Chapter 21: The Grand Reveal

Nick Fury's safe house was dimly lit, the air heavy with the weight of recent discoveries. Fury, Natasha Romanoff, and Bobbi Morse were seated around a table, various reports and surveillance files spread out before them. Each member of the group was lost in thought, poring over the data that Max had dropped into their laps—along with that infuriatingly absurd video. Despite Fury's initial anger at being mocked, the information was proving invaluable.

Hydra had infiltrated SHIELD far deeper than any of them had suspected. Some agents were easily identifiable as corrupt or compromised, their missions veering suspiciously off course. But others appeared clean. Too clean, in fact. The worst part? They couldn't know for sure if these people were sleeper agents, ticking time bombs waiting for the right moment to strike.

For the umpteenth time, Fury replayed the video Max had created, trying to glean more from it. "It's a joke," Fury muttered through clenched teeth, "but it's also a damn gold mine." The animated caricatures in the video still grated on his nerves, but he couldn't deny the insights it had provided.

Bobbi, standing near the screen, crossed her arms. "We can't rush this, Nick," she said, using his first name for emphasis. "If we move too soon, we'll tip our hand. We need to root out Hydra carefully, systematically."

Natasha nodded, her face thoughtful as she flipped through one of the files. "The irony is, Max actually helped us by pointing out just how deep Hydra's claws go. But... why? What's his angle?"

Fury leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temple. "That's the question, isn't it? He's not exactly offering help out of the kindness of his heart."

Bobbi chimed in, "We can speculate all day, but we won't get any closer to answers unless we do something. And Max has made it clear he's not going to be cooperative if we push him too hard."

Fury grunted. "I know, I know. But damn it, we can't ignore what he's shown us. The longer Hydra operates within SHIELD, the more vulnerable we are. I've got plans to start flushing them out, but it's going to take time."

A long silence settled over the group as they considered their options. Fury had the unenviable task of steering SHIELD through this dangerous web of deceit, but now, at least, he had a clearer picture of what they were up against.

A few weeks later, events started to unfold as predicted. Tony Stark, never one to shy away from spectacle, officially handed over one of his Iron Man suits to Rhodey. It was a strategic move—one Max had subtly suggested during their previous conversations. Rhodey's new role as War Machine helped Tony sidestep the military pressure that had been mounting against him.

Meanwhile, news reports began trickling in about Whiplash's mysterious death. Officially, the story was that he had died while imprisoned, but Max knew better. The truth of his breakout and eventual cover-up only confirmed that Hydra's influence reached deep into the system.

But that was all background noise for the moment. Today was Tony's birthday, and Max had something far grander in store.

Happy Hogan navigated the familiar streets of Los Angeles, Tony, Pepper Potts, and Max all seated comfortably in the back. The mood was celebratory, even if Tony had made a few jokes about Max's growing presence in his life.

"So, Max," Tony started, taking a sip from his drink, "are you gonna tell me what this big surprise is, or are you just gonna keep me in suspense all night?"

Max smirked. "Patience, Tony. You'll find out soon enough. Let's just say it's... big."

"Big, huh?" Tony raised an eyebrow, a playful grin spreading across his face. "Bigger than when I gave Rhodey the suit?"

"Way bigger."

Happy, glancing in the rearview mirror, chuckled. "Bigger than your ego, Tony?"

"That's impossible," Tony quipped, and the car erupted in laughter.

The group soon arrived at a luxurious restaurant. It was one of those places where the food was exquisite, and the ambiance screamed exclusivity. The four of them—Tony, Max, Pepper, and Happy—dined in style, celebrating Tony's birthday with expensive wine and a mountain of shared memories. It was clear that despite their differences, Tony and Max had formed a genuine bond, a rare thing in Tony's world of fleeting relationships and shallow connections.

After dinner, the group returned to the Stark villa, full and content. Tony flopped down onto one of his couches, the exhaustion from the day creeping in, but there was still a childlike excitement in his eyes.

"All right, Max," Tony said, stretching. "You've kept me waiting long enough. What's this 'big' gift you've got for me?"

Max stood up, grinning as he motioned for the group to follow him. "Trust me, Tony. This is going to be worth the wait."

