We sat down at a table with Hammer, sipping champagne and chatting lightly. Hammer wouldn't stop bragging about his company's weapons.
"Jin, our company just made an incredible weapon. You'd be amazed. It's a small missile called 'Runaway Wife' — it can blow up a bunker underneath another bunker. You should come visit sometime. You won't be able to stop yourself from increasing your investment."
Is he allowed to say that? Isn't that classified?
It was absurd, but I just listened. He was probably showing off because Tony was there. It was true that I'd invested in Hammer's company. The hearing fiasco had tanked their stock, and soon, with a villain's help, it would shoot back up. I planned to dump everything then.
"Hammer even makes normal weapons?"
Tony smirked slightly and teased Hammer, who'd been listening.
"Come on, Tony. Jin's been increasing his investment in our company lately, so don't be jealous."
Buoyed by my investment, Hammer actually talked back — unlike his cowering canon self. I was starting to regret investing. Obadiah might've been twisted, but at least he could run a company. Listening to Hammer was painful.
"I'll go to the restroom. Jin, you should reconsider investing in Hammer's company."
Tony excused himself. He was probably heading off to race, just like in canon.
"Jin, don't listen to Tony. Partner with me and you'll be rolling in money in no time."
I was already rolling in money without his help.
"I hope so, Hammer."
While I listened to Hammer brag about his company, Pepper spoke up, worried that Tony was taking too long.
"Tony's late."
"Maybe he's hitting on some girl… Oh! Isn't that Tony?"
Hammer pointed at the broadcast monitor, where Tony was in a racing suit, sitting in an F1 car. Tony had replaced the original driver. It was probably spontaneous. The team was Stark Industries–sponsored, so it wasn't a problem, but I felt bad for the original driver. What a disaster.
At this point, Tony had already checked every element on Earth looking for a palladium replacement. Finding nothing had left him in despair, which explained this stunt.
The race started, and Tony was surprisingly good. He really was a natural at machine development and control.
Do what you want, Tony. It won't last long anyway.
During the race, a man in an orange safety uniform slowly walked onto the middle of the track. His shirt burned away, revealing an exoskeleton suit with an arc reactor.
He spread his arms, and whips crackled to life in each hand, sparking with electricity and flame. He slashed at the oncoming race car, and it was sliced in half like tofu.
It was the dramatic entrance of Iron Man 2's main villain, Ivan Vanko.
Everyone watching gasped and murmured at the screen. Pepper said urgently,
"Tony's racing too! Tony's in danger!"
Pepper tried to run out, but I stopped her.
"I'll go. Natasha, take care of Miss Pepper."
"Got it."
I sprinted to Tony's vehicle, where Happy was guarding it.
"Chairman Jin, what's going on? I heard a loud noise."
Happy didn't know the situation yet.
"Tony's in danger! The red bag Tony left — where is it?"
"Yes."
"Give it to me, now!"
Happy knew I was close to Tony, so he immediately handed over the Mark 5 suitcase. I took the case and ran to the racetrack.
When I arrived, Tony's race car had been cut in half and was wedged against the guardrail, and Ivan Vanko was whipping at Tony as he tried to flee.
I pulled a sword disguised as a cane from my inventory, closed in on Ivan Vanko fast, cut one whip clean off, and kicked him. Ivan slammed into the guardrail, bounced, and rolled across the ground.
"Tony! Catch!"
I dropped the case on the ground and kicked it toward Tony.
"Perfect timing. Thanks, Jin."
Tony grabbed the case and immediately suited up in the Mark 5. This was one of the most iconic Iron Man suit-up scenes — the case transforming into armor and locking onto Tony with mechanical clicks. Any mecha fan would cheer at it.
I would've been moved the first time, but unfortunately I'd helped build it, so I'd seen it a few times and the impact was dulled. And the Mark 5 was all about the entrance; its functions were simple. Being portable, it had nothing but repulsor beams.
Tony finished suiting up, and Ivan, who'd been briefly knocked out, shook his head and stood. As Ivan moved to attack, Tony tried to fire a repulsor, but Ivan whipped his hand away, spun, and wrapped the whip around Tony's neck.
Crackle! Crackle!
The whip began tearing into the Iron Man armor. I moved to help, but Tony waved me off. He grabbed the whip around his neck, wrapped it around his body, closed in on Ivan, punched him in the gut, and executed a shoulder throw.
Thud!
Ivan flew through the air and crashed to the ground. The impact was enough that Ivan didn't get up again. Tony walked over to the downed Ivan and ripped the arc reactor off his exoskeleton suit.
Soon police and safety crew entered, grabbed Ivan by both arms, and started dragging him away. As he was taken, Ivan shouted at Tony,
"Hahaha! You lost! You lost, Stark!"
To be honest, I could've taken Ivan Vanko out right at the start, but I didn't. The reason was that I was leaving the main plot intact, and Ivan Vanko's actions would cause Hammer's stock to surge.
Gotta make money.
We moved to the police station, gave simple statements about what happened, and went to meet Ivan Vanko in his cell. Pepper strongly objected, saying it was dangerous, but Tony insisted it was fine and entered the room alone.
