9259/Asgard's Requiem/Sentinels: Favors and Promises

Asgard's Requiem/Sentinels: Favors and Promises
Date of Scene:	19 September 2019
Location:	Penthouse - Stark Tower
Synopsis:	Tony and Steve talk over Loki's goals and the Sentinels.
Cast of Characters:	Iron Man, Captain America
Tinyplot:	Asgard's Requiem
Tinyplot2:	Sentinels

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Iron Man has posed:
After the usual pass through security on the floor below, Steve is escorted to the elevator, and then left in the care of JARVIS with a smile. The elevator opened into the penthouse, where Tony has just finished his lunch, and is flipping through various news information on his monitors.

Tony's dressed for business today: one of his immaculate suits, including tie, his hair a perfect flippant height. "Steve, hey. Hungry? Belated taco Tuesday, in the kitchen. I've got some updates to run through, but no major rush."

Iron Man has posed:
JARVIS reminds Tony in an even tone, "You do have a two-o'clock, sir."

Captain America has posed:
"Wouldn't say no to a taco. Didn't have time for breakfast between my run 'nd refueling the bike." Steve is in a burgundy-hued button-down beneath his leather motorcycle jacket and black slacks himself, having risked street-spatter on the fine pants in riding his bike today. He must have avoided puddles; his shoes are still as glossy as when he left.

The Captain glances up at the ceiling and gives it a smile almost fond. JARVIS continues to be one of those modern miracles he appreciates rather than eschews. The expression sobers as he pauses across the way from Tony. "I'll make it blunt and brief today, since you've got something soon here. I spoke with Loki personally yesterday 'nd he claimed to have the Tesseract. Might as well call it confirmed with the energy spikes. He's up to something, Tony." Those cheekbones hop high again as he clenches and relaxes his jaw.

Iron Man has posed:
"Eh, there's no meeting I can't delay," Tony says, in the tone one might normally use for 'there isn't anything I can't do', another quote Tony often says aloud, in his friendly, charismatic way.

That mood doesn't disappear at the news, but does get a little bit of a nose wrinkle. "All right. Situation could be better," Tony says, still bright, but then clears his throat: the real telltale that he's well aware of the real problem at hand. "You spoke to him personally? That had to have been interesting. Think we can send Hulk with you next time?" Tony suggests, with fond memories.

"So, we have to anticipate and draw the thing off him. We've done it before: he /can/ be outmaneuvered."

Captain America has posed:
Steve's gotten to pacing over by the island countertop in the kitchen now. Maybe he's drawn by the idea of the tacos, maybe it's just the direction his feet have taken him in -- his movements showcase electrical action contained as redirected frustration at his circumstances. Fingertips circle against a temple as he turns to pace back towards Tony again, his other hand rested on his hip.

"Already threatened him with a Hulkish handshake, he didn't seem to like it too much." By the fleeting wry smirk, the 'saintly' Captain took some pithy solace in leveling the reminder. "Helluva thing, the inside of the Sanctum, where Loki is now. Could've sworn up 'nd down it belonged to Doctor Strange, but I didn't see the man anywhere on-site. Far as anticipating him..." Steve lets out a masterful long-suffering sigh. "Last time he got to dicking around with the city, he let in an army from space. What're your thoughts on getting a step ahead of him?"

Iron Man has posed:
"I assume you didn't see Thor, or you would have said that up front," Tony chuckles. He leaves the couch to come over and pick at some chips and salsa that are present with the lunch items: he found a bit more space for snacks. Tony and his snacks.

"I've gotten further on my energy tracking. And with being sure it's Loki, and that the originator is from the Sanctum, not the places it's pretending to be? I have a strong theory here. He's not bringing things IN this time, he's sending things /out/. Something we can't see. We know from our magic people that there's magic moving around. So, logic time. Magic is being taken somewhere."

Tony eats a chip. "I'll track the tesseract portal locations, set up a grid around the Sanctum. Give me to end of day."

Captain America has posed:
With a prodding low growl from his stomach, Steve rifles through one of the bags left out and comes up with a wrapped taco. He fishes out two more, three in total, all to disappear with gusto and to feed the eternal burning need of the serum in his body.

"Keep me updated as you can about tracking where they're showing up," he asks, not quite a demand. "I can try contacting the Doctor again. Something's funny about him not being around. Could use Thor around too, but god only knows where he is." He chews after crunching a bite out of the taco, his frown directed down at his plate.