The group made their way to the landing pad where one of Max's Puddle Jumpers was waiting. Happy let out a low whistle. "I'll never get used to how sleek these things are."

Max smiled but didn't say anything. He ushered the group inside, and with a soft hum, the Jumper's engines came to life. As it ascended, cloaking itself from view, Tony leaned forward, his excitement barely contained.

"Alright, Max, where are we going?"

Max smirked. "You'll see."

The Puddle Jumper ascended higher and higher, breaking through the atmosphere with ease. Before long, they had reached Earth's orbital station, where Max activated the Stargate. The shimmering blue portal opened in space, and the Jumper zipped through in a flash of light.

On the other side, Jupiter loomed large before them, its swirling clouds of gas reflecting the distant sunlight. Orbiting the massive planet was an even more impressive sight—a massive shipyard station.

"Holy…" Tony trailed off, his eyes wide. "Is that what I think it is?"

Max nodded, steering the Jumper toward the shipyard. "That's where the magic happens."

Hovering near the station were three gargantuan ships, each more massive than anything Tony had ever seen. Their sleek, dark hulls gleamed in the faint light of Jupiter, and their sheer size dwarfed even the station they orbited.

Max pointed out the nearest of the ships. "That's the first of three Dreadnought-class ships. I call it 'Jupiter D1.' It's a beast of a ship, but it's just the start."

Tony was speechless for a moment. "Okay, wow. You've really outdone yourself."

"And that one there," Max continued, pointing to the second ship. "That's mine. The 'Storm Chaser.'"

At that moment, a song began to play over the Jumper's speakers—"Storm Chaser" by Jim Yosef. The powerful chorus echoed in the cockpit:

[Chorus]:

Feel me take control

Rush through the wind with fire in my soul

Watch me breathe danger

Now I'm the one to fear

I'm the storm chaser…

Tony burst out laughing. "Did you really just cue up a theme song for your ship?"

Max grinned. "Hey, it felt appropriate."

Pepper chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Leave it to Max to have a personal soundtrack for his ship."

Max pointed to the third ship, positioned closest to them. "And that one—'Salt.' That's for you, Tony. Happy birthday."

For once, Tony Stark was genuinely speechless. He stared at the massive ship, his mind racing to process everything. Finally, he broke into a wide grin. "You… you got me a Dreadnought-class ship? You know, I usually have to buy my own birthday presents."

Max smirked. "I figured I'd save you the trouble this year. Now you have Salt to go with Pepper."

Pepper raised an eyebrow, looking between the ship and Max. "Salt?"

"Yeah, because you already have Pepper," Max said with a wink.

Pepper couldn't help but laugh, though she looked a little exasperated. "I'm not sure if I should be flattered or confused."

Tony, still beaming, threw an arm around Max's shoulder. "This is insane, Max. I don't even know how to thank you."

"Trust me, Tony, seeing your reaction is thanks enough."

Happy, who had been quietly observing the whole exchange, finally spoke up. "So, does this mean I get to drive it?"

Tony gave him a sidelong glance. "You want to fly a Dreadnought, Happy?"

"Hell yeah," Happy said with a grin. "If I'm your driver, I might as well be your pilot too, right?"

The group laughed, the tension and awe of the moment giving way to a lighthearted exchange of jokes. Tony continued to marvel at the size and scope of the ship, while Max explained some of its features.

"This baby," Max said, gesturing toward Salt, "comes fully stocked. In the hangar, you've got 36 fighter jets, 13 Puddle Jumpers, 13 heavy fighters, 7 heavy bombers, and 3 small transporters. Plus, it's equipped with state-of-the-art defense systems and enough firepower to take on an entire fleet."

Tony whistled, clearly impressed. "You really went all out."

"I don't do things halfway," Max replied with a grin.

Happy clapped Tony on the back. "You better be careful, Tony. If you take that thing out for a spin, you might never come back."

The group continued to share in the excitement of the moment, making plans for what they could do with the ship and teasing Tony about the responsibilities that came with owning such a massive piece of machinery.

As the Jumper circled around the Dreadnoughts, the view of Jupiter in the background, Tony could only shake his head in disbelief.

"I've had a lot of good birthdays," Tony said, "but this... this one takes the cake."