S.H.I.E.L.D. does have a lot of power and will sometimes resort to extreme measures when necessary. But it also depends on who you're dealing with.
This is U.S. territory—S.H.I.E.L.D. is essentially an outsider, to put it bluntly. That kind of intimidation might work on the leaders of some small countries, but here? No one in the bureau dared to react.
Kain didn't know what S.H.I.E.L.D. was thinking, but if they really dared to target him and Betty, Ross wouldn't hesitate to dispatch the Air Force and Army to seal them off in New York State.
The next step? Spy on their military secrets, restrict their authority, and if necessary—deport or arrest them.
Agent Hill didn't seem to consider the consequences. They probably overlooked the fact that Betty is the intermediary for the military's super soldier project. If it weren't for the Umbrella Military Security Company's involvement, the military would've already sent someone to protect her.
"What the hell are those bastards at S.H.I.E.L.D. trying to pull? Attacking you? Seems like they forgot who runs this country," Ross said angrily as he slammed the mediocre dishes he'd cooked onto the table.
Kain frowned slightly, poking at the grilled sea bass, and explained, "They might just be acting out over Tony Stark's kidnapping. But S.H.I.E.L.D. is getting a little too arrogant. Who do they think they are, acting like they're better than me?"
"Tony Stark's kidnapping caused a stir in the military. Sure, some people are concerned about him, but plenty of others hate the guy. After delivering his last order, he shut down the weapons division. What does he think this is?" Ross's voice was filled with disdain. "These arms companies made their fortune on military contracts, and now they want to play pacifist? Turning on their own clients?"
He paused before continuing, "Still, some people close to Stark are tracking the kidnappers. That doesn't have anything to do with you, right?"
Hearing this, Betty lowered her head and quietly cut into her sea bass, not even bothering to add the sauce. Kain responded casually, "Kidnapping? We don't have time for that kind of thing."
Ross froze for a moment, his beard twitching. "Figures. Still, keep your heads down. S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence capabilities are no joke. If they find something, it could get messy."
Kain laughed. "Let's change the subject. You running for president?"
Ross sighed. "It's crossed my mind. Vice president's doable, sure. But going for the presidency… that's a bigger question. Wanted to hear your take on it."
"What are you missing? Money? Votes? Betty can handle those. If it's congressional support, that's not a problem either."
Ross gave Kain a sideways glance. "That's enough outta you. What more could I ask for? If you're willing to help, I'd have an easier time than that half-black guy."
Kain responded directly, "Then let Betty back you. With the Pent Group behind her, money's not an issue—unless your opponent's being propped up by the Fed."
Between biopharmaceutical companies, new weapons contracts, the Extremis virus, and the recent negotiations over civilian energy tech, even without importing materials from other worlds, Kain's ventures were massive money magnets.
Aside from funding, the Red Queen could also steer online public opinion to a certain extent. That was Ross's greatest advantage—followed by congressional allies and campaign money.
During dinner, Ross mentioned his presidential ambitions. With the Pent Group's support, he actually had a decent shot.
"What the hell are you really after?" Kain asked, picking at his food. "You're blaming the weapons manufacturer? You don't even remember what happened ten years ago. Why not go after the person who used the weapon instead? Or better yet, go after the supplier of the raw materials. That'd make more sense."
Tony Stark felt like he was going insane. Had his luck really been this terrible lately? He had just escaped from the Ten Rings, and now he was captured by two superpowered individuals.
"I do more charity than you think."
"But you didn't save Sokovia," Pietro said coldly. "You supplied powerful weapons to the rebels there. Stark Industries' weapons brought nothing but war. That speech you gave on the news was disgusting. You didn't bring peace, and you never will."
His tone was indifferent, but his words carried the weight of deep resentment. Pietro remembered those few terrifying days of his childhood vividly. The name Stark had hung around his and Wanda's necks like a reaper's blade.
What disgusted Pietro most was the hypocrisy—Stark Industries profiting from weapons while Tony paraded around claiming to be a peacemaker. In reality, most of the weapons found in war zones like Sokovia came from his company.
Instead of peace, Tony Stark had brought nightmares and sleepless nights to the siblings.
"And the people who actually started the war are dead," Pietro continued, "but you haven't paid for your hypocrisy."
He and Wanda weren't out to kill Tony. What they wanted was to rip off his mask of fake morality and make him confront the truth. To make him feel the pain they'd lived with for years.
