Lea headed over to her station with some trepidation, glancing around for feds or cops or Extremis people or a "you're fired" note. When she didn't see any of those, she relaxed a bit. Hey, maybe Stark had decided to go easy on her.

Almost as soon as she logged in, a message popped up on her desktop.

WintersL:

Do it again.

It wasn't signed at all, but it didn't take a genius to figure out who sent it.

Leandra's eyebrows shot up. He wanted her to hack into the databases again? Seriously?

So she sent a quick message back.

Why, are you planning on getting evidence to send to your floor of attorneys to prosecute me?

Tony snorted.

You wouldn't have made it out of your apartment if I was. Just do it again. And this time, he'd be paying attention to exactly how she did it.

Leandra rolled her eyes but found his databases again, taking a few seconds to observe before trying to hack in. It took her a little longer, but she managed it. Again.

At which point Tony promptly caged her and kicked her out again, and then started working on making the firewalls tighter and stronger. He still wasn't sure how she was getting in (his systems were flawless and it was a crime that she was able to even scratch the surface) but he would be damn sure to make it has hard as possible. It took a few hours, and then another message popped up.

Again.

Why, sir?

Not that Leila didn't want to play, really, but she was trying to be good and productive. Not just trying, actually, she was being very productive, moreso than half her floor.

I said not to call me that. The reply was instantaneous. The next message took a few more minutes. Tightening security and bumping up the firewalls, and none of my R&D code monkeys could get through the first time, let alone the second time.

Lea snickered. So you're using me as your tester to make sure I can't get back in because chances are if I can't the vast majority of people can't. Gotcha.

The vast majority of people already can't. After all, I designed the system. Tony kept an eye on the system itself, just in case she tried to get in while he was distracted. Now do it again.

Lea laughed quietly at the demand. First tell me if you're planning on turning me over to the feds or anyone. Then I'll go break in again.

I already told you, if I was going to you wouldn't have made it out of your apartment, let alone in the building. Seriously, what part of that didn't she get? Tony rolled his eyes again. Chop chop, I'm not paying you to sit there and look pretty. That's clearly my job.

Satisfied, Leandra got back to work, trying to hack his systems again. It took longer and some creative use of code and decoys, but she managed.

Again.

How was that, sir?

What is this 'sir' nonsense? Tony tightened security even more, muttering under his breath about octopus nets and replacing all of his code-monkeys with real monkeys to see if they were an improvement. He put a bunch of dead-ends into the code, making it as labyrinthine as possible. Again.

This 'sir' nonsense is for assuming I know how your mind works. So sorry if I haven't taken the time to do a psycho-analysis of you based on the few press conferences and news stories I've seen. Leandra started surveying his defenses again while they chatted.

Well, stop calling me that, it makes me want to look around for the old man. Tony watched her probe the system security.

Was that supposed to be incentive to stop? Leandra probed at a few places, testing the defenses and the false starts, grinning. Oh, he'd just made the game so much more interesting.

You're supposed to do what I say, I'm in charge. So far, the defenses held, and Tony grinned.

Technically you're only sort of in charge, Miss Potts is the CEO now, and her signature is on my paycheck. You just own the business. Leandra tested a few more spots, observing closely, before she found a weakness and attacked, digging into the databases again.

Tony blinked when she got through again.

That shouldn't be possible, how the hell are you getting in?

It's easier if I show you. Should I head up to your office? Leandra leaned back once she was in, since she knew he knew and there was no point going farther.

Tony considered it for a moment before replying.

Not the office. The lab.

You'll have to tell me what floor. I haven't gone sneaking around the building, just your databases. Leandra got out of the databases so she could go and not leave anything on her computer.

Top floor of R&D. Tony didn't give a room number, though; that whole floor was the lab.

Lea headed up there, and she had to pause when she realized the whole floor was the lab. Oh, she could have so much fun in there.

Then she shook herself and went to go find Tony, albeit a bit reluctantly.