As Tony spoke casually, Orleans, who lay bound on the floor, suddenly stiffened. A flicker of unease crossed his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.
"An act? What do you mean?"
"Tony, I'm truly grateful to you. I mean every word."
"Didn't you just say you wanted to work together? Since you saved me, I'll agree to whatever cooperation you want."
Orleans spoke with utter sincerity, tossing out a whole stack of empty promises that cost him nothing. Even now, he was still doing his best to save himself.
The sight left Tony rather impressed. These outstanding figures were masters at handling people. An ordinary person would probably have started cursing by now, yet Orleans maintained the same attitude he had shown from the start.
It almost made Tony reluctant to act against him.
Unfortunately, that thought lingered in Tony's mind for less than a second before he cast it aside.
Although he admired Orleans's response, what he needed more was for Orleans to cooperate unconditionally and become one of his own.
Ignoring his words, Tony spoke directly into the air. "JARVIS, have Loki come up."
"Yes, sir."
JARVIS readily acknowledged the order.
Soon, footsteps sounded from the entrance to the underground laboratory.
Wearing a white lab coat and gold-rimmed glasses, Loki slowly emerged from the underground laboratory, radiating the air of an elite scientist.
A hint of surprise flashed in Tony's eyes at the change in him.
When he had first talked Loki into researching technology, it had merely been a spur-of-the-moment idea.
He had never expected Loki to gradually settle into the role, spending all day holed up in the underground laboratory like a mad scientist.
He suspected that if he hadn't called for him, the fellow could have stayed down there until the end of time.
While