2013-08-18 - Mission: Intergang: Not A Super Soldier

Izumi is a little more dressed up than usual. She wears slacks, and a light purple sleeveless blouse with a short sleeved little blazer over it. Though she is still wearing sneakers, Pepper could only win so far. The tattoos on her arms are exposed right now. She has escorted Pepper to a convention center. This convention center has a large of great minds and important business and world leaders to attend in New York City. Why? It is to find answers to the questions of the world. They are discussing global warming, disarmament of nukes, mutants and meta-humans, and so many other things, trying to find the answer of WHAT to do! It is of course sponsored by the U.N.

Tony Stark was of course invited, but that invitation got passed to Pepper as she is now CEO of Stark Enterprises. Stark is...who knows where Stark is right now. Likely hiding out in his lab, being anti-social as per usual, and only coming up to say hi to Pepper and to the kids, and to do something heroic if there is a need.

It is well after lunch, and starting to approach dinner time. It is still bright inside as it is a hot summer day.

Pepper Potts heads into the convention center with Izumi hovering over her. Not 'actually hovering' (though Lord knows there are people who CAN do that) but hovering in the sense of 'always right next to her'. Then again, she's her bodyguard so that makes sense. It's still not something Pepper is very used to. Even with all the times she's been kidnapped, life been threatened, etc. Pepper's with a group of businesspeople, as well as a diplomat from Rumekistan who keeps making dismissive comments to anything Pepper says 'because she's just some woman.' Oh she so hates this guy. Not even sure why he was invited given who rules the country. It's not like there's a diplomat from Latveria! She smiles curtly at the other businessmen, "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go see if Vice President Sullivan is around." she says as she heads off with Izumi right by her.

Steve cared about these topics but he wasn't invited and nor would he have went. Businessmen would not want to hear Steve's thoughts at the moment. As Stark was hiding down in his lab and working on something completely Stark. Steve was at Avenger's mansion in the Monitor room. He was on security detail and keeping his eye on things.

Vice President Sullivan was across the convention center last Pepper saw her, holding 'court'. Which mostly involved in her calling people cavemen, and to modernize already. Alright, so she has a temper, one people have a habit of dodge away from. She is strongly opinionated, but when someone says something intelligent, she would fall silent and listen real intently. Basically, someone Pepper would get along with, obviously. She actually knew who Pepper was when they spoke earlier!

As Pepper heads down the long corridor, someone nearby can be heard saying, "Hey, who's bag is this?"

There was really no /real/ warning before it happened. The area just seemed to light up brightly, and there was suddenly something large and scaly curling around both Izumi and Pepper! Perhaps there was a roar, but it could have just been the blast.

In either case, whatever was wrapped up about the women suddenly shatters as the red and orange starts to fade, and Izumi falls down to her to her knees before falling face first into the dust and debris. It is almost...silent, ears ringing likely due to the sheer noise. Everything went flying, there is chaos, and Pepper may need more than a few moments to notice there is blood all over her stuff, and she isn't exactly standing anymore.

In the distance where a large hole is in the wall, there are men in black armor marching with energy rifles in their hands. The symbol of Intergang is on their chest plates, and they is shooting that starts as they are closer to Vice President Sullivan than Pepper right now. Apparently, the secret service are fighting back. Strange green lights of energy, but again, no real noise for Pepper.

Captain America sees the emergency alert come up on the monitor, secret service team assigned to Vice President Sullivan...of which is right here in New York City!

Pepper Potts looks around from where she is. Is she on the floor? Yeah she's on the floor. Everyone's running around. There's all sorts of blasting happening. All sorts of people in a panic. But all the noise seems muted, like people are shouting through a long tunnel. She should get up and run for cover!

Okay, she's not getting up. It's like she can't get up. Actually, it's exactly like she can't get up. She looks left and right, and sees Izumi there, on the ground. Not moving also.

She moves her hand over to her, then tries to prop herself up a bit, when her hand touches something wet.

And red.

Pepper tries to focus a bit, though everything's really hazy. "What...?" she tries to say as she looks at her hand. It's blood.

Was something shot or something? She looks at Izumi again, who's still not moving. And her eyes are open wide and not blinking.

At all.

Then she looks down at herself. And notices that the blood is coming from her and a blast pattern that seems to have hit her in the chest, though it just feels like a cold tingly feeling, and she can hear only a strained thumping which is slowing down, which is making the muted sounds in the room all the more difficult.

Back up a bit, Pepper. Look at your chest again. You've been hurt. Badly, badly hurt.

