Chương 93: Chapter 93: Hmm, It’s Worse
Black Widow was momentarily speechless. She had bad news to report, but why was Nick Fury's first reaction that Tony was dead?
"No, Tony Stark is very much alive. In fact, he and Yinsen seem to have already discovered a new element. I think your plan to earn some favor is about to fall through."
Nick Fury took a deep breath and glanced at the large metal box beside him. He hadn't believed that Tony could discover a new element on his own—if he could, he wouldn't have been struggling with palladium poisoning for so long.
That's why Nick had planned to give him Howard Stark's legacy when Tony hit rock bottom. But ever since Tony met this golden armor, things seemed to have spiraled out of Nick's control.
"I understand, Natasha. I'll head over immediately. Let's hope I'm not too late."
Nick Fury started the car and added, "Stay close to Pepper. Maybe she can be the key to breaking through to Tony."
"Understood."
In the bathroom, Black Widow packed up her things and exited. Following J.A.R.V.I.S.' guidance, she returned to the living room. After exchanging a few words, Pepper and Black Widow left for Stark Industries. As the company's CEO, Pepper still had a lot of business to handle.
Watching Pepper and Happy leave, Tony could no longer hold back a violent coughing fit.
"Cough, cough... If they had stayed any longer, I would've been exposed," Tony wheezed.
"Hold on a second," Yinsen said as he hurriedly fetched a freshly made bottle of green juice for Tony.
"Thanks, Yinsen. I needed that."
After Tony drank it, Yinsen handed him a small device to check the palladium levels in his blood.
Tony pressed his finger onto the device, and the reading appeared almost instantly—62%.
"Yinsen, let's keep working," Tony said, though Yinsen frowned at the number. He hadn't realized that the palladium poisoning had gotten this severe.
"Until we've fully synthesized the new element and run some tests, you should avoid wearing the Mark suit as much as possible. The faster the arc reactor depletes energy, the quicker the poison spreads. I'm sure you understand."
Tony nodded. "I get it. But if I hadn't used the armor last time, we wouldn't have found the solution, right? Let's rest for a bit, then head back to work."
Yinsen glanced at Tony's neck, where the signs of poisoning were faint but visible. He sighed deeply, hoping that there wouldn't be any more setbacks in synthesizing the new element.
---
Meanwhile, in another corner of New York...
A scruffy, long-haired middle-aged man, dressed in military fatigues, walked down the streets of New York. He soon slipped into a narrow alley, where a figure dressed in black was waiting, their entire body covered.
"Are you Ivan Vanko?" the black-clad figure asked.
The disheveled man, indeed Ivan Vanko, nodded, a toothpick hanging from his lips. He said nothing more. The figure, after confirming his identity, pulled out a card from inside their coat.
"This is a Stark Industries employee badge. With it, you'll be able to enter the facility."
Ivan Vanko retrieved a wad of cash from his pocket. The two exchanged goods—money for the card—and then went their separate ways, heading in different directions.
But this transaction didn't go unnoticed. From a vantage point, a camera captured the exchange, including a clear shot of Ivan Vanko's face.
---
At S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters:
Ivan Vanko's image was displayed on the screen.
"Sir, we've identified a dangerous individual," the operator reported.
A black-suited agent walked over, took one look at the screen, and pulled out his radio. "Captain Hill, we've got a situation."
Moments later, Maria Hill arrived, quickly approaching. "What's going on? What did you find?"
The agent gestured toward the screen and began explaining. "This is Ivan Vanko, a physicist. During the Soviet era, he was convicted of selling weapons-grade plutonium to Pakistan and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Afterward, he vanished."
Hill glanced at Ivan Vanko's profile, frowning. "And this is worth reporting to me because?"
"If that were all, I wouldn't have bothered you," the agent replied, manipulating the screen again. Vanko's profile updated. "His father was Anton Vanko, who worked with Howard Stark."
Hill's expression changed. Anyone connected to Howard Stark wasn't just an ordinary person.
"Good work," she said, while using her higher-level clearance to dig deeper into Anton Vanko's files in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s system. After a quick search, Hill immediately understood Ivan Vanko's likely purpose for being in New York.
"What were they doing in that alley?" she asked.
"We're not entirely sure. It appeared to be some sort of transaction, but due to the camera's poor resolution, we couldn't make out the details."
Hill frowned as she continued her investigation.
However, they couldn't clearly see what was exchanged.
"Send it to the tech department. Have them figure out what was traded as fast as possible."
"Understood."
After giving the command, Hill left and headed to the command platform. She put on a black headset and called Nick Fury.
"Hill, I'm driving right now. If it's not urgent, please don't go out of your way to report it."
"Sir, Ivan Vanko, the son of Anton Vanko, has appeared in New York."
At the mention of Anton Vanko, Nick Fury's expression changed slightly. "His son? Where is he now?"
Hill glanced at the surveillance feed. "For now, we're not sure. He's highly skilled in counter-surveillance, and our agents have lost track of him. But it's clear his target is Tony Stark. You're on your way to Tony's house, and I'm concerned you might run into him."
Nick Fury chuckled. "Hill, I'm your superior for a reason. You should trust in my abilities. Don't worry about me."
Despite his reassurance, Hill couldn't shake the feeling that Ivan Vanko was prepared for something serious. His motive was revenge.
From the information Hill had uncovered, Anton Vanko had once worked with Howard Stark but was exiled due to unethical behavior.
Anton lived out the rest of his days in poverty, publicly denouncing the Stark family as thieves and butchers. He had sworn to take revenge and reclaim what was rightfully his.
