"What a wonderful day."
When Jack Kadere stepped outside, he glanced up to see the sky above New York shifting. What had been heavy with cumulus clouds was clearing quickly, and the warm sunlight spilled down over the streets.
"Alright… looks like it won't rain in New York today."
Driving a car everywhere was starting to feel a little too routine. Jack felt like switching things up.
He called toward the yard—
"Vinica!"
Boom!Beep!
A low, mechanical hum followed.
From around the corner, an unmanned motorcycle rolled into view—sleek, black, and luxurious, its curves practically purring with style. It eased to a stop in front of Jack and honked as if to say: Ride me! Ride me now!
Enhanced Rat Talisman – Enlightenment of Spiritual Wisdom.
Vinica wasn't just any motorcycle. She was a unique creation brought to life when Jack used the Rat Talisman's power to awaken her mind. Now she wasn't just a machine—she was something new, something alive.
"Alright, sweetheart, I'm taking you out," Jack chuckled, sliding into the seat and gripping the handlebars.
No helmet. He didn't need one.
"Hey, Jack!"
George Stacy, finally enjoying a rare day off from his duties as NYPD captain, was watering flowers out front. When he saw Jack astride the motorcycle, he grinned.
"New ride? Doesn't look cheap!"
Boom!
Vinica's engine revved sharply, almost offended at being reduced to a dollar value.
Jack braked lightly, patting her side. "She's amazing… but yeah, she's got a temper."
"She?" George smirked, assuming it was just Jack joking around. "Haha! Some of my guys at the precinct talk about their cars like that too."
He glanced toward his driveway, where his well-worn patrol car sat. "Me, I stick with the same old partner."
Jack gave a playful nod toward the police cruiser. "George, he's still more noticeable than Vinica."
"He—?" George started, but Jack was already roaring away in a cloud of exhaust.
By the time George realized the jab, he was laughing and shaking his head. "Smart-mouth…"
....
The breeze off the harbor carried the faint scent of salt as waves broke against the shore. The blue horizon blurred where sea and sky met.
Dirty, dirty, dirty—
Vinica's engine purred like an impatient cat as she carried Jack at a blistering pace toward the coast. Within minutes, they reached a beachfront lined with luxury homes.
Of course, even Vinica couldn't go that fast without a little magical assistance—Jack had cheated with a talisman boost.
Dirty, dirty, dirty—
Jack honked as they rolled up to the gates of a sleek modern villa, letting the sound announce his arrival.
Leaning back in the seat, he pulled out his phone. Big data algorithms were quick to offer him a trending short clip—a glamorous woman dancing. Between the cool sea breeze and the suggestive moves, it was… pleasant enough.
But in terms of actual skill? Jack decided Gwen or Jessica could probably outshine her without trying.
Dirty, dirty, dirty—
Vinica gave another set of impatient honks.
Jarvis's voice rang out from the villa's AI system:
"After verifying the visitor's identity, confirmed: Mr. Jack Kadere. Invitation record located."
Inside, Tony Stark was still half-buried in his bed.
Next to him, a woman with salon-blonde hair was curled under nothing but a white sheet.
"Sir…" Jarvis prompted again.
"Oh—Jarvis!" Tony finally stirred, rubbing his eyes. "Aren't weekends supposed to be spent drinking scotch and chatting with beautiful women?"
"Who's bothering me this early?"
Jarvis: "Sir, the time is now 9:43 a.m."
"That's still early." Tony groaned but sat up anyway.
The blonde shifted beside him, the sheet slipping just enough to keep his attention. "Someone visiting you?" she asked, her tone light, teasing.
Her name was Christina, a well-known journalist with a talent for getting information she shouldn't have.
Given Tony's reputation, she assumed the unannounced guest was just another glamorous fling. "Probably some other woman, right?" she teased.
But Jarvis cut that theory short.
"Sir, it is Mr. Jack Kadere. He holds valid invitation authorization."
Christina blinked. The name rang a bell—Jack Kadere wasn't Stark-level famous, but in certain high-profile social circles he was known… especially for his infamous hobby of sketching beautiful women.
"Oh, him," Tony muttered, yawning. "Jarvis, check the door feed."
The floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the ocean flickered into a live video stream.
Dirty, dirty, dirty—!
There was Vinica, parked by the gates, her engine giving an indignant growl. Jack was no longer in sight.
"…Jarvis, tell me my visitor isn't just a motorcycle. Even I'm not that eccentric."
"Sir, twelve seconds ago, Mr. Kadere was admitted by Ms. Potts. They are now in the living room. She is entertaining him."
