Make a Promise

Pepper considered Dio's invitation to let her stay there. She knew that if she were captured by the terrorist group, Tony would have a hard time crushing them as he would have to consider Pepper's safety first!

But 10 minutes later, a van immediately stopped outside Dio's restaurant, and after a quick phone call, Dio let the people inside the van to come inside. They looked at the mess on the floor, and without any change of expression, nor any word spoken, they immediately put their mask and gloves on.

These people were the Damage Control team from SHIELD that were tasked to clean the scene after the confrontation between the SHIELD's agent or, in this case, superheroes confrontation with the villain!

They immediately put all the body pieces into a bag and removed all the bloodstains with a special blood remover and even sprayed some natural scent to finish up cleaning Dio's restaurant! While they were working, not a single word came out of their mouth, this was truly perfection as they were as professional as they might come!

"Who are those people just now?" Pepper asked curiously.

"They were SHIELD's personnel. They were tasked to clean my place down after I talk with Nick Fury on the phone." Dio said casually. Pepper nodded her as she understood what the SHIELD was. In fact, this wasn't her first contact with the said mysterious organization!

"Okay, and I've already contacted the people that decorate your restaurant last time, and they will come here soon!" Pepper said politely.

"Well, if that's the case, you better go back inside to hide." Dio said casually.

"Hide where?" Pepper asked confusedly.

"Tony never told you, did he? He went around my back and designed a shelter beneath the restaurant, Nuclear Fallout Shelter! You can use that place to hide yourself for a while." Dio said casually. "Here, let me show you where it is." Dio said as he led the way to the vault.

"I am very sorry that you have to go through this kind of trouble only because they were after me." Pepper said apologetically.

"It's okay, Pepper. They were messing with me too, you know. Because of them, I lost my customer, and now they make it personal by attacking my place!" Dio said, a little bit annoyed, but not at Pepper. He was annoyed due to the fact that the terrorists were too confident in their own power!

"But please be careful dealing with them Dio, I know that you are strong, but there is still an unknown factor that can harm you out there. And if you ever see Tony, please bring him back safely!" Pepper said hopefully.

As Dio and Pepper walked inside towards the Dining Area, Crystal ran towards Dio with a concerned look on her face.

"Your sister is here too?" Pepper asked as she was surprised that Dio's sister is here too! She didn't know the truth behind Crystal's identity, and Dio was hoping to keep it that way!

"Well, Will went on his way to pursue his dream to be a rapper. So, she was staying here to clean, sort of replacing Will in a way. I hope you can look after her for a while. She tends to have a nightmare at night." Dio said casually to Pepper.

Pepper nodded her head as she wouldn't refuse such a small request; after all, she was beginning to like the girl, personality-wise.

"Let's go. I will show you my room. Crystal, you come too, okay!" Dio said as he led the way towards the vault. "Zeppeli, please open the vault!" Dio said commandingly.

"I am sorry, Master Dio. Mr. Stark set up the program so that it will only open after saying the correct password!" Zeppeli the A.I said robotically.

"Didn't I tell him to change it before?" Dio said confusedly. Dio was a little bit annoyed that the password was still intact, he hated it to the core!

"Yes, but Mr. Stark changed it again as he left through the backchannel." Zeppeli said indifferently.

"Fuck, that shithead keep doing things to annoys me!" Dio said annoyedly.

"I love Iron Man!" Dio said annoyedly, the wall suddenly shifted and the door that would lead towards the vault immediately appeared. But Pepper's focus wasn't on the door just now. She was trying hard not to laugh at the hilarious password just now!

She knew that Tony would never stop doing these kind of things to Dio as his personality really thrived on seeing the annoyance on others. They began to descend after entering the lift, signalling that they were going deep underground.

As soon as they arrived at the vault, Pepper was surprised! The interior of that place was luxurious! That place didn't look like an emergency shelter at all. It looked more like a bachelor escape room!

"I am going out for a bit. Please stay here until I come back." Dio said warmly to Crystal.

"I don't want to stay here! Can I go with you? I will stay in the car, I promise!" Crystal said hopefully.

"This time is different! Let's make a deal then, as long as you stay awake here and wait for me to return, I will take you to the Disney land next Sunday." Dio said warmly.

"I don't like playgrounds." Crystal said as she frowned at her own memories.

"Then I will let you have one wish! But the rule is, it must be under my own capabilities! How about this?" Dio asked Crystal curiously.

"Okay, I will stay awake until you come back!" Crystal said excitedly.