บท 24: Chapter 24: Healing Tony
"Putting aside its functionality, are you going to tell me this doesn't look a lot like a lightbulb?"
Harvey watched Tony Stark pacing around in frustration, grinning as he spoke.
"Functionality aside... really?"
Tony Stark chuckled at Harvey's playful jab, recognizing it for what it was—a way to lighten the mood.
"Even though your joke stings a bit, thanks for the attempt."
Tony had caught on to Harvey's intent: he was trying to snap him out of his grim mindset.
"You're right, though," Tony admitted, sighing as he opened his shirt to reveal the glowing Arc Reactor embedded in his chest. "This reactor is taking a toll on my body. I've tried different elements, but so far, nothing works as a substitute."
Though the palladium poisoning hadn't yet started to ravage Tony's body, he knew it was just a matter of time before it became life-threatening.
Harvey's eyes glinted as he spoke, "There's another way, besides finding a replacement element, that can stabilize your condition and extend your life."
"If you're about to tell me to just remove the shrapnel from my heart and give up the Iron Man suit, save it. I'm not planning to sit around defenseless, especially knowing what threats are out there."
Tony shook his head. He'd already experienced the power of the suit—there was no going back to being just a wealthy civilian. No amount of money could protect him in the real crisis.
"I wouldn't insult you with that advice," Harvey replied, his smile fading. "But since you're not in the mood to listen, I'll keep my idea to myself."
"What do you mean?" Tony asked curiosity piqued as he saw Harvey walk over to one of the suits of armor displayed nearby. "We were talking about your idea for saving me."
Harvey waved dismissively. "Let's shift gears. You called me over to show off your pride and joy, right? These suits of armor."
Tony regretted brushing off Harvey's earlier comment. This man seemed to know things—important things—and Tony felt like he had just thrown away an opportunity to hear something that might save his life.
"Forget the suits. Let's go back to what you were saying about my body," Tony urged, his voice taking on a pleading edge.
"Fine. Just this once," Harvey sighed. "Give me your hand."
"Is this part of the solution?" Tony asked, extending his hand warily.
"You're going to pass out for a minute or two. No need to panic."
Before Tony could react, Harvey clasped his hand. His vision went dark immediately, his consciousness slipping away.
In the dimly lit room, Harvey stood over Tony's unconscious body, his left hand emitting a soft glow as it transferred life energy into Tony's form, keeping him stable. With a flick of his finger, Harvey sliced through Tony's chest, exposing his heart—a sight that would have turned most people's stomachs, but Harvey remained unfazed.
His eyes were sharp, scanning every artery and vein as they pulsed rhythmically. From his right hand, tendrils of Void energy, glowing faintly with violet light, slid into Tony's body, snaking their way through his veins and gently pulling out the fragments of shrapnel lodged in Tony's heart.
In a matter of seconds, the pieces of metal were laid on a nearby table, and Harvey infused Tony's body with more of his life energy, healing both the tiny wounds inside and the cut he'd made on the surface. Everything had been restored in under ten seconds.
Harvey placed Tony gently on the floor and stood back. Two minutes passed, and Tony's eyes fluttered open.
"What the...?" Tony shot up, glancing around in confusion. His body felt... different. His eyesight was sharper, his mind clearer than it had been in years. The constant dull pain in his chest was gone, and his lingering fatigue had vanished.
Tony, now 38, wasn't exactly old, but over time, he had grown accustomed to the various aches and weariness that came with age. Now, though, his body felt rejuvenated, as though he had shed years off his life.
"What... what just happened?" Tony looked at Harvey, bewildered.
"I removed the shrapnel from your heart and purged the palladium from your system. You'll still need to find a new element for the reactor eventually, but this should buy you more time."
Harvey's tone was calm, as though he had done something as trivial as changing a lightbulb.
The gravity of what Harvey had done began to sink in for Tony. His heart was racing—not from fear, but from excitement. He had been living on borrowed time, and now, in the blink of an eye, that ticking clock had been silenced.
"How... how did you—?"
"Don't worry about how. Just know that you're healthy now," Harvey replied, brushing off the question. "And, like I said, the shrapnel's gone, and so is the palladium poisoning."
Tony ran to his desk, grabbed a diagnostic tool, and ran it over his chest. The reading came back: no trace of palladium. His eyes darted to the table, where small, blackened fragments of the shrapnel that had once been embedded in his chest now sat.
"Jarvis, how long was I out?" Tony asked, trying to piece it all together.
"Seventy-two seconds, sir," Jarvis responded in his usual calm tone.
"Harvey, is this... your superpower?" Tony asked, staring at Harvey in disbelief.
Harvey gave a slight nod. "You could call it that, I suppose."
Tony's mind was spinning. "If you can heal injuries this easily, we could be invincible in battle! If anyone's hurt, you could—"
"Hold on," Harvey interrupted, his voice firm. "I know you're excited, but remember what I told you earlier. There are limits to what I can do."
Tony's enthusiasm cooled a bit as he processed the warning. "I don't even know how to thank you for this," he finally said, gripping Harvey's hand tightly, gratitude written across his face.
"I recently bought some shares in Stark Industries. Keeping you alive ensures my investment doesn't go down the drain." Harvey grinned, trying to keep the mood light. "No need to think of it as some grand favor."
Tony was still in disbelief, but Harvey wasn't interested in discussing it any further. "Remember, don't mention my name to anyone. Now, about that dinner, you promised me..."
"Jarvis?" Tony called out.
"Dinner is ready on the second floor, sir," Jarvis replied smoothly. "I did not want to interrupt your conversation."
Tony smiled, leading Harvey upstairs for a well-deserved meal.
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