101 Agreements

Bokuboy

Needless to say, after my shocking proclamation, Hank Pym and I signed tech sharing deals similar to the ones I had with Pepper at Stark Industries. I also had him and Scott sign NDAs and then I shocked the both of them when I took out one of the Shurinium arc reactors from my suit pocket.

“Good heavens.” Hank whispered as he held the thing in his hands. “This... this...”

“Can you guess what the estimate for the power requirements might be for the quantum tunnelling machine?” I asked him with a smirk and handed him another piece of paper with the power generation numbers clearly shown.

Hank stared at it and then at me. “You have to tell me you have more of these.”

“I have four more that I will set aside for you to use when it's time.” I said. “It should be plenty enough to initiate the primary reaction to activate the machine.”

Hank nodded. “Once we can establish a link, it can start drawing power from the quantum realm itself and won't drain these devices.”

“Exactly.” I said and he handed it back to me without even trying to hold it for longer. “I would leave one with you now if the technology wasn't so heavily restricted.”

“Your own restrictions.” Hank said and I nodded. “I'm glad you're being so responsible.”

“So am I.” I said with a chuckle. “Of course, I have no problems handing one of the second generation models over.”

“One of...” Hank stopped talking when Jubadi gave him a reworked arc reactor from Vanko's stores. It was larger than normal, because of the extra housing and radiation gathering and reclamation system.

“It's palladium based and has appropriate rad protocols. Feel free to add more if you want.” I said and Hank held it just as gently as he did the vibranium one. “With Scott's help, and a fair amount of titanium alloy, we can have a base suit ready for you in about an hour.”

Hank put it down on the table and gave me a pointed look. “Is it going to be as flimsy as the display model?”

I chuckled. “No, the underlying structure is different, because when the suit is fully deployed, you'll be able to lift about 60 tons with it.”

Hank and Scott stared at me with their mouth open.

“Now imagine when you integrate your own tech into the design and...”

“Oh, dear god.” Hank whispered and his face lost some of its color. “You can't possibly...”

“The times are changing and we are going to need people like you, my new friend.” I said and smiled at Scott. “My new friends.”

“M-me?” Scott asked, surprised.

“Of course. I wouldn't have called you here for a job if I didn't fully expect for you to either fill in for Hank when he's busy with lab stuff, or to take over when he gets his wife back and retires.”

“Excuse me?” Hank asked and glared at me.

“Jarvis, can you display Scott's records for me? Both versions.” I asked my phone.

“I will use the television so you can all see it.” Jarvis said and the television flickered to life. The screen split to show Scott's employment history on one side and his criminal history on the other.

Scott's face flushed red from embarrassment.

“Hey, it's okay.” I said and reached across the table to slap his shoulder. “Hank's a good guy, just like you.”

Scott looked at the older man and saw that Hank was staring at the television intensely.

“Ben.” Hank said a few minutes later and turned to face me. “Only once have I ever looked a gift horse in the mouth. It almost cost me the love of my life before she married me.”

“I assure you that this horse's teeth do not have cavities.” I said and gave him a tooth bearing grin.

Scott barked a laugh and snapped his mouth closed. “Sorry.”

I laughed and shook my head. “We're going to be working together off and on for the next year, Scott. We're going to laugh, we're going to cry, and we're going to curse like sailors as we work out how to build the massive amount of crap that Hank's going to want to build in order to build the tools to make the tools to make the thing we need to make to get his wife back.”

Scott looked from me to Hank, who nodded. “Well, fuck.”

“Language!” Hank and I said at the same time and the three of us laughed.

“That's better.” I said and stood. “Hank? Are you joining us or are you going to start on that?”

Hank picked up the small bundle of papers and stood. “I'm going to my office and I'll send you the design specs for the new suit design. Call me when you get it built.” He said and walked around the table. “Make sure you leave room in the center and on the sides of the belt for my tech to be installed.”

“I've already altered the design to put the arc reactor in the back of the belt to provide power. The front's all yours.” I said.

“Thank you.” Hank said and left.

“Jarvis, you know where we need to go first.” I said and picked up the arc reactor and my cell phone.

“You want the materials lab on floor three, then the electronics supply on floor four. The fabrication facilities are in the basement and I suggest assembling everything in the spare labs on floor five.”

“Jesus, we're going to spend more time in the elevator than working.” Scott said and I chuckled.

“You'll get used to working in a diversified and decentralized work environment pretty quickly.” I said and led him and Jubadi out of the meeting room. “After about a week at my other job, I was going to different floors for things without even thinking about it.”

