The Reactor and the Magic Crystal

Yuri Orlov.

In his early years, he had been active in the smuggling trade, traveling to war-torn countries to deal in weapons and making a fortune. People called him the War Lord.

Later, he had turned over a new leaf (actually, the big shot backing him had fallen), switching from supplying wars to running a weapons development company that manufactured and sold its own products.

He was a business partner of John's father. Together, they had founded Taran Industries ten years ago.

After years of growth, the company still could not rival Stark Industries, but it had plenty of loyal customers and military contracts.

Now valued at over ten billion, the company was a genuine money-making machine.

When Yuri Orlov saw John, his smile faltered.

"You're... John?" Staring at the face that resembled Mrs. Wick's, he said, "I've never met you before. Honestly, if I hadn't seen the photograph your father keeps on his desk, I wouldn't have recognized you."

"How do you keep yourself looking so young? I almost thought some high school kid had wandered in." Orlov casually took the seat beside John. Only after he sat down did the others dare take their seats.

John noticed this and smiled. "This isn't the first time I've heard your name, though, Mr. Orlov."

Orlov laughed. "Watson must have mentioned me plenty of times, just like he's always telling me about his son."

"No." John shook his head. "It was my mother."

Orlov's radiant smile froze.

"The 1999 Incident."

"Stop!"

Orlov's eyelids twitched, and he hurriedly cut John off.

He looked around, then got up to close the conference room's blinds.

Once he was certain no one else was around, he approached John and whispered, "Your mother didn't come with you, did she?"

Apparently, Orlov did not know that John's parents had gone missing either.

John's expression did not change. "I came with them."

Only then did Orlov notice the two strangers among the executives.

He could be forgiven for being so terrified of that woman.

After all, his life-and-death friendship with Watson Wick owed its life-and-death part to Mrs. Wick.

He let out a long breath, extended his right hand to Ivan, and smiled. "Yuri Orlov."

Ivan gave him a sidelong glance, then reached out his right hand and shook his.

His manner suggested that he did not think much of this War Lord.

Orlov looked a little embarrassed and turned to Ferdinand.

Flattered by the attention, Ferdinand clasped his hand in both of his own. "Ferdinand Pierce, the boss's driver."

That made Orlov look a little happier.

Sitting down again, Orlov interlaced his fingers on the table and got straight to the point. "I hear you called a meeting, John?"

"Yes, Mr. Orlov." John's gaze swept over the executives, who all lowered their heads.

"You can come to me about anything," Orlov said with a broad grin. "I founded this company with your father. I know this place very well."

It was an unmistakable show of authority.

Was the great War Lord supposed to submit to a child?

When he had first started selling... guns (don't get the wrong idea), John had not even been born.

If not for John's father, he would have thrown him out already.

"Is that so?" John said meaningfully. "What if I could make Taran Industries like Stark Industries?"

"Don't joke around, John." Orlov did not take the young man's words seriously at all.

Even before Tony developed his new energy source, their company had been no match for Stark Industries.

That company was a true behemoth.

"Is that really what you think?" John leaned back in his chair. "This is an excellent opportunity."

"You'll need to convince me," Orlov said. "If you can."

"No one turns down money, Orlov." John pointed to Ivan and introduced him. "From now on, Ivan will serve as Taran Industries' technical adviser."

"He will have full authority over Taran Industries' entire research and development department."

"Are you joking?" Orlov's brow furrowed deeply. "You bring some guy with an unknown background into the conference room and just announce that?"

"Do you think this is some children's game of make-believe?"

Furious, he stared into John's eyes and said each word with deliberate emphasis. "I'm telling you, if you weren't Watson's son, I'd throw you out."

John smiled. "I'm not joking. This is within my authority."

"That's your father's authority!" Orlov roared. "Your father and I didn't build this company so you could play make-believe!"

"Come closer, Orlov." John remained calm, without a trace of hysteria.

Orlov took a deep breath, repeatedly reminding himself whose son this was.

But he stayed where he was, as stiff as a brick.

John held his hand out toward Ivan. Understanding what he wanted, Ivan rummaged in his pocket and took out a simple box.

"The road to greatness is right inside."

John placed the box on the table, pushed it toward Orlov, and gestured for him to open it.

Dismissive, Orlov lifted a finger and flicked it open.

The box opened, and blue light spilled out.

He took one look and could no longer tear his eyes away.

Three seconds later, he pressed the lid shut and shouted at the executives craning their necks for a look, "Everyone out!"

The executives who had been watching exchanged glances, then filed out.

After closing the door, Orlov clutched the box excitedly and demanded in a low voice, "Where did you get this reactor?"

"Don't tell me you kidnapped Tony Stark. I just saw him go onstage to accept an award."

A possibility occurred to Orlov. Had John gone to Stark's home and stolen it?

