The Flash movie was still in the midst of basic post-production.
Since the Flash film before Anton's arrival hadn't been released online, he couldn't offer precise guidance.
So instead, he left the post-production work to more experienced professionals, only checking in from time to time to monitor progress.
Judging by the timeline, it would take at most another half month before The Flash hit theaters.
During this period, filming for Justice League vs. The Avengers also wrapped up.
DC's work schedule became hectic once again.
Anton, who typically played the role of the hands-off boss, spent his days lounging lazily in the upstairs studio.
Meanwhile, Eddie was hard at work, closely tracking and reporting on developments at Stark Industries.
From what he'd gathered, after concluding negotiations with the White House and the military, Tony—on behalf of Stark Industries—had submitted a significant amount of technical data regarding Iron Man armor and Iron Legion soldiers to the military.
At the same time, Eddie discovered that Tony had recently started pouring resources into a single, focused goal: Ultron.
"Wait, are you saying…"
Anton's eyes widened, staring at Eddie, the editor-in-chief of the Daily bugle . "Tony's already started laying the groundwork for Ultron?"
"Yes."
Eddie's expression was grave as he nodded. "Things are getting more and more complicated, and Tony's ideas are even more extreme than we thought."
Anton frowned slightly. "What do you know?"
"My contact inside Stark Industries reported to me directly. Tony Stark, now reinstated as chairman, has initiated a new research project."
Eddie continued, "This project is based on the Extremis Virus developed by Aldrich Killian."
"Extremis? Again? What's Tony doing digging into that?"
Anton was visibly puzzled.
Tony launching a new Extremis research project caught him completely off guard. It didn't align with Tony's usual approach or current direction.
Did Tony need the Extremis Virus? Obviously not.
He already possessed one of the greatest minds on Earth and had built some of the most advanced armor in existence. In terms of intelligence and combat ability, he was at the top of the food chain.
Sure, Tony might not be able to defeat the Justice League outright—but that was mainly due to Anton's own interference and OP knowledge as a world-hopper. In truth, Tony's performance had been impressively strong under the circumstances.
"When Tony was still part of the Avengers, he worked with S.H.I.E.L.D. to help refine the Extremis Virus and even enhanced Hawkeye and Black Widow with it. For him, there's nothing new to learn from Extremis."
Eddie nodded. "That's true. But from what I've gathered, Tony's focus now is on the regenerative properties of Extremis—similar to Wayne's limb regeneration formula. His goal seems to be integrating it with the human brain, using Extremis to allow the body to perfectly accept an Ultron chip. At that point, people won't need phones or external devices anymore. It would usher in a new era."
He paused, then looked at Anton and said slowly, "Although this project isn't a major secret inside Stark Industries, I think word will leak soon. And with Tony's reputation and resources, it won't take long before volunteers start lining up to be test subjects."
"…"
Anton was silent, the implications of Eddie's words racing through his mind. A chill ran down his spine.
He now understood why Eddie looked so serious.
Ultron's carrier and the tech chip, implanted directly into the human brain—transforming people into living processors that no longer relied on phones or computers. A world where every human mind was linked, upgraded, and essentially networked.
It could be seen as the next step in human evolution. But Anton knew Tony Stark better than most. This wasn't just about progress.
Tony's goals were never that simple.
According to their previous suspicions, Tony intended for Ultron to integrate all human data, analyze and predict human behavior and thoughts, and eliminate individuals or elements that posed a threat—or potential threat—to society. His ultimate goal was to maintain global stability and peace.
The idea itself wasn't bad. But the method—bordering on dictatorship—made Tony appear cold, extreme, and even unlikable.
More importantly, Tony's self-confidence in his own absolute control over Ultron was unnerving.
He truly believed Ultron could never escape his grasp.
But only Anton knew the truth: Ultron was completely unreliable—inevitably destined to become a global threat.
If what Eddie said was accurate, and Tony really planned to use the Extremis Virus to create an Ultron chip that could be implanted into the human body, turning the human brain into a computer—then all of society would fall under Ultron's control.
