At this moment, seeing Reed Richards remain silent, Doom's eyes flickered with anger, and the flames of jealousy burned fiercely within him. He couldn't fathom what Reed had done to catch Tony Stark's attention, to the point where Stark wanted Reed to join the Avengers. Doom, on the other hand, saw himself as no less intelligent than Reed, so why should he be left behind at Stark Industries for evaluation?
Moreover, Doom's earlier statements weren't just empty talk. Given his academic achievements, or even just Ben Grimm's credentials, applying for a job at Stark Industries wouldn't have been a problem. Stark Industries might be the world's top company, but it was also vast, with a huge demand for talent, recruiting many graduates from elite institutions every year.
If Tony Stark had asked both him and Reed to join the Avengers together, Doom might have tolerated it, even after Stark had scolded him earlier. But being left for evaluation at Stark Industries while Reed skyrocketed into the Avengers was something Doom could never accept.
What irked Doom the most was Reed's earlier comment that Doom's intelligence wasn't much less than his own. This struck a nerve; Doom would never admit he was inferior to Reed!
"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Tony Stark's lips curled into a slight smirk as he watched the three of them, not speaking immediately but making a noncommittal sound, clearly enjoying the drama unfolding before him.
For Tony Stark, this period had been incredibly hectic, with barely any time to rest since the formation of the Avengers. This was even after relinquishing control of Stark Industries—otherwise, he'd be even busier. So, this little drama before him was just a bit of amusement to relax. Tony also felt that anyone with common sense should know what choice to make when offered the chance to join the Avengers.
"Doom, what are you doing? Mr. Stark is offering us a chance to be evaluated at Stark Industries. Isn't a promising future more important than this investment project?" Ben Grimm, sensing Doom's intense gaze on Reed, stepped in front of Reed and challenged Doom with a serious expression.
"Yes, we're starting our own venture, but what's the difference between starting a company and working for one? Don't both involve seeking approval from others? Now that we have a better platform and a greater opportunity, are you really asking Reed to give that up?"
"Who's the one seeking approval and investment? Who's the one running around every day trying to secure resources and connections? Every time, it's been me who has to swallow my pride and put on a smile," Doom shot back, not even glancing at Ben, but instead fixing his cold gaze on Reed. "I know, with your brain, you might think this investment project wasn't that big of a deal. But if we give up now, how are we any different from cowards? Are you really going to abandon all our hard work halfway? Fine! Go ahead, be a coward, be a deserter! After all, that's your nature. Even with that big brain of yours, you lack the courage and perseverance to follow through!"
"I'm not a coward! I'm not a deserter!" Reed, stung by Doom's taunt, pushed Ben aside in frustration. Yet, facing Doom, he didn't know how to refute him. After a moment's thought, Reed realized that abandoning the space project to join the Avengers did indeed make him seem like a coward or deserter. Even though Reed felt Doom's words were overly harsh, the thought of leaving Ben and Doom behind at Stark Industries while he joined the Avengers didn't sit well with him. They were, after all, classmates and long-time partners...
"You're not a coward, not a deserter, so we should keep looking for investors for our space project! Just because Stark Industries isn't interested doesn't mean we can't find other backers!" Doom pressed on, seeing Reed's hesitation, and capitalized on it.
"You're right; we should see things through..." Reed murmured, nodding unconsciously.
Doom clearly understood Reed's personality and psyche, and from the moment he started speaking, he had been subtly manipulating Reed. Doom absolutely couldn't stand the thought of Reed joining the Avengers and widening the gap between them even further!
"Reed, don't listen to him!" Ben Grimm, alarmed by Reed's words, quickly intervened. Unlike Doom, who saw Reed as a valuable asset to be exploited, Ben was Reed's true friend, perhaps his only true friend. Ben genuinely wanted what was best for Reed, and he knew that if Reed gave up the opportunity to join the Avengers, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
Ben wasn't afraid of Reed achieving great things—he feared the opposite. That's why Ben tried to dissuade Reed from making what he believed was a terrible decision.
"So, Ben, are you planning to be a deserter too? Have you forgotten how hard it was for you to grasp Reed's plans? How many nights did you stay up just to keep up? Are you really willing to let all that effort go to waste?" Doom interrupted Ben again, his tone laced with scorn.
