2013.10.04 - Luncheon Reunion

Three-thirty in the afternoon... Wednesday... Pleasant and sunny with a light breeze.
Breakfast meeting - Check.
Meeting at the Museum - Check
Gala arranged - Check.
Lunch meeting (without getting to eat) - Check
Caterers - Yeah... Still dealing with those...
After a very busy morning, and afternoon, it's time to stop and get a small bite to eat while -trying- to dealing with the caterers.
Carol had been on her way to an actual restaurant when the little cafe caught her attention. Still somewhat new to the city, she didn't really feel like exploring too much. She was HUNGRY! She now sits at a small table in the outside seating area. There's a glass of wine sitting in front of her, half gone.
Dressed in a pair of nice black slacks, a deep red shirt and tan dress jacket, she has the people around her staring as she all but growls into the phone.
"That is not the agreement I made nor is it the contract I signed. Now this is the way this is going to work... You're going to have your partner call me while you get on the menu that was presented to you and if I don't see something started when I come in this afternoon, the law suit I'll slap you with will make your head spin an I -promise- you'll never do business again. You got me?"
Tony Stark has had a similar day, except it's gone something like this:
Thrust Everything Off On Pepper - Check.
So naturally, it's lunch time. Walking around midtown and wandering into the theater district, he comes across the little cafe as well, and slips in. The woman threatening lawsuits in front of him catches his eye, but isn't unusual given the environment. He does his casual listening-but-not-listening thing and slips his hands in his pockets as he waits to get seated. This standing around thing waiting to get seated thing? Kinda novel.
"Oh. My. God!" One of the girls, late teens or early twenties, sitting behind Carol whisper-squeals. "Chel...Chel! Look! Is that Tony Stark?"
The redhead sitting beside the squealing blonde lifts her head. "Sure is! Mmm... The things I'd love to do to him... I think half of them are illegal but damn it'd be fun!"
Carol is trying, unsuccessfully to block out the girls. They've been gossiping non-stop. The name they drop, however, causes her to turn from where she's sitting and actually look. A smirk curves her lips. "I don't care. Get it done. I have to go." Without ever waiting for a response she ends the call.
Standing, she heads for Tony, heels clicking on the ground as she goes. "How out of character for you..."
Somehow, even a teenager manages to have her own to-do list, and check marks upon it. Or a lack of check marks upon it, depending on items and which list. Either way, Jazmin is in her civilian uniform of jeans and a snarky t-shirt, flying just high enough to be out of traffic, but low enough to read signs.
Cafe. Unfamiliar cafe. Perfect.
Jazmin lands just out front, the scream fangirling over Tony means that someone landing out of the sky is ignored completely and she pulls the door open to end up in line immediately behind the one that's being gossiped about.
Tony Stark doesn't hear the girls, and it's probably better for them he didn't. Had he, they'd be off in the jet to someplace where things like legal and illegal are more of a guideline than a rule. The familiar voice, and clicking of heels causes him to look in Carol's direction as he approaches. He puts a hand on his chest, "Carol Ferris as I live and breathe. How are you?" he says cordially as she approaches. He runs a hand through his hair, "How are things, well I hope? You look in full boardroom amazon mode." he glances around, "Any chance you have a table already? Standing around is fun and all, but.."
Of course they would...
Carol chuckles. "I'm doing just fine. And you? It's been a while... It's been a busy day, yes." She motion back the way she came. "Outside. Come on."
She turns and almost bumps into Jazmin. "Oh! Sorry. Are you alright?" Yeah... She's just a little distracted at the moment. A look is cast at Tony before she looks back at Jazmin and smiles.
Tony Stark smiles "Well, you know how it is. Board meeting, shareholder meeting, save the world, invent something cool, so on, and so on." he looks between Carol and Jazmin, "Oh, friend of yours?" he asks, looking between the two, having taken a step towards Carol before she bumped into the young woman.
Jazmin was only paying a scant bit of attention, already plotting out lunch and mostly tuning out Carol and Tony's conversation, and she takes an absent step back, her hands coming up as Carol invades her personal space. "Uh.. hi. Yeah, no problem." She nods politely to Tony as well, the smile touching her face really more of a smirk. "Nope, although I think somewhere in the utterly unreasonable state of papers on my desk I've a note that I should follow up with you, and or Pepper about a meeting at some point. Which, clearly, hasn't floated up to the top of the pile yet."
Carol rolls her eyes at Tony. "All of which I am sure you have someone sitting in for you on." It's said good naturedly before she shakes her head. Jazmin answers before she can, however.
