14133/Callin' home

Callin' home
Date of Scene:	15 February 2022
Location:	SI, Aircraft Division, California
Synopsis:	Tony checks in with Steve. The Tower is going to have guests tonight.
Cast of Characters:	Iron Man, Captain America

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Iron Man has posed:
Coming to late afternoon, and those that had worked to save a small country are scattering once again. Probably not for long, but these are the few days of 'down time' before their services are requested once more. Tony, for his part, has taken an idea and, like is his wont, is running with it towards the goal line. Days and sleepless nights in the workshop has led him to this place, that is, on a flight to his aircraft manufacturing division on the other side of the country. But, if he thought he couldn't get sleep before?

Just wait.

Tony's in his private jet, 12,000 above the earth, the flight settling in for those last couple of hours before landing. Looking out the window certainly doesn't help pass the time, and the stewardess.. stewardess? bringing drinks isn't here, offering him yet another one. He plays with a his phone, flipping it around in his hand, staring at it, staring out in the clouds, above the clouds, and back to the phone. His thumb finally hits a number, America's greatest ass-et.., Steve Rogers.

Captain America has posed:
    Steve Rogers. Captain America. Has been in hiding.
    What sends him so? Has him beating a hasty retreat back from not just the Odyssey? Not just from the Triskelion? Into an old side-street diner complete with aluminum sides to appear like a rail car?
    Some would imagine it could be the rise of another specter from his past. Or an enemy seeking to destroy him. But when Cap feels his phone vibrate and he looks at it again for the third time that day. He sees that it is not Agent Romanoff leaving him yet another sharp message about his avoidance of the recent holiday.
    Instead it is Tony.
    Which causes him to blinks a few times. Then he takes a moment to wipe at his hands with a napkin, leaving his cheeseburger on the plate for now and then activates the phone with a swipe of a fingertip very delicately, as if afraid of breaking the thing.
    "Heya, Tony." He smiles to the waitress as she refills his coffee and wanders off.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony's face comes into view. A hint of 5:00 shadow, messy hair, shirt unbuttoned by one with a loosened tie. The white of the interior aircraft cabin is unmistakeable. "Hey, Steve," he begins before peering at the screen to get a hint of what's behind the ever courageous Captain America. "Bad time?" He leans back in his seat once more, his words continuing as if the question was just rhetorical.

"On my way to California. Avengers are getting a Christmas present from me this year, and not just a card from Pepper."

Captain America has posed:
    A look to the side is given as Tony's voice is heard, and he looks around the diner. He smiles apologetically to some there as a few heads have popped up. Not just at the volume, since the phone is set for vidcomm so those nearby can hear. But also because...
    Well it's Tony Stark.
    His voice is fairly commonly on the airwaves and distinctly so. "One sec, Tony." And the Futurian is treated to a bustling and jostly of an image as he tilts the phone one way, then the other, until finally the video image disappears and Steve's voice is heard a little more subdued.
    "Oh, that's good. Little early for the season though isn't it?" Other folks continue to watch and look, and they get another apologetic smile before he continues. "What's up?"

Iron Man has posed:
Tony does everything he can not to roll his eyes, but instead exhales in a put-upon sigh, looks out the window again, even fingerdrums while waiting. Those in the cafe, however, are intrigued.. who tells Tony Stark to hold on?!

"Oh nononono.. tell me you didn't put me in your pocket.. Where are you? Why aren't you at Ethel's? Isn't there a canasta game tonight or something?"

Tony shakes his head in disappointment, but he soldiers on anyway. "Hey, do me a favor, okay? While I'm gone, check on Pep for me? I'm going to give her a call, have her stay at the tower or something tonight." There's something in those tones, and while it's not a sense of urgency, there is definitely a hint of concern. "And before you say something, I actually have a guest room in the Penthouse. Dirty mind."

Captain America has posed:
    The cafe is intrigued. But they're also polite. Maybe even one or two might recognize the man that's talking to Tony Stark. And it might be out of that respect they don't interrupt his call. But there's definitely a rustling of feathers as second and third glances are given.
    Though at the mention of Ethel, thankfully Tony can no longer see him and the ensuing eyeroll. Should never have let the inventor overhear that. He considers telling Tony that tonight isn't Canasta, but Bingo night. But doubts he'd live that down.
    At the mention of a favor, "Sure, Tony."
    He listens, nodding along with the words given even though Stark can't see the nod. But he can hear the scoff at the end of the statement about his 'dirty mind'. "You're a peach, Tony."
    "But yeah, I'll check on her. Anything particular I should be aware of?" There's a slight jostle of the phone as he changes hands and lowers his voice a little. "Something going on?"

