Happy's steady words were like a stone thrown into a lake, instantly breaking the atmosphere of the laboratory. However, these words landed exactly where Henry and Tony needed them to.
Henry gave Happy a mental thumbs-up for the god-tier assist.
Not bad for an old comrade who has followed us for so many years. Even though he doesn't know our plan, he always manages to say the most critical words at the perfect moment. As the director of this play, Happy might not have much screen time, but he certainly leaves a deep impression on the audience.
He glanced at Tony, who was still clumsily comforting Pepper, and gave him a look. Tony understood immediately. He stopped his frantic movements, turned around, and raised an eyebrow at Happy, his acting skills kicking in instantly.
"Happy, are you sure? The side effects of this thing are unknown. If it accidentally makes your already slow brain even stupider, I'm not responsible for returns."
While he was joking, a flash of warmth crossed his eyes; that part was genuine. This old partner who had been with him for years was always reliable.
"I'm sure, Boss." Happy's expression was incredibly firm. He had no idea he had just become the most important pawn in this grand performance. "My job is to protect you both. If I don't even have the ability to protect myself, then I'm a failure as a bodyguard."
"Listen to that, Tony." Henry laughed, crossing his arms with a playful smirk as he began to needle Tony. "Look at Happy's level of awareness, then look at yours. Facing the Phoenix Serum, he thinks of responsibility and protection, while the first thing you thought of was not letting me outshine you."
"Shut up!" Tony rolled his eyes, perfectly maintaining the act. "I was conducting a clinical trial to ensure the safety of the serum! Do you even understand the spirit of scientific sacrifice? Besides, it's only natural for an older brother to be a bit stronger than his younger brother, isn't it?"
"Oh, is that so?" Henry curled his lip. "Then next time we run into a bunch of tin cans, you go at it alone?"
"I..."
"Alright, you two."
Pepper's voice stopped them just in time. She had wiped away her tears and regained her calm, though the slight redness around her eyes betrayed her previous emotions. She walked up to Happy and looked at him seriously. "Happy, have you thought this through? This isn't just about gaining power; it means you will completely say goodbye to the life of an ordinary person and step into a dangerous, unknown new world."
"I've thought it through very clearly, Miss Potts." Happy looked at her with a gentle gaze. "From the day I decided to work for the Stark family, the word 'ordinary' ceased to be part of my life."
Pepper was silent for a moment, and finally, she nodded.
Excellent, the first step is complete.
Henry nodded silently. Happy was a loyal bodyguard. Since he had volunteered to be the best example, only the final, crucial step remained: convincing Pepper.
He watched as Pepper turned her gaze toward him. Henry knew it was time for the lead speaker to take the stage. Pepper's gaze then shifted, landing on the remaining vials of serum on the lab table, which were glowing with a faint golden light.
"Well then." She took a deep breath and made a decision that caught everyone off guard. "Give me a shot too."
"What?!"
This time, the cries of shock came from both Tony and Henry. Their faces showed the perfect amount of shock, worry, and panic. To put on a play, you had to go all the way.
"Pepper, are you crazy?!" Tony rushed in front of her, his voice full of agitation. "No! Absolutely not! The risk of this thing is too high! I can't let you..."
"Why not?" Pepper calmly interrupted him. She looked Tony straight in the eye and spoke word for word. "Tony, Henry's words just woke me up. I don't want to be your weakness anymore. I don't want to be like I was in Monaco, or even earlier when facing Obadiah Stane—helplessly hiding in a corner, worrying and fearing for you. You said we were partners. Well, the meaning of being partners is that while you are out there fighting, I should at least be able to protect myself instead of being the one dragging you down."
Her gaze shifted back to Henry. "You said this insurance would make us no longer fragile. Well, I choose to buy that insurance."
Looking into Pepper's determined eyes, all of Tony's rebuttals died in his throat. He knew that once Pepper made a decision, no one could change it. He could only look toward his brother for help.
Henry wanted to laugh at the scene, but he held it back. Pepper's performance was just right. That awareness, that aura! As expected of Pepper Potts. If she were just a pretty face, she wouldn't have been such a major part of the original story.
