Difficult Chemistry (September 1986)

In the next few weeks Luca's attitude had changed completely. He accepted Laura and appeared excited to be done with the casts and the bed and move on with his life with her. He had good, pleasant visits with his parents and even talked to Isabella when she visited him after work. Ofcourse Isabella attributed the sudden change with Frank's visit and he had been completely mum about what had happened between them to spark this sudden change. In any event it was a welcome one so she hadn't tried 'that' hard to fish the secret out of him but she knew she now owed him for that because she had gotten the brother she knew back.

As a personal courtesy Gerald Hughes invited Tony Stark to the New York office to discuss how his weapons were appearing on the streets of New York. Tony was working on the problem but as of yet had been unable to figure out how it was happening. Everyone agreed that military grade weapons in the hands of thugs, street toughs and gang members was a serious threat to law enforcement. Gerald Hughes was the new director of the CIA and he was a personal friend of Tony Stark. Happy drove Tony to the meeting and they were to be escorted up to the top floor. Tony was dressed in an off white suit with a salmon button down shirt and sunglasses. He looked as if he had just come from a trip to the bahamas which was very likely knowing him. Happy was in his usual dark suit with a light blue tie.

Isabella was relieved to know that her brother was mentally doing better. Whatever Frank had said to him had done the trick although she never asked him what that had been. She was just happy to have her brother back. She was finally able to tell Luca and Laura about their engagement and they were thrilled for them. They hadn’t started planning the wedding yet because they didn’t want to take away from Luca and Laura’s wedding plans. They had decided to let them get married first and then they would plan their wedding.

Isabella had heard through the grapevine that Tony Stark was going to be coming to their office. Isabella’s blood boiled at the name and she decided she was going to let him have it when she saw him. She saw him walk by her office and she stood up and stepped out.

“Mr. Stark,” she called out. When he stopped and turned around to look at her she walked up to him. “I just wanted to let you know that I think you are scum. Your weapons are falling into the hands of criminals who are hurting innocent people...like my brother who was gunned down on the steps of the courthouse. And the worst part is is that you don’t care. All you care about is where your next million is going to come from!”

Tony Stark’s eyes rose but little more than that. Happy looked embarrassed though he only cleared his throat and the 2 agents who she knew only looked at one another in astonishment. Astonishment changed quick enough as they suddenly wished they were anywhere but in the cone of Ire that spewed from Isabella like a Dragon’s fire. Tony murmured to Happy.

“Uh, what’s her name?” He asked under his breath. “Isabella Corsetti, an operative and Supervisor,” Happy said in a whisper. Tony nodded and looked at her. “Well Miss Confetti,” He mispronounced her name on purpose and smiled at her. “I should remind you that guns don't kill people, people kill people. My condolences for your brother but I’m not here as a social call,” He said as he dained to look down at her legs and then her breasts and then her eyes. However that ‘was’ why he was here actually. He and the director were going to see a pro football game. Her office had a football betting pool and this time the director was in on it because he was here instead of DC.

Isabella's eyes narrowed at Tony and she crossed her arms over her chest. "So now you're just going to spout off NRA nonsense? Guns kill people...especially when those guns end up in the hands of corrupt police officers. Does that make you proud Mr. Stark? To know that your name is on weapons that are ending up in the hands of corrupt people? You have all this money and power and you could be doing so much good in this world, but you're not because it isn't as easy as manufacturing weapons...or the women you sleep with. I despise you Mr. Stark. Enjoy your football game." She then turned and walked back into her office and shut the door.

About an hour and a half later Isabella’s phone went off. When she answered it she recognized the voice on the other line. “Agent Corsetti, I need you to organize a small security detail. “I’m going out this afternoon with Mr. Stark and I need our best people on him. He’s requested that you accompany whomever you select so clear your schedule. From here to East Rutherford New Jersey to the stadium and back via helicopter than a limo. You can talk to Agent Renaldi my assistant if you need more information,” He said. “Any questions right now that I can help you with?” he asked.

Gerald was actually a black man who used to be part of the former President’s Secret Security. He had actually saved the president and his wife’s lives and had been instantly elevated and pushed into the intelligence community of the country. He had been the first black man assigned to that detail and 12 years later after working abroad as a spy and Agent he was now the director of the CIA. Gerald was a fairly large man. Tall and solid and handsome though he had no reputation for being a womanizer. He was a dutiful, loving husband and father and had 3 children.

Isabella had tried to go back to work, but she was still fuming over her encounter with Tony Stark. He had mispronounced her name on purpose and that had only thrown salt on an already open wound. She didn't appreciate being mocked and made fun of. She sighed and resigned herself to the fact that she wasn't going to be productive at all today when suddenly her phone rang. She answered it and recognized Gerald Hughes' voice on the other end. What he said surprised her and she couldn't figure out why Tony Stark would have asked for her to accompany the small security group she put together after their encounter that morning.

