Chapter Text
Tony Stark had possibly lost his mind. Just a week ago, he had found himself at S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ and stumbled upon a meeting that threatened global security. While Natasha had been the one to bring him there and coax him into coming with her, he struggled to view it as reality. She believed in him just like Pepper and Rhodey did, although Tony couldn't recall when he started viewing Natasha as a friend to begin with.
Tony was brushing his teeth, trying to hum along to the music J.A.R.V.I.S. played from the loudspeaker while the toothbrush was halfway down his throat before he spit into the sink. The dark circles beneath his eyes were finally beginning to look better, probably from the face masks that Pepper had tried talking Tony into using.
He looked ridiculous with his hair pushed back by some brightly colored, bubbly headband, his face covered in pale green paste, but Tony couldn't deny the effects afterwards were to die for. He already had a decent skincare routine, since he had to look close to perfect for the cameras and magazines. Being a celebrity was a nightmare sometimes.
Tony wasn't going to let sulking over the past week ruin his newfound good mood. He had jokingly sent out a group text to Natasha's little friends, and they responded in kind. No one had outright declined Tony's invitation, which sent his anxiety through the roof. While Emma Frost and Professor Sumdac couldn't make it due to prior obligations, they hadn't been entirely opposed to the idea. His recently completed Stark Tower had more than enough space for the entire group, but that wasn't the issue.
Tony wasn't used to having so many people around him for an extended period of time- at least people who knew him personally, or close enough to be on a first-name basis. He'd given them all permission to call him Tony. Tony didn't like it when people called him Tony, it felt odd. He'd spent so much of his life as Mister Stark that it almost felt wrong to be seen as himself. Iron Man, Stark, genius, playboy, billionaire, philanthropist, all titles he hid behind.
"Sir, Miss Cattaneo has requested landing access. She has insisted she has a pilot's license. Shall I assist?" J.A.R.V.I.S. couldn't sound more sarcastic if he tried, Tony could visualize the A.I. rolling his non-existent eyes.
"Yeah, help her J. Just because she's got a new license doesn't mean she knows what she's doing, and- this place is made of a lot of glass. I should probably change that…" Tony's mind was already drifting as he barreled into his own bedroom and ultimately the walk-in closet. He had lines of crisp, clean, ironed suits. He had slacks, blazers, and button-ups for days.
Tony zeroed in on a shirt with a cat wearing circular sunglasses that reflected a galaxy, and a pair of baggy gray sweatpants. Perfect, this is how he greets guests now. His new favorite shirt from Walmart that he had Happy fetch for him. Head of security, personal chauffer, awkward friend, fashion disaster.
Tony was a fashion icon, pouring himself a glass of whiskey at 11AM in the morning. He checked his watch, then checked his phone seconds after for any other messages. Natasha had told him to be patient, something Tony was incapable of doing.
He didn't know when the others were due to arrive, but had an inkling that Lucia had brought Remy and Anna Marie with her. Remy and Anna Marie were married, and Lucia seemed to be some kind of third wheel, but still inseparable from the others. She was like Remy's older sister, and Anna Marie was extremely possessive over her 'family', and that included her in-law.
"I thought Professor X's school was big, but, uh… this place is massive." Think too hard of the devil, and she will appear. Lucia was carrying her suitcase- not dragging it on the floor, likely from J.A.R.V.I.S. lecturing her- and looking around the common area in awe. They were already over seventy floors up, and while the first order of business should have been to dump their luggage in their rooms-
Anna Marie and Remy appeared not too long after. They must have stopped to put their things away, because they weren't carrying any duffel bags or suitcases. They acted as if they didn't believe they were actually there, avoiding touching the furniture and walking slowly to not scuff the floor.
"I don't bite. Usually. If you're from households that take their shoes off, I can order slippers for you to use if you're worried about the floor. Or I can just get the floor replaced once you're gone, either work." Tony gestured mindlessly to their feet, glancing once Lucia began to shuffle awkwardly.
"…Right. You're not good at this either, are you?" Whether Lucia was talking about Tony having company or people temporarily living in the same space as him, it didn't matter, for either way she was correct.
"No, I'm not good at this. I'm used to being a loser and a geek in a basement and Pepper having to remind me to eat after three days of only surviving off of energy drinks and being stubborn. How about you?" Tony hadn't meant to be sarcastic, he immediately worried that their moods and expressions would sour. Looking over his shoulder, his own expression betrayed the silent apology that lingered on the tip of his tongue. Instead he saw Lucia shaking her head, her cheeks tinted red as Remy hummed at her, hands on his hips.