Scott nodded and we went where Jarvis told us to go, gathered what we needed gathered, and then did what we had to do. I wasn't surprised that having another pair of hands... and someone else to bounce ideas off of... made the work go fast and our time wasn't wasted.

We called Hank when it was done and he entered the spare lab. He came to a sudden stop as he stared at it. He didn't say a word as he approached it and his hand lightly touched the chest surface. The look on his face told us both that he had been waiting for something like this for a long time.

“Get out.” Hank said without being mean about it. He just wanted to be alone.

“Right away, Hank. I'm heading back to New York and Scott's going to HR.” I said and the three of us left without waiting for a response. As we walked down the hallway towards the elevator, I told Scott what to say when he went to the office and that he was personal friends with both Hank and myself.

“Are we really going to leave him in there with a power suit, right after he got shafted by his daughter and his protege and then he shafted them back?” Scott asked, clearly worried.

I smiled at him and hit the elevator button. “Why else do you think I picked the emptiest lab possible and then strategically placed packing crates full of packing material near the far wall?”

Scott gave me a surprised face just before the distinct sound of repulsor blasts and small explosions echoed down the hallway to us.

“Sometimes it's nice to just punch things and blow stuff up when you're angry.” I commented and Jubadi nodded in agreement.

*

Darren Cross was livid when he woke up. He was in the back of a taxi as it pulled up to his house. He was also alone. The cab had been paid for, thankfully. He never carried money while he was at work. He entered his modern house and he went right to the living room and the liquor cabinet there. He didn't care what time of day it was, because he needed to think and plan.

“The first thing I need to do is remove that little shit before he convinces Hank to do something else equally stupid.” Darren Cross said just before the sound of shattering glass was heard behind him. He barely had time to yell before he was encased in some kind of quick hardening fluid and yanked out of his home.

Thirty minutes later, the popular San Francisco Bay Park had a brand new statue for all of the pigeons to crap on. No one questioned it and some even enjoyed the comical look on the subject's face.

*

Val was getting a little worried, because it was just about one in the afternoon and she had been at the library all morning doing research, just like Ben had wanted. She had been surprised at how many properties were available for rent to students and for a fairly reasonable price, considering they were college students.

Then again, the nice-sized house she had found had a security deposit that was three times the first month's rent. Val chuckled at that while she sat on the library steps and ate the last of the giant pretzel with cinnamon and sugar she had bought from a vendor on the street. The house had been perfect for her needs and it reminded her that she needed to call her friends.

Val called Max and told her about showing up at Ben's place before breakfast, with the hope of catching him before he went to work. She had described the situation and paraphrased what was said, because some of it wasn't something she was comfortable saying again. When she mentioned Ben apologizing back for not handling things well, Max let out a soft sob.

“I wish I had thought of ambushing him when he wasn't expecting it.” Max said, sadly.

Val opened her mouth to encourage her that she still could, then remembered Ben's warning. She wasn't allowed to tell them anything except what happened. Their own decisions would either save their friendship with him or undo it all.

Will they disappoint him like he expects? Val asked herself. She wasn't sure how fair that was, because there was a lot riding on what happened between them. Ben said he won't go back on his word and I trust him. I have to trust him. She shook her head. No, not have to. I want to. He won't let me down!

“I wonder...” Max paused and sighed.

“It's okay. You...” Val stopped herself before she said Max could do it. Damn! It's harder than I thought to not be encouraging!

“My mom's calling for me. I have to go.” Max suddenly said. “Talk to you later, Val.”

“Bye.” Val said and hung up. She hadn't had a chance to tell her to pass the story on to Gina, so she sent Max a quick text. Right after she did, she received one back.

'Hey, Val! It's Ben. I'm heading to Stark Tower right now. If you take the 85 line, we might meet at the front door.'

Val smiled. 'I'll hop on as soon as it appears.'

'Great! See you soon.'

Val closed the texting program and put her phone away and went to the bus stop. Almost as soon as she stopped walking, the bus appeared and came to a stop. She held in her laugh and climbed aboard and rode it to the right stop. She stepped off the bus and turned to see Ben and Jubadi as they walked down the street towards her.

Ben waved to her and she waved back. Val wasn't sure why she felt happier when he smiled at her. They were just friends and she knew that nothing could ever happen between them. Well, nothing past mind-blowing fantastic sex that got her off quicker than she had ever gotten off before.

