"You wanted to kill them? Kill Roxxon Corporation's entire upper management? With your magic?"
Tony's eyes widened, and he hurriedly rose to his feet.
"Hey, listen, Ryan. I know your sister almost getting kidnapped made you furious, but you absolutely can't do that. Do you know what kind of consequences that would cause?"
"Tony!" Ryan rubbed his brow helplessly. "I built myself up from nothing too, so of course I know the rules of the game. This is what I'm planning..." Ryan told him about the shareholders' meeting that morning.
"You wanted to lure them into making the first move against you?"
After hearing Ryan out, Tony gave him a strange look. No matter how he thought about it, this sounded like entrapment.
"Yes. I wanted to see just how many people could not suppress the greed in their hearts."
A chill flashed through Ryan's eyes as he answered without the slightest hesitation.
"Then what if no one does? Uh, I mean, what if no one wants your life and only tries to sabotage your company? What will you do?"
Tony carefully chose his words, his gaze fixed on Ryan.
The answer to this question would determine his attitude going forward. After being kidnapped in the Middle East for over a month, his way of thinking had changed drastically from before.
Perhaps he still could not be considered a qualified hero at this point, and he had all sorts of personality flaws, but if Ryan's answer conflicted with his values, he absolutely would not continue involving himself in this matter. He might even stop it from happening.
"Don't treat me like some kind of murderer, Tony!"
"Though I don't think that bunch will be so honest, if they really can hold to the line, then naturally I won't be the one to break the rules!"
"Of course, some people in Hydra and Roxxon Corporation who took part in Annie's kidnapping—I won't let them off no matter what."
Seeing through Tony's probing, Ryan gave him a straight answer. Whether from the Marvel movies of his previous life or his personal contact with him in this life, Tony had never struck him as someone inflexible. Ryan's methods should not have crossed Tony's bottom line.
"Is that so?" Tony was not embarrassed at having his thoughts seen through. Instead, he looked around at the antique computers and asked, "Then how do you plan to deal with Hydra?"
To him, his first target for revenge was Hydra, the organization that had killed his parents, not Roxxon Corporation.
"Notify S.H.I.E.L.D. After all, they're an intelligence organization. Neither you nor I can easily interfere directly, and Agent Coulson, the agent who contacted you, is one of the few agents I can be sure Hydra hasn't infiltrated. Let them fight among themselves for a while first, then wait until the timing is right..."
"Um, though I really don't want to interrupt, the agent who came to see me wasn't named Coulson. She was a beautiful woman named Natasha Romanoff. Do you know her?" Tony said, touching his nose.
"Natasha?" Ryan turned his head stiffly.
"Yes, a very sexy beauty!" Tony confirmed.
"Ahem, Natasha can be trusted too." Realizing the plot had changed, Ryan rubbed his brow. He had long known that as he made moves, the familiar plot would change substantially, but he had not expected changes to appear right as the Marvel storyline began.
Quietly warning himself to stay alert, Ryan continued the previous topic.
"For now, leave Hydra to S.H.I.E.L.D. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s current director, Nick Fury, is an extremely capable man. Once he learns that Hydra is lurking within S.H.I.E.L.D., he'll naturally begin a purge. We just need to give things a slight push at the critical moment."
As Ryan spoke, he made a pushing gesture. Tony fell silent for a moment afterward, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
"Let's get out first. If I stay here any longer, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself from smashing all of them!"
Tony headed for the elevator. Ryan followed and asked, "Are you sure Zola's consciousness in these antiques didn't notice what you did? If you can't be sure, I think we'd better smash them."
"Of course I'm sure."
"It's just an antique from the eighties!" Tony said disdainfully. "All right, you have the authority on technology." Ryan shrugged and did not press the matter further.
They got out quickly. Once their disguises were restored, the three returned to Stark's home through the Portal.
"I'll leave S.H.I.E.L.D. to you, Tony. But in consideration of the favor I did you by helping you learn the truth, don't let those agents know about magic for now!"
Ryan took a sip from the glass of red wine he had poured before leaving and looked seriously at Tony.
He would definitely reveal part of his power in the future, but this was not the time.
"Then why did you show magic in front of me?" Tony frowned. If Ryan did not want to expose it, then he should not have demonstrated it before him.
"Maybe I wanted to see what you could develop if you studied magic through scientific methods?"
Ryan's uncertain tone made Tony rather dissatisfied, but he still nodded in agreement to Ryan's request.
Just as Ryan had said, Tony owed him a huge favor for learning the real reason behind his parents' deaths. He could not refuse such a small request.
"Then that's settled. I'll have my assistant Ashe come over to discuss the details with you."
Ryan rose to leave, only for Tony to stop him.
"Did you forget something?" Tony's expression was unfriendly.
"You mean the Portal and the inside information about your kidnapping?" Ryan asked after being stopped.
"Looks like you do remember."
"All right, you don't mind if I take a look at your workshop, do you?" Ryan said as he headed underground.
"To be honest, I do mind a little." Tony followed close behind.
"Then you should've said so earlier."
Having already arrived underground, Ryan pointed at the password panel above the glass door. After Tony opened it, Ryan instructed Sebas to create a Portal at the location Tony indicated.
"Obadiah Stane. He was the mastermind behind your kidnapping."
Ryan's sudden words froze Tony, who had been observing the Portal with great interest.
"Hey, you're joking with me, right?"
Tony turned around, his voice carrying a hint of hoarseness.
He had long suspected there was a mole in the company, but Stane? How was that possible?
"You can investigate it yourself. Honestly, if this time's opponent weren't a little too large, and if taking them down alone as an entertainment company wouldn't be too conspicuous, I wouldn't have come to find you or gotten involved in your family matters."
Ryan stroked Tony's unfinished mechanical arm as he spoke.
"I'll investigate it. Also, you make it sound like you could solve it yourself!"
"Couldn't I?" Ryan tilted his head at Tony.
"Maybe!" Tony's face twitched. He stepped forward and picked up the mechanical arm. "This is classified, and can you get the hell out now?"
"You really are practical. Once I'm no longer useful, you kick me out?" Ryan mocked as he signaled Sebas to open a Portal.
"No, I told you. I'm only like this with you," Tony retorted. At the same time, he looked at Sebas, his eyes flickering as he asked, "You really are an excellent butler. Ever thought about changing jobs?"
"I will only be loyal to one master in my life!" Sebas bowed to Ryan.
"Looks like your attempt to poach one of my people right in front of me failed. But I'm generous, so I won't be as petty as you." As he spoke, Ryan walked toward the Portal. Before stepping through, he suddenly turned back. "Oh, and since we're allies for now, let me give you a reminder: keep an eye on your company. Your situation isn't much better than mine."
The pitch-black Portal shrank into a black dot and vanished from the basement. Tony's eyes flickered twice, and the hand holding the unfinished mechanical arm clenched until veins bulged from the strain.
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