A/n: I just got a new cover for the novel, and I am happy with it. So I'm posting one chapter early today. Enjoy, guys.
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Tony sat in his workshop, holographic screens flashing with images of Ivan Vanko's history. The files didn't reveal much, which only frustrated him. Alex leaned against the workbench with his arms crossed.
"So, what are you planning to do with all this?" Alex asked, eyeing the screens.
Tony smirked. "There's something interesting here. Now I know another person who could build an arc reactor. They're popping up everywhere nowadays."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess—we're going to talk to him?"
Tony joked, "Nothing beats hearing it straight from the source."
---
The pair flew to France. Outside the prison gates, a SHIELD agent waited for them. "Mr. Stark, Mr. Kane," the agent greeted, leading them toward a secure facility where Vanko's confiscated exoskeleton and arc reactor sat under glass.
Tony had already demanded the reactor back from Fury before the trip. But he suspected SHIELD had already analyzed it. Fury's lack of resistance confirmed his suspicion.
Tony picked up the reactor, turning it over in his hands. "Pretty decent, actually; the cycles per second is a little low."
After a brief exchange with the guards, they were escorted down a dim corridor, the heavy scent of metal filling the air, until they reached the cell where Vanko was being held.
As they approached Vanko's cell, Tony slowed his pace, giving Alex a brief look before stepping forward. "You could have sold the arc reactor to North Korea, to Iran, to the black market, to anyone. You could've been rich," Tony said, his voice laced with curiosity. "Why attack me directly?"
Vanko's lips curled into a crooked grin, and he spoke in his thick Russian accent. "You are god to your people. They respect you. Fear you. I wanted to show them you bleed. One drop… and the sharks will come for you."
Alex cut in. "Your plan won't work."
Vanko's gaze slid to Alex. "You… god who hides. But not Tony Stark. A man with power… no need for blood. The fear itself makes predators crazy."
Alex said nothing, but the broken English of the Russian man etched deep into his mind.
'Yes, I'm not Stark.'
The Starks carried a legacy intertwined with power and influence through generations, while he had been just an ordinary citizen, maybe a businessman, one already marked by S.H.I.E.L.D.
Tony, still curious, asked, "Where did you get this tech?"
"My father, Anton Vanko," Ivan replied without hesitation.
Tony tilted his head, confusion flickering across his face. After a pause, he said, "Enjoy the rest of your life behind bars," before turning away.
Outside, Tony glanced at Alex, noticing his far-off expression. "He called you a 'hidden god.' Should I bow?" he teased, trying to break the tension. But Alex seemed lost in thought.
Tony lightly smacked Alex's back. "You look like you're doing math in your head."
Alex nodded toward the reactor in Tony's hand. "Every invention is a double-edged sword. One side illuminates the future; the other side vaporizes us. It all depends on the sword wielder."
Tony touched the reactor in his chest. "Let's just deal with the present."
---
Back in New York, Alex summoned his core team to the war room. He sat at the helm, eyes closed. When he opened them, everyone was watching, with Elias still standing.
Elias stood anxiously. "Sir, the attack was my—"
"Sit down, Elias," Alex said calmly. "This isn't about attack."
Alex's gaze swept over the team, finally settling on his uncle Richard. "Today, Tony and I visited Ivan Vanko, the one that attacked us. Something he said stuck with me—No, it was always in my mind." He paused. "Uncle, what are we?"
"A private military Company," Richard replied.
"And our purpose?"
"Protecting clients. Taking missions from governments for both security and profit."
Alex stood, moving to the large window overlooking the training grounds. Below, soldiers ran drills and sparred. Among them, Phoenix operatives blended seamlessly.
"A private military with an army of superhumans, led by a superhuman even stronger," Alex said. "If you were others, what would you think?"
"...Dangerous." It was Elias who answered. Henderson snapped his head to look at him. Others also turned their heads. Elias shrank down and looked for Alex's reaction.
Alex turned toward him with a light smile. "Exactly. 'Dangerous.' And soon, the government might also brand us that way. The fear of others will drive us to extinction."
Richard studied him for a moment. "I'm guessing you have a solution."
Alex smiled faintly. "Of course... It was in Washington I realized the truth." Alex sat back down in his seat. "Heroes. They were always worshiped by the masses so that the king himself had to respect them. So the masses will not turn against them. And our society is driven by the masses. I am planning to immortalize us. To make us heroes. But we need to go through a major reformation. A complete overhaul."
Richard's eyes widened, and he laughed. "Hahaha. you know, if your father were here, he would have been so proud. All he ever wanted was the pinnacle of our group. What's greater than this moment right here? Alex, do whatever you have to do. You have our complete trust and support."
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At SHIELD Headquarters, the stillness of early morning cracked as the phone on Fury's desk rang sharply. He snatched it up, his tone already edged. "This better be for a damn good reason."
"Sir, I just received news from the Arctic. It wasn't just the ship, sir..."
Fury's fingers tightened around the receiver. "Tell me clearly, agent," he said, irritation laced with a note of unease.
"Sir... they found him."
For a moment, the air itself seemed to pause. Fury's one eye fixed forward, the weight of the words hitting like a steel weight. "Make preparations to bring him to New York. The soldier is home... after almost seventy years."
Before that shock could settle, another call cut in. It was Coulson from New Mexico. "Sir, We found it. Send men to secure the scene."
---
Meanwhile, in Willowdale, Virginia, soldiers closed in on a green giant. Thaddeus Ross barked orders, Stark Industries' sonic cannons firing. The assault only fed the Hulk's fury; in a blur of destruction, the weapons lay in ruins, and he vaulted away into the distance.
The world was shifting—and it wasn't waiting for anyone.
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