20. Meeting With Director Fury 2

The room inside Tony's mansion was filled with tension. while Nick Fury stood firm, exuding authority. Natasha Romanoff leaned casually against a sleek glass table, her sharp gaze fixed on Tony. On the plush couch, John Stark, sat silently, his expression looks thoughtful.

Nick Fury's voice broke the silence. "You've been very busy. You made your girl your CEO. Without asking your little brother. You let your friend fly away with your suit. Now, if I didn't know better…"

Tony Stark, pacing near the window, interrupted. "You don't know better. I didn't give it to him. He took it. As for CEO my brother agree on this matter." His tone was clipped, and frustration edged his words.

Nick Fury raised an eyebrow, stepping closer to Tony. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. He took it? You're Iron Man, and he just took it? Little brother walked in there, kicked your ass, and took your suit?" Fury glanced at Natasha, his disbelief apparent. "Is that even possible?"

Natasha Romanoff didn't miss a beat. "Well, according to Mr. Stark's database security guidelines, there are redundancies to prevent unauthorized usage." Her tone was calm, professional, but her eyes darted toward Tony.

Tony let out a sigh, rubbing his forehead. "What do you want from me?" His voice carried exhaustion, and he slumped into a chair.

Nick Fury's tone turned sharp. "What do we want from you? What do you want from me?" Fury gestured toward Natasha, who quietly left the room, her heels clicking against the floor.

John Stark, who had been silent, leaned forward. "Brother, maybe they're right. You've been reckless lately. You can't keep ignoring this." His voice was soft but carried a weight of concern.

Tony glared at John, pointing a finger in his direction. "Oh, great! Now you're chiming in? You think I haven't noticed? Thanks, John, real helpful."

John leaned back, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Just saying, maybe take a step back and look at the bigger picture."

' this is the biggest hint i can give brother ' jhon thought to himself.

Before Tony could respond, Natasha returned, holding a syringe in her hand. She moved with quiet determination, her expression unreadable.

Tony's eyes widened. "Oh, God, are you gonna steal my kidney and sell it? Could you please not do anything awful for five seconds?"

Natasha didn't respond, injecting him swiftly. Tony winced, feeling the rush of relief as the rash on his neck began to subside.

"What did she just do to me?" Tony asked, looking between Fury and Natasha.

Nick Fury crossed his arms, his tone blunt. "What did we just do for you? That's lithium dioxide. It'll take the edge off. We're trying to get you back to work."

Tony leaned back in his chair, a sardonic grin forming. "Give me a couple of boxes of that, and I'll be right as rain."

Natasha's voice was steady. "It's not a cure. It just abates the symptoms."

Nick Fury's gaze hardened. "Doesn't look like it's gonna be an easy fix."

Tony sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Trust me, I know. I'm good at this stuff. I've been looking for a suitable replacement for palladium. I've tried every combination, every permutation of every known element."

Nick Fury stepped closer, his voice dropping lower. "Well, I'm here to tell you, you haven't tried them all."

Tony's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean? What haven't I tried?"

Nick Fury's expression didn't waver. "That thing in your chest? It's based on unfinished technology."

Tony sat up straighter, his voice rising defensively. "No, it was finished. It's never been particularly effective until I miniaturized it and put it in my—"

Nick Fury interrupted, his tone firm. "No. Howard said the arc reactor was the stepping stone to something greater. He was about to kick off an energy race that was gonna dwarf the arms race."

Tony's face darkened at the mention of his father. "Just him, or was Anton Vanko in on this too?"

Nick Fury's tone turned sharp. "Anton was the other side of the coin. He saw it as a way to get rich. When your father found out, he had him deported. The Russians sent him to Siberia, where he spent 20 years in a vodka-fueled rage. Not exactly the best environment for raising a kid—the same kid you crossed paths with in Monaco."

Tony frowned, his mind racing. "You told me I hadn't tried everything. What haven't I tried?"

Nick Fury held his gaze, unwavering. "Howard said you were the only one with the means and knowledge to finish what he started."

Tony's voice softened, disbelief creeping in. "He said that?"

Nick Fury tilted his head. "Are you that guy, Stark? Are you? Because if you are, then you can solve the riddle of your heart."

Tony scoffed, leaning back in his chair. "I don't know where you get your information, but he wasn't my biggest fan."

Nick Fury's tone grew quieter but no less intense. "What do you remember about your dad?"

Tony's voice turned bitter. "He was cold. Calculating. He never told me he loved me or even liked me he even left my little brother on the side. And now you're telling me he thought the whole future was riding on me? That's a little hard to digest."

Nick Fury's voice softened slightly. "That's not true."

Tony leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Well, then, clearly you knew him better than I did."

Nick Fury straightened his coat. "As a matter of fact, I did. He was one of the founding members of SHIELD."

Tony blinked, his voice laced with disbelief. "What?"

Nick Fury checked his phone and began moving toward the door. "I've got a two o'clock."

Tony stood up, exasperated. "Wait, wait, wait! What's this? What am I supposed to do with this information?"

Nick Fury paused at the door, looking back. "You'll figure it out. Natasha will remain at Stark with her cover intact."

Nick Fury glanced at John, then back at Tony. "And Tony… I've got my eye on you."

The door clicked shut as Fury left.

John spoke softly, his voice breaking the silence. "Well, that went well."

Tony shot him a tired look, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, yeah. Fantastic. Just another day in paradise."

John leaned back, his tone lighter. "Maybe next time, try not to be so charming."

Tony let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "You're welcome to try, little brother."