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[Marvel : Spoiling Spider-man] Chapter 46 - 50
🕑 Added 2025-01-03 13:38:05 +0000 UTCChapter 46 Spider-Man 2 Ends
[The camera panned to Harry Osborn, sitting alone in his lavish mansion. He held the dagger in his hand, absentmindedly running his fingers along the blade. The dimly lit room seemed to echo with his conflicted thoughts. Suddenly, he froze, as if sensing an unfamiliar presence. He stood abruptly, his gaze darting around the room. A faint, eerie laugh filled the air.]
["Who’s there?" Harry called out, his voice trembling slightly.]
["Child! It’s me!" a deep, chilling voice replied.]
[Harry turned toward the ornate mirror hanging on the wall. To his shock, the reflection of Norman Osborn stared back at him, his father’s face twisted into a sinister grin. "Dad?" Harry whispered, his voice heavy with disbelief. "I thought you were… gone."]
["No," Norman said, his tone commanding. "I live on—in your heart, Harry. And now, it’s your turn. You swore to make Spider-Man pay with blood. The time has come to fulfill that promise!"]
[Harry hesitated, gripping the dagger tighter. "But Peter is my best friend!" he protested.]
[Norman’s reflection sneered. "I am your father, Harry! You’ve always been too soft, too cowardly. You’ll remain a coward until you take action—until you take what’s yours!" His voice grew harsher. "Now you know Peter’s true face! Be strong, Harry. Avenge me!"]
[Tears streamed down Harry’s face as he shook his head, torn between his father’s demands and his own moral compass. "No!" he screamed, flinging the dagger toward the mirror. The glass shattered, shards scattering across the floor.]
[Behind the broken glass, Harry discovered a hidden passage. His curiosity overpowered his fear, and he stepped through. As the lights flickered on, he gasped, startled by the Green Goblin mask staring back at him from its glass display case. Turning, he stumbled into another cabinet filled with pumpkin bombs.]
[The entire room was a shrine to the Green Goblin, complete with his glider, enhanced serums, and a wall of deadly weapons. Harry stood in the center of the room, breathing heavily as realization dawned. This was his father’s legacy—a dark inheritance he had no choice but to confront.]
[The scene shifted to a church, where Mary Jane Watson stood in front of a mirror, dressed in an elegant wedding gown. Her hands trembled as she adjusted the veil, her reflection revealing the turmoil in her eyes. Outside, the organ played softly, and the guests waited expectantly.]
[At the altar, John Jameson stood beside the priest, a proud smile on his face. Harry sat among the guests, glancing at the door periodically, his brow furrowed. As the music swelled, the doors opened, but Mary Jane did not appear.]
[Instead, a woman hurried inside, clutching a small card. She handed it to John, her expression apologetic. The priest closed his Bible silently, understanding the gravity of the situation.]
[John read the card, his expression darkening. Nearby, J. Jonah Jameson observed the scene with a mix of confusion and frustration. Leaning toward his wife, he muttered, "Call Debra."]
["Debra, the caterer?" his wife whispered incredulously.]
[Jameson nodded grimly. "Tell her not to open the caviar."]
[Realizing her husband’s peculiar priorities, she turned her gaze stiffly toward him, unsure of what to say.]
[Outside the church, Mary Jane, wearing her wedding dress, ran off into the distance with a big smile on her face.]
[In his apartment, Peter Parker sat on the edge of his bed, staring out the window. His shoulders sagged under the weight of his thoughts. The door creaked open, but he didn’t notice until his spider-sense tingled faintly.]
[He turned his head to see Mary Jane standing in the doorway, still wearing her wedding dress. Her smile lit up the room. Peter stood, startled and unsure. "MJ?" he asked, disbelief written across his face.]
[She stepped inside, her voice soft yet resolute. "Peter, we must do what needs to be done."]
["You shouldn’t be here," Peter said, shaking his head. "It’s too dangerous."]
[Mary Jane moved closer, her eyes never leaving his. "I know you think we can’t be together, but can’t you respect me enough to let me make my own choice? Yes, it’s risky. But I want to face those risks with you!"]
[Peter’s breath caught as her words sank in. She continued, her voice unwavering. "I love you, Peter Parker. And I can’t imagine a life without you."]