While Hill didn't know exactly what Anton Vanko had meant by "what was rightfully his," it must have been important. Otherwise, it wouldn't have led Howard to take such drastic action as exiling him.
"Sir, do you know why Howard Stark exiled Anton Vanko?"
Hill couldn't find any records of this incident in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s system, which indicated the level of secrecy involved. Only someone like Nick Fury would have clearance to access that information.
On the other end of the line, Nick Fury was silent for a moment before replying, "Hill, I'll tell you about that later. Right now, focus on finding Ivan Vanko. I'm almost at Tony's place, and so far, there's no trouble on the road."
Hill breathed a sigh of relief and hung up the phone. She glanced at the various large screens in front of her and picked up her tablet, using her higher-level access to control several cameras.
In District 13, Ivan Vanko, having evaded the agents tailing him, smiled as he looked up.
Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he spotted a white figure swinging through New York's steel jungle, moving like a monkey through the trees.
He muttered something in an unintelligible language, clearly puzzled by the white figure. But his confusion didn't last long. Lowering his hat, Ivan Vanko continued walking in the direction he had planned.
In the sky, Gwen also felt that someone was watching her. She glanced down but saw nothing unusual, just a few scattered pedestrians on the street.
"Pika... chu..."
"Don't worry, Pikachu. We're almost there. Alan's already made something for us."
"Pika... chu..."
Pikachu excitedly waved its tiny paws in Gwen's arms. Soon, they landed on Alan's balcony.
As soon as they arrived, Gwen called out, "Alan, what are you cooking? It smells amazing!"
"Pika... pika..." Pikachu jumped down and ran toward Alan.
Alan emerged from the kitchen, holding two small pots. "You're back, Pikachu."
"Pika... chu..." Pikachu rubbed its head affectionately against Alan.
"I made your snacks—they're on the table."
Seeing Pikachu's greedy expression, Alan pointed toward the dining table. Pikachu immediately hopped up and grabbed its snacks with both paws.
Gwen took off her mask and walked in. When she saw what Alan had in the pots, she exclaimed, "Alan, you can cook steak?"
"I tried making it once. Come on, give it a taste."
Gwen quickly sat down and cut off a small piece. "This is delicious! Even better than the steak downstairs!"
Alan smiled. "You're late today. Did something happen on your way here?"
"Yeah, you're right. Since Kingpin's death, crime in New York has spiked, both large and small. On my way over this morning, I ran into four or five robberies, one of which involved blowing up an ATM."
"Be careful out there."
Alan stared at Gwen for a moment, causing her face to flush. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"You mentioned bombs, and it reminded me that your suit doesn't have great defense. Next time we upgrade it, we should improve its durability."
Gwen responded with a disappointed "Oh," though she wasn't sure why she felt let down.
Somehow, she just wasn't satisfied with Alan's answer.
Alan, however, hadn't noticed Gwen's slight change in mood. His mind had wandered to Spider-Man's arch-enemy, the Green Goblin—one of his primary weapons was the pumpkin bomb. That's what Gwen's mention of explosives had reminded him of.
So, the defense of the Spider-suit definitely needs to be enhanced.
"Red Queen, note down the upgrade points."
"Understood, Master."
"Come on, Pikachu, try the steak."
Gwen picked up a piece of steak and handed it to Pikachu. Pikachu happily grabbed it and started eating.
Watching the two little creatures enjoying themselves, Alan smiled softly. "Looks like you two got along well last night."
As soon as Alan mentioned the previous night, Pikachu's expression immediately shifted to one of complaint. It gestured wildly and called out, "Pika...!"
"Pika...chu!"
"Pika...!"
After hearing Pikachu's vivid description, Alan burst into laughter. "Uncle George pinched you, huh?"
"Haha... next time he does it, you can zap him gently, but secretly."
Gwen quickly smacked Alan on the shoulder. "Don't teach Pikachu bad habits! What if it accidentally shocks someone?"
"No worries, Pikachu knows its limits. Right, Pikachu?"
"Pika... Chu..." Pikachu nodded while munching away.
Good food is always eaten quickly. Gwen soon polished off all the steak. As she stared at the now empty pot, she looked over at Alan and asked the inevitable question that every girl asks: "Alan, do you think I've gotten fat?"
Alan glanced at her, then his gaze unintentionally lingered on her chest, and he blurted out, "It seems like you've... gotten bigger."
Noticing where Alan was looking, Gwen's face flushed. "Alan, you...!"
"You...!"
Alan realized his slip of the tongue and regretted it immediately. He was just about to apologize when Gwen leaned in and whispered, "You're so naughty..."
Alan froze, unsure if he should apologize or just stay quiet. As he tried to say something else, Gwen stood up first. "You usually do the dishes. Today, I'll do them."
Alan watched Gwen head to the kitchen with a spring in her step, feeling as if she was somehow... happy.
Since the dishes were taken care of, Alan took Pikachu to the living room for tea. While sipping his tea, he glanced at Gwen's silhouette as she washed the dishes in the kitchen. The corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
This kind of simple life... it's really nice...
Just then, Red Queen's virtual avatar popped up on the computer screen.
Alan raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Who could be causing trouble at a time like this? And at Stark Industries, of all places?
"Red Queen, bring up the live feed."
The screen immediately switched to the entrance of Stark Industries.
On the screen, a man with a bare upper body was wearing a device that looked like a vest. From his arms extended two long whips, glowing with a blue light and crackling with electricity. The ground where he passed was left with scorched marks, showing how hot the whips were.
Alan instantly recognized the man.
"It's him!"
....
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