Iron Man has posed:
It's New York City, or at least it's assumed to be. Everyone in the city is either polite in the 'I'll ignore that' or in the 'let me buy you a cup of coffee' way. Of course there are the outliers; there always are. Like, the cosplayers that throng the block where Stark Tower sits, getting pictures with tourists. It's not that they're not polite, but they haven't shared their takes with him yet, soo...

"Dammit, Steve. Okay. At least not in your pocket. And, I'm not on speaker phone, right?" Just making sure.

"I'm checking on a threat, and don't worry. Just checking. I just want to keep my people close for the time being, and Happy doesn't like the Upper West Side. It makes him nervous. And when he's nervous, he sweats. When he sweats, I get billed double for his dry cleaning."

Captain America has posed:
    "You're clear," Is Steve's answer, and no the man isn't in his pocket. Nor speaker. For the diner it's just looking like the blond man in the bomber jacket is having a private conversation with his elbows on the counter-top and the phone next to his head. Though that burger remains tempting and near.
    "What kind of threat?" He asks as he takes that moment to consider his surroundings with a subtle sweep of a glance at the room ahead of him, then behind him in the reflection of the mirror behind the counter. Relatively secure, then he murmurs. "You want I can stay at the tower long as you need. Or can move them elsewhere."
    The waitress comes by and he gives her a nod as he makes a small 'signing the check' hand gesture which has her smiling and nodding as she goes to ring up his bill.

Iron Man has posed:
"Widow-level."

Tony's words are draped in meaning; the words should be more than enough with the knowledge both men have of the program.

"Someone's got a bone to pick with me, and I don't want her in the middle of it." He smiles quickly, it's there and gone, even if Steve can't see it. It's a nervous reaction, the only 'tell' for the moment that he's a great deal more concerned than he's letting on. "I've got someone on it. Someone that I think I can trust. But, when I call her to tell her, she may call you to dig for more information." She's like that. "Everything is gonna be okay."

Captain America has posed:
    As quick as that, Steve just pulls out a few bills and leaves them on the countertop, two twenties which serves pretty well for the bill and the tip. As well as an apology as he rises from his seat and heads toward the exit. He catches the eye of the server as he passes and gestures down the way, but she gets what he's saying and waves a farewell to him.
    Outside on the street, Tony'll be able to hear the sounds of traffic, the muffled rumble of a crowd. Steve moves across the sidewalk, down the way a bit as he murmurs, "Alright, I'll go get eyes on them and keep them on them, so you can have that piece in play but protected."
    Defaulting into that somewhat nebulous way of speaking when he's not entirely sure the comms are safe. Since he's in public. Cap gets on the old motorcycle where he left it. "Let me get somewhere that we can hear each other better." Not that that was a problem, but he means somewhere more secure.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony has the distinct feeling that his words pretty much lit a fire under the Cap like very little else would. He can hear the rustling in the background, the motion, the movement, and the tinkling of the bell as Steve leaves the cafe to emerge on the city streets.

"I've got another Widow on sentry," Tony murmurs, "You know, they seem to churn them out like supersoldiers."

Poke. Poke.

"And please, god, don't go rushing in. JARVIS has protocols in place. But just.. keep an eye on her. Four eyes are better than two. And I just need to get this meeting done in time for the Christmas party." While he words may not say as much, the underlying tone is most definitely relief, if not a touch of gratitude, heaped on with 'solution'.

Captain America has posed:
    All Tony will hear at first is him saying four words, quick and clean before the roar of the motorcycle is heard.
    "Got it. Social call." Which is then obscured by that engine rarring into life and the throttle being tested to get it warmed up. Though now, with the loud noise likely shattering any possible listening devices or directional microphones, and his face obscured by him drawing up the hood of his sweat shirt, he says into the phone.
    "Don't worry, Tony. I'll protect her."
    The connection ends.