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"Alright, James, I'll wait for your update."
They discussed the specifics, and James was very loyal and offered the weapons at a cost price, which was a significant help to Kingpin, who was short on funds, weapons, and territory.
"I'm really pleased, James, that you've found your place. I'm truly happy for you." The transaction completed, Kingpin patted James on the shoulder, slightly moved. He had always considered James a close friend, and now that his friend had secured a better position and risen in social status than him, Kingpin felt a pang of envy but was mostly happy for him.
As a future kingpin of the underworld, he had the magnanimity to see James' success as a motivation to push himself further.
He couldn't let himself be outdone, could he?
After their conversation ended, none of them noticed a faint wisp of smoke also leaving the basement.
Meanwhile, after a five-and-a-half-hour flight, the plane landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Upon receiving the message from her maid, Daisy smiled. She knew Wesley was a former mob strategist—a capable and ambitious person. There was no doubt that Kingpin's future could provide a platform for James to realize his potential.
But currently, Kingpin was too weak. Lacking James' help to coordinate various relationships in the early stages, his situation was even more precarious than in the original timeline. Lacking flexible negotiation skills, he could only play tough, which was why he needed a large stockpile of arms.
What could James really do if he returned to work under Kingpin now? Kingpin had already declared war on several gangs, and in the coming days, he would need Bullseye, needing to fight personally, not Mr. "can't fight" James Wesley.
As July rolled in, the weather in California was hot and dry. Daisy wore a sleeveless one-piece dress. She was very resistant to both heat and cold, but she didn't want to tan her arms.
From the plane's landing spot to the entrance of the Air Force base, there was no shade, so she had to put on sunglasses and take out a parasol.
"I've got it!" Who knows what mental journey Justin went through? He quickly adapted to his role, taking the parasol and smiling as he held it over her head.
Having someone hold an umbrella for her was a treatment Daisy had never enjoyed before; she smiled at Justin, accepting this flattering gesture.
Waiting for them at the air force base was an old acquaintance, Colonel Rhodes, who had gone with Daisy to rescue Stark in Afghanistan.
Half a year ago, they were in the same trench, working together to save Stark. Now, they were standing together again, this time to fight against Stark!
"This wasn't my intention. I'm a soldier; I have to be responsible for my country." The black Colonel had been somewhat detached, but he hadn't expected Daisy to be there, and seeing Justin's demeanor, it seemed like Daisy was in charge?
He might have been trying to justify his actions, or perhaps he was trying to reassure himself, but he blurted out a statement seemingly out of nowhere.
Watching the Mark II armor not far away, Daisy also responded with a smile, "This isn't personal. Tony is still my friend. We're here to talk business. I'm here on behalf of Hammer Industries to discuss weapon installments."
"Right, Tony is still our friend, and Howard Stark was like a father to us!" Feeling somewhat sidelined, Justin suddenly blurted out a ridiculous comment.
Colonel Rhodes grimaced, and Daisy was momentarily speechless; old Stark certainly wouldn't like to have this fool for a son. However, Justin's comment broke the tension, redirecting their focus back to the task at hand.
"Let me first check the armor. We can talk after," Daisy said as she pulled out her laptop and connected it to the Mark II's internal system via a data cable. She needed to review all the data before she could proceed with the modifications.
The Colonel felt that selling out a friend was against his principles. Daisy's businesslike approach was exactly what he preferred. As the head of the weapons development department, he also had some technical know-how and quickly assisted.
"It's truly a work of art. Tony's engineering talent is extraordinary; I can't understand many parts." The likes of Old Pym and Reed Richards might understand, but she was far from their level.
However, she didn't need to understand everything. The power system remained unchanged, and the operating system wasn't blocked by Stark against Rhodey's use. Now, she just needed to fit in some additional weapons as per the Air Force's requirements.
She scoffed at Justin's original modification plans. Seriously, adding a handgun and a shotgun to an Iron Man suit? It already had its own energy supply and energy cannon; Justin was technically regressing by adding conventional firearms.
She had reviewed the "Ex-Wife" missile on the plane; its design concept and various data weren't bad, but the missile's fuse design was overly complex and if it failed to meet the operational conditions, it would not explode... Then leads to the embarrassing scene in the movie where it fizzled out into the water.
The Air Force wouldn't install it if it were a fake. Colonel Rhodes, as the head of weapons development, was not stupid; if he considered it a trump card, there must be something worthy of recognition about Justin's "Ex-Wife."
Daisy modified the suit's arc pulse repulsor on the armored wrist. The original pulse cannon can still be used, but it can also function as a sonic cannon when the output frequency is adjusted.
"The sonic cannon can emit white noise waves. When you need to capture an important target without risking injury, this cannon can knock your target out with non-lethal force. It has a 45-degree conical range and can reach up to fifty meters."
She explained as she worked.
"For the shoulder units, I replaced the shotgun setup with a cluster of small missiles, including incendiary, flash, and Hammer Industries' proprietary Sidewinder missiles, uh, the 'Ex-Wife.' I've also added a locator. As long as the armor is on Earth, the Pentagon can track its signal. There's also a life-support system now, which can protect you for an hour whether you're severely injured or in outer space..."
Soon, she had completely revamped the armor, now officially named "War Machine" by the military. Although she didn't think it was useful, to make the officials happy, she added a Gatling gun to the armor's shoulder at Justin's suggestion.
"I'll leave the follow-up costs to you; I have other matters to attend to." After completing the design drawings, her task was done. She wasn't Stark or Ivan Vanko; she lacked the high-level engineering skills to physically install the modifications.
After instructing Justin to contact her if needed, she walked back to the plane and teleported to Malibu, unnoticed by others. Nick Fury's attempts to persuade Stark were still fruitless, and now they needed her, an acquaintance, to give it a try.
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