Henry's voice echoed through the dead-silent hearing hall.
Each word hit like a heavy bomb, instantly detonating across the world through the cameras.
Hydra.
The Winter Soldier.
The murder of Howard Stark.
One by one, these shocking secrets, buried in the shadows of history, were now laid bare before everyone.
The hall fell into silence.
The senators who had been shouting moments ago now looked like ducks with their necks choked, mouths agape, faces pale—unable to utter a single word. Reporters forgot to press their shutters, staring blankly through their cameras. Even Nick Fury, sitting in the back, usually calm as a still pond, was stunned once again.
"Ahem."
A soft cough broke the silence.
Tony, who had seemed like an outsider from the very beginning, finally shook off his initial shock.
Having been standing closest to Henry during the chaos, he had witnessed his "countryman" brother's actions firsthand. He drew a deep breath and thought: What can I do? All I can say is… well done!
"I have to say, your entrance was… imaginative," Tony said, pursing his lips.
He glanced at Henry and deliberately teased him.
"But before you deliver your personal global declaration of war, shouldn't you at least greet your still-living older brother? And maybe explain where you got that… very expensive-looking suit?"
As expected, he recognized the armor. It was the one he and Banner had painstakingly developed using vibranium and nanotech. Tony had created the prototype, but he hadn't expected this bastard to debut it like this as a new toy.
"Counterfeit?"
Henry raised an eyebrow, glanced down at his perfectly fitted armor, and shot back without hesitation:
"Oh, come on, Tony. You call this a knockoff? I call it optimized and upgraded. I just made a few minor tweaks to your impractical designs."
"And by the way," he paused, giving Tony a look of mild disdain.
"While you were being spun around by these suited monkeys like a headless fly, I took a quick trip home and grabbed this 'half-finished product' from your lab. You should thank me—I just saved you a ton of money on unnecessary testing."
"Half-finished?! You call this revolutionary masterpiece half-finished?!" Tony felt his genius pride severely insulted. "And you call that borrowing?! That's stealing, you damn bastard!"
"Alright, alright," Henry waved his hand, cutting off Tony's impending rant.
"Can we focus on something important? Like… how we're going to get out of this highly secured, camera-filled cage?" Henry added, teasingly.
Tony paused, then realized what Henry meant. He glanced at the guards and agents now regaining their composure, eyes locked on them, and smirked.
"Get out? Why would we need to leave?" He shrugged casually. "I, Tony Stark, go wherever I want. Do I even need to move?"
He snapped his fingers.
In the next second, the seemingly ordinary silver bracelet on his wrist disassembled, turning into countless gold-red nanite particles.
The particles moved as if alive, spreading, covering, and reconstructing around him at lightning speed.
In less than two seconds, a technologically advanced suit of armor, accentuating his muscles, completely enveloped him.
"Now, this is art."
Tony's voice came through the suit's speakers, metallic and echoing.
"Your tin-can look, trying to be some secret agent? You have zero taste."
Henry shook his head helplessly, then turned his attention to the guards.
"Alright, if you insist on using that…"
"Then let's begin."
But to everyone's surprise, the guards exchanged nervous glances.
You guys seriously overestimate us!
This damn guy's eyes are glowing red, no one would dare attack!
We're just making a few hundred bucks a month. Why risk our lives?!
Then, suddenly, a redneck guard bellowed:
"Superman! Tell me… do you bleed?!"
He fired the first shot, and everyone gasped in shock.
Henry tilted his head slightly, narrowing his eyes.
In the next moment, the world seemed to slow around him.
Time stretched; the expressions of people around him moved in slow motion, and the bullet drifted like a snail.
Henry had no intention of dodging. He shook his head, his eyes glowing red.
A blinding beam shot out instantly.
The guard didn't even have time to scream before turning to ashes.
The bullet struck Henry's armor with a muffled thud.
Silence fell once again; no one dared breathe.
The onlookers were utterly stunned.
Tony was slightly surprised but didn't say a word.
"J.A.R.V.I.S.," Henry's voice came through the comms, calm and clear.
"Drive the car to the entrance. Clear a path. I don't want anything foolish blocking us."
"Understood, Mr. Henry."
As he spoke, the imposing black armor slowly retracted. Black nanites slid over his body, forming a sleek, luxurious black wristwatch on his arm, revealing the black suit underneath.
The visual impact rivaled even his violent entrance.
Everyone in the hall froze again. They finally realized this wasn't just wearable armor—it was some kind of high-tech creation. Tony's gold-red nanotech suit also retracted, returning to its silver bracelet form.
He straightened his suit collar, turned, and smiled at the petrified Stern and the rest of the hall.
"Gentlemen," he said, opening his arms like an actor taking a bow.
"I believe our friendly exchange for today has concluded. If you have questions about Hydra, I suggest asking your colleagues… or maybe the bald guy in the back with the eye patch. He might surprise you."
Ignoring the politicians, whose faces turned from green to white to purple, he walked toward Pepper, Happy, and Natasha at the back. Henry followed closely.
As they passed Nick Fury, Henry paused briefly, glancing at him sideways.
A warning. Even the battle-hardened King of Spies furrowed his brow.
What exactly is he planning?
Under the wary eyes of guards and agents, the five Starks walked confidently toward the main hall exit. No one dared stop them. No one dared make a sound.
***
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