A regular person getting a blood transfusion from a super soldier and becoming another super soldier? Blake thought it was pretty far-fetched.
But this is the Marvel world, where getting bitten by a spider could turn you into a superhero, and he also had the system.
Anyway, now he had some ability to protect himself, right?
Earlier, on the street, Blake casually tested his strength by easily lifting one side of a pickup truck with one hand. Despite lifting only one side due to the angle, it felt like the weight of a car was nothing to him.
Isaiah felt very guilty about what happened. After warning Blake not to display his abilities casually and ensuring that Blake's injuries were no longer a concern, the old man, with red-rimmed eyes, kicked Blake out of his secret basement.
Blake knew that once he left, Isaiah would probably move away and wouldn't let himself be found easily again. Although their relationship was altered by the system, the old man's genuine affection was undeniable. Blake decided he would make it up to him in the future. According to the storyline, Isaiah was still alive after the end of Avengers: Endgame.
For now, Blake had to take care of himself because the system had already issued the first task: Get close to Tony Stark, successfully catch his attention, and make him remember your name to facilitate future missions.
The task was quite challenging. Who was Tony Stark? A genius scientist, CEO of Stark Industries, and the wealthiest man in America and possibly the world. Especially with his current personality, he was notoriously difficult to get along with.
Using the power obtained from Isaiah's blood to get close to him wouldn't work. Even if Stark didn't call the police, considering Isaiah's past experiences, Blake didn't want to undergo government or military human experimentation.
He needed to come up with a plan, but the day to report to Stark Industries was approaching.
Blake bought a plane ticket and flew across the U.S. from the East Coast to Los Angeles.
Stark Industries was massive, with offices in both New York and Los Angeles. Blake's internship was at Stark Industries' headquarters in Los Angeles.
The internship position was as a lab assistant.
A lab assistant was essentially a gofer, doing tasks like copying documents and serving tea.
Thus, Blake became a nine-to-five office worker in the Marvel Universe, shuttling between Stark Industries and his small apartment every day.
Fortunately, the pay at Stark Industries was decent, and the lab work was light. Life was going well, but completing the task seemed far off.
After more than two months on the job, Blake hadn't even come close to Tony Stark. He hadn't seen him once. Instead, the villain from the first Iron Man movie, Obadiah, had visited the lab several times, but Blake only saw him from a distance.
Things couldn't go on like this if he wanted to complete the task.
You have to realize that it's already April 2008. Who knows when Tony Stark might take off to Afghanistan? Once he becomes Iron Man, it'll be even harder to get close to him.
Blake was in the break room, holding a cup of coffee and daydreaming. A middle-aged man with a receding hairline and wearing a white lab coat entered with his own cup.
"Blake! Why do you look so down? Did your girlfriend dump you, or are you having some trouble? Come on, tell me about it. You know, at my age, I always have some good advice for young people."
"Oh, Dr. Rakesh, thank you for your concern. It's just... it's just that this job isn't quite what I expected."
Of course, Blake couldn't tell him his real thoughts, so he just said something offhandedly.
"Oh, young man, don't be so pessimistic. Every newcomer here starts as an assistant. You should keep a calm mindset. You've been here for almost three months, right? Congratulations, your internship is almost over."
Dr. Rakesh glanced around to make sure no one else was around and then whispered to Blake, "I've heard that when interns are about to be promoted, the big boss himself comes down to personally interview and assign appropriate positions. This is a rare opportunity, so you must stay sharp, young man!"
"The big boss?" Blake asked.
"Tony Stark, my God. What's the name of our company? Stark Industries. Who else could it be? I've given you an A-grade rating, so get ready!"
It was a tradition at Stark Industries that new employees intern in different departments for three months. Then, department supervisors recommend and rate them, followed by a personnel department interview to reassign their job positions.
The supervisor of the lab where Blake interned was Dr. Rakesh. The information he provided was crucial for Blake. If Tony Stark was going to conduct the interviews, Blake needed to figure out how to catch his attention.
Three months flew by quickly. Early that morning, Blake arrived at the lab only to be told he didn't need to work there today and should go straight to the top floor for his interview.
Blake was delighted. After being at Stark Industries for a few months, he knew that the top floor was Tony Stark's personal area. It housed not only a small lab and office but also various fitness and entertainment rooms. Only a few people, like Obadiah and Pepper Potts, had access to it.
Being called to the top floor for the interview meant Tony Stark was indeed there.
Blake enthusiastically headed to the top floor. He was first led to a small conference room where Tony Stark's personal bodyguard, Happy, conducted a serious security check on everyone. Then, the ten or so interns were given a sequence, and unfortunately, Blake was last.
After sitting in the conference room for about ten minutes, he saw Pepper Potts coming in with a folder, calling out names one by one.
Maybe due to aesthetic differences, Pepper Potts, although looking younger than in the movies, wasn't exactly Blake's type. He preferred early Black Widow and Scarlet Witch from the Marvel films.
Wait I am in the Marvel Universe and that means I might have a chance to meet them, he thought excitedly.
Tony Stark's interview process was swift, with each person taking only three to five minutes. Soon, the room emptied as one intern after another was called.
Finally, Pepper Potts came in and called Blake's name.
"Blake?" she called his name with a professional smile at him.
"You can come with me now. Mr. Stark is waiting for you!"
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