Frustrated, Andrew hung up on Betty and began debating whether he should head to a nightclub for a one-night stand.
Originally, he had planned to get lucky with the maid, Scarlett, tonight. But out of the blue, Pepper returned home and threw a wrench in his plans.
With no romantic prospects left, he figured he might as well take a stroll through New York.
"Jarvis, prep the Mark III Hellfire Armor."
Clank, clank, clank...
Fully suited up, Andrew flew out of the villa as Scarlett watched in utter shock.
She had always known her employer was obscenely rich, but this was next-level. He wasn't just some wealthy businessman. He was straight out of a sci-fi movie.
Iron Man had been a huge sensation in the U.S., but Scarlett had never really followed anything military or tech-related. Seeing it up close was another story altogether.
Equal parts terrified and curious, she pulled out her phone and tried searching his name. What was it again?
Her mind blanked. After a long pause, her trembling fingers finally typed:
"Tony Stark."
Ding—
In an instant, her screen flooded with images and articles. It was a revelation countless photos, endless headlines, all pointing to her "ordinary" boss.
She used to believe Richard Lee was the most powerful, most prestigious man she'd ever known. Turns out, there's always someone higher on the mountain. And her current boss wasn't just powerful, he was practically royalty.
Now it made sense why Richard Lee had warned her to serve this new employer with utmost care. She'd assumed she was working for a top-tier entrepreneur… only to discover it was someone at the level of the President.
Andrew's image in her mind skyrocketed. Even his fairly average face now seemed to radiate an irresistible glow.
She couldn't believe she had shared that kind of closeness with a real-life superhero. They hadn't gone all the way, but her heart had already surrendered.
"Paul, give me something light and easy," Andrew said as he soared through the New York night.
"No problem. Here's 'New York, New York' just for you."
The tears I shedWeren't just from last night's wineWhat I couldn't bear to leave behindWasn't just your tenderness
How much farther must we goAs you held tightly to my handWhat made it hard to chooseWas the struggle for freedom
Partings always come in SeptemberMemories are the sorrow of longingThe pale green willows of late autumnKissed me on the forehead
In that rainy little cityI never forgot youThe one thing New York can't take awayIs you
Let's stroll down the streets of New YorkUntil all the lights go out but we don't stop
You'll hold onto my sleeveI'll stuff my hands in my pocketsWe'll walk to the end of Brooklyn RoadAnd sit outside that little tavern...
...
Walk with me on the streets of New York,Until all the lights go out, and we keep going.
Humming the tune softly, Andrew landed in a narrow alley just off Brooklyn Street.
He had spotted a few familiar faces—River Tiger Bernie, Earth Tiger Michael, and Mole Tiger Brick Tiger.
From the looks of it, the three were back to their old tricks—mugging people to make a living.
Andrew didn't jump in immediately. He quietly landed on a rooftop and watched the three thugs swaggering about.
"Who are you people?"
To his surprise, a clear and pleasant female voice rang out from the alley below. From the sound of it, she couldn't be older than twenty.
As the saying goes, you can judge someone's looks by their voice and a voice like that usually belonged to someone beautiful.
"Heh, looks like we got lucky tonight. Got ourselves a pretty one," River Tiger Bernie grinned. Andrew remembered tossing him into the river beneath Brooklyn Bridge years ago.
Thanks to his lifelong skills in the water, Bernie had somehow survived.
"Hold on, let your second brother show you how it's done," Earth Tiger Michael stepped forward, eyeing the young man and woman standing before him.
"Kid, if you know what's good for you, hand over your wallet and the girl too. Maybe then I'll think about letting you live."
"You'd better think twice! I'm Kyle, son of Charles, the Chief of the Brooklyn Precinct! Let us go now or you'll regret it!" the young white man shouted, trying to act brave despite his trembling voice.
"You think we care who your daddy is?"
Michael smacked him hard across the face. Kyle stumbled, blood gushing from his nose.
"Get him!"
On command, Bernie and Brick Tiger charged forward and began kicking Kyle viciously.
"Stop! Please stop hitting him!" the girl screamed, trying to pull the men away.
But she was just a petite girl, no match for grown men. Michael easily twisted her arms behind her back and dragged her toward a pile of trash.
Andrew shook his head. What were these two thinking, going on a date in Brooklyn of all places? This area was no better than Hell's Kitchen. And they came here at night?
As the situation escalated, Andrew prepared to step in.
But then Kyle suddenly raised his hand and shouted, "Stop! I surrender! Gentlemen, I fully support everything you're doing!"
"Kyle! What are you saying?" the girl gasped in shock.
"Shut up, you bitch! I've chased you for so long and you won't even let me kiss you. Meeting these three big brothers tonight is the best thing that's happened to you!" Kyle snapped at her, then turned to the thugs with a smile.
"Gentlemen, she's my classmate. Rumor has it… she's still a virgin."
"Well, you're smart enough to know how the world works," Brick Tiger said, patting Kyle's bruised face. "Just remember this is our turf. You call the cops, and we'll make you regret it."
"Of course, sirs. I get it. But once you've had your fun… mind if I take a turn?" Kyle asked, eyes filled with malice.
Earlier that evening, he had invited the girl to a ballet performance. Those tickets had taken serious effort and pull from his father's connections. If it weren't for her love of ballet, she wouldn't have agreed to come at all.
He had even prepared a little "dessert" afterward—some knockout drops—planning to take her to a nearby bar and strike. But she had insisted it was late, and her father would worry. They argued in the alley, drawing the attention of the Brooklyn Tigers.
"Kid, you've got potential. Since your dad's a police chief, I'll do my brother in heaven a favor and take you under my wing. From now on, you're the Fourth Tiger of Brooklyn!" Michael declared, clapping him on the shoulder.
"Gentlemen, here's my offering five hundred bucks, all yours," Kyle said, handing over a wad of cash.
"She's even richer. I heard her dad's the chief researcher at Stark Industries makes thirty grand a month easy!"
(End of Chapter)
Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon
https://patreon.com/Glimmer09