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After Tony concluded his explosive press conference, he vanished from the public eye. Few knew where he went or what he was doing, but the world's focus remained locked on the Stark Industries Tower.
The rumors weren't just street chatter; Tony was dead serious about shuttering the Weapons Division. The ensuing organizational earthquake was a magnitude twelve, rattling every floor of the company. Stock prices plummeted, and news outlets transitioned from calling him a "genius" to a "high-profile lunatic." The prevailing theory was that his time in the cave had left him with severe PTSD—unpredictable and mentally compromised.
Tony didn't bother defending himself, allowing the negative press to ferment. Only Pepper Potts knew the truth: Tony was using the panic to quietly buy back scattered shares at rock-bottom prices. Still, seeing the mockery in the media stung. She knew his arrogant, flamboyant nature, but she also saw the change in him. The Middle East had carved something away, leaving a man who could finally endure solitude without the distraction of debauchery.
"Pepper, come down for a moment..."
Tony's voice echoed through the workshop. After days of grueling labor, he had finally completed the Mark II Arc Reactor, ready to replace the crude, rattling "Mark I" prototype in his chest.
As Pepper helped him with the delicate procedure, a faint, unacknowledged chemistry simmered between them. Tony, the legendary playboy, found himself uncharacteristically nervous, avoiding her gaze as he realized his feelings had shifted from professional to profound. Love was a blind spot in his technical mind, and his instinct was to retreat into his work. He had a war to win against Obadiah, and his "Iron Can" was the only place he felt truly safe.
Kael, meanwhile, was playing a much cooler game.
Obadiah Stane wasn't fighting Tony's decision to close the Weapons Division; he was weaponizing it. He used the chaos as an excuse to purge dissidents, shifting the blame for the plummeting stock onto Tony's shoulders. Kael was caught in the middle, but he didn't mind. Both sides viewed him as a "loyal asset," giving him unprecedented freedom.
The smart weapon factory was temporarily mothballed, as Obadiah couldn't openly defy Tony just yet. He needed the fire Tony started to burn until it consumed the man himself.
"Boss, aren't you worried at all?"
Martin leaned over Kael's workbench, his dark face a mask of anxiety. "Stark is burning the house down! I don't want to be a flatline in the unemployment line!"
Kael didn't look up from the mechanical component he was fine-tuning. "Worried? About what? If we can't make guns, we make something else."
"Boss, tell me you have a plan," Martin whispered, his "worried" act slipping into a fawning grin.
"We can make smart toilets, Martin. Think about it. Everyone needs one. It's a bigger market than the military."
"..." Martin's expression froze. He couldn't tell if Kael was joking or if the genius had finally snapped. After a beat, he decided it didn't matter. "You're the Boss. What do you need?"
"Hold this," Kael said, handing him a square mechanical block.
Martin reached for it casually and nearly did a face-plant. "What is this thing made of? Neutron star? It's heavy as hell!"
Kael took it back effortlessly. "Looks can be deceiving, Martin. Get the testing rig ready."
The component was an improved gravity-control module, a piece of tech Kael had reverse-engineered from Arasaka's "Project King Kong" and integrated with Titanfall-style kinetic assistance. It was the first "building block" for his exoskeleton frame. It wouldn't fly like Tony's Mark II, but it would allow a user to move with terrifying, ground-hugging speed.
As night fell, Kael stayed behind. "F.R.I.D.A.Y., initiate diagnostic sweep."
The robotic arm in the lab—now fully under the AI's control—moved with surgical grace. Data flooded Kael's screens. The tech from the Cyberpunk world was translating perfectly into the Marvel timeline. The exoskeleton was ready for assembly; all it lacked was a power source.
The "Mini-Titan" required an energy density that only one thing could provide: the Arc Reactor.
"F.R.I.D.A.Y., store the gravity module in Warehouse One," Kael commanded.
A drone whirred over, lifting the heavy part and carrying it to a secret subterranean facility Kael had been carving out beneath the factory floor. Using his industrial bots, he'd built a "Beehive"—a hidden, high-tech sanctuary shielded from corporate and AI prying.
His phone buzzed. It was Pepper. "Kael, do you have time? Tony wants to see you."
Kael drove to a secluded bar in Manhattan. Inside the private room, Tony Stark was waiting with a drink poured.
"The smart pistol you designed is a masterpiece," Tony said, gesturing for Kael to sit.
"It's an honor, Tony. A shame the division is closing. My F.R.I.D.A.Y. might need a new home."
"Don't worry about that. I'm opening an Artificial Intelligence Department. We're going to change how people live. Phones, homes... maybe even smart toilets." Tony chuckled, rubbing his chin. "But before we revolutionize the bathroom, I need a favor."
Tony's expression turned grim. "I need you to hack the main computer at the Tower. Get the shipping manifests and everything Obadiah's been hiding."
Kael glanced at Pepper. "Why me? Pepper has the clearance."
"Obadiah is watching her. And honestly? I trust your hands more on a keyboard. You're one of the few people left who hasn't picked a side."
It was a test. Tony was looking for support to replace the rot in his company.
"I can help," Kael said, his voice taking on the tone of a Calculating Survivor. "But you'll owe me a favor. A big one."
"The more debts I have, the less they weigh," Tony shrugged. He slid a bypass chip across the table. "Be quick. I feel like Obadiah's patience is redlining."
Kael took the chip. "I'm on it."
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