The next morning, Arthur woke up early, his mind already racing through the day's tasks. First on the agenda was dealing with Maya Hansen. Her loyalty was questionable, but the potential of Extremis was too significant to ignore.
Arthur wasn't ready to let that opportunity slip away. He needed to figure out how to neutralize Extremis's side effects or develop a cure. Otherwise, having a bald, unstable superhuman in his Disassembler storage would be more of a liability than an asset. What good was a human lightbulb during a blackout, anyway?
Then there was the matter of the Mandarin. Last night's "heart-to-heart" had been entertaining, at least for Arthur. The Mandarin's face had cycled through a spectrum of emotions, though Arthur wasn't sure if it was due to their conversation or the lingering effects of his injuries.
Either way, Arthur decided the man deserved a decent meal today. Maybe even a special drink— Arthur's homemade concoction that had helped Bucky with his headaches.
After jotting down his priorities, Arthur called Harry to coordinate. Then he headed to Stark Industries, only to find Tony absent. Undeterred, Arthur sketched a quick teleportation circle in Tony's office and popped into the billionaire's Malibu mansion.
Thanks to Arthur's intervention, the house still stood intact, unlike its fate in another timeline. Arthur couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy as he took in the luxurious surroundings.
Tony, descending the stairs, barely batted an eye at Arthur's sudden appearance. "Next time, could you not materialize in my bedroom? If you do, you'll have to gouge your own eyes out as penance."
Arthur glanced at the bottle in Tony's hand. "Drinking this early?"
"Alcohol's a stimulant," Tony replied with a smirk. "But no, I'm not drinking it. Just putting it away."
As Tony moved toward the liquor cabinet, Arthur snatched the bottle. "What are you doing?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow. "Morning drinking now?"
"Alcohol's a stimulant," Arthur shot back, mimicking Tony's earlier tone. He uncorked the bottle and took a swig. "You're coming with me later."
"I already pulled the Extremis data yesterday," Tony said, tapping his wristband. A holographic screen materialized, and he flicked a virtual file toward Arthur. Despite being digital, the file seemed to physically land in Arthur's hands. A red beam from Arthur's wristband scanned and absorbed the data.
Arthur skimmed the information and closed the hologram. "Completely wiped?"
"Yep," Tony confirmed. "Modifying it will be a challenge."
"Regenerating limbs is groundbreaking tech," Arthur mused. "If we could harness it…"
"We'd make a fortune," Tony finished. "But what's the point? I've got more money than I know what to do with."
"Your dad would cry if he heard you say that," Arthur said with a sigh. "Still, we have to try. Dr. Connors's situation has been weighing on me."
Tony nodded. He knew Arthur had spent years trying to help Bruce Banner control the Hulk and Dr. Connors regrow his arm. While Bruce and the Hulk had reached an understanding, Dr. Connors's condition remained unresolved.
Arthur's perfect serum project had stalled, but Extremis offered a new avenue. Even if they couldn't eliminate all side effects, achieving safe limb regeneration would be a monumental breakthrough.
"I'll give it my full effort," Tony promised.
Arthur nodded, then stared at Tony intently. At first, Tony brushed it off, but under Arthur's unwavering gaze, he grew uneasy. "What are you looking at?"
Arthur remained silent, his eyes locked on Tony.
Finally, Tony seemed to "realize" something and took a step back. "No wonder you've never had a girlfriend. You live with that woman and don't make a move, Natasha's been throwing herself at you, and you don't even blink. So this is why… No, this is wrong!"
"What are you babbling about?" Arthur's face darkened.
"Look, I have a girlfriend," Tony said, pointing at himself and then upward. "And even if I didn't, this… us… it's not happening. If you're into that, I can introduce you to someone, but—"
Arthur summoned a massive two-handed sword. "Draw your weapon. I'm going to kill you."
"You're going to silence me because I know your secret?" Tony feigned outrage.
Arthur groaned. "What is wrong with your brain?"
"I'm just thinking about my personal safety," Tony said, eyeing Arthur warily.
Arthur sighed and shook his head. "There's something I need to discuss with you."
"No, absolutely not!" Tony shook his head vigorously. "I have a girlfriend, and even if I didn't, it wouldn't be with a man— especially not an old man! You're like a father figure to me!"
"Huh?" Arthur blinked, his expression softening with a hint of sadness. "What I wanted to talk about… is your father."
"My dad?" Tony's face went through a series of dramatic expressions as if he were starring in a soap opera. "No wonder you know his weight, no wonder he's always talking about you, no wonder he gave you ten percent of Stark Industries… So that's it!"
"Are you asking for a beating?" Arthur summoned another weapon.
"Stop!" Tony held up his hands. "What do you want to say? Can we not resort to violence?"
"Never mind… maybe it's not the right time," Arthur said with a deep sigh, clapping Tony on the shoulder. "I've already spoken to Harry. Your ex will be relocated to an off-site research facility. You can visit whenever. I'll take this data for now. Let me know if you make any breakthroughs."
"Okay," Tony said, still looking baffled. "That's it? You're leaving?"
"If I stay any longer, you'll give me a heart attack," Arthur said, stepping onto the teleportation circle.
(End of Chapter)
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