Henry ignored Tony's pleading look, shrugged, and gave Pepper an approving smile. "A wise decision, Pepper. To be honest, I've felt for a while that the CEO of Stark Industries should have some special skills befitting her status."
"Henry!" Tony roared, seemingly exasperated.
"Stop shouting, Tony." Henry patted his shoulder and lowered his voice to a level only the two of them could hear. "Wrap it up, Oscar-winning actor. Pepper has made her choice."
Tony was silenced instantly. He knew Henry was right. Rather than trying to stop her by force, it was better to complete the upgrade here.
"Fuck..." He frustratedly ran a hand through his hair before finally compromising. "Fine! Fine! You're all crazy!"
He turned to Banner and shrugged. "Bruce! Move all the physiological monitoring equipment over here! I want precision down to every single cell! I want to ensure nothing goes wrong! If her heart rate exceeds 180 or her body temperature goes above 45 degrees, trigger the emergency cooling protocol immediately!"
"Copy that!" Banner moved into action.
The lab went into high gear once again. Happy went first for the injection. He sat on the medical chair without flinching. Banner slowly injected the Phoenix Serum into his arm.
"How does it feel, Happy?" Henry asked with interest from the side.
Happy kept his eyes squeezed shut, the veins on his forehead bulging as pea-sized beads of sweat rolled down his face. He didn't answer, merely squeezing a few words through his teeth. "Feels like... I'm swallowing... lava..."
The next second, he could no longer hold it back and let out a suppressed low growl! His burly body tensed up violently, and the chair beneath him was crushed with clear finger marks!
"Physiological indicators are stable!" Banner stared at the data on the screen. "Cells are reorganizing and strengthening at an incredible speed! Strength baseline breaking through 15 tons... 20 tons... 25 tons! It's stopped! It has stabilized at 28 tons!"
A few minutes later, as the scorching wave receded, Happy gasped for breath. He was soaked in sweat as if he had just been pulled from a lake. But his eyes shone with an unprecedented sharpness. He slowly stood up, clenched his fist, and felt the explosive power within him.
"I feel..." He looked at his palm and muttered to himself. "I feel like I could punch a bull to death!"
"Congratulations, Happy." Henry smiled, walked up, and patted his shoulder. "You are now the most formidable driver and bodyguard in the world."
Next, it was Pepper's turn. Tony's expression was even more nervous than when he had injected himself. He gripped Pepper's hand tightly, his own palm slick with sweat.
"Pepper, if you feel uncomfortable at all, tell me immediately."
"Don't worry, Tony." Pepper gave him a reassuring smile and then nodded to Banner.
Soon, the golden serum was injected. Pepper's reaction was completely different from Happy's. She didn't let out a cry of pain; she only knit her brows as her body trembled slightly. A faint golden aura permeated from beneath her skin, enveloping her entire being.
"The data is very stable." Banner looked at the screen in surprise. "Her body seems to have a very high affinity for the Phoenix Serum! The cell reorganization process is very gentle! Strength baseline 15 tons... 20 tons... stabilized at 25 tons! And..." He pointed to another set of data. "The bio-thermal energy in her body is very active and very stable!"
As the light faded, Pepper slowly opened her eyes. It looked as if golden flames were dancing within them. She slowly raised her right hand and opened her palm. A ball of golden fire rose slowly from her palm, flickering.
"I..." Pepper looked at the flame in her hand with an expression of disbelief. "I can feel it. It's like it is a part of my body."
"Cool," Pietro, who had been watching, couldn't help but praise. Wanda looked on with curiosity; she could feel that the flame in Pepper's hand had a very high affinity.
Tony stared blankly at the scene, watching Pepper bathed in golden fire, speechless for a moment. Only Henry wore a smile that said everything was under control.
Everything is solved. In the original story, Pepper could perfectly adapt to the Extremis virus, even exploding with powerful force at the last moment to save Tony. Her constitution naturally had a high affinity for this type of energy. Now, having been optimized and stabilized by the Phoenix Serum, the power she could exert would only be stronger and more stable.
