"Sorry, Director. I invited him, but he refused."
Coulson spoke helplessly.
"All right. Looks like we'll have to change our plans."
After hanging up, Nick Fury recalled Tony's reputation as a playboy. He immediately contacted Natasha. "Natasha, find a way into Stark Industries. Keep your identity hidden, get close to Tony, and persuade him to join the Avengers Initiative."
"Yes, Director."
On the other end of the line, Natasha agreed without hesitation.
As far as she was concerned, getting close to a playboy would hardly be difficult.
And so Natasha reinvented herself as a top law graduate from the University of Pennsylvania, then secured a position in the Legal Department at Stark Industries.
With her stunning looks and voluptuous figure, Natasha had a "chance" encounter with Tony at the company and immediately caught his attention. He had her transferred to his side as his legal assistant.
Perhaps buoyed by the prospect of resolving his palladium poisoning, Tony took Pepper, Natasha, Happy, and the others to Monaco to watch a Formula One race.
Stark Industries sponsored the race, making it both entertainment and a business event.
Ivan, who had been keeping a close eye on Tony's movements, paid to obtain this information as well.
He immediately packed the Whiplash Exoskeleton he had built himself and headed to Monaco.
Monaco.
Ten minutes before the race began, Tony took a sudden interest in competing. He replaced the driver sponsored by Stark Industries and prepared to race himself.
"Hey! Tony, you can't do this! It's too dangerous!"
Pepper, who had accompanied Tony, tried helplessly to talk him out of it.
But if he were that easily persuaded, he wouldn't have been Tony.
He had always loved showing off and basking in the attention of thousands.
The race had drawn celebrities from around the world