[For the first time in what felt like forever, a genuine smile broke across Peter’s face. "MJ," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion.]
["I’ve always been standing at your door," she said, gently stroking his cheek. "Maybe it’s time someone saved you for a change."]
[Peter shook his head, overwhelmed. "Thank you, Mary Jane Watson," he said softly before leaning in to kiss her. Their lips met, and for a moment, the world outside faded away.]
[The sound of distant sirens pulled Peter back to reality. He turned to the window, his instincts kicking in. Mary Jane smiled knowingly. "Go, my hero," she said.]
[Peter donned his Spider-Man mask and leaped out the window. Mary Jane walked to the sill, watching as he swung between the buildings, his silhouette illuminated by the flashing lights of firetrucks and rescue helicopters.]
[Peter was swinging on a spider web between tall buildings. Two rescue helicopters passed by him, and there were many fire trucks on the ground.]
Uncle Ben looked at Mary Jane and was a little surprised that she would come back to Peter, but he still didn't think much of the relationship between the two. "Jane was blinded by Peter's identity, but that was only temporary..."
Uncle Ben was interrupted by Aunt May before he finished speaking, "No matter what the final result is, at least she still mustered up the courage to find Peter, which proves that she loves Peter."
"You're right, but it will take time to test whether this relationship can last." Uncle Ben nodded, agreeing with Aunt May.
"Let the young people handle their own affairs..." Aunt May said to Uncle Ben as she poured him a cup of tea.
"Well... we elder should not care too much."
On the other side, Mary Jane, who was with Harry, was looking at the sky. After seeing Harry discover Norman's secret base, she looked at him a little worriedly. Harry held her hand and signaled that he was fine.
But Harry began to worry about Peter's safety. He knew his own character very well and knew that he would definitely go crazy to take revenge on Peter Parker. He didn't want to hurt Peter, but everything on the sky screen was beyond his control.
Mary Jane also realized this problem, and the two of them couldn't help but pray for Peter Parker in the sky.
The mood of J. Jonah Jameson was not so good. Although he had been confirmed to be a fan of Spider-Man, when he saw his son's bride running away halfway through the wedding, he thought to himself that it was a good thing that the screen released this scene, otherwise the money for the wedding would be wasted.
. . . . . .
Tony, who had just been intimate with Pepper, was talking to her about Monaco. They would set off for Monaco early tomorrow morning and visit the racing club competition there the day after tomorrow.
It just so happened that the video on the sky screen had just finished playing, and based on last experience, it would most likely be silent for a month, so they could take the opportunity to take a vacation.
Tony owns a racing club in Monaco, and he is also a racing enthusiast. His biggest hobby before becoming Iron Man was racing. There happened to be a race to watch these few days, so they could take advantage of this time to relax and discuss some contract matters.
Chapter 47 Ivan Vanke
Early in the morning on the day of the race, Happy Hogan navigated the bustling streets under police escort, driving Tony Stark and Pepper Potts to the Paris Hotel. The streets buzzed with excitement, and as Tony stepped out of the car, a wave of cheers erupted from the gathered fans.
Tony, ever the showman, flashed a charismatic smile and waved, soaking in the adoration before striding confidently into the hotel. Behind him, Pepper followed with her usual composed demeanor, while Happy carried the sleek, cutting-edge Mark 5 PLUS suitcase—a portable version of Tony's latest armor. This innovation, born of Tony's genius, allowed him the luxury of enjoying life's finer moments, like spending uninterrupted time with Pepper.
Walking alongside Pepper, Tony quipped, "This is Europe, sweetheart. Whatever happens here, we’ve got to let it go!"
Pepper raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "Let what go?"
Natasha, who had been waiting for them in the hotel, greeted them and interrupted their conversation.
Because this was just a normal business meeting, Natasha did not carry any weapons like in the original, but she carried two widow stingers to protect Pepper and Tony.
Tony asked Natasha, "What's your schedule today?"
"There is a dinner party at 9:30 today."
"Okay, I'll be there at 11." Tony tried on his sunglasses, then took them off when he found they didn't fit. He pointed to a table nearby and said, "Is this our table?"
"That's right! If you want it, it's yours!" Natasha nodded. As long as Tony wanted it, it would not be a problem at all.
