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While the entire world was in an uproar, Jimmy simply smiled at the television.
"Iron Man," he said quietly, "has been born."
---
After Tony left the stage, Obadiah Stane rushed forward and took control of the microphones.
He spoke at length about excitement, trauma, and unstable emotions.
Tony had just escaped captivity, his judgment was compromised, his words should not be taken too seriously.
In short, ignore everything he just said.
Jimmy almost laughed.
Ignore it.
As if something like that could be brushed aside.
Even if Tony had been joking, it was still world shaking news.
Obadiah knew it was already too late.
Damage control was pointless now.
He hurried out immediately, determined to find Tony before things spiraled further.
---
"Where is he," Obadiah demanded, his face dark, chasing all the way back to Stark Industries.
"Inside."
Obadiah swiped his card at the door.
Beep.
The door opened.
Cigar in his mouth, Obadiah stepped in and looked at Tony Stark with barely concealed frustration.
"Well," he said dryly, "that was something."
Tony did not look up.
"Did I just paint a target on my forehead."
"Your forehead," Obadiah snapped, "what about mine."
"Do you have any idea what that sentence did to our stock."
"Tony, we are weapons manufacturers."
"No," Tony replied firmly, "I do not want to see people die anymore."
---
Obadiah exhaled sharply.
"Fine," he said, voice tight, "you do not want weapons anymore, then what do we make, baby bottles."
"Arc reactors," Tony said, pointing toward the massive humming device in the showroom.
"Oh please," Obadiah scoffed, "that thing is a publicity prop."
"It works," Tony said.
"Yes," Obadiah replied, "in theory, in science, but there is no profit in it."
"Maybe in ten years, maybe in a hundred."
"If Stark Industries stops producing weapons today, best case scenario, we do not last six months."
"Not in the future," Tony said calmly.
"Now."
He unbuttoned his shirt.
In his chest was a compact arc reactor, smaller and brighter than the one in the showroom.
Obadiah's eyes widened.
Greed flooded them instantly.
"I knew it," he laughed, stepping closer, "I knew it."
"With the two of us working together, nothing is impossible, just like me and your father."
"Let us study this properly."
---
Later that evening, Tony hosted a quiet dinner at his home for Yinsen and Jimmy.
It was not a grand affair.
Tony's circle was small.
James Rhodes, Pepper Potts, Obadiah Stane, and Happy Hogan.
That was it.
A surprisingly small world.
---
Yinsen, with his experience and expertise, had no trouble finding work, whether at a hospital or in a research facility.
Jimmy, however, was a problem.
As a minor, he had to be listed under Yinsen's guardianship.
And when it came time to determine Jimmy's age, things became very strange.
Tony proudly rolled out a high end age estimation machine, one that analyzed skeletal growth.
It completely failed.
The scans showed Jimmy's bones coated in a metal like layer.
Age could not be determined.
So they tried dental analysis.
The result stunned everyone.
One year.
According to his teeth, Jimmy was one year old.
Tony stared at the screen.
"That," he said slowly, "is impossible."
After arguing for a long time without reaching any conclusion, they could only estimate Jimmy's age at around fifteen.
---
The days that followed were relatively calm.
Jimmy had to study.
Several private tutors were hired to help him catch up academically.
Yinsen needed time to recover physically, then find suitable work, being friends with Tony was one thing, but money still had to be handled clearly.
Once Yinsen recovered and secured a job, he would likely move out first.
As for Jimmy, he would probably follow after Yinsen settled down.
Judging by how Tony kept showing up to watch Jimmy suffer through forced studying with visible amusement, he clearly was not eager to let Jimmy leave anytime soon.
As for Tony himself, if Jimmy's guess was correct, he was already building the suit.
---
The busiest person during this period was Pepper Potts.
Following Tony's instructions, she was quietly buying back Stark Industries stock while prices were at rock bottom.
Meanwhile, Obadiah Stane was busy planning a move into clean energy, laying out his strategy.
What he did not know yet was that Tony had no intention of releasing the portable arc reactor in his chest.
Once Obadiah realized that, his reaction was guaranteed to be unpleasant.
---
Jimmy, on the other hand, got along surprisingly well with Happy Hogan.
Happy even took Jimmy to see the weapons cache he had assembled to protect Tony.
"That is it," Jimmy said flatly.
"What do you mean, that is it," Happy protested, "every gun here is better than anything currently on the market, all modified by Tony himself, power, reliability, handling, they are top tier."
"You still do not get it," Jimmy replied.
"Let me ask you something, can this pistol punch through body armor?"
"No, but who would…"
"Do not make excuses," Jimmy cut him off, "that is incompetence."
"If you are preparing, you prepare for every scenario."
"Even if the enemy shows up in a tank, one shot, two holes."
Happy stared at him. "What kind of weapon can punch two holes through a tank in one shot, even if it exists, no one could carry it."
Jimmy nodded slowly. "Happy, remember this, caliber is justice, rate of fire is truth."
"If you cannot use it, find someone who can."
"I believe you should have a weapon like that."
"And you should apply for one."
"Otherwise, that is negligence."
"You are a bodyguard," Jimmy continued, "your responsibility is to protect Tony with the best tools available."
"Weapon development should be left to professionals."
"Only idiots try to handle everything themselves."
"You just need to state the requirement."
"Tony left sales to Obadiah, and logistics to Pepper, did he not?"
Jimmy patted Happy on the shoulder, serious and sincere.
Happy stood there for a long moment, then his expression hardened with resolve.
He wrote down his request on a form and handed it to Pepper with great seriousness.
---
Pepper looked at the application, then at Happy.
"Happy," she said carefully, "I do not usually interfere with your work, but does this kind of weapon even exist?"
Happy shook his head. "No, but professional matters should be handled by professionals."
"I only define the need."
"The weapons team can handle the rest."
Pepper felt her temples throb.
Tony had always been a hands-off boss, but this time he had completely let go of control.
This was a critical moment for Stark Industries; everything rested on her shoulders.
She still had to keep up with Tony's wild ideas.
And now Happy was submitting a request for a weapon that sounded absurd.
If she did not know Happy's personality, she would have thought he was deliberately causing trouble.
Professional matters should be left to professionals.
Very well.
Ding.
Pepper sent the email.
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