31 Improvement
"Green is not your best colour." Tony continues to walk past the attendees who giving a soft punch to Natalie and Pepper every minute or two.
Justin's head appears from behind someone, he is seen to be talking with someone, until his focus diverts to fall upon Tony.
" Anthony. Is that you?' He raises his hand, doing a big greeting gesture.
"My least favorite person on Earth." Tony whispers to Pepper, for everyone to listen, maybe it was intentional.
"Hey, pal." Justin's company finally turns back from the bartender's table.
"Justin Hammer." Tony greets him back, acknowledging him.
"And Bruce Wayne" Bruce did not wait for Tony to get the guessing time, introducing himself on his own.
"Well that an improvement." Tony's remark does not gets away unnoticed, Pepper giving an unwilling smile. Justine ignores any attempt against him like a chad, introducing Tony to his company.
"How you doing? You're not the only rich guy here with a fancy car. You know Bruce Wayne? He is called the second coming of Dark Zuckerberg!" Justin pats Bruce's back with pride.
"Well he is not an android from outer space- again an improvement- you know what I am starting to like you!" Tony extends his hand, while Bruce responds in kind, both shaking other's hand.
"Sorry to hear about the break in, I heard your secretary is reported missing." Pepper chimes in, while Justin looks elsewhere for someone.
"Ah! Christine Everhart from Vanity Fair. You guys know each other?" Justine again takes the helm introducing Christine, she looked somewhat draught but not without her aura of professionalism.
"So Bruce- your secretary- have you got any updates? It is not rare for spies to be sent against upper echelons of a billion dollar company." Justin asks, while using his first name like his long lost friend.
"I am afraid no, the case was declared a planned kidnapping, with the aim being me- Neit just happened to be caught in the crossfire." Christine's demeanor changed as Bruce pays her a slight nod.
"Did they find who could be the culprit- any suspects?" Pepper asks as Tony is seen to be interacting with his new secretary- a familiar face to Bruce.
"The recovery of the victim is the priority in such cases, for a human life is far to valuable for us to divert our attention upon passing the blame, also congratulation on your promotion Mrs. CEO"
"Big story. The new CEO of Stark Industries." Justin adds, addressing Christine. "I know, I know." she replies while turning to Pepper.
"Congratulations, as fellow CEOs should I look out for a collaboration in the future?" Justin asks. "Tony was too rigid for a team-play, never liked someone sitting beside him in the presentation." He adds.
"My editor will kill me if I don't grab a quote for our Powerful Women issue, Mrs. Potts. Can I?"
"Sure Ms. Everhart, as for Mr. Hammer," She turns slightly towards Justin "We will be very interested in a collaborated project, but let me run around our weapon experts first."
"Oh, thanks. Well Christine- She's actually doing a big spread on me for Vanity Fair. I thought I'd throw her a bone, you know. Right?"
"Well, she did quite a spread on Tony last year." "And she wrote a story as well." Tony adds.
"It was very impressive." Pepper smiles at her own comment.
"That was good." -T
"It was very well done." -P
"I'm gonna go wash." She leaves, barely controlling her smile turn into laugh. Tony stops her.
"Don't leave me."
"Hey, buddy. How you doing?" Justin shifts his focus to Tony, while Pepper slips past his grip easily.
"I'm all right." Tony replies with an awkward smile.
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Bruce and Christine are seen to be together.
"Mrs. Wayne might I be forward to ask how my sister's situation is being dealt with."
"May I call you Christine?" She nods "The United states has surprisingly taken quite an interest in her missing case, they have considered taking a diplomatic approach, as the fact has been established that has is not in the US territory anymore." He answers.
Continuing, "I expected you to know better, being her sister and all."
"I am, trying to be involved in her case, but my personal situations bind me. Might I be frank with you, Bruce?" She asks while using his first name, expecting receiving the permission while granting him the same.
"Please," he approves.
"Her case is not well received in the press, like your friend Justine here "assumed" her to be a spy in your company, rumors stays afloat." She looks down.
"I- I am receiving all sort of gazes, suspicious gazes. My standing in vanity fair is now weaker than it ever was- I am walking on a thin line. So I am compensating for it, taking on jobs less attractive to my coworkers."
"Like addressing Justin Hammer?" he looks away for a moment, to where Tony and Hammer were smiling- at lease Justin was.
Christine smiles, a rare thing for her in the last few days.
"She would be safe, I know so, thank you Mr. Wayne, giving time to me, short might it could be I am relived you dont think of her in that way." She follows Pepper for her quote, while Bruce rejoins the militaristic duo- one overly excited while the other clearly bored.
"Hey Bruce- did you know Tony's new secretary here can speak Latin! Who speaks Latin nowadays?" Justine exclaims with a pat on Bruce's back while complimenting his muscles, "Man your back is strong."
"Nobody speaks Latin." He replies.
"Nobody speaks Latin." Tony adds. Bruce looks for the outside, looking for the moment to leave before princess Adriane is observed on the TV, with a green flag in her hand.
"Mr. Wayne." Tony closes to him.
"Call me Bruce."
"Thank god, this was arduous for me to continue this way." Tony exclaims.
"So- Senators giving you a hard time? I remember when I had to talk with one."
"Well its not every Tuesday you make a powered exoskeleton with armored plating, capable of enhancing the wearer's strength, speed, agility, and endurance" Tony replies proudly.
"I remember somebody calling it a high-tech prosthetic somewhere." Bruce smiles. "Well Mr. Stark," Tony looks taken back, almost hurt with the formal addressing "Tony"
"Thats better."
"I would be leaving now, but when we meet again, let me make you an IG account"
"It would be a story worth telling" Tony again shakes his hand "and a good word for the press" Bruce responds, chiming his Porsche keys.
"Would you like me to make a report on Mr. Bruce, sir?" J.A.R.V.I.S. asks Tony.
"Nope- I quite liked that guy, we will do that together... For now" his eyes land upon the TV in the bar, leaving for the bathroom.
Tony is doing another test. It reads Blood toxicity 53%. "Got any other good idea for tonight J.A.R.V.I.S.?"
And now he's in a racing suit, jumping over the barrier towards a car.
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1281 words till here
Deleted major portions and edited out the previous chapters- all of them.
Disappointed due the lack of power stones, comments but afraid that if I ask for more I am going to end up having reviews and comments about me "begging" for them constantly.
But shameful enough to ask for more- huh.
Its getting quite boring with no comments and story not doing good in rankings...
Might as well post this chap now- why wait for power stone reset...
