[Washington D.C. Senate Armed Services Committee]
The room was packed. Cameras flashed. Senator Stern sat high on his podium, looking down at Tony Stark with a smug, predatory grin.
"Mr. Stark," Stern said into his microphone. "We are not asking for your toys. We are asking for the weapon. The Iron Man suit is a weapon of mass destruction, and it is currently in the hands of a private citizen who has a history of... erratic behavior."
Tony leaned into his mic, looking bored. "I'm not erratic. I'm just multifaceted."
"You flew a combat mission unauthorized," Stern shot back. "You endangered civilians."
"I saved civilians," Tony corrected. "And I privatized world peace. You're welcome."
The crowd laughed. Stern slammed his gavel.
"Order! I am not here to debate your ego. I am here to call upon an expert." Stern gestured to the side. "Mr. Justin Hammer."
Justin Hammer walked in, looking slick and desperate to impress. He set up a presentation showing "incidents" where the Iron Man suit was allegedly dangerous.
"As you can see," Hammer said, pointing to a grainy photo. "The threat is real. Mr. Stark is unsupervised. He has no chain of command. He answers to no one."
Stern leaned forward. "And let's talk about your staff, Mr. Stark. Your 'Chief of Staff,' Mr. Michaelis. A man with no background, no clearance, and who is currently standing in this federal building without a visitor's pass."
The camera swiveled to the back of the room.
Sebastian Michaelis stood near the exit. He was holding a briefcase. He didn't look like he was trespassing; he looked like he owned the building.
"Mr. Michaelis is my butler," Tony said, his voice tightening. "Leave him out of this."
"Is he?" Stern smiled nastily. "Or is he a foreign agent? We have reports that he was present in Afghanistan. We have reports that he operates with lethal force. I am ordering Mr. Michaelis to be detained for questioning immediately."
Two MPs (Military Police) stepped toward Sebastian.
Tony stood up. "Hey! You touch him, and I walk."
"Sit down, Stark!" Stern yelled. "Officers, arrest that man!"
The MPs reached for Sebastian.
"I would advise against that," a smooth voice echoed through the hall.
Sebastian didn't shout, yet everyone heard him. He stepped forward. The MPs froze, an instinctual fear seizing their limbs.
Sebastian walked down the aisle. Clack. Clack. Clack.
"Senator Stern," Sebastian said pleasantly, stopping in front of the podium. "You seem very concerned with 'foreign agents' and 'unsupervised threats.'"
"You are in contempt!" Stern sputtered. "Get him out of here!"
"I find it fascinating," Sebastian continued, opening his briefcase. He pulled out a single, crisp piece of paper. "That you are so worried about national security. Especially considering your dinner last Tuesday at the Le Bernardin with a representative from Hydra."
The room went dead silent.
Stern's face drained of color. "What... what did you say?"
"Hydra," Sebastian repeated the word, tasting it. "A defunct Nazi organization. Or so history says. Yet, you seem to have a very active correspondence with them regarding the funding of... what was it? Project Insight?"
"Lies!" Stern screamed, standing up. "This is slander! Arrest him!"
"I also have the receipts," Sebastian smiled. It was a cruel, beautiful smile. "And the audio recording of you accepting a bribe to delay the funding for the US Navy's new sonar system. Shall I play it? It is in high definition."
Sebastian held up a small Stark phone.
Stern looked at the phone. He looked at the cameras broadcasting live to CNN, Fox, and MSNBC.
He sat down slowly. He looked like he was about to vomit.
"I think..." Stern croaked. "I think we have strayed from the topic."
"Indeed," Sebastian put the phone away. "My employer is a patriot, Senator. He is protecting this country. I suggest you let him do his job. Unless you want the rest of your file read into the public record?"
Stern swallowed hard. "Hearing... adjourned. Mr. Stark... you may keep your property."
Stern slammed the gavel and practically ran out of the room.
Tony looked at Sebastian. He grinned.
"You didn't tell me you had dirt on Stern."
"I have dirt on everyone, Young Master," Sebastian closed his briefcase. "Humans are terribly careless with their secrets. Now, shall we go? I believe there is a celebratory party in Monaco, and you need a new suit."
[Moscow, Russia. A Cold Apartment.]
Ivan Vanko watched the TV screen. He saw Tony Stark smiling. He saw the butler, the dark shadow behind the throne.
Ivan looked at the blueprints on his wall. They were old. Howard Stark's designs.
"Stark," Ivan whispered, taking a swig of vodka.
He picked up a whip. It was crude, wrapped in electrical tape, but the reactor powering it was bright and angry.
Snap.
He lashed out. The whip cut through a metal table like it was butter.
"You have a demon," Ivan laughed darkly. "Good. I will kill him too."
[End of Chapter 12]
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