Ivan Vanko, also known as Whiplash.
He had been rescued.
With high efficiency, almost right after he was sent to prison for the attack, Justin Hammer had people use an explosion to fake his death and pull off a switcheroo.
As the swapped-out pawn, Ivan Vanko naturally had to play his part as well.
Justin Hammer valued his ability to build a Stark-style reactor.
He hoped Ivan Vanko could severely dent Tony Stark's arrogance at the Stark Expo.
"Yes, I understand."
Justin Hammer was on the phone with someone.
He said with a smile, "Our stock is rising, Mr. Wick."
"Stark abandoning the weapons division is definitely the most idiotic thing to do. We can... what? Wait, I know I couldn't keep it from you, that scientist, fine, yes, I know."
Justin Hammer's smile gradually faded, and the call was hung up.
Turning his head to look at the parrot that had been delivered, his expression didn't look too good.
Who could have imagined that a major shareholder of Hammer Industries would actually stick his nose into this matter.
He reached out to tease the purchased parrot, then turned around to put on a smile as he walked toward the scientist currently studying the future of Hammer Industries.
Evening.
John had a new realization about his Dad.
"Why didn't I notice before that Dad is tangled up in so many things?"
He rubbed his temples. Couldn't there be just a little bit less trouble during this vacation?
Hammer Industries.
A.I.M.
Pym Technologies.
Dad's investment skills were truly on point.
At least the stocks of these companies were all thriving.
"Well, at least I know Dad is safe right now."
The good news was that even an organization like S.H.I.E.L.D. had no idea where Dad was.
As someone who was frequently tailed by agents, Dad should already be used to these things.
Looking over those files, John stopped scrolling his mouse wheel.
His gaze locked onto an agent responsible for those documents.
"Phil Coulson, infiltrated Watson Wick's subordinates under the alias Clark Greg."
John stared at that name. It seemed Dad had mentioned that guy named Greg.
This person had been under Dad for at least ten years, and he was an agent, too.
And John had a slight impression of the name Coulson.
"I've got a ghost raised right in my house and didn't even know it." John muttered a complaint, then began searching for the grievances between Stark and his Dad.
Judging from the other party's tone, it seemed that besides this assassination attempt, he and Dad had other conflicts as well.
Looking back through the past, John found nothing.
It was probably deleted by Tony himself. After all, letting John know about that grudge might not be a good thing.
The mighty Iron Man also had his own little schemes.
John gave a cold chuckle and closed the computer.
"My vacation is basically ruined."
It was a rare vacation, yet a whole bunch of matters were waiting for him to deal with them.
Fortunately, it wasn't urgent. Dad and Mom were together, and with Mom's combat skills, even if the Hulk came over, there wouldn't be any major problems.
What John needed to solve right now was the fellow ringing the doorbell outside.
Even through the door, he could smell an unusual scent from the other person.
And it was similar to that female agent who had approached him.
John opened the door, and what came into view was a very standard Nick Fury.
John stared at the Nick Fury for two seconds, then moved his gaze down, landing on the person's single eye.
A dashing leather trench coat, a black eyepatch, and a standard Nick Fury.
John looked at the other person's shoes. The size and style of those shoes were identical to the pair that had come inside after his family went out.
His gaze fell past the Nick Fury, onto a pretty red hair and face. John chuckled softly, "White-collar lady from London, welcome to New York."
Natasha stared at John, wondering how he had crossed the Atlantic to New York.
With a charming smile, Natasha tossed her hair and said with a natural demeanor, "Aren't you going to invite a lady inside?"
"I'd rather dial the police hotline," John glanced at the surroundings, "though I suppose no officers would pick up."
Entering the Wick family home.
He didn't know why today was exceptionally lively.
First the Sorcerer Supreme, then Iron Man, and now S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Motherfucker.
He hadn't encountered a single one in his first thirty years, and now they were all crowding over here together.
"I suppose Americans don't like drinking tea."
John picked up a cup of black tea, having prepared none for the two people in front of him.
Nick Fury felt this blatant hostility. His single eye looked at John, "Your hostility toward me isn't without reason. May I know the cause?"
"It's very simple. A female agent pretended to be human-trafficking victim at my front door," John glanced sideways at Fury, "and another person sneaked in here after my family left, not knowing what they were searching for."
"Fascinating." Nick Fury said, clapping, "Then if I said I was just curious how someone on the other side of the Atlantic could cross the ocean in an hour?"
