[Third POV, Year 2001, Eleventh Loop, 18th of April, Stark Industries]
"Ah, looks like at least you two aren't late like a certain someone! Please, come in and prepare everything you need. You'll have five minutes to set up — after all, we, although, sir..."
Obadiah looked at the father and son duo and suddenly exclaimed. With a smile on his face, he proceeded to sit down in one of the chairs and signaled to his employee, the researcher, to do the same to which the researcher complied and sat down.
"Good morning, sir, don't worry we'll do it right away."
Hearing what Obadiah said, Edwin looked at his son, who just gave him a thumbs-up and walked over to the projector, quickly starting to set up everything for the presentation and exposition to Obadiah and the man at his side.
Connecting the laptop to the projector, opening files and videos (leaving them on pause), and finally putting a presentation on the screen so the projector would display it, Adrian made an OK hand sign to his father.
Obadiah and the researcher looked a little bit puzzled at the fact it was the child setting up everything. When Obadiah had seen the request about bringing his son — with the note that they wouldn't agree to the meeting otherwise — he'd thought it was more about spending time together, maybe showing the boy how his father was a smart man, someone big industries wanted. It was the kind of thing meant to make a son feel proud of his father, which was why Obadiah had agreed to bring a child into a discussion of this caliber. He hadn't expected the kid would actually help here.
Sure, he'd seen that Adrian participated in the LRAD testing (the video was labeled that way), but he assumed it was more like letting the boy "play around" and that whatever Adrian said was probably scripted.
Seeing his son had set up everything as needed, Edwin gave a cough and then started speaking.
"Cough... Now, what I'm about to share will be revolutionary, crazy and something that will definitely change how both of you look at the LRAD."
Obadiah and the researcher glanced at each other, almost telepathically saying, "Now what?" Obadiah decided to speak.
"Well, Mr. Edwin... you have our intrigue. What are you talking about? Maybe some part of how the device works or a specific function in it?"
Adrian then pulled out a retractable, extendable pointing stick from his bag.
"I mean, kinda, but not what I was referring to. What I'm talking about is who actually designed and made the device. I'm not the actual creator, and I'm not the one who will explain how it works to both of you today..."
"Because the one who made and will explain the LRAD to you gentlemen is me."
Adrian suddenly said, opening a file that displayed the LRAD's inner components. With the stick, he pointed at the projected image.
Obadiah looked utterly confused. The researcher was the same — bamboozled, one could even say after all to hear that a child, who didn't look older than six, was claiming he'd built a device of this caliber. Not only that, but his father was backing that claim? completely absurd and it didn't matter how one looked at it.
"Hahahaha, that was a good joke from both of you. However, please take into account that this is a serious meeting."
Obadiah started laughing, trying to ease the tension and weirdness in the room. But that was quickly shut down by what Edwin said.
"No, no, no — this is not a joke, Mr. Obadiah. My son was actually the one who made everything. I'm only taking credit because he's five and can't legally do a lot of things."
"...You're serious?"
With a serious and stern expression, Obadiah looked at the child holding the stick, his mind filled with thoughts like 'What the fuck is this man actually talking about?' and 'What do you mean this brat made a fucking sonic cannon?!' And let's not forget 'At his age, I was just learning the alphabet!'
"Look, Mr. Edwin, excuse me for thinking this statement of yours is somewhat absurd. Please, put yourself in my shoes and tell me — what would you think if someone told you a child had made something not even Tony Stark did at his age?"
Edwin scratched his head a little and gave a nervous laugh.
"Hahahaha... yeah... I would also think it's absurd... but it's the reality. It was my son who made the device, and all credit goes to him."
Bang!
Suddenly, a loud sound echoed through the room. All four people looked toward the door — the one that was just kicked open by none other than the genius billionaire Anthony Edward Stark, known to all as Tony Stark, the future Iron Man. Obadiah murmured,
"At least he came..."
"I heard someone here is claiming a child is smarter than me? Or at least smarter than five-year-old me — which, let's be honest, was already smarter than most people on this planet."
With his usual tone, Stark approached, sizing up Adrian, who was already pretty tired of being ignored by everyone. Tony looked the kid up and down, then spoke again.
"Personally, I think your father is exaggerating, lying, or just straight-up trying to make a joke of Stark Industries and myself for some reason that i don't actually give a fuck. However..."
Taking a bit of distance from the child, Stark leaned slightly on the table, clapping his hands once.
"I'll give you a chance. Young genius? Alright, prove it to me. After all, I'm somewhat of a genius myself. But be quick — don't waste my time, kid."
'Was that Norman Osborn's line but with the word scientist being replaced by genius...?'
Those were the thoughts of our protagonist as he faced what could be his ticket to saving thousands of lives from planes crashing.
"Alright then thanks for the chance sir, I'm Adrian and I'm going to show you all how i made the device what are and the exact functions of the LRAD, including how i expect the use of it, if someone has a question please feel free to express it, after all we are in the Land of Freedom"
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Author Note: Next chapter will be somewhat of a info dump and interactions betwen tony and mc, however with some interesting things.
With this soon all of you will also see some reactions of some characters, not only that but more world building, as i feel i have only scrapped the surface on it.
So please look at it and remember.
Add to your library, drop powerstones and review the fic!