Stark was discharged that afternoon. He had not even spent twelve hours in the hospital before rushing back to the Stark Industries laboratory as if his ass were on fire.
Tony Stark was not particularly adept at political maneuvering, but he always had flashes of genius and quick wit.
He instinctively felt that the most urgent task was not to run around through the crowd like a headless fly, but to hurry back to the lab and build the intelligent armor he had envisioned.
Though common sense suggested that getting someone out of any prison was the result of a deal, Stark felt that this suit of armor was very likely the key to his plan.
But just as he was about to begin work at top speed, Pepper told him something: Erik, the mercenary who had saved him before, had come to New York and wanted to see him.
Stark frowned when he heard the news.
People often said that one should not morally coerce others into selfless sacrifice, that heroes deserved rewards. Yet people instinctively praised heroes who asked for nothing in return and gave selflessly.
Someone like Stark, with a hero complex, was somewhat prone to moral coercion. Whenever he was not leading by example himself, he projected his fantasies about heroes onto others. Now that he truly intended to save the world, he could not help judging others with a scrutinizing eye.
Once Stark's brilliant mind started turning again, he instinctively noticed that something was wrong with Erik at every turn.
First, the timing of his appearance had been far too convenient. He had shown up the moment Stark was attacked. That alone was not much, but what made Stark most suspicious was that Erik had appeared alone, without any comrades following him.
Yet Erik was