"Alright, milady." Henry stepped forward and gave Pepper an exaggerated gentlemanly bow. "Welcome to the world of the extraordinary."
He turned his head to look at the transformed Happy and Pepper. Finally, his gaze fell on Tony, who was still dazed.
"Alright, Tony." He patted Tony's shoulder to snap him out of his shock. "Now, all the non-combatants in our family have successfully upgraded. Isn't it time to put our focus back on the research?"
He pointed to the Uru metal sphere still glowing on the lab table. "Don't you want to build the armor?"
Tony snapped back to reality. He looked at the radiant Pepper and then at the metal sphere. He took a deep breath and walked toward the sphere.
"You're right!" He laughed loudly, threw an arm around Pepper's waist, and gave her a heavy kiss on the cheek. "Jarvis! Recalculate all simulation data! Design the world's coolest Rescue armor based on Pepper's physiological data! And!" He looked back at Banner and Henry. "Our research needs to speed up as well!"
Banner and Wanda looked at each other and shook their heads with a smile.
"Rescue armor?" Pepper was caught between laughter and tears by Tony's sudden enthusiasm. She gently pushed his face away and spoke crossly. "Tony, I don't need any armor. I just gained this power; I need time to adapt to it, not to stuff myself into another tin can."
She could feel the golden energy inside her was warm and powerful. This was a completely different concept from Tony's armor.
"No, honey, you misunderstand." Tony wagged a finger. "It's not a tin can, it's a work of art! A suit of armor tailored specifically for you." He waved his hand, and a streamlined armor projection instantly appeared before Pepper. "Look at this design! It will use the Divine Gold we are developing as the core skeleton, with a Vibranium outer layer. It ensures defense while being as light and form-fitting as your evening gowns. Moreover, its power system will connect directly to the energy in your body—you are its best reactor! You won't even need a complex control interface; with just a thought, it can cover your entire body!"
Most importantly, he winked at Pepper, his tone suggestive. "I've reserved enough internal space for it to accommodate two people."
Pepper froze for a moment, then rolled her eyes at Tony. This guy's head was always filled with messy thoughts!
Henry watched from the side, enjoying the show. Not bad, Tony. Your survival instinct is strong. Thinking of a plan for a dedicated couple's armor this quickly. Though the name Rescue still sounded a bit lame. However, seeing Tony and Pepper reconcile made Henry feel quite good. This home was finally starting to feel more and more like a home.
The atmosphere was starting to get a bit sappy, so, naturally, an untimely voice spoke up.
"Um, excuse me." Banner raised his hand and spoke cautiously. "Regarding the smelting plan for the Divine Gold, Jarvis's latest simulation found a small problem."
"What problem?" Tony and Henry turned their heads at the same time and asked in unison. To them, nothing was more exciting than the words 'technical difficulty.'
"The issue is the energy." Banner adjusted his glasses and pointed to the data on the holographic screen. "According to the simulation, to perfectly fuse Vibranium and Uru metal, we need to provide a massive temperature and energy output power within a very short time."
"Our current energy sources—whether it's the Arc Reactor or the large-scale reactor on top of Stark Tower—their output limits fall far short of this standard."
Banner's voice caused the atmosphere in the lab to cool down.
"You mean..." Tony's brow furrowed deeply. "We are holding the world's top-tier ingredients, but we don't have a pot powerful enough to cook them?"
This was the ultimate insult to a genius chef!
"Theoretically, yes," Banner said somewhat awkwardly.
"I knew things wouldn't be that simple." Henry curled his lip, but he didn't look disappointed. Instead, he had a look that said he expected this. Vibranium and Uru metal—one is the toughest physical material on Earth, and the other is top-tier magical equipment from Asgard. If they could be slapped together easily, it wouldn't fit the prestige of the Marvel Universe.
"So, we need a more powerful furnace," Henry said, rubbing his chin.
"A powerful enough energy source..." Tony also fell into contemplation, his mind racing. "Antimatter? Zero-point energy? Or something else?"
"No, no, no, those are all too slow, and the technology isn't mature enough." Henry shook his head, dismissing Tony's ideas.
