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Ethan studied him for a moment. Justin Hammer—arrogant, flashy, always trying to make a name for himself. He had the resources, the ambition, and a knack for making a mess of things while somehow convincing people it was innovative.
Hammer had made his fortune by undercutting competitors, copying successful designs, and adding "improvements" that rarely worked as intended. In the past, it had gotten him into serious trouble with Stark Industries, but now, with Tony out of the picture and Arasaka holding back its tech, Hammer was the go-to arms supplier for the U.S. military.
Ethan knew the type well—loud, ambitious, and dangerous, not because of skill, but because of sheer recklessness combined with money and influence.
He took a slow sip of his drink, weighing his words carefully. "I suppose you're here to talk business," he said evenly.
"Of course. Just think about it, Hammer—and Arasaka together. We could be a sensation," Justin said in his usual boastful tone.
"And what will I gain from it?" Ethan asked, keeping his face calm.
"Come on, we both know I'm the sole supplier of weapons to the U.S. military. With me, you get a huge amount of money," Justin said arrogantly.
"I'm already earning it," Ethan replied simply. Before Justin could say anything else, Ethan added, "And the U.S. military already came to me after Stark stopped selling weapons."
"You're just taking the crumbs, I didn't even bother picking up, so stop showing off to me," Ethan said, cutting him off. Justin just looked at him, momentarily unsure how to respond.
"I like your style, you got good Humour" Justin finally said, though Ethan found the man's arrogance more annoying than impressive.
Just then, a new voice interrupted. "I wonder what you two geniuses are talking about?"
Tony Stark appeared, striding over with his usual swagger. Ethan looked at him while also subtley activating his FOCUS's scanner and instantly he saw it—the palladium running through Stark's system was slowly poisoning him, as he hadn't yet created a safe arc reactor with new Element.
"I don't know this guy," Ethan said simply before Justin could respond.
"One whiskey," Tony ordered a nearby bartender. The man quickly poured a glass and handed it to him.
Justin opened his mouth to say something, probably another boast about the deal or how they'd make headlines as they are all together now, but Ethan just shook his head slightly, cutting him off.
"It was nice meeting you both," Ethan said calmly, giving no room for argument, then turned and walked toward another part of the hall.
Tony, standing near Justin's left, frowned and muttered, "I'd rather have a hot reporter with me right now," before moving off, leaving Justin standing there.
Justin clenched his hand under the table, tight enough that veins showed, but he kept his face calm. He knew there were cameras everywhere, and any overt reaction would be caught immediately. The tension in the room was subtle but noticeable—Ethan had just asserted control without raising his voice, and Hammer realized he wasn't going to get the upper hand this time.
Justin looked back at Ethan as he walked away and muttered under his breath,"I can't touch you yet. But Tony… let's see what kind of face you make in the courtroom tomorrow, when they force you to hand over the Iron Man schematics to Hammer Industries."
On the other side of the hall, Ethan and Tony crossed paths again.
"That was a good call," Tony said casually. "That guy is good at nothing except making people wish they were deaf."
Ethan gave a small chuckle."I guess you're right."
Tony glanced around, clearly impressed by the surroundings."This floor is nice," he said. "Any chance you'd be willing to share the idea? I'm planning my own tower. I'd love something like a beach or open-sea-style floor. Maybe even a spa level."
Ethan looked at him calmly."Sure," he said. "But how about you give me the arc reactor design?"
Tony sighed immediately."Forget it."
"I can help," Ethan added.
Tony turned to him, as he shrugged, "Help me build my tower? No thanks."
"Your palladium poisoning actually," Ethan said calmly. "I can see it. If things keep going the way they are, it will end your life. Given your condition, I'd say you have less than ten months. And that time is shrinking."
Tony went quiet. After a moment, he nodded."…Maybe you're right," he admitted. "But I doubt you can help me."
"I can at least try," Ethan said simply.
Tony studied him for a few seconds, then exhaled slowly."…Let's talk later."
Ethan nodded."Whenever you're ready."
Tony gave a short nod and stepped away, blending back into the crowd as if the conversation hadn't shaken him at all. But Ethan noticed it—the slight tension in his shoulders, the way his hand hovered near his chest for a second longer than usual.
He knew Tony was thinking about it.
Ethan didn't push further. He had said what he needed to say.
Sharon appeared beside him a moment later.
"Can you help him?" she asked quietly.
"I can," Ethan replied. "Or at least I can see if I can. But I'm confident I will be able to after I look at his arc reactor."
Then he asked, "Does S.H.I.E.L.D. know about his condition?"
"They do," Sharon said. "You saw the other secretary with Pepper. She's a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent."
She uploaded an image to Ethan's FOCUS.
It was Black Widow.
"Black Widow," Ethan said. "That's a pretty kick-ass name."
"She is kick-ass," Sharon added. "One of the best spies we have."
"So, S.H.I.E.L.D. has the arc reactor design," She said. "It was his father's work, after all. And he always said it was an incomplete design with palladium. He was trying to perfect it but never lived enough to complete it."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. can give me the Howard Stark's research?" Ethan asked.
Sharon nodded.
"If it can save Tony, they will."