"Great, go get it done!" Tony nodded. Just as he was about to sit down, he saw Elon Musk greet Pepper and the two shook hands. He hurried over to Pepper's side.
"Elon? The engine you develop is amazing." Tony stood in front of Pepper and shook hands with him.
"Thanks, I want to build an electric jet!"
"Really? Let’s collaborate," Tony offered, the two exchanging ideas as they walked toward the bar. Their conversation was interrupted by the unmistakable voice of Justin Hammer. Tony sighed, muttering under his breath about how much he disliked dealing with Hammer.
Hammer approached, dragging Christine Everhart, a journalist from Vanity Fair. Tony stiffened. He remembered their brief affair, and Pepper’s subtle but pointed glance made it clear she did too. Sensing the tension, Pepper excused herself, leaving Tony to endure Hammer’s relentless attempts at conversation.
Tony's face became even uglier, but Hammer seemed not to notice and forced him to take a photo together.
Tony finally broke free from Hammer's hand and immediately wanted to get rid of Justin Hammer. Before leaving, he also sarcastically said that his contract had been cancelled.
Hammer could only explain awkwardly that it was just a postponement. It was obvious that Christine was more interested in Tony. She followed him with a tape recorder in her hand, so Hammer had no choice but to follow her.
Halfway through, Hammer wanted her to turn off the recorder, but Christine was not stupid. She kept recording their conversation. This was big news.
Hammer finally revealed his intention. It turned out that he wanted to display his product at Tony's expo, but Tony sarcastically told him that if he could invent something useful, he would help him reserve the exhibition hall.
In response to Tony's ridicule, Hammer could only smile and try to hide his embarrassment by saying, "We joke around all the time!"
Because Tony had developed a new element and got rid of palladium poisoning, he did not become reckless and enter the race himself. He sat at the table with Pepper and ordered food.
While the two were waiting for the food to be served and watching the car race, an uninvited guest in work clothes came to the hotel door, but was turned away by the doorman because he did not have an invitation.
Facing the guard's obstruction, Ivan Vanko activated the reactor on his body without hesitation. In an instant, a strong electric current emerged from his simple armor, and his work clothes were also burned by the electric current.
Two whips appeared in his hands, with electric currents lingering on them. One glance at them revealed their great power. The two guards, seeing the bad situation, planned to draw their guns immediately, but unfortunately, Ivan Vanko whipped them in half with one stroke.
The guests at the door saw the tragic scene and screamed in horror. Tony and Pepper heard the screams and looked towards the door in confusion. The next second, they saw a body split in two falling into the hotel.
Tony realized something was wrong instantly, and Happy, who was carrying the Mark 5 PLUS, also heard the noise and saw what Ivan Vanko was doing, and hurriedly ran towards Tony. Natasha wanted to step forward to stop him, but was almost hit by the whip.
After escaping death, she realized that she could not get close to Ivan Vanko, so she used the widow's sting to emit a strong electric current in an attempt to subdue Ivan Vanko, but the armor on his body absorbed all the current.
Seeing Natasha trying to attack him, Ivan Vanko swung his whip again without hesitation. Natasha narrowly avoided his attack. At this time, on the other side, Tony had obtained the new Mark V PLUS armor from Happy.
He stepped on the ground, and the suitcase-style Mark V PLUS popped out immediately. He stretched out his hand and pulled it, and the armor immediately began to be put on his body and was put on at an extremely fast speed.
At this time, Natasha had been forced aside by Ivan Vanko. She wanted to find an opportunity to shoot and kill the other party, but the space was too small and there were many guests in the hotel. In order to avoid accidental injury, Natasha could only lead him to a safe corner, but she was also in trouble.
Just when Ivan Vanko was about to swing the whip again, Tony, wearing armor, grabbed his whip from behind, and a strong electric current began to flow along the whip towards the Mark V PLUS.
Unlike the original Mark V, when designing this latest Mark V PLUS, Tony added a plan to resist external energy in order to prevent himself from being killed by the "huge energy". Currently, the most common energy that can kill people is undoubtedly electric current.
Therefore, Mark V PLUS has extremely strong resistance to high temperatures, and can also convert external electric current into its own energy. Therefore, Ivan Vanko's whip is completely useless to Tony, but instead helps him charge his armor. However, Tony does not value this little energy.
