**Location: U.S., New York Military Base Airport**
A large transport plane descended smoothly onto the tarmac. Elite figures from the U.S. military, CIA, Department of Defense, FBI, and more seemed to have received word in advance, as they were already waiting at the airport.
The rear cargo bay of the transport plane opened, and the ramp doubled as a gangway, touching the ground. Colonel Rhode, the head of the Military Weapons Development Department, stepped out with a bright smile on his face.
He assisted Tony, whose right hand was bandaged, and prepared to make a statement with the air of an official. However, the other elite individuals who had been waiting there weren't giving him any chance. They swarmed around Tony, eager to interview him.
The next moment, a competent and intelligent blonde woman waved her hand imperiously, stopping everyone. She confidently walked forward alone, her high heels clicking on the ground.
Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her secretary's dress accentuated her sensuous curves. As she approached Tony, her joy couldn't be concealed, but her eyes were slightly red. She shot Tony a look that said "I'm disappointed in you."
Colonel Rhode coughed awkwardly and discreetly let go of Tony's arm, making enough space for the two.
"What's this? You've missed me so much in just a few months?" Tony said playfully, looking at his personal secretary, Pepper Potts, with a touch of emotion in his eyes.
Tony was a born playboy, and this trait had been passed down through generations of the Stark family.
"Yeah," Pepper admitted straightforwardly, seemingly accustomed to this behavior. She wiped away a tear at the corner of her eye and, living up to her nickname "Pepper," immediately retorted with a quip, "My boss is back, and I hate to have to go job-hunting."
"In that case, let's get to work," Tony smiled and, turning back to the shadow of the cargo hold behind him, waved his hand, saying, "Mr. Carl, it's time for us to go."
"Mr. Carl?"
Pepper blinked in surprise and looked to see a silver-haired young man wearing a leather jacket with a built-in hood.
Sunglasses concealed most of his handsome, chiseled face. He had a tall and slender figure that could only be described as perfect. His hands were idly tucked in his pockets, and it was only after Tony's voice that he stepped out of the cargo hold.
Seeing the silver-haired youth, Colonel Rhode, who was beside Tony, frowned deeply. Despite Tony explaining on the plane that he was the lifesaver who happened to pass by, the silver-haired young man had remained cold and silent, casting a significant shadow of suspicion on his unknown and mysterious identity.
Maybe he was a spy for terrorists. Or perhaps he was involved in poaching or illegal border crossings in the Middle East.
After all, would a normal youngster drive an old jeep wandering aimlessly through the desolate Middle Eastern desert?
During the return flight on the transport plane, Rhode, in his capacity as a U.S. Army Colonel, had subtly pressured the silver-haired young man when Tony wasn't paying attention.
This usually foolproof tactic had no effect on the silver-haired young man as he only glanced at him, and even through his sunglasses, Rhode could still feel the disdain in that indifferent look.
This deeply wounded Rhode's pride!
After all, he was the second-youngest Colonel in U.S. history! He held immense prestige in the military, and even the newly elected president had to give him some face!
If it weren't for Tony protecting him, Rhode would have already ordered his soldiers to arrest the silver-haired young man and conduct a thorough interrogation in a little dark room.
"Allow me to introduce Mr. Carl," Tony said, raising his left hand in a resigned manner. He sighed and continued, "He's my lifesaver and also my creditor."
"Huh?" Pepper, after realizing the situation, covered her mouth with both hands in astonishment. She hadn't met anyone who could keep Tony in check.
Once she grasped the situation, she didn't look down on Kyle despite his youthful appearance. Instead, she quickly greeted him with a respectful bow, "I'm Tony Stark's secretary, Pepper Potts. You can call me Pepper. I want to thank you again on Tony's behalf for saving him."
"Oh?" Kyle nodded, his gaze sweeping Pepper from head to toe. Despite Pepper's fidgety demeanor, he calmly remarked, "You qualify to be part of the Stark family."
Pepper was momentarily stunned, and her cheeks quickly flushed pink. For some reason, she suddenly felt like she was meeting her parents—
And getting approval from the young man before her was a crucial factor.
"Hurry up and get in the car."
Tony seemed to have not heard Kyle's words. Instead, he noticed many onlookers and gossips surrounding them. He beckoned to the group and walked towards his exclusive luxury car parked not far away.
Soon after, a black executive car broke through the crowd and headed out of the airport, merging onto New York's main road.
In the driver's seat was Happy, Tony's driver and security detail.
Kyle sat in the passenger seat, while Tony and Pepper sat together in the back.
Glancing outside through his sunglasses and the car window, Kyle observed the bustling modern buildings, the dazzling advertisements that filled the skyline, and the song and dance performances on large TV screens.
The contrast between 21st-century New York and the New York of 1945, just after the war, was stark.
It felt like another world! Truly, it felt like another world! It was as if only a moment had passed, but decades had already gone by!
Kyle, born in a turbulent era, had grown somewhat indifferent due to the bloodshed and schemes he had witnessed. Now, faced with this newly evolved world, he couldn't help but feel an indescribable sense of wonder.
Everything had changed beyond recognition. As for the people who had shared the battlefield with him and shared a drink after, how many of them were still alive?
Lost in his thoughts, Kyle was suddenly jolted back to the present by the argument between Tony and Pepper in the back seat. Listening intently, he couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief.
The two were debating whether or not to go to the hospital.
Tony, due to his pride, adamantly refused to go to the hospital for a check-up. Under Pepper's urging, he looked serious as he said, "I need to go to the press conference."
"Why do you need to go to a press conference?" Pepper asked, bewildered.
Tony pursed his lips tightly and fell silent. Even he couldn't figure out whether what he was about to do was right or wrong.
If his father were still here…
Tony sighed inwardly as if recalling something. His gaze landed on Kyle in the passenger seat.
"Mr. Carl, may I ask you a question?" Tony spoke slowly, hesitating. "Is producing powerful military weapons truly beneficial for the world?"
Seeing this scene, Pepper was once again astonished. She couldn't believe her eyes. The man who was once arrogant, self-centered, and paranoid was now seeking someone else's opinion!
(End of this chapter)
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