"Oh..." she says to herself, though the word doesn't actually come out of her mouth as she starts to pass out.

Captain America rises and sends word to prep the Quinjet. He then stops and uses the internal communication system to Tony's Lab, "Tony! Are you down there. Somebody's attacked Vice President Sullivan at the World Leader's Unite Supposeum. I'm dispatching a Quinjet. Come on, she's she's a cute blonde. I hear."

"Wait, someone is...," a pause, then, "My gawd, Pepper is there!" Already, Stark is suiting up, mentally commanding the armor to form about his body even as he is stripping off clothes to get a better connection with it. In about thirty seconds, he is not only ready to go, he is already jetting out of the tunnel and on his way to the location. He totally and sadly missed the mention of Sullivan being a cute blonde, his mind already in a panic. Stark has...really not been himself.

Of course, while Izumi lays unresponsive, her spirit having long passed on, the buzzing in her ear gets no response as Iron Man attempts to hail her. Pepper's phone is blasted and there is no response from that either. The dread deepens.

In the meantime, those precious seconds have two secret service men go down, and the gunfight continues. People are panicked as they try to escape the debris and perhaps more than expected stay behind to help unbury others. Someone is moving toward Pepper, and they aren't known to Pepper. They are trying to say something to her, and looks at her in a panicked manner, unsure what to do. The older gentleman finally moves to take off his jacket, and then pulls off his shirt which is cleaner of dust than his jacket and puts it over Pepper's chest to try and stop the blood flow. He is overweight, and a bit on the grey hairy side, not the last vision Pepper would want before death, that's for sure.

Pepper Potts is sort of looking at the person, but more like looking through him. Mainly because he's getting so blurry. It's funny about things you think when you're dying. Pepper's thinking of two things mainly.

The first - what about the 'bright light and tunnel.' Everyone always says there's a bright light and a tunnel and you head towards the light. There's no bright light and tunnel! There's some grey, hairy, overweight guy!

The second thing is concern. Tony's going to be a wreck....

Captain America pulls his mask on as he straps in and the Quinn jet comes alive. It's a short trip, It takes Cap longer to take off then to fly to the site. He starts to look for a place to land the jet as he contact the Secret Service telling them he's on site.

Iron Man is already landing as Captain America comes in, and is suddenly blasting guys left and right. These guys are actually armored, with energy rifles, and just blew up a chunk of a convention center with who knows how many dead and injured. Ya, Iron Man isn't holding back as much as he should. As rifle shots hit him, he jerks back and seems to...absorb most of it, as his net shot comes off a similar color as the energy just blasted at him and frying the armor it hits. Over the comlink, Iron Man's voice is heard, "I can't get ahold of Pepper. I'm clearing a path. Secure the Vice President, I'm going to find Pepper." He is already starting scans to try and find her life signature.

The hairy big guy, is yelling something at Pepper. He still holds his shirt down with one hand and moves to grab one of her hands in his, giving it a squeeze...feeling it is likely distant however. Likely telling her to hold on though. There is something in the dust though, a blast of energy beams knocking Intergang members about. Pepper's dumb, slow, stubborn hero is on his way.

Pepper Potts thinks about this. Maybe it's better that she'd be dying being held by some overweight hairy guy. Dying in Tony's arms would just be too much for Tony. Especially after what happened to Sawyer. Ugh, now she's feeling regret. She should have told him how she felt about him. More than the whole joking comments and - what's the nice overweight guy saying? He looks sort of like a shadowy figure now. Probably because her vision is going all dark. Okay Pepper, at least you know that when you're dying, first your hearing goes, then touch. Then sight. Sense of smell seems pretty active though. Unfortunately it's a lot of smells she'd rather not smell. Smoke. Sweat. Burnt flesh? She sees some other shadowy figure with a light in the center of it. Oh.... hey maybe that's the light.

Steve Rogers comes bounding from the Quin jet. The shield flying through the air to strike one of the Intergang members. His voice calls out on the com, "I've fought armored thugs before and saved vice presidents too. You've heard of a guy named Truman right?" He then catches his shield just as his feet strikes another Intergang agent in the chest giving him a softish landing.

Iron Man then says, "You can brag later, after you save the girl Cap." He is still scanning. Nothing, nothing is matching right! And there is a reason for that. Pepper is dying. Iron Man bursts through the line of Intergang, leaving crumpled men behind him. This only gives Cap a short length to get to the Vice President, though Iron Man heads the other way. The reports from the secret service men do not mention a Pepper.