"Sir, did Mr. Stark tell you why he wants me specifically to be there?"

Gerald thought for a moment and then shook his head. “No, is there a problem Agent Corsetti?” he asked but didn’t wait for a response. “Good, see you soon,” he said as he hung up.

In the helicopter that lifted off of the roof Tony sat across from her. They all had headsets on and the other person she asked to go with her was Renee who was pretty but also quite lesbian. Her ploy hadn’t really worked though, Tony was looking at her most of the time.

“So agent Corsetti, how would you feel if I presented you with a problem without some kind of solution?” Tony asked. It was difficult to hear with the headsets and the background noise of the helicopter but she heard. Tony wore a goatee and his brown hair was styled to the back and side expertly but the headset pressed his hair down to some degree.  Gerald was to his right across from Renee and their knees were all fairly close in the small helicopter.

Isabella was not happy at all. She had plenty of work she needed to do, but now she was being forced to spend her day at a lousy football game. She wasn't even a fan of football, and worst yet she had to spend the day with Tony Stark. She wasn't dressed for attending a football game. She was in a skirt and heels and she had been planning to have lunch with Frank, but she had had to call and cancel that. She sat in the helicopter across from Tony. She had noticed that Tony had ensured that he would be sitting across from her. She had brought Renee along, but he didn't look at Renee at all. He just kept looking at her.

She heard his question through the headset and she sighed and looked at him. She hated that he was actually very good looking. It just made her even more angry.

"Oh, I have a solution. Stop making weapons. You're a genius and it's not like you don't have funds to start building other things. Your weapons are falling into the wrong hands. You need to do something about that."

Tony smiled and he couldn’t stop looking at her legs. He wondered what color panties she was wearing and every so often he looked just incase she shifted just the right way. Isabella was incredibly sexy he thought and he guessed that she had a crazy athletic body underneath all those clothes. “I do intend on doing something about it I’m just not doing it right now Miss Confetti,” He said. Gerald looked to the side as he stifled a chuckle. “So you think weapons are our enemy? I doubt the men of WWI, II, Korea and Vietnam think that,” He said as he smiled brightly at her.

Isabella took notice of Tony looking at her legs. She didn't like it, but there wasn't much she could do about it. Besides, she was confident in her appearance. She took care of herself and worked out. So, let him look all he wanted...but if he touched her she was going to make him live to regret it.

"My name is Corsetti. You and I may not agree on...anything, but at least I have the common decency to call you by your actual name. Or do you just revert to name calling when you have no other intelligent response?"

“Intelligent responses...That would require that I get an intelligent question Miss Corsetti,” He said with a smile. “You seem to be focusing on just one of the things that Stark Industries creates. We’ve helped billions of people. Medicines, energy…quality of life changing stuff Miss Corsetti,” He said. “You know clean water, food that kind of stuff,” He said as he pulled out a brown, leather flask from his breast pocket. He unscrewed the cap and offered her the first draw. When she refused he took a sip and offered it to Gerald who took it. “Im curious Miss Corsetti, do you know how to have fun? I thought that maybe you could give it a try for once,” He said with a smile.

Isabella gave a little shake of her head when Tony offered her a sip from the flask he pulled out of his breast pocket. She shifted her hands so that her left hand, and more specifically the engagement ring she wore on that hand, was exposed. "Actually, yes. My fiancee and I do lots of things together. I'm sorry if I'm not jumping up and down with excitement at being forced to go football game when I could be spending time with my brother who is in the hospital and may never walk again because he was gunned down by men using your weapons."

Tony nodded as he looked at her wedding ring. But a ring and even marriage never swayed him much. Once he was on the ‘scent’ then he usually got what he wanted. “Well I hope your fiance at least knows how to have a good time,” He said as the helicopter began to land. He took one last sip of the scotch then replaced the cap and put the flask back into his pocket.

The suite that he had purchased to watch the game was huge for just a few people. The food was a mix of bbq and french cajun cuisine and smelled incredible. There was a full bar and since the Giants were playing the Dallas Cowboys there were actually 5 incredible sexy Dallas cheerleaders in the suite that overlooked the field. They were already dancing and their outfits spelled the work Stark. Tony smiled as they entered though Isabella and Renee had to go ahead and check out the place. Nothing was wrong it seemed and she radioed for everyone to come in.

Isabella walked into the suite with Renee and the two of them looked around. Once they were satisfied that the room was clear they radioed the others to let them know they could come in. Isabella didn't sit or eat anything. She just kept slowly pacing back and forth. She particularly ignored the cheerleaders, who all flocked around Tony and vied to get his full attention.