Tony asked again, exasperated, "Just repent? That's it? And you'll let me go?"
"Yes," Pietro replied. "We're not killers. But it's fine if we make you relive a piece of our childhood."
Their hatred wasn't something they could just let go. Even now, the resentment simmered.
Back then, the sale of weapons to Sokovian rebels would've required Tony Stark's explicit approval. Every shipment went through him. Obadiah Stane may have sold arms in secret to groups that served his own interests, but the Sokovian rebels? They weren't part of Obadiah's game. That decision had Tony's name on it.
In the end, if Tony wanted to get out of this, he had only one option: agree.
"Fine," he said, resigned. "As you wish. I'll confess. Should I go to a church or something?"
He knew he couldn't talk his way out of this. Pietro and Wanda weren't like the fools from the Ten Rings—they had real power, and they weren't looking to bargain or profit. They had no interest in anything other than justice, or maybe vengeance.
Tony glanced at the sleek combat suits they wore, unable to identify the material. Whatever it was, it wasn't something he had seen before. He had no leverage here—no tools, no tricks, just the choice to comply.
Meanwhile, while Tony remained a prisoner, S.H.I.E.L.D. quietly released Obadiah Stane.
Without solid evidence, and under mounting pressure from the U.S. government, S.H.I.E.L.D. had to back off. Alexander Pierce dragged Nick Fury into a council meeting where they were reprimanded for over an hour. As a result, Agent Hill and the team that arrested Obadiah were demoted by two ranks.
To make things worse, Obadiah's legal team flooded S.H.I.E.L.D. with lawsuits and complaints. While S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't normally care about such things, the relentless legal pressure was tarnishing their public image. Eventually, they were forced to issue a formal apology—and even request Obadiah's forgiveness.
"Potts, as I recall, the board never gave you full authority to manage the company. You can suspend Tony Stark's power temporarily, but you have no right to oppose decisions already approved by the board!"
Not long after Obadiah returned, he showed up at Pepper's office with several board members, delivering what sounded like a final warning.
"At the board meeting next week, we'll be restarting the Pent Group's plan to acquire Stark Industries. You have no backup this time, Potts."
Pepper Potts clenched her fists, silently seething. You killed Tony, Obadiah. You worked with him for over a decade...
"This has nothing to do with me," Obadiah said flatly. "Do you really think I could buy off two superhumans? Your accusations mean nothing, Potts. The board will know truth from fiction."
He sounded completely confident. Maybe because this time, unlike with the Ten Rings, he really wasn't involved—something he could even say while hooked up to a lie detector.
"You—"
"Enjoy your final days as assistant to the chairman. You won't have that seat much longer."
With that, Obadiah and the others walked out. Though the acquisition could only be formally proposed at the upcoming board meeting, much had already been discussed behind closed doors—including two private meetings with Laura, the CEO of Pent Group.
Even if Tony Stark were to return now, stopping the acquisition seemed impossible.
A month later, news of the acquisition leaked, causing a media storm across the United States. Some accused the Pent Group of opportunism, of taking advantage while Stark was vulnerable. Others defended it, sparking heated debates across public platforms.
But no matter how loud the voices were, they didn't stop the acquisition from moving forward.
Stark Industries' board first stripped Tony Stark of all executive powers, then appointed Obadiah as the new head of the company. With leadership transferred, the acquisition could proceed smoothly.
At the same time, a video of Tony Stark surfaced online—one in which he confessed to the harm caused in Sokovia. The footage quickly went viral, reigniting public outrage. Anti-war sentiments surged. People couldn't reconcile how a company that had sold so many weapons could keep preaching about peace.
However, S.H.I.E.L.D. had been waiting for that video. The moment it appeared, their tech teams—working with J.A.R.V.I.S.—swept the global network and traced the signal back to Pennsylvania.
S.H.I.E.L.D. immediately contacted the Air Force and dispatched fighter jets to investigate the location.
Fortunately, Pietro and Wanda had already decided they'd made their point and chose to release Tony Stark. But before leaving, Pietro still gave Tony a parting kick.
Not long after, Stark saw fighter jets flying in—and recognized the people onboard. They were all familiar faces: Colonel James Rhodes and S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury.
Tony dropped the cross he'd been holding and sighed with a touch of sarcasm and regret.
"Thank the Lord... but if you'd shown up a minute earlier, you might've met those two psychos."
…
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