Daredevil. Shang-Chi. Iron Fist.
The trio were about to leave the scene to attend to their personal matters.
The trio stood apart from the main group, but their presence had been undeniable in the battle.
Matt Murdock—Daredevil—adjusted his red-tinted glasses, his expression calm as he repeated what he said before.
"Like I said, my place is in Hell's Kitchen. I'll help when I can, but the city has its own devils to fight."
Steve nodded in understanding. "That's more than enough."
Shang-Chi crossed his arms, his stance relaxed but firm.
"I already said I'm in," said simply. "Fighting aliens wasn't exactly my usual Tuesday, but if this is the kind of threat we're dealing with, then yeah, I'll stand with you."
Danny Rand—Iron Fist—nodded. "Me too. The Iron Fist exists to protect against forces that threaten balance. This war showed me how big that battlefield really is."
Tony clapped his hands together. "Alright then. Part-time devil, full-time martial arts masters—welcome to the club. No membership fees, but you do get an all-access pass to world-ending catastrophes."
With the team's roster expanding, there was no time to waste. Tony had another stop to make.
---
Undisclosed Location – Stark Secret Base
The underground facility was built into the side of a remote cliff, shielded by both advanced tech and natural barriers. Officially, it didn't exist. Unofficially, it was home to mutants Tony had rescued from Hydra.
As soon as he stepped inside, J.A.R.V.I.S. greeted him.
"Sir, you may want to be aware—several of your experimental suits were deployed during the invasion."
Tony stopped mid-step. "I thought as much. How was it?"
M.A.R.V.E.L, chimed in. "Certain members of this facility deemed it necessary to assist in the battle. The suits performed at optimal efficiency."
"Which of them?" Tony asked, though he already had a guess.
The answer came as he stepped further into the dimly lit command room.
Anna stood near one of the displays, arms crossed. Her presence was imposing—tall, and radiating restrained power.
'If it were in our neighborhood studio she could pass as a clone of super girl if you ask me,' Tony thought.
super strength, flight, heat vision—the works. And she had been barely in control of them when he first met her.
Next to her was a blur of movement. Pietro Maximoff—Quicksilver—appeared at Tony's side in an instant. "Where's Wanda?" he asked without preamble.
Tony didn't flinch. "She's at a place called Kamar-Taj. You were already told what it is. Learning control. Getting stronger."
Pietro narrowed his eyes. "You sent my sister to train with a bunch of wizards?"
"Correction: I sent your sister to the best possible place to keep her from melting reality because she sneezed the wrong way." Tony exhaled. "She's in good hands. And before you ask, no, she doesn't need a rescue mission."
Pietro scowled but said nothing.
Anna finally spoke. "We used your suits."
Tony turned to her. "Yeah, I heard. Let's talk about that."
She didn't look apologetic. "We couldn't just sit here while New York burned. You helped us when we had nowhere to go. It was our turn."
Tony studied her. She wasn't wrong. And the suits had been used effectively. The Battle of New York had needed every capable fighter it could get.
"Alright," Tony conceded. "You pulled your weight. But next time, ask before you borrow my multi-million-dollar toys."
Anna smirked slightly. "Noted."
Tony scanned the room. Aside from the heavy hitters, there were younger mutants here.
Tony turned to the other two.
One who had the ability to understand and speak any language instantly, even those not from Earth.
Another could alter his hair color at will—not exactly battlefield material, but an ability with potential applications in infiltration or identity concealment.
Tony turned to them. "You've got power. That's great. But power without control? Without purpose? That's a problem."
The room was silent.
Tony let the weight of his words settle before continuing. "I'm not here to turn you into soldiers. You deserve normal lives. But the world isn't normal. If we're going to make sure what happened in New York doesn't happen again, we need people who can step up."
He gestured at the room. "That's what I'm offering. A faction. A network. You don't have to wear matching costumes or sign up for mandatory team meetings. But if the time comes, and the world needs you—will you be ready?"
Anna held his gaze for a long moment. Then she nodded.
Pietro rolled his eyes. "You've got a way with speeches, Stark."
Tony smirked. "Comes with the genius billionaire territory."
Tony then laid down his plans for them on the table and when he was done, everyone's eyes lit up in expected amid some doubt.
"Would you really be able to do that?" The mutant boy with hair-color changing powers asked.
"That and much more," Tony replied and then turned to leave.
As he turned to leave, he felt eyes on him. Anna watched him carefully, as if trying to see past his words.
Tony knew what she was thinking.
He was planning something bigger.
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