After crossing the vast, boundless deserts of New Mexico, Allen finally returned to the town's only restaurant.
The moment he stepped through the door, he saw a group of people gathered around someone clad in full-body red metal armor. Some were asking for autographs, while others wanted photos with him.
Clearly, it was none other than Tony Stark, who had recently solved the Tesseract Isotope problem and freed himself from poisoning.
"What's this guy doing here?" Allen frowned instinctively.
"Sorry! Make way! The person I've been waiting for is here!"
Tony Stark had evidently noticed Allen and Artoria, who was dressed casually. He immediately pushed through the enthusiastic crowd and squeezed his way out, grinning. "Well? Didn't expect it, did you? I'm still alive."
"I'm not surprised at all that you're alive. What I find strange is how you knew I was in New Mexico." Allen voiced the question that had been troubling him.
"I had J.A.R.V.I.S. install a backdoor inside S.H.I.E.L.D. A while ago, when you were talking to Nick Fury, I intercepted the signal. Then, by tracking Coulson's movements, it was easy to find this place. So? Am I a genius or what?" Tony Stark flashed a smug grin.
It has to be said, his behavior was a perfect example of forgetting the pain once the wounds had healed.
"You actually dared to install a backdoor in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s computer system?" Allen raised an eyebrow in surprise.
You must know, it was a department under the International Security Council, backed by the United Nations' five great powers.
This went beyond ordinary courting death. It was blatantly pulling a tiger's tail.
If it were ever exposed, even Director Egghead might not be able to contain the fallout.
After all, the Avengers had yet to assemble for the first time, much