Chapter 41: Suddenly Arrived Tony

Learn to photograph?

　　Peter's puzzled face was full of confusion as he looked at the DSLR cameras and lenses, large and small, on the table.

　　He'd only been with the company for a few days as an intern.

　　But Russell hadn't given him any serious work to do in the last few days.

　　Either he had to do his homework in the office, or he had to clean the office.

　　The only serious work he had to do was to sort through the letters of commission that had been sent in.

　　But as far as he could tell, Russell, the nominal private investigator, was not at all interested in the commission letters that came in the post.

　　"Sir, may I ask why you want me to learn photography?"

　　Peter asked with a confused look on his face.

　　"Photography is an important skill, especially for boys."

　　"Imagine how heartbreaking it is when you're travelling with your girlfriend and you can't take nice pictures of her if you don't know how to photograph."

　　"A man who can take pictures is not only more attractive, but also more affectionate."

　　"You're still young, there are things you don't understand yet, you'll understand when you're older."

　　Russell said with a straight face.

　　Although he spoke in a decent manner, Peter always had the feeling that he was deliberately hiding something.

　　"Yes, sir!"

　　Peter frowned and said quickly.

　　Once Peter had fiddled with the camera and webcam on the table, Russell picked up the gamepad again and began his own journey through the game.

　　Having Peter learn photography was just an idea that came to him on a whim.

　　In some universes, Peter not only enjoys photography, but has become a newspaper photographer.

　　The Peter of this world, perhaps because of his family circumstances, did not develop a love of photography.

　　But it doesn't matter, with him around, Peter will never have to face the "photography has been poor for three generations, DSLR will ruin his life" situation.

　　Peter fiddled with cameras and lenses while Russell played console games.

　　Neither of them spoke, going about their "work" in silence.

　　Just when Peter thought it was going to be another day without any serious business, the door to the office was suddenly pushed open.

　　A stocky, naive-looking man in a black suit walked in.

　　As he entered the office, the man quickly scanned Russell and Peter.

　　Then, with a straight face, he looked around the office, as if to make sure it was safe.

　　Just as the man was scanning the area like a bodyguard, a voice came from behind the man.

　　"Hapi, move, you're in my way!"

　　It was Tony Stark's voice.

　　The harpy was seen to quickly move out of the way to allow Tony, wearing sunglasses and an expensive hand-tailored suit, to enter the office.

　　Entering the office, Tony glanced at Russell before turning to the Harpy, "Harpy, take the little friend out."

　　"Yes sir!"

　　Without hesitation, the Harpy quickly came to Peter and led a confused Peter out of the office.

　　On his way out, the Harpy did not forget to close the office door.

　　"Sorry I'm late, it took me a few days to sort things out in LA."

　　Tony took off his sunglasses and spoke slowly to Russell.

　　"You're not late, sit down and talk."

　　Russell put the gamepad down and motioned Tony to the chair in front of his desk.

　　"I'd rather stand and talk." Tony said again as he looked at the chair in front of him.

　　"Whatever."

　　With a casual look on his face, Tony tucked his sunglasses into his breast pocket and said slowly, "I've come over here this time to do one more thing besides give you the payment you asked for."

　　"What is that?"

　　Russell asked directly, looking at Stark's slightly glowing chest.

　　A small Ark reactor!

　　He got it out after all!

　　"I would like to invite you to become the head of security for Stark Industries!"

　　Tony said in all seriousness.

　　Russell didn't answer Tony right away.

　　At that moment he received a message from the system.

　　"Reward: Inner Symbiotic Battle Armour; Status: activated; Activation Condition: prevent Tony Stark from becoming Iron Man as a result of the kidnapping incident; Activation Effect: upon activation, gain Inner Symbiotic Battle Armour!"

　　Glancing at the message from the system, he closed it and said to Tony, "Head of Security at Stark Industries is no ordinary position, and you trust me that much?"

　　"Counting this, it's only the second time we've met."

  Tony, who seemed to have guessed he was going to say this from the start, quickly said, "Do you know what the first thing I'm going to do when I get back to L.A.?"

　　"What's that?"

　　"I checked you out, Mr Crazy Traveller."

　　It didn't surprise Russell that Tony would check himself.

　　When he first told Tony his name, he was prepared for Tony to check his details.

　　What he hadn't expected was that when Tony returned to Los Angeles, instead of immediately getting down to business with Obadiah, he would go and find out what he was up to.

　　"Since you know me as the crazy traveller, you should know I'm no good."

　　"It was not a wise decision to invite me to be head of security at Stark Industries."

　　Russell looked at Tony and smiled.

　　"You're certainly not a good person, but you're a very reliable one."

　　"You chose to save me in Afghanistan rather than kill me, so I suppose I have something here that you want."

　　"Join Stark Industries and I'll give you anything you want."

　　Tony said with great confidence.

　　Looking at the confident Tony, Russell shook his head helplessly.

　　Not even knowing what he wanted, he had the audacity to say something like that, worthy of Tony Stark.

　　"I want something you can't give me."

　　"As for your comment about being in charge of security, your bodyguard, Harpy, would be a better choice than me."

　　Russell firmly declined Tony's invitation.

　　He didn't hate Tony, but asking him to work under Tony was not something he would even consider.

　　Isn't it good to be your own boss? Why can't you think of going to work for someone else?

　　"It's OK if you don't want to."

　　Tony didn't take Russell's refusal to heart.

　　"By the way, I've been working on some new little inventions lately, and I'd like you to come and have a look at them in person if you have the time."

　　Tony continued.

　　For some reason, Russell saw something called a desire to win in Tony when he said those words.

　　This guy doesn't want to fight me in a steel suit, does he?

　　"L.A. is too far away for me to even think about going to L.A. anytime soon."

　　Russell said slowly.

　　"No need to go to L.A. I forgot to tell you, I'll be staying in New York for a while, and if you want to see me, you can always come to the Stark Tower."

　　When he had finished speaking, Tony took an envelope from his jacket pocket and placed it on the table.

　　"Here's the reward you asked for."

　　Putting the envelope down, Tony turned on his heel and left the office.

　　Russell picked up the envelope, opened it and read it.

　　Inside was a bank cheque from a Swiss bank.

　　The amount, $600 million!