He is jetting along the corridor, sunlight spraying in through the breaks, cracks, and holes. Iron Man though halts when he sees a half nude men hovering over a bleeding, red-head woman. He lands heavily nearby, and almost scrambles to get to the woman's side. "Dear gawd...Pepper." The voice is neutral and computerized, but it is Iron Man's voice. He does an immediate medical can. He pales inside his helmet and is trying to stop his shakes.

Even his computerized voice breaks over the comlink, "Send out for backup if you need it Cap. Pepper...she isn't going to make it if we wait for medical assistance. She has...shrapnel in her chest, close to the heart. There...," there isn't a surgery that can save her without an artificial heart. He then moves to lift her up.

Barely, Iron Man gets out, "Thank you," toward the late 60-some year old man that likely bought Pepper time. He then looks down at Pepper's face, "Hold on Pepper. I'm not going to lose you now." And then his jets ignite as he takes to the sky.

In the meantime, Cap is getting to dodge bullets from the secret service men and energy rifle shots from Intergang, all the while moving through mildly trained street soldiers known as well...Intergang. He has to hit harder than usual as the armor protects them, and they will get back up if he isn't careful.

Pepper Potts should probably head towards the light. Wait, couple of problems. It's a red light, not a white one. John Edwards really had this wrong. Plus it's coming to her instead. She closes her eyes briefly, then opens them again and she's in the sky.

Oh good, at least this part is accurate. Flying overhead. Though she doesn't see her body below, just a lot of blurry lights.

She would like to reach to the light but dang it her hands are just not wanting to respond. At least that thumping in her ears is lessening. She should probably be worried about that though.

Instead here I am, again thinking about Tony and how it's good that he did not have to see this, but still would have liked to have said at least once how I..

"Love you Tony...." is murmured.

Captain America is using his shield to good use. Better armor means less holding back and the Star Spangled Avenger is letting his shield fly as it bounces off thugs and walls. He throws a punch knocking a man out through the armor. He even dodges out of the way letting a pair shoot each other. He makes his way to the Vice President. "Madam Vice President. I think it's time for us to go." He says extending her his hand. Then before the woman can respond he moves to sweep her into his arms and she puts her arms around Cap's neck. Then he uses the shield well to shield her.

So...the one cowering businessman taking photos of Intergang from behind a wall section, praying he doesn't die....well, he turns that cell phone to Cap and the Vice President and *SNAP*, photo gained.

Captain America bounces a shot off his shield and into another Intergang member. They are thinning down and a sound over radios, soon as them starting to retreat.

In the meantime, Iron Man barely hears that sound above the wind, and only because his sensors are just that damn good. He...thinks he wants to die. He flies straight for the Avenger's Mansion. He drops down, careful of Pepper's body as he goes into the tube down toward his lab, and from his lab, straight to the medbay. He is already summoning Jarvis through the Avenger system to aid him. He should have thought of that earlier. He starts hooking Pepper up to machines, and he will worry about decency later. He needs to try and get more pressure on the wound to buy precious time and get her support.

Jarvis is there almost like magic and moves to take over.

Iron Man only stares for a moment before he turns around and heads for his lab. His armor flies off of him and into his suitcase, and he is moving around in nothing but his briefs. Still, he is already mentally controlling his computer as he brings up the Extremis Serum project. "Forgive me Pepper," he says quietly to himself. Because...he loves her too much to let her go.

Stark starts reprogramming it into a milder version of his own super soldier serum.

Jarvis is working fast, trying to stabilize Pepper as much as possible as he waits for whatever his young Master is up to.

Pepper Potts lays there as Tony does whatever it is that Tony's doing to her to keep her alive. Yeah, she must be pretty bad off. Tony Stark's rushing around in his briefs and she hasn't taken a peek.

Super soldier Serum? The originally Super Soldier, Captain America, has the Vice President in his arm and gets her to the safety. The City's finest are beginning to show up. He's taking Vice President to the Paramedics and looking for a Secret Service man to alert.

The Secret Service are backing up with police backup, and escaping as well. Just a bit behind Captain America.

Vice President Sullivan says breathlessly, "-WHAT- do you think you are doing?!" Arm about her waist, her arms about his neck, as he gets her to safety.

Stark doesn't think he has ever worked so fast to edit such a complex code. He would pray if he honestly believed in a higher power that this works. He suddenly wished he did believe in a higher power. Still, he turns the synthesis process on. It was something he set up when he first came back with the active nano-technology. He was planning to rework it into Maya's dream, but couldn't quite feel he could do it safely so canceled the project. Precious minutes go by, Stark wants to /scream/!

