Initial Masquerades & Eternally Iron Made

"You would think," he drawled softly, tugging his hood lower over his face, "that Stane would at least act like he cares." But apparently the life of his godson meant nothing when the throne to the empire was up for grabs. What was even more surprising, Stane seemed to hold no regard for his own life either.

Earlier in the morning, it had come out that Tony Stark's convoy had been the true target. Someone wanted the genius dead …or alive and under their control. Jase, personally, hoped that whoever had the bright idea to go after the billionaire had gotten him out alive.

And Jase needed him alive.

"Unfortunately, Obadiah Stane doesn't care for a single soul save his own and even that's debatable." He turned in surprise; it wasn't his aunt that answered him, but his mother. Whitney Frost looked at him over the top of her sunglasses, “Obadiah has always thought himself at the top of the food chain and nobody has ever bothered to correct him."

“From what you’ve told me about Howard, he wouldn’t have liked it.”

“Howard was an eccentric alcoholic,” she shook her head, “not that it mattered. Obadiah was a different man when he was around. His priorities ...Obadiah always gave your grandfather what he wanted to see.”

“You’re that confident that he has something to do with Tony missing.”

“Yes, I am. It’s different for you, Jase, you’re seeing this from an outsider’s point of view. All you have are the rumors and the stories I’ve told you, but you’ve never meet Obadiah, Tony, or even Howard. You don’t know how truly what a greedy and vicious man, Obadiah is.”

He wanted to ask her more, but Emma joined them: “The two of you need to be careful, they’re here.”

"Who?" Jase questioned, reminding himself not to say a word. He hadn't spoken with his aunt about what she had done and didn't plan on it. They each had their own agenda and he wasn't quite ready to find out what was fueling her behavior.

Maybe it was for the best that his question went ignored.

Whitney pressed a fingertip against the center of her sunglasses, dragging them down to the bridge of her nose. "Where?"

Emma smiled pleasantly, “behind us. They’re near the curb.” She turned her gaze to the side, looking off to the left rather than directly behind her. He followed her line of sight, frowning as he caught sight of the nondescript men in suits. They were talking among themselves and easily faded into the background. Jase would have never noticed them if they hadn’t been pointed out; it was probably safe to assume that was the point. “Who are they?” He repeated his question.

“Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.”

“Strategic...what?” Jase watched them for another moment and then looked back at Stane, “why would he go to them for help? They’ll see right through him.”

“I don’t think Stane invited them,” Whitney confessed and adjusted the hat on her head, pressing her sunglasses back into place. At the podium, someone cleared their throat for silence. “Ora silenzio, mio caro. I want to listen to Stane’s lies.”

Crossing his arms, Jase watched as Stane stepped up to the podium. Security fanned at his front and back, leaving it almost impossible to get within feet of the man. Almost immediately, questions were thrown at him. Microphones were held aloft and cameras were pressed overhead; the flash was blinding and voices ran over each other.

Stane ignored it with a tentative smile and a slight raise of his hands, “I know you have questions; I hope I can provide the answers. But first, let me say my piece. This is hardly an easy task.”

Silence fell; he rubbed his hands together and then placed them on the podium. Stane’s weight shifted as he held onto both sides of the stand. Jase could never deny that the man was a good actor. He looked wrecked enough to be convincing, but the nervous glint in his eye ...it wasn’t for Tony.

Stane’s attention strayed too much, darting throughout the crowd as if someone would jump out. “The last time I stood up here, in front of this building and outside of these doors, was almost twenty years ago. I had to confirm the ugly rumors, I had to accept that my best friend was dead. I had made a decision, at that moment, that I would never do it again. I promised myself that Tony would be protected, I would protect him. I never wanted to stand here again, but rather I wanted Tony to stand before all of you and tell the world of my passing. It was a cruel idea, but doesn’t every parent wish to be the one their child is burying? Yet, it’s with a heavy heart that I stand here once more.” Obadiah fell silent, his eyes falling shut before he continued.

“Tony Stark is missing,” his hands shot up to silence the sudden onset of voices, “I’m aware of the rumors and I refuse to believe that Tony is dead. I will not believe those rumors, not without proof. So for all purposes, Tony is missing. He’ll come home to us.”

Another pause, “three days ago he left for Bagram to present our newest design to the air force. It was supposed to be a short visit, an everyday routine that we have done for years as we provide our troops with the protection and defense they need. During the return to the base, the convoys were attacked --”

Jase tuned him out, attention instead straying to the back of the crowd where the agents stood at rest. They were no longer grouped together, rather they had spread out in an easy formation. He recognized it as the same tactic he used when in a meeting. Their attention was diverted, strained for whatever reason. Maybe he had been right and they had seen right through Stane and knew he was hiding something.

Or at least the man in the front of the group did. He was watching Stane, his eyes hidden by sunglasses and lips curved down in a knowing frown. Next to him, a woman stood in parade rest. It was hard to see where her attention fell, not only were her eyes concealed but her face was blank. At least until she turned her head. Jase hesitated; he could feel the weight of her gaze. Her lips quirked, turning upward as his arms broke and he shoved his hands into his pockets.

The crowd shifted and someone walked between the two agents, blocking them from sight. Jase took a step forward, but when the person moved, the woman was gone. He scowled, turning his head as he searched for her.

“Jase,” his mother hissed, catching his attention.

He gave one last look before turning back to Stane. It was hard to pay mind to the man, his words were sugarcoated bullshit. They were only getting worse -- falser -- by the minute. “The company has elected not to take immediate action. The board and I have decided to leave the search within the hands of the military. We’ll support their endeavors in any way we – anyway I can. Money, weapons …whatever form of reimbursement for their time, I can offer. While this takes place, the board has decided to review Howard’s clause for kidnapping. I think it’s time that we changed our bylaws. I will see Tony home, if it’s the last thing I do...”

One of the security team stepped forward and whispered in Stane’s ear, both of them bringing their hands up to cover the microphone. After a curt nod, Stane cleared his throat:

“He’s about to turn it over to the reporters, we can leave.”

“I thought you had to stay?”

“Adrienne is here,” Emma looked less than pleased, “the bitch wants to be part of the company so bad, so I’ve decided to let her deal with some of our more unsavory contracts.”

Whitney snorted, “Is that what you call this?”

“I don’t trust myself around Stane.”

“What of Sebastian?”

“He’ll take his leave as soon as the conference is over, he and Stane already spoke this morning. I suppose you’re going to stay?”

“I want to hear the rest.”

“Jase?” Emma asked.

He touched his mother’s arm and leaned into her space, pressing a chaste kiss to her cheek. “Stiamo andando, se non volete che io rimanga?”

She brushed him off, “andare, io ti raggiungerò più tardi.”

He narrowed his eyes, “Mamma, non essere stupido.”

Whitney brushed him off again, this time squeezing his hand as she brought it to her lips, “go with Emma, mio caro, I merely want Stane to know that I am here.”

“Be careful.”

“I was in this game long before you.” She tapped a finger against his nose and then directed him in Emma’s direction. She had already started to walk away, brushing through the crowd as she led toward the cars parked to the side.

“Just be careful, mamma.” He repeated and went after Emma, jogging to catch up. As he moved, Jase let the woman from SHIELD fall to the back of his mind.