Catching Up (February 1987)

Do to a recent audit of Stark Industries, Renee now had proof that Star Industries was selling far more weapons than they should be yet all of their official contracts could not account for it. What this meant was that they were selling to people that they did not have official contracts with yet they paid the taxes on the money they made from those sales. She also suspected that the agencies and government officials involved in audit were paid off otherwise they would have seen what she saw. More weapons and money exchanging hands than what existed on the official Stark financial records. Someone on the inside, someone with alot of authority, was dealing under the table. Not theft, they accounted for the sales and paid the taxes. But usually actions like this meant that who those weapons were sold to were probably not sanctioned by the bulk of the US government apart from those officials who were paid off to look the other way. A very good plot, and not one that would interest our government to any real degree. However Isabella saw what Renee had seen. People suffered because of those weapons. Here in the US and probably even more so abroad.

Isabella had agreed to meet Renee at Ernie’s, a famous sandwich shop on the corner of 5th and 22nd. Renee had been promoted and had taken over Isabella’s job and if Lauren knew what she was doing she’d likely take it out of her hide. Renee was dressed in a black skirt and blazer and wore an off white blouse underneath. Her hair was longer and she looked...good. As if the last few months had gone well for her. When Renee saw her she stood and leaned and gave her a hug and a kiss on her cheek.

“Oh my god its good to see you Isabella. I was so worried when you didn’t come back, you have no idea!” She said. “I’m so sorry about Alonzo,” she said. Alonzo would have likely had the promotion instead of Renee if he would have survived. “I’m...sorry about Frank too,” she said and gave her arm a squeeze. “So much shit happening in so short of time,” she said as she settled herself. A waitress came by with waters and the menu’s then stepped away again.

Isabella had officially moved into a new apartment. She hadn’t seen Frank yet since she got back but she knew she would need to in order to return the engagement ring to him. That was going to be tough, but it needed to be done. Agent Coulson from SHIELD continued to be in touch with her and kept pursuing her to join the agency. Tony wanted her to hold off on accepting any position yet. He kept telling her he had something for her on the works but wouldn’t tell her what it was. Money started appearing in her bank account though and she knew Tony had something to do with that.

Renee had gotten in touch with her and had asked her to join her for lunch. Isabella hadn’t talked to anyone at the CIA since returning from Kazakhstan. Renee had taken over her job, but Isabella didn’t really care. She walked in and spotted her at a table and walked over. She hugged her back and then sat down.

“I had to stay. I couldn’t just leave. Tony was my responsibility and I wasn’t going to leave without him. To be honest if Frank and I couldn’t make it through that then we weren’t going to make it as a married couple. It was a difficult decision but one that needed to be made.”

She was quiet a moment before she reached out and took her hand. “I want you to know that there are no hard feelings about you getting my job. I’m going to be fine and it looks as if my job suits you.”

“Thank you Isabella. Im so glad you have no hard feelings. I would not want to lose you as a friend as well,” she said as tears began to fill her eyes. She and Alonzo were tight and she was going to miss him a great deal.

“Ive read the report on the Stark rescue. Pretty exciting stuff but the manner of his escape is still somewhat sketchy. And SHIELD has made the details classified even to us,” she said and pursed her lips as a sign that there was something there and she hated not knowing more.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” She said and bent down and pulled out a brown report folio then sat back up and handed it across the table. “This is just for your eyes only, if Lauren finds out I gave you a copy she’d probably skin me alive. Its a report on those Stark Weapons...some interesting reading. Unfortunately our office has been ordered to stand down about it but maybe you can find out more," she said as she gave Isabella a scrutinizing look. "Word has it that you’re screwin,” she began than leaned in and softened her voice. “Tony Stark,” she said in a hiss. “The man is hot, I mean..even I’d do em if I could,” she said with a wink. When Isabella only looked at her she smiled.

“Well, no juicy details? Is he hung? C’mon, don’t make me beg!” She said warningly.

Isabella picked up the file Renee gave to her about the Stark weapons. Even though it was no longer her job she planned on looking into it. She had already spent enough time working on this. She might as well see it through. She wanted to know what was going on.

She looked up suddenly when Renee said that there was a rumor that she was sleeping with Tony Stark. How long had that been going around and how had it gotten started?

