14. Rhodey’s new toy

2 months later.

Rhodey: "Good to see you. But why are you at the base Tony?" - "Is the General around? I have something I want to show both of you." - "Um… go to your normal meeting room. I'll bring him in." - "Good deal. I'll be waiting."

While waiting in the room I set up projectors to better help me show the War Machine armor I want to show off.

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General: "Mr. Stark. It's good to see you. How may I help you." - "Let's sit down. I have a proposal for you to hopefully keep the government off my ass." - "Is it what I think it is?" - "Yes and no. Let sit down and I'll show you."

When we all set down two life size holograms of the armor appeared on each side of the table, long with Miniature models in front of them with holo sheets of all its specks.

"I call it the War Machine armor. I will only make one, and have it on loan to the government. As long as Lieutenant colonel James Rhodes Pilots the armor. He's the only man I trust."

Both men stated quite as the looked over the sheet and the model.

General: "Can I ask. Is it made of the same things as yours?" - "No sir. The meterial mine is made out of is to valuable and as mine is made out of what known as Nanites. I will make his out of solid plates. Still very durable, and easy to use. Just not as versatile and and only a one time use as in if it gets damaged, it will have to be repaired by me." - "Can I ask why you are doing this son?" - "Making the suit, or the way it's made?" - "You already answered why, so what it's made of." - "Simple. I trust Rhodey, but I don't trust the government. And that brings me to some rules that I'd like to add on to this deal, and I'm letting you know these aren't ones that can be negotiated. I will pull the plug on this armor before it starts if they aren't agreed on, and I'll make the armor scrap metal if you fail to follow them after." - "Understood. Can I hear them."

I nodded my head. "One big one is. No one. I mean no one messes with the armor besides Rhodey and myself, and only myself can fix it and tinker with it.

A self destruct feature will be added to enforced this and I won't make another if that's how it gets ruined." - "I think that can be handled." - "Good. Then the next one I think is obvious but. If you guys get greedy and try to copy or steal my armors. This deal is off and the suit will fly back me in a instant.

I'm being nice and not charging you for the billion dollar suit. Let's leave it at that." - "I understand, and hopefully so will they. Anything else." - "Yes, I'm going to go to the UN about this but I want to put together a team to respond to situations where let's say you guys can't get there in time when we can or it's above your level, but we can handle it." - "And you want him to be apart of it." - "Yes. I don't make something without a reason General. And this deal has multiple purposes." - "I understand. Well. Those are all reasonable things that I think we can agree on. How about we talk about things that can be moved and changed." - "Sure. You start."

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Hours later after a long boring meeting it was agreed on that as long as the higher ups agree, Rhodes will be the pilot of the War Machine armor and he should be at my house next week to see the armor.

Rhodes: "You truly suprised me with this." - "Well. I gave one to Pepper so I decided why not one for you. And I seen you eyeing mine." - "When can I have one like yours. I mean. The one you'll build for me is fantastic and all, but, yours is on another level." - "Let's see how this works out first."

I sat down in my car. "See you next week. You'll get a suprise for sure." - "Really? Can I get a hint?" - "Let's say you really should come by more often."

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A week later I'm down in my lab putting the finishing touches on Rhodes AI for the suit and Jessi is at a desk we set up on the other end by the exit ramp doing school with the Blue Jarvis.

Jarvis suddenly stops his teaching and looks at me. "Sir. Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes. Is Approaching the front door." - "Thanks."

Jessi: "Uncle Platypus."

I laughed as I hit enter. "I love that. Stay here, and Jarvis. Make sure that finishes. I'll go get him."

Jessi put on a pouting face and sat back down.

"You're fine. He'll be here in a second. But remember, he knows nothing. This is the first time he's seen you. You are the long lost daughter of me a Pep, your mom."

As I walked up the stairs I Berate myself for still doing that."

As I approached the door a holoscreem is showing Rhode outside the door. I swipe it away as I open the door. "look at this. No uniform. How about it." - "Yeah. I figured I might be here in orders, but I know we'll play around."