But due to time constraints, it is not much different from Mark 5. This is just an experimental result of Tony, and Tony will use it to create a more powerful armor.
He suddenly grabbed the whip, and with one force, he threw Ivan Vanko out of the window. Then Tony broke through the wall and rushed to Ivan Vanko. Before he could get up, he kicked him again and knocked him down completely.
Then he grabbed the crude reactor in front of him, pulled it out and held it in his palm. Ivan Vanko completely lost the ability to resist.
At this time, the guards who were watching also ran up and dragged Ivan Vanko away. Ivan Vanko looked at Tony and laughed, "You lose! Hahahahaha!!!"
Looking at Ivan Vanko being dragged away, Tony crushed the reactor in his hand completely.
Chapter 48 Prison Break
Justin Hammer sat in a shadowy corner of the hotel, his eyes fixed on the arc reactor that had been forcibly removed from Ivan Vanko’s chest. Despite the carnage that had unfolded earlier, Hammer’s fear momentarily gave way to a sly smile. "Tony Stark," he muttered under his breath, "your 20-year technological lead is no longer exclusive to you."
At the detention center, Tony Stark walked briskly alongside several police officers, who briefed him on the enigmatic prisoner. "We’ve checked his fingerprints—nothing. Not a name, not an ID," one officer explained. "We’re not even sure he speaks English. He hasn’t said a word since we brought him in."
Tony glanced at the cell ahead. "Five minutes. I’ll talk to him alone," he said, his tone firm. The lead officer hesitated. "Be careful, Mr. Stark," he warned. "This guy is dangerous."
Tony entered the cell, finding Ivan Vanko sitting on the edge of a bunk, his back to the door. Clad in prison-issue shorts, Vanko remained motionless as Tony approached. For a moment, Tony wasn’t sure how to begin. Finally, he broke the silence.
"Impressive tech," Tony remarked, his voice casual. "But the speed’s a bit low. You could double it by letting the anti-energy flow through an ionized plasma pipe. It’s efficient, though not particularly groundbreaking. Still, not bad for a poor imitation."
Tony told Ivan Vanko how to make his reactor more powerful, but unlike his original self, Tony had already produced the second-generation reactor. Naturally, he looked down on Ivan Vanko's technology and spoke sarcastically.
"What I don't understand is that you can make a lot of money from it with just a little tweaking, but you're just going to waste the technology that Dr. Otto never succeeded in researching until his death?"
Ivan scoffed, his disdain evident. Tony continued, undeterred. "Let me guess. All your friends are thieves and bandits. You probably stole the blueprints."
The insult struck a nerve. Ivan’s eyes darkened as he retorted, "Your family—thieves and butchers. You rewrite your history, but you can’t erase the blood on the Stark name."
"Speaking of thieves, where did you steal the blueprints from?"
"My father, Anton Vanko!"
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Anton Vanko? Oh, I know the name. He worked with my father on the arc reactor. Problem was, he wanted to sell it to the highest bidder. When my dad found out, he sent your father packing—straight out of the country."
Tony crossed his arms. "And when the Russian government realized he couldn’t deliver, they shipped him off to Siberia. Guess he was too busy drinking to teach you much."
The jab hit hard. Ivan’s face twisted with anger, his fists clenching. Tony’s smile widened.
"My father only saw the Ark Reactor as a springboard for greater technology. His dream was even greater, but your father only wanted to make a profit from it. As a result, without my father, he is nothing, Just like that toy strapped to your chest."
Ivan inhaled sharply, steadying himself. "You aren’t alive because of your father," he said coldly. "You’re alive because of mine."
Tony’s smirk faded. "I’m alive because you tried to kill me—and failed."
Ivan’s gaze burned with intensity. "If you can make God bleed, people will stop believing in Him. And when there’s blood in the water, the sharks come. All I have to do is sit here and watch as the world devours you."
"Then let's see if the world will devour me. Don't forget what the screen said that I would sacrifice myself and use my mortal body to stand shoulder to shoulder with the gods to save the entire universe!"
Tony shrugged. With the help of the narration on the sky screen, his reputation reached an unprecedented peak at this moment. Only a madman like Ivan Vanko would go so far as to kill a future savior.
