Chapter 23: Tony’s Lightbulb

Harvey followed Tony into his underground lab.

The place was incredibly advanced, with holograms projected in 3D where there would normally only be screens.

In his previous life, Harvey had seen this kind of thing in movies, but standing here in person was something else entirely.

"Harvey Amberlock," Tony said as they walked, glancing back. "You give off this vibe, like you know more than you let on."

"Ever heard of aliens?"

Tony noticed that Harvey didn't seem the least bit surprised—only curious. So, as he approached a workbench, he asked, "How much do you know about aliens?"

"I know what I need to know. If you want to talk about something specific, just ask," Harvey replied, his eyes flickering with interest.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "How much do you know about aliens?"

"I know quite a bit," Harvey said casually, sitting back in a comfortable chair. "Tell you what—because that meal was excellent, I'll answer three of your questions. Ask wisely."

Tony smirked. Harvey Amberlock was more mysterious than he'd imagined.

"Fine. First question: Is Earth really in as much danger as Coulson seems to think?" Tony asked, his voice turning serious.

"Right now? Not at all. But give it a few years, and things will start getting dicey."

Tony's eyes narrowed. "A few years? How long, exactly?"

"Does it really matter when, as long as you know it's coming?" Harvey shot back with a grin.

Tony paused, realizing he was getting ahead of himself. He had to think. He didn't know much about Harvey Amberlock, but something about him seemed… truthful.

This was a rare opportunity, three questions, and one was already gone. Harvey said Earth was safe for now but implied real trouble was coming.

"Alright," Tony said after a moment, "second question. Are there any aliens out there that could be our allies? And if so, how do we reach them?"

"There's an old saying where I come from: 'Those who are not of our kind always have different hearts.' Humans have been fighting each other over differences for millennia, haven't they?" Harvey leaned back, giving Tony a knowing look. "When do you think humanity really comes together as allies?"

"When there's a common enemy," Tony said, connecting the dots.

"Exactly. So, until a threat big enough to unite everyone shows up, alliances don't matter all that much." Harvey waved a hand dismissively. "That wasn't really a question worth using up your second chance. So I'll give you something extra—around nine years from now, you'll face a threat so big, the whole universe will have to unite."

"Nine years? That puts it at 2017…" Tony muttered. "Harvey Amberlock, who the hell are you? How do you know all this? And if this threat is so huge, why aren't you scared?"

"I told you, that's not part of the deal," Harvey chuckled. "As for why I'm not scared—being afraid won't solve anything. What's coming will come, whether I'm scared or not."

In truth, Harvey was a little worried about Thanos. For now, at least. But if his evolution continued as planned, he'd be ready when the time came. And if not? Well, there were other universes he could escape to if necessary. There was always a way out.

Tony didn't need to know that, though. The billionaire's curiosity was piqued, and that was precisely what Harvey wanted.

"I've answered two of your questions. You've got one more. Use it wisely, because after this, I'll only answer if I feel like it."

Tony had already learned a lot. He knew something big was coming in nine years, and he had enough time to prepare. But there was one more thing on his mind.

"Coulson thinks you're a superpowered individual, and he wanted you to join the Avengers. Why didn't you?"

Harvey blinked in mild surprise. "That's your last question?"

"Answer it," Tony said, his tone firm.

Harvey thought for a moment before replying. "Fury's idea to form the Avengers is well-intentioned. But good intentions don't always lead to good outcomes. Eventually, the Avengers will become a tool for the government, doing whatever they're ordered to do. I'm not interested in taking orders."

"I do what I want, on my own terms. That's why I didn't join."

Tony leaned back, considering Harvey's answer. "Governments can be handled. You don't always have to follow their lead."

"Tony," Harvey said, locking eyes with the billionaire. "Don't try to recruit me. You and I can sit here and talk because there's no baggage between us—no grudges, no complicated history. Push too hard, and you'll regret it."

Harvey's gaze hardened, and Tony felt a chill run down his spine. The man sitting across from him wasn't someone you could sway easily.

"Alright, alright, I'm backing off," Tony said quickly, raising his hands in mock surrender. He realized he'd overstepped. Harvey wasn't the kind of person you could just pull into your circle.

"You can tell people about what we talked about—aliens, the future, all of it," Harvey said with a shrug. "Just don't mention me. I like my quiet life, and I don't want it interrupted."

"I wasn't planning on telling anyone. Honestly, I'm still wrapping my head around it. Nine years… a universe-shaking threat…" Tony sighed, slumping into a chair. "You're right—sometimes knowing too much is a curse."

"You're worrying over nothing. There's plenty of time," Harvey said, his tone light. "And with your brain, I'm sure you'll pull off a few miracles by then."

"If I live that long," Tony muttered.

Harvey's eyes gleamed as he glanced at Tony's chest. "You're talking about that lightbulb in your chest, right?"

Tony's head snapped up. "Lightbulb? You're calling the arc reactor a lightbulb? Do you even understand the level of technology and genius that went into this thing?"

Tony's frustration was apparent, but Harvey just chuckled.