A modern-day warrior mean mean stride Today's Tom Sawyer mean mean pride Rush
1 THE BIG IDEA Los Angeles the 1980s which were not as bad as people think Tony Stark paced the lacquered wooden floor outside his father's office chewing one stick of gum after another For three hours he'd had to hang around waiting for a meeting with his own dad It was ridiculous Forcing your only son to wait on a sunny day was teenage teenage Tony felt sure against some universal good parenting guidelines Especially since Tony was about to change the face of Stark Industries forever All his life Howard Stark had griped that nobody ever brought him the big idea and he had to think of everything himself Now Tony had that big idea in his backpack and dear old dad was making him
EOIN COLFER wait while he had lunch with the baby faced Arkansas governor of Howard Stark's secretary Annabel sat behind her glossy wooden desk without offering so much as a word of sympathy or even a glass of water In fact the only thing she sent Tony's way was a disapproving glare so heated that Tony felt it was interfering with his elaborate hairstyle Come on Annabel he said Ease up on the daggers You're melting my head Annabel did not ease up If anything her glare grew more intense and she added a curled lip to the expression Tony felt he should challenge this blatant antagonism Is this about Cissy Is that what this is about Annabel snapped a pencil between her clenched fists My daughter's name is Cecilia not Cissy Hey she told me Cissy and I was not about to argue with such a pretty girl She told me Cissy so I went with Cissy Annabel jumped on that You went with her all right down to the beach in the middle of the night It was nine thirty said Tony I wanted to show Cis Cecilia the dolphin that swims into the cove That was it Nothing happened The dolphin didn't even show up Maybe nothing happened conceded Annabel but you have a reputation Tony Every mom in Malibu has your name on her watch list Come on objected Tony I'm fourteen Harmless Annabel actually snorted which was new for the 2
THE GAUNTLET you are normally demure secretary Harmless Boys like never harmless You are the opposite of harmless That would be harmful said Tony who had never learned the talent of keeping his mouth shut even while chewing gum That's right said Annabel And maybe you haven't done any harm yet But you will Tony was a little stunned He had been in this outer office maybe a thousand times and all Annabel had ever said to him was Good morning Master Stark or I'll tell your father you're here Master Stark Now it was all laser eyes and insults Could it be that Annabel had a point Could it be that he Tony Stark boy genius and all around charmer was actually harmful in some way Every mom in Malibu had his name on a list They would soon cross his name off that list if they knew what was in his backpack Cecilia is a great gal he said giving some of his all-around all-around charm a try I would never harm her Annabel straightened some papers on her desk that already looked pretty straight First she said don't call my daughter a gal This is twentieth century California not the Wild West Second maybe you won't harm her but you probably won't call her either That's how cruel boys like you operate isn't it Master Tony Tony squinted suspiciously When Annabel called him 3