"And you? Where are you going to watch?... That's right, your cell! I'll give you a bar of soap!" Tony said and was about to get up and leave.
Ivan Vanko was speechless and could only say to him at the end: "Hey Tony! Let me give you a piece of advice. Death by palladium poisoning—it’s a painful way to go!"
Tony walked up to the cell and smiled slightly when he heard this, but he didn't say anything to him, leaving Ivan Vanko in prison waiting for his death from palladium poisoning.
On the electric jet, Elon Musk's idea was just a concept, but Tony had already made it. On the plane, Tony and Pepper Potts were en route to New York. Pepper sat with her arms crossed, watching a televised interview with a senator who lambasted Tony’s technology. The senator accused Tony of treating the Iron Man suit as a toy, replaying clips from a previous hearing with mocking commentary.
Tony shrugged, unconcerned. The development of a new element had rendered palladium poisoning a thing of the past, and Ivan’s crude technology posed no real threat. Pepper, however, remained visibly shaken, the horrors of the earlier attack still fresh in her mind.
But Pepper's face was still very unease. She was frightened by what happened today, especially the bodies of the two person that were cut in half, which left a great psychological shadow on her.
Tony also knew that Pepper was in a bad mood, so he wanted to cook a meal for her himself. When Tony lifted the lid of the meal, Pepper looked at the half-burnt and half-uncooked fried egg, turned her head and said, "Did you make this?"
Tony grinned. "Three hours of hard work. What do you think?"
Pepper shook her head, her lips twitching into a reluctant smile. "Let’s stick to takeout next time."
Pepper had a heart-to-heart talk with Tony on the plane. After this incident, the company would have a lot of mess that Pepper would have to clean up.
Back at the prison, Ivan Vanko sat alone in his cell, now wearing standard-issue orange. A guard arrived with a tray of food, sliding it through the slot. Ivan picked up the tray and inspected the mashed potatoes carefully. Embedded in the food was a small slip of paper that read, "Enjoy the mashed potatoes."
Beneath the potatoes, Ivan found a small time bomb, its display flashing: 35 seconds.
At that moment, the guard opened the door, pushing in another prisoner who bore a striking resemblance to Ivan. The newcomer’s jumpsuit bore the same number: 6219. Ivan wasted no time, striking the man unconscious. The guard, seemingly unbothered, left the cell key on the floor as he walked away.
Ivan activated the bomb, its countdown ticking relentlessly. Unlocking the door, he slipped into the hallway. A guard spotted him, but before he could raise an alarm, Ivan broke his neck with brutal efficiency.
The bomb exploded moments later, plunging the prison into chaos. Amid the confusion, Ivan moved swiftly, navigating the facility. He attempted to descend a staircase but found the lower floors swarming with guards. Forced to retreat, he encountered two men who threw a hood over his head and led him away.
When the hood was removed, Ivan found himself in a dimly lit warehouse. Standing before him was Justin Hammer, a triumphant smirk on his face. Ivan’s lips curled into a dangerous grin. The game was far from over.
Chapter 49 Iron Soldiers
Justin Hammer had been eagerly anticipating this moment. He sat at a finely set table, enjoying a luxurious dinner in his secure base. As the guards escorted Ivan Vanko into the room, Hammer stood, smiling broadly. He motioned for the guards to remove Ivan’s handcuffs and waved them away. "Relax," Hammer said with a theatrical flourish. "We’re all friends here."
Ivan looked around, visibly uncomfortable. The lavish surroundings and bustling service staff were a far cry from the stark conditions of his prison cell. He hesitated before taking a seat, his sharp eyes scanning the room for anything unusual.
Hammer wasted no time. "Let’s get straight to it, shall we?" he began, his tone conspiratorial. "We both hate Tony Stark. But here’s the thing—killing him outright? Too simple, too quick. Destroying his legacy? Now that’s poetic."
Ivan nodded slowly, understanding Hammer’s intent. Hammer leaned forward, confidence radiating from his every word. "You need my resources, my sponsorship. Together, we can make Stark irrelevant."
Without hesitation, Ivan replied in Russian, a sly smile tugging at his lips. Hammer blinked, momentarily confused. "Uh… interpreter?" he asked nervously.
