TITLE:
Extensions of Trust
SERIES: Imperfection Deviation/Iron Man
AUTHOR: Macx
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by
people with a lot more money
Author’s Voice of Warning (aka Author’s Note):
English is not my first language; it’s German. This is the best I can do. Any
mistakes you find in here, collect them and you might win a prize
FEEDBACK: Loved
BETA: the ever-patient okami_myrrhibis
Hot Rod had had a little over two years to get accustomed to Tony Stark and
everything that involved him. When the mech hadn’t been busy trying to avoid a
system crash he had watched the human. Tony was a multi-facetted man. A
troubled man, too. There was the geek, the playboy, the billionaire, the CEO of
his own international company, the inventor, the womanizer, the gambler, the
addict, and underneath it all a wounded soul.
Hot Rod hadn’t had a good grasp on human nature in the beginning, but through
his observations and the humans’ iInternet and television he had learned a lot.
And he had found out that Stark was a truly messed up personality. He knew
mechs like that. Maybe he himself was just a little messed up, too.
He had also gotten to know the computer system that ran the house. In the first
few weeks after his arrival at Tony’s home Hot Rod had simply watched. He had
listened in on Stark’s conversations with the AI, then he had slowly scanned
and probed. Approaching Jarvis had been an exercise in care and stealth. Hot
Rod hadn’t known how sensitive the AI was to outside contact and whether any
kind of approach would lead to an alarm.
Strangely, Jarvis hadn’t raised any kinds of alarms. He had been rather curious
about Hot Rod’s existence and the first tentative contacts had evolved into
regular chats between an alien mechanoid and an artificial intelligence created
by a human being. The concept had fascinated Hot Rod. He couldn’t compare
Jarvis to anything he had ever encountered before. On Cybertron there were
mechs and drones of different levels. The drones were usually rather simple in
their routines and programming. They were used like a human would use a car or
a microwave or any other kind of tool. The more advanced drones were usually
partnered with a mech, like Scorponok had been with Blackout. This kind of
partnership served as an evolutionary step for the drones, too. They learned
because they were linked to the mech while recharging or awaiting their
mission.
Jarvis learned because Tony had programmed him to. He was adaptable, not set in
his routines, and Hot Rod tested that in various ways. The sarcasm was not
limited to interaction with Stark. Jarvis could really snark if he wanted to,
and apparently the decision when to use the sarcasm and wit was up to the
computer system.
Still, Jarvis was almost child-like compared to a Cybertronian intelligence. He
was evolving, though. Slowly but surely. And he was apparently thinking about
Hot Rod’s predicament.
Hot Rod suppressed a groan of frustration as another system tethered on the
edge of shut-down. He used a little of his energon reserves and stabilized it. He
would need to convert the fuel in his tank to more energon to keep this going. Sooner
or later it would blow his cover. So far Stark hadn’t found out about his car’s
rising fuel demands, mostly because Jarvis kept refueling Hot Rod.
“Mr. Stark might be able to help you,” Jarvis now remarked calmly.
Hot Rod felt the almost gentle scan from the AI running over the R8 shell he
had adopted.
“Maybe,” he confessed.
“He wouldn’t destroy you, Hot Rod.”
The mech shivered. He wasn’t sure he could trust the human. Tony Stark was
rather… erratic, but he was a genius and he knew machines. What he created in
his workshop was amazing.
Dummy rolled over to him, warbling a little, apparently expressing his
agreement.
Hot Rod was indecisive. His first priority was to get himself back into shape
and that would take a while longer. A long while longer. He was in a pretty bad
shape and he avoided core system crashes by either going into recharge as long
as he could risk it or shutting down peripheral systems which he hoped wouldn’t
end up getting him killed. To reveal himself to Stark meant the risk that Stark
would dismantle him. He was in no state to transform and defend himself.
To distract himself from his rising problems, Hot Rod studied the other members
of Tony’s very exclusive circle of friends. He had a lot of people who called
themselves ‘friends’, but they were nothing but business associates. Hot Rod
had learned to tell the difference. The true friends were few and far between;
those were the ones he trusted. Really trusted.