“I’m not sleeping with Tony.” When Renee have her a questioning look she insisted. “I’m not. He and I are friends...nothing more.”

Renee looked at her as if she didn’t believe her. “Well, you’re too good for him anyway. You were too good for Frank too,” she said. The waitress came by and waited as they made their orders. She stepped away and took up the menus. “Jennifer did as you asked, she tried calling him but it says his number is no longer in service. Do you know where he is? Your brother Luca of all people asked me if I had his number,” she said. When Isabella gave her a confused look Renee nodded. “I thought that was strange as well,” she said then shrugged.

“Oh and one more thing,” she said then bent down. This report was much smaller, only 2 sheets of white paper. “Geekboy gave me this but I don’t know what it means,” she said as she handed it over. “Did you ask him to analyze something before you left?” She asked. When Isabella read the short analysis it said that those brackets were Joyce Brackets often used in construction. Not typically sold in your average hardware store. They are normally bought by contracting companies in bulk and used to reinforce roof and wall joyce beams when building homes.

Isabella sighed when Renee told her that Jennifer had been unable to contact Frank. She was worried about him and wanted to be sure he was alright. She was confused as to why her brother would also be trying to get in touch with him but that question left her head when Renee handed over the report about the brackets. She had almost forgotten about this! She quickly looked it over and what she saw made her heart stop cold. Joyce brackets. Those were used in construction...the kind of construction Frank did. She knew then that he had been the one who had caused those explosions and killed those gang members. He had lied to her about not being Punisher again.

She swallowed hard and then put the report away. “Thank you for this. I had almost forgotten I had asked him to do this. It’s nothing though.”

Renee thought about asking what that was all about but decided to drop it. “So, you must at least know what he’d like. If you’re ‘not’ fuckin him, why not? You’re a knock out and he’s a guy that fucks knock outs. Or is this about principles or some shit like that? As I recall you had a few hang ups about hookin up with guys just to hook up. The question is...do you want to? Because I’m betting he wants you but you’re the one that put the kibosh on that,” she said. Their sandwiches and drinks came and the waitress left them alone again.

Isabella sighed and looked at her friend and former coworker. "It's...complicated. I know that sounds like a bunch of bullshit, but it's true. I do have feelings for Tony that go beyond just lust and passion, but he's not the kind of man to settle down with one woman. I've already had my heart broken several times. I can't handle that again. I'm just afraid that if I sleep with him that he'll dump me the next day and that will be that." She was quiet a moment and ate a fry before looking at her again. "We have kissed though and that was amazing."

Renee looked at her poleaxed though she did bite into her sandwich, it was a turkey, bacon club. “So let me get this straight, you ‘could’ sleep with him but you wont because you’re afraid he’ll dump you? He’s Tony Stark, isn’t that a given? So either you’re already into him more than you should be or your just gun shy?” She said with a smile and she focused on her face. “Oh…so that’s how the boat rows eh. Well...you are stubborn so maybe you accomplish the impossible,” she said as she took a sip of her coke. “And I suppose you’ve forgotten about Laura...and the fact that you’re supposed to be her Maid of Honor?” She said and grinned as she chewed.

The truth of the matter was was that Isabella had deeper feelings for Tony than she knew she should. She knew if she slept with him and he dumped her that she would be extremely upset and so she was forcing herself to hold off on doing anything. However, somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that if she continued to spend time with him that eventually those passionate feelings that were between them would lead to her sleeping with him.

"No, I haven't forgotten about Laura. I'm going to see her tomorrow. Things have just been rather crazy since I got back. I had to move out of my apartment. I couldn't stay there with all the memories of Frank."

“Well I understand that. Since you aren’t asking I guess I’ll have to just tell you. I’m in a relationship, going strong about 2 months now. We’re still keeping it on the down low though...you know...I’ve got alot going for me right now and I don’t want to fuck it all up by being to open it about it. Her name is Olivia and she’s so amazing,” She said.

A smile came over Isabella's face and she reached out and took Renee's hand and gave it a squeeze. "That is so wonderful Renee. I am so happy for you." She pulled her hand back and took a bite of her sandwich. "So, tell me everything. How did you two meet? What does she do?"