"That's me in the repair shop. I know exactly how you feel, actually. Remy's had to physically drag me out himself multiple times over the years." She was brushing some of her hair from her face, shrinking away from Remy who squinted as he looked between them. Anna Marie only shook her head and shrugged.
"If I have to babysit you both I'm askin' for an early retirement. Luc is bad enough, but now there's two?" Remy's complaint hadn't sounded like he was actually distressed over the notion of having an extra self-destructive idiot to take care of. Tony didn't know what to do about it.
"I have a huge underground garage you could park your truck in. And if you want to talk vintage, designer, absurdly expensive cars, you know where to find me. Actually I'd have to tell you where to find me- three floors down from this one. It's one of my workshops. I have a few scattered throughout the tower, but I'm not using them yet." Lucia's eyes brightened the moment the word vintage left Tony's lips, clasping her hands together just as both Anna Marie and Remy groaned.
"Show me this garage so I can park the Big Boy somewhere safe and then let's talk cars." Tony found himself not minding the idea, not even noticing when Lucia tossed her suitcase aside as she melded with Tony's shadow, hot on his heels for the elevator.
The elevator doors opened and revealed Steve, who looked confused as to what floor he was on. Tony merely mentioned cool cars, and somehow Steve wasn't minding to come along for the elevator ride. It was awkward and silent, Lucia looking between Steve and Tony, eyebrow raised like she had come to a conclusion- likely wrong as she brought a hand to her mouth to cover her grin.
Tony had opened the doors to the garage which led up a ramp into the parking lot, and waited for Lucia to bring her semi inside. Steve was just to his left, looking over his shoulder to a Firebird from decades past, wringing his hands together.
"I don't want to get too close to them. It's crazy, but I feel like if I just so as breathe on those cars something will break." Steve's voice had startled Tony, causing him to flinch and pull from his own thoughts. His head whipped around so he could face Steve, wearing an incredulous expression on his features.
"I build robots and flying suits of armor, and Lucia is a certified mechanic and has been since the 80's. Any damage to the cars we can certainly fix. In fact, want to throw a wrench at one to feel better? I do it all the time and then buff out the damage later. Gives me something to do." Steve looked horrified.
The moment was broken as the large red and blue semi came into view, engines rumbling and sending vibrations straight through Tony's feet. He shuffled awkwardly, pressing the button to lower the ramp and close the entrance into the garage once Lucia had gotten her vehicle on steady, flat ground.
She came to a rolling stop, hopping out of the driver's seat as the engine slowly died down to barely a whisper. Lucia had to jump to get out, her keys getting sent flying, skidding on the ground until they bumped Steve's left foot. He bent so quickly to pick them up Tony thought he'd hear a crack from the geriatric.
"Oh, thanks." Steve wordlessly handed Lucia back her keys with a nod, and Tony avoided eye contact as Lucia's gaze fell to him. Tony saw her wiggling her eyebrows from the corner of his eye, her head tilted to Steve as she gestured to him without using her hands. Whoever gave her the right to tease Tony, he wished they'd take it back.
"Okay, I promised you both cool cars, let's go look at cool cars." He felt his cheeks setting aflame as he quickly turned away from them both, all but stumbling in the direction of the vintage parked cars. Lucia was hot on his heels, fawning over the older vehicles.
Steve was shocked to see a Jeep from the 40's. Military issue vehicle, kept in pretty good condition, still littered with bullet holes and covered in scratches. Steve slowly circled to Jeep, gasping once he saw the license plate.
"This is- you have- this is from my unit! Tony, what the-" Steve was positively baffled, waving his hands in the vague direction of the Jeep before he jogged to catch up to them. "Why do you have my car-"
"My father's obsession with you went so deep he spent a fortune on an auction to get the Howling Commando's personal vehicle. After he died, I ended up with it. The dirtiest, grungiest car in my garage, but the one I'm cockiest over owning." The explanation had been so simple and straight to the point in Tony's mind, but Steve's confusion and Lucia's inability to stop herself from snickering had Tony sputtering to cover up whatever blunder he might have just made.
"…You like it? It's… stolen property, actually." Steve wrung his hands together, shrinking as much as a man of his size could once Lucia and Tony's attention was fully on him. They awaited an explanation with raised brows, mirroring one another. "Bucky stole the Jeep. We just kept it after."
