Chapter: 159

Bang!

The exquisitely decorated vase that was originally placed on the desk for decoration had a close encounter with the ground, shattered into countless small pieces due to Kilian's violent throw.

"Damn Mark Stark! Stupid Trevor Slattery! Sevin, tell me, how did that wretched kid manage to find our carefully hidden trail?"

As the executive of A.I.M., Mark caught wind of such significant news about Mandarin, and naturally, it was immediately relayed to his ears by his subordinates.

The moment Kilian heard this news, he immediately became furious, accompanied by the fear concealed beneath his angry facade.

For many years, Kilian had always regarded hiding himself as the guideline for his actions under the alias "The Mandarin," always operating from behind the scenes as the puppeteer. He knew that once evil was given a face, the owner of that face would become a target for all, like Osama bin Laden, Muammar Gaddafi, and—Mandarin.

Although Kilian had become more high-profile since he learned about Thor's hammer descending from the sky, planning one terrorist attack after another, one thing had never changed: he still operated from behind the scenes, manipulating everything as the mastermind.

And now, with Mandarin's arrest, as the puppet and spokesperson he manipulated, Kilian's true identity and many undisclosed secrets were in his adversary's hands.

He couldn't bear it any longer, Kilian was certain that he wouldn't be able to withstand interrogation. This would break his long-standing behind the scene actions and expose himself to others.

This was too dangerous for Kilian. Although he held some power in his hands, allowing him to thrive all this while.

However, once these secrets were exposed, he would not only become a public enemy, but also become the prey chased by capital and politics because he held the secret to human evolution.

"Our plan needs to be accelerated, Sevin! You must keep a close eye on the news, and we need to intervene in the event of Mandarin's handover.

We also need to make arrangements and invite that wretched kid Mark to visit the laboratory as soon as possible. Before he hands over Mandarin, we will turn him into our puppet!

And regarding the Vice President, go and communicate with him. After we rescue Mandarin, we will plan another event and make him cooperate with us to temporarily remove the Iron Patriot from the President's side. We need an opening."

"I understand. I'll take care of it right away," Sevin received the order and responded before leaving Kilian's office.

...

On the other hand, after sending out the message, Mark didn't pay much attention to the waves it could create. He knew that with the ability of those media workers to create topics, he didn't need to concern himself too much about the publicity effect.

Now he needed to proceed with his next plan—continuing to pressure Kilian. So that he couldn't afford to spend too much time pondering, risking not making mistakes in hasty decisions and revealing vulnerabilities.

To achieve this, he had to make some arrangements regarding the handover of Mandarin.

Firstly, the timing of the handover. The sooner it happened, the fewer preparations Kilian could make, resulting in more flaws and mistakes. And these mistakes would ultimately become the key to Mark's complete revenge.

Next was the location. Everything was like a carefully arranged play by Mark. Everything before was just a prelude to the main act. To complete this thrilling performance, he needed to find a suitable venue for Kilian to perform, making it easier for himself, the bait, to venture deep into the lion's den.

Lastly, he needed to identify a reliable person for the handover. The right choice would bring significant psychological pressure to Kilian while ensuring that Mark willingly went along with the person taking Mandarin, capable of protecting Mandarin from being taken away or silenced.

Regarding this point, Mark already had someone in mind.

"Friday, contact Uncle Rhodey for me..."

"Understood, sir. Once the connection is established, the line will be tightly secured. Please proceed with the call without worries."

"Good evening, Uncle Rhodey. It's been a while. Today, your nephew has prepared a surprising gift for you. I wonder if you're willing to accept it?"

Mark greeted Rhodey in a slightly teasing and relaxed tone.

"Cut the nonsense, you little brat! Time and location, tell me quickly so I can prepare."

"Haha, you're always so direct. Alright then, I won't keep you in suspense. I do intend to hand Mandarin over to you. I will announce the news to the media tomorrow, and the handover will take place tomorrow afternoon at the Venice Pier."

"Good, no problem! You're doing me a huge favor this time, you have no idea how much the President has been complaining to me lately. He says it's been days since he took office, and I haven't collected any useful information or found any trace of Mandarin.

But now, Mandarin has provoked you, and within a week, you've already caught him. You're truly amazing! We should find time to exchange experiences!"

Rhodey said excitedly.

"All of this is high-tech stuff that you can't learn, Uncle Rhodey. Using fists to speak is still the most suitable for you," Mark continued teasing.

"You little brat, are you saying I have a strong body but a simple mind?" Rhodey pretended to be angry, playing along.

However, the next sentence from Mark made him feel a bit down, "Don't misunderstand me, but don't get too happy either. The Iron Patriot was introduced by the President himself to deal with the threat of Mandarin, and now I, a kid, have beaten him to it.

I don't think the President's nagging will be about arresting Mandarin, but you won't be able to escape criticisms of incompetence and lack of ability."

"I...!" Rhodey felt like he knew two generations of the Starks and considered it an unfortunate part of his life.

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