Ivan Vanko was the son of Anton Vanko, a Soviet physicist who had researched the arc reactor with Tony's father, Howard Stark. Anton and Howard disagreed on how to use the arc reactor, and Howard, fearing Anton would misuse it, had him deported to the Soviet Union. Ivan was deported with him, and that planted his grudge against the Stark family.
Tony and Ivan were probably exchanging those stories inside.
We left the police station, stayed at a hotel overnight, and boarded the private jet the next day to return. I was reading a newspaper, and Natasha, sitting across from me, kept staring.
"Hey, Chairman, what exactly are you?"
Having seen my performance yesterday, Natasha asked, curious.
"Just a rich guy who's your boss."
"That's ridiculous. You kick a guy in weaponized exoskeleton armor like that and call yourself just a rich boss…"
"Natasha, I don't know if you realize, but there are lots of people with abilities in this world. Didn't Nick Fury tell you?"
"The Director doesn't tell me much."
"I see."
"So you're not going to tell me?"
"Right, not while SHIELD's influence is still around. It's hard to say. In time, you'll find out naturally even if I don't tell you."
I had no real desire to hide it, but if SHIELD found out it would be a huge pain, so I didn't plan to say anything yet.
"Damn it, fine."
"And we got word that a house is ready. It's being remodeled, so starting tomorrow, all the secretaries and bodyguards are going to Disneyland together. It's on the company, so don't worry."
"Sounds like a good job."
The next day I took the bodyguards and secretaries to Disneyland and spent three days having a blast before returning to New York. Seeing Natasha in a Minnie Mouse T-shirt and headband made me laugh, but she looked like she genuinely enjoyed herself. I enjoyed it too, of course.
After playing hard and resting a day, I spent the next few days busy with training and PR for the Lakshmi's crew. A few days later, Tony called.
"Jin, there's a party at my place tonight. Want to come?"
"I have a party with the Lakshmi crew tonight. I might be late."
"Really? That's fine. Come whenever."
"Got it."
That evening, I held a wrap-up and safety party for the Lakshmi crew who'd been training hard.
"Thank you all for your hard work in training. Here's to the ship and the crew's safety! Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
"I've prepared great food and drinks, so please eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves tonight."
"Woo~ Chairman's the best!"
Then Pepper called. Her voice was urgent.
"Jin! Come quick and stop Tony and Rhodey."
"Miss Pepper, what's wrong?"
"They're fighting in Iron Man suits."
I could hear things breaking in the background of Pepper's call.
"Understood. I'm on my way."
I told the Lakshmi's captain and my secretaries to handle things, teleported near Tony's house, and ran over. Pepper and Happy were standing outside, and the house was dead silent — the situation seemed over. Pepper looked like she had a headache, rubbing her forehead repeatedly.
"I'll go see Tony. You should rest today."
"Sigh… Jin, do you have any secretary openings? I really want to quit."
Unlike canon, I'd given Tony the palladium poisoning suppressant, so he hadn't handed the CEO role to Pepper yet.
"Happy."
"Yes, Chairman."
"Take Miss Pepper home. I'll talk to him."
"Understood."
I saw Pepper and Happy off and went inside Tony's house. The place was a total wreck. The sink, the fireplace — all smashed. Walls and ceiling were full of holes. The windows were gone, only frames left. Tony was asleep in the Iron Man suit next to the broken fireplace.
"What a mess."
I spent the night at Tony's, making energy bombs thanks to my ability. My ability meant I didn't need sleep for days. Around 9 AM the next day, Tony woke up.
"Ugh… coffee."
I pulled a coffee I'd made and stored in my inventory and handed it to him.
"Here, coffee."
"Huh? Jin. When did you get here?"
"Yesterday. And I had Happy take Pepper home."
"I see."
Tony took off the Iron Man helmet and drank the coffee I gave him.
"Jin, I put on the arc reactor to live, and now it's killing me with poisoning. Isn't that ironic?"
"So there was no replacement material, huh."
"Sigh… yeah."
"You like donuts?"
"I love them!"
"Let's go, my treat."
Tony and I went to the entrance, where a 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 I'd bought and serviced was parked. I'd pulled it from my inventory last night.
"Hey! That's not the car you always lend me?"
"I went through hell to get it. It's a gift. Take it."
I tossed Tony the Mustang keys. He caught them, lowered his head for a while, then looked up and said,
"Sigh… Jin! You've got a talent for making people emotional. I'll buy the donuts."
I gave it to cheer him up, but seeing him so touched, Tony must've been under insane stress from the palladium poisoning.
"Sure. Can you drive it in the suit?"
"Of course. Who do you think built this? It's got precise force control."
We drove the Mustang to the donut shop.
"Tony, about earlier — were you crying?"
Tony quickly turned up the music.
"What? I can't hear you!"
His reaction made me laugh a bit, but I let it go.
When we arrived at the donut shop, the staff were shocked to see us and stammered, but thankfully we got our donuts without incident. Not many customers helped.
"Jin, you run the company. I need a break."
"Giving up that fast?"
Just then, Nick Fury opened the donut shop door.
"The intel I got was weird. Seeing Jin here too."
"Oh~ motherfucker, long time no see!"
"Would you stop with the motherfucker thing?"
"Ahem… got it."