A/N:- Happy New Year
Hearing Jason's words, which were hard to tell if self-deprecating or bragging, Obadiah smiled wryly. "Yeah, compared to you, what I've done is practically child's play."
"Because of what happened before, Tony completely distrusts me and even kicked me out of the company. To take back control, my only option was to kill Tony."
"So, I paid off a military insider and some terrorists, planning to ambush and kill him in Afghanistan, but I never expected..."
Jason smiled. He had finally managed to straighten out the chaotic timeline.
"But you didn't expect that Tony had already developed the Iron Man suit by then."
"Not only did you fail to kill him, but he got his hands on evidence of your dealings. He used that as leverage to force you to transfer your Stark Industries shares, kicking you out of the company for good."
Obadiah nodded, then added, "He forced me to transfer the shares at an extremely low price. It was no different from robbery..."
Jason snorted coldly. "Well, he only robbed you, and it was a legal robbery. You, on the other hand, went for murder. What Tony did was more than fair, all things considered."
Obadiah opened his mouth, not knowing how to argue.
Jason waved his hand dismissively. "Relax. Bastard or bad guy, I don't give a shit. I only care about benefits. You asked to meet me, so what do you want? To kill Tony?"
Obadiah nodded, his expression turning vicious. "Yes. I'm willing to pay one billion dollars for Tony's head!"
Jason nodded. "A billion! That's not bad. And then what?"
Obadiah continued, "I've been at Stark Industries for decades. I built this company from scratch. My control over it goes far beyond what Tony imagines. As soon as Tony is dead, I have ways to take back the company."
He spoke frankly, not afraid Jason would expose his hand. After all, who would believe what a criminal says?
Jason took a sip of wine and asked, "And then what?"
Obadiah was completely baffled. And then... he'd just get back to business and make money, step by step.
Jason said, "Tony's not a fool. I'm willing to bet he made backup copies of that data that threatens your life and your fortune, and he's given them to different people. As soon as anything happens to him, you'll be..."
Hearing this, Obadiah calmed down and grew silent.
Jason continued, "Let's see... Pepper definitely has a copy. Tony's friend, Rhodey, probably has one too... Just dealing with those two won't be easy for you, right?"
"Let's take a step back. Even if you manage to kill everyone in the know, will your future suddenly be all bright and rosy?"
"Stark Industries has Tony's name carved into it. Howard and Tony are the soul of this company. Before, you ran the company so badly you almost had your DoD contracts cancelled."
"But as soon as Tony took over, he immediately rolled out that game-changer, the Iron Man suit, and secured massive orders. The company's stock price shot up like a rocket. You might not like it, but you have to admit, a Stark Industries without Tony will only go into decline."
"And don't just bring up the Iron Man suit. That shit needs to be iterated. Without Tony's tech support, the first-generation suit will be obsolete in three to five years, max. Not to mention other arms companies are already trying to develop their own suits."
Obadiah was no idiot. He could hear the hidden meaning in Jason's words.
"So, what's your point in telling me all this? That I should run off to some island in the Pacific and enjoy my retirement?"
Jason shook his head, smiling. "You're in your prime. Not at retirement age yet."
He sat up straight, leaned in closer, and whispered, "My meaning is... you can join the Joker Organization."
Hearing this, Obadiah's eyes filled with astonishment, and his expression froze.
Jason said, "Don't be so quick to refuse. Hear my analysis."
"From our conversation, I'm sure you understand that if I kill Tony, your only outcome... is to watch Stark Industries slowly crumble."
"Given that premise, you don't have many paths left. That's why I'm suggesting you join the Joker Organization."
"The fact that I'm sitting here chatting cheerfully with you should tell you the media reports are bullshit. Tony and I didn't settle things last night. Strictly speaking, I even had a slight edge."
"As soon as I show my face in public, all these rumors will collapse on their own, and the Joker Community will continue to flourish."
"And I believe you've already researched the potential of the Joker Community and the Joker Organization. To put it bluntly, just give me ten years to develop, and the Joker Organization will rule the world."
"And as an important member of the organization, you'll have half a lifetime to enjoy the beauty of power and wealth. You might even get to see Tony kneeling at your feet."
"So now, I've given you two options. First: join the Joker Organization and gamble ten years for a lifetime. Second: go to jail, or go down with Stark Industries."
"And let's be clear. If you choose the second option, that billion dollars only buys you one attempt from me. No guaranteed success rate. You're a real calculating bastard, aren't you? Tony's head is worth more than just one billion."
After speaking, Jason raised his wine glass, took a small sip, and waited for Obadiah to make his decision.
After hearing Jason's words, Obadiah frowned in distress, his mind racing as he analyzed the risks and rewards of joining the Joker Organization.
Jason didn't rush him. He just leisurely finished the filet mignon on the table, sipping his wine.
By the time Jason finished his late-night meal, Obadiah had been agonizing for a full hour, but still hadn't made up his mind.
Jason rubbed his stomach and asked, "An hour's passed. Still haven't decided?"
Obadiah heaved a heavy sigh and asked, "If... if I join the Joker Organization, what's your next move?"
Heh, his resolve is already wavering.
Jason pressed his advantage. "Make you retire? Of course not, that'd be a waste of your talents. After you join the Joker Organization, you'll need to transfer all your funds to New York. I'll provide you with land to build a weapons factory."
"Produce what?"
"Iron Man suits!"
Instantly, a flash of inspiration hit Obadiah. He understood Jason's plan.
Kill Tony, steal the suit, build a factory, and then...
Obadiah thought for a moment, nodding in appreciation. He deeply approved of the development path Jason had laid out.
He stood up, his face flushed with excitement. "I'm in!"
Jason smiled and nodded. "Welcome."
Obadiah immediately asked, "So... sir... what's my next step?"
Jason scratched his head. "The next step, naturally, is to snatch the Iron Man suit from Tony. I have a plan. I'm going to lure him to the Hollywood Hills and then defeat him on a global live broadcast."
Hearing this, Obadiah immediately grew excited. "So you need... you need bait?"
Jason smiled and nodded. He hadn't known how he was going to get Tony to take the bait.
"Pepper. Pepper Potts."
"You think he'd risk death and walk into a trap for her?"
Obadiah told Jason the story of how Tony had been holed up at home for half a year, and how he and Pepper had slowly fallen in love.
After listening, Jason was amused. "So, you're telling me I'm practically their matchmaker. You've been paying a lot of attention to Pepper... must have had some dirty ideas about her yourself, huh?"
Obadiah said, "After I was kicked out of the company, I thought about kidnapping Pepper to get back at Tony. But Tony protects her too well. Every time she goes out, she has ten or more heavily armed bodyguards."
Double-digit bodyguards were just dead men to Jason. He thought for a moment and made the decision.
"Good. Tomorrow afternoon, the organization's core members will arrive in Los Angeles."
"The mission... is set for the day after tomorrow!"
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You can read advance chapters and view R-18 images of the characters on pat reon page.
pat reon.com/GreenBlue17
500 power stones.
Top 50. All time.