Chapter 6: The Party Animal and the Hidden Traitor
Tony Stark's birthday party was less a celebration and more a public meltdown in progress. Adam watched the news feed from his comfy apartment in Queens, a bowl of popcorn balanced precariously on his lap, while Aunt May knitted quietly beside him, occasionally clucking her tongue at Tony's antics.
"Honestly, that man," May sighed, shaking her head. "He needs a good, long nap and a sensible pair of pajamas. And maybe a therapist who specializes in 'billionaire-induced existential crises.'"
Adam chuckled, popping a kernel. "Oh, I don't know, May. I think he's just expressing himself. You know, like a very expensive, very drunk performance artist. With a flying suit of armor."
On screen, Tony, already several sheets to the wind, was spraying champagne with the Mark IV gauntlet. "Alright, Stark, let's not get too crazy. We don't need any accidental civilian casualties before the main event."
[WISH GRANTED: TONY STARK'S PARTY MUSIC TEMPORARILY SWAPS TO POLKA. COST: 12 WISH DAYS.]
Suddenly, the thumping bass of the party anthem on the news feed cut out, replaced by the jaunty, oom-pah-pah sounds of a polka band. Tony froze, mid-spray, his arm still raised. The crowd, momentarily confused, burst into laughter. Tony glared at the DJ booth, then at his hand. "JARVIS! What is this unholy cacophony?!"
"Sir, it appears to be… a traditional Eastern European folk dance, sir," JARVIS replied, his voice as calm as ever, completely devoid of polka enthusiasm.
Adam grinned. "Perfect. Just enough chaos to distract, not enough to cause a riot."
The party escalated, as did Tony's self-destructive tendencies. Rhodey, bless his patient heart, finally had enough. Adam watched as the two friends clashed, Rhodey trying to talk sense into Tony, who was too far gone to listen. Then, the inevitable. Rhodey, in a moment of exasperated brilliance, decided to take matters into his own hands and acquire the Mark II suit.
"Go on, Rhodey, you magnificent bastard. Time to show Tony what a real friend looks like. And maybe give him a little nudge."
[WISH GRANTED: MARK II ARMOR'S SECURE ACCESS PANEL EXPERIENCES TEMPORARY GLITCH, ALLOWING RHODEY ENTRY. COST: 20 WISH DAYS.]
On screen, Rhodey, after a brief struggle with the Mark II's access panel, suddenly found it pop open with an almost audible thwip. He looked at it, surprised, then shrugged and climbed in. Tony, too busy trying to activate his champagne-spraying gauntlet again, didn't even notice.
"Well, that was convenient," May murmured, watching Rhodey fly off in the Mark II. "He's a good man, that Colonel Rhodes. Very sensible."
"Sensible, and now with a very expensive new toy," Adam agreed, already thinking about the impending Iron Monger fight. Obadiah Stane. The slimy, backstabbing corporate villain. Adam had been keeping a subtle eye on him, using low-cost wishes to get "vibes."
[DAILY WISH DAYS ACCUMULATION: +1]
Just yesterday, he'd used one to make a specific, rare spice Aunt May had been searching for suddenly appear at their local grocery store. She'd been ecstatic, convinced it was a sign from the universe. Adam just smiled and nodded. "Yeah, the universe. Or just a very bored System with a penchant for domestic bliss and good cooking."
Now, watching the news, a subtle System alert flickered in his mind. Stane was moving. The pieces were falling into place. The Arc Reactor theft was imminent. Tony was spiraling, Rhodey had the Mark II, and Stane was about to make his move.
"You know, May," Adam said, turning from the TV, "I think I'm going to take a walk. Clear my head. All this superhero drama is making me crave a good, old-fashioned, non-polka-infused quiet."
May smiled, patting his hand. "You do that, dear. Just try not to trip over any stray billionaires."
Adam chuckled, heading for the door. "Oh, I won't be tripping over them. I'll be subtly nudging them into their proper places. Time for the main event."