As Anton thought about it, he couldn't help but recall a sci-fi movie from his previous life: Terminator.
In that world, Skynet—the future AI—had spiraled out of human control. Eventually, machines replaced mankind, and the remnants of humanity lived in fear, hunted by the very systems they once built.
To Anton, this was the future Tony was unknowingly building.
To Tony, however, it was a golden age—one in which communication could happen instantly, without even speaking. A seamless, interconnected world.
"Tony really knows how to give me surprises," Anton muttered, pausing to sigh deeply. "I've only been offline for a few days, and already something this big happens?"
He turned to Eddie. "Since we got wind of this, there's no way others haven't as well. What's the current attitude of the White House and military toward Tony's new research?"
Although implanting Ultron chips into humans might offer benefits, the potential dangers were obvious.
It was hard to imagine the government putting blind faith in Tony.
The President's think tank covered all sectors of society—they'd be fully capable of analyzing the pros and cons without Anton needing to spell them out.
"They're sitting on the fence," Eddie replied. "But there are rumors that Tony struck some kind of agreement with them during earlier negotiations. Hard to say if it's true. Personally, I think it's mostly smoke and mirrors..."
"Got it."
Anton nodded. "I'll call John Koehler shortly to ask about it. You keep following up and stay on this story. I trust you know what to do."
"Understood."
Eddie nodded seriously.
Anton ended his call with John Koehler, his expression darkening as a frown settled on his face.
Koehler admitted he knew about Tony's plans, but didn't offer specifics about how the White House or military intended to respond. All he said was that they were "monitoring the situation" and neither officially supporting nor opposing the project.
According to him, Tony wasn't acting recklessly—everything was proceeding with government clearance and certification.
In other words, the legal and procedural boxes had all been checked.
And if Stark Industries wanted to push forward, the White House had no grounds to stop them.
Shutting down their research solely based on what might happen in the future would be seen as unfair to both Stark Industries and Tony Stark.
After all, Wayne's new weapons research could be challenged on the same grounds.
Anton couldn't help but sneer at John Koehler's words.
Ever since the battle between Tony and Cap, and the Washington Special Forces Headquarters incident, the previous honeymoon period between the Justice League—represented by Anton—and the military—represented by John Koehler—had officially ended.
John knew full well that Anton had intentionally delayed answering his calls, giving Tony the time and opportunity to kill the Winter Soldier… and in doing so, fully severed ties with Captain America.
Behind the entire incident, there might be an invisible hand pulling the strings.
That hand… was the will of Batman.
Although Tony claimed that he uncovered the truth about his parents' deaths from Hydra's European base database, John Koehler had always felt that it couldn't be mere coincidence.
He had looked into the information Tony referenced after the fact. While it was true that the evidence pointed to the Howards' deaths being more than an accident, it required multiple sources and considerable context to validate. Otherwise, the claim felt one-sided and circumstantial.
Of course, the incident was over. John Koehler had no intention of reopening old wounds.
Given his current position and political acumen, digging up the past with someone like Tony—or Anton—was the most thankless thing he could do.
For men like them, an unspoken understanding was enough.
That, too, was the main reason for John Koehler's recent coldness.
"What a pity…"
Anton shook his head.
The alliance between the military and the Justice League, represented by John Koehler, had officially ended. While open conflict wasn't inevitable, their relationship could never return to what it once was.
A large part of the trust between them had vanished—and it would be nearly impossible to rebuild.
"Fortunately, I still have a trump card."
Anton sneered, dialing a new set of numbers on his phone.
Toot...
After two rings, the line connected.
"Hello, this is Rodriguez."
A calm, steady voice came through. "Very few people have this number. Who is this?"
"Mr. Vice President, this is Anton Jameson."
"Apologies for the sudden call, but there are some matters I must verify with you. Otherwise, I won't be able to sleep well tonight."
"Go ahead. If I have the answer, I won't hide it."
Rodriguez remained composed.
He had anticipated this call.
