Tony drew a long breath and called out, "JARVIS, print the contract I drafted earlier."
"Yes, sir."
A moment later the printer spat out a paper contract.
Tony carried it over to Shiratori Riku, a hint of awkwardness on his face. "I know this means little to you. Still, it is the best token of sincerity I can offer right now."
"Oh?"
Riku took the contract, skimmed it, and fixed every line in memory. "Interesting. You managed to carve out eighteen percent from the vultures."
"As you said, Stark Industries equity would tempt anyone, but to me it is ordinary."
"Even so, you were thoughtful enough to bribe me with money."
"For that effort, I will accept."
He flicked a hand and signed his name.
Seeing Riku accept, Tony exhaled. The knot in his chest loosened.
"Right. This is for you too."
Riku pulled a small vial from his pocket and tossed it over.
Tony fumbled it, then stared at the pale blue fluid. "What is this?"
"When I was bored, I refined Dr. Erskine's prototype into an improved super soldier serum."
"It is untested, but my Divine Talent tells me it is a one hundred percent side effect free enhancement."
Tony slid the vial beneath an optical scope and leaned in. Data spilled across his retinal overlay.
"Sir, the molecular structure is forty-seven percent more complex than the S.H.I.E.L.D. archive version... protein chains..." JARVIS reported.
"No need," Riku said. "I have already simulated it. After injection, your strength should exceed the original by roughly a factor of three. Metabolic rate up fivefold. Bone density..."
He paused.
"Enough that a fall from several stories will leave you unscathed."
Tony stared, stunned.
You call that a super soldier serum? That is a posthuman serum. With one jab, even the good Captain would eat a heavy punch before he walked away.
"I cannot take this..."
He began to refuse, but Riku waved him quiet.
"This is useless to me."
"If I feel like it, I can pinch out hundreds or thousands more."
"Leaving it with me would just gather dust. Consider it a welcome gift for my junior."
"Use it or not, up to you. Save it for your girlfriend if you prefer."
"All right, that is that. I am heading out. When you try it, have JARVIS let me know."
"I have not run a clinical, so if you keel over from the load, I should come collect your estate."
Before Tony could answer, Riku blinked out of the room.
He had already sensed a certain one-eyed visitor on the way and had no interest in meeting him now.
"Hey."
"This jerk, always doing whatever he wants."
Tony laughed and swore under his breath.
He glanced at the vial and sighed. "Great. A god's favors never end."
"Sir, unauthorized touchdown detected on the rooftop helipad," JARVIS cut in.
Tony raised a brow. "Who is dumb enough to trespass on my property? Remind them this is private airspace."
A rare thread of caution entered JARVIS's tone. "Sir, transponder reads a S.H.I.E.L.D.-issue Quinjet."
Tony's face cooled at the word S.H.I.E.L.D.
He crossed to the bench, slid the serum into a chilled case, then into a hidden compartment. The molecular projection winked out overhead.
"Bring up defense protocols. Lock down all research related to Riku."
"Let our one-eyed guest in."
The elevator parted. Nick Fury strode into the lab, black coat trailing, single eye sweeping the room. Two armed agents posted at the doors.
"Stark." Fury's voice was low and direct. "We need to talk about your new friend."
Leaning against the console, Tony poured a whiskey and played casual. "Nick, you come calling at this hour to invest in my clean energy project?"
Fury ignored the jab and moved to the central holo dais. He snapped a compact projector onto the table. Footage bloomed: the bank in Queens earlier, the black-armored Riku subduing a mutating brute with ease.
"Explain, Stark. Do not tell me the man in armor you designed is unrelated to you," Fury said, eye locked on Tony.
"That really is unrelated. You can see it."
"That suit is way stronger than mine. If my armor were that strong, I would never shut up about it."
Fury studied his face. Tony met the gaze without a flinch.
"Fine. I will grant that it is not yours."
A cold smile creased Fury's lips as the projection shifted to a column of energy readouts.
"Then tell me about the beam that flew out of Stark Tower earlier."
"These numbers could have leveled your building. I do not recall you having a laser this powerful."