Anthony was on a snow-covered road.
He was with his grandpa today. They were standing infront of a run-down house.
Vapors were coming out of their mouths due to the snow.
Thomas went to the door as he knocked it.
Knock! Knock!
Thomas and Anthony didn't have to wait as the door was slowly opened.
Thomas moved to the side as Anthony came to the front as he spoke in fluent Russian.
"Hello, we are looking for Ivan Vanko".
"Are you Ivan Vanko?".
Asked Anthony as he observed him.
He was a late 20's man with a long hair that is that is braided.
He looks like person who is build for physical work. But as they say, 'you can't judge a book by it's cover'.
He is a genius mathematician, physcian and more importantly a scientist.
Ivan Vanko with he help of his father recreated the arc reactor they are here for.
Anthony's monologue ended with Ivan replying.
"I'm am Ivan and who might you be?".
Said Ivan in Russian looking at Thomas.
Thomas could only look back at his grandson to gesture who will be speaking.
"Mr.Vanko, I'm Anthony and he is Thomas, my grandfather".
"We are here a with proposition you would like".
"came we come in? It's freezing cold out here". Said Anthony.
Ivan looked at them for a while before completely opening the door for them to enter.
It was a small place but enough for two people. The room was damp due to no sunlight present.
As they sat on the stools Ivan has brought, Anthony spoke again.
"I will be frank with you Mr.Ivan, we came here for your father or more exactly for arc reactor".
Before Ivan could react to that, Anthony took his transparent tab from his backpack as he showed them some designs.
"I have got the basic designs and all but the real technology to build them is still missing".
The people in the room were stunned as they looked at Anthony.
Thomas didn't know till now that they came here for arc reactor. He just knew he was meeting some scientists.
Ivan was stunned at the equipment Anthony has but more importantly the arc reactor designs he was showing.
Ivan slowly stood up and walked towards a room with out saying a word.
Thomas and Anthony waited for a while as they heard the footsteps of more than one person.
Anton Vanko came out with his son helping him.
He is an old man who seemed to have no will to live.
And that may be right because of everything happened to him.
Anthony would say he was a amazing scientist but not a good spy.
Anton Vanko tried to sell the information to US*R and backfired pretty badly.
Howard Stark got him deported because of it.
Now he is just a husk of what he used to be.
"Hello, I'm Anton".
"I'm heard that you had some thing to do with the arc reactor?".
Said Anton Vanko in a dispirited voice in English.
'Well, why am I not surprised to see him speak English'. Mused Anthony before saying his rehearsed speech.
"Hey,I'm Anthony and this my grandfather Thomas. We are here to make a deal about making an arc reactor and if possible, recruit both of you".
Anton and Ivan were a little shocked at this, before Anton asked him again with a little hope in his eyes.
"Who are you guys?"
"Oh!, we are some small company trying to make a living". Said Anthony with a sad look in English.
Thomas would have spill out what he was drinking when he heard this.
Thankfully, he didn't embarrass himself as he was not drinking.
"A little company would not have the blueprints of arc reactor".
Said Anton Vanko in English pointing at the transparent tab Anthony was holding.
The tab was displaying the arc reactor blue prints.
"Ohh!, these are just the structural diagrams I have designed".
"They are just a little modified, that's all".
Said Anthony with a nonchalant expression.
"You!.....you did this?". Asked Anton Vanko in a shock filled voice.
"Yeah..why would I take the credit if I didn't?". Said Anthony with his head tilted to the side.
"Then...then, why have you come here?, you already have the blue print to create it yourself".
Asked Anton Vanko with doubt in his voice.
"Well, I could only make this in due time and I still don't know the whole info about the arc reactor".
"And you are right. I could re-create the whole thing but it would take about 3 years to complete it".
"I want it done fast and here I am talking to you".
Said Anthony as the old Vanko became silent.
Meanwhile Ivan was just sitting beside his father as he looked at the kid weirdly.
Anthony seeing that Anton was hooked to talk just patted his inner-self for a job well done.
Anthony knew that anyone would not listen to a kid less than a decade talk about business.
He understands that, so he tried to approach him in a scientific way.
"So...what is the deal you talk of?".
Said Anton Vanko as he looked at Anthony.
Anthony just smiled at this as he replied.
"How about we make an arc reactor. But were are a small company, So don't you think making a mini-arc reactor would be best for the budget".
Anthony jested but still conveyed his thoughts.
"Are you serious?".
Questioned Anton Vanko with a little quiver in his voice.
"You will find it out,right?". Replied Anthony in a calm tone.
.......
It took 3 hours to complete their discussion.
As their talks went on Anton Vanko started to believe what was happening.
A kid, who is less than a decade old is talking about the talks that would make normal people dizzy.
Even though Anthony didn't have much experience and experimentation done. He was backing it up with his enthusiasm and the intellect.
He was absorbing knowledge like a sponge.
Alas their discussion came to an end as they have sorted their plan to bring Vanko duo to US.
The plan was simple. After a week or two, they would create a scene of them dying in a house fire.
They knew it was easy to find the flaws at some time, but by then they (govt,SHIELD,etc) can't do anything about it as Anthony has already planned for it.
...........
(On the plane back to US)
Silence prevailed in the cabin as Anthony was in deep thoughts as he looked outside the window.
Thomas broke the silence as he caught his grandson's attention.
"When did you learn Russian?".
Anthony looked at his grandpa as he replied.
"It was three days ago. I thought it could be useful for the deal and further communication". Replied Anthony
"So, what did you talk about?"
"I got the basic details but you went full Russian after some in the conversation".
Asked Thomas as he didn't seemed to be surprised that his grandson learnt a new language in 3 days.
After a year of staying with Anthony, he sort of gained immunity to get shocked for these small things.
Anthony also thought abut their talks and he understood that he spoke only Russian after some time.
He was doing it subconsciously as he didn't differentiate the languages. In his mind, language is a way of expressing.
Perhaps this was a benefit of being a genius or something but he liked his ability to learn.
After a year of being Anthony Fredd, he understood that he was a genius even by Marvel standards.
That was the reason he could recreate the arc reactor blue print of the structure.
That was also the reason for him not going to school.
He was very busy with all the other matters that going to school was not his priority. Sure, he was attending the exams but never went to the class.
That is the advantage of having money. Just some donation and everyone is enthusiastic to help you.
Any how he decided to make an translator device for situations like today.
Anthony thought as he explained his grandfather about the talks with Anton Vanko and Ivan Vanko (the whiplash or past-future whiplash).
.......
The has landed in the US. Anthony and Thomas were seen coming out of the airport.
They sat in their ride to home without speaking a word.
The ride to their home was filled with silence and the engine sound of their taxi.
Anthony slept for the entire ride and Thomas was in his own world.
After sometime, they have arrived at the doorstep of their house.
Anthony and Thomas still didn't talk as Anthony pulled out his tab.
After typing on the transparent tab for sometime, Anthony nodded his head at his grandpa as he spoke.
"No bugs in the house grandpa".
Thomas just sighed as the replied.
"Honestly, bugs, I knew some would do that, but not this early".
"Yeah, but going to US*R and meeting a deported person did push them to do it early". Said Anthony.
"So, do you have a plan about it or we can use the normal methods for the tracking and listening devices".
Asked Thomas as he knew that his grandson has already planned for this.The fact that their house was free of bugs is the proof.
"Don't worry grandpa, Seer will take care of it and we won't have to worry about it".
"Because very soon, a big problem will catch their attention that they won't have time to deal with us".
Said Anthony as he assured his grandpa.
*****The Fate Move Forward*****