Height Determines Perspective

"Who's the host?" Tony Stark asked.

Alex honestly replied, "At my level, I have no way of knowing their identities. But there are two people vying to be this public face."

"Who?"

"A little guy named Epstein, and a nerdy guy named Puff Daddy."

"A... nigger?" Tony was shocked.

"Ah, yes, that's how unbelievable things are in this world. A black guy who used underhanded means to gain considerable access to Hollywood resources thinks he can be on equal footing with us."

"I remember that guy was..."

"A rising rapper. This kid's got brains, but he lacks self-awareness."

Tony asked, "So, the assassin is one of those two?"

"No, no, no, the assassin's relationship with the island was just a simple employment arrangement. Including those people you guessed were fake FBI agents, I think they were part of the cleanup team."

"Which assassin organization has such capabilities? The CIA?"

"Perhaps the CIA has a hidden hand, I don't know. But I suspect that on the West Coast, there's only one organization capable of using a fake FBI identity to conceal the truth."

Which one?

"Continental Hotel. Have you ever heard of that name, Tony?"

"No, I've never heard of them. How do I find them?"

"Why bother going after them, Tony? They're just tools. Even if you go after them and demand retribution, as long as you can afford it, the people who offended you will be gone the next day, but the entire organization will still exist. You can't eliminate them unless you just want to vent your anger."

"Isn't anyone going to do anything about this?!" Tony said angrily.

Alex, however, drank his wine and spoke the truth, "That's part of United States too. Just like the Earth we live on, we can't keep only the daytime and make the nighttime disappear forever."

Tony Stark remained silent. After a moment, he finished his whiskey and asked, "There's one more thing I'd like to know."

"Ask away. But I can't guarantee I can answer."

"These businesses, Howard... is my father involved too?"

"I don't know if you're worried he'll get a share, or if you're incredulous that he could be left out of such a big deal. I won't ask which you're feeling. But I can tell you the answer: no."

Are you sure?

"Let me put it this way, Tony, these businesses have been around for a long time. Howard is a genius, that's true, and he used his genius to gain the military's support. But he's not qualified to get involved in these businesses."

After Alex finished speaking, he added, "I hope this answer doesn't offend you, but it's the truth. Howard is a smart man and has accumulated a considerable amount of wealth, but it's not enough for him to stand on equal footing with those people."

"Perhaps if you take over, and another three to five generations develop the business, we can maintain Stark Industries ' current excellent state, or even do it better. At that time, you won't need to register; the Stark Family will naturally enter that group's level."

"Who are they?" Tony asked again.

Alex raised his glass in reply, "Whether you've heard of these names or not, the Red Shoe Society, the White Robe Society, the Freemasons, the Illuminati, Yale's Skull and Bones, the Old Money, the Blue-Blooded Aristocracy, or Hydra, etc."

Some have survived to this day, some have disappeared into history, and some have simply been hidden away. But they are all just a small group within the Legion, a small number of people gathered together.

"Legion don't have names, nor do they have gatherings or oaths. When you reach that level, your perspective will naturally broaden to include those sights."

"That's disgusting. Do they think everyone's proud to join them?" Tony criticized.

"Of course, not everyone is interested in that kind of behavior. So they can only stay hidden under the table and can't become a formal force or organization. That's the only thing to be thankful for," Alex said, echoing Tony's words.

The two were about to continue their conversation when a servant from the villa knocked on the door and said, "Master Tony, dinner is ready."

After finishing his drink, Alex said, "I've told you pretty much everything I know. What If...? you want to know anything more, you'll have to find the answers yourself. I don't know anything more."

"Alright. I specifically sought out the chef for today's French meal. I hope his skills won't disappoint us."

"Let's go, let's try it."

Henry and the others had already taken their seats at the dining table. Since there were two men present, no one stood up to greet them before they sat down.

When Catherine Hepburn saw Tony return, she immediately chuckled and said, "Tony Stark, where did you meet this friend? He doesn't seem like someone the Stark Family would know."

A seemingly casual remark, laced with sarcasm, left Tony Stark speechless, unsure how to respond.

Henry chuckled and said, "How should I put it? Perhaps our initial meeting wasn't very friendly. Catherine, would you like to hear that?"

"Oh, unfriendly, huh? But that's what makes it worth listening to, isn't it?" Catherine replied, her eyes fixed on the bewildered Tony Stark.

Tony, being teased, only dared to point at Henry and say, "You, you're not allowed to say that." Then he turned to the villa's servants and said, "And you, hurry up and serve the food."

"Haha, I'm becoming more and more interested in knowing things that can put the men of the Stark Family in a difficult position," Catherine laughed happily.

Tony Stark stubbornly insisted, "Those things aren't interesting at all, and besides, I'm the one protecting him. Otherwise, he would have been finished long ago."

"Oh, little Henry, is that really true?" Catherine asked, looking at the other party involved.

Henry shrugged and said, "That's right, just as Mr. Stark said."

It's a taboo to speak too intimately with someone you don't know well. If you don't have a good relationship with someone, and you're always trying to undermine them, you'll only make enemies. Henry didn't want to offend this guy. Little did he know that his attitude only fueled Tony Stark's anger.

Fortunately, before the young master could find any words to refute, the chef's team of waiters had already served the aperitif, indicating that the meal had officially begun.

Tony downed the aperitif in one gulp, then swirled the glass and asked someone to pour him another.

The cold liquor calmed him down a bit. He then said, "I know you still want to say that if we do nothing, those gunmen will eventually leave. But before that, who knows what will happen?"

"Okay, I think I understand. But what's with the gunman thing? Tony Stark, don't you want to explain this properly?" Catherine asked with a forced smile.

"Oh, damn it." Tony Stark, realizing he'd let it slip, felt a chill run down his spine.

He gave two versions of his explanation to the public. To his own people, he always said he was just passing through and looking for a place to save his life, but he never told anyone that he had a direct confrontation with the assassins. To outsiders, he claimed to have slaughtered everyone, but everyone assumed that was just bragging. Who knew that this was the truth...