Chapter 100: This World Needs Heroes

A gentle breeze stirred the sheer curtains as morning sunlight streamed into the room, casting scattered rays across the white bedsheets...

Susan, who had been peacefully asleep, caught a whiff of fragrant flowers and slowly opened her bleary eyes. The first thing she saw was the white ceiling, surrounded by various medical instruments monitoring her vitals.

Bouquets of fresh flowers adorned the bedside, filling the room with a rich, floral scent. Turning her head slightly, Susan was surprised to see an unexpected man sitting quietly beside her, watching her with deep, fathomless eyes.

Meeting that calm, penetrating gaze, the golden-haired, fair-skinned 'Sleeping Beauty' instinctively looked away, her tranquil heart rippling with faint, unspoken emotions.

"This is Victor's medical facility. We're back on Earth," Sean said with a smile. Sensing her unspoken question, he said, "Everyone's fine. Victor is busy handling company matters, these flowers are from him. Reed and the others should be awake by now."

"The doctors say your pulse is stable and strong, and there's no trace of radiation in your bloodwork. You just need some rest."

His calm, reassuring voice seemed to dissolve Susan's worries. Softly, she asked, "What about you? I remember the energy storm affected you too."

"I'm perfectly fine. I was farther away and didn't black out like the rest of you, so I sent the distress signal to NASA. It took six hours for rescue to arrive, but we managed to dock with the station and return safely." Sean recounted their harrowing ordeal...

Space was unforgiving. The equipment failed, the station was battered by the storm, and the electronics were fried...

If not for that distress signal, they might still be floating in the void, hoping someone would notice their absence.

The thought of being stranded in the endless dark sent a shiver down Susan's spine. She silently vowed never to venture into space again... the experience was just too terrifying.

Sean's gaze lingered on Susan. In his mind's eye, she radiated faint energy, like an optical camouflage waiting to be activated.

If unleashed, she could blend seamlessly into her surroundings, or even vibrate air molecules to form invisible force fields.

Susan coughed lightly, unnerved by his unabashed scrutiny. It felt as if he could see right through her, which stirred an odd sense of vulnerability.

"Sorry, I got lost in thought," the young man apologized.

His mind drifted to the biggest victim of their failed experiment, Victor Von Doom...

Nearly a billion dollars had gone up in smoke, not to mention the hefty compensation owed to NASA... The media had a field day, and Doom Industries' stock plummeted.

The once-celebrated mogul had fallen from grace overnight.

Meanwhile, Reed (the man responsible for all this) emerged as a hero, winning back the girl and vanquishing his rival. If Sean didn't know better, he would think it was all part of some elaborate scheme.

Offering a silent moment of sympathy for Doom, Sean turned his attention to the TV...

On screen, Colonel Rhodes (Tony Stark's close friend) was addressing the press:

<...Regarding last night's explosion at Stark Industries, the official statement has been provided to all media outlets. Eyewitness claims of giant robots battling were merely the result of a malfunction during testing. The Arc Reactor facility sustained minor damage...>

Watching Rhodes' polished explanation, Sean smirked. Susan, still in bed, studied his expression and asked softly, "What is it?"

"It's nothing," he shook his head, "I was just marveling at the dawn of a new era."

.....

~Stark Industries~

As Rhodes delivered the official statement, Tony Stark lounged nearby, flipping through the morning papers with amusement while Pepper meticulously applied light makeup to conceal his minor injuries...

"'Iron Man'... It has a nice ring to it. I like it," Tony quipped, still riding the adrenaline from last night's battle, "Though technically, the suit is a gold-titanium alloy. Still, that doesn't quite have the same punch."

"Mr. Stark, here's the statement for the press," said a black-suited agent named Coulson from a shadowy government agency.

Tony, who usually bristled at government types, was uncharacteristically cooperative...

If not for their help stalling Obadiah, Pepper might not have survived the fight.

"You were on your yacht last night. We've prepared customs documents placing you in Hawaii, all complete with fifty witness testimonies. You just need to read it word for word." Still wary of the billionaire's unpredictability, Colson kept explaining, "As for Obadiah Stane, we've arranged for him to be 'on vacation' as well... unfortunately, his plane met with an accident."

"Hmm. Thorough," Tony remarked dryly.

He hated being told what to do. So what if the world knew he was Iron Man? These covert agencies loved burying the truth... As if pretending nothing happened made it so.

"This isn't my first rodeo, Mr. Stark," Coulson said with a practiced smile, "Stick to the script, and this will blow over quickly."

"Right... So, what was your agency called again? National Something or other Logistics?" Tony feigned forgetfulness. These agents didn't seem like typical FBI or CIA.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.," Coulson corrected, turning to leave, "We went with something catchier."

He had originally been en route to the Arctic to recover a crashed plane, but Stark's antics had delayed him.

Director Fury had taken a keen interest in the playboy billionaire, enough to designate him a high-priority asset...

...

"...Now, Mr. Stark will deliver a prepared statement. No questions will be taken. Thank you!"

As Rhodes wrapped up the dull official spiel, the press erupted when Tony himself took the podium. Cameras flashed like mad. They were hungry for another headline-grabbing stunt.

Last time Tony had announced shutting down Stark's weapons division, newspapers had sold out by noon.

"Uh... Long time no see. Guess I'll stick to the cards this time," Tony deadpanned, earning chuckles, "There's been speculation that I was involved in last night's incidents on the freeway and at the plant. The press has even dubbed me a 'superhero', 'Iron Man'..."

He glanced at the script, "Truth is... I'm not hero material. I've got plenty of flaws, I've caused plenty of problems..."

Then, with a deep breath, he tossed the cards aside and faced the cameras head-on.

"The truth is... I am Iron Man."

Compared to being just a weapons dealer, playboy, or genius inventor, Tony found this new identity far more appealing.

The reporters' eager faces, the relentless flashes, the spotlight... he reveled in it...

"This world needs heroes," he thought as the crowd surged forward.

"...And Iron Man will protect it..."