HIGH ABOVE THE SEA in his cliff-side Malibu residence with beautiful views, Tony was sparring with his pal and chauffer, Hogan. Though at the current time, Hogan was feeling more like a punching bag than a pal.
“What the heck was that?” he barked at Tony, who had just walloped him upside the head.
“It’s called mixed martial arts. It’s been around for three…weeks…now.”
“It’s called ‘dirty boxing’, and there’s nothing new about it!” Hogan replied.
Before Hogan could throw another punch, a stunningly beautiful woman with deep red hair and dressed in business attire entered the room with a portfolio. She glanced expressionless toward Tony and Hogan and strode over to Pepper, opening the portfolio and presenting her with the papers inside.
“I promise you this is the only time I will ask you to sign over your company,” Pepper said to Tony as she began to sign the papers. She loved teasing him now that Tony had decided to put her in charge of Stark Industries. He figured he had enough on his plate to begin with, and had to face the fact that Pepper had sort of been running the place all along.
“I need you to initial each box and sign on the X’s,” the woman told Pepper.
As Pepper signed, the woman looked over toward Tony and Hogan’s exercise. Tony clearly had the upper hand due to his amazing flexibility and natural agility.
Tony noticed the woman staring. Never shy, Tony pointed at her.
“What’s your name, lady?”
“Rushman. Natalie Rushman,” she responded.
“Front and center, enter the church,” Tony said, inviting her into the ring.
“No, you’re not going to…” Pepper protested.
“It’s fine,” Natalie said, as she folded the portfolio neatly and carried it with her to the ring.
“I’m sorry…he’s just…very…eccentric…” Pepper said.
Tony lifted the ring’s ropes and Natalie stepped in. The two stared at each other for an awkward, silent moment. Then Tony turned to Hogan and asked him to give her a lesson.
With Natalie otherwise occupied, Tony left the ring and sat down next to Pepper.
“Who is she?” he asked Pepper.
“She is from legal.”
“I need an assistant, boss.”
“Yes, I have three excellent candidates lined up for you.”
“I don’t have time to meet them,” Tony said, wiping sweat from his brow. “I need someone now. I feel like it’s her.”
“No it’s not,” Pepper replied.
While Tony executed a web search on Ms. Rushman and argued the many reasons she was qualified to be his assistant, an unexpected crash sounded from the direction of the ring.
Tony and Pepper looked up. Natalie had flipped Hogan down, rolled on top of him, twisted her legs into a position that looked nearly physically impossible, and pinned him to the ring in a powerful leg-lock.
Pepper screamed and Tony yelped, rushing over to the ring.
“I…just, uh, slipped,” Hogan said to cover for himself as Natalie slid out of the ring.
“I need your impression,” Natalie told Tony.
“Quiet reserve, I don’t know, you have an old soul…”
“I meant your fingerprint.…”
“Right.”
She handed Tony the forms that Pepper had signed and Tony pressed his finger down to seal the deal. He turned to Pepper.
“You’re the boss,” he said.
“Will that be all, Mr. Stark?” Natalie asked.
“Yes, that will be all, Ms. Rushman. Thank you very much,” Pepper answered for her former boss—who was now her employee. Then she smiled at Tony as he watched Natalie walk gracefully from the room.