Chapter 35: Everything is Ready
Jarvis, with his refined and gentlemanly appearance, was the complete opposite of Howard. The guests below were growing restless as their host still hadn't appeared.
He pushed open the half-closed door, about to step inside, when he heard a suppressed moan coming from behind it.
"Oh~ Howard, don't stop!"
The voice was seductive and alluring—even through the door, Jarvis felt a chill run down his spine, goosebumps rising on his skin.
Just from that sound, a vivid and inappropriate image flashed through his mind. At the crucial moment, Jarvis abruptly stopped and quietly closed the door.
Well, standing up guests wasn't exactly new behavior for Howard. Jarvis rubbed his temples—of course, he'd be the one taking the blame for this.
"Damn Howard!" Jarvis muttered as he walked downstairs, racking his brain for a way to appease the guests.
"Phew..."
Carter breathed a sigh of relief as she listened to the receding footsteps outside. As a special agent, she'd naturally undergone similar training, but this was her first time actually putting it into practice.
Besides the unconscious man before her, there was only one potential audience member, yet Carter still couldn't help but blush.
She quietly opened the door and peeked out. Jarvis had already begun his impromptu speech in the banquet hall downstairs, where all the guests were gathered.
Carter struggled to lift Howard, placed a top hat over his head, and, feigning intoxication, helped him downstairs.
Aside from a few waiters offering assistance, there were no obstacles along the way. She exited through the mansion's back door, where Steve was waiting anxiously nearby.
"Thank God—you're finally out!"
Steve breathed a sigh of relief, and together with Carter, they loaded Howard into the car and tied him up.
"We ran into Hodge at the entrance. Mason led him away. He told me to meet him at the rendezvous point. Should we go pick up Mason now or...?"
"Let's get out of here first and find a place to secure Howard." Carter glanced around, and seeing no one paying attention, started the car and drove off.
"Um... are you alright?" After a brief silence, Steve asked hesitantly, immediately regretting his words and cursing himself for being so awkward.
Thinking of her impromptu performance earlier, Carter blushed. "Everything's fine!" Steve didn't ask any more questions, and the car fell silent.
Having scouted the area beforehand, Mason was extremely familiar with the roads around Howard's mansion. He wasn't flustered when he saw Hodge pursuing him and quickly lost him following the pre-arranged route.
After switching cars and circling the city for a while, he leisurely arrived at the agreed-upon location. As soon as he arrived, he saw a slightly anxious Steve.
"How'd it go?" Mason asked with concern.
"Everything went smoothly! Carter successfully got Howard out!"
"Excellent!"
Mason's relief was palpable. Now everything was in place except for the final step. Once they located the prototype, they could enhance Steve, deliver the shield, and he could complete his mission.
"How's Carter? Is she alright?"
"She's fine." Steve hesitated. He felt something was off about Carter earlier, but couldn't quite pinpoint it.
When the two returned to their safe house, they found Howard and Carter chatting and laughing together.
"Mason, you're back?"
"Howard has agreed to help us. His prototype is stored in Stark Industries' lab. We can start the experiment anytime," Carter said excitedly to Mason.
Mason stared at Howard with suspicion. To be honest, the men of the Stark family were all highly controversial figures. They displayed extreme selfishness in some areas, yet also a strong sense of justice in others—walking contradictions.
However, Howard in this era was more businessman than hero, so Mason cut to the chase: "What do you want?"
Nobody does something for nothing. Although there was a beautiful woman present, Howard wasn't someone who only thought with his... lower instincts. If he was willing to take this risk, he must want something in return.
"Hey, buddy, don't look at me like that. Helping you isn't illegal. I'm just a poor businessman being coerced, and I'm simply asking for a little compensation." Howard shrugged.
"It's a win-win situation."
Mason thought about it and realized it made sense.
The source of the super-soldier serum he possessed was unknown, but it hadn't been exposed, and it probably wasn't even recorded in the Strategic Scientific Reserve's files. And the news of the professor's death and his own false accusation hadn't been released yet—at least for now, Mason's identity was still legitimate.
Plus, with Carter vouching for him, Howard was hoping to stay on the right side of the law.
"Whoever becomes the super-soldier, I want firsthand research data." That was his request, Howard stated frankly.
Although he'd participated in the Strategic Scientific Reserve's experimental project, he'd only worked on modifying the enhancement chamber. The specific serum project was entirely handled by the professor, and even if he'd wanted to participate, he'd had no opportunity.
Later, when he'd approached Hodge, it was perhaps because he had this same intention.
Mason always felt Howard had ulterior motives, but he couldn't figure out what. However, time was critical, so after a slight hesitation, he agreed.
"No problem, deal!" Anyway, after delivering the shield, Mason would be gone, and then Steve could deal with him however he wanted.
Meanwhile, Steve, standing to the side, had no idea he'd just been volunteered by Mason, beginning his long career as a test subject.
"Alright! When do we start?" Howard's eyes lit up at the mention of the experiment—he was more excited than if he'd seen the most beautiful woman in the world.
He was a true genius, not only possessing a brilliant mind and innovative ideas, but more importantly, extraordinary enthusiasm and focus.
On the other side, Hodge, who'd searched in vain and whose face had turned ashen with rage, returned to Howard's mansion.
"Where's Howard? I need to see him!" Hodge demanded arrogantly as soon as he saw Jarvis.
"Mr. Stark left the mansion on business. What do you need him for?" Jarvis asked politely.
"Slap!"
Hodge shoved Jarvis aside and strode toward the stairs. "Tell him to come see me, or I'll tear this whole place down!"
"Stop right there, or don't blame me for what happens next!" The mansion's head of security, a nearly six-and-a-half-foot-tall African American man, was even more imposing than Hodge. He helped Jarvis up, stepped forward, and blocked Hodge's path.
"You think you can stop me?"
Hodge's face twisted into a cruel grin. The frustration of the night ignited his rage, and he threw a punch!
Everyone only saw a blur, and the massive security chief, built like a brick wall, was sent flying seven or eight meters, crashing into a row of tables and chairs and passing out cold.
Hodge took a deep breath, his expression darkening. He felt his strength seemed to have decreased again.
"Freeze!" Several security personnel approached from different directions, drawing their weapons, and Hodge looked eager for a fight.
At the critical moment, Jarvis sternly stopped them.
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