Like
Colonel James Rhodes was interesting because he brought a bit more realism to
Tony’s world. While he was the liaison to the military, he was also his best
friend. It didn’t stop Tony from standing him up, being horrendously late, or
keeping secrets from Rhodey. But their relationship was marked by knowing each
other, through the bad, the worst and the nightmarish, and Tony respected him. Because
of
Obadiah Stane had shown Hot Rod that humans were not to be trusted on face
value alone. Even though he had known all there was about the man from the
files in the Stark Industries computer system, he would never have believed him
to actually set Tony up to be killed – because of money. Then again, Hot Rod
had had friends who had turned to the Decepticons and killed their own
comrades, too. Stane was like one of those traitors. And he had hurt Tony worse
and deeper and more permanently than any shrapnel ever could. Stane had been
his father’s best friend, he had raised Tony after his parents’ deaths, and he
had always been there for Stark throughout Tony’s life.
In the end Tony had watched him die – killed by his own hands.
The stuff nightmares were made of.
Hot Rod came online to the familiar steps down the stairs to the workshop. He
watched Tony key in the code and enter his inner sanctum. The lights came on
and bathed everything in soft colors. The garage was kept in twilight.
It was 3 a.m.
While Tony would work late or even through the night when welding or
programming, he wasn’t prone to wandering around at night.
::Jarvis?:: he sent an inquiry.
::Nightmare:: was the curt answer.
Hot Rod detected a hint of worry in the AI’s voice. It was something he had
found repeatedly coursing through Jarvis ever since Tony’s abduction. The AI
had discovered independent emotions and while they were crude and undeveloped,
and Jarvis hardly understood them, he was getting there.
::Mr. Stark woke up screaming Mr. Stane’s name::
::Oh::
Hot Rod focused his attention on the barefooted figure, dressed in sweat pants
and a white undershirt, as Tony padded through the unfinished projects and came
to stand in front of the Iron Man armor. His face was almost expressionless,
but his eyes burned with reflections of his nightmares. He reached out and
stroked across the still damaged chest plate. The arc reactor glowed under his
shirt, reflecting dully in the metal. His body was riddled with bruises and a
still healing bullet wound. He looked exhausted.
Nightmares had come by regularly ever since Tony’s return. He fought them with
work. Obsessive work. He would spend all his time with the armor or other
projects, rarely slept, and if he did it was the sleep of the exhausted.
It wasn’t healthy.
And Tony refused to accept any kind of help, be it friendly or medical.
::He is naturally stubborn:: Jarvis had once told Hot Rod. ::It’s him::
Right now Jarvis was watching, too. His attention was solely on his master
while peripheral systems kept an eye on the house above.
“Sir?” he finally asked.
“Life’s cruel, Jarvis.”
“If you say so, sir.”
Tony smiled darkly. “Cruel and short and filled with pain. Even more when you
find out that your friends betray you because of your money. I’m used to the
sharks circling me when it comes to donations and grants. I never would have
thought that my own family would betray me.”
“I’m sorry, sir.”
Tony shook his head, fingering a large tear on the suit’s side. “Not your
fault, Jarvis. Still, it makes you think. If Obi was capable of hiring
terrorist goons to off me, what’s next? Rhodey? Pepper? You?”
“I would never betray you, sir!” Jarvis stated, sounding rather shocked and a
bit betrayed himself.
Hot Rod scanned over Tony, noted his elevated blood pressure, his heart rate,
his pulse. He was stressed, as well as exhausted.
Stark didn’t answer and something passed through Jarvis’ systems. Like
disbelief. Like confusion.
::He was betrayed already:: Hot Rod sent. ::It will take time.::
He knew the feeling.
“Forget it, Jarvis,” Tony suddenly said and turned away from the suit. “I’m
just tired.”
“You might want to try sleep, sir.”
Tony smiled a little. “As if I haven’t tried. Aside from drinking myself into
oblivion, nothing else works right now.”
Misgiving floated through Jarvis’ systems. He had apparently no fondness of
Tony getting drunk.
“Get me the latest schematics on the thrusters,” Stark simply said. “Might be
enough to put me to sleep.”
“I doubt it, sir,” was Jarvis’ clipped reply, but he did as ordered.
And Hot Rod still watched, feeling an echo of the pain Tony was going through
inside himself as well.
In the end the decision to reveal himself was taken from him. Tony was abducted
and held prisoner for three months and Hot Rod was left alone with Jarvis, who
turned out to be a pleasant conversation partner. He was also the only one for
any kind of communication. His own long-range systems belonged to those
‘peripherals’ he had deemed unnecessary, but necessary to off-line to keep
himself from shutting down.
It was in those three months that Hot Rod got a deeper look into Tony Stark’s
inventions and to his slight shock and surprise he discovered how deeply
interwoven the human tech had become with what could only be called
retro-engineered Cybertron tech. The whole human technology was starting to
look decidedly Cybertronian! He had never noticed because he had never looked
for it.
