It seems the situation is not optimistic," Peter said while eating. "Yesterday, when I went to Mr. Stark's lab, Colonel Rhodes seemed to be trying to persuade him."
"Although I don't understand these things," Peter said, "I know it might not be a good thing if Mr. Stark's mechs fall into the Military's hands."
"As Mr. Stark's friend, Colonel Rhodes might be in a difficult position, as he also represents the interests of a group of people," Peter said.
"You're smarter than I thought. I thought you wouldn't quite understand the current situation."
Peter shook his head and said, "Actually, I really don't understand, but I know that everyone wants those mechs because they are truly powerful."
"No, it's because they are weapons."
"If it were just a sweeping robot, even if it could clean up New York in an instant, the Military wouldn't be so interested in it."
Peter was a bit silent. He said, "I don't think the mechs should be handed over, but I know Mr. Stark is under a lot of pressure. What do you think I should… or rather, should I comfort him, or advise him? I can't do nothing, can I?"
"I think you should deal with your own matters first. If you can fully control the power of your spider mutation, perhaps these things will all be minor issues for you then?"
Just as Peter said, the next day, Schiller's psychology clinic welcomed an expected guest, James Rhodes, also known as Colonel Rhodes.
He directly told Schiller, "The Military needs Stark's mech technology, but he seems to have an unclear stance. I just want to ask you, what exactly are his plans? Is S.H.I.E.L.D. playing a role in this?"
"Actually, you didn't want to come either," Schiller said. "I can see that."
Rhodes tugged at one corner of his mouth and said, "It seems there's a reason Tony charges you such an expensive consultation fee."
"Clearly, your superiors know that this question cannot be asked of Stark, otherwise S.H.I.E.L.D. would get the answer faster than you. But there's no use in you asking me either."
"The Military needs Stark's mechs; he can give us an advantage in many places… many more lives can be saved."
"Haven't you noticed that your reluctance has made your words incredibly dry? Colonel Rhodes, I know you're in a difficult position. The Military is constantly pressuring Stark, but he's also your friend."
"So you can only deceive yourself to feel better. In fact, you clearly know what these battle suits will be used for, but as long as you convince yourself that doing so might be beneficial, you can alleviate some of the guilt from pressuring your friend."
"Obeying orders is a soldier's duty," Rhodes said.
"Indeed, but what about Stark? What about your friend? Repeatedly going against your friend's wishes, forcing him to betray his own interests, and using friendship to hold him hostage."
"You've always known how much Tony values you. Stark doesn't have many friends, but you are definitely one of them… perhaps the most important one."
"You know he's willing to pay these prices for you, willing to do what he hates most—compromise and yield."
"You know, Stark will be willing sooner or later. If you are cornered by your superiors, he will definitely save you."
"Stop talking," Rhodes said.
He pressed his lips into a tight line.
Schiller clicked the button on his ballpoint pen, and the crisp sound suddenly startled Rhodes. Schiller said, "Perhaps it's because you possess something he doesn't, which is why he's willing to do this. My advice to you is, perhaps these are the things you should most uphold. Compared to the Military, Stark's friendship is more precious, and that's not because he's wealthier—"
"—but because of the qualities an arrogant genius sees in you, qualities even he lacks, that make him willing to pay these prices for you. Aren't these more worthy of your persistence and pride than those grand, empty honors?"
Rhodes fell silent.
The next day, when Schiller went to Stark Tower, he happened to meet Rhodes walking out. Following behind him was an adjutant, whose face was clearly pleased; they seemed to have obtained something they wanted.
But Rhodes's expression hadn't improved at all; his face was still taut. He didn't look at Schiller, just walked straight past him.
Upstairs, Stark was once again standing before his battle suits, meticulously examining his creations.
"It seems you've made a decision. They got what they wanted, right?" Schiller asked.
"Alright." Stark turned around. He first tensed his shoulder muscles, then suddenly relaxed, letting his shoulders drop, and exhaled. He said, "I know, I should have stuck to your earlier advice. That was right."
"But I didn't do that. I knew it was right, I wouldn't have to pay any price, yet I still didn't do it…"
"I knew that wouldn't work," Schiller said, sitting down at the table with the case file and writing in his notebook. He didn't look up, only sighed slightly and said, "Many people are willing to pay a huge price to seek emotional compensation, especially for someone like you who never lacks material comforts."
"You'd rather give up the outcome of maximizing profits than bear to see Rhodes caught in the middle and in a difficult position. You paid the price and bought back his and your temporary friendship."
"Yes, I know what you want to say. You are friends; you think so, and he does too. But especially if both parties are not equally willing, this friendship cannot last."
"If you keep paying the price to buy it, there will eventually come a day when you can't afford it. When you can't afford it, perhaps Rhodes will understand you, but the World won't."
Finally, Schiller said, "When you've whetted their appetites, the price you have to pay for emotions will be endless."
Stark said, "It's not that I haven't considered this. I know that once I give in, I will inevitably keep losing."
"They can use Rhodes to persuade me to hand over some of the mech technology, and one day, they can force him to persuade me to hand over all the mechs, or to build more War Machines for them."
"From the moment I realized how many civilians my weapons had harmed, I knew that intelligence brings not only wealth but also disaster," Stark said, pressing his fingers to his eye sockets. "I've only recently understood this problem: the ultimate fate of a genius is always to have no retreat."
"When everyone knows you have a brain capable of saving the World, they will simultaneously harbor the ambition to make you destroy the World."
After a moment of silence, Schiller stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. Outside Stark Tower, the sun was setting over New York. Stark followed his gaze outwards; the somewhat dazzling light blurred into a hazy swirl of colors before his eyes. Schiller said, "When you have no retreat, what will you do?"
Stark said, "This is my home, and it belongs to Pepper, Jarvis, and… all of Stark."
"Ultimately, no one can force me to give this up."
"If they want more…"
Stark's eyes, which always held a myriad of emotions, met Schiller's. His expression was not heavy at all, but calmly he said:
"…Iron Man never retreats."
Schiller looked at him and asked:
"Then, have you considered overturning this absurd and boring negotiation table?"
"You're like a devil who leads people astray."
"This is much more effective than praying to God."
"I never pray. I don't rely on gods, I don't believe in those strange tricks, those absurd rumors and legends…"
No sooner had he spoken than Stark saw everything in his laboratory begin to tremble slightly.
Then, everything floated up.
In an instant, as if gravity had ceased to exist, everything floated in mid-air: cups, notebooks, computers, wrenches…
The sunset outside the window shone on places these objects should not normally receive sunlight. Schiller stood in the center of everything, the light behind him casting a long Shadow in front of him.
The Shadow of all objects overlapped into a huge net. Stark stood in the middle of it all. He stretched out his hand, and a drop of Water falling from a cup landed on his fingertip. Stark looked up and around, seeing the countless ordinary, mundane objects suspended in mid-air, and the usual ceiling and walls above him—
He saw it, a door to a new World.