But as soon as it is done and injected into a needle gun, he grabs it and runs still pantsless to the medbay. "Step back," he tells Jarvis. He then moves to Pepper's bare arm and hovers the needle over it. "Please live," he begs the red headed woman, pleading in his tone. And then he injects it.

He has to step back quickly, because only seconds after Stark injects the nano-technology does this 'stuff' start pouring from Pepper's pores and coating her in a hard protective shell. "24 hours. We have to wait 24 hours." The machines seem to at least still be attached to Pepper to give readings as the tubes are caught in the hard shell rather than broken by it. "Please...live."

And then Jarvis is there, putting a hand to the bare shoulder of the boy he helped raise. "Then we wait. Get dressed Master Stark, and I'll get some coffee. I know better than to ask you to rest."

Steve Rogers shrugs as he sits Chloe down, "I was just trying to make sure you are out of harms way, Ma'am." He looks up to the Secret Service guy heading his direction. "Now if you'll excuse me, ma'am. There are others that need my assistance." If he's not stopped he's going to go help pull people out of the rubble.

"Oh, golly geez, least that is what I feel like saying," as VP Sullivan is set on the ground. Sarcastic much? But she moves to grab Cap's armor. "Just one good second, I'm only teasing. Like I'm really about to complain when it's you." And that is when Sullivan just lays one right on Cap! And later during an newcast moment when she is asked about it she will say: "What hot blooded woman wouldn't want to just lay one on Captain America after he just saved her life? Alright, so I have really good Secret Service men too, but honestly? I think it's just something to do with the cowl and the shield."

Chloe then pulls back and smirks a bit, "Grind them to dust soldier." And lets him go.

Captain America's met diplomat and prime ministers. He's had tea with sitting presidents and Queens. This is the first time he can say he's ever been kissed by the Vice President of the United States. The man is surprised by the kiss and he pulls away turning to rush back inside. There would be reports of Captain America having a blush.

And Vice President Chloe Sullivan is DAMN proud to have put it there!

Almost 24 hours later...

Yes, thankfully Stark did get dressed. He is in rough jeans, a black t-shirt, and barefoot. He is pacing in the med-bay. He hasn't slept a wink. Jarvis had went to bed a few hours before after leaving Steve to babysit the man. And each time Cap tried to ask a question, the answer was: "Not now. Have to re-explain it later anyway. I hope..." He is a total wreak.

Steve Rogers keeps looking at Tony as he walks back and forth. A slight frown on his lips. "Oh..kay." He says watching Tony, "Will you at least stop pacing?"

How many times has Cap asked that now? It hasn't done any good. Tony would sit for a few minutes, fidget, then get up again to pace.

Still, the machines start to respond more energetically, and the serum knows what to do. As the body within stabilizes fully and starts to 'awake', the shell 'cracks' open, the shrapnel and dead cells all captured within it and pulled away from its host. It then starts to crumble somewhat, still in large chunks. And Pepper, she gets to renew life - topless. As in her shirt and bra, not lacking her upper body.

Pepper Potts opens her eyes slowly. God what a terrible nightmare that was, is the first thing she thinks. Because normally if you're shot and are dying, you don't wake up feeling very refreshed and unhurt.

The second thing she thinks is that this isn't her bedroom. Where am I?

Followed by 'where's my shirt and bra??!'

Pepper sits right up, putting her hands to cover herself to preserve her modesty. Of course, the first thing she says is, "Tony?!" feeling very confused, sort of alarmed.... and really feeling good though, like she went to the best spa ever. It's disconcerting to feel this good after the dream she had.

"Tony????" she calls out.

Stark is holding his breath, and when Pepper sits RIGHT up, well...he lets it out quickly, "Oh," his tone quiet and he stares. "I...uh...well...," he finally rips his eyes away and almost stumbles over his own feet to get to a nearby robe that Jarvis had hung up nearby and then quickly holds it out to Pepper, actually...wait, is Tony blushing? "I...well..you see....you know...you look really good by the way?" He glances off to the side at Rogers.

Pepper Potts looks at Tony. Normally she might think this is some pervy joke or something, except Steve 'Boyscout' Rogers is there too. She grabs the robe with a hand and quickly puts it around herself. "Tony... What the hell's going on? I had this crazy scary dream and why am I in here? And... actually where... what? How?" She shakes her head. "What's going on? Someone explain???"

Steve Rogers gets an eyeful as his curiosity had him staring at the the cocoon when it pops open. He quickly turns his head away but he doesn't blush. He is well an artist and has painted nudes. He sighs as he looks to the ceiling. "NOt now Stark, not a good time to put a move on her."