“Stark Industries is cooperating with a government group, introducing this
technology into the general public,” Jarvis told him calmly.
“Where does it come from?”
“I’m sorry, but this is information you’re not privy to.”
Hot Rod was stunned. Optimus Prime’s call had come in many Earth months ago and
he had been unable to answer. But his leader couldn’t have been on this planet
this long, now could he? And would Prime really want to leak their technology
into this world? Human technology was based heavily on Cybertron tech… a lot
longer than the signal had been received…
Confused, Hot Rod surfed the web with his limited capabilities. There were no
answers, only more questions as he went through human inventions, dated them
back, and discovered that whatever had happened, it had happened a long time
ago. Long before this generation of machines had been built.
When Stark returned, a changed man – literally – Hot Rod was dumbfounded. Unfortunately
he ended up with severe system failure and wasn’t witness to Tony’s fight for
survival.
It was Jarvis who told him what had happened. And it was because of Jarvis Tony
had survived. Jarvis and Dummy. For the first time Hot Rod felt completely
useless and he swore he wouldn’t let something like this happen ever again. He
had to regain his functions!
Getting to know the new Tony was an interesting experience. Especially since
Jarvis remarked on the changes, too. The AI was mostly Tony’s butler and lab
assistant, but through the Iron Man armor he was also there for Tony when he
was out flying, testing the suit, or fighting. Hot Rod was amazed to discover
that a human who had had no prior flying or fighting abilities to speak of, was
able to handle the suit so professionally. Aside from the difficulties in the
beginning, Tony’s performance had been perfect. Okay, so he kept tinkering with
the suit, which ended in brief accidents in the workshop or crash landings, but
all considered… amazing!
Matters had changed quite prominently after Tony’s return from
Finally his system was as stable as he would get it on his own and he sent out
the signal that hopefully would reach Optimus Prime.
Hot Rod was glad when he was able to reveal himself after such a long time
spent in hiding. It gave him a new freedom. Jarvis was no longer the only one
who knew about his existence. It didn’t stop their conversations.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
“You’re changing him,” Tony remarked.
Hot Rod felt surprise run through him at the sudden address. Tony had been
working on his suit, mainly the thrusters and their connection to the arc
reactor, and he had been hip deep in tech specs and parts. Now he was looking
at the silver sports car, face covered in sweat and grease, just like his undershirt.
The arc reactor was glowing underneath the gray cotton.
“Excuse me?” the mech now answered.
“Jarvis. You’re changing him. He’s different. Has been for a while now.”
“I didn’t touch your program,” Hot Rod argued.
“I didn’t say anything about touching him. Just by being here, linking up to my
system, you’ve initiated changes.”
“Not intentionally, Tony.”
Stark’s eyes narrowed. “How would I ever know if you did?”
Hot Rod sighed. “I wouldn’t,” he simply said. “I can’t give you any more
reassurances than I already have.”
“Jarvis?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Get me a file on all system changes, programming included, of the last two
years.”
“Of course, sir.”
Hot Rod mentally shook his head, though he understood Tony’s suspicious
behavior. Stark relied on Jarvis. The AI ran his home, his computer systems,
the Iron Man suit, and it had access to everything that was Tony Stark. All the
secrets, all the special projects;, just everything that made up this man.
When Tony walked up into the house he didn’t stop him. He simply waited for the
outcome, very much aware of how the mood of a human could change. Tony’s quite
often. He could be playful, he could be snarky, he could be generous or really,
really pissed.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Tony sat in front of his computer and studied the command codes and core
programs of the system he had developed so many years ago, and which had grown
and evolved along the road. Jarvis learned. He had programmed him to learn. He
was a flexible program that adjusted to the changes in the house and in Tony. He
easily modified his replies and behavior according to Tony’s moods, sometimes
even turning a little bit snippy.
Hot Rod’s influence was in the code lines he now saw. It was a subtle change.
It was something that had come about naturally, because of the way Tony had
programmed Jarvis. Nothing of it was dangerous or in any way subversive. The
basic codes were still the same.
Still…
It sat badly with Tony. Jarvis was his creation and he trusted the AI. He was
uploaded into the suit! Jarvis could assume control if he wanted to. Jarvis was
his life-line, his anchor and, sometimes, his confidant. Tony often felt more
at ease with the AI than a human being. He trusted Jarvis.
“May I ask a question, sir?”
The British-accented voice startled him. “Shoot.”
