"Young man, thank you so much for saving us!"
"If it weren't for you, today would've ended in disaster."
Howard Stark's voice cut through Rorschach's thoughts.
The billionaire playboy approached quickly, offering a genuinely grateful smile.
If it hadn't been for this mysterious young man, things could've gone south fast.
Of course, what Stark didn't realize was that even without Rorschach's intervention, he and Anton Vanko likely would've survived—though not without some injuries. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents nearby, however, probably wouldn't have been so lucky.
"Mr. Stark, are you alright?" Rorschach asked, glancing at the soot-covered, disheveled inventor.
"I'm fine. Honestly, I could use a drink or two, but otherwise, I'm okay," Stark replied with a wave of his hand, trying to shake it off. Then, focusing on Rorschach, he added, "What's your name, son? I'm Howard Stark—though I'm guessing you already knew that."
"Rorschach," the young man replied simply. He wasn't trying to be mysterious. Even if Stark hadn't asked, he would've introduced himself eventually. If he was going to do good, he wanted people to know who did it.
"Rorschach, huh?" Stark raised an eyebrow. "That's a unique name. Where are you from?"
Before the conversation could go any further, the doors burst open.
A confident woman strode in, flanked by a team of agents.
She had a bold presence, sharp British features, and a striking figure that carried both grace and authority.
It was Peggy Carter.
Even at her age, she radiated strength and a certain magnetism that made it easy to see why someone like Steve Rogers would fall for her.
"Jesus Christ," she muttered, surveying the carnage—three dead werewolves sprawled across the room. Her expression shifted from surprise to concern. "The Soviets actually sent werewolves after you? We really dropped the ball on this one."
Their previous intel had only flagged potential agents or spies—no one had seen this coming.
"Stark, are you okay?" she asked, striding quickly to his side.
"Relax, Peggy, I'm alright now," Stark said with forced nonchalance, even spinning in place to prove his point.
Only then did Carter ease up.
Her gaze turned to Anton Vanko, who was being watched closely by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. With him secure, she turned her attention to Rorschach.
"Stark, who's this?"
"This is the guy who saved our asses," Stark said. "Showed up outta nowhere and took down those beasts like it was nothing."
Peggy Carter studied Rorschach, a flicker of intrigue crossing her face.
"Rorschach, thank you. That was... impressive. Really impressive. I don't think I've ever seen anyone handle something like that with so much confidence."
Then her tone shifted, more professional.
"That said, would you mind coming with us? Just for a quick debrief—standard procedure. Oh, and in case you didn't know, aside from being a genius inventor, I'm also involved in some... other business."
Stark offered Rorschach a business card.
"Strategic Scientific Reserve," Rorschach read aloud. "That's a mouthful."
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Stark said with a smirk. "I hate it too. But it gets the point across."
"Can I make a suggestion?" Rorschach asked.
"By all means."
"How about... S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D.," Stark repeated, eyes lighting up. "Like a protector. I love it. Carter, what do you think? We should pitch that name."
Peggy Carter sighed. "Howard, you run a top-level intel agency. Could you please act like it?"
She then turned to her team. "Simon, you and two others stay behind. The rest of you, clear the area."
Rorschach nodded slowly as Howard added, "Don't worry—we won't keep you long. Just a few questions."
Initially, Rorschach was ready to decline. He didn't particularly care for bureaucracy. But then again, S.H.I.E.L.D. was the kind of place where major things happened, and Stark was far from a simple man. There might be more opportunities—or challenges—just waiting to surface.
Sure, he'd just finished a mission, and the chance of getting another one immediately seemed low. But that was just a guess. The system that guided his missions wasn't exactly transparent.
So, why not see what happens?
Even if no new quest popped up, making connections with people like Stark and Carter couldn't hurt. Could be useful later.
Yeah—worth the trip.
"Alright, sure," Rorschach agreed. "But before that, I need to check in with a friend."
.......
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