Chapitre 20: Chapter 20: The Outcome of the Negotiations
Coulson felt a surge of irritation at Tony Stark's condescending tone, but his professional training as an agent kept him in check.
He wasn't here to argue with Tony Stark; he was here to negotiate and extract some valuable information.
"Mr. Stark, I've already shared some intelligence with you," Coulson said, holding back his frustration.
"Now it's my turn to ask questions, right?"
Tony Stark, noticing Coulson's clenched fists and the barely contained anger, was surprised at how quickly he managed to calm himself. Nonetheless, Stark was a man of his word and allowed Coulson to proceed with his inquiries.
"Go ahead and ask," Stark replied.
Coulson began his questioning, "Mr. Stark, can you tell me how you..."
Coulson started his line of questioning.
Tony Stark shared everything he could, except for the fact that he had built the arc reactor. He talked about his escape from captivity using the Iron Man armor and the subsequent improvements he made. The Mark II armor had already been revealed to the world.
After hearing Tony's account, Coulson confirmed that the Iron Man suit's wearer was indeed Tony Stark.
He wisely chose not to press Tony on whether he intended to turn over the technology to the government.
"I see. As expected of Mr. Stark, your mind is truly a treasure."
Coulson offered his sincere praise.
"I thought being a genius was already a well-known fact," Tony Stark replied, accepting the compliment without any humility.
"So, may I ask, Mr. Stark, what exactly do you intend to do with the suit you've created?" Coulson inquired. "You've saved some civilians in Afghanistan. Was it to clear up some problems caused by Stark Industries' weapons, or do you feel you have the capability and want to help?"
Coulson was keen to understand Stark's intentions. Superheroes must have good hearts, and Tony Stark, once a reckless playboy, needed to be evaluated for his commitment to the greater good.
"Both, I suppose," Tony Stark replied, pausing as he thought about Ethan, then continuing, "Ethan sacrificed his life to save me, and Gomila is his hometown. I can't bring Ethan back, but at least I want to protect Gomila's peace."
"Will you help others in danger in the future?" Coulson asked, his eyes lighting up with hope.
"I'm not sure. Gomila is the hometown of a friend, which is why I wanted to protect it," Tony explained, shrugging. "As for others, I'll have to see when I encounter them."
Coulson nodded, acknowledging Tony's response.
"Mr. Stark, the situation on Earth is not promising due to the presence of extraterrestrials."
Coulson decided to share more information after sensing Tony's uncertainty.
"I already know about that. The Grim Reaper you mentioned is from some kind of void, right?"
"And when he spoke to me, he also mentioned the universe."
"He said my technology is advanced compared to humanity but still weak compared to the universe."
Tony Stark dismissed the comment with a wave of his hand, visibly irritated. He had always taken pride in his technological advancements since taking over Stark Industries, and being told his technology was still inferior to the universe didn't sit well with him.
"Mr. Stark, don't you want to know why we met with the Grim Reaper?"
"There's something you should know first. Decades ago, extraterrestrials visited Earth."
"At that time, a superpowered hero emerged who helped humanity fend off the alien invasion."
"The exact timeline of the aliens' presence is unclear, but it's certain their technology was far more advanced and developed."
"They possessed technologies like space jumping and cosmic battleships, which humanity still struggles to achieve."
"It was from that moment on that my superior, Nick Fury, sought to establish the Avengers to prepare for potential future alien threats."
Coulson's tone conveyed both nostalgia and disappointment as he shared this information.
"Instead of seeking superpowered individuals, you approached me, which suggests your progress hasn't been very successful," Tony observed, picking up on Coulson's underlying message.
"Indeed. While there have been superpowered individuals on Earth in the past, humanity is a species that tends to hide those with extraordinary abilities due to fear of being seen as different," Coulson explained.
"You've seen some of the rumors and records about the Grim Reaper on the dark web."
"His completed tasks surpass human capabilities."
"After investigation and discussion, we concluded that the Grim Reaper is likely a powerful individual with superhuman abilities."
"Even if he's not a superpowered being, his strength is far beyond normal humans."
"That's why we approached him a few months ago."
"By the time he appeared, we didn't know how long he had been here or how he arrived."
"In some ways, we did find the right person; the Grim Reaper is indeed a formidable force whose strength is hard to measure."
"But unfortunately, he's an extraterrestrial, not an Earthling."
Coulson's face reflected his sense of disappointment and resignation as he spoke.
Having worked with Fury for nearly twenty years, and having seen Fury rise to the position of director, Coulson had also advanced in the ranks. As a high-level agent, he had spent years investigating strange events, only to have his hopes dashed when he found out the legendary Grim Reaper was not from Earth.
Moreover, they had learned that the god king Odin might not have much longer to live.
If they didn't find powerful heroes to form the Avengers and develop countermeasures, humanity could face the possibility of alien invasion and even enslavement.
Fury had instructed not to spread rumors about Odin's possible demise.
If the Grim Reaper's claims were true, and Odin and the Asgardians had been protecting Earth, revealing that Odin's time was running out might provoke enmity, potentially causing the Asgardians to turn against humanity.
Tony Stark saw the sincerity in Coulson's expression and understood that Coulson's words were truthful.
"So, you think I might have suddenly developed superpowers, which helped me escape from Afghanistan?"
Tony quickly grasped the implication of Coulson's words.
"Yes, but we didn't expect that you relied on your brilliant mind to create the Iron Man armor, which is comparable to the latest fighter jets."
"Even though you're not a superpowered being, in my view, you're equivalent to one."
Coulson shared his genuine admiration and opinion.
"Given your organization's focus on investigating potential superpowered individuals, does your previous contact with Harvey Amberlock suggest...?"
Tony Stark asked, connecting the dots.
"Indeed. Initially, we suspected that Mr. Harvey Amberlock might be a superpowered individual."
"Even if his abilities weren't combat-related, his luck might still be useful."
Coulson confirmed, as this information wasn't classified.
"And the result?"
Tony inquired, remembering the indifference Harvey had shown towards Obadiah Stane during their conversation on the balcony, as if Stane were insignificant.
"After two interactions, we concluded that Harvey Amberlock does not possess superpowers," Coulson said with a hint of regret.
"No, huh..."
Tony thought back to Harvey's calm and detached demeanor regarding Obadiah Stane and wondered if there was something more to it.
Regardless of whether Harvey had superpowers or not, it was clear that Harvey had no intention of joining the Avengers.
"I understand now. Earth is in a critical situation, and your agency wants to form the Avengers to defend against potential alien invasions."
"However, Stark Industries is currently in a period of transition, and I have a lot on my plate."
"Therefore, I need to think about whether to join the Avengers or not."
"But if a major disaster or imminent threat arises, you can contact me, and I might be able to assist."
Tony Stark concluded, looking at Coulson.
The appearance of the Grim Reaper made Tony Stark believe in the existence of extraterrestrials and that they had already come to Earth.
As a result, he needed to get Stark Industries back on track so he could focus entirely on the Iron Man suit's development.
Unfortunately, he didn't know the Grim Reaper's full abilities, making it challenging to tailor the armor for such threats.
However, he hoped that he would eventually learn about it before it was too late.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Stark."
Coulson, with a smile of satisfaction, thanked Tony before standing up and saying his goodbyes.
Coulson left feeling quite pleased. Although Tony Stark didn't immediately join, he had received a promise of potential future collaboration in case of a major disaster.
A good start meant that formal recruitment of Tony Stark into the Avengers wouldn't be too far off.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone