Race day dawned bright and clear over Monaco, the Mediterranean sparkling in the morning sun. Under different circumstances, it would have been beautiful.
Instead, I woke up with my Enhanced Danger Sense humming—a low-level warning that something was going to go wrong today.
"You're tense," Natasha observed as we got ready. She was in her professional mode—hair tied back, outfit practical but stylish, the persona of "Natalie Rushman" fully in place.
"Just a feeling."
"Trust your feelings. They've been good so far." She checked her concealed weapon—a small pistol holstered at the small of her back, hidden under her blazer. "I've got a bad feeling too. Tony in a race car while poisoned, Hammer lurking around, and Fury breathing down my neck about intelligence gathering. Too many variables."
I put on the concealed ballistic vest under my shirt, then a light jacket over that. The smoke grenades went in my pockets, along with the emergency beacon. I felt ridiculous, like a kid playing spy.
"You look prepared," Natasha said approvingly. "Good. Better to have equipment and not need it than the reverse."
"Words to live by."
We met Tony, Pepper, and Happy in the hotel lobby. Tony looked terrible despite the sunglasses—skin pale, movements slightly sluggish, the palladium poisoning clearly worsening. But his grin was pure confidence.
"Race day! Carter, Rushman, you're in my private box. Best seats in the house. Pepper, stop looking at me like I'm about to die."
"You literally are dying, Tony," Pepper said through gritted teeth. "And you're about to get in a car going 200 miles per hour."
"Living my best life until I'm not living at all. That's the Stark way." He kissed her cheek. "Don't worry so much. I'm Iron Man. I've got this."
The drive to Circuit de Monaco was tense. The streets were packed with racing fans, the sound of engines revving for practice laps echoing off the buildings. Security was heavy—local police, private security, and I spotted at least three SHIELD agents in plainclothes maintaining perimeter.
Our private box had an excellent view of the main straight and first corner. Champagne, catered food, comfortable seating—all the luxuries money could buy. Several other VIPs were there too, including, unfortunately, Justin Hammer.
He spotted us immediately and made his way over, that same forced smile plastered on his face.
"Natalie! And friend. Enjoying the race?"
"We will be once it starts," Natasha said coolly.
"Right, right. Big day for Tony. Driving himself—bold move. Some might say reckless, but hey, that's Tony." He laughed, but there was something off about it. "I've got my own excitement planned. Big demonstration after the race. Military contracts, cutting-edge tech. Going to make some waves."
"I'm sure it'll be memorable," I said neutrally.
Hammer's eyes flicked to me, assessing. "You're the consultant, right? The one who talked Tony down at his party. Heard about that. Takes guts to lecture a man in a powered suit."
"Wasn't lecturing. Just having a conversation."
"Sure, sure." He leaned in conspiratorially, and I caught the scent of expensive cologne and desperation. "Between us? Tony's not looking so good. Might be his time is running out. Nature of the business—you burn bright, you burn fast. Someone's got to be ready to step up when he burns out."
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[Enhanced Danger Sense - Alert]
Justin Hammer - Threat Assessment:
Not personally dangerous
Involved in something significant
Connected to today's events
Overconfident (knows something you don't)
Warning: His interest in Tony's health is suspicious. Possible advance knowledge of attack?
═══════════════════════════════════════
"That's a pretty dark way to talk about a competitor," I said carefully.
"Just being realistic. This is business, kid. Sentiment doesn't pay the bills." He checked his watch. "Anyway, enjoy the show. All of it."
He walked away, and I immediately turned to Natasha. "He knows something."
"I caught that too. 'All of it' wasn't about the race." She was already texting on an encrypted phone. "I'm alerting Coulson. Something's happening today beyond Tony's reckless driving."
The race began with the roar of engines and the controlled chaos of Formula One. Tony was driving surprisingly well for someone dying of heavy metal poisoning—aggressive but controlled, working his way up through the pack.
Twenty laps in, everything went wrong.
A man in an orange prison jumpsuit walked onto the track.
"What the hell?" someone in the box exclaimed.
The figure was carrying something—two long metallic whips that crackled with electricity. He stood in the middle of the track as cars swerved around him, and then he lashed out.
One whip cut through a race car like butter, splitting it in half. The car exploded in a fireball, debris flying everywhere.