Ivan shook his head and responded in English. "No interpreter. I understand." He paused, his expression hardening. "But I want my bird."
Hammer frowned, unsure of what Ivan meant. "Your… bird?" he asked, baffled. Ivan didn’t elaborate, only repeating his demand. "My bird."
Though confused, Hammer nodded quickly. "Sure, sure. We’ll get your bird. No problem."
Back in Tony Stark’s Malibu villa, Pepper Potts and Natasha Romanoff were hard at work. Pepper fielded endless phone calls, reassuring clients and partners that Stark Industries remained solid despite recent events. Natasha, unrecognizable as an elite agent, assisted Pepper with a calm, professional demeanor.
At the same time, the news media began to doubt whether Tony Stark still had the ability to protect the people. However, netizens criticized him for not being able to protect the people. If the savior could not protect the people, should they rely on the White House?
Rhodes came to Tony's house and didn't see him. Pepper told him that Tony was downstairs, so Rhodes went downstairs to find him. At this time, Tony was checking Ivan Vanko's information. He had only seen Anton Vanko's information before.
He found out that Ivan Vanko had been sentenced to 15 years in Kopesk Prison for selling weapons-grade plutonium materials to Pakistan during the Soviet era, and there was no more information about him.
"Tony," Rhodey began, his tone urgent. "You need to get ahead of this. The National Guard’s breathing down my neck. They’re ready to storm in here, break down your door, and confiscate your suits."
"They want to take your = armor, They don't bother playing games with you. You said no one would have this technology in 20 years, but someone had it yesterday, and it's no longer theoretical."
Tony turned his head and glanced at Rhodes, "His technology is very backward, it can't compare to mine, don't worry! Also, if those idiots in the military want to attack a future saviour, let them do it, and then they will sacrifice themselves."
Tony scoffed at the military's idea. If they could handle the problem, he wouldn't have to sacrifice himself in the future war that would affect the entire universe.
Rhodes felt a little helpless about what Tony said, but in fact, as he said, the military absolutely did not dare to take action against Tony at this time, and could only threaten him. The identity of the future savior was Tony's biggest umbrella of protection.
"Hey Tony, have you ever thought that you don't have to be the savior alone? You don't have to do it all by yourself!"
"I also want to believe what you say, but you have to trust me. Besides, I'm not the only one! Natasha... Banner... Strange... Barton... and that Carol!"
Although Tony still doesn't know who Strange is, it doesn't matter, he will definitely be his teammate.
Captain Marvel has been to Earth. She talked about some things with NIck Fury, and then met Tony and others and joined the Avengers, but left Earth again shortly afterwards for some reasons.
"Then what are you going to do?"
"Don't think too much. I know exactly what I'm doing. Come to my birthday party when you are free!" Tony patted Rhodes on the shoulder.
. . . . . .
At Hammer’s base, Ivan Vanko followed Justin into a cavernous workshop filled with Iron Soldiers—mechanized suits meant to rival Tony Stark’s armor. "This is where the magic happens," Hammer said proudly. "No pressure, right? Dead men don’t worry about deadlines."
Hammer gestured to the row of robotic suits. "There they are. Aren’t they beautiful? Ready to fight at a moment’s notice! I might’ve rushed the prototype stage a bit, but hey, perfection takes time. Feel free to take a look."
Ivan approached the nearest Iron Soldier and began examining it with clinical precision. Without asking permission, he started typing commands into a nearby computer. Hammer, alarmed, tried to intervene. "Hey! We’ve got passwords and protocols—"
Before he could finish, Ivan cracked the system effortlessly. Hammer watched, dumbfounded, as Ivan navigated the software with ease. "Wow," Hammer muttered. "That’s… impressive."
Ivan muttered something in Russian, then repeated it in English for Hammer’s benefit. "Your software is garbage."
Hammer laughed nervously, unsure how to respond. "Well… that’s why you’re here, right? To make it better!"
Ivan climbed a ladder to inspect the Iron Soldier up close. Without warning, he ripped the head off one of the suits. Hammer winced but forced a smile. "You know, each of these cost a lot of money," he said.
Unbothered, Ivan tossed the head aside and continued his examination. Hammer, desperate to maintain control, changed the subject. "We’re going to debut these at the Stark Expo," he said excitedly. "We’ll humiliate Stark right there on his own stage."
