**
Stane let out a sigh and said, "Ah, I've been doing my best to help Tony manage the company, but sometimes he can be far too reckless. The market value has evaporated by over a hundred billion. It won't be easy to recover that."
"I believe in you, Mr. Stane. You've done so much for the company, and you certainly have the capability," Link complimented without hesitation. "Our foundation supports you since we rely on dividends for operations."
"And regarding Mr. Stark..." Stane quickly interjected, "Rest assured, I will convince him."
Link and Stane had a pleasant conversation, but during that time, Link couldn't find an opportunity—unless Stane left the office. After the meeting, Link and Jessica said their goodbyes and left. Link had come to realize that obtaining evidence of Stane's crimes in advance wasn't realistic.
Stark Industries, being a tech company, had an abundance of surveillance and advanced security measures. Unless Link used his superpowers, there was little chance of avoiding every camera. With no confidence in his ability to bypass all the systems, Link abandoned the idea of stealing evidence.
He and Jessica turned their attention to house hunting. Stark's Freedom City didn't suit them, as they wouldn't be living there permanently. A large villa wasn't necessary, as maintaining it would consume a lot of resources. While they weren't short on money, their lifestyle involved certain secrets, so they couldn't have too many staff around. They ended up setting their sights on Beverly Hills.
Beverly Hills provided excellent services without the need for permanent staff—just regular maintenance and cleaning. It was simple and convenient.
Link wasn't entirely accustomed to the wealthy American lifestyle, particularly the concept of property taxes, but he was slowly adapting.
Beverly Hills saw a lot of turnover. Celebrities and wealthy individuals from Hollywood lived there, but some eventually went bankrupt or ran into financial trouble. Luxury homes, in such cases, became investments, especially in prime locations.
Link purchased a moderately-sized villa, not overly extravagant but well-maintained. It had once belonged to a basketball star and featured a half-sized indoor basketball court and an outdoor pool. While far from the multi-million-dollar mansions, it suited Link and Jessica just fine. They didn't need anything too large.
The basketball court was easily converted—just replacing the hardwood floors with thick rubber ones and removing the remaining structures. The renovations were quick, allowing Link and Jessica to move in without much delay.
Jessica took charge of replacing the household items while Link, driving his sports car, began keeping an eye on Stane.
One day, Stane visited Stark's house with a box of pizza. Link suspected he was there to persuade Tony. At that point, Stark Industries' stock had stabilized, but the shareholders were still furious over the billion-dollar loss in market value.
Stane left soon after, clearly displeased. Link followed him all the way back to Stane's home but found no valuable information after eavesdropping. He pressed the gas pedal and left.
Keeping a long distance from Stane, Link ensured he wouldn't be detected. On his way back, he called Coulson.
"Coulson, it's hard to get any criminal evidence on Stane. Stark Industries' security systems are too tight for me to breach," Link explained. "Tracking him is also tricky. He's incredibly busy at the moment."
"Did you gather anything useful?" Coulson asked.
"Yes, Stane is contacting all the shareholders to temporarily strip Stark of his authority. He's rallying all his connections to secure their support," Link replied.
"Your theory might have a flaw. If Stane were the mastermind, Stark would be dead by now," Coulson suggested.
"No, I believe I'm right. Don't forget—the initial attack was meant to kill Stark. The device in his chest proves that. But he didn't die. They saved him instead," Link countered. "They performed surgery on him but didn't demand a ransom."
"Do you know how he escaped?" Coulson asked.
"No, and Stark isn't keen on sharing that with us," Coulson responded. "But if your theory holds, the people who kidnapped Stark might have tried to extort money from Stane."
"Exactly. I suspect Stane wasn't being entirely honest. When the captors realized they had Tony Stark, they quickly changed their plans," Link deduced. "What those plans were, only Stark knows."
"But those three months clearly shook Stark. That's why he immediately shut down the weapons division after returning."
"I had pieced together some information, which is why I made some early moves and profited quite a bit," Link said.
Coulson nodded slightly. No one could have predicted that Stark would close the weapons division. Link's actions hadn't raised any suspicions within S.H.I.E.L.D. Stark's inner circle didn't know the details, so it was unlikely that Link had inside information. Still, Link's psychological insights were impressive. This guy had become a billionaire!
By buying up Stark Industries stock when it hit rock bottom, Link had quickly risen to become the third-largest shareholder—a move no one saw coming.
"Your analysis makes sense. We'll need to keep a closer eye on Stane," Coulson said. "What do you think he'll do if he gains control?"
"Think about what's in Stark's chest," Link hinted. "We don't know exactly what it is, but Stark does. And there's a chance he told Stane."
"Remember, their relationship was incredibly close. Without the weapons division, how will Stark Industries make money?"
"Tony Stark isn't an idiot. He must have a backup plan. My guess is that it involves renewable energy."
"When we toured the Stark Industries facility today, I noticed an arc reactor similar to the one in Stark's chest. I believe Stark has mastered the future of clean energy."
Coulson gasped. "So, if Stane knows about this…"
"If Stane kills Stark now, he'll gain control of Stark Industries' weapons and energy divisions. He doesn't need Stark anymore."
"The potential payoff is massive. And Stane has likely harbored this ambition for a while. Once he's secured the shareholders' support, he'll make his move."
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