs came to open the halo. A young man, dirty blonde hair falling out, took his helmet off and smirked at the approaching engineer.
"You swerved on turn 8" the stocky man in his late thirties said sternly, glaring at the young man, the kid running a hand through his sweat-soaked hair.
"I avoided the turtle," the kid shrugged, nonchalantly. His Italian smooth, as if a tenth of a second wouldn't affect the rating on the new specs.
"What turtle?" the man asked accusatorily, already feeling like he's spouting bullshit.
"The one I avoided." the kid taunted, unzipping the suit and walking into the back room.
"…"
He thought for a moment, remembering that game his own children were currently obsessed with and experiencing what we call a 'eureka moment'.
"You little!" the man shouted after him before, realizing the reference, putting his hands up to calm himself, grumbling, "tch you're lucky you pay my salary."
" Love you too, Riccardo" the kid called back, as if he already knew what the man would say.
The song 'That's not my name by the ting tings' played as his phone vibrated on one of the tables in the back room. The computer syncing to the video call simultaneously .
Caller ID
>TONY (annoying)
He rolled his eyes but sat down near the computer, answering the call.
"And what if I was driving?" he asked in a faux angry tone. The camera turned onto a brunette man in a suit.
"Pepper said you'd be ending around now." Tony smirked, the inside of a Humvee coming into view as he moved his device back a bit. "How was it?"
"Could have been better, the wheels over-steer 15 degrees and there's a delay on the switch." he complained, leaning onto his hand and frowning slightly.
"Did you tell the team?" Tony raised a brow , his tone turned strict , filled with false authority, a few chuckles in the background followed his gesture. Most likely his military detail.
"Yes dad." he mocked, rolling his eyes, "Are you finished over there?"
He asked, now playing with a replica of the 1932 Ford Flathead Roadster Tony had in his garage back at the Malibu mansion. The toy inching across the desk as he moves it absentmindedly.
"Almost kid, just got to get out of this sandy desert," Tony joked, making the soldiers around him laugh with agreement. Tony smiled at his brother's flat look. "Aww come on, take a joke, see even they can take a joke."
Tony continued talking while Matthew just watched in amusement, till Tony leaned in to take a photo with one of the soldiers and the screen on the call started to glitch.
"Tony?" he asked, sitting up and checking his connection ,a frown crossing his face, "Tony you're breaking up."
"We just... Mat... Rhodes... at." The call dropped but not before the beginning of an explosion came over the call.
Then static.
"Shit! Tony!" Matthew exclaimed, standing from his seat, already messaging Rhodes.
—
26 hours earlier
Location: Malibu, California, Stark mansion
"He didn't go for the award," Pepper complained over the phone as she sorted through the files in her bag. "I told him to just go up there and say a few, appropriate words, and what does he do? He goes gambling and brings another woman back to his place."
" Soooo...why are you telling me this?" Matthew asks as he pulls back on the handle of the exercise equipment, his shirt soaked in sweat but his attention was on the call.
"I just need to rant and Happy isn't helpful," she looks up giving me a knowing look, as she was quite literally being driven by said bodyguard.
"And I am?" He released the pull bar and moved forward with the machine.
"You're 18 and sensible," she stopped for a moment thinking ,then added offhandedly , "mostly."
"Just say you're a workaholic with no friends" he muttered , although Pepper heard him loud and clear. He stood, grabbing the bottle of water and wiping the sweat from his face with a towel.
"I am not!" She seemed appalled by the very true statement.
"So are." the teen retorted, teasingly. Drinking the water and observing as she stepped out of the car and walked to the entrance. Pepper puts in the code for the front door and steps in holding a file and some fresh laundry. She placed the items on the counter and pulled off the headset, putting the phone on speaker.
"Okay, fine maybe." She rolled her eyes, opened the pantry and took out what looked like coffee grounds and quickly started the state-of-the-art coffee maker.
"Who'd he come home with now?" the teen said, voice muffled as he wiped away the sweat recollecting on his brow.