Taking a step back to give Jazmin her space back, she almost bumps into Tony. It's really just not her day. A deep breah is taken and slowly exhaled.
Looking from Tony to Jaz and back again, she arches a brow. "If you two need to talk, you're welcome to my table and I will excuse myself."
Tony Stark thinks a moment as he looks at Jazmine, "Really? Have we met before? Tony Stark." he says, affably. Then he looks from Jazmin to Carol and grins. Then shrugs. "Tell ya what. Let's all sit down, call it a business lunch and I'll put it on the company card." - he says that as if it's the easiest answer in the world. "Sound good?"
"Oh sprock no. I am not so cruel and heartless as to ambush someone attempting to get lunch and foist a meeting upon them. I mean.. honestly.. I'm a white hat. We don't /do/ that sort of thing." Jazmin assures and adds for both of their benefit, and to clear up some confusion. "Jazmin Cullen, Leader of the Legion of Superheroes, which is why you ended up with my business card, or more likely how Pepper ended up with my business card."
A chuckle and a shake of her head comes from Carol. "Sure, Tony. You're going to do it anyhow." She smirks up at him before turning her attention on Jazmin and motioning towards her table outside. "I'm Carol Ferris. A pleasure to meet you, Miss Cullen."
Steping to the side, she begins to lead the way back to her table, flagging a waitress down on her way. A glance is given to her watch and she frowns. "If you'll both excuse me for just a moment, I have a call to make." She stands at the side of the table and pulls her phone back out, free hand reaching for her wine.
Tony Stark cocks an eyebrow, "There's a whole legion now, eh? C'mon, Miss Cullen, let's grab a seat and talk. I'll even pretend to sprout some kind of psychic power when Pepper brings your name to my attention." he pauses, smiles that gigawatt smile of his, "It'll be fun. C'mon." he looks to Carol, "Well, you're right about that, don't worry about us. We can talk shop." and gives her the grin as well. Apparently Tony doesn't do polite refusals well.
"There's a whole Legion of us, indeed." Jazmin agrees, and surrenders to not having to wait on a table, nor pay for her own tab. Hardly a bad thing, all in all. "Although for my sanity, I only try and herd the future teens from outer space ones, rather than /all/ of the superheroes. It's more than enough headache just herding my own cats. Please, call me Jazmin."
Tony Stark orders a scotch, and sits back and relaxes in his chair. "I can imagine. I have my hands full with just the Avengers. You would not believe the expense report I have to submit just for hair conditioner for Thor. That shine and body isn't native to Asgard, you know." he shrugs, smiles. "Future Teens From Outer Space, huh? Sounds like a great band name..hmm. Is Carter one of yours?"
"I can only imagine, and the expenses on getting those air currents to follow him around and have it flutter theatrically out of his face?" Jazmin whistles lowly. "And I thought keeping a team of teen boys fed was challenge enough." She orders herself a beer, and hopes for the best on actually getting it. "I dunno, it seems a little long for a band name, it'd never fit on a t-shirt and merchandizing is important. Legion works so much better. Carter? Yep, he's one of mine."
Once they were settled, Carol had steped away to give htem a chance to talk and to make her phone call. When she returns to the table, she looks far less than pleased. Of course, she missed the entire conversation thus far.
Resuming her seat, her wine is finished off just as the waitress arrives at the edge of the table. A pretty little thing. Petite with long chestnut hair. "What can I get every today? Another wine, ma'am?"
Tony Stark glances at the menu, then over each shoulder. He smiles. "I'll take a burger and fries, and whatever these two lovely ladies would like." he glances over to Carol and cocks an eyebrow, noticing her less-than-pleased expression before smiling over to Jazmin, "Bright one, that kid. He's one of my interns. I think he'd do well even if he wasn't Duck Dodgers of the twenty-fourth-and-a-half century." he comments.
"Burger and fries sounds good." Jazmin concurs and she quirks an eyebrow in unrealized symmetry to Tony's glance, but doesn't ask. She simply nods to Tony and smiles. "I'm fond of him, and was exceptionally glad we got him back in one piece after he had an .. incident." She reaches for a water glass and then chuckles softly. "What do interns do?"
"Caterer." Because, apparently, that should be enough to answer the look from both of them.
Looking up at the girl, she smiles and nods. "Another glass would be lovely, yes. I'll take a chef's salad, light on the dressing, and a mushroom and steak panini. Thank you."
The girl nods and smiles. "Of course. I'll have your drinks right out and your order will follow shortly." The menues are gathered and with another smile, she makes her way inside.
After that, Carol falls silent, allowing her two companions to chat.