The screen shifted to show Pepper Potts and Jack chatting amicably in the spacious living room.
"Alright, I'm up," Tony sighed, rolling out of bed and heading to his dressing room.
"Tony—!"
Christina looked around for her clothes but came up empty-handed. With no other option, she slipped on one of Stark's discarded shirts over her underwear and followed him out.
If this Jack Kadere was the same man she'd heard about in certain whispered conversations, then meeting him could be… useful.
A reporter never had too much material.
...
Downstairs, Pepper Potts handed Jack a coffee cup and took her seat across from him.
"Tony's still asleep?" Jack asked, swirling the coffee without drinking. "Is he like this every day? I thought he had the reputation of being a workaholic."
Pepper offered a polite but wry smile. "Sometimes. But then there are nights like last night—he ran into a Vanity Fair reporter at a gala. Let's just say mornings come a little later after that."
Jack chuckled. "Then I guess he's just dragging himself out of bed right about now. Ms. Potts, Tony's lucky to have a caring, grounded woman like you around. You'd think he'd want more than a rotation of one-night stands."
Pepper's polite smile tightened—almost imperceptibly. "I'm just his assistant, Jack. I handle scheduling, arrange his dry cleaning… and yes, sometimes escort guests back to the door when they've overstayed their welcome."
The bitterness beneath her voice was faint, but it didn't escape Jack's notice.
"Well," Jack replied lightly, "I've got an assistant too. She's beautiful, sharp, has a silver tongue… and she tends to stick close."
"Really?" Pepper tilted her head, not catching the teasing subtext. "Sounds like you're a bit of a charmer yourself. You must be good at making women feel valued."
Jack grinned. "So… have I managed to win you over yet, Ms. Potts?"
It was more playful banter than an actual advance, but Pepper's answer came with her own hint of mischief. "Of course. You're talented, attentive… not many women would turn that down."
The conversation shifted as Pepper tried to steer toward neutral ground. "Mr. Kadere, you're known for your eye in art. Jackson Pollock just unveiled his Spring series—what's your take?"
Jack sipped his coffee, unimpressed. "Beautiful execution, but overvalued. Minimal room for appreciation. If it's investment you're after, I wouldn't recommend it."
They continued chatting, but Jack's patience wore thin.
Come on, Stark… you drag me here with daily invites, and now I'm stuck in small talk while you're upstairs flirting?
He was beginning to see why Pepper had such complicated feelings toward Tony—genius or not, the man was exhausting to manage. In some Marvel storylines, Jack recalled, Pepper eventually found stability not with Stark, but with Happy Hogan. The thought made him smirk.
"Mr. Kadere?" Pepper said gently. "Your coffee's getting cold."
"Right. Thanks." Jack downed it in a single gulp—barely enough for half a mouthful by his standards.
That was when Tony finally descended, casual as if nothing in the world could rush him. "Hey, Jack, you drink it like that too?"
Jack set down the cup. "Tony, tell me—did that Vanity Fair reporter keep you up all night, or do you just have trouble distinguishing training from… extracurricular lessons?"
"Jealousy doesn't suit you, Jack," Tony shot back with a grin. "Besides, I'm the one doing the teaching."
Jack leaned back, unimpressed. "Fine. But when do we start? I'm itching to plant a punch right on that smug face of yours."
Before Tony could answer, a voice called from the hall.
"Tony? Tony?" Christina appeared, holding Stark's shirt closed with one hand. "Sorry—I'm still learning my way around this place. Am I interrupting something important?"
"It's fine," Tony said easily. "We were just talking. Come sit for a minute—my driver's downstairs."
Jack's gaze shifted to her. Blonde, but with visible dark roots—dyed, and not recently touched up. Her shirt was clearly Tony's, hanging loosely over her lingerie, leaving just enough visible to make it obvious she was flaunting herself.
She seemed to notice Jack's appraisal, and her lips curved into a calculated smile.
Christina could read the room. Tony's tone said her time here was almost up, so she switched targets. She strolled toward Jack with slow, deliberate steps, fingers brushing her collar just enough to hint at what was underneath.
When she reached the sofa, she sat beside him, close enough that her perfume reached him, and began toying with a loose strand of hair, occasionally biting her finger in a practiced gesture of faux shyness.
Jack studied her openly, as if appraising a painting.
Body? Solid. Knows how to move. Attractive enough.
Face? First glance—pleasant. Second glance… eh. Not for me.
He offered her a faint smile—polite but distant—before leaning back. Christina might have been aiming to trade up, but Jack Kadere was not in the market.