Chapter 65

The G-0 Warlord flew over New York, cloaked in full stealth mode. Luke had just received a phone call. When he heard that Peter Parker would be visiting the expo with Uncle Ben tonight, he was taken aback. His immediate concern was for Spider-Man's safety. There were going to be massive fireworks tonight, and with them, the potential for casualties. Why was Peter Parker involved at a time like this?

Could it be that this scene was in the movie? Or had Peter's appearance triggered an unpredictable butterfly effect?

Helpless, Luke had no choice but to ask Christina to help him find Peter Parker in the crowd once the event began. He had to make sure Spider-Man was safe.

At the same time, Tony, sitting in his luxurious sea-view villa, also received a call.

"Sir, you have an incoming call from an undisclosed number."

Jarvis's calm, steady voice drew Tony's attention, who had been idly teaching the robotic arm to sweep the floor.

Tony swiveled in his chair, answering the call with casual indifference. "Coulson, how's the enchanting wonderland in New Mexico?"

Before this, Coulson had come to say goodbye. Unlike Black Widow, whose undercover mission had been top secret, Coulson had been the "contact person" Nick Fury had placed before Tony. However, with a new mission in New Mexico, Coulson had been transferred.

"Tony, how are you?" a deep voice said.

Tony froze, immediately sensing something was off.

This wasn't Coulson's voice.

The voice on the other end chuckled hoarsely, speaking in fragments: "I doubled the speed."

"What?"

"You told me to double the speed to create more power. Good advice."

Tony's mind raced. The voice seemed oddly familiar. When he realized who it was, he could hardly believe it.

"You sound like a pretty good guy," Tony said, trying to sound serious.

"You too," came the reply.

Tony muted the microphone and ordered, "Trace the call, Jarvis."

"Yes, sir."

"Stark's family history will be rewritten by me," the voice continued, speaking more to himself than to Tony.

"Jarvis, where is he?" Tony asked urgently.

"Location... East Coast of the United States..."

"What your father did to my family 40 years ago, I will do to you in 40 minutes."

"Sounds good, let's have a good chat," Tony said casually, buying Jarvis time.

The signal tracking range on the screen began to shrink.

"The tri-state area, Manhattan, and the surrounding boroughs," Jarvis reported.

"I hope you're ready," the voice on the other end said sinisterly before hanging up.

"Tracking failed," said Jarvis.

The signal was located near Manhattan, but it wasn't precise enough to pinpoint the exact location.

Tony frowned as he scanned the screen. Then, his eyes fell on a news clip about the Hammer Fair, displayed on a nearby monitor.

There was a portrait of Justin Hammer, with a line of sarcastic words beneath it: "Defend peace."

Tony's mind shifted into overdrive. From Ivan Vanko's unexpected survival to Justin Hammer's public performance, everything suddenly clicked.

Tony stood up immediately. "Jarvis, assemble the new reactor on the Mark VI. We've got work to do."

"Sir, we don't know the stability of this new reactor yet. I recommend—"

"I don't want to hear it, Jarvis."

"Yes, sir."

Tony turned his gaze toward the display cabinet. There, the Mark 3, Mark 4, and the recently retired Mark 5 stood, lined up. The new Mark VI, however, was the one to test. With the new reactor he had discovered, it was time to test its effects.

Whether it was their personalities, their actions, or their approach to problems, Luke and Tony shared traits they'd never admit, even if they were to see it themselves.

New York glimmered brightly under the night sky.

At a luxurious venue near Manhattan, the eyes of New York and the entire East Coast were focused on the event.

The open-plan architecture of the oval venue was magnificent. Fountains and lighting effects dazzled, luxury cars lined the streets, and every inch screamed capitalist decadence.

Black Widow, as a secretary, accompanied the invited Pepper Potts out of the car and into the venue.

The story of how Black Widow returned to work for Stark was little known. With the backing of the well-resourced S.H.I.E.L.D., it hadn't been difficult for her to win Pepper's sympathy with a fabricated story.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Justin Hammer's exhibition is now open," the announcer's voice echoed through the venue.

New York's celebrities and reporters from all sectors began filing in.

As the leading military-industrial enterprise in the U.S., Hammer Military's exhibition attracted not only military personnel but also attention from all corners of the capital society.

The exhibition was officially open.

When Justin Hammer, wearing a gray suit and tie, took the stage and tap danced to the rhythm of the music, the audience erupted into enthusiastic applause.

Americans were known for their ability to show off their personalities. This act, bringing the atmosphere to life on stage, was naturally popular.

"Oh yeah!" Justin Hammer, who appeared weak and bookish with a slightly effeminate vibe, beamed with excitement as he addressed the crowd. "That's right! Thank you for coming!"

His tap dance seemed to be a direct challenge to Tony.

Not long ago, at the Stark Expo, Tony had made a dramatic entrance by skydiving in his Iron Man suit. Without a parachute, he had plummeted from tens of thousands of feet and landed with a stunning flair.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Hammer Expo," Justin began, playing the patriotism card. "Our country sent brave soldiers to fight in Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and defended world peace with the blood of soldiers... until later, Iron Man appeared."

Justin's opening remarks focused on American patriotism, and of course, he didn't miss an opportunity to belittle his arch-nemesis, Tony Stark.

"We once thought that no one would die. But he refused to disclose his advanced technology. Yes, this is unfair and unjust. And it's a pity," Justin said with a smug grin.

From the audience, a little hot pepper—Pepper Potts—smiled disdainfully.

"But it was still a groundbreaking invention. It made headlines around the world," Justin added, referring to Tony's Iron Man suit with a sarcastic undertone.

"But today," he shook his finger, "newspapers are in big trouble!" Justin smiled confidently. "They won't have enough ink."

"That's true," Luke muttered as he piloted the mecha, hovering undetected over the venue.

"Ladies and gentlemen..." Justin continued passionately from the stage. "Today, I will introduce to you a brand new face of the U.S. military—the Hammer Iron Soldier!!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you want to read Advanced Chapters?

Visit this link:

 Påtreon.com/Fanficlord03