Val's face flushed red as she walked over to meet with them. “I was starting to get worried.”

“Yeah, I ran a bit behind because I had to build something for a friend before I could leave.” Ben said and held a hand out for her to take. “It's all good now and things are really going to speed up with everything falling into place.”

“Everything?” Val asked with raised eyebrows.

Ben opened his mouth to say yes, then he realized what she meant about Liz and her friends. “To be fair, I didn't plan on... it was all just...” He shook his head. “I can't explain too much, because it's political and covered under diplomatic immunity and international non-disclosure agreements that... it's a huge can of worms and I'm not opening it.”

Val nodded as they walked down the street towards Stark Tower. “What can you tell me?”

“I've never met anyone like Shuri before.” Ben said. “I mean, I've never met anyone like you before either, it's just... she's...” He chuckled. “You don't realize how uncomplicated life can be until you have a complication that completely shatters your idea of what a complication means.”

Val gave him a knowing look before she ducked her head.

Ben pulled her to a stop and turned her to face him. “Yes, I understand that you know what I mean. No, I'm not comparing the two things.” He said and stepped close. “If it was as easy to deal with some complications as it was to deal with yours, I would never have another worry for the rest of my life.”

Val started to smile before she realized what he just said. She caught her breath and stared into his eyes. “B-Ben... you... you...”

“I'm not admitting to anything.” Ben said with a serious voice and looked deep into her eyes. “You only need to feel reassured that they will never try that with anyone else.”

Val opened her mouth and nothing came out. She didn't know what to say.

“Come on, we have a workout to get to.” Ben said and led her into Stark Tower, tipped the doorman, and took Val and Jubadi over to the elevator.

They rode it up to the right floor and went down the hallway to a very weird looking exercise room.

“Ah, they delivered it all.” Ben said, happily. “Jubadi, do you want a hand putting your things where you want them?”

“Please, sithandwa.” Jubadi said.

Val stood there and watched as both Ben and Jubadi moved things much larger than she thought should be moved by two people. The room was soon put into order with weird looking exercise machines in one corner, a fighting area with mats and tons of weapons on the wall in the other corner, and a dividing wall was placed around one section of it to create a private area.

“Jubadi will go through the basic training movement a few times to show you how you can exercise by yourself and not endanger or hurt yourself.” Ben said. “I'll be using the exercise machines.”

Val looked down at her street clothes and back at Ben.

“That's what the private area is for.” Ben said and led her over to it.

Inside were several crates of different clothing, towels, personal hygiene items, soap, shampoo, and a few other things like razors.

“I'll have cabinets built in the next few days and I'll have a door cut out to gain access to the bathroom and shower. For now, you have to leave and go through the doors the long way around through the hallway.” Ben explained.

Val nodded and grabbed a change of surprisingly nice workout clothes. She did as he said and went the long way to change in the bathroom and came back to the private area. What followed was the oddest and most sensual thing Val had ever seen. The six foot tall African beauty had changed into barely there straps and underwear before she seemed to move like water.

Jubadi flowed into pose after pose, with each ending in a fist strike, a foot strike, an elbow strike, or a knee strike. Even though the movements were slow, they were precise and would be deadly if used in an actual fight.

Val quickly caught on to that point and she stared at the dark skinned woman as if she was imparting the secrets of the universe.

Jubadi noticed the intense attention and smiled. “Yes, Valerie. I can teach you if you want.”

Val nodded. “I want to learn to move like that.” She whispered. “I want to know how to...”

“You do not need to explain your motivations. That you are willing to learn is enough.” Jubadi said and stood up straight. “Come. I will instruct you on where to start.”

Val walked over to her. “I... um... does knowing how to dance help?”

“Modern or ballet?” Jubadi asked.

“Both.” Val said. “My parents were jerks and wouldn't let me choose.”

“Their insensitivity will benefit you greatly.” Jubadi said and then almost shouted. “Pliet!”

Val jerked slightly and snapped into the starting position and then did a perfect pliet as she kept her feet together and bent her knees away from each other.

“Etendre.” Jubadi said and Val did the classic stretch pose immediately. “Good, Valerie. Good.”

“I'm a little rusty.” Val admitted.

“You will not be for long.” Jubadi said with a smile.

Val gulped at the look in the woman's eyes and nodded. She knew what she was getting into after Ben admitted that he had gotten rid of the bastards that had tried to rape her. Now she just had to decide if she wanted the same thing to happen to her asshole ex-boyfriend.