Chapter 23: AIM
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- Dammit, dammit, dammit... Everything is ruined! - Stacy flicked items off her desk in a rage. - Mercenary, fucking mercenary, I'll finish him off along with Stark!
Obadiah was now in a rented studio flat. After being sacked from Stark Industries and losing all her shares, Kingpin's men had come for the woman. They demanded a huge sum of money and Stacey had to comply. She sold all her remaining assets after the dismissal - villas, cars, yachts. Kingpin's men took everything, leaving the girl with a couple of thousand dollars in her pocket.
Obadiah pulled out a pack of cheap cigarettes and lit up, glancing at the empty walls of the flat. Her heart was filled with hatred and bitterness at the loss of her place in Stark Industries. She didn't know what her next step was. After being fired from Stark's company, other companies refused to hire Stacy. Anita had taken care of this and had made prior arrangements with other big businessmen in America and Europe. Obadiah was now a pariah to all the big companies and it was all thanks to Stark.
The bell on the door to Stacey's flat chimed shrilly. Stunned the girl and urged her to go and see who was at the door.
- Hello, are you Obadiah Stacy? - Squinting her eyes, the shapely blonde put on a fake smile.
- Suppose, who are you? - Stacey asked cautiously, closing the door slightly.
- My name is Audrey Killian, I'm the founder and CEO of the AIM think tank," the blonde nodded her head. - I heard how unfairly you were treated by Miss Stark....
- Why do you care about that? - Obadiah asked suspiciously. The woman had met with AIM representatives several times and had even done some business with them behind Stark's back, selling some military technology. She had never met AIM's directress in person and they were not familiar with each other. This girl's arrival today was very suspicious.
- I have a proposition for you, let's go to your flat and I'll tell you everything.
The blonde, ignoring Obadiah, went inside and looked at the bare walls of the flat with a chuckle in her eyes.
- So, what is your proposal to me? - Stacey sat down on the wooden chair. Audrey looked around and couldn't find anything to sit on.
- I want to offer you a job at my think tank.
- A job? You and Stark have some projects together, and if she finds out you've hired me, she'll terminate all your contracts.
- Don't worry about that," Killian approached Obadiah. - 'I hate Stark as much as you do. We have common interests with you.
- Stupidly, you won't have the power to put any pressure on Stark. "Stark Industries was a giant in the military sphere, moving into the civilian sphere of technology won't weaken the company enough to be destroyed by your think tank," Stacy finished her cigarette and threw it on the floor, putting it out with her heel.
- Who told you I was working alone? - Audrey grinned broadly and put her hand on Obadiah's shoulder. - Do you know anything about Hydra?
...
Happy was sitting at a table with a handsome man, he was paying compliments in her direction and making casual conversation with her. The woman was happy to have such company, the Afghan mercenary kept his promise and asked her out.
This time he came in a black three-piece suit, not hiding his face in any way. Seeing his snow-white hair and straight features for the first time, Happy, who was always rude in relations with the opposite sex, naturally swam, not knowing what to say. August took the situation in his hands and invited her to the table, ordered dishes and started a conversation.
Today had been the best day for Stark's regular bodyguard in the last five years. It might have been the best of her life, too, if it weren't for one fat BUT. Along with August, Anita Stark, her immediate supervisor, had come to their date. The red-haired girl had been glaring at Happy from the very beginning of the date, making her afraid to say anything too much and behaving in a stiff manner.
- August, I noticed a patch on your right eye, what happened to you? - Happy asked cautiously, trying to take the initiative in the conversation. - If it's hard for you to remember, you don't have to talk about it.
Anita stopped glaring at her friend and shifted her gaze to the man with interest. She too was curious to know where a mercenary like Augustus had lost his eye.
- My right eye... - the mercenary smiled. - It's not quite as interesting a story as you'd expect me to tell. I lost it during a routine firefight with terrorists, who had a modern weapon from Stark Industries. It was these modern weapons that hit me, and it was a miracle I survived.
After August's words, a silence formed over the table. Anita lowered her gaze, and Happy began inwardly cursing herself for such a stupid question. Now her employer could fire her from her job, Hogan didn't want to lose her job!
The mercenary quickly noticed the change of atmosphere at the table and realised that he didn't need to mention the Stark Industries arms in the conversation. Anita seemed like a cheerful and impenetrable girl on the outside, but that was only an outer mask. On the inside, she remained an ordinary person. Knowing that her weapon had once long ago taken the eye of her loved one was a contentedly painful knowledge.
- Look Anita, why did you follow me in the first place? - The girl sat on the mercenary's right side, and he had to turn his face in her direction to see her fully. - I thought you said that it was safe here at the exhibition and that you didn't need my services temporarily, then you heard about my date and immediately retracted your previous words.
- I'm your employer and you're my bodyguard. I pay you money for protection, so be kind enough to do your job," Stark "switched on," letting the barb come out of her mouth.
- Yes, yes, and don't you have to organise the exhibition? It's only six hours until the unofficial opening.
- I don't have to, it's already done," Anita glittered, regaining her fighting spirit and continuing to glare at Happy.
The poor bodyguard at this moment was no longer enjoying the atmosphere of a date with a handsome guy. She was inwardly crying, feeling the hostile aura from her boss. She would definitely be sacked tomorrow!
...
- Mum, well, why should I go to the Stark Expo? - A black-haired young girl, a senior high school student, said unhappily.
- It wasn't an ordinary exhibition, but a pre-show exhibition. The most influential people from all over the country have been invited," Norma explained calmly to her daughter, tying the tie on her snow-white shirt. - Isn't the tie tight?
- You're going to leave me alone again and go out to socialise with other people," the young girl said resentfully, pulling her black tights over her slender legs.
- I'm not abandoning you, I'm leaving you alone to find people from the younger generation and get to know them. Connections obtained at such events will help you in the future, they should not be neglected, - Norma explained the simple truths to her daughter in a gentle voice. Hera was already eighteen years old, but she still hadn't grown up. She was still acting like a teenager. Soon she would have to take over her mother's company, but she was totally unprepared.
Norma was worried about her daughter's future. The woman didn't know how to influence Hera, and she didn't like to use harsh methods.
- Are you ready? - Norma, who had changed into an open evening dress, knocked on the door to her daughter's room.
- Yes," Hera said in a disgruntled voice as she came out to her mother in a black short skirt, tight, translucent tights and a white shirt with a black tie. All the clothes she was wearing were branded from a limited collection and cost over ten thousand dollars.
The mother took her daughter by the hand and led her to the ground floor of the mansion. A car with a personal chauffeur was already waiting for them there. The couple got into it and the car drove into the city centre.
- Hello, please present your invitation letters.
At the entrance to the Stark Expo, the car of the mother and daughter was stopped by a girl in a black suit. She knocked politely on the car window and through the ajar window asked Norma for a special letter that served as a pass to the exhibition.
- The Osborne family, Norma Osborne and Hera Osborne, welcome to the Stark Expo, you may pass through! - The girl bowed and let the car pass.
- Alice, park the car in the car park and wait for us there.
- Yes, Mistress Norma!
The black Mercedes pulled up to the main entrance, the driver got out and opened the doors for Norma and her daughter. After waiting for the two mistresses to get out, Alice closed the doors and drove to the car park.
- Hera, act normal here, this isn't a school where you act like the local queen.
- Mum, how do you know!? - the young girl was surprised, staring at her mother.
- Do you think the teachers don't complain about you? - Norma smiled. - Today you must find at least one friend or mate here and bring her to visit us for the weekend. Otherwise I'll take away your pocket money for a month.
- That's too cruel!
(Norma with a cigarette and Hera)
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