Just then, the lab door opened and Natasha walked in. Of course, her current identity was the well-known Natalie Rushman. She walked in carrying a stack of documents.
"Mr. Stark, Mr. Henry." She looked straight ahead and placed the documents on the table next to Pepper, her tone professional. "These are the quarterly financial reports requested by the board. Pepper needs you to look them over and sign."
"Oh, put them there, Natalie." Tony waved a hand distractedly, his mind still stuck in the dead end of the energy problem.
Pepper gave Natasha a smile. "Thank you, Natalie. Good work."
"It's my job, ma'am." Natasha nodded, but she didn't leave immediately. Instead, she stood seemingly casually behind Pepper, her gaze sweeping over the instruments and holographic screens in the lab.
Henry saw all of this and the corner of his mouth curled into an imperceptible smile. Black Widow is here again. He knew Natasha's appearance at this time was no coincidence. As the eyes planted here by Nick Fury, there was no way that one-eyed man wouldn't send his ace agent to investigate after such a commotion in the lab.
Henry smiled. Good that you came. The things I'm about to say are meant for your ears.
Henry cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention back to him. He turned to look at the troubled Tony, his eyes playful, and gave a mysterious smile.
"Actually, there is a ready-made energy source available right now. It's the most perfect energy source in the universe, and it's hidden right here on Earth."
Banner and Tony looked at each other, stunned. Tony asked impatiently, "What is it? How do I not know about this?"
"Of course you don't. Because that thing was something our father studied back in the day. He hid it later, and it has been kept secret by S.H.I.E.L.D. ever since." Henry shrugged with a helpless smile. "It is a blue, glowing cube. They call it the Tesseract."
"The Tesseract?"
Tony, Banner, Pepper... everyone's faces were filled with confusion. This term was completely foreign to them. Only Natasha's pupils constricted slightly the moment she heard the name.
"What is that? Sounds like a prop from a comic book." Tony curled his lip. As the richest man in the world, equipped with a super AI like Jarvis, there was basically no resource on Earth he didn't know about. He didn't believe it.
"You can understand it as a battery with infinite energy." Henry rolled his eyes. "But it's far more than that. Tony, do you remember? The initial inspiration for the reactor in your chest came from our father's research notes on the energy structure of the Tesseract."
Now, Tony was truly shocked. "Are you saying that one of the greatest inventions of my life is just a knockoff?!"
"You could put it that way." Henry struck him down without mercy.
"Fuck!" Tony felt his self-esteem take a serious hit.
"Then how do we get it?" Banner asked the key question.
"That's the most interesting part." The smile on Henry's face turned serious. "S.H.I.E.L.D., and their director Nick Fury, have been lying to us."
His gaze swept across everyone, finally landing on Natasha. Natasha remained calm on the surface, but internally she was beginning to wonder. Henry kept looking at her—what did that mean?
"Tony, do you think Fury hid the Tesseract to protect the world? Wrong. From the day he got his hands on it, he started a secret project called Project PEGASUS. Under the guise of researching clean energy, he is actually developing a new generation of weapons of mass destruction based on the Tesseract's energy!"
These words were like a heavy bomb suddenly detonating in the lab!
"Why?" Tony frowned. "Fury... why would he do that? Aren't they supposed to protect the world?"
"Protect the world?" Henry smiled slightly. "Tony, you're too naive. In the eyes of a man like Fury, there are only chess pieces. Everything he does is for the sake of his so-called absolute security theory. To deal with future threats, he is willing to pay any price, even if it means opening the front door."
"Opening the front door? What on earth are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the Skrulls!" Henry slowly uttered the name. "An alien race capable of changing their appearance at will. Their home planet was destroyed, and they were hunted by the Kree, eventually becoming wanderers in the universe. Nick Fury reached a secret agreement with them decades ago. He promised to help them find a new home, and in return, the Skrulls would become his eyes and ears all over the globe."