"Oh my god!" Pepper gasped.
Ivan Vanko. Right on schedule.
Natasha was already moving. "Stay here," she ordered me, pulling out her phone. "I need to coordinate response."
"Like hell I'm staying here." I followed her out of the box, ignoring the confused VIPs behind us.
"Alex—"
"You need backup. I'm equipped and trained. Let me help."
She looked like she wanted to argue, then nodded sharply. "Stay behind me. Do not engage directly. If I say run, you run. Understood?"
"Understood."
We rushed down to the track level. Security was in chaos, people screaming and running away from the madman with electric whips who was methodically destroying everything in his path.
Tony's car screeched to a halt near Vanko. Through the smoke and chaos, I could see Tony climb out, looking at the destruction with a mixture of shock and determination.
Bad idea, Tony. Very bad idea.
Vanko smiled and lashed out with his whips. Tony barely dodged, the electricity scorching the ground where he'd been standing.
"Where's his suit?" I asked Natasha.
"Happy's bringing it. But he's not going to get here in time." She was speaking rapidly into her phone, coordinating with SHIELD teams. "Local police are evacuating civilians. Military response is three minutes out. Tony needs to survive for three minutes."
"That's a long time when someone's trying to kill you with electric whips."
On the track, Tony was dodging desperately, using his car for cover. Vanko was toying with him, clearly enjoying the moment. Each whip strike cut through metal and pavement like they were paper.
"I need to create a distraction," I said.
"No. That's suicide. You are not engaging a powered individual—"
"Not engaging. Distracting. There's a difference." I pulled out a smoke grenade. "I create confusion, Tony gets more time to survive. You get in position to help when the suit arrives."
"Alex, this is not—"
"Your job is to protect Tony. Mine is to help where I can. Trust me."
I didn't wait for permission. I activated my Practical Combat skill, feeling my reflexes sharpen and my tactical awareness expand, then pulled the pin on the smoke grenade and threw it toward Vanko.
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[Practical Combat - Active]
[Enhanced Danger Sense - Maximum Alert]
[Crisis Management - Active]
CP Cost: -60 total
Threat Assessment: Ivan Vanko
Extreme danger
Enhanced strength (arc reactor)
Electric whips (deadly)
Combat trained
Focused on Tony Stark
Survival Strategy:
Maintain distance (minimum 20 feet)
Use smoke for concealment
Create openings for Tony
DO NOT engage directly
Retreat if targeted
Success Probability: 34%
Note: You are WAY out of your league. Be smart or die.
═══════════════════════════════════════
The smoke grenade landed near Vanko, erupting in a thick white cloud. His head snapped toward the source, momentarily distracted from Tony.
I threw another one from a different angle, creating a crossfire of smoke that obscured the area.
"Tony, move!" I shouted.
Through the smoke, I saw Tony scramble away from his car, putting more distance between himself and Vanko. Good.
Vanko, however, had located me. Through the smoke, I saw him turn in my direction, those electric whips crackling with deadly intent.
Oh shit.
My danger sense screamed. I dove behind a concrete barrier as a whip lashed through the space I'd just occupied, the electricity so close I felt my hair stand on end.
"You," Vanko's accented voice called out. "You are not Stark. Why do you interfere?"
"Community service!" I shouted back, scrambling along the barrier as another whip strike shattered concrete inches from my head.
This was a bad idea. This was a very bad idea.
A car engine roared, and suddenly Happy's vehicle was ramming into Vanko, pinning him against the track barrier. Vanko's whips lashed out, cutting into the car, but the impact had stopped his advance.
"Get in!" Happy yelled, and I saw Pepper in the passenger seat, Tony climbing into the back.
But Vanko wasn't done. He pushed back against the car with enhanced strength, his whips cutting through the hood, reaching for the occupants—
A silver briefcase flew through the air. Tony caught it, slammed it on the ground, and stepped into it as it unfolded into the Mark V armor—the portable suit, sleek and red and exactly what he needed.
"Now we're talking," Tony said, fully suited. Repulsors charged, and he blasted Vanko backward.
The fight that followed was brutal. Vanko's whips wrapped around Tony's armor, electricity crackling as they fought. Tony used repulsor blasts at close range, trying to disable the whips. They crashed through barriers, destroyed equipment, turned the pit lane into a war zone.