"Look, Tony..." Another sigh, what a champion at it. "I've got a situation to deal with that might end with me in a bit of contention with the general opinion on the Sanctum right now. If anybody asks about it, I'm knocking off a last favor." He gives the genius-inventor a level if tired look.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony eats his chips, but levels an intelligent look at Steve, his dark eyes calculating. The full brunt of Tony's attention came forward onto Steve: a look Tony normally reserves for a project (meaning, a computer console or invention).

"Why do I get the feeling like I should knock you out and put you in a box for the week?" Tony asks playfully.

Captain America has posed:
Tony earns himself a snort from the Captain across the way. A slow shake of his head and another gigantic bite disappears from the taco; pieces of the shell clatter to the plate in a quiet cascade of sound.

"It'd be a nice break," he grumbles around the mouthful of food, comfortable enough with the sharp-eyed co-leader to do so. "Can't let you whack me though. This's something that's gotta be done to get it out of the way. Otherwise, bystanders could turn into collateral. Not the first time I've had to make uneasy compromises..." The statement's far too resigned to be anything close to a brag.

Iron Man has posed:
"Are you sworn to silence about this situation?" Tony asks, pausing as he accidentally drips salsa on the counter. He snares a cloth out of the sink to take care of it, just as a little cleaner drone starts to peek out of the end of the countertop. "Cancel your emergency," Tony teases the little drone, which chitters and returns to its hole as Tony moves to rinse the cloth off in the water.

"Well, let's try to make the best of it. Gather every speck of information, and I'll have my anti-Steve missiles ready. Nothing personal." Tony winks.

Captain America has posed:
His napkin crinkles as Steve wipes off his fingers before beginning to unwrap the second taco. Tony gets a wry little smirk again before he flicks his eyebrows down at his food.

"Dunno about missiles. Figure if someone can just knock me out if things come to blows, favor's still done." Realizing how many potentialities can be extrapolated off that thought alone, he takes a moment to rub a hand down his face. "Loki's asked me to guard the Sanctum and him against any ill will. The wording was 'ill will'. It's still pretty open-ended if I want to mince the favor with him, but I expect to get into a throw-down with //somebody// we know at one point over it. A concussion'll be the least of my worries."

Iron Man has posed:
Tony chews on that, but not for long. The inventor's rarely quiet. "I can promise I won't freeze you, how's that?" Tony says, kindly, moving past Steve and aiming a fist-bump at the taller man's shoulder, amused. He won't say he'll hold back otherwise. Because they can't promise things like that.

"If it comes to you protecting a magic laser that ends the world, though, maybe better to still owe a favor, and go ahead and let that get destroyed. Just sayin'." Tony rolls his eyes.

"Speaking of doomsday weapons, we got another sighting on Sebastion, and some of his transmissions. He's collecting Sentinels again. Shocker, I know, but that he's so quiet is a problem. Possibly upgrading them again, if we follow old pattern. I'll update more when I have more than that."

"Mr. Stark," JARVIS intrudes gently, "Your meeting is in ten minutes."

Captain America has posed:
Tony's fist meets with solid muscle as it always does. Steve morosely nods silent agreement, no more pleased with his situation than earlier. The rest of his second taco disappears and his napkin crinkles again by the time JARVIS pings the reminder to the genius-inventor.

"Getting into fisticuffs with a Sentinel robot is sounding more 'nd more cathartic." His palms end up flat on the counter and he gives Tony an intense look. "Let's tie off that loose end, Tony. No more bureaucrats, no more picketing -- no more. I read the report about Trask being dropped off at the NYPD. He's roadkill for the government at this point, they've got him pinned on enough to put him away for life."

Iron Man has posed:
"He created a Frankenstein monster, and it's roving the city and breeding. Trask's no more in control of what he created than Pym was of Ultron: Trask is old news," Tony scoffs. He can say that: he hasn't set any doomsday inventions loose on the population. Small condolences: Tony's would probably make the others look like tinker toys.

"We'll end it. I may as well go to this meeting, bail Pepper out. Be a good boyfriend, something like that," Tony says, but gestures to the food, "Help yourself. I shouldn't be long, if you want to hang out." Tony waves, and heads off to his meeting.

Not that Tony's mind will be in the meeting: it'll be on the Avenger problems. Priorities.