ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ɪʀᴏɴ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ

High-Tech Crossword Puzzel

{Chapter Eighteen}

Tony sat in one of his cars researching Ivan Vanko, the man who had attacked him on the race track. The Stark man looked ill, his skin sickly pale and a purple infection climbing itself up his neck. He didn't turn to look as his best friend entered the lab.

"Tony, you need to get upstairs and get on top of this situation right now," Rhodey instructed, "Listen, I've been on the phone with the National Guard all day, trying to talk them out of rolling tanks up the PCH, and taking these. They're gonna take your suits, Tony, okay? They're sick of the games. You said nobody else would possess this technology for twenty years well guess what somebody else had it yesterday. It's not theoretical anymore. Are you listening to me?"

Rhodey walked towards Tony placing a hand on his shoulder and turning him so that he was looking at him. Seeing how ill Tony looked the determination in Rhodey's eyes turned to concern, "You okay?"

Tony moved over in the car before climbing out. As his feet touched the floor his legs gave out and he crumbled down only to be caught by Rhodey.

"You alright?" Rhodey asked worriedly.

"Yeah. I should get to my desk." Tony muttered, "See that cigar box? It's palladium."

Rhodey walked over to Tony'd desk helping the Stark take a seat and opened the cigar box. Tony pulled out his arc reactor to reveal a smoking palladium slide.

"Is that supposed to be smoking?" Rhodey asked him.

"If you must know, it's neutron damage." Tony told him as the man pulled the slide out of the reactor, "It's from the reactor wall."

"You had this in your body?" Rhodey asked looking down at the palladium in surprise, "How about the high-tech crossword puzzle on your neck?"

"Road rash." Tony took the arc reactor back from Rhodey and returned it to its usual place on his chest. Instantly the colour returned to his skin, the Stark man looked back to meet his friend's worried gaze, "What are you looking at?"

"I'm looking at you. You wanna do this whole lone gunslinger act and it's unnecessary. You don't have to do this alone." Rhodey told him.

"You know, I wish I could believe that." Tony replied, "I really do. But you gotta trust me. Contrary to popular belief, I know exactly what I'm doing."

Rhodey sighed slightly before speaking, "Right well I should get going, damage control and everything."

"Yeah, see you later," Tony replied before standing and making his way back over to the car.

With a final worried glance in Tony's direction, Rhodey made his way out of the lab and up the stairs. As the man reached the top of the stairs he caught sight of the small girl making her way out f the kitchen.

"Abby? What are you doing up?" Rhodey asked walking towards the girl.

"I was thirsty." Abby shrugged looking up at him, "Are you here to see my dad?"

"I've just seen him," Rhodey replied with a sigh.

"He's sick isn't he?" Abby inquired in a small voice.

"What?" Rhodey asked looking down at her in shock.

"I've seen the rash on his neck. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to upset him, but I've seen it." Abby told him.

"He'll be okay, Abby. Tony always finds a way to beat the odds," Rhodey assured her only half believing his own words, "Now I think you should get to bed because if one Pepper Potts should find out your still awake we'll both be in trouble."

Abby gave the man a small smile before making her way up the stairs to her room. No matter how Rhodey had tried he hadn't lessened the girl's worries about her father. She could sense Rhodey's apprehension as he spoke to her and knew he didn't believe what he was saying.

That night like many others before it would be a sleepless one for the youngest Stark. Her whole body still overwhelmed from the emotions she had been feeling at school, the majority of which were not her own and her mind clouded with worries of her father's health.

Abigail Stark a girl with the world on her shoulders.