"Natasha, I need you to stay close to Stark for a while."
"Director, what's the mission?"
Natasha, with her long red hair, leaned gracefully in her chair, fixing Nick Fury with a serious gaze.
Fury, unfazed by Natasha's striking presence, met her eyes and got straight to the point. "Obadiah Stane was transferred to a federal prison earlier. The move didn't require my approval—it was handled by lower-level authorities, so I wasn't informed. But when I found out, something more significant came up."
"More significant? Is there a problem with Obadiah Stane?"
As one of the world's top agents, Natasha's sharp instincts picked up on the unspoken implications in Fury's words.
Fury nodded slowly. "Exactly. Last night, a fire broke out at the federal prison. Seventeen people died, and more were injured, including Obadiah. The agents I sent investigated, and on the surface, everything seems normal. But it's too convenient."
"A fire killing him within a week of his transfer is awfully convenient. Did anyone visit him in the past week?"
"No visitors, nothing unusual. He was being treated like any other high-profile convict. But something feels off."
"So, Director, you think this is connected to Stark?" Natasha leaned forward slightly, her eyes locked on Fury.
"If my hunch is right, there's a good chance it's related to Stark. I'm not saying Stark caused this. After all, he and that… that mysterious person, Sebastian, took down Obadiah together and spared his life. It's unlikely Stark would want him dead after all this time. I suspect whoever's pulling strings behind the scenes is targeting Stark. By staying close to him, you might uncover something—and you can protect him if needed. If Stark has any contact with Sebastian, try to connect with him too. We need to bring him into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s fold if possible. The Avengers initiative is underway, and he'd be a valuable addition."
"Okay, I understand. I'll head out now."
"Good luck, Natasha! Oh, by the way, Barton asked me to check with you. He's in Mexico right now—communication's spotty due to high magnetic interference. Any souvenirs you want?"
"I'm curious about Mexican hot sauce. Have him bring some back."
"Got it."
With a shrug, Natasha turned and left Fury's office.
Fury pulled out his phone and dialed Coulson's number. When the call connected, he said, "Coulson, change of plans. Put the Mexico mission on hold and focus on Stark. Look into what I mentioned earlier—about what Howard Stark left behind. When I give the signal, you'll hand it over to Stark."
"Understood!"
After hanging up, Fury turned to gaze out the window at the Delta Wing building's view, muttering to himself, "I hope Stark's sharper than I give him credit for. If his father, Howard, couldn't finish it, maybe he can. Otherwise…"
---------------------------
At the same time, in his mansion in Malibu, California, Tony Stark stared at the data on his screen. He had just learned of Obadiah Stane's death in a federal prison fire. A flicker of unease stirred within him. Something about the news felt off, but he couldn't pinpoint what was wrong.
"Forget it, his life and death have nothing to do with me anyway, so don't think about it."
Tony lifted the dark green mixture to his lips and drank, grimacing at the taste. Through the mirror, he examined the gray palladium traces spreading across his chest.
As Sebastian had warned, the treatment only slowed the palladium poisoning's progression, offering no cure. Though the spread was less aggressive than before, it hadn't stopped. The threat of death still loomed over him.
"Warning: Unidentified object approaching!"
Jarvis's alert snapped Tony out of his thoughts. Before he could react, the room shook violently, the sound of an explosion ringing in his ears. Without hesitation, he staggered to a nearby drawer and pulled out the Mark V portable prototype suit, stored there for emergencies. With the whir of machinery, he quickly donned the armor.
A deafening roar accompanied the collapse of the ceiling. A massive, iron-gray suit—over two meters tall and heavily built—crashed into the room. The suit's faceplate slid open, revealing Obadiah Stane's face.
"It's good to be back. We haven't seen each other in a while, Tony."
"Obadiah? You're alive!"
"Of course. How could I die before getting my revenge? Now I have technology to rival yours. I've got my own arc reactor, and my armor's stronger than yours. I haven't had time to arm it with weapons, but I couldn't wait to come for you, Tony!"
Tony's face remained grim beneath his helmet, but he kept his tone sharp. "Obadiah, I can't say much for your taste. That clunky design looks like a beat-up old truck. I don't know where you got the arc reactor blueprints, but you're no different from before!"
With that, Tony raised his hands and fired two energy blasts at Obadiah, striking his chest and head.
But Obadiah was ready, having learned from past defeats. As Tony moved, he snapped his suit's faceplate shut. The blasts from Tony's arc pulse cannons hit their mark, forcing Obadiah back a step, but the armor showed no visible damage.
"Tony, is that all you've got? I'm disappointed! Let me show you the power of my Iron Monger II. It's surpassed you!"
The Iron Monger II lacked Tony's arc pulse cannons but boasted superior energy output and raw strength. In an instant, Obadiah charged at Tony, swinging a massive arm to grab him. Tony, in the Mark V, leaped upward, dodging the attack and landing on the second floor. He sprinted toward the area where he stored his primary armor.
The Mark V was only meant for emergencies—it was no match for Obadiah's upgraded suit.
A deafening crash echoed as Obadiah charged onto the second floor. His movements were rough, smashing through glass railings and other fixtures along the edge of the floor as he pursued Tony.
"Hahaha, Tony, I've never liked your house's decor. Destroying it myself is thrilling!"
The Iron Monger II boasted far greater power than its predecessor, with enhanced agility. Unlike the first Iron Monger's rocket-based propulsion, the second generation used thrusters nearly identical to those in Tony's armor, offering dramatic improvements in speed and maneuverability.
Flames roared from the thrusters on its feet, legs, and six additional jets on its back. The towering, bulky Iron Monger II took flight, weaving through the corridor in pursuit of Tony.
The Mark V prioritized portability, equipped only with arc pulse cannons in the palms and a cluster cannon in the chest. Its armor offered minimal defense, and its flight speed was sluggish. As the Iron Monger II's six thrusters blazed, Obadiah rapidly closed the gap.
With Obadiah in relentless pursuit, Tony had no time to swap into a stronger suit. The Mark V's limited capabilities couldn't match Obadiah's upgraded armor, leaving Tony in a dire situation.
Desperately dodging through the mansion's complex layout, Tony racked his brain, urging Jarvis to devise a plan to create distance and allow him to switch to a better suit.
Suddenly, Obadiah smashed through a wall with a single punch. With a backhand swing, he hurled a chunk of collapsed concrete at Tony, sending him crashing into the wall behind him.
Tony coughed, spitting out a small amount of blood. The Mark V's impact resistance was weak, and the blow had genuinely hurt him.
As the hum of machinery filled the air, Obadiah advanced slowly toward Tony. "Tony, Tony, my dear Tony, no one can help you now. I'll crush your bones bit by bit, then find Pepper and kill her. I remember everyone who's crossed me, and I won't let them go!"
Tony eyed Obadiah's approach, whispering to Jarvis, "Jarvis, connect me to Sebastian's phone."
"Right away, sir!"
After three rings, the call connected, and Sebastian's voice came through.
"Tony? What's up so early?"
"Sebastian, do me a favor. Pepper's at the company in New York right now. Go to her, tell her I sent you, and please protect her. In return, you can ask Pepper for any help you need. I've handed the company over to her—if I can help you, so can she!"
On the other end, Sebastian picked up on the chaotic roars and explosions in the background. Combined with Tony's urgent request, he realized Tony was under attack.
"Tony, what's going on? Where are you?"
"Leave me alone. I'm in California. Just take care of Pepper!"
The line went dead.
Sebastian tried calling back, but the line was busy.