Chapitre 32: Chapter 32: "I've Got Plenty of Money to Buy My Life"
"Mr. Harvey Amberlock, I hope you'll forgive SHIELD for any offenses. We have no intention of becoming your enemy," Nick Fury said, eyeing Harvey.
"I don't care," Harvey replied, barely looking up. "As long as you guys stop bothering me, we're good. Saving the world? That's not my gig. I'm just an average guy."
"Given your friendship with Tony Stark, you could pilot one of his suits and become a superhero yourself," Fury suggested.
From Fury's perspective, Harvey Amberlock and Tony Stark had become close. His background check showed that Stark rarely invited other men to his home unless they were really good friends. Stark had always resisted sharing his tech with the military, but if it was for a close friend, he might make an exception.
When Fury noticed Stark's eyes light up at the thought of Harvey in one of his Iron Man suits, he knew he was onto something.
"Even if I wore one of those suits, who says I'd have to be a hero?" Harvey shot back. "Enough with the subtle guilt-tripping, Fury."
Stark glanced at Harvey, slightly surprised but amused. Meanwhile, Fury felt a rising frustration at the blunt dismissal, though he kept his cool. Harvey Amberlock wasn't going to be won over that easily.
"I think there's been some misunderstanding between us, Harvey," Fury said, keeping his tone professional. "Perhaps we should talk."
"We don't have anything to talk about," Harvey responded coldly. "Last time your agents pointed a gun at me, and when I called the FBI, you guys swept it under the rug. So no thanks. But if you push me too far again, I've got plenty of money to make sure I'm protected."
Fury flinched slightly, clearly taken aback. Even Tony raised his eyebrows at that revelation. Had SHIELD pulled a gun on Harvey during a recruiting attempt?
Fury could feel Stark's eyes on him, waiting for an explanation, which only added to his frustration. SHIELD had underestimated Harvey Amberlock. They thought he was just another wealthy civilian. But Harvey's words hinted at knowledge of underground networks—places where money could buy protection or worse, where assassins could be hired with ease.
Fury knew that in certain circles, Harvey's wealth could easily be turned into a weapon. If he were serious, he could throw a fortune at hiring the world's deadliest mercenaries.
"I deeply apologize for my agent's previous actions, Mr. Amberlock. We truly mean no harm, and I hope one day we can clear up these misunderstandings," Fury said, swallowing his pride and offering a formal apology.
After that, the video call abruptly ended.
Once Fury was gone, Tony let out a low whistle. "Damn, Harvey. That was impressive."
Harvey shrugged. "It's nothing special. Just what you do when you want to maintain appearances."
"I get it," Tony nodded, still impressed. "But seriously, Harvey. You don't have any interest in wearing one of the suits? I mean, I'm pretty good in them, but you? With your skills? You'd be a beast in one of those."
Harvey cast a glance at one of the Iron Man suits, sitting in the corner like a gleaming trophy. He considered the idea briefly.
"Maybe someday. If I feel like it," Harvey said nonchalantly.
"You could take one with you right now. It'd give you a way to protect yourself—and help you stay under the radar," Tony urged.
"I appreciate the offer, Tony," Harvey responded, turning down the idea. "But as long as I don't push SHIELD too far, they can't touch me. They're the ones in the wrong, not me."
"Still," Tony pressed, "wouldn't a suit make things a bit easier for you?"
"Not really," Harvey said. "If I take one of your suits, SHIELD would just accuse me of hiding dangerous tech. They'd come after me harder. Right now, all they've got on me is that I'm rich. If I start gearing up, I'll just be giving them an excuse to call me a threat."
Tony thought about it for a moment and nodded. "That makes sense."
He and Harvey were both part of New York's elite, but Tony knew their situations weren't exactly the same. As long as Tony stayed alive, Stark Industries would remain a leading force in American tech. The military couldn't just strong-arm him into handing over his inventions; they needed a good reason to take action. For now, Tony had managed to keep control of his suits. The government couldn't go after him without risking a backlash.
Harvey, though, didn't have the same kind of buffer. As far as SHIELD was concerned, he was just another wealthy guy, and money alone couldn't stand up to their power. But as long as Harvey kept a low profile, SHIELD couldn't justify going after him.
For now, both of them knew how to play the game. But Tony couldn't help but think that one day, Harvey might just decide to take things to the next level.
Note: If you are interested you can read up to Chapter 50 at
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone