On a New York street in the early morning, a low mechanical roar echoed outside Frank's hot dog stand. People looked up in surprise, only to see a red and gold figure descend from the sky, slowly landing in front of the shop door, the metal armor gleaming in the sunlight. Tony Stark, piloting his Mark armor, strode in with his usual flamboyant air. His heavy footsteps seemed a bit out of place in the small hot dog stand, yet they were attention-grabbing.
As soon as Tony entered the shop, he acted as if he owned the place, completely ignoring the surprised stares of the other customers. He took off his helmet, revealing a slightly tired but still handsome face, and casually called out to the counter, "Boss, one extra-large hot dog, and a bottle of ice-cold cola." After speaking, he gestured with his hand, his posture as lazy as if he were ordering a signature dish at a high-end restaurant.
He turned around and saw Nick Fury in the corner, wearing his never-changing black trench coat, sitting there gloomily. Nick's expression was still unreadable, but his single eye stared at Tony, making him feel a bit unnerved, like he was looking at a hopeless student.
Tony forced a provocative smile, walked over, and casually pulled out a chair to sit down. "Hey, Nick, calling me out this early, you're not trying to high-five over breakfast, are you? Though, I have to say, you picked a good spot, nice atmosphere." As he spoke, he crossed his arms over his chest, looking around as if completely unconcerned.
Nick's face was indifferent, but his eyes held a hint of frustration, like 'hate iron for not becoming steel'. "Tony, I've been getting a lot of reports lately that you've been throwing too many parties. Do you know what that means? Night after night of revelry, women, alcohol, it's like you're going on a 'farewell tour'."
Hearing this, Tony's eyes immediately became impatient. His hot dog combo had just arrived, and he couldn't be bothered to waste more words on Nick. He picked up the hot dog and took a big bite, chewing with his mouth full of grease, and followed it up with a gulp of cola. After swallowing, he looked at Nick, his tone clearly mocking. "You're absolutely right, Nick, I'm practically dying. Shouldn't I enjoy the last moments of my life? If you had my toxin data, you'd want to party every day too."
Nick frowned slightly. He had originally planned to tell Tony about the new element, but seeing Tony's resistant attitude, he decided not to reveal it yet. It would take patience to wear down Tony's defenses. He said slowly, "I don't care how you spend your money, Tony. But do you know? I have a way that can temporarily suppress the toxin in your body, at least so you don't have to 'say goodbye' so soon."
Hearing this, the hot dog Tony had just lifted paused in his hand. He glanced at Nick, a playful smile on his lips. "Oh, so you all knew. Then why act so mysterious and insist on talking in a hot dog stand?" He laughed mockingly, his eyes full of provocation. "I always thought you 'big shots at S.H.I.E.L.D.' were all-powerful and could solve any problem. And what happened? You want me to survive on a temporary solution?"
Nick's face remained impassive, but he knew that Tony had more 'thorns' than the average person. He stared at Tony's face, as if trying to see through all his pretense. "Indeed, Tony Stark, billionaire, genius inventor, philanthropist, Iron Man, the man of the hour at congressional hearings, the dream lover of teenage girls across America... is about to die. That does sound ironic. What's even more ridiculous is that you plan to hide your fear with parties and alcohol like a child."
Tony was silent for a moment, then laughed, the laughter tinged with helplessness. "You really do know me, Nick. But honestly, I really don't plan on dying that soon. There are still a lot of things I haven't done, like distributing my company's shares, buying myself a few more supercars, and..." He paused, his eyes becoming a little dim. "...and making sure Stark Industries isn't messed up by those jerks after I'm gone."
Nick understood Tony's mood and knew he had to take some practical action to make Tony realize the seriousness of the problem. "So, Tony, you need to handle this properly. Stop wasting time. I'll send my solution to your terminal in a bit. Then we can talk about how to end this 'terminal illness crisis'."
Tony picked up the hot dog and took another big bite, his mouth full of the taste of bread and meat juice. "Alright, alright, I'll listen to you, Nick. Anyway, it's not even noon yet, let's not talk about these things that annoy me." He took another gulp of cola, staring at Nick with a half-smile. "But don't expect me to suddenly become a good, obedient student."
Nick pursed his lips and replied faintly, "I never expected you to be obedient, I just hope you stay alive."
After hearing Nick's words, Tony's lips curved into a slightly provocative smile. He shook his head and let out a cold snort. "So, that's your plan? Drag me into your 'Superhero Firefighting Squad'? Are you going to give me a badge or something, make me an honorable member?" He deliberately emphasized the last few words, his tone full of mockery.
Nick's eyes darkened slightly, but quickly returned to calm. He corrected him, "Avengers, Tony. It's not some 'squad' like you said, it's a serious plan."
Tony raised an eyebrow, and the smile on his lips became more pronounced, carrying his usual sarcastic undertones. "Oh, right, right, 'Avengers', that sounds really exciting. Feels like some old-school action movie on a midnight channel, a bunch of guys in colorful tights getting together, yelling 'Avengers Assemble!' at the bad guys, and then fireworks and explosions start."
He took a sip of ice-cold cola, put the cup down casually, and deliberately put on an interested expression. "Seriously, Nick, who came up with that name? You? Or did your Agents think of it together after getting drunk? I'm telling you, if you really want to recruit people into the alliance, why not call it the 'Super Friends Club'? At least that sounds a bit more friendly."
Nick ignored Tony's mockery, just looked at him calmly, a subtle hint of determination flashing in his eyes. "It's not just about the name, Tony. This alliance is to face threats we've never seen before. Earth isn't short of threats, but it is short of people willing to face them. I know you're not interested in these things, but you can't be a bystander forever."
After listening, a complex look flashed in Tony's eyes, but he immediately returned to his flippant expression and shrugged. "Hmm, still sounds like a place where some aged superheroes gather, you know, talking about their retirement, occasionally saving the World again." A cynical smile appeared on his face. "But I'm not some retired old fossil, nor am I a volunteer firefighter. So... you'll have to come up with something more convincing."
Nick watched Tony quietly, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Tony, I'm not trying to convince you. I'm just telling you, no matter how much you avoid it, you'll eventually understand that Earth needs you—the Avengers need you."
Tony was silent for a moment, looked down at the cola he had almost finished, and said slowly, "Earth needs me? Nick, honestly, have you ever considered that Earth might be better off without me?" He looked up, his smile faintly revealing a hint of helplessness. "Avengers... sounds like a club. But I'm just not the type of guy who would obediently join one."
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(End of Chapter)