I stayed behind cover, watching for an opening to help. Natasha was somewhere in the chaos, probably coordinating the response team. Security and military were arriving, but they couldn't get close without risk of becoming collateral damage.
Vanko managed to wrap both whips around Tony's neck, electricity surging. Tony's systems sparked, the armor struggling under the assault—
I grabbed my last smoke grenade and my emergency beacon simultaneously. The beacon would signal SHIELD and draw attention. The smoke would create another distraction.
I activated both and threw them directly at Vanko's feet.
The smoke erupted, and the beacon's piercing alert cut through the chaos. Vanko's head turned toward the sound, his concentration broken for just a second—
Tony ripped the whips apart with a surge of repulsor energy, then delivered a massive punch that sent Vanko flying backward. He hit the ground hard, his whip mechanisms sparking and failing.
French police swarmed in immediately, weapons trained on Vanko. SHIELD agents followed, securing the scene. Tony stood over Vanko, breathing hard inside his armor.
"You lose," Tony said simply.
Vanko smiled through bloodied teeth. "You lose, Stark. You lose."
Then he was being dragged away, still smiling that unsettling smile.
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MAJOR INCIDENT SURVIVED
Monaco Grand Prix Attack - Resolved
Your Contribution:
Created tactical distractions (smoke grenades)
Bought time for Tony's suit arrival
Drew fire away from civilians
Signaled SHIELD response teams
Mission Status: Success (Tony survived, Vanko captured)
Rewards:
+1,200 SP
+1,500 EXP
Combat Prowess +3 (real combat experience)
SHIELD Reputation +25
Tony Stark Affection +15
Injuries: Minor (bruising from diving behind cover)
Note: You survived a fight with an enhanced individual. That's either very lucky or very skilled. Probably both.
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: "Punching Above Your Weight Class"
═══════════════════════════════════════
Natasha found me slumped behind the concrete barrier, catching my breath. She looked furious and relieved in equal measure.
"That was incredibly stupid," she said, pulling me up and checking me for injuries.
"It worked."
"You could have died."
"But I didn't."
"Alex—" She stopped, then pulled me into a tight hug. "Don't do that to me. Don't take risks like that."
"You take risks like that every day."
"That's different. I'm trained for it."
"So am I. Maybe not to your level, but I'm not helpless."
She pulled back, looking at me seriously. "No, you're not. You're actually pretty capable when you're being insane." She touched my cheek. "But you're also mine, and I'd really prefer you stay alive."
"Fair point. I'll try to minimize the insane heroics."
"That's all I ask."
Tony approached, his armor retracting back into the briefcase. He looked exhausted but alive, the adrenaline probably the only thing keeping him upright.
"Carter. You threw those smoke grenades."
"Seemed like a good idea at the time."
"Crazy? Yes. Helpful? Also yes." He grinned. "You've got guts, kid. Stupid, suicidal guts, but guts nonetheless. Thanks."
"Just doing my job."
"Your job is consultant, not 'throw smoke grenades at psycho with electric whips.' But I appreciate it anyway." He looked at Natasha. "And I know you coordinated the response teams. You're both fired as my assistants and hired as my friends. Which means I'm buying you both very expensive drinks once we get back to the hotel."
"You should rest, Tony," Pepper said, appearing from the chaos. She looked shaken but unharmed. "And probably see a doctor."
"Rest is for the weak. But I will accept medical attention if it comes with pain killers." Tony swayed slightly, and Happy steadied him. "Okay, maybe rest is a good idea. Pepper, love of my life, get me to a hospital before I pass out dramatically."
As they led Tony away, Coulson appeared seemingly from nowhere.
"Well handled, Carter. Both of you." He looked at me specifically. "Though throwing yourself into combat with an enhanced individual is pushing the boundaries of 'consultant' duties."
"I maintained distance and used non-lethal distractions. Technically within protocols."
"Technically." He almost smiled. "Fury wants a full debrief. But unofficially? Good work. You kept Tony alive long enough for the suit to arrive, and you demonstrated field capability under pressure."
"Does this mean I get a raise?"
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves."
The aftermath of the Monaco attack was chaotic.
