Innocent Caesar

There were no more familiar faces after that, only unfamiliar business tycoons (extras), which left Luke a little disappointed. He had thought there would be business titans like Hammer and Osborn.

There was food and drink at the venue, and Luke happily amused himself there until evening, when the awards ceremony was about to begin.

The venue gradually filled up. Luke saw Obadiah enter with an unhappy expression and knew it was because Tony had stood him up.

Obadiah was annoyed that Tony had broken his commitment and was thinking about how to clean up his mess.

Damn it! I've spent decades cleaning up after Stark and his father. Am I supposed to keep cleaning up after them forever?

An idea took root in Obadiah's mind and kept growing. Looking at the goose that laid his golden eggs, he had not originally wanted to do this, but it was time Stark Industries had a new name.

Would this world really be destroyed without Tony Stark? I refuse to believe it!

Watching Obadiah's expression, Luke secretly snapped a couple of photos. Posting these anytime soon might get him a lawyer's letter, so he might as well wait a month until Obadiah was dead.

"As the liaison to Stark Industries, I am especially honored to work with a true patriot..."

Rhodey had begun his speech. Luke wondered how awkward it would be for him when nobody went up to accept the award.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present this year's Pinnacle Award to Mr. Tony Stark." Rhodey looked out at the audience expectantly, waiting for his friend to come up and accept the award, only to see Obadiah shake his head at him.

Seeing the empty seat beside Obadiah, Rhodey inwardly muttered, Fuck.

For once, I actually got my hopes up, and you let me down this badly!

Tony Stark, you're going to get it later!

Rhodey's expression grew increasingly awkward. Just then, Obadiah walked onto the stage and gave him a look.

Rhodey promptly placed the Pinnacle Award in Obadiah's hands and went off to one side to face the wall and reflect on his mistakes.

He had actually gotten his hopes up about Tony Stark!

Looking at Rhodey's awkward expression on his camera, Luke felt certain this photo would someday get War Machine to leave a comment on his blog, as long as his username was not something like "War Machine Is Fucking Awesome."

Luke headed toward the balcony and saw Kingpin suddenly look over. Under his gaze, Luke walked onto the balcony, gave a slight bow, then turned into shadow and sank into the ground, disappearing.

Kingpin looked away, feeling slightly relieved. But who had taught this guy to bow? His form was terrible.

Shaking his head, Kingpin watched the farce onstage.

Luke arrived at the entertainment center Tony Stark had mentioned and went inside. He saw a large crowd gathered in one spot, with Tony's bodyguards standing helplessly off to the side.

It looked like Tony had put them through onboarding again. Luke greeted them and headed into the crowd.

Tony had his arms around two women. "Come on, baby, blow on these for me. Lend me some luck."

He tossed the dice in his hand, throwing away three million dollars.

Luke shook his head. Even some rich people could not stomach gambling like this. Only someone like Tony, who treated money as nothing, would dare play this way.

"Looks like it's a good thing I didn't come with you, or I might have lost money," Luke said as he walked up behind Tony.

"Oh, who are you?"

Tony turned around as he spoke.

Then Luke snapped a photo of him with the two women.

Tony frowned. "Oh, it's you, the kid who likes taking sneaky photos."

Still, Tony did not mind. "You're turning into a paparazzo."

"Maybe I will someday." Luke checked the photo and tapped save.

If he pulled this photo out after Tony's trip to Afghanistan, Tony would willingly hand over ten million dollars to keep him from showing Pepper. Deleting it, however, would cost thirty million.

Having settled on a blackmail plan, Luke walked over to the gaming table and looked at the large pile of chips in front of Tony.

"Hey, kid, I'll give you a chance. Let's roll the dice. If you roll higher than me, this whole pile of chips is yours."

Tony suddenly made the offer as he looked at Luke. Luke raised his eyebrows. "Why do you like giving money away so much?"

Tony put an arm around each woman. "Money is the most useless thing to me. I'd much rather have these two sweethearts."

The two women expressed their surprise and delight right on cue, but Luke knew Tony would not take either of them with him later. Instead, he would find a reporter outside and take her away.

"Then I'll go first." Luke took the dice and casually tossed them.

A one and a two.

"Well, kid, looks like you won't be taking these chips home today."

Tony rubbed it in, then spent a while pressed chest to chest with one of the women beside him before Rhodey suddenly appeared.

"You really are unbelievable!" Rhodey said fiercely.

Tony acted as though he had only just learned Rhodey was presenting the award. "Oh, no. Did they ask you to come?"

"No one asked me to come," Rhodey said with a strained smile. "But someone told me you'd be deeply honored if I presented the award."

"Of course! You presenting it? How great is that!"

Tony said earnestly, "When do we pick it up?"

"Right now." Just like that, Rhodey's anger faded, and he handed Tony the trophy.

Tony glanced at it. "Look at that. How special!" Then he handed the trophy to the woman beside him.

Leaning over to retrieve the two dice, Tony had the woman blow on them, then asked Rhodey to do the same.

"I don't blow on another man's dice." Looking at the trophy in the woman's hands, Rhodey grew a little angry again.

"Come on, one little blow, honey bear."

Rhodey pushed away the hand Tony held out in front of him, sending the dice flying.

"Okay, Colonel Rhodes has rolled the dice... a two. Beautiful!"

Rhodey tilted his head. That seemed like pretty bad luck.

"All right, you successfully lost to this kid's three with your two. These thirty million in chips go to him."

Rhodey glanced at the innocent Luke. Well, that really was bad luck.

"I've seen worse," Tony said to console Rhodey, looking at Luke as well.

The two walked outside without a word.

Luke told a nearby attendant, "Help me sort out the chips. I'm going to take a photo."

Outside, Tony said goodbye to Rhodey.

"Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's."

Luke snapped the photo just then: Tony, accompanied by his bodyguards, was seen only from behind as he handed the trophy to an innocent-looking Caesar beside him.

Luke glanced at the photo, feeling that it captured the first half of Tony's life in miniature.

Turning back to exchange the chips for digits in his bank account, Luke thought he would count the thirty million dollars as payment for that photo. Even if he did not show Pepper, he could still use it to annoy Tony.

Luke thought happily.