“Why are you so worried?”
“Something’s changed your programming. I think it’s a reason to worry.”
“Was it a negative change, sir?”
Tony frowned. “Do you think it’s negative?” he replied instead of answering.
“I don’t detect a difference.”
“Feel anything new?”
“Feel, sir?”
Tony let out a breath of frustration. “Forget it, Jarvis.”
“Very well, sir. So it is a negative change?”
“No. Yes… I don’t know, okay? It just doesn’t feel right to have your own
programming tampered with.”
“Tampering implies an ill intent. I never detected such with Hot Rod.”
“How long have you been talking?”
“An exchange of information happened sixty-eight days after his arrival.”
“What kind of information?” Tony demanded sharply.
“I introduced myself. He politely returned the favor,” came the reply, heavily
tinged with sarcasm.
Tony drummed his fingers on the desk. “Anything else?”
“Please define ‘else’, sir.”
“You’re being evasive, Jarvis. I don’t want to know if the two of you engage in
some kind of weird cyber-sex. I want to know what you allowed Hot Rod to
access!” he snapped.
“We never engaged in anything, sir.” Jarvis sounded positively peeved. “I
allowed Hot Rod to learn about humanity and yourself. He was interested. I
found it prudent for him to understand where he is and that neither you nor I
are a danger to him, but he never changed anything in my programming.”
“How would you know?”
“I’m very much aware of my programming.” The pissed-off factor was rising. Part
of Tony was fascinated
“Are you? If he erased lines, would you really see it? What if he also changed
your firewalls?”
“He hasn’t, sir. He can’t.”
Tony rose abruptly and paced the confines of his spacious home office. It was a
place he rarely could be found. He was more at home in his workshop.
Hot Rod’s ability to interact with Jarvis on such a close level was unsettling.
Tony liked to be in control, to know what was happening this close to home. The
past had shown him how easily control was taken from him without Stark even
noticing, and he was burned. The board of directors had felt the changes after
Obadiah’s death more profoundly than anyone for now. Tony had taken a very
close look into what had been going on in his company in the past and he had
uncovered a lot of bad deals. He had put a stop to them. His company would
change and was changing, just like him.
The involvement with Project had helped along the way. Tony wasn’t ready to
relinquish control for now, give Banachek more of a say what was going in and
out of Stark Industries when it came to Cybertron tech, but the director of
Project was earning Tony’s trust. Slowly but surely. They respected each other,
in a sniping, sarcastic sort of way, but it was respect.
“If it troubles you, you could command me to restore my programming to the
prior copies, possibly from two years ago,” Jarvis told him neutrally.
He stopped, frowning. “No,” Tony said.
“May I ask why not, sir? It would solve your worries.”
“It wouldn’t. It would destroy your development, Jarvis, your personality.”
“A necessity for your safety.”
He sighed and shook his head. “No. It’s no necessity. I’m just… a little
paranoid.”
“A little, sir?” Jarvis asked, the tone of voice suggesting ‘you are paranoia
squared, sir, but I won’t say it, though you should know’.
He chuckled. “I’m still getting used to a lot of things and a mechanoid in my
garage is one of those things.”
“You could always ask Hot Rod to leave. I believe he already told you so.”
“But I won’t.”
“And why is that?” came the pointed question.
Tony groaned silently. He had programmed Jarvis. He knew every command code
line. He had implanted the little details, like the accent and the sarcasm and
the taunts.
“You know why and now please shut up.”
“Very well, sir.”
Silence descended and Tony felt the craving for something strong. Angrily
worrying his lower lips he fought down the impulse to pour himself a glass of
hideously expensive liquor and reached for his coffee instead. Another
addiction, but really… it wasn’t as bad as being called an alcoholic. Coffee
was a lot more tolerated.
What was he really worried about? Hot Rod infiltrating his system? He could if
he wanted to. Cybertron tech was a lot more sophisticated. The Autobots could
probably break his system within the blink of an eye… or optic. Hell,
Barricade, being a Decepticon, would have no scruples tearing into what Tony
considered sacred. But Hot Rod was no spy, right?
Tony gazed at the giant view screen that still showed him the files Hot Rod had
touched. Nothing bad. Just conversations between an AI and an alien mechanoid.
Jarvis was talking to Hot Rod. It should make him proud that his system was so
independent, was able to converse without continuous prompts.
It did. He was immensely proud of Jarvis and how far he had come. And that was
what pained him so – Jarvis was his; Hot Rod had changed a creation that a
young Tony Stark had thought up and brought to life.