"Barnes stole a Jeep?" At Steve's nod Tony only shook his head, and proceeded with the garage tour. Vintage vehicles from the 40's and onward, all kept in pristine conditions, Steve's Jeep being the only exception. Tony even went as far as popping the hood on some of them, earning wolf whistles from Lucia as she praised him for the upkeep of the cars.
Tony hid his confusion once he presented his Porsche from the 70's, gaze slinking to the identical black and white model next to his own. He assumed it might have been Natasha's- she knew her way into the garage and had access to most of the tower already.
"Huh, this one has a blank license plate." Steve was behind the Porsche, looking like he was resisting placing his hands on his hips as he bent at the waist for a better look. Something must have raised alarms in Lucia's mind, panic flashing over her features before she cleared her throat.
"Promise you two wont freak out?" Steve waved a hand at her dismissively, still circling the unmarked vehicle like a predator. That was the best of a response she was going to get from him, and Tony only shrugged. "Oppie, come here. Take a look at this one." Of course despite their promises, they both jumped when Lucia's semi's ignition sputtered to life on it's own, creeping closer to the extra mystery vehicle that Steve put distance between it and himself.
"Self-driving cars are still new and full of bugs, but a self-driving semi? Color me impressed." Tony was already brainstorming a dozen ways the vehicle was moving on it's own- A.I. system like J.A.R.V.I.S., remote controlled, drones-
"Not… quite. My friends already know about Oppie and Screamer, but I was hoping more of us were… present to reveal them, given we're going to be working together for the foreseeable future." Just as she said this, Lucia removed a part of her pants- that looked like plates of armor, shifting to reveal a rifle that glowed like the ones from Sci-Fi movies. She aimed at the Porsche lacking a license plate number, just as its headlights came on and it made an oddly distressed beep.
Tony was glad his watch was connected to MKIII and several of extra versions, one being in the garage. Within seconds he was armored up and aiming repulsors at the driver-less vehicle, just as Steve backed away and cut a growl lodged in his throat short.
"Hey! Come on now, I ain't one of the bad ones I promise!" The Porsche was trying to disarm the situation before it got any worse, and ultimately exposed himself in a flurry of shifting silvery plates until he was in his root mode- humanoid, with his hands held in front of him in surrender. "Nice car, by the way!"
Lucia was staring very pointedly at the insignia on the mech's bumper, hesitating long enough to lower her rifle. Tony didn't lower his hands, but he did divert power from the repulsors as the group had come to an apparent standstill.
"You're not an Autobot or a 'Con, so what the hell faction is that supposed to be?" The mech tilted his head as Lucia spoke, at a sharper angle like a curious fox.
"I'm impressed you know what Autobots and Decepticons are. I'm an Autobot, for your information, but this crest is for the Spartax Empire. Space, intergalactic peace-keepin' and all that. Now, why don't we lower our weapons and talk this out, yeah?" His visor lit up with a myriad of colors just as some unholy crunching and scraping metal was heard behind them.
Tony and Steve mistakenly looked behind themselves just as Lucia's semi transformed, the mech crouching as realization washed over his features and the mystery mech's as well.
"Jazz? What in the Pits are you doing here?" What had Lucia called her semi again? Big Boy? Oppie? Either way, Oppie was whisper yelling, waving with his free servo for the humans to stand down, as vague as it was.
"Prime?! What- what are you doing on Earth? You know what if I wasn't so happy to see you, I'd gut you myself and melt you down for scrap before throwing you into the heart of a dyin' star. Frag you, you crazy son of a glitch." Jazz was pissed, that was easy enough to tell even with his visor hiding half of his expression. Lucia begrudgingly lowered her rifle, muttering to herself out of spite.
"I crashed on this planet. You?" Optimus wasn't showing any hostility, and any left in Jazz's frame had extinguished. While the humans were looking between them, each confused and slightly upset over being ignored.
"Here on some official business. Y'know that idiot that tried stealing a few weeks back? I gotta pick his sorry ass up and get him off planet before the humans catch him. The duo are a few Ravagers we've been tryin' to catch for awhile now. They like causing havoc on multitudes of planets, including ones that have been blacklisted because their civilization ain't advanced enough for cosmic visitors, ya dig?" Jazz was calm, collected, professional. He had already deescalated the situation before it could become any more tense, speaking his truth plainly and honestly.
