To a Spectator, time wasn't something that just passed; it was a constant stream of information to be analyzed. And yet the last two months at Stark Industries had gone by in an absolute flash. Adam stood by the coffee machine in his sleek new kitchen, savoring the quiet hum of the morning. His mind felt sharper than ever—a clear sign that two months of managing Tony Stark's collateral damage had pushed his Spectator potion's digestion to around fifty percent. That progress was aided by his late-night excursions into the shady corners of the city in search of conflict.
With his massive signing bonus, Adam immediately upgraded his lifestyle. The white button-up shirt and black pants he wore to his interview were quickly replaced by a wardrobe that matched his six-figure salary. Next came his living situation. With the company's help, he secured a perfect studio apartment on the 20th floor of Murray Hill Tower.
Meanwhile, his work had been impeccable, considering that he didn't just organize schedules; with his observation, he predicted crises. He learned to read the microscopic tell on Pepper's face well enough to know exactly when to intercept someone, be that an annoying department head or even the Board of Directors, before they even reached her desk.
He had filtered out corporate spies by analyzing their posture during meetings, and he had even successfully manipulated Tony Stark into attending three Board meetings by phrasing the invitations as personal challenges.
But the most valuable information he gathered over the two months was identifying the wolf that walks in a sheep's clothing. To everyone else, Obadiah Stane was the warm, jovial backbone of the company. But to Adam, who did not even need his powers as the Spectator, the man was a swirling vortex of deep-seated ambition, greed, and barely concealed resentment. Adam played the polite assistant, but he kept an eye on the second-in-command, even though he was not going to change anything major other than some minor tweaks here and there.
Adam came out of his musing, finished his freshly brewed coffee, and placed the mug back in the sink. He checked his sleek Stark-issued phone. Today was not going to be a quiet day of paperwork. Tonight was the Apogee Awards in Las Vegas, and Pepper tasked Adam with the Impossible: making sure Tony Stark actually showed up to receive his own award.
Adam let out a sigh. "How can I make sure that man-child shows up for his own award? He clearly does not care about anything other than his pleasures. Not yet anyway. Looks like I showed way too much competence during these two months." Adam joked at the end.
With that out of the way, Adam went to get changed to start his work. While Adam was thinking of what to wear for today, he took a slow look around the studio apartment, his Spectator senses analyzing the layout. It was perfectly suited for him. The open kitchen featured sleek, practical appliances, leading seamlessly into a living space anchored by a comfortable sofa and a massive window that let in plenty of natural light. His bed was tucked neatly into a quiet, defensible corner. It wasn't a flashy billionaire's penthouse, nor was it the cramped, shabby room he had just left behind. It was clean, quiet, the perfect sanctuary.
Adam decided on a charcoal three-piece suit; he picked up the ice-white shirt, slipped it on, and put on his pants. It was a far cry from his faded clothes. He buttoned a charcoal vest, feeling it hug his torso and straighten his posture. He stepped to the mirror, tying his silk tie with practiced ease before shrugging on the heavy wool jacket. It settled comfortably onto his shoulders. He took a deep breath, looking at himself in the mirror with a small smirk at how his life had changed from a seventeen-year-old kid to the man that he saw in the mirror.
Having finished getting ready, Adam took the keys to his apartment, locked the door, and took the elevator down. Getting out, Adam looked back at the 34th-story tower once before walking to Stark Industries.
"Good morning, Sam!" Adam greeted the security guard at the main gate as he got out.
"Morning, Mr. Sokolov. Have a nice day out there," replied the guard.
"You too, Sam, you too." With that, Adam was on his way; he still had plenty of time. It was normally only a ten-minute walk from his home to his workplace, but since he was early, he decided to take his time. Adam looked around as he took in the morning rush. After stretching the commute into a fifteen-minute leisurely walk, Adam hummed as he stepped inside the Stark Industries building, still not entirely used to the sheer scale of the place.
'I wonder if this building is this grand, what about the Stark Tower?' Adam thought as he smoothly got in the elevator to get to the 40th floor, where he now permanently sat outside of Pepper's office as her personal assistant.
Ding.
Adam got out of the elevator on the 40th floor, and in front of him was the door to Pepper's office with his desk on one side.
Adam went and knocked on the door. "Come inside, Adam." With permission, Adam went directly in front of the desk, taking a look around the office. Other than the piles of papers and files, nothing else had changed from his first day.
"Good morning, Miss Potts," Adam greeted in a polite tone that was mixed with a little bit of teasing as well.
And from the looks Pepper was giving him, she caught it as well. "Good morning to you, too. Adam, I want you to arrange my schedule. Tonight is very important, and I don't want anything to disrupt it. I also messaged you this morning about what you need to do with Tony," Pepper instructed in a no-nonsense tone.
"Miss Potts, you are giving me a hard time. How can I convince Tony that he should attend the award ceremony? You know him better than I do. Do you think he would fall for my tricks again?" Adam was truly helpless. Tony might already know about him, manipulating him to attend those Board meetings.
"I don't care, you're the only person who can trick him into doing something that he does not want to do. So the burden of making sure Tony attends the award ceremony is on your shoulders, and that's final," Pepper said in a tone that suggested the topic was over.
"I will try my best, but keep your expectations down, Miss Potts." Having said that, Adam went out again to his own desk.