Vanko was in custody, but he wasn't talking. Tony was in a hospital getting treatment for minor injuries and major palladium poisoning. Pepper was coordinating damage control. And the media was losing their minds over "the Monaco attack" and "another super-powered individual."
Natasha and I gave our debriefs to SHIELD separately, then together. Coulson was thorough, professional, and clearly pleased with the outcome despite the danger.
"Vanko's tech is interesting," Coulson said during the debrief. "His own miniaturized arc reactor, weaponized efficiently. Intel suggests he's connected to Justin Hammer somehow."
"Hammer was talking about a big demonstration today," I mentioned. "Said he had military contracts and cutting-edge tech. Maybe Vanko was supposed to be part of that?"
Coulson made a note. "We'll investigate. If Hammer's involved with Vanko, that's a problem. Giving advanced weaponry to someone with a vendetta against Tony Stark could destabilize the entire weapons industry."
After the debrief, Natasha and I finally returned to our hotel room. I collapsed on the bed, every muscle aching from adrenaline crash.
"That was intense," I said to the ceiling.
"That was you being reckless." She sat beside me. "But also brave. And effective." She lay down next to me, taking my hand. "I hate watching you in danger."
"Welcome to my world. I watch you go into danger every day."
"That's different—"
"No, it's not. We both chose this. You chose to be an agent. I chose to be with you and to help where I can. That means sometimes we're both in danger."
She was quiet for a moment. "I know. Doesn't make it easier."
"No. But we can do it together."
"Together." She squeezed my hand. "Okay. Together. But next time you throw yourself at an enhanced individual, at least warn me first so I can have a heart attack in advance."
"Deal."
We lay there in comfortable silence, processing the day's chaos. Outside, Monaco continued its evening routines, oblivious to how close it had come to disaster.
My phone buzzed. A message from Tony:
Tony: Palladium problem solved. Found dad's research, synthesized new element, not dying anymore. You were right about the creative solutions thing. Drinks on me when I'm back in NY. Thanks for the smoke grenades. -TS
I showed it to Natasha. She smiled.
"He solved it. Faster than expected, too. Your conversation at the party really did help."
"Just pointed him in the right direction. He did the actual work."
"Still. You made a difference." She kissed my temple. "You're good at this, Alex. The consultant thing. The helping thing. You're finding your place in this world."
"Our world."
"Our world," she agreed.
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MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
Tony Stark Status:
Palladium poisoning resolved (accelerated timeline)
New element synthesized
Relationship with you: 31 → 54/100 [Friend]
Considers you valuable ally
Monaco Attack - Aftermath:
Ivan Vanko captured
Justin Hammer under investigation
SHIELD on high alert for advanced tech threats
Public awareness of enhanced individuals increased
Your Status:
Level 10 - 15,840/20,000 EXP
SHIELD Reputation: Significantly increased
Combat experience gained
Proven in field conditions
Upcoming Timeline:
Hammer/Vanko collaboration (Iron Man 2 finale)
Thor arrival: ~3-4 months
Avengers Initiative: ~5-7 months
Progress Note: Successfully survived major MCU event. Proved useful without being reckless. Relationship with Tony strengthened. Natasha proud but worried. Position in this universe solidifying.
═══════════════════════════════════════
We flew back to New York the next day. Tony was on a separate flight with Pepper, already back to work on his new reactor design and probably ignoring doctor's orders to rest.
As our plane touched down at JFK, I looked at Natasha, who was reviewing mission reports on her tablet.
"So, what's next?" I asked.
"For you? Probably more consultant work. Crisis management, civilian interface, maybe some intelligence gathering. For me? Continuing to monitor Tony, investigating the Hammer connection, and whatever else Fury throws my way."
"Together when possible?"
"Together when possible," she confirmed with a smile. "We make a good team, Carter."
"That we do, Rushman."
I had survived Monaco. Helped save Tony Stark. Proven myself in combat against an enhanced threat. And I'd done it all with Natasha by my side.
The MCU was in full swing now, events accelerating toward the Avengers. And somehow, impossibly, I was part of it.
Not a superhero. Not a genius inventor. Just a consultant with good instincts, decent combat training, and a system that made me better at building relationships.
But in this world, that might just be enough.