Not many people can block S.H.I.E.L.D.'s tracking, but Tony Stark is definitely one of them, especially when the plane was stolen.
The two of them sneaked back to Tony's mansion. Blake had just enjoyed a luxurious bath in Tony's smart bathtub when Coulson, with his touching receding hairline and honest face, showed up at Tony's door.
"Sir, an agent from that long-winded intelligence agency is here to see you!" J.A.R.V.I.S. humorously mimicked Tony's tone.
Coulson didn't seem angry. He greeted them with a smile and directly played a video on his phone in front of them. It was footage of their impressive exploits in the Middle East.
"Do you have anything to say about this?" Coulson asked seriously.
"If you want to watch a movie, you should go to a cinema. The quality of this pirated copy is disgusting. You should try my private screening room; you'll love it. By the way, what's the name of this movie?" Tony responded with an equally serious tone.
Coulson sighed helplessly. "Don't you think the thing on that metal guy's chest looks a lot like what's on yours?"
"Are you kidding? This is an arc reactor, and that thing on his chest is obviously an LED light!" Tony's reaction prompted Coulson to turn to Blake.
Pointing at Blake in the video, wielding the tank cannon, he asked, "Blake, do you have anything to say?"
"That guy is ugly. Is he your friend? He's disgusting. Is that poop on his face?" Blake's reply nearly made Coulson pull out his hair in frustration. Blake's shamelessness exceeded Coulson's expectations, and even Tony had to stifle a laugh.
"Sigh!" Coulson sighed deeply again. He finally understood why Nick Fury had smashed his phone. After taking several deep breaths to calm down, Coulson said seriously, "This video was sent from the Middle East to Obadiah. We intercepted it. I'm here to tell Stark that you have a week to sort out your company's issues. After a week, my team will take action."
Seeing Tony nod seriously, Coulson got up and left. Staying any longer might make him lose all his remaining hair.
"By the way!" Coulson returned just as he reached the door. "We've lost a Quinjet from our division. Blake, you're one of our agents. Any news on that?"
Blake smiled mysteriously. "I'm just an intern agent. But if you're looking for something, let me show you one of the greatest mystical arts—fortune-telling. You can think of it as divination!"
Blake extended his right hand and quickly tapped his thumb with his four fingers while muttering:
"Odin, master of the runic lore,
Grant me insight, I implore.
By the power of the Norns, wise and old,
Let the secrets of fate be told."
A smile appeared on Blake's face. Even though Coulson and Tony knew he was spouting nonsense, they were still captivated by his mystical performance. Tony, playing along, asked expectantly, "So, did the divination work? Where's the plane?"
"It's not that easy!" Blake rolled his eyes. "One last step remains!"
"By the light of Apollo's flame,
And the wisdom of Athena's name,
Open my mind to future's thread,
Show me the path that lies ahead."
Blake shouted, took off his shoe, and threw it into the air. "There! Send someone in the direction the shoe points to; it should be near the beach."
Coulson put his hand on his forehead, looking utterly exasperated. "Thanks, Agent Blake. If we find the plane, I'll make sure to report your contribution."
"No problem!" Blake waved nonchalantly.
"Just give me a little bonus next month. It doesn't have to be much, 5% of the plane's price will do!"
Coulson choked and felt a surge of blood rushing to his chest. Without saying a word, he turned and walked away.
"Don't go! We can negotiate. 3% is fine, or even 1% would be enough. Just a token, really. Hey!"
Listening to Blake's words from a distance, Coulson stumbled and nearly fell.
"Such a cheapskate!" Blake muttered behind him.
...
On the plane, Blake and Tony reached a certain agreement: to establish an organization outside of all official departments. However, this would take time. For now, it was just the two of them, so there wasn't much need. Moreover, Tony's biggest issue at the moment was dealing with Obadiah.
The next morning, Tony unusually went straight to the company. Without meeting anyone, he went directly to his office, poured two glasses of wine, and waited quietly. He knew that as soon as he arrived, Obadiah would show up.
Sure enough, less than ten minutes had passed before Obadiah appeared at the office door.
"Oh, look who it is! Our Tony Stark finally remembers he has a company. What have you been up to lately, my dear Chairman?"
Obadiah walked straight to Tony and sat down beside him. Seeing the two glasses of wine Tony had poured, he paused slightly before smiling and saying, "You always have good wine here, don't you?"
He picked up a glass, took a small sip, and tapped the table lightly. "Tony, we're being laughed at out there. The biggest weapons company isn't making weapons anymore. The shareholders are very unhappy with you. You need to do something to regain their confidence."
"You said you wanted to work on renewable energy? I can help convince the shareholders, but you need to show something, like the mini reactor in your chest!"
Unlike in the movie, Tony's escape this time was purely due to Blake's rescue, not the Mark 1 prototype suit. No one thought along those lines since Tony hadn't released any data about the reactor in his chest. Even Obadiah hadn't considered it until he saw the video sent by the Ten Rings.
Obadiah had gathered his scientists overnight. Building the suit was simple enough, just a matter of materials and weapons. The real challenge was the power source. Tony's arc reactor might look simple, but after a whole night's meeting, Obadiah's team of dozens of experts hadn't even come up with a research direction.
"I saw the video, they sent you, of me being tied to a chair. I think we need to have a good talk, dear Uncle Obadiah!" Tony looked up and said slowly.
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