"Are you calling humans primitive just because we haven't figured out space travel yet?" Tony bit his tongue the moment the bitter tasting words left his mouth and the two aliens looked down to him. 'Optimus' was unreadable, but Jazz gave him a pitiful smile that only confirmed the truth.
"On an intergalactic scale, humans are a primitive species. Doesn't mean you're not one of the civilizations that the Council's been keepin' an optic on for when you do reach the stars. So don't feel too bad, man. Just keep doing whatever it is that you do, inventing and whatnot. You might meet one of the other species in your solar system within the century." Jazz flashed Tony a thumbs up, as if he hadn't just given him some world-shaking information.
With a sigh Lucia deactivated her rifle, the sleek black metal once again adhering to her body like armor. She knew enough about Jazz from Optimus' ramblings to know the mech could be trusted, that he was one of the safe ones. She waved a hand for Tony to lay down his weapons as well, looking to Steve to check the super soldier's status and hopefully calm him as well.
Steve stopped paying attention awhile ago, and had been playing a game on his phone. He looked up at the sudden silence and the feeling that several eyes were upon him, the light from his mobile game still reflecting in his eyes.
"What? What did I miss?"
oOo
One of the other sub levels of the tower had been repurposed into a meeting room, having been large enough that Optimus and Jazz could fit inside. Thankfully without Tony's collection of vintage cars, all of which he gave a good kick to make sure they weren't sleeper agents like Jazz had been. Thankfully Jazz had been the only infiltrator, and Tony made sure to have J.A.R.V.I.S. scan him so he'd know when any other… Cybertronians tried getting inside the tower. An added security measure, despite Jazz not knowing he had contributed to the improvements.
Almost everyone had been present, save for the few exceptions such as Emma and Isaac, along with Clint who was on a mission for S.H.I.E.L.D. elsewhere.
Their problem was Optimus' problem, and apparently whatever was Optimus' problem, was Jazz's problem. Although the Spec Ops agent didn't work for Optimus anymore, he still wanted to help, and possibly extend his stay on Earth for the time being.
Lucia and Natasha knew Jazz wasn't saying something. The women didn't bother him for it- spies had to keep some of their secrets.
With the main players present, the debriefing session could begin. Natasha took the lead after J.A.R.V.I.S. activated the holograms, pointing to maps zoomed in on rural areas.
"Thanks to Lucia and company's efforts a few months ago, we know that H.Y.D.R.A. has become active again, this time tormenting both organic and non-organic life. Meanwhile Agents such as myself and Barton have been deployed to Europe several times within the past year, collecting data on the ongoing human experimentation." Her gaze flickered to Steve once, checking his reaction over the nuance of H.Y.D.R.A. still existing. Steve didn't move or flinch, simply remained focused and attentive on the maps. Good.
"We've found traces of mutant and non-mutant experimentation within the past year. They've gone as far as to gene splice normal humans with mutant and paranormal DNA, such as vampire and weres. Some have been seen with cybernetic implants and 'upgrades', such as exoskeletons complete with spinal taps." Lucia brought up several documents, some playing security footage, although all were muted. One had included Eric strapped to a table, writhing in agony as blood ran down his cheeks. From the incident following when H.Y.D.R.A. had tried to extract information from him and then wipe the encounter from his mind entirely.
Processes of mind-alteration, corruption of genetic code, vital signs under extreme stress and autopsies were visible on the screen. While the group was mildly disgusted, they hid their discomfort as Natasha once again took over explanations.
"Stopping their experimentation is high on the priority list, however we've recovered information that they once again are going after artifacts of considerable power. The Golden Orb that has been with the X-Men for roughly fifteen years give or take will have to be moved to a more secure location. Original orders were to bring it to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, however I've received a change in plans from Director Fury. There is a chance S.H.I.E.L.D. has been compromised, so we'll be bringing it here instead. Sub level eleven has been repurposed as a vault, courtesy of Stark."
Various artifacts were displayed on screen, from the Golden Orb to something Steve recognized, pointing at Natasha to wordlessly ask her to bring up the file. The Tesseract was something meant to have been lost, now in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hands following his discovery in the Arctic. Along with an inert space shuttle that Jazz and Optimus had particular interest in.
"Hey Spider-Lady, can you zoom in on that spacecraft?" Natasha did as Jazz had asked, barely looking over her shoulder as she listened to Jazz's quiet mutterings. "Hm, thanks."