I laughed as I grabbed his shoulder. "I'm so proud. You know me so well.. let's go down to the lab. I have a few surprises for you." - "Where's Pepper?" - "At the office. I had a few things for her to do." - "How's the wedding planning going." - "It's.. somewhere. It kinda got pushed to the back at the moment. Things came up. Oh. Your the first to know. I'm Revitalizing the Stark Expo." - "Because you need that." - "I do actually. There's a lot of things I want to show there." I walked down into the lab and looked around to see Jessi is hiding somewhere.

Rhodey: "Okay. Show me this suit. I know you, and you already have it done."

I laughed as the War Machine suit walked in from my Winery room.

The hidden room for the suits is my best add on.

"Isn't she beautiful?" - "Is it Christmas?" - "I'll take that as you like it." - "Like it? I love it. And so will the top brass."

Jessi: "I agree. But yet dad won't make me one."

Rhodey jumped and pulled his gun. I felt Jessi's magic flare and a purple light hit his gun sending it flying.

"Hold it there Budy. No need to pull a gun on a kid." - "Who is she, and what was that light that hit my gun?" - "The light is my security system. It seen a dedicated user was threatened." - "Okay. But You still didn't answer who she is." - "This is Jessica. Or Jessi as she likes to be called. And she's… me and Peppers daughter."

He started to laugh. "Good one. Your daughter. I might believe. But look at her Tony. She like 8, no not possible."

Jessi: "I'm 9 almost 10 thank you very much!"

Rhodey: "Sorry. 9 almost 10."

Jessi: "Better. You may proceed." - "Okay. I can see you in her."

"I don't know how to take that. But look. She is. When I hired Pepper, It wasn't the first time we met. We met in the late 90's and I didn't know I got her pregnant. She didn't want to tell me and she didn't want to keep her back then do to her age and she was put up for adoption. But her adoptive parents died and we got her back. And I'm happy with it. So I don't care about the past. She seems happy about it too."

We looked over at Jessi who has her tongue stuck out at Rhodey which made us laugh.

Rhodey: "Fine. She's your daughter." He stuck his hand out to her. "I'm your Uncle Rhodey. Nice to meet you."

"When did I say you're her uncle? Am I losing my memories already?" - "I better be. I've had to deal with you all these years. I better get something out of it."

She grabbed his hand and did a courtesy. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"That's a little over the top there. Go back to your school. I have to show him the suit." - "Fine. You better come back later. I want to get to know you."

Rhodey: "I will don't worry."

I picked up a solid black band and handed it to him. "Ignore her. She so Dramatic. I don't know where she gets it." - "You don't?" - "Nope. Now this band I just gave you controls the suit." - "Controls it. How?"

I put two fingers over the band and a screen appeared above it. "Like that. You can touch it don't worry. It's also a link to your AI For the suit." - "I told you, I don't want a AI." - "And you should know, it was part of the deal, so it's in there."

I looked at Jessi and Jarvis. "Is it ready?"

Jarvis: "Yes, sir. And ready to be uploaded." - "Do it."

Rodey had a weird look. "You're having Jarvis teach Jessi?" - "Yes. She's smart like me. Actually might be smarter, so it's easier to have J teach her."

He just rolled his eyes. "Okay how do you get into it."

At the bottem of the screen I hit the open button. And gave him a really look. "I didn't see that, okay.. do I just step in?" - "Yes. And it'll close around you."

He stepped in and instantly the suit lost it's rigidness and came under his control.

Mommy: "Welcome Lieutenant colonel Rhodes. I'm Mommy. Your personal AI."

Rhodey: "You didn't." - "I had to. Sorry. And before you ask, I'm not changing it." - "You're the worst." - "But you love me." - "Changes all the time."

I chuckled. "Mommy. Show your Chocolate baby how to use the suit." - "Of course. What would you like to do?"

Rhodey: "I'm seriously going to murder you in your sleep." - "That's a threat. I feel threatened."

My suit formed as I jumped and got into a stance. "Let's dance then."

He looked at his hands. "I don't know how to use the suit." - "That's what Mommy is for. Let's go into my playroom and practice."

I walked towards the missing glass door as I'm remodeling and yell at Jessi. "We're going to my playroom. Behave and listen to Jarvis." She mocked. "Behave and listen to Jarvis." - "I'll sell everything I bought for you." - "Sorry." - "Good. We'll be back."

I walked to the empty wall and a door appeared. When we walked through a training course appeared.

Rhodey: "How's this possible?" - "Let's call it.. magic."