"Why does it have to be Stark?" John chuckled. "Couldn't we have made it ourselves?"

"Bullshit!" Orlov swore. "Tony Stark is the only person who can make that thing..."

A flash of insight crossed his mind, stopping the words on his lips.

Orlov turned blankly toward the man with the short haircut. The longer he looked, the more familiar he seemed.

He pointed a wavering finger at him and asked uncertainly, "Ivan Vanko?"

Ivan turned his head away disdainfully, sitting in his chair with his arms folded.

"Aren't you dead?" Orlov looked as though he had seen something astonishing.

According to the news reports, Ivan Vanko had died after making the Iron Soldiers self-destruct.

Yet here he was, alive and well before him. Orlov's mind was in turmoil.

"When you said you could make Taran Industries like Stark Industries, were you serious?"

Orlov, who had opposed John throwing his weight around here, immediately changed his attitude.

"Aren't you afraid his identity will be exposed and Iron Man will come after you?" John rubbed his ring and said casually, "We're talking about Iron Man."

"Oh, to hell with Iron Man." Orlov put on the kindly smile of a doting uncle. "Ivan Vanko is already dead, isn't he?"

Watching this, Ivan thought, Just as John said. Rich people will do anything for money.

The speed at which Orlov changed his tune was astonishing.

He put an arm around John's shoulders and said warmly, "Your father and I are best friends. He owns shares in this company too."

Only a fool would turn away a super-genius capable of building a reactor.

"I can give him full authority over research and development, even shares, to bring this technical adviser into Taran Industries."

Cradling the reactor's box like a priceless treasure, Orlov looked as if he had gotten his hands on a mountain of gold.

"That's just junk." John snapped his fingers.

Without any visible movement from him, the box appeared in his hand.

With a casual toss, he sent the reactor into Ferdinand's arms.

It gave Ferdinand quite a fright.

"And this is the true future."

Before Orlov could lose his temper, John set something down.

A thin sliver of purple crystal.

The Magic Crystal-the very piece he had used to replace Iron Man's reactor.

John looked at Ivan and asked, "Can you solve the problem of palladium poisoning?"

The question silenced Ivan immediately.

Even though he could build a reactor by hand, he had no way of finding a material that could replace palladium.

That was why he had felt a momentary flash of anger when John tossed the reactor away.

It was not perfect, but he had poured everything he had into making it.

Ivan shook his head. "There simply isn't a replacement material."

Wearing the reactor meant a slow death.

That was why he had never intended to survive his battle with Iron Man.

"This can do it," John said with a chuckle. "I've tested it."

"A perfect, stable reactor with no side effects."

Those words struck like thunder out of a clear sky.

Ivan, who had originally come only to take revenge on Stark, shot to his feet. "How can you guarantee that?"

"Because I tested it in Tony Stark's reactor."

John shrugged. "It can replace any element."

That statement was no less momentous than the appearance of the reactor.

"Wait, sorry, any element?" Orlov needed a moment to calm down.

What the hell was this thing? Magic?

Orlov had no idea that his passing thought had hit upon the truth.

"Now, do you still want to shut me out, Orlov?" John had not left his chair since entering the room.

Orlov's expression shifted. If John was telling the truth, standing shoulder to shoulder with Stark Industries would only be a matter of time.

An arms company branching into energy?

"I need to think."

"Time waits for no one."

John placed his pocket watch on the table. "Three minutes."

Without anyone noticing, control of the meeting had shifted entirely into his hands.

Orlov paced around the conference room.

In the quiet conference room, the ticking of the pocket watch sounded especially clear.

Should I believe him and take the gamble, or keep playing it safe?

"Stop that damned pocket watch!" he shouted irritably.

Unmoved, John said coolly, "Thirty seconds left, Orlov."

"I know! Fine, I agree!"

Orlov gave in. He hurried over, sat beside John, and extended a hand. "Let's make this a deal we're both happy with."

"A deal requires something to bargain with." John leisurely picked up the pocket watch, showing no intention of shaking his hand.

The former War Lord was no fool. "What do you want?"

"Not for me. For my father." John set the pocket watch down again, its ticking echoing Orlov's heartbeat.

"He and I are good friends!"

"My mother mentioned that in 1999..."

"I agree! All right, I agree!"

Orlov agreed in the end. After all, he did not want to get on that woman's bad side either.

He would place his authority at Wick's disposal.

If the reactor and the purple crystal had not been so tempting, he would never have made up his mind.

Even brothers kept their accounts straight.

John stood with a smile and held out his hand. "Now that's an equal exchange, Orlov."

"You won't even call me Uncle Orlov," Orlov complained.

"Maybe when you're powerful enough. But right now, there's something we need to do."

Orlov asked in confusion, "What is it?"

John set his phone down. On its screen was news about the crisis facing Hammer Industries' stock.

"Buy it."