An hour into the game the cheerleaders had left and Tony had settled into one of the chairs that overlooked the field. Isabella had moved up between the seats doing her rounds as she looked down at the field and the crowd. An impossible task to see is anyone might be aiming a weapon at him but Tony, with a drink in his hand didn’t seem to care that any one of the thousands of spectators could kill him with a scoped rifle.

“Are you always so serious Isabella?” Tony said and this time he used her first name. He ;eaned over and slapped the leather seat next to him. “You can protect me best if your close,” He said. “I noticed you didnt eat anything, you must be hungry, I recommend the crawfish...I had a craving,” He said. “You wouldnt know anything about that...cravings?” He asked. “Something that you want more than anything else in a given moment,” He said as he looked at her and his eyes spoke volumes to what he was referring to…her.

Isabella glanced at the seat Tony motioned towards, but she didn't sit. She did take note that he used her first name though. Something about that was...nice, but it didn't change how she felt about him.

"I'm not hungry. Besides, I'm working here...thanks to you."

When he mentioned 'cravings' she could see him eyeing her and her gaze narrowed dangerously at him. "I'm not on the menu...and I never will be. You don't even seem to care that I'm engaged. You probably only want me because I'm not like all the other girls who practically fall all over themselves whenever you enter a room. Women aren't objects to be used and then tossed aside. Maybe if you understood that then you would actually have real love in your life instead of empty one night stands."

“Well thats rich from someone that can actually meet someone who doesn’t know our name or how much money you have. Do you think that that is even possible for me now? So how would ‘you’ react to a man coming onto you? Could you possibly know if he is just interested in you because you have common interests or that you appeal to them? On what grounds could you take that?” He asked. “You seem to do alot of judging without really knowing why I act like I do. You’ve got me charged and sentenced without even a trial,” he said. “I don’t know but I’m not certain thats very fair. I am troubled by how those weapons wound up on the street, truly and I’m looking into it,” He said.

Isabella knew she was probably treating Tony too harshly but she was wound up and upset. It did relieve her to hear that Tony was looking into how his weapons ended up on the street and she truly believed him. "Well, I'm glad to hear that," she said. She was quiet for a long while before speaking again. "I...I'm sorry for yelling at you this morning. I'm just still really upset about what happened to my brother and I don't yet have the actually people who did this to him so you became the next best thing. That was unfair and I apologize."

For a moment Tony just looked at her. He couldn’t believe that this, tough, completely hung up woman was apologizing to him. He wanted to know how she was in bed for certain now but he didn't think she’d be interested in just his money. She might be someone of note. Someone who actually cared about what she stood for. “Well come sit with me and I’ll accept your apology,” He said as he gestured to the seat again. When she still hesitated he sighed "C'mon Agent Corsetti, you can mutli-task," He said.

Isabella glanced at the chair next to Tony. She hesitated, but then finally sighed and relented. She took a seat and crossed her long, lean legs. They were toned without being overly muscular. She sat there for a moment before she glanced at him. "Why did you request that I come here today?"

“Because I dont like it when people hate me,” He said. “I realize I’m an acquired taste but I’m really not a bad guy. Your brother, tell me about him?” he asked interestedly. “He must be someone special if you speak about him so,” He said.

Isabella finally decided she was thirsty and asked Tony for a glass of water with lemon. He got it for her and brought it back. She was rather impressed that he got it for her himself instead of asking Happy to do it. She took a sip and then looked at him. "Luca is my older brother. He and I have always been close. When I decided to go into the CIA he was the only person in my family to support me. He's always supported me. He graduated from law school at the top of his class. He's been prosecuting some of the local gangs and that is why he was gunned down on the steps of the courthouse. He recently got engaged as well. Laura asked me to be the maid of honor at their wedding."

Tony was honestly troubled by how his weapons were getting lost in shipments. WIth all of the safeguards he had in place it was still happening. The most troubling was the international sales. The losses from those shipments were not insignificant and some of those weapons were far more dangerous than a machine pistol.

Tony asked which hospital he was at and was interested in his recovery. He didn’t have much faith in marriage. It hadn’t worked very well for his father anyway nor most of the people he knew. “Well you certainly are a trailblazer. Not alot of women can be comfortable in a room filled with men who are doing nothing but looking at your legs,” He said with a grin. He did really like her legs. His eyes were looking at the game but he had little interest in it. He enjoyed interactions more than anything, like the connection he felt with Isabella. He knew she didn’t really approve of his lifestyle but he wanted to know what she was like in bed..and perhaps after that too. An odd notion for him but it was there just the same.