He watched the growing horror on everyone's faces and continued to drop bombshells. "Why do you think S.H.I.E.L.D. is so omnipresent? Why do you think Fury's intelligence network covers the entire world? It's because he has a secret force made up of Skrulls under his command! These shapeshifters can turn into anyone around you or me—your colleagues, your friends, even your family! And you wouldn't even notice! Not only that, many government officials and world leaders have already been silently replaced. For his so-called security, he has planted an alien bomb on Earth that could go off at any time! A director who doesn't even trust his own people, an organization that places the future of humanity in the hands of a group of alien refugees. He is a traitor to his own race! Tony, do you still think it was a wise decision to let him keep our father's legacy?"
The lab fell into silence. Tony's face turned grim, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. He found he couldn't say a word. Everything Henry described was too subversive, yet it seemed to perfectly explain all the oddities surrounding S.H.I.E.L.D. Dr. Banner felt a chill run down his spine.
Natasha stood in place, her body stiff. Her usually impassive face showed shock. Skrulls? What was that? As a Level 8 S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and one of Fury's most trusted subordinates, she knew absolutely nothing about this?! That was impossible! Henry Stark must be fearmongering! But then, how did he know about Project PEGASUS? A storm was raging in Natasha's heart.
"Henry, how do you know all this?" Banner looked at Henry, his voice trembling.
"Secret." Henry shrugged. He didn't look at anyone else; instead, he turned his gaze toward the woman who had been standing behind Pepper. "However, I think someone here might be able to confirm for us whether what I'm saying is true." He looked at her with interest, his eyes mocking. "Am I right, Miss Natalie Rushman? Or should I call you Agent Natasha Romanoff?"
Boom! Henry's current sentence was even more unbelievable!
"What?!" Tony and Pepper turned their heads sharply, looking in disbelief at the legal consultant they had trusted. Natalie was a spy?! Pepper's eyes were filled with disappointment, and Tony's eyes ignited with fire.
"You..." He stared at Natasha. "Is what Henry said true?"
Facing everyone's gaze, Natasha was unexpectedly calm. She knew that any defense was meaningless before this man. She took a deep breath and then slowly nodded. "Yes. I am a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Natasha Romanoff. My mission was to evaluate candidates for the Avengers Initiative."
Her confession made Tony and Pepper's hearts sink.
"But..." She looked at Henry, her eyes sharp. "Regarding the Skrulls you mentioned, I know nothing. I can be certain that if it exists, it is the highest-level secret in S.H.I.E.L.D., possibly known only to Director Fury himself."
"That just goes to show that in his eyes, even an ace agent like you is just a useful pawn." Henry curled his lip. He watched Natasha's face pale slightly from shock and anger. He knew his words had pierced her heart.
The seeds of division had been sown.
"Alright, now all the issues are out in the open." Henry's voice broke the silence. "Nick Fury cannot be trusted. S.H.I.E.L.D. has been infiltrated. The Tesseract is an energy source capable of destroying the world, and it is currently sitting in the nest of a liar and a traitor. We can't wait any longer. I have a plan."
"Tony, I need Jarvis to hack all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s satellites and networks to create a surveillance blind spot for us."
"Piece of cake." Tony agreed through gritted teeth. The fury of being deceived had caused him to throw all caution to the wind.
"Banner, Blonsky. I need your strength. I need the Hulk and Abomination to turn their base into rubble." They nodded heavily.
"Wanda, Pietro. We need your magic and your speed. Infiltration, sabotage, creating panic. Can you do it?"
"No problem." They answered in unison. The thought of aliens being able to turn into their family made them feel disgusted. Pietro even felt these aliens were like leeches—they must have been attacked because they tried to invade someone else's planet!
"Pepper, Happy. Your task is to stay behind and protect this place. Jarvis will give you the highest security clearance."
Finally, his gaze fell on Natasha. "As for you, Agent Romanoff. You can choose to contact your boss right now and tell him we're coming to take his treasure. You have two choices. Stay here and see for yourself what kind of organization you serve really is. Or, you can try to stop us."
With that, he didn't give anyone else time to react. He turned and walked toward the lab exit, his nano-armor instantly covering his body.
"Everyone." Henry's cold voice echoed through the lab. "Ready to raise some hell? Our target is the Triskelion! We're sending Nick Fury to hell!"
Everyone knew what was about to happen. A war against S.H.I.E.L.D. had officially begun!