Miles Away from Home

Miles Away from Home

Watching Count Dracula, who had been brutally dismembered, packed into boxes, and was still not dead, Mr. Tony Stark honorably vomited again.

Alvin's brutal treatment of vampires sent a chill down Stark's spine. Though he agreed with it. If cattle and sheep ever became smarter than humans and could pick up guns and cannons, humanity would have no way to survive. The relationship between humans and vampires was really no different.

Stark downed a full glass of whiskey and looked at Alvin, who seemed lost in thought. Jokingly, he said, "I didn't expect it to end like this. I know S.H.I.E.L.D. and Stark Industries still have some research partnerships with them. I just didn't expect them to have so much influence." He handed the glass to Alvin, signaling for another refill.

Alvin smiled at Stark and said, "Neither did I. But I absolutely don't want to have anything to do with them ever again. I think I'm better suited to being a restaurant chef and a school principal."

Stark laughed heartily. "Then your students must have it rough. I can imagine it. Haha!"

When Stark wasn't being annoying, he was actually a pretty good friend. At the very least, when he developed the solar lamps, he sent them to Alvin right away. And just a few minutes ago, they had been on the same side.

Alvin smiled and nodded. "You're right. If an obituary went up at the school entrance tomorrow saying Principal Alvin had died, those brats would definitely throw a PARTY to celebrate."

Stark shuddered. "Man, I didn't realize you were that unpopular!"

Alvin nodded noncommittally. "When they grow up, they'll regret their ignorance in their youth. You're a genius, so you'll never understand how difficult it is to get an education. If no one pushes these Hell's Kitchen kids from behind, prison is practically the only future they can imagine."

Stark nodded thoughtfully. "You have a point. Maybe I can offer you some help."

Alvin perked up, and his gaze at Stark became much warmer. He said happily, "The community school needs warmhearted people like you. I can reserve a trustee position for you."

Seeing Alvin's dramatic change in attitude, Stark asked with interest, "The community school has trustee positions? Who are the other trustees? How much do I need to donate?"

Alvin smiled shyly, like a sincere insurance salesman. "If you agree, you'll become the community school's second trustee. The first is Mr. Kingpin, who donates ten million dollars to the school every year. You could give a little more than him, since you're a famous billionaire, aren't you?"

Stark was an interesting man. After only a moment's thought, he said, "Alvin, my friend, you can't ask an American upper-class citizen like me to be mentioned in the same breath as someone like Kingpin. Does your school still need a principal? Give me an honorary principal position and prepare an office for me. I can donate twenty million dollars to the school every year."

Why not? Of course it could! Twenty million a year—forget honorary principal, if you wanted to be the actual principal, I'd clear out the office for you immediately. I'd even throw in secretary Olivia.

Alvin smiled and held out his hand. As he shook Stark's, he said sincerely, "Welcome aboard, Principal Stark. You can start thinking about what style you'd like for your office now."

Stark pursed his lips and tilted his head as he thought for a moment. "Wow... I never imagined I'd become the principal of a school one day. Maybe I should have Pepper leave two days open in my monthly schedule so I can go sit around at the school."

Alvin raised his glass and clinked it with Stark's. "It would be our honor. The students who graduate from this school will be proud of you! Really, I'm not joking!"

Stark rarely had such a pleasant conversation with anyone. Although Alvin was always giving him a hard time, people were like that—they wanted a friend they could talk and joke with freely, without reservations. He felt Alvin might very well be that friend.

At seven in the morning, Pepper came to pick up Stark, who was still sleeping off his hangover. He was heading to Afghanistan that day to test the "Jericho" missile he had invented.

Stark did not actually need to go himself, but the media storm of the past few days, along with some unknown pressure from who knew where, made him decide to lie low there for a while. After all, he was still the chairman of Stark Industries. Doing his part for the company was his duty. Perfectly reasonable, wasn't it?

Before they left, Alvin told Pepper, "Afghanistan isn't exactly a nice place. Stark isn't well prepared this time. If anything happens, remember to call me. I'm a vampire hunter, remember?"

Pepper was nearly driven crazy by Stark's willfulness and did not pay much attention to Alvin's words. She merely nodded and had Alvin help her get Stark into the car.

Finally free, Alvin had breakfast with Ginny, then took her in the old pickup truck and prepared to fulfill one of a principal's duties at school.

Thor shamelessly stuck close to Ginny and hitched a ride. He wanted to go have some fun at school too; watching a bunch of troublesome brats tremble in fear was quite amusing.

The old pickup rolled down the road under fine weather. Alvin drove with the windows down, country music playing, his left arm resting on the window frame. Line by line, Alvin taught Ginny to sing "500 Miles Away from Home."

If you miss the train I'm on

If you miss the train I'm on

You will know that I am gone

You will know that I am gone

You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles

You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles away

A hundred miles, a hundred miles

A hundred miles, a hundred miles

A hundred miles, a hundred miles

A hundred miles, a hundred miles

Ginny loved it because Daddy loved it.

Alvin received a call halfway through the trip, and it put him in an even better mood. He became even more attentive in teaching Ginny the song. Little Ginny really was my lucky star. The better I treated her, the better my luck became.

The call had come from Chief George, who had been worn down in body and mind by the vampire incident. He told Alvin that his daughter, Gwen Stacy, would be enrolling directly at the community school next week. Though there was only one month left before the school's final exams, he should have waited until the school break and sent his daughter over at the beginning of the next term.

But their chief could not wait. He could not stand the thought of his daughter attending a school where vampires might be lurking. Now, Alvin's community school was a forbidden zone for vampires.

In his cheerful mood, everything looked pleasing to Alvin. Even the new elderly electrician at the school gate seemed especially friendly. "Hi! Hello, I haven't seen you before!"

The old man smiled kindly. "Good morning, Principal Alvin. I'm the new electrical engineer. My name is Ben Parker!"

I added a chapter for your enthusiasm. I really did my best. The curtain has risen—Marvel fans should be happy now.