"Oh, that must be magical witchcraft." John used a stiffly surprised tone, his expression placid, "You can ask Agent Lady over there. She crossed the Atlantic in a single morning herself."
Natasha, who had taken a Quinjet, was naturally different from John.
Nick Fury's gaze was filled with scrutiny.
Even S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files on John only stopped at his birth certificate, which showed just how mysterious this person was.
After turning nineteen, he completely vanished from the face of the earth for a full ten years.
Even Coulson, who had been undercover by his father's side, had never seen this person.
He suddenly appeared in a Manhattan residence in New York, and had arrived using the most mysterious method.
Replete with mysteries, coupled with his contact with Tony Stark.
It forced S.H.I.E.L.D. to conduct an evaluation of him.
First, the initial impression.
Young.
So young that he didn't look like a thirty-year-old man, but rather seemed to have his time frozen at the age of nineteen when he disappeared.
Secondly, elegance.
A suit vest, a gold pocket watch chain, black hair brimming with mystery and aristocratic flair, and red-brown eyes that seemed to shift like they could change, making it impossible to look away.
Every movement was imbued with the unique temperament of Slavic blood fused with Great Britain.
"Perhaps you haven't heard this phrase in a long time, but upon entering someone else's house, even out of politeness, you should state your name." John apathetically set down his tea cup, saying to the Nick Fury staring at him, "Also, staring at the master of the house like that is very impolite."
"Nick Fury." Fury grinned, revealing a flash of white teeth, and pulled out his identification, "Director of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division."
"That name is a mouthful." John said, "Don't tell me you don't think so."
"Abbreviated as S.H.I.E.L.D., the shield. My subordinates prefer to call it S.H.I.E.L.D." Nick Fury waved a hand.
John wasn't surprised. After all, this organization was the very existence that had single-handedly driven the Avengers Initiative.
S.H.I.E.L.D. coming to find him was undoubtedly because of Stark.
"I suppose Tony Stark told you quite a few things." Saying this, Fury looked around the surroundings. Everything here was completely intact, not looking like a fight had taken place. "There are some matters we hope you'll cooperate with."
"Sorry, I don't want to cooperate."
John refused decisively.
He was here on vacation and had no desire to get tangled up in any of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s business.
His refusal was so absolute that it even made Fury hesitate for a moment. "Don't you want to hear what it is?"
"In any case, it won't be anything good. I could tell that much the moment I saw this agent lady."
"My vacation schedule is very tight."
John's vacation was already exhausting enough with taking care of the mystical side of the world for the Ancient One, and now you want me to keep sticking my nose into other things?
Even the Wizard King needed a vacation to rest, didn't he?
Nick Fury wanted to say something more, but a thought struck him and he changed his mind.
He stood up and said hypocritically, "Very well, I hope you enjoy this vacation."
His sudden shift left people baffled, but John could sense that this Nick Fury meant no good.
Walking to the door, Nick Fury said loudly, "Oh right, remember to give my regards to your father."
"I must say, he's caused me quite a bit of trouble."
Trouble?
A thought stirred in John's mind.
If this trouble didn't refer to Tony Stark, then it must be someone else entirely?
He watched as Fury departed from the place, his wand sliding into his left hand.
Once outside the door, Fury spoke in a low voice to Natasha, "Find an opportunity to get close to him again."
"He doesn't have information on Watson Wick." Natasha, in a rare occurrence, did not agree directly.
Fury looked at her with surprise and said in a calm tone, "He holds information we don't understand, and a father will always come looking for his son."
"The Ten Rings, despite being a terrorist organization, actually dared to move against the Underworld President. There must be a larger conspiracy behind it."
"Keep a close eye on this kid. If the Ten Rings can't find Watson Wick, they might just target this kid."
Natasha nodded and said, "I understand."
"What about Tony Stark?"
Tony was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s highest priority.
Fury pondered for a moment. "His matter will be resolved in these next few days. I'll arrange for others to monitor this place; you prioritize resolving Tony's matter."
S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't have only one agent named Natasha, and being squeezed like this made Natasha begin to understand John's sentiment of not wanting his vacation ruined by others.
Having a boss who squeezed his employees really made it hard to feel happy.
The conversation between the two ended as they left the expensive neighborhood.
And after they left, John gradually shed the Disillusionment Charm on his body.
"The Ten Rings?"
He grew thoughtful. It seemed his parents were indeed safe.
Even S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't know where they were.
Before you continue