Benji's fingers raced across the keyboard as he ran scenarios through a simulator. It was in the lab or in front of a computer that the son of the Hulk felt truly at home. Here he was in his element and here his almost constant stuttering nearly ceased to exist. Of course it always returned ten-fold when he was facing Orfelina, a slight blush already creeping up his neck as he heard her conversing with Victory in the background. He felt smug knowing that soon gathering in the Stark kitchen would be the parent's of The Order, and she wouldn't have a clue.
He leaned back in his chair, watching as the results lit up the screen of the laptop. He grinned, Orfelina's calculations were flawless as always. He stretched, flinching as the bones in his back cracked. He closed the machine and turned moments before Orfelina spoke, calling those in the room around the kitchen bench where she had been working on her AI. He watched the demonstration with a goofy grin on his face, the blush rising and deepening as he managed to stutter out, "Wo-wo-won-d-d-derful j-job L-lina!" He flinched once more, why couldn't he stop stuttering in front of her? He swallowed harshly, looking at Victory from the corner of his eye as she tried to hide her laughter behind her upraised hand.
Shortly after Orfelina sent Victory off, the woman looked slightly confused, but a grin spread over her features before she left, "No worries, promise we'll catch up later, just us two?"
Benji watched as she left before turning to Orfelina who gave him her most adorable smile. His blush deepened and he rubbed the back of his neck before turning away to put his laptop in a bag and muttering, "H-h-h-how d-d-do you th-think th-this w-w-will go? The S-s-stark's m-may n-n-not b-b-be happy ab-b-bout u-us k-k-keeping V-v-v-v-victory in the d-dark a-about t-t-t-this..." As he finished his stuttering he turned back to Orfelina.
Victory always loved working alongside Orfelina. She watched as she took a sip from her tea as Orfelina finished working on her AI. She pondered idly why they had gathered in the kitchen of all places, when they had been called together she had expected to be called down to one of the labs. But Orfelina was known for being... quirky. She grinned behind the mug watching her friend's demonstration. Putting down her mug she clapped, covering her mouth with one hand to try and muffle her laughter as the might Benji stuttered like a broken record. In normal circumstances she wouldn't have hesitated to laugh outright, but she knew for a fact that Lina had a soft spot for the stuttering mess, and would get all defensive later when he wasn't around. And Victory wasn't in the mood for another one of her lectures, like the one when she'd gotten the idea to replace her limbs.
"Oh! Vic, I really need you to run down to the physics lab. I left you a gift on my desk."
Victory blinked and put down the mug before smiling, waving over his shoulder as she turned to leave, "No worries, promise we'll catch up later, just us two?"
The moment she left the room a frown covered her face, first the meeting in the kitchen, and now this? Alexa followed her, "I know that look, what are you planning Miss. Stark?"
Victory shrugged, shoving her hands in her pockets, "I have found out next to nothing. Nobody is telling me anything and since I finished my little spy three days ago I think it's time to give it a test flight. Who knows, maybe I'll find something out."
Alexa nodded, "That or Orfelina's now upgraded AI will discover it and destroy it. And then you'll be set back even further."
Victory shrugged and pulled the fly shaped camera from her pocket, opening her hand and watching as it came to life and flew in the direction they had just come from. She watched the video feed in the back of her mind, tuning in the audio feed and lowering the volume. The last thing she needed was to be caught out by not paying attention to those around her.
Upon entering the Physics lab she watched as a few people looked up, quickly going back to their work as Victory headed towards Orfelina's desk. And just as she had said, a gift sat on it with a handwritten label addressing it to her. With a smile she opened it and a locket and a CD greeted her. Picking up the locket she opened it to see the picture within, her shoulders slumped, momentarily forgetting the video feed running through her mind. The picture brought back memories. She hung it around her neck and took the CD, throwing out the wrapping paper as she headed back to her room, putting the disk into her CD player. One of the songs that Orfelina and her and loved a few years ago came through the speakers. She grinned, she hadn't heard this song in a long time, only Lina would think of something like this. Schatz raised her head from her place on the bed as Victory kicked off her boots and sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard.
The visor of her suit unfolded from her skin and covered her eyes, the video feed coming to life before her eyes. Her hand reached out to pat her dog's head, the feed disappearing for a moment as she watched Schatz cuddled up to her side, resting her head on her owner's lap. Victory settled back with a smile, "Now let's see what going on back in the kitchen."
The camera entered the kitchen, quickly sitting on the wall and moving about in random directions as Victory controlled it, hoping that it truly did appear to be a random fly and that it's moves didn't appear calculated. Orfelina was very perceptive in that regard.