Tony Stark pages: Carol's still head of Ferris Aerodynamics, right?
Tony Stark hmms, and takes a drink, "I don't know what they do in other outfits, but I basically develop young talent. Put them on project teams, let them contribute and find solutions and be a real part of the development process instead of shlepping coffee. I'd imagine Carol fosters the same level of talent. She runs one of the top aero-development and manufacture companies in the world. Parlayed that into getting FerrisAir off the ground, no pun intended. Don't let the devestating figure and smart fashion sense fool you."
"Well, as one of mine is interning for you, and I clearly skipped that bit of history class, I dont care so much about what they do other places, but am curious as to what you've got Booster doing for you." Jazmin clarifies thoughtfully. She turns her attention to Carol at Tony's introduction and smiles. "Sorry, we sort of skipped the formal or even polite introductions. My bad. Nice to meet you."
Carol looks over at Tony, studying him a moment after the compliments roll off his tongue. Eventually, she smiles. Not one of those business smiles she's been using most of the day but a genuinely warm and affectionate smile. "Thank you, Tony. You're right, of course. There's little better than hands on expierence to learn. Fetching coffee teaches them nothing." She looks back at Jazmin and smiles. "A pleasure to meet you as well."
Tony Stark smiles, "Anytime, Carol." he says warmly. He looks back to Jazmin, "Well, I have him working on more specialized projects. I'm a little hesitant to put him on any of the marquee teams, just because I don't want him to be tempted to cheat, or influence how something is brought along because he already knows how it comes out."
"Y'know.. it's weird to have that perspective.. at least for me, the disconnect between where things are now, and how things are in my home is so dramatic, I've no clue how to even /nudge/ things here." Jazmin replies to Tony and then makes an irritated little sound as she digs out her phone. Teenager or not, she is not immune to /those/ sort of phone calls. The muttering under her breath has the cadence of swearing, even if it's a language that is likely to be unfamiliar to anyone at the table save her. "Annd.. I have to head back to HQ. I swear, I should have just stayed in 1939. Sorry to barge in and run. Pleasure meeting both of you, I look forward to your psychic impression at any meeting with Pepper, Tony."
As Jazmin take her leave, Carol relaxes into her seat a little more. "You look good, Tony." It's said... Almost hesitantly. They may not be alone but there's no one sitting with them anymore. "The rose was a nice touch, by the way." Her eyes cut over and she smirks. "Might try something a little less common next time though." ...Did she just wink at him?
Tony Stark watches Jazmin depart and takes a sip of scotch. "Thanks Carol, you're as beautiful as ever." he says, and when she mentions the rose, "Yeah, well..you might should tell your neighbors to look into something more exotic. A man can only work with what he has, after all." he returns the smirk, and regardless of her winking at him or not, he shoots one right back.
When the new glass of wine, as well as their food, arrives Carol reaches out for it. The glass is lifted in slight salute to the man before she chuckles. "Next time I get back that way, I'll make sure they know."
"You missed the squealing fangirls earlier." She smirks and takes a sip of her wine. "I'm opening a new branch here and plan on holding a gala for to announce the grand opening. Proceeds go to charity, of course. See if you can make it, hm?"
Tony Stark chuckles, and thoughtfully munches on a french fry when their orders arrive. "Make sure I get an invite - you know I don't mind a good party." he pauses, "Wait, there were fangirls here? Where?"
Carol shakes her head. "Nope. You have to remember it. You'll be let in, I'll see to it but you actually have to remember to show up." And then there's a roll of her eyes. "They were sitting behind me. And young enough to be your daughters. Behave." She chuckles and takes another sip of her wine, completely ignoring the food. "And how are you personally? Stark Industries is doing well... You save the world on a daily basis but... That doesn't really tell me how you are."
Tony Stark rolls his eyes, "You say that like it's stopped me before. I'm doing alright." he sits back, shrugging. "I guess I'm ok. You know me, never happy unless I'm burning a few candles at both ends and the middle."
There's a laugh from Carol. "No, it never has. One of these days, you'll meet your match though." Her head tilts and she smirks. "I really don't know how you manage to work as hard as you do on various projects and still have the social life you have." Something she has yet to master. People have to practically force her away from her desk.
A piece of black hair falls forward. "And you have a team now at that. There are times I wonder whether your a machine or not."
Tony Stark sits back and grins, "Well, being awake twenty hours a day and a having the metabolism of a hummingbird on meth during mating season doesn't hurt either. I think I was genetically bred to live a type A personality." he chuckles and takes a bit of his burger.
Category:Log