The news of Obadiah Stane's death was quickly suppressed and did not spread across New York. However, Stark Industries' decision to pivot to the energy sector was announced publicly.
The announcement was met with skepticism throughout New York.
Stark Industries was undoubtedly the leader in the weapons industry, but in the energy sector, they were far from the top. Unless Stark Industries could present a groundbreaking energy solution, it was unlikely that their stock would return to its former glory and maintain an upward trend.
However, the news did bring some comfort to existing shareholders. While returning to the pinnacle might be challenging, establishing a foothold in the energy sector was not an impossible task, given Stark Industries' past connections and relationships.
Tony Stark did not immediately disclose the details of the arc reactor. The time was not right yet. His armor needed further modifications, and he had to find a way to ensure that the arc reactor was used for energy purposes rather than being exploited by others.
Once everything was in place, bringing Stark Industries back to the top, or even higher, would be a mere formality.
With Obadiah Stane, the major threat, out of the way, Stark had many other tasks to attend to, but there was no immediate rush. Therefore, Tony Stark reached out to Harvey Amberlock, wanting to share his recent success and possibly gather additional intelligence.
"Sir, the other party refused to take the call."
Tony Stark was taken aback when he heard this. He had never encountered anyone who dared to ignore his calls.
"Unbelievable, they actually refused to take my call," Tony said with a mix of frustration and disbelief.
"Keep trying," he ordered, hoping to reach Harvey Amberlock through persistent contact.
However, when Jarvis made the second call, the response was immediate and disheartening.
"Your call cannot be completed as dialed..."
The automated voice left Tony Stark in silence.
"Is there no other way to reach him?" Tony asked, feeling frustrated.
"Most likely, Mr. Amberlock has disconnected his landline," Jarvis replied.
Although disappointed, Tony Stark decided to temporarily abandon his efforts to contact Harvey Amberlock.
Going to see him in person was out of the question. It would imply that he was begging Amberlock to talk to him.
Understanding Tony Stark's personality, Jarvis did not suggest driving to Amberlock's estate.
"Contact Pepper for me. I have some questions for her," Tony instructed.
Pepper Potts, who was upstairs watching the news and had heard about Obadiah Stane's death and his plot to murder Tony Stark, quickly came downstairs upon receiving the message.
"Pepper, do you know Coulson?" Tony asked as soon as she arrived.
"I know of him, but you seemed uninterested before," Pepper responded, surprised by the question.
"I wasn't interested before, but now I am."
"Do you know what the Department of Homeland Strategic Defense and Logistics covers? Did he ever mention it to you?"
Tony Stark reclined in a chair as he casually asked.
"I think it's a special unit established by the International Security Council to handle various unusual incidents."
Pepper Potts, with her strong memory and efficiency, was quick to recall the information.
"Unusual incidents? Do you have his contact details?"
Tony Stark inquired, thinking about the department's remit.
"Although it might not be useful, I do have his contact information," Pepper said.
"Perfect. Contact Coulson for me and set up a meeting tomorrow at noon."
Tony Stark gave his instructions.
"I'll give it a try, though I'm not sure if he's available," Pepper said, pulling out her phone to make the call.
"Miss Pepper Potts, hello."
"I'm curious about the reason for your call," Coulson answered promptly.
"Mr. Stark would like to meet with you tomorrow at noon to discuss some matters," Pepper conveyed.
"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow at noon."
Coulson, who was investigating the appearance of Iron Man in Afghanistan, readily agreed to the meeting, given that Tony Stark had no intention of hiding anything.
Tony Stark went to bed, leaving the matter of the unknown entity unresolved. He hoped Coulson might have some answers.
The next day at noon, Coulson arrived at Stark Manor punctually.
They met in the upstairs hall.
"Hello, Mr. Stark. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me," Coulson said politely.
"I'm not sure what your department wants to know, but before that, I have some questions for you."
"Answer my questions, and then I'll tell you what you want to know."
Tony Stark wasted no time.
"Sure, go ahead."
Coulson, knowing Tony Stark's pride and arrogance, was prepared for the direct approach.
"Do you know this figure?" Tony Stark asked as he pressed a button, causing an image of the shadowy figure Jarvis had recorded to appear.
"I know who he is, but can you tell me where you captured this image?" Coulson's eyes narrowed as he saw the shadow that had left him and Director Fury, as well as Natasha, feeling helpless.
The image, taken from a level view, made it difficult to determine the location.
"Afghanistan, Ghamir," Tony Stark said, revealing the location without hesitation.
Coulson immediately connected the mention of Afghanistan with the Iron Man sighting, realizing that Tony Stark had no intention of concealing anything.
"I see. That makes sense."
"This entity claims to be from the Void, though its true name is unknown to us."
"However, it is known in the Black Market as the Grim Reaper, operating covertly in the mercenary world."
Coulson shared what he knew.
"The mercenary world... No wonder Jarvis couldn't find any information on him."
Tony Stark understood why Jarvis hadn't been able to identify the figure immediately. He had heard of mercenaries but had never needed to deal with them personally, so he was unfamiliar with the so-called Black Market.
Now that he knew, Tony instructed Jarvis to connect to the Black Market.
"Mr. Stark, it's not that I'm trying to discourage you."
"Even if your AI connects to the Black Market, you won't find much."
"Our department has paid a high price just to arrange a meeting with the Grim Reaper."
"Regarding the Grim Reaper, we know very little about his appearance, abilities, and origins. The only thing we know is that he is likely male and extremely dangerous."
Coulson politely warned Tony Stark about the difficulties of investigating the Grim Reaper.
"Yes, the only information available is based on rumors."
"Nothing compared to what you know, Mr. Coulson."
Jarvis confirmed Coulson's comments and displayed the information collected on the Grim Reaper.
"Did you say it costs a fortune just to arrange a meeting?"
"Two million dollars is considered a high cost?"
"Is your department really that poor?"
Tony Stark was astonished to learn that arranging a meeting with the Grim Reaper was a matter of money. To him, problems that could be solved with money were not significant.
"Our department is not poor. However, allocating funds requires planning and approval..."
Coulson explained, slightly embarrassed.
"In other words, you need to get approval from higher-ups to allocate funds."
"Two million dollars, and you need detailed planning and approval?"
"That just proves your department is quite poor."
Tony Stark interrupted Coulson, clearly understanding the situation.