In the bright, spacious offices of Stark Industries, a burly figure in a suit stood before the window. There came a knock at the door. The bald man turned around, his gray-white beard framing his face as he narrowed his eyes slightly against the light.
A Black woman walked in, dressed in a crisp security uniform. After entering, she gave the bald man a slight nod. Visibly, the bald man relaxed.
"Mr. Obadiah, we've finished what you asked us to do. Where's our payment?" the Black woman asked.
"Don't rush. I won't pay until I hear that Tony is dead." Obadiah raised his chin, his deeply creased face sinking into the shadows like the mysterious, dark side of the moon.
"He's as good as dead." The Black woman raised the communicator in her hand. "The Ten Rings are no joke. They prepared a large amount of explosives and laid an ambush along Tony Stark's route. Once the car drives over them, then 'BOOM'..."
The Black woman raised a hand and made an explosion gesture, but she did not see the dim gleam that passed through Obadiah's eyes.
Suddenly, there was another knock at the office door. The Black woman whipped around and narrowed her eyes warily. Obadiah held out a hand, signaling her to stay calm, and lowered his voice. "It might be Pepper notifying me about a board meeting."
"More likely, they're here to announce his death to you." The Black woman curled one side of her mouth into a smug smile.
But the person outside was not a suited secretary. It was a security guard in uniform. Obadiah snorted in displeasure. "What is it? What couldn't wait for a phone call?"
"Sorry, Mr. Obadiah. The secure satellite phone line you designated received a call from an unknown number.