The rest of the debrief was simple and straight to the point, leaving mostly everyone except Lucia and Natasha slightly shaken. With H.Y.D.R.A. once again at large and the potential end of the world looming over their heads, they didn't have much time to prepare before they would have to mobilize and neutralize the threat.
The main issue with H.Y.D.R.A. was the unknown number of bases and operations they had; when one was taken out, two more would take their place. There was extra care needed to deal with operations in Sokovia, to avoid tensions with the local government while also liberating the nation from beneath H.Y.D.R.A.'s rule.
Their first mission would be closer to home, not too far from where Steve had gone into hiding a few states over. The debate over who would be going could be saved for later, as Tony demanded to be able to check everyone's gear and ensure everything was up to his own personal safety standards.
oOo
Jazz had bid them farewell after the debriefing, leaving through the ramp to the surface from Tony's underground garage. His new alt-mode could blend in with Earth's traffic, which made the long drive a few states down bearable.
While the humans returned upstairs, Lucia fidgeted in the elevator the higher they went. Optimus assured he would be fine on his own; Lucia still worried. She'd left Starscream alone for hours, and her friends were beginning to worry too. Everyone had been too busy to stop and check in with him, which meant Anna Marie and Lucia were beginning to exchange nervous glances.
There was still ample time for everyone to settle in- as much as they could. Lucia sent a few texts to the employees of her repair shop, checking in with her boys and ensuring everything was still running smoothly with her away. Remy and Anna Marie were discussing whether or not to make dinner for only themselves, or everyone in the upper floors of the tower.
Steve had already beat them to it, washing his hands and scouring cupboards for something to make. There was doubts to exactly how much flavoring the ex-military Irish boy would use, so the couple ended up joining Steve with meal planning.
Tony checked in with Pepper over the phone. She had several board meetings within the week, while Tony would be adjusting to having several government agents living in the same space he was. The call ended with the same familiar sense of bittersweet farewells and reminders of Tony to take care of himself, and for Pepper to schedule an early vacation.
They were grouped for convienience. They weren't there for him, and Tony was fine with that. He could just pay for everything, think of upgrades, new gear, new suits. He could find solace and comfort in one of his workshops, and begin brainstorming with barely legible schematics he had made the night prior. Tony would be lying if he said he hadn't been nervous.
oOo
The tower had gone quiet, with the exceptions of Anna Marie, Steve, and Remy in the kitchen of the communal floor. Lucia had made her way to the top, Tony's private living quarters that she'd already gone through in order to get to the elevator and make her way back down earlier in the day. The top floor had the landing pad, where Starscream was- still in his alt-mode, quiet and unmoving.
She crossed the distance between them, J.A.R.V.I.S. closing the door behind her to allow them some privacy. She tapped the landing wheels a few times, assuming Starscream was recharging while they had been away.
"Hey, Screamer. How are you doing?" Lucia kept her tone gentle, not betraying the stress and tension that her day had been filled with. She took a few steps back as Starscream reverted to his root mode, stretching before he sat on the edge, swinging his legs over.
"I'm fine. The view up here isn't too bad. I just don't like that I have to wait until nightfall to go flying." It was the same rule in their home city, if Starscream wanted to go on his own. Safety measures, protection, and to prevent the populace from worrying over seeing a brightly colored, outdated military jet. Disappointment and resignation had his tanks churning.
"Maybe with this new job, you'll have some more freedom. If we work hard enough-" Lucia cut herself short as she sat on the ground, Starscream pulling her close and almost squishing her to his hip. "-then we wont have to worry anymore. I'll keep fighting for your rights just like I fight for mutants' rights. You should be allowed to fly."
"At least I'm doing better than Optimus. I don't want to imagine being stuck underground in a garage. At least yours at the shop was ground level." He used one finger to stroke her hair as he looked to the city below. Humans in their brightly colored vehicles and clothing scurried like petrorabbits, lining the streets and sidewalks even into the afternoon.
"Well, the good news is that if we have to go pretty far, you'll be able to fly us places. You take the people, Optimus is the… portable storage unit. Honestly, I feel bad for him, but he knows what he signed up for." The thought of the high and mighty Prime being reduced to glorified luggage made Starscream snicker. Lucia shook her head fondly, sighing as she sagged against him.
"What did you sign up for, Lucia?" Starscream's question was loaded enough that her spine stiffened for a second, before she relaxed once again.
