Stark Industries Headquarters, CEO's Office.
"The NYPD investigation shows that the building's collapse was caused by a section of the foundation's steel reinforcement being completely melted by high temperatures."
Pepper Potts, the current CEO of Stark Industries, frowned as she listened to her secretary's report. "A terrorist attack? Did they use some kind of high-temperature incendiary weapon, like thermite?"
The secretary glanced at the documents in her hand and shook her head slightly. "The police found no traces of combustion byproducts at the scene that would suggest an accelerant was used."
"No signs of any incendiary agents, yet the steel foundation was thoroughly melted by high heat?"
Pepper pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. Ever since Tony had become a hands-off boss, the massive affairs of Stark Industries had fallen entirely on her shoulders. The daily pressure was already immense, and now a suspected superhuman sabotage incident had suddenly cropped up. Furthermore, they had no idea who was behind it or what their motive was.
There was no guarantee that this person wouldn't continue to target other Stark Industries buildings. Even with the company's vast resources, they couldn't afford a series of such losses—primarily because of the disruption it would cause to their daily operations.
"You don't need to worry too much, Ma'am. Commissioner Stacy of the NYPD will surely find the criminal responsible," the intellectual-looking secretary said, adjusting her black-rimmed glasses to offer some comfort.
Pepper nodded slightly. "I hope so."
"Ma'am, Mr. Stark has arrived at the company and is on his way to your office," the receptionist announced through the internal intercom.
"I heard there was an 'accident' at one of our subsidiary buildings?" Shortly after, Tony walked directly into the office, sat down across from Pepper, and got straight to the point.
Pepper nodded. "Tony, the NYPD will find the culprit behind this sabotage. You don't have to..."
"I don't care who started this, but they made the mistake of targeting Stark Industries." Tony interrupted her, standing up. "Iron Man is going to make them realize what regret feels like!"
Pepper looked worried and tried to dissuade him.
Seeing this, Tony gave a relaxed smile. "Don't worry, there won't be any danger. I have confidence in my suits. Besides, if the police can't stop this saboteur and they decide to hit the headquarters here, do you really expect me to just sit by? The perpetrator likely possesses unique and powerful abilities; even if the police identify them, ordinary officers probably won't be able to handle it."
Pepper sighed. "Maybe we should contact that Agent Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D. Isn't their organization supposed to handle events that defy common logic?"
Tony nodded. "I'll get in touch with them."
Brooklyn, a Safe House.
Frank Castle also received a communication from Nick Fury.
"Damage of this magnitude is indeed highly likely to be the work of a Gaia Memory user," Frank said, looking at the screen of his communicator.
Nick Fury nodded in agreement. "That's why I need you to step in. Judging by the destruction at the scene, this Gaia Memory is definitely powerful—not something an average person can handle."
Frank's eyes shifted slightly. "Did you find any leads?"
"Nothing certain yet, but this person won't just vanish. It's highly probable they will target other Stark Industries buildings," Nick stated. "I've already arranged for S.H.I.E.L.D. tactical teams to keep every Stark-related building in New York under surveillance. The moment they strike again, we'll lock onto their identity."
"Notify me when that happens," Frank said with a slight nod.
Jessica and Luke's Detective Agency.
The agency had just taken on a new client.
"The man in the photo is Bandy Wald. He's my husband."
The client handed over a photograph to Jessica and Luke. "He used to be an engineer in the weapons manufacturing division of Stark Industries. But ever since Tony Stark shut that division down, he's been unemployed. He hasn't been able to find a suitable job for months. His mood has been very unstable lately, and two days ago, he just... disappeared."
Jessica and Luke exchanged a look. "So, you want us to find Mr. Wald?"
"Yes," the woman, who looked to be in her early thirties, nodded.
"Did you report him missing to the police?" Jessica asked, slightly puzzled.
The woman gave a bitter smile. "Of course I did. But the police don't consider him a 'missing person' because it hasn't even been forty-eight hours. They told me to go home and wait for news."
"Why the urgency? Is there a specific reason you feel he's in danger?" Luke asked, sensing there was more to the story.
The woman fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Mainly because before he disappeared, he kept saying right in front of me that he was going to make Stark Industries pay. Then, less than a day after he vanished, that building collapse happened..."
"You suspect Mr. Wald is responsible for the collapse in Manhattan?" Jessica asked, her mouth dropping open in surprise.
The woman shook her head, her face full of sorrow as tears welled in her eyes. "I don't know. I'm just worried. Even without the high-paying job at Stark, our family could have lived a good life together. But if he really did something like this and the police catch him..."
"I know this request might be dangerous, so I'll pay double the fee. This is the deposit." The woman carefully took some cash out of her bag and handed it to Jessica.
While Jessica Jones and Luke Cage might not have the most polished investigative skills, they were tough—incredibly tough. They weren't great at high-tech tracking, but they never turned down dangerous jobs that other detectives were too afraid to take. With their strength, they could easily handle ordinary gangs even without using Gaia Memories. They had already built a bit of a reputation in the neighborhood for successfully completing their assignments.
Seeing the tears in the woman's eyes, Jessica looked at Luke and nodded. She took the cash but said, "We'll take the deposit, but there's no need for a double fee. We'll find Mr. Wald for you."
"If he really did what happened today, please... stop him before he makes things even worse," the woman pleaded.
Jessica flashed a reassuring smile. "Ma'am, don't worry too much yet. It's not even confirmed that Mr. Wald was involved."
The woman managed a weak smile and nodded. "If there's anything you need to know about him—his habits, where he likes to go—just ask me."
Jessica and Luke nodded and began their questioning.