"A reporter," she started, then added, " a bitchy reporter." her tone was deathly unfriendly, no longer her usual kind and patient professional self at the thought of the other woman.
"So icy." he teased, a smirk forming from her tone. He was well aware of the tension between the both of them but due to Pepper's professionalism and Tony's idiocy, that ship was yet to sail.
They stopped talking as they heard the reporter enter the room, her steps light but noticeable, nonetheless. On Matthew's end, he stepped over to his monitor setup and hacked into the cameras , watching the scene play out.
A loud denial beep with Jarvis saying , "You are not authorized to access this area" following, was heard as the reporter touched the entrance hall console.
"Jesus" she gasped, surprised. Stepping back into the living room.
"That's Jarvis," Pepper informed, making herself known, "he runs the house."
" I've got your clothes here. They've been dry cleaned and pressed, and there's a car waiting for you outside that will take you anywhere you'd like to go." She held up the dry cleaning with a patient smile on her face .
The girl ,stunned for a moment, composed herself then sauntered up to her, "You must be the famous Pepper Pots." the blonde said with all the righteousness in the world.
Pepper only watched her with a pitying smile then affirmed.
"Indeed I am."
"After all these years Tony still has you picking up the dry cleaning." the blonde says condescendingly.
Pepper, caught slightly off guard with the attitude, recomposed herself "I do anything and everything Mr. Stark requires," she then smiled back, returning the same attitude in kind, "including taking out the trash. Would that be all?"
The teen snickered before turning his attention to the other screen where he had pulled up the surveillance of Tony's lab, a live showing of a dark-haired guy babying a 1932 Ford Flathead Roadster like it was his first born. Inquiring on the specs every few changes, he didn't notice the passcode to his workshop being entered, although that could have been due to the loud music he was playing.
Pepper ended the call with Matthew, answering another call immediately after as she entered the workshop, the music automatically lowering to accommodate. The brief "I'll keep you posted" was cut off by an annoyed genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist.
"Please don't turn down my music."
"You are supposed to be half way around the world," she says in an equally annoyed tone.
Noticing her annoyance, he looked up from fixing what Matthew devised was the filtering system and smiled cockily.
"How'd she take it?" He started their usual banter, Matthew already asking Jarvis for permission to use the workshop speakers.
"Like a champ." Pepper said , faux seriousness. " Please, just listen so I can finish this early."
" What, do you have plans or something?" he asked genuinely curious.
"Yes, Anthony. It's her birthday" Matty interrupted through the speakers before they started flirting again.
"Oh hello, Matthew." Tony said, not the least bit surprised, still on the topic of Pepper's plans ,"well get yourself something nice from me."
"I already did."
"She already did."
Both chorused in unison.
"Well, was it nice?" he asked, still flirting blatantly in front of his brother.
"Oh ,Very nice. Very tasteful" Pepper smiled back, indulging him.
"You're welcome, Miss Pots," he smirked at her .
"Okay" Pepper took the cup of espresso she had made earlier and handed it over to Tony who shoted it, no hesitation for the semi hot beverage.
" Okay." Tony handed Pepper back the cup and finally left to get ready, smirking all the way out the door.
Once he was fully gone Matthew spoke.
" Did you get my gift?" his voice gave off an obvious teasing smirk, pepper jumping as she forgot he was still there.
" Yes, it was lovely," she blushed in embarrassment.
"Mhm."
—
2 hours before the incident
Location: Italy, Montecagnano Siena. Stark test track
A teen walked into the pit, his fire resistant suit hanging undone from his waist as he pulled on a dry fit shirt.
"Alright, we're testing the speed and wheel survival of the new car, no fancy moves or unnecessary tricks" the engineer instructed, his eyes staring at the teen over his clipboard.
" Yes sir," the kid smirked , already into the rest of the suit and stepping up to the car.
" Whenever you're ready." came over the comms , the red helmet slipping onto his head as he stepped into the car
" Ready" the car started and was off within seconds, leaving the echo of the revving engine .