Ivan nodded, a small smirk forming. "I’ll make it happen," he said. Hammer beamed, pleased with the response.
. . . . . .
At Tony’s birthday party, Natasha approached him with a sleek watch box. "Which one do you want?" she asked.
Tony considered for a moment. "Gold dial, brown strap. The Jaeger-LeCoultre."
As Natasha handed him the watch, Tony asked, "How’s the team shaping up? Anyone showing up tonight?"
"Barton and Coulson are already here. Hill will also come. Director Nick Fury has to take care of your worries, so he can't come. Dr. Banner said he doesn't like this kind of occasion and is afraid that he will cause trouble."
"Uh-huh, well, I'll invite them later."
The party was lively but controlled. Unlike the canon celebrations, Tony refrained from donning his armor for drunken antics, and Rhodes was spared the frustration of an impromptu brawl. Instead, Tony introduced Rhodey to Barton and Coulson, formally acknowledging them as allies.
Back at Hammer’s base, Ivan worked tirelessly to modify the Iron Soldiers. Justin had gone to great lengths to fulfill Ivan’s earlier request, even importing a bird from Russia. Unfortunately, when he proudly presented the parrot to Ivan, the reaction was less than enthusiastic.
"This is not my bird!" Ivan growled, slamming his fist on the table.
Justin threw up his hands, exasperated. "Alright, maybe it’s not your bird, but it’s a bird! A nice one! Let it go, man."
As Hammer turned his attention back to the Iron Soldiers, he noticed that Ivan had altered one of the helmets, transforming it into a solid, driverless head. "What are you doing?" Hammer asked, confused.
Ivan replied calmly, "Driverless is better. Humans make mistakes."
Hammer frowned. "The government wants these to be like Iron Man. People want these to be like Iron Man."
Ivan’s response was sharp. "Learn to let go," he said, echoing Hammer’s earlier words.
Hammer sighed, his frustration mounting. "These had better work perfectly at the Expo," he warned. But unbeknownst to Hammer, Ivan had his own plans. By removing the human element, he ensured that no one could wrest control of the drones from him when the time came.
Chapter 50 Expo Incident
After the birthday party, Tony Stark mulled over Rhodes’ words. Bringing him into the Avengers seemed like a natural move, but Tony knew the decision wasn’t his alone. He needed to consult with the others.
The next day, Phil Coulson arrived at Tony’s Malibu villa. His visit wasn’t casual—he came to deliver some news. "Tony," Coulson began, "I’ve been reassigned. I’ll be heading to New Mexico with Barton for another mission."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "New Mexico? What’s going on there?"
Coulson hesitated, then replied cryptically, "A hammer. It fell out of the sky, and no one has been able to lift it."
Intrigued, Tony leaned forward. "A hammer? Magical or just really heavy?"
"That’s the thing—we’re not sure. But if we need help, I’ll call you," Coulson said with a faint smile before heading out.
Tony wanted to dig deeper into the mystery, but there wasn’t time. The Stark Expo was fast approaching, and preparations demanded his attention.
On the day when the Stark Expo was about to begin, Justin Hammer also approached the congressman, wanting him to watch the Iron Soldier in advance. As a result, he learned from Ivan Vanko that the Iron Soldier can only salute, cannot fly, and cannot fire.
All of this is because Ivan Vanko wants revenge himself, if Justin wants to control these steel soldiers in advance, he will find that the control is not on his side at all, which will cause Ivan Vanko's plan to fail, so he must prevaricate it.
He also used his free time to rebuild himself a set of wearable steel armor and remade a new and more powerful electric whip.
An angry Justin rushed into Ivan Vanko's room and took away the bird that he had fed and had developed some affection for. He was very dissatisfied with the security guard's rough behavior, and then Justin took away all his pillows and shoes.
"How do you feel about me taking your things? Are you upset? Good! Because I am upset too!!! We made an agreement!!! I saved your life! You gave me the Iron Armor. This was our agreement, but you didn't do it!"
"I don't know if you are a genius or a liar, I don't know what you are!"
"If your Iron Soldier can only be a prop, then you should remain the same as you were before!"
Listening to Justin's words, Ivan Vanko said in Russian: "It's not time yet!"