"What I've always been signed up for. Taking down H.Y.D.R.A., and making the world a safer place. I won't rest until H.Y.D.R.A.'s been dismantled. Not until I've freed every mutant and Cybertronian from their grasp. Not until… it's over. Someone has to look out for this shitty dirtball of a planet." Starscream could only hum in response, looking up to the sparsely clouded skies.
"You won't be doing it alone."
"No, I won't. I've always been able to count on Remy, Anna, and Eric. They've had my back more times than I bothered to count. When Optimus accidentally barreled into my life, I thought it'd get easier, but… I just have more people to worry about. He was dredged out of the ocean as scrap metal, and you crashed into my front yard. I… never thought I'd get here. People who care about me, and- I'd be a monster for them. Be the beauty to my beast, and I'll do everything I can to keep you safe. It's just not that simple. Earth's not exactly an idyllic paradise resort." Lucia would have argued she knew better than anyone, the dark truth, the shadows that lurked on Earth.
Until she had seen her ex-mentor, one of the Black Widows, and realized she'd be working with her. Natasha had said nothing if she recognized Lucia, and she was thankful for it. They had somehow come to a silent understanding that past identities were meant to be kept secret. Even as Lucia's heart hammered in her chest each time Natasha would spare her a glance, the Widow had said nothing.
Neither had her bird-brained partner Hawkeye, in the first meeting where Lucia got to meet several high-society individuals such as Emma Frost, Isaac Sumdac, and Tony Stark. Clint had been polite, struggling to reel in his high-energy after too many cups of coffee, but never gave Lucia's true identity away. And now Lucia was here, in Stark Tower, as a temporary base of operations.
She pinched herself to check if she was dreaming. She was not.
oOo
J.A.R.V.I.S. had summoned the group over the loudspeakers per Steve's request. Dinner had taken a few hours to make, with neither him nor Anna Marie capable of deciding what they actually wanted to make, which had caused culinary disasters to be born. Disaster, was in reality was multiple dishes, several entrées, complete with mixed drinks and a staggering amount of mimosas.
Steve was an embarrassed blushing mess as he presented the meals, asking what they wanted, and if they wanted the dishes to go. Anna Marie looked ready to throw Steve, smacking him upside the head the moment he offered.
"Ain't no way in hell they're gonna be eatin' in their rooms! Room service don't exist!"
It was more awkward than a family dinner, and Tony recalled the very rare nights Howard and Maria were home to have dinner with him. Instead of suffocating silence, he was getting a migraine from the cacophony of voices that never seemed to stop. Everyone had something to say, to complain about, to gossip about. Tony didn't even realize he was being spoken to until Natasha elbowed his rib, earning a quiet complaint.
"What? I didn't do it, whatever it is-" Natasha's flat expression easily silenced him, as she tilted her head to the others across the table.
"I was askin' how you like it, bein'… rich and probably spoiled yer whole life." Anna Marie had stopped eating, and was swirling her mixed drink repetitively, watching the bubbles nearly spill out of the glass. Was she nervous?
"Given that since I was fifteen and in college I've essentially been surviving on energy drinks, coffee, nutrition bars, and blueberries, I'd say this is the best damn thing I've had in decades." Tony could only shrug, taking another bite of something spicy and creamy- bisque- heavenly, in his opinion. He was blissfully unaware how the chatter at the table hadn't returned, or how he was being given concerned stares.
"Oh… thanks, I think?" If Anna Marie hadn't given Lucia a pointed stare, the other Italian at the table wouldn't have crumpled under pressure.
"We definitely got two of 'em now…" Remy sighed in defeat.
oOo
Sleep didn't come to Tony that night. He holed himself up in the workshop, a discarded glass of old whiskey his only company aside from his bots and J.A.R.V.I.S., while classic rock played quietly to fill the silence. His mind simply wouldn't be quiet, like almost every other night until Tony would drop from exhaustion.
His world had certainly changed a lot from the days before the desert, before Stane's exposure. Tony had been ignorant, blissfully unaware of things happening right under his nose. Now he was involved with S.H.I.E.L.D., and wondered if he should've called his Aunt Peggy for advice. He couldn't call her this late at night, Tony didn't want to be a bother-
So he buried his nose in his work for hours on end, stopping only to throw back another glass of whiskey. He was pleasantly buzzed by sunrise, barely remembering to shield his eyes from flying sparks as he soldered wires together. How machines could be so simple yet so complex, so difficult yet so intriguing was beyond him. His main vice was design, to create, to fill the holes left in his heart from years of neglect.