Pepper Potts looks at Tony. Normally she might think this is some pervy joke or something, except Steve 'Boyscout' Rogers is there too. She grabs the robe with a hand and quickly puts it around herself. "Tony... What the hell's going on? I had this crazy scary dream and why am I in here? And... actually where... what? How?" She shakes her head. "What's going on? Someone explain???"

Tony swallows heavily. He has a darkening bread as if he hasn't saved in at least a day, if not two. He has some shadows under his eyes as well, and looks...twitchy. Too much coffee and not enough sleep, Pepper knows the signs. "I...well...it's just..," he looks at Cap, then at Pepper, and then just blurts out, "You were dying. I couldn't let you die. So I made you a super soldier, but I tamed it down. So..like...you wouldn't murder me in my sleep because you can do mid-air back flips and punch through walls. I don't think you would have liked me very much for that. So I tamed it down, right? And...I...well, it healed you. Took the shrapnel out away from your heart, and you had other damage, but it wasn't as bad. Do you feel better? Are you fine? Nothing is wrong, right? Well, other than the fact I forgot I had to take off your blood to try and stem the bleeding to buy time. But Jarvis took over the pressure giving so I could concentrate on programming the nano-technology. And right, are you alright?" Stark finally takes a very, very, deep breath and then holds it.

Steve Rogers looks at Tony, "YOU DID WHAT!? You have a working version of the super soldier formula that doesn't kill people and you didn't tell me?" He says angrily at Stark, "I mean, I'm sorry you got hurt Ms. Potts and I'm glad your okay. What did you do Stark? You know it's caused Insanity in some of the subjects." He though hears the word nano..." Nano? Like the iPod, what does that have to do with anything?"

Pepper Potts just listens to what Tony's saying. And as she processes it, she just says, "What?"

She then asks, slowly, "Healed me from... so wait... it wasn't a bad dream?"

"Wait, what? I didn't put an iPod in her for goodness sake Steve! It's tiny technology that you can't see!" Stark is freaked at the thought of inserting a nano-iPod inside Pepper. He pauses at that thought. BAD STARK, BAD! He looks back at Pepper. "I...umm...no. It wasn't a bad dream." Stark fidgets and starts to pace some, and then takes another deep breath, letting it out slowly this time. "Sorry, no sleep in almost 48 hours, too much coffee and stress. Couldn't lose you." He runs a hand through his hair, which is already a wreak.

"Alright. Try it this way. The super soldier program could never be repeated. But Dr. Maya Hansen had an idea. She could program nano-technology to repair the body at the cellular level, /curing/ cancer. Now stay with me," Stark advises. "She didn't have the funds, so she went to the government. She offered to use this program to create super soldiers. She was about to have a break through when they said they were cutting funding due to lack of results," he states. "So she leaked it out."

Another deep breath, and he looks nervously between Pepper Potts and Steve Rogers, "That was the terrorist that hit the FBI building, and blew fire out of his mouth, killing everyone inside in Texas. The one I later hunted down in Washington DC and blew his fucking head off." Yep, BIG news there.

"For me to do that though...I was a cripple then, so I took Maya's nano-technology and altered it. I had her...inject me. It cured me and enhanced me into a modern-day super soldier. And /no/, I don't breath fire out of my mouth, that's stupid."

Then back to Pepper, "Well, I...basically reprogrammed it /again/, so it would enhance your healing and immune system, but it wouldn't completely change you physically. But...I'm not sure I got it all right, I think...I left some other side-effects in it. But, we have to run tests for those. And...they aren't important right now, they won't affect your life majorly or your quality of life," Stark is quick to assure! He turned off the wireless ability, he's pretty sure. Ya, having Pepper's mind filled with technology...she might really murder him for turning her into a technopath.

Pepper Potts nods a little.

Then she faints back onto the table. At least she's not topless now.

Steve Rogers shakes his head as he hears all this. "Take care of Ms. Potts. We'll talk about all this later." Steve did not look happy but he moves to head out the door. He stops putting a hand behind Pepper to keep her from whacking her head. Then keeps on going.

"Oh...well...could have been worse when informing her I injected her with non-FDA approved nano-technology." Stark is a total /mess/. And feeling more guilty now. "Ya, ya...remind me to increase your security clearance, I just broke a bunch of laws right now."

And luckily, Jarvis is coming down the stairs, and will help Stark get Pepper up into an actual bed, and Jarvis will make sure the shower is ready for her, and that she has an intercom to ask for breakfast when she wakes up again.