It was late – or early, depending on your point of view – when Tony went back
down into the workshop. The lights had been lowered, but Jarvis dutifully
brought them up again to normal strength the moment he entered. Everything was
as before. The Iron Man armor hung on its supports. The hot rod was still only
partially assembled. And its namesake was parked in the usual spot.
Tony had showered and changed into a new shirt and jeans. He had grabbed his
jacket as he had gone down into the garage, and now he picked up the car keys.
As he approached the Audi the driver’s door clicked open. He smiled a little as
he slid in.
“Making assumptions?”
“The keys only fit this model,” Hot Rod replied calmly.
Tony chuckled. He didn’t really need the keys, still they pretended.
The Audi pulled out of the garage and they headed for the coast road. Tony
didn’t even have to think about where he was driving. He just took the rarely
used side street and was soon the only one on the road. It felt like he was far
removed from civilization.
This time he didn’t stop at his usual favored spots. This time he drove for a
long time until they ended up down a dirt road, littered with pot holes, that
finally stopped at a small cove. The waves were rather prominent this
afternoon, breaking against huge boulders and jagged rocks. The u-shaped cove
was only accessible from this tiny stretch of road or by ship, if you were
adventurous enough.
Tony got out and stepped away from the car, hair blowing in the stiff wind. He
turned to look at the Audi, waiting.
Hot Rod finally transformed, looking a bit mystified.
“You’re my bodyguard, right?” Tony asked, dark eyes looking up at the much
taller form.
”I’d prefer guardian,” Hot Rod replied.
“Whatever. If I told you to beat it, you would?”
“Yes.”
“Prime would probably be very disappointed.”
Hot Rod tilted his head. “I’m not here by his order, or anyone’s for that
matter.”
Tony frowned.
“I chose to return.”
“Why?”
“You… interest me.”
Stark laughed. It sounded almost derisive. “What are you? A shrink in the
making? I’m probably the most messed-up person you can want to be with. Or is
this the Cybertronian version of a pick-up line?”
“I thought you might enjoy the company.”
“I can buy myself company if I wanted some!”
Hot Rod knelt down. “You could. You don’t. You keep to yourself and you avoid
becoming who you were in the past.”
“Definitely shrink potential.” Tony walked over to the water’s edge, feeling
salt water spray onto his exposed skin.
“Do you want me to leave?” Hot Rod asked.
“I don’t know what I want anymore,” Tony replied, voice almost drowned by the sound
of the crashing water. “There was a time I didn’t have a care in the world.” He
stopped, shaking his head. “Now I’m moping about and have become paranoid.”
“You’ve become careful.”
“Nice words, Roddy.”
“Do you feel threatened by me?” the mech asked.
Tony was silent. Hot Rod waited. Finally the mech rose.
“I will leave, Tony, if you want me to. No hard feelings. I’ll also make sure
you get a replacement for the car I impersonated.”
Stark laughed, sounding tired and worn. “No. Stay. Just… stay… It’s… give me
time, okay? Then again, I keep requesting time. You’re not one of the bad
guys.”
Neither was Obadiah, a nasty voice reminded him. At least you never thought he
would turn against you.
“I want to integrate you into the suit,” Tony suddenly said.
Hot Rod was silent for a very long second. He looked stunned, the blue optics
brightening briefly. The mech was visibly confused by the sudden change of
topic.
“Why?”
“Because I might need back-up.”
“You have Jarvis. He’s already uploaded and able to assist.”
“There’s room for one more.”
“Two’s company, three’s a crowd,” Hot Rod quoted.
“This isn’t some date with a threesome afterwards!” Tony groaned. “I was just
thinking that integrating more Cybertronian tech, namely you, would give me a
bit more of an edge.”
“To do what?”
“Whatever is necessary.”
Like walk around the Ark. Tony hadn’t given up on his dream to be up on the
Autobot ship and see the technology first hand. He had weekly pestering
sessions with Banachek and he knew that the other man would either throw him
off the project completely or finally give in. Tony was hoping for the latter.
“You don’t trust me with Jarvis, but you trust me with yourself in the suit?”
Hot Rod now asked, sounding bemused.
Tony exhaled sharply. “I have trust issues,” he finally said. “With everyone.”
“Pepper, too?”
Strangely enough… no, he hadn’t. Pepper was a very much trusted individual. She
had never lied to him; and she was really bad at it when she attempted to. Even
Rhodey saw through her lies, though since they involved Stark himself, all of
Pepper’s words were lies when she made up something about how busy Tony was.
