"Tea?"
"Thank you."
A cup of hot tea was brought over, and John picked it up.
Across from him, Ferdinand bounced his leg, looking around restlessly.
"Hey, don't they have beer here?"
"As a driver, you shouldn't make a habit of drinking and driving."
John called over a server. "Get him an espresso to wake him up."
The server smiled, nodded, and left. John ignored Ferdinand's sour expression.
The door to the Tea House opened.
Ivan walked in, having grown used to his buzz cut.
He wore a tracksuit and looked just like a Russian gangster.
"Where's that pretty assistant of yours?"
"My assistant's been on leave for over a week," John said casually. "I'm even thinking about hiring a replacement."
Ivan gave him a knowing smile. "She's hot. Finding another one like her won't be easy."
He looked at Ferdinand sitting there. "Move over, kid."
"Kid?" Ferdinand was speechless.
But seeing how intimidating Ivan looked, he chose to back down.
He obediently scooted into the corner of the sofa.
Just then, the server brought the coffee. Ivan looked disgusted. "I prefer vodka."
"That isn't for you," John said. "How's progress?"
"No major problems." Ivan sat sprawled out with a toothpick between his lips. "We can get all the materials through Hammer Industries' existing suppliers, and even those idiots can read the blueprints."
"Finish assembly, install the system, and we pocket a hundred and fifty million dollars."
"Money's easy to make in the United States."
At that point, Ivan began wondering why he'd tried to kill Tony with two whips before.
A little thought could have gotten him more money and equipment, yet he'd stupidly brought two whips from home.
"Hammer Industries manufactures battlefield weapons. Its products have some drawbacks in urban combat."
John took a sip of tea and thought for a moment. "Since you've got some free time now, would you be interested in studying something more mysterious?"
"What could be more mysterious than the Magic Crystal you gave me?" Ivan perked up. "That thing let me successfully upgrade the reactor, and I've discovered some other uses for it too."
"What I want you to study is far more interesting than that."
John smiled mysteriously. "Something that came from a 'god.'"
"A god?" Ivan rubbed the stubble on his chin and spread his hands. "You're the boss. I'll follow your lead."
Ferdinand listened in utter bewilderment. He had no idea what the two of them were talking about.
He picked up his coffee and took a sip, then squealed like a pig being slaughtered.
"That's fucking bitter!"
"Here's the canned vodka you wanted."
The waitress came over and set down a can.
Ferdinand's eyes widened. "Vodka comes in cans?"
"Wait, isn't this a tea house?"
Ivan opened the can and took a sip. "You'll understand when you become a man, kid."
He turned back, exchanging a smile with the waitress.
She winked at him.
John sipped his tea quietly. "Office hookups aren't allowed."
Ivan leaned back, protesting to his boss. "This isn't the office."
"It is now." John took a check from his pocket, wrote down a figure, then walked over to the owner and slipped it into his pocket. "I'm buying this place."
"WTF?" Ivan complained loudly. "Are you serious?"
The Tea House's owner stared at the figure, enough to cover a hundred years of his hard work, his mouth hanging open.
John turned toward Ivan with a wicked grin. "I like the tea here."
Ivan had nothing to say.
Neither did Ferdinand.
The power of money simply defied reason.
Stepping out of the Tea House, Ivan looked at the new car in confusion. "Do you like driving a different car every time?"
He just had to bring up the sore subject.
John's face darkened as he told him to get in.
The sixth car was an SUV, which counted as a less extravagant choice.
John sat in the back while Ferdinand drove.
Ivan sat beside John, drinking his vodka.
"You can't let anyone see my face," Ivan said innocently. "I'm a wanted man."
"A dead wanted man." John sighed. "Let's go."
Ferdinand began wondering why his boss didn't like having a gorgeous woman like Natasha beside him, yet was fine sitting next to a rough-looking man.
Could the boss's sexual orientation be...
Smack!
Ferdinand clutched his head. John gave him a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Focus on driving."
Ferdinand didn't dare let his mind wander anymore. He felt as though his boss could see right through his thoughts.
"Where are we going?"
"Taran Industries. That's our real base."
The underground firearms testing range at Taran Industries.
A suit of metal armor lay there quietly.
At the sight, Ivan took his glasses out of his pocket and approached, amazement on his face.
"What is this?"
"A little while ago, a god fell into New Mexico. This thing came after him to kill him."
John held a handgun, assembling it at an unhurried pace.
"It nearly destroyed an entire town. Even missiles couldn't leave a scorch mark on it."
Once he finished assembling the handgun, he raised it and fired.
Every bullet struck the Destroyer Armor without leaving a trace.
"This thing is far more powerful than Tony Stark's armor."
John casually set down the handgun with its empty magazine and walked over to Ivan. "I need you to examine it with technology and analyze its structure."
"I'll need equipment." Ivan ran his hand over the Destroyer's surface, speaking in rapture. "I've never seen a metal like this. It's special, something that doesn't belong to our world."
He was already itching to get started, which was exactly what John wanted.
Even Mjolnir couldn't destroy the Destroyer. Thor's full-power attack had only put it out of commission temporarily.
Aside from the two pieces John had forcibly sliced off, it bore no damage at all.
Ivan had already slipped into research mode. He was starting to like this job.
At first, he'd stayed because he feared Jovanovic would settle the score later. Now, he liked this boss who brought him all sorts of miraculous things.
Rough-looking as Ivan was, he was one of the most brilliant scientists in the world.
People like him had little resistance to the pursuit of the unknown and the study of new things.
"You can also use it to improve your own armor," John suddenly said. "I know you've been secretly building new weapons."
Ivan froze and took off his glasses. "So what are you going to do to me?"
"Nothing." John smiled.
Ivan blinked. "What?" he asked uncertainly.
"Have you forgotten what I said?" John asked. "I'm not against you taking revenge on Tony Stark."
"I'm just reminding you that there's no need to secretly cobble things together from those military materials."
He tapped the Destroyer with a finger and chuckled. "I told you I'd support you."
"Do it openly. Stark knows you're still alive, and he's welcome to retaliate against you."
John held out his hand. "Create something you're satisfied with. I'll give you my full support."
Ivan silently looked at his hand, then reached out and shook it. "Thank you, Yardani," he said earnestly.
"We're on the same side, Ivan."
Only at that moment did Ivan wholeheartedly submit to this young man.
It wasn't like his relationship with Justin Hammer, whom he'd merely been using.
After John left, he took out a USB drive.
It contained a hidden threat he had planted inside the New Iron Soldier.
But now...
He threw the USB drive onto the floor and crushed it to pieces beneath his large foot.
"Jovanovic, you've got the best alpha wolf."
He grinned and went back to studying the Destroyer.
Before you continue