Chapter 62 Long Live Hydra!
Ivan, unaware that Tony didn't care about the palladium poisoning, didn't try to hide anything when asked the question and replied, "Anton Vanko, my father."
"Never heard of him!"
Tony quickly racked his brain, trying to recall the name, but couldn't find any.
Ivan's expression stiffened slightly. His family considered the other a lifelong enemy, yet the other didn't even remember his name—it was the greatest insult.
"I'll watch you fall into the abyss, Tony!"
After giving Tony a fierce look, Ivan stopped talking, making his attitude clear.
"Then you can stay in your cell and watch over him. I'll bring you a bar of soap."
Tony stood up; he also wanted to go back and investigate the name.
Leaving the cell, Tony pondered Ivan's situation. No matter how famous he was, he couldn't replace the prison's role, so ultimately, Ivan had to be handed over to the authorities.
At this moment, Tony had no worries and was thinking about many other things.
The operation of the Iron Man suit relies on two essential conditions: energy and an operating system. After all, that suit of steel isn't something you can simply put on and expect to move; it requires a system to assist you.
While there are other issues, these two are the most crucial. Once these two are in place, replicating his Iron Man suit will no longer be a fantasy.
Tony Stark knows the power of the Iron Man suit better than anyone, which is why he dared to boldly declare in the media that he maintained world stability.
Therefore, he absolutely cannot allow this suit to become rampant, and for this reason, he has never shown any intention of compromising in the face of the military's various demands, both soft and hard.
He originally believed that this technology was unique to him, and even if others wanted to imitate it, they simply couldn't. It was this confidence that allowed him to claim that no one could crack his technology.
Unfortunately, he hadn't expected someone to actually crack the code and attack him in public, a scene witnessed by almost the entire world.
Tony understood what Ivan meant earlier: if he couldn't prove the technology was safe, the military would force him to hand over the Iron Man suit.
Various factions would come knocking, drawn by the scent of steel. He couldn't imagine what the world would be like if every faction possessed such an Iron Man legion.
"I can't let things get to that point,"
Tony thought silently.
Leaving the cell, Tony encountered a worried Pepper, with the Black Widow, who had made headlines that day, beside her.
"Tony!"
Pepper approached, first looking at Tony with concern, then, relieved to see he was alright, she asked, "Who was that person?"
"We'll talk about it when we get back!"
Tony frowned, glancing at the swarm of reporters at the door. A day that should have been filled with celebration had been ruined like this; nobody was happy about it.
Ignoring the reporters who swarmed like cats smelling fish, Tony drove straight back to the villa.
Unbeknownst to Tony, the moment he left, a group of people arrived at the place where Ivan Vanko was being held.
"This matter is now under our jurisdiction,"
the man said, flashing his badge, which bore an eagle emblem. The person in charge seemed to know the department; his expression changed slightly, and he obediently handed Ivan over.
Ivan had no interest in who was taking him away; he simply did as he was told. He believed his 'performance' would demonstrate his value.
And indeed, just as Tony returned home, Ivan was quietly moved to a secluded location. During the transfer, one could faintly hear the words:
"Hail Hydra!"
...
The next day, Finney turned on the television, and it felt as if he were transported back to the days when Tony had just announced his transformation into Iron Man; almost every channel was reporting on him. The difference this time was that, fueled by some well-intentioned individuals, there was more questioning and demands.
Demands for what?!
To make Tony hand over the Iron Man suit to the nation!
Watching the experts on TV present their clear logic and analysis, Finney suddenly found this whole affair quite interesting, though he wondered how Tony would respond.
Because of concerns about New York's safety, Finney brought Skye with him on his next training trip. Returning to familiar places brought back many memories.
Unfortunately, she still couldn't use magic; it seemed Skye's talent in Kamar-Taj training was indeed lacking.
Fortunately, he had already accepted this outcome and didn't feel too sad.
Happy times always fly by, and the holiday passed in the blink of an eye.
A full week of peaceful life made Finney wonder if she was even in New York. Ivan hadn't been heard from since the attack, as if he had vanished into thin air.
Finney also checked on Hammer Industries' situation and found that while he was indeed riding on Tony's coattails, he hadn't made any outrageous statements. This attitude was unusual, especially if he had rescued Ivan.
The only noteworthy point was that Tony ultimately compromised.
War Machine was born!
Because of his involvement, Tony didn't experience the utter despair of palladium poisoning, nor did he engage in reckless behavior, and therefore, there were no more parties and antics.
Finney thought War Machine might be gone, but he reappeared.
However, Rhodes was Tony's best friend. When Tony was kidnapped, only Rhodes persisted in the search, even when everyone thought Tony was dead, ultimately rescuing him from the desert.
Rhodes was one of the few people Tony could completely trust, and he also served as a link between the military and Tony.
In this light, the birth of War Machine seemed like an inevitable outcome.
After Tony compromised, the authorities were clearly more satisfied, and public opinion began to shift somewhat, but Finney didn't really care. He was just wondering where Ivan Vanko had gone.
Two other people shared Finney's suspicions.
One was Tony, who had captured him. When he learned the next day that Ivan had been transferred, he didn't think much of it, but when he tried to find out more, he learned that Ivan Vanko had been secretly executed.
The other was Nick Fury, the one-eyed director who had been keeping an eye on Tony.
He had recently discovered that it was actually someone in his own department who had transferred and disposed of Ivan Vanko, but he didn't recall giving any orders. His intuition told him that something was wrong.
Just as Nick Fury was about to investigate, a conversation was taking place in a secluded location.
"Frey seems to have sensed something's wrong; we have to abandon him."
"But he's a rare talent!"
"To ensure the plan's success, now's not the time to expose him; we must abandon him!"
"Alright."
One of them seemed somewhat regretful, then added with interest, "He seems to have prepared a lot for Stark; we can use that to divert Nick Fury's attention."
"Hmm, let him go then! Long live Hydra!"
"Long live Hydra!" Where are they?
Where are they? Where are the people who left their mark, the first person, the sign-in people, etc.?
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(End of Chapter)