Chapter 28: The Price of Genius
Chapter 28: The Price of Genius
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May 2010 – Malibu, Los Angeles
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Tony's Party – Stark Mansion
The deep thrum of bass pulsed through the night air, shaking the walls of Tony Stark's Malibu estate. Spotlights cut through the darkness, painting the party in shifting hues of gold and blue. The ocean roared below, but its sound was drowned out by the roaring crowd inside.
Tony stood on a makeshift stage, basking in the attention. The tailored suit he wore was unbuttoned at the top, vintage sunglasses perched low on his nose. The image of effortless charm.
"You're all... absolutely beautiful," he drawled into the microphone, arms spread wide. The crowd erupted, camera flashes popping in a strobe-like frenzy.
For a moment, he let himself believe it.
That everything was fine. That he wasn't dying. That the arc reactor in his chest wasn't a slow, inevitable death sentence.
But behind the sunglasses, his eyes were rimmed with exhaustion. Beneath the laughter, his body was screaming in agony. The palladium core, the thing keeping him alive, was also killing him.
Still, the world saw what he wanted them to see—Tony Stark, billionaire genius, Iron Man, king of the party.
He took another sip of his drink.
For tonight, that was enough.
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Backstage – WHA Observation
Hidden in the dim recesses beyond the stage, two figures observed.
Dash, the speedster, leaned lazily against the wall, fingers tapping an impatient rhythm against his bicep. His foot jittered in a blur, betraying his restlessness. Beside him, Valeria Monroe stood still, arms crossed, cold eyes locked on Stark.
"He's a wreck," she murmured.
Dash smirked. "More like a self-destructing masterpiece."
"Not funny."
"Not wrong either."
Valeria exhaled through her nose. "We could've intervened. Lin has the resources—"
"No." Her voice was final. "Edward's orders were clear. We watch, we do not interfere."
Dash clenched his jaw but said nothing. He knew better than to argue when Lin had made a decision.
Onstage, Stark grinned as if he had the world in his palm.
But from the shadows, they saw the truth.
Tony Stark was running out of time.
And the world was about to find out.
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Randy's Donuts – Los Angeles
The California sun cast long shadows over the enormous donut perched atop Randy's Donuts.
And inside that very donut, stretched out on the curved surface, was Tony Stark.
Still in his Iron Man suit. Helmet discarded beside him. One arm lazily draped over the edge. A half-empty coffee cup balanced precariously near his hand.
Hungover. Sick. Dying.
But damn, the view was nice.
Below, the deep hum of an SUV's engine faded as the door swung open.
Nick Fury stepped out, trench coat shifting in the warm breeze. Beside him, Natasha Romanoff—still operating under her Natalie Rushman alias—stood with her usual unreadable expression.
Fury sighed, rubbing his temple. "Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to exit the donut."
Tony cracked one eye open, peering down at them. "You say that like I'm the one being unreasonable for sitting in a giant pastry."
Fury's expression didn't shift. "Now, Stark."
Tony groaned theatrically, stretching before rolling onto his stomach and sliding down. His landing was less than graceful—his arc reactor flickered under his wrinkled shirt—but he covered it up with a lopsided grin.
Natasha was already holding the diner door open.
"Fine, fine," Tony muttered as he walked past them. "But if there's no coffee inside, I'm calling my lawyer."
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Inside Randy's Donuts
The smell of fresh coffee and fried dough lingered in the air, but Tony barely noticed as he collapsed into a booth.
Fury sat across from him, Natasha beside him. The diner was mostly empty, a few distant patrons stealing wary glances their way.
Tony exhaled, drumming his fingers against the table. "So, what's this about? Did I forget to RSVP to another Senate hearing?"
Fury ignored him. Instead, he pulled out a small device and placed it on the table.
A holographic display flickered to life.
Medical scans.
Palladium toxicity: 89%.
Tony's smirk faltered—just for a second.
Fury leaned in. "You're dying, Stark. And you're running out of time."
Tony ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "Yeah, I kinda figured that out already, thanks."
"And yet you're still throwing parties, getting drunk in your armor, and making an ass of yourself on live television."
Tony's jaw tightened.
Fury's voice dropped lower. "You're not the only one watching you, Stark. You think SHIELD doesn't have contingency plans if you drop dead? You think Edward Lin isn't keeping tabs on your slow self-destruction?"
Tony blinked.
That last part caught him off guard.
SHIELD monitoring him? Sure. But Lin? The ghost of the corporate world? If he was paying attention, that meant things were worse than he thought.
"Let me guess," Tony said, leaning back. "You're here to offer me a deal. Some miracle cure, and in return, I sign over my soul?"
Fury smirked. "No deals, Stark. Just a reminder."
Tony eyed him warily.
Fury continued, "You're not alone in this. But if you keep screwing around, you will be. And then it won't be your problem anymore—it'll be ours."
Tony didn't have a smartass reply for that.
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Rikers Island, New York – Hammer's Mistake
The high-security prison loomed under flickering industrial lights.
Justin Hammer walked with exaggerated confidence, shoes clicking against the cold floor as he approached a reinforced glass cell.
Inside sat Ivan Vanko.
Hammer stopped, grinning. "Mr. Vanko, I think you and I are about to become very good friends."
Vanko leaned forward, smiling coldly. "I want my bird."
Hammer chuckled, spreading his arms. "Buddy, you can have ten birds."
From an unmarked van outside, Dash and Valeria listened through tapped feeds.
Dash shook his head. "This is gonna be a disaster, isn't it?"
Valeria didn't look away from the screen displaying Vanko's face.
His eyes held the kind of calm that only came from a man who had already decided exactly how he was going to burn everything down.
"Yeah," she murmured. "It is."
And all they could do was prepare for the fallout.
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[Status Panel] – Update
Name: Tony Stark
Age: 40
Status: CEO of Stark Industries, Iron Man
Health: Declining (Palladium Poisoning)
Mood: Masked Frustration
Wealth: Estimated Net Worth - $200+ Billion
Physical Condition: Peak Human (Deteriorating)
Strength Level: Superhuman (Limited by Health)
Technology: Arc Reactor (Mark IV), Iron Man Suit (Mark VI)
Affiliation: Stark Industries, WHA (Consultant), Avengers (Future)
Name: Valeria Monroe
Age: 35
Status: High-Ranking WHA Operative
Skills: Strategic Planning, Espionage, Combat
Wealth: Estimated Net Worth - $50+ Million
Physical Condition: Enhanced Human
Strength Level: Superhuman
Affiliation: WHA, Golden Enterprise (Covert)
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To be continued...