When Tony Stark opened his eyes again, his surroundings were completely different.
He found himself in a spacious, futuristic room. Towering metal walls reflected a soft blue glow, and the air carried the faint, distinctive scent of electronic components.
This was undoubtedly a place with an extremely advanced level of technology, far exceeding any laboratory he knew.
"Tony Stark, we have long heard of your fame. Your intelligence and creativity have earned our deepest admiration."
A low, magnetic voice broke the silence. Tony looked toward the sound and saw someone standing not far away, dressed in a black skintight combat suit and wearing a White Skull hood. Even after removing his helmet, the man still wore a chilling white Skull Mask, as though he were a messenger who had stepped out of hell itself, announcing some ominous fate.
Tony's emotions were a tangled mess. This was already the second time he had been kidnapped by an unknown force.
The first time had been by terrorists calling themselves the Freedom Fighters, who had forced him at gunpoint to make weapons. This time, it was the mysterious organization known as the White Skull Organization. Their objective was equally crude and simple—make Jericho Missiles.
A flicker of surprise crossed Tony's eyes, followed by incredulous fury.
"Have you people gone too far?"
He could not help roaring, "I could barely accept being kidnapped the first time, since those were Freedom Fighter terrorists and their motives were at least clear. But now you unidentified idiots are joining the fun too? Since when did I, Tony Stark, become such a hot commodity that I get kidnapped everywhere I go?"
The leader of White Skull did not seem bothered by Tony's protest. He merely smiled faintly, the expression appearing especially eerie beneath his mask.
"Tony, the times