Plans For Him

Charlie, who heard Agent Duan Lan's question, felt a slight shock of surprise.

In comic book circles, fans often paired Iron Man and Captain America as the "shield and iron" duo. They represented a unique balance between past and future, classic and modern, and were seen as the perfect partners. But Charlie realized he'd never actually sent Captain America and Stark to work together as a team, so how would the agents of the Ninth Division know about their bond?

Agent Duan Lan seemed to notice the captain's puzzled expression, so she added, "It's something Stark mentioned once. He was talking about you and called you… um, a 'stubborn old antique.'"

Charlie paused, thinking it over, and quickly figured it out. It seemed that Stark's character had been programmed with some "Easter eggs"—small details referencing other Avengers teammates. Much like how Marvel movies added little hints or references to connect characters and events, Stark probably had occasional lines that mentioned Captain America in a casual, friendly way. These lines must have been friendly enough to make the Ninth Division agents curious about their connection.

But Charlie saw no reason to hide it. The Avengers would eventually be revealed as an official force to the public, so he decided to address it openly. Through Captain America's hologram, he responded, "Yes, Stark's both a comrade and a rare friend, though we don't see eye-to-eye on a lot of things. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, it's nothing big," Duan Lan replied, hesitating for a moment as if she were debating whether or not to continue. But after a moment, she continued, "It's just a rumor, really, but a lot of people have heard it by now, so it's not much of a secret."

"A rumor?" Captain America asked, intrigued. "About the Ninth Division Director?"

Duan Lan nodded. "The position hasn't been filled since Commander Ross's… departure. They're having a hard time with it."

Felix, another agent who had been listening, joined in. "I've heard some things about it, too. Since the incident with Commander Ross, the division's been extremely careful with picking a new director. From what I know, they've shortlisted three candidates, but each one has had some sort of issue. Some of it has to do with background checks; some of it's tied to factional disputes within the department. So, basically, no one's been chosen yet."

Felix's sources were generally reliable, considering his connections with the FBI. Hearing it from him made the information seem even more credible.

"Sounds like the role of director is a hot potato," Ivan commented, smirking.

"That's one way to put it," Felix replied. "And that's why there's been a recent suggestion—a pretty unconventional one. It's been controversial, and a lot of people think it's too risky, but from a practical point of view, it might actually work."

Charlie had a suspicion of what Felix was hinting at, and the thought surprised him. Keeping his expression steady, he had Captain America ask, "Are you saying they're considering Stark?"

The few agents who hadn't heard the rumor looked stunned. Tony Stark? Someone from an entirely different dimension? Chief of the Ninth Division?

It seemed wild and far-fetched at first. Even though Earth faced serious threats from strange, unknown forces, handing over one of the world's most important intelligence divisions to an outsider sounded like a desperate gamble. But the longer they thought about it, the more some of the agents realized it might make a strange kind of sense.

Ivan chuckled. "Finally! It sounds like they might actually be making a smart choice."

The other agents didn't laugh, but they thought over the idea carefully. Iron Man, along with the alliance he represented, had already shown they possessed incredible technology and a commitment to Earth's safety. They'd volunteered their assistance in a time of great need, with no expectations of rewards. Perhaps choosing Stark as director wasn't such an unreasonable idea. 

If a large-scale alien invasion actually happened, the director of the Ninth Division would essentially become the world's commander in chief. With that much power and responsibility, it made sense to give the role to Stark, who was already equipped with the knowledge and technology to handle such a crisis.

For Charlie, this news was surprising in a strange, almost humorous way. After all, Tony Stark was essentially an extension of himself. If Stark became the Ninth Division's director, it would mean he'd technically be in charge of himself. It felt surreal.

But then again, it was just a rumor. Even if they formally offered Stark the position, Charlie wasn't sure he'd actually accept. He could already influence the Ninth Division's actions whenever necessary. Giving Stark the official title of director would add a lot of extra responsibility and paperwork, and Stark was already overwhelmed with research work.

"We'll discuss it with Tony and see where he stands," Captain America replied.

Duan Lan nodded, quickly adding, "Right, it's just a rumor. Nothing's set in stone." She then shifted gears. "First, we need to track down the people after the Core."

"Roxon was last seen in Wendelani," Felix added. "There may be some clues there."

"Understood," Captain America replied calmly. "We have some of our best agents over there. We just have to wait for updates."

---

Meanwhile, in Wendelani, late at night.

The sharp sound of sirens echoed through the quiet streets, while alternating red and blue lights illuminated the dark night sky.

Tonight marked the beginning of a massive operation to shut down Wendelani's last major drug lord, Dante Tahan. Originally, Charlie had planned to conduct this operation days earlier, but the sudden discovery of strange entities near Riverton City and the appearance of the mysterious Descent Core had delayed things. So he'd instructed Friday to postpone it temporarily.

Now, however, the time had finally come.

A large squad of agents stormed the hideout, moving quickly and methodically. They launched concussion grenades and tear gas through the entrances, disorienting Tahan's men. In mere moments, many of the gang members had surrendered, subdued before they even had a chance to see their attackers.

The operation went smoothly, thanks to the meticulous intelligence provided by Green Arrow. He'd scouted the area and helped create a flawless plan. As the agents moved in, Green Arrow broke through the high windows, leading the charge and disabling guards with his arrows. He was closely followed by FBI officers, who spread through the building, securing every room and corner. The entire den was taken over almost without a single gunshot.

But as they finished securing the hideout, they realized that Dante Tahan, their main target, was nowhere to be found.

Apparently, the sly drug lord had somehow caught wind of the operation. He'd ordered his men to stay behind and fight off the agents while he disguised himself as one of the lower-level gang members and slipped out through a back exit.

"Well, looks like he got away," Director Steele remarked, though he didn't seem too bothered. "But we've dismantled his entire operation. Wendelani's finally free of his influence, and it's all thanks to you."

"Don't worry, Director," Green Arrow replied confidently, standing with his bow in hand. He watched as the remaining gang members, their eyes red and streaming from the tear gas, were loaded into police vans. He seemed entirely unbothered, as though this outcome was all part of the plan.

With a calm smile, he added, "We've got our own plans for him."

---

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