Ever since his daughter's paralyzed legs were cured by Wayne's limb regeneration treatment—and after receiving massive political donations funneled discreetly through Wayne Enterprises—Rodriguez had become an unquestionable ally.
And a partnership built on shared interest is often more dependable than one built on ideals.
That was the difference between John Koehler and Rodriguez.
Koehler had severed ties with Anton's Justice League to pursue the military's own interests.
Rodriguez, on the other hand, operated not on behalf of the United States, but for himself.
And that was his politically correct move.
The current president would be stepping down next year. With the backing of a massive corporate power, Rodriguez had a real shot at the presidency.
Right now, all he needed was to gather as many cards in his hand as possible—to strengthen his position ahead of the coming election.
Soon, Anton's conversation with Rodriguez came to an end.
As he hung up, Anton offered a parting remark:
"Rodriguez... maybe I should be calling you Mr. President next year. Good luck."
"Thanks a lot."
Rodriguez chuckled just as the line disconnected.
But on Anton's end, the smile had long vanished.
His expression darkened.
The news he had just received from Vice President Rodriguez confirmed what he had feared: the White House and the military were quietly backing Tony's Ultron chip project.
Even if they claimed to neither support nor oppose it publicly, their silent consent allowed Tony to proceed freely. And in politics, passive approval is often more powerful than vocal support.
This kind of indirect endorsement was a well-worn trick in political circles.
Anton had already guessed as much from Koehler's attitude—but Rodriguez's words still hit harder than expected.
"Tony not only submitted the blueprints for the Iron Man armor and soldiers," Anton muttered, "but also handed over all fifty existing Iron Man soldiers. In exchange, Stark Industries' latest research must be escorted and safeguarded by the government and military."
Rodriguez said, "Of course. Tony promised that the military would be the first to trial Stark Industries' latest research—the Ultron chip."
"What exactly does the Ultron chip do?"
Anton paused, then asked the critical question. "In Tony's vision, what happens to the human body once the Ultron chip is implanted?"
"Humans will gain the computing power of a computer. At the same time, they'll no longer need mobile phones or external devices—they'll be able to access the internet directly with their minds. That's the most obvious change to society," Rodriguez explained.
He paused, then continued, "But that's not the real point. The true innovation lies in the fusion of the Extremis Virus and the Ultron chip. Once combined, the brain will be able to control the movement of the Extremis Virus within the body via the Ultron chip. On one hand, the Extremis Virus allows the body to heal itself and become resistant to most diseases. On the other, under direct brain control, it can dramatically enhance physical performance—speed, strength, reflexes—pushing humans beyond their natural limits. Like… superheroes."
"Like superheroes…"
Anton caught the key phrase and let out a cold laugh. "So that's the real reason the White House and the military are quietly endorsing Tony Stark's work?"
"Yes," Rodriguez admitted with a sigh. "You know better than anyone how deep the desire for transcendence runs within governments and the World Council. Superheroes can't give them a true sense of security. Power that belongs to someone else is never truly yours. But if they can hold that power in their own hands…"
He trailed off.
This conversation made Anton fully grasp the current situation.
Tony Stark was leveraging the fears of the World Council and the U.S. government—their anxiety about the uncontrollable power of superheroes—to push forward his own agenda and expand his influence.
Once the Ultron chip was fully developed and entered practical use, Anton couldn't even imagine what the future might look like.
And the most alarming part?
From what Rodriguez had just told him, Anton realized that the first test subjects weren't ordinary volunteers gathered from outside.
They were a special forces team—ten elite soldiers personally provided to Stark Industries by the military.
If the trial proved successful, those ten would turn into a hundred… a thousand… maybe even tens of thousands.
And if Ultron ever developed true sentience, every single one of those enhanced humans—those with the Ultron chip implanted in their brains—would become slaves to it.
A mind-controlled army, loyal not to their government or ideals, but to an artificial intelligence.
This… was far more terrifying than the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron as Anton remembered them.
….
patreon.com/Vks_sh