Justin laughed when he heard the Russian language: "Maybe you haven't figured it out yet! I don't speak Russian!!!"
"If you fail to do what you promised today, you will be the same as before! A dead man! Do you understand???" Justin pointed at Ivan Vanko and said fiercely, then left two security guards to watch him go to work.
Justin felt that if he was finished today, he would definitely drag Ivan Vanko down with him before he fell.
In the Malibu villa, Tony and Rhodes were still working. Specifically, Tony was directing the robots to clean the place because he had just completed the research on the update his Ironman into Mark VI, while Rhodes was assisting him and discussing matters about the Avengers with him.
Suddenly, Tony’s phone rang. He answered, expecting Coulson, but the voice on the other end was unfamiliar. "Hey, Tony! How’s it going? I doubled the speed."
"What?" Tony listened to the voice in confusion, and for a moment he couldn't remember who the other person was.
"You asked me to double the speed to create more energy. That's a good suggestion." Ivan Vanko had already dealt with the two security guards who were guarding him and hung them up.
After hearing what Ivan Vanko said, Tony finally remembered who the other person was. "You sound pretty energetic, dead man!"
Rhodes on the side didn't dare to say a word, and at Tony's signal, he pressed the switch to track the call.
"The history of the Stark family is about to be rewritten!" Ivan Vanko proudly said harsh words to Tony, but he didn't know that the villain died because of his talkativeness.
Jarvis began using the network to track his incoming calls while Ivan Vanko was still chattering away, biting a toothpick.
"What your father did to my family 40 years ago, I will do to you in 40 minutes!"
Tony wanted to stall for time, "That sounds great, let's talk!"
At the same time, Jarvis's positioning became more and more accurate.
But Ivan Vanko was no fool. He knew that Tony must be trying to locate him as well, so he said something harsh and hung up the phone, and Jarvis's tracking failed.
However, Ivan Vanko's words still aroused Tony and Rhodes' vigilance, and they both thought of the expo at the same time.
Ivan Vanko will definitely take this opportunity to cause trouble. If huge casualties are caused in the Stark Expo, Tony will face tremendous pressure even if he has the shield of the Savior of the universe.
Tony immediately asked Jarvis to assemble the latest Mark VI, then hurried downstairs, followed closely by Rhodes.
"Hey Tony! I want to help!" Rhodes shouted to Tony who was starting to put on his armor. Tony thought for a second and nodded. He also felt that if he wanted to win the future war and survive, the more teammates he had, the better.
He let Jarvis help Rhodes put on the Mark II. The reason why he didn't choose the Mark V PLUS was because the performance of that armor was too poor for the sake of convenience, and Tony had already added anti-electric shock function to all the Mark armors.
Mark III and IV are Tony's backup armors. If Mark VI breaks down, he can come back and change it. After comprehensive consideration, Tony feels that only Mark 2 is most suitable for Rhodes.
The two put on their armor and began to rush towards the expo.
When the two set off, Happy had already arrived at the expo with Pepper and Natasha, and it happened to be Justin Hammer's presentation, which was being broadcasted on the radio.
Justin took several deep breaths backstage to calm himself down. The arrow was on the string and had to be shot. Even if these iron soldiers could only salute him, he had to bite the bullet and go ahead.
He put on a happy smile, but his inner nervousness prevented him from performing a dance move like in the original canon. Instead, he walked directly to the podium.
He first gave a speech and criticized Tony for not wanting to disclose advanced technology. Pepper in the audience became a little impatient when she heard Justin's words.
When he had almost finished speaking, two staff members came on stage and moved the podium away. Justin pretended to be passionate and introduced his Iron Soldier to the audience.
At this time, Tony, under Rhodes' reminder, finally remembered to call Natasha and the others to tell them that danger was about to happen. After learning about it, Natasha did not dare to delay and immediately pulled Pepper away from the scene and notified NIck Fury.
Because there were too many people at the scene, Natasha did not dare to act rashly. She didn't know how Ivan Vanko would attack the expo, but her intuition told her that it must be related to those steel soldiers.
At this time, Justin had already introduced the four types of steel soldiers: navy, army, air force and marines, and asked them to salute everyone. Just as everyone was applauding, Tony and Rhodes finally arrived.
