15064/So About The Thing

So About The Thing
Date of Scene:	09 May 2023
Location:	West Farms, The Bronx
Synopsis:	Tony updates Nat about the thing that is pointedly NOT happening.
Cast of Characters:	Iron Man, Black Widow (Romanoff)

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Iron Man has posed:

It was in the middle of a very hectic day that Natasha Romanoff would receive a call. The name upon the phone's ID was easily recognized, Tony Stark. Though the added information that was delivered to her SHIELD comm was out of the ordinary. It fed her the information that this was not a usual link, not a usual number, and that the connection was secured through a triple array of heightened security measures which met the alert status for an emergency communication.

Though when she heard his voice it didn't _sound_ like an emergency. Yet she might hear the sense of... stress in the inventor's voice.

"Hey Nat. Tone here. Yeah yeah. Things are cool. Super cool. All under control. Though I got a favor to ask of you. "

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
The last time he had said he had everything under control, that it was super cool, she was positive that the world had almost come to an end. So despite being at home sitting on the couch, staring at the chia pet on the windowsill, things changed immediately.

Natasha sat up as she took the phone off speaker, putting the phone to her ear. So much for a day off. She reached for the remote control, flicking on the tv on mute and moving to a local station.

"Good to hear. Triple security. That bodes not so well. What's up, Tony?"

Iron Man has posed:

"Sooooo, "

There's a sound of keyboard clicking and a slight metallic sound that ends with a whir of some sort of actuator. There's a crunch of metal then a /whump/ that echoed in the background. A few hisses of compressing actuators might be heard in the background though quickly it was subdued, muted somewhat as the phone seemed to focus more on Tony's voice.

"I had to take JARVIS off line. Something up with his programming. Maybe was a slight mistake networking him into a bunch of things. So no food orders at the mansion, no security systems beyond alert and automated defenses. Oh and the interconnection with SHIELD applications. That's a no go. "

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Flicking through the channels, there was nothing about an invasion of New York. No automatons trying to kill everyone. No creatures from another dimension trying to break through. Natasha started to relax a little bit. Still anxious but not ready to leap into costume and run into the fray now.

"I'll let Fury know but keep it on the Q.T. for now."

It probably wasn't something everyone needed to know. "JARVIS has been fine for years now. Even though he's been networked. What happened?" And then she hit that channel that was covering a certain incident involving stopped traffic and Iron Man. She clicked for subtitles so she could read as she was listening to Tony.

"I'll head over to the mansion to be physical security on-site until you figure things out. Was he...compromised, do you think?"

Iron Man has posed:

"What? "

She'd hear it in his voice, that slight hint of treble added to his words, the up-lilt a touch higher with the question mark. Though it might be hidden in part by a whirring sound and the squeal of metal in the background. "No, no. Far from it. Probably not. Like possibly? Maybe. Depends on how you define comrpomised. "

Then in the distance on the end of the phone there was a female automated voice that was heard as it said, // Purge Initiated. Phase 4. Begin. Now. //

"But seriously, " Tony's voice is heard, "I got this. Just one of those things I need to hunker down. To focus on. For a few hours. Maybe a day. Or three. "

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
"Purge?!"

Yes, Natasha heard that. "What the hell is going on, Tony? And why am I seeing a replaying of two Iron Men at the same time in traffic. It's good Power Girl was there. Was one of those actually you or...?"

She didn't like what she was hearing at all and he'd hear that shift of movement. She got up off the couch and heading for the bedroom, opening the closet to take out her uniform. Then she'd start getting changed, putting the phone back on speaker so that she would be hands free. Thank goodness he didn't Facetime her.

Iron Man has posed:

"I was the one in the blue. What do you think of that? The blue and silver. I was trying it out. Some sort of color coding purpose identification. ECM systems and enhanced integration suite. "

There was a pause and then a heavy /WHA-BAM!/ was heard in the background as well as a hiss of static that might have her thinking the line was broken, before she heard a slight grunt, and a wince in the man's voice as he said quieter. "Ok that one stung. "

There was a rush of rockets or engines in some form, a high pitched whine. Then his voice as the background sounds were muted. "But seriously. Natasha. Natalia. Natalie. Natty. Nat. I got this. Just calling so you know, Thor doesn't get grumpy that his favorite ice cream doesn't get ordered. Is he putting on weight lately? I think he's putting on weight. "

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
Those sounds were not reassuring. The words coming out of his mouth were not either. She knew that Tony was damn good at what he did but when he was admitting there was a concern, it was a big emergency by everyone else's standards.

"Don't make me come over there, Tony." She just left that threat hanging in the air as she snapped her wristbands into place. Then she moved to put on the belt at her waist, checking all the little hidden compartments to be certain she was fully stocked on resources.

"Last time I saw Thor, he didn't look like he had gained any weight. And what's the ice cream? I can order in a delivery. Which might be hilarious when someone realizes where they are delivering too, come to think of it," Natasha murmured.

Iron Man has posed:
"Heh."

For some reason that single sound is all Natasha hears for a span of five... ten... fifteen seconds. Just enough to perhaps raise some level of concern before then she hears him again, the line clearly having some audio artifacts as the background sound is muted. "No idea what the ice cream is. I know him and Steve each have their own. I want to say chocolate? But it's froo froo chocolate with little things in them. Ben and Jerry's something or other."

Then the line seems to go ultra-quiet again before she hears.

"Alright on that note. I gotta go. Talk to you later. Say hi to Greek Justin Bieber for me."

And then the line goes dead.

Black Widow (Romanoff) has posed:
He might have heard the intake of breath from Natasha. There was no way she was going to let that last line go without a reaction. And that is likely why he hung up immediately, before she had the chance.

She quickly flipped the phone into her hand and her thumbs moved rapidly over the surface. The text message was simple.

*Bieber? Weak. Try harder next time.*