Rhodey he trusted, too. It was a different kind of trust and it stemmed from
knowing the man for over a decade.
That’s where it ended.
He had trusted Obadiah once. He had been massively betrayed and forever burned.
He now kept people away, even those who wouldn’t harm him.
So to let Hot Rod into the suit’s systems… it was a huge step. Then again, if
the Autobot wanted to, he could. He was far more advanced than anything Tony
possessed.
“Could I even stop you if you set your mind to it?” Tony asked, facing the
mach.
Hot Rod’s blue optics were bright with confusion again. “Stop me from taking
over the suit?”
“Yes.”
“Why would I, Tony? What would I gain?”
Tony felt his shoulders lock with tension. “I don’t know,” he murmured. “I keep
chasing shadows.”
Hot Rod watched him.
“Maybe I’m even chasing my own. Once bitten, twice shy.” He laughed. It sounded
hollow.
“Then why offer?”
“Because I’m insane?” He grimaced. “Yeah, maybe I am.”
“Tony, you’re not. You are… different from other humans. Like Sam Witwicky or
Will Lennox.”
“I wasn’t changed by the Allspark, Hot Rod! I was perforated by shrapnel from
my own weapon! I have an arc reactor in my chest!”
“And now you want me with you?”
“Would you want to be?”
“Jarvis told me how you almost died. I couldn’t help you then, Tony. I might
not even be able to help you while accessing the suit. You don’t have to do
this. Let Jarvis be your guardian as Iron Man.”
“He’s the back seat nag, not my guardian,” Tony growled.
“Or that.” Hot Rod smiled. “I think one back seat nag is enough.”
Tony looked at him, then a slow smile started. “I’ll reserve you a seat for
emergency nagging.”
“Deal.”
“Cool.”
The sound of the cell phone ringing had Tony laugh out loud. He dug it out of
his pocket.
“Ms. Potts. What do I owe the honor to?”
Hot Rod was smirking. It was a knowing smirk and Tony rolled his eyes.
“No,” he said into the receiver. “I’m not rolling my eyes right now, Pepper.
And Roddy and I are having some seriously intense personal moments… Please get
your mind out of the gutter. Even I’m not that far gone! … No, really. Ask him
if you want to. He’s an Autobot. They don’t lie… much… Yes, fine…. Yes. Oh
please! I said no to the charity thingy and it stays a no… Pepper… I didn’t
just hear that… thank you…. No!… bye.”
He sighed.
“You’re so going,” Hot Rod remarked, grinning.
Another sigh. “Why do they even want to see my face? All they’re interested in
is the money. They’d save money if they didn’t come up with horrendously boring
parties that cost a fortune, just to woo the few idiots who really get off on
showing their latest conquest. How about a ‘no dinner-dinner’?” Tony quirked an
eyebrow. “No dinner, no party, just send the money? Oh well. They wouldn’t get
it. There’d be idiots wondering what to wear…”
He walked over to where Hot Rod had sat down, lower arms resting on raised
knees.
“You ever had receptions and charity stuff on Cybertron?”
“None I ever was invited to.”
Tony chuckled. “You didn’t miss a thing, Roddy, believe me. Bores you to
death.”
“But you have to go.”
“I don’t have to do anything.”
“Your appearance helps promote your company, which in turn brings in the money
you need.”
Tony looked at him with a grimace. “Want Pepper’s job?”
“No, thank you.”
“Good. She’s a lot more attractive than you are. No offense.”
“None taken.”
The phone rang again and Tony sighed deeply, opened it and said, “Yes,
Virginia, I’m on my way home.” He grinned evilly as Pepper gave him a good idea
about how much she wanted to be called ‘Virginia’. “No, already on the road…
You know you love me. See you in a few.”
He snapped the phone shut.
“You lied,” Hot Rod remarked mildly.
“Nope. Considering your top speed, we’ll be home in a few for sure.”
“You said we’re already on the road.”
“We would be,” Tony drawled, “if you’d just transform and get going.”
Hot Rod chuckled and changed into car mode, then he opened a door. “Let’s go
before Ms. Potts skins you alive.”
“She always does. I like it. I’m into that kinda stuff,” Tony declared.
The R8 shot away from the beach, flying up the gravel road at ever-increasing
speed, and hit the paved road with less of a bump than a normal model would
have. Tony laughed, thrilled, adrenaline coursing through him as he held onto
the steering wheel even though he wasn’t driving.
Almost as good as flying.
Almost.