Tony would be lying if he said he wasn't lonely. In his half-lucid state, he asked J.A.R.V.I.S. to write up and send a partnership agreement to Hank Pym, to see if the bug-biologist- whatever he was, in Tony's barely lucid state- was interested in sharing some science with Stark Industries.
He could be making so much more. He could be doing so much more. Inspiration had just been difficult to acquire lately, and maybe with a few new experiences, Tony could get the push he needed.
oOo
They had to jump through hoops for actual deployment. The first order of business was several states over, outside of Detroit by two hours. Steve's insistence had prevented them from being split into two teams, so Anna Marie wouldn't be going to the X-Men's HQ with so little protection. While it was arguably her home, they had the time to retrieve the Orb later. H.Y.D.R.A.'s base, no matter how small or insignificant, could be unpredictable and dangerous.
Steve, Lucia, and Natasha knew this better than anyone. Steve wasn't their leader, but he could have easily taken the role if he wanted to. He left the planning to the brains of the operation- Tony, in this case- for what would be brought with. Extra weapons, medical supplies, and any extra tactical gear was loaded into Optimus' trailer. But when it came to who went where, double-checking and triple-checking everything was secure, that job had been left to Steve.
Tony had sent Sumdac a message to tighten up security in the city and the tower, given the base's proximity to the city. The anxiety-ridden scientist sent back confirmation, which meant it was time to move.
Lucia, Remy, Anna Marie, and Eric piled into Optimus' alt mode's cabin. Tony insisted he had his own method of transportation, until Natasha conned him and Steve into taking Lucia's jet- another Cybertronian apparently, named Starscream. He had an attitude, but begrudgingly agreed to take them after Lucia shot him a withering look from her spot in the driver's seat.
Starscream didn't complain once he was able to take to the skies, tearing through clouds above the city and barely having to keep an optic on Optimus down below. He could easily spot the brightly-colored Prime from a high altitude, safely cruising in airspace the humans would survive in. They would be arriving within only a few hours of each other as long as Starscream didn't burn through excess fuel from excitement alone and overly pushing himself for high speeds.
The flight was expected to be long and awkward. Tony was staring at the flight controls from one of the seats, eyes darting to every blinking, colorful light in the cockpit. He would never admit to being claustrophobic, but there was that twinge of curiosity and horror knowing he was inside the body of a living creature.
"Capsicle, this jet too advanced for you, or would you know how to fly him?" Tony broke the awkward silence after four hours of nothing. Steve shifted in his seat to look over his shoulder, squinting as he followed Tony's line of sight to the control panel.
"Military jets seem to not have changed much over the years, just sleeker and more compact designs. There's a few extra buttons, but they're probably for autopilot and his weapons systems. Starscream has missiles and- what did he call them- null rays? I could fly him after a quick once-over." Steve nodded, confident in himself, then refocused on the view in front of him.
"Steve, how the hell do you know that?"
A side-eye from the blond was all Tony received.
A storm was approaching, dark clouds visible in the distance. They could hear the fierce winds through Starscream's plating, see his kibble rattling against the storm. It would have been safer to land and wait out the storm, but Starscream wasn't listening to them.
oOo
On the ground, Lucia's group wasn't encountering many problems. Optimus followed traffic laws, to their dismay, only breaking the speed limit if the flow of traffic on the interstate was going faster than the speed limit, to prevent accidents. Optimus was seamless when it came blending in and moving through the various vehicles, although most got out of his way once they saw him.
Having a twenty-four gauge heavy duty as your vehicle of choice tended to command dominance over the road. Especially with a heavy trailer weighing down the wheels with a steady stream of steam from the smokestacks. Optimus was running hot, not stopping for hours. If it weren't for the storm, Lucia would have rolled down a window. At least there was air conditioning on the inside.
After a few hours of radio silence, Lucia pinged Tony over her new Stark Phone again, grumbling to herself from the lack of service. They were in Starscream's care, and while she trusted him to keep them safe, she didn't trust him to not try to show off in the current weather conditions.
Hours later when they arrived at the rendezvous point, Lucia's anxiety had skyrocketed when she didn't immediately see her bright red, black, and cyan Seeker. She was pacing mindlessly, ignoring the way her drenched hair clung to her skin.
Remy could only watch his adoptive sister pace back and forth, while Anna Marie tried the phone over and over again.