Unlikely Singularities – Chapter 39

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The Ring: Bonus Round

November 22, 2016

Oh. My. God. Look at his face. Lewis, Lewis, do you see his face? It’s right there, on the front of his head. It looks so stupid.”

Darcy rolled her eyes at Tony’s enthusiasm. She had, actually, seen the face. Multiple times. She wouldn’t admit it to Tony, but it was satisfying. In a gut-churning, oh-my-god what-have-I-done kind of way. And really stupid looking.

Yes, Tony. I see.” How he had gotten security footage for a private meeting room in a foreign parliamentary building, Darcy did not want to know. Well, she kind of did, but plausibility deniability was an important aspect of her new position. And her continued streak of days legal conviction-free.

She slouched down in her seat in the helicopter and focused on the document on her tablet. She had tentatively scheduled a meeting with the Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee for Tony on the first of the month, but he was still pretty tender over the reconciliation with Steve. Captain America. Rogers. God, whatever. Darcy forced herself again to focus on her actual job. It might be better to push back the meetings at least a week. Or maybe until after she got back from Sweden. Because she was definitely going to Sweden. Jane had been hemming and hawwing and outright refusing since she had received the nomination but-

Look, look! This is my favorite part coming up. Are you watching? Lewis? Friday, pause the playback. Lewis, you have to watch this.”

Darcy glanced over at Tony. He really did look excited. His elbows were resting on his knees and he was leaned so far forward his nose was practically in the holographic projection. He was like a kid, sometimes. A lot of the time. An overindulged, frighteningly brilliant, exorbitantly rich, neglected kid. She considered for a moment that he really could have benefited from the Big Brother program. He probably would have gotten along surprisingly well with the other kids, too.

Okay, Tony.” She set her tablet down and held out her hand. “Pour me a drink. If we’re going to do this, we do it with style.”

See how much cooler you are under my influence than the Space Ace and Tag-Along-Blondie? This is cooler, right?” He said it with a level of sarcasm that shamed a Friar’s Club Roast, but Darcy noticed the way his fingers tapped against his knee. His eyes darted to the side.

Jane and Thor are in a different category, Tony. You, as you are aware, are a class of your own.”

Damn straight.” A bar popped up between them with a selection of spring water, juices, and heart-healthy snacks. Darcy picked out a carbonated citrus bottle and a pouch of dried banana chips.

Okay, from the beginning. Hit the highlights. Can we add in commentary – ‘cause I feel like there should be commentary.”

Psh, duh, Lewis. What do you think this is, a public school classroom? Hit the lights, Friday. Now, Lewis, be honest with me. It’s a fine line, I know, but when I see that slack-jawed anger on Thaddeus Ross’s – Thad. Thad.” He snorted, then chuckled, then full-out laughed for a few minutes. “I can’t help but wonder. Would Christmas cards be too gauche?”

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