The lab fell into tense silence. Tony's gaze darted between the tube and James's impassive face.
"Why?" he asked softly. "This goes way beyond our agreement."
James stored the tube in a refrigerated case and slid it to Tony. "Because it's fun."
It was an excuse. Truthfully, James wanted to see the impact of a superhuman Tony Stark on the Marvel Universe. Long-term, with the potential to unlock a Silver Superman template via the system, he planned to explore other worlds. Marvel would be his base, and he needed a strong ally to protect it. Tony was the perfect choice.
"Fun?" Tony frowned. "What's fun about it?"
"This armor," James improvised. "You could've built countermeasures, but you chose trust."
Tony was speechless, then grinned. "So, this is your way of saying thanks? Turning me into Captain America 2.0?"
"3.0," James corrected. "And you can choose not to use it. It's insurance. And one of the surprises."
Tony grabbed the case, feeling its chill. "If I inject this, will I turn into a boy scout like Rogers?"
"No," James replied. "It just enhances your body. Your will, character, values… that's up to you."
Tony stored the case in a biometric safe, the lock clicking. He turned, his roguish grin back. "So, we're really partners now?"
"If you want," James said, approaching the window. The rising sun painted the horizon. "But get a full checkup before injecting. I eliminated side effects, but every body reacts differently."
"Yeah, yeah, you're worse than my dad," Tony grumbled, then paused. "Wait, you said 'one of the surprises'? There's more?"
James flashed a mysterious smile. "You'll see after you use the serum."
Tony narrowed his eyes. "I want to know now."
"Patience is a virtue, Stark," James said, rising into the air. "Inject it within 72 hours, or the components lose activity."
"Hey, wait!" Tony shouted, but James was gone.
In the empty lab, Tony yelled, "Jarvis, prep an analysis!"
"Yes, sir," Jarvis replied. "Shall I contact medical for a checkup?"
Tony stared at the safe, tapping the console. Finally, he took a deep breath. "First, call Pepper… No, wait. Pull everything on the Super-Soldier Serum, especially Erskine's 1943 notes."
Holographic screens lit up, but Tony couldn't stop glancing at the safe. A childlike curiosity, one he hadn't felt since his father's death, pulsed within him.
Outside, the sun bathed Stark Tower in golden light. Tony, lost in thought, was interrupted by Jarvis.
"Sir, unauthorized landing detected on the helipad."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Reporters? Tell them it's private property."
"Not media, sir," Jarvis said cautiously. "Signal identified: S.H.I.E.L.D. Quinjet."
Tony tensed. He hid the case in a secret compartment and wiped the serum data. "Activate defense protocol, lock down anything on James. Let our one-eyed guest in."
The elevator opened, and Nick Fury strode in, black coat billowing, his single eye scanning the room. Two armed agents stayed by the door.
"Stark," Fury said, voice low. "We need to talk about your new friend."
Tony, glass in hand, played it cool. "Nick, a late-night visit? Wanna invest in my clean energy project?"
Fury ignored the quip, activating a projector showing James in black armor neutralizing the mutant at the bank. "Explain, Stark. This guy, in your armor with supernatural powers—who is he? Don't tell me it's Superman."
Tony sipped his drink. "You nailed it. It's Superman."
He paused, seeing Fury's blank stare. "Okay, trade secret, Nick. Security consultant for Stark Industries, nothing more."
"Consultant?" Fury scoffed, displaying energy data. "This 'consultant' could level your tower with one punch. If he goes rogue, what then?"
Tony set his glass down, his smirk fading. "You're spying on me?"
"We monitor all potential threats," Fury replied, stepping closer. "Especially when a billionaire teams up with an overpowered unknown."
Tension crackled. Tony held his ground. "Listen, Fury. James is my partner. His powers and intentions are my business. S.H.I.E.L.D. has no jurisdiction."
Fury's eye narrowed. "Anything supernatural falls under S.H.I.E.L.D., Stark. Especially if it threatens national security."
"National security?" Tony laughed. "You're the biggest threat. I've seen your 'precautions' with the Tesseract. You're playing with dangerous toys, and HYDRA's using them to wreak havoc."
Fury's face tightened. "How do you know that?"
"I know more than you think, boss," Tony cut in, moving to a console. "Like your 24/7 surveillance on the big green guy."
Fury stayed silent, then shifted tactics. "Stark, I'm not here to fight. I'm inviting you to join the Avengers Initiative."
Tony raised an eyebrow, taking the encrypted file Fury handed him. "Avengers? Sounds like a second-rate rock band."
"An elite team," Fury explained. "The best superhumans and scientists to handle threats the military can't."