Mercer rubbed his chin for a moment and asked, "Do you know what you're about to do? What happens if it goes out of control?"
Stark nodded. "I know exactly what I'm doing, but Earth really needs someone powerful to protect it. I'm only flesh and blood. No matter how strong the armor I develop is, a single bullet can still kill me."
"Before I die, at least, I want to accomplish something."
Mercer sounded surprised. "I never would've guessed you cared so much about Earth."
"Well, it's because of what Peter said to me. If I have the ability and refuse to face up to things, then when something actually happens, I doubt anyone else will be able to stand against it," Stark said.
So Spider-Man was the one who had given him this urge to prepare.
"Speaking of him, would you be interested in having him join the Avengers? I think he's a good person, and he has a lot of untapped potential," Mercer said.
Mercer wanted to give Spider-Man a better support network. He didn't have to interfere directly in his life, but he could at least make sure he had other superheroes to help him.
After all, his life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe had been far too tragic. First his father-in-law died, then his girlfriend. It was awful.
"Him? I've been considering it. He's a great kid. I was planning to ask him once we've finished creating Ultron," Stark said with a smile.
Mercer nodded and said nothing more.
He rubbed his faintly aching temples. Things were developing more or less as he'd expected again. Did worldlines always converge in the end?
"What's wrong?" Liang Bing asked softly when she saw his troubled expression.
"I'm thinking about something." Mercer didn't elaborate. After a moment's thought,