Since Tony wasn't in the room, Pepper immediately turned around to find him so he could sign some documents.
That left Rook Tanner alone in the office.
Without hesitation, he propped his feet up on the desk, leaned the chair back, and lounged like he owned the place.
He might have looked idle, but his mind was already spinning with calculations.
For example, thanks to his enhanced hearing, he could pick up the tiniest sounds across the entire building. Even in the most soundproofed rooms, the soft fall of a single needle wouldn't escape his notice.
Right now, he was eavesdropping on a conversation between Tony and someone from the board. Obadiah Stane.
Obadiah Stane.
Not just one of the oldest relics at Stark Industries, but also its Chief Executive Officer. He had co-founded the company alongside Howard Stark, Tony's father.
So his position was lofty, and his seniority unmatched. After Howard's death, Obadiah had even taken on the role of Tony's mentor for a time.
But Rook knew his true colors.
Obadiah wasn't just a business executive. He was also the man who would one day become Iron Monger. Of course, at this point in time, that armor didn't exist yet. After all, Tony hadn't even built the first Mark I suit.
The Iron Monger suit was developed based on the tech behind the Mark I.
Without the Mark I, neither Iron Man nor Iron Monger had any foundation to stand on.
Still, that didn't stop Rook from formulating a plan.
He knew for a fact that the ambush Tony experienced not long ago had been orchestrated by none other than Obadiah.
Yes, those terrorists were Obadiah's people. They were business partners in the shadows. Obadiah sold them weapons, and in return, they were supposed to get rid of Tony.
But as Tony continued to grow and show his genius, Obadiah realized he could no longer control either the man or the company.
Yet he refused to let go.
Obadiah believed Stark Industries was his to inherit. He saw himself as the true builder of the empire and resented the idea of being sidelined.
What he failed to recognize, however, was that the company had always been carried by Howard Stark's brilliance. First with Howard's tech, and now with Tony's.
Obadiah was nothing more than an investor. A man good at making money, but never the brains behind the brand. The core of the company had always been Stark.
He couldn't see that. He thought that by seizing control, everything would go smoothly.
"Maybe I should give him a little push," Rook muttered, narrowing his eyes, already forming a plan.
Iron Man needed a new origin story anyway. A proper trigger for growth. And from any angle, Obadiah was the perfect candidate to play the villain.
"Well, I'm his bodyguard now. Gotta earn my paycheck by helping him avoid disaster, right?" Rook mumbled without much sincerity.
The only real challenge now was figuring out how to get close to Obadiah.
Right on cue, Tony pushed open the door and stepped back into the room. Seeing Rook with his legs up on the desk, Tony crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe.
"You do remember you're my bodyguard, right?"
He'd never met a bodyguard who acted like this.
Rook dropped his legs without a hint of shame. "Can we eat now?"
Tony rolled his eyes and tilted his head toward the door. "Whatever you say, boss. Let's go."
Rook got up and followed Tony out.
On the way down, inside Tony's private elevator, they unexpectedly ran into an older bald man.
"Hey Tony, is this the guy who saved your life?" the man said cheerfully, throwing an arm around Tony's shoulder while glancing at Rook with mild curiosity.
Rook met his gaze and chuckled.
Obadiah.
So here he was. Smiling, friendly, warm on the surface. Who would've guessed this was the same man plotting to kill the son of his old friend?
Tony, of course, had no idea what Obadiah was really like. He even started introducing Rook.
Rook kept his eyes fixed on the man, wondering what was going through his mind.
Unfortunately, no matter how many powers he had, Rook still didn't possess telepathy. At least, not yet.
Obadiah noticed the intense stare and raised an eyebrow. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Rook quickly snapped out of it. He smiled, acting innocent. "Nothing. Just feel like we've got a connection. We should talk sometime."
Tony was stunned. He'd pegged Rook as the dangerous type, the kind you should probably keep a sign around for that read "Caution: Alien Inside."
Why was he suddenly acting so... sociable?
That's because Tony didn't truly understand Rook.
Anyone who did would know this meant Rook was planning something.
Of course, he wasn't about to make a move now. Not while Tony was around.
If he wanted to take Obadiah down, he had to be careful. Best to keep them both close until the right time came.
They chatted as they descended, and before long, they reached the ground floor.
Tony and Rook exchanged goodbyes with Obadiah, then turned to leave.
"Tony, wait up!" came a voice behind them.
It was Happy, running over.
Rook instinctively raised a hand.
Happy skidded to a stop just in time. Looked like he was still traumatized from their last encounter.
"Wanna try me again?" Rook asked, grinning this time.
Happy shook his head furiously. His round cheeks jiggled as he backed away. "I acknowledge your skills, alright? But I'm not giving up my driver's seat. I'm still the one driving."
Tony couldn't help laughing. So Happy had come all this way just to fight over who got to drive?
What was with all the bravado earlier then?
Rook just shrugged. He didn't have a license anyway.
If only this were a Kryptonian spacecraft or an alien shuttle. His knowledge of those was way too advanced. It would take Earth decades to catch up.
Sometimes being from a higher dimension wasn't all that useful. When it came to low-level things like this, he couldn't even relate. Like a human trying to understand ant-speak.
Sure, he could fly ships and pilot space vehicles with ease, but a regular Earth car? Nope. Not even in his past life had he bothered to get a license.
So for now, they were stuck with Happy driving.