Doom knew Ben wasn't as easily manipulated as Reed, but his words weren't aimed at Ben—they were meant for Reed. He wanted Reed to understand just how much effort Ben had put into the space project, even if it was relatively easy for Reed, it had cost Ben countless hours of work.
"You!" Ben's anger flared, but before he could say anything, Reed placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Doom is right. I can't abandon our original plan just for my own future. It wouldn't be fair to the work you've put in," Reed said, looking earnestly at Ben.
"What work! That effort was nothing!" Ben retorted, exasperated. He realized Reed was completely under Doom's influence now. This was Doom's strength—the same persuasive power that had allowed him to gather so many followers in college and convince Reed and Ben to start a company with him after graduation. Ben was still somewhat rational, but Reed was entirely swayed by this approach.
"Are you really going to give up joining the Avengers for your space project?" Just as Ben was about to argue further, Tony Stark, who had been silently watching the drama unfold, finally spoke up with a sly smile on his face, directing the question at Reed.
"Yes, I think it's important to see things through to the end. Even if I want to join the Avengers, I should first complete the space project and honor the work we've done," Reed stammered, trying to justify his decision as he noticed Tony Stark's smile.
"And what if I told you that this is your only chance? Once it's gone, it's gone forever. Would you still stick with your space project?" Tony Stark's smile took on a more sinister edge, like a devil tempting a soul.
Doom tensed at Tony's words, wanting to speak up, but when Tony's gaze swept over him, he felt a wave of pressure and kept silent.
"Say yes!" Ben whispered urgently to Reed, completely oblivious to the intensity of Tony's gaze. To Ben, if Reed could join the Avengers, nothing else mattered. If they lost the opportunity, it would be devastating.
But Reed didn't immediately respond to Ben's prompting. He fell into deep thought, weighing his options. In Reed's mind, Tony Stark, despite his temper, wasn't a bad person. After all, someone like him wouldn't have become Iron Man, a superhero, if he were truly malevolent.
Maybe Tony's question was a test of character. Perhaps if Reed chose to continue with the space project, Tony would still give him an opportunity later...
And even if he never joined the Avengers, Reed could always rely on his space project to make his first fortune and figure out his next steps from there.
Certainly, joining the Avengers would open new doors for him, but after hearing Tony's words and observing the details of the Iron Man suit, Reed felt he had found a new research direction on his own...
"I think I should finish the space project first," Reed finally said, taking a deep breath and looking Tony Stark in the eye with determination.
Doom breathed a sigh of relief at Reed's decision, while Ben looked at Reed in shock, then quickly turned his gaze to Tony Stark.
"Alright, then. Show them out," Tony Stark said nonchalantly, waving his hand.
Immediately, a staff member entered with a smile, gesturing for Reed, Doom, and Ben to follow. Ben wanted to argue on Reed's behalf, but the moment he looked at Tony Stark, he felt an overwhelming pressure that left him speechless.
If even Reed, the best talker among the three, couldn't speak up under Tony's gaze, how could Ben?
"You shouldn't have turned him down. Damn, Stark really is something—he gives off such pressure. I never realized how intense he was when I watched him on TV. I always thought he was just a playboy, even doubted if he was really Iron Man. But seeing him today...he's the real deal," Ben sighed as they left Stark Tower, shooting Doom a resentful glance but holding back from saying more.
If Reed had a brighter future ahead of him, it wouldn't have mattered if they had broken ties with Doom. But if they were sticking with the space project, they still needed Doom to secure more investment.
So, despite his resentment, Ben chose to stay silent, wondering if they should part ways with Doom after the project was done.
But if they did, could he and Reed really make a name for themselves? With Reed's introverted nature and Ben's inability to keep up with Reed's intellect, they might struggle to achieve anything, let alone make any money...
"I had a lead
before we came to Stark Industries. Even though this trip set us back, I'll reach out again—we should still have a chance," Doom said calmly.
"Really? That's great! Thank you," Reed replied, his spirits lifting as he smiled at Doom.
"I'm just glad you don't blame me. This project is our baby, after all. How could I bear to see it die before it's even born?" Doom shook his head slightly, his tone sincere as he spoke to Reed.
"Yes, I hadn't thought it through before. We should definitely finish what we started," Reed nodded in agreement.
"Alright, I'll get back to work. You two head back and see if there's anything else that needs improvement," Doom said with a nod before turning to hail a taxi. Before getting in, he waved cheerfully at Reed and Ben, shouting, "See you later!"
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