There's a saying: the wicked are dealt with by the wicked.
And when it came to someone like Tony Stark arrogant, sharp-tongued, and utterly infuriating Nolan decided it was his responsibility to become even more ruthless in return.
Watching his own actions now, he couldn't help but feel satisfied.
Of course, he wasn't naturally this way.
Everyone knew Nolan was, at heart, a kind man, a brilliant entrepreneur, a loyal partner, and a refined gentleman by every definition. His character had always reflected restraint and nobility.
So really, this darker turn of his personality could only be blamed on Tony Stark.
After selling his Stark Industries shares, Nolan lingered in Afghanistan for another three days. When he finally returned to New York, Tony was still missing, and Nolan estimated it would be several more days before the playboy made it back.
Back at Locke Technologies, his company, the recent injection of capital brought a visible sigh of relief from his partner, Simon Phillips.
"Boss, if you'd come back any later, I swear you'd be attending my funeral instead of a board meeting."
Nolan chuckled lightly at Simon's complaint, offering no real reply. He could see the toll stress had taken on Simon these past weeks, but chose to ignore it. He didn't have the luxury to coddle anyone.
After all, money meant unlocking new technologies. New technologies meant strength. His strength directly increased Earth's strength.
And if Earth grew stronger, then when Thanos eventually arrived, humanity wouldn't be left helpless.
Having the power to stand against Thanos wasn't just about saving Earth it could mean saving half the universe.
With that thought, Nolan gave Simon a meaningful look and declared,
"Simon, you've saved the entire universe."
Simon blinked in confusion. "Wait… what?"
Nolan ignored him and turned to review his finances. The company's reserves were healthy, and thanks to his maneuvering, much of it was now his personal wealth. Still, he had to be careful not to drain everything at once.
He hadn't yet received the seven hundred million payout from the military for the T-800 and SAR-1 combat units. What remained he had reinvested into the company and funneled into improving the T-800 design.
And then there was the enormous profit from shorting Stark Industries' stock during the crisis. Almost three billion dollars an astronomical sum.
But massive wealth came with equally massive demands.
At the top of his list: the Red Queen project.
The Red Queen was a hyper-advanced artificial intelligence originating from the Resident Evil world, valued at seventeen billion in technology points. Unlike physical assets like the T-800, the Red Queen carried no recurring costs.
The T-800, for comparison, cost fifteen billion points yet in truth, the combat value of each machine fell short of that figure.
Yes, the T-800s possessed strength and endurance far beyond human soldiers, but they couldn't fly and were vulnerable to concentrated heavy fire. One well-placed RPG could end them. Their supposed "cutting-edge" status was really carried by two things: their adaptive AI cores and their hyper-durable batteries.
The AI, however, was limited to single-unit functionality not true intelligence. Frankly, the battery was worth more than the programming. That was why Nolan abandoned the high-end battery pack; putting something so costly in a T-800 was like installing a jet engine in a bicycle. To justify the price, he'd have to sell each unit for thirty million dollars a figure the military would laugh at.
The Red Queen, by contrast, wasn't about single-unit strength. It was a central intelligence capable of commanding entire armies.
"Purchase Red Queen technology," Nolan ordered the system.
Billions of technology points drained from his account, and his heart ached at the loss. But then the flood of knowledge surged into his mind.
Owning a piece of tech was one thing. Mastering the knowledge to build it was everything.
And so Nolan buried himself in code, working night and day to birth the Red Queen.
Between lines of programming, he kept an eye on global news, especially reports of Tony Stark. The moment Stark shut down the weapons division at Stark Industries, Nolan planned to swoop in and profit again.
He even made time to meet with Dr. Helen Zhao, a leading biotechnologist specializing in nanotech and regeneration. Her "Cradle of Life" project had already turned heads across the world. To Nolan's surprise, she was as brilliant as she was beautiful. After a long discussion, Helen agreed to join his company on the condition that she could run her own independent lab. Nolan granted her that without hesitation.
While he coded in secret, the world outside roared with change.
The military released carefully edited footage of Locke Technologies' T-800 and SAR-1 units in combat drills. The clips went viral overnight, hailing the dawn of a new era in warfare. Commentators speculated that perhaps one day, wars would no longer need human soldiers at all.
Then, at last, Tony Stark returned to New York.
His first act wasn't rest it was business.
"Pepper," he said sharply, "call the press. I'm holding a press conference."
Pepper Potts obeyed, and by that evening, the world was rocked by the announcement:
Tony Stark was shutting down the weapons division of Stark Industries.
The shockwave was immediate.
Obadiah Stane nearly exploded when he heard. The weapons division accounted for over ninety percent of their profits. Without it, Stark Industries was crippled.
In truth, Obadiah had hoped the Ten Rings would kill Tony overseas. Not only had they failed, but Tony was back, alive, and now threatening everything Stane had built.
The old man's rage burned hotter than ever, but he swallowed it down. This wasn't the right moment to strike.
Meanwhile, Nolan simply smiled at the chaos and reinvested even more aggressively.
The true story of Iron Man 1 was about to unfold and he intended to ride every wave of profit it created.
But for now, his mind was elsewhere.
The Red Queen was nearly complete.
A week later, Nolan stood inside his private lab.
"Red Queen," he said softly, "turn on the lights."
"Of course, Master," replied a sweet, childlike voice.
The room glowed as the system powered up.
The Red Queen was newborn, still absorbing data from the world, but her presence was already undeniable. It was time to test her. Could she truly elevate his machines to the next level?
Nolan moved to the test chamber, where Dr. Ethan ever curious was already waiting.
"So these are our company's products?" Ethan asked, studying the rows of robotic soldiers. "Boss, how exactly do you plan to test them?"
"Every test needs an opponent," Nolan said with a faint smile.
At that moment, Frank Castle the Punisher strode in, his scarred face calm as ever.
"Boss, the men are assembled," he reported.
Behind him, dozens of hardened veterans stood ready. Each one radiated the confidence of soldiers who had survived real war. Many were Frank's old comrades, now working for Locke Technologies thanks to Nolan's generous pay.
"Suit up in the ExoSuit combat frames," Nolan commanded. "Show me what you can really do."
The ExoSuits, imported from the Edge of Tomorrow world, enhanced strength and speed dramatically. Their only flaw was a lack of helmets, which Nolan had fixed by designing custom multi-functional headgear three thousand dollars each, but worth every cent.
The soldiers grinned as they strapped in. They had tested the suits before and knew their effectiveness. Against a bunch of robots, they felt unbeatable.
Only Frank remained serious, his expression steady as stone.
"Suit up," he ordered the men. "Time to show the boss what we're capable of."
He cast one last look at the steel giants across the field, eyes filled with disdain.
They're just piles of metal. We'll tear through them in minutes.
Nolan smiled faintly.
Let's see, he thought. Let's see how you fare against machines guided by the Red Queen herself.
The experiment and the war of the future was about to begin.
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