CHAPTER 60

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Within a week, Fury found the information I needed, and so I embarked on a small journey to meet with Hank Pym. At the door of his two story house, I knocked at the door, and waited, wondering if he would even accept my offer.

Opening the door, a man in his fifties greeted me, his eyes giving a wary look as he did so. "What can I do for you?" he asked. [Hank Pym LV 30]

"Hello Mr. Pym, my name is Alex Walker, and I… Well, I have a proposition to make." I said, extending my hand for a handshake.

"I am not interested." He almost growled.

"Why is that?" I asked, I mean, he had yet to hear my offer.

"I know what you want, this is not the first time THEY try something like that." He scoffed, getting angrier by the second. "I won't give anyone the formula."

With a smile, I shook my head. "I don't work for them, and even if I did, I have no interest in your formula Mr. Pym." I grinned. "All I want is some… help with my company, nothing more, nothing less."

He stared at me, as if trying to find the lie within my words. "You say you don't work for them, but you still know about them… excuse my skepticism but, I don't believe you." he snarled, throwing the door in my face. But as he did so, I opened a portal behind him.

"I really have no interest in your Pym particles." I said, startling the man who in turn punched me in the face out of instinct. The punch did nothing.

"How did… Nevermind, get out of my house!" He roared, his eyes piercing me like two spears.

"Mr. Pym, I need a scientist to lead my company, not your invention. I assure you, if you give me a minute of your time, you will see all I need is a CEO, one with experience being a scientist." I said, trying to sound as friendly as possible.

"One minute. And then you're gone!" He sighed, gesturing to me to go into his living room in a rather angry manner.

"Thanks, and sorry for the troubles." I smiled, walking into the living room.

Taking a seat, Hank glared at me and said. "Speak, you have one minute, make it worthwhile."

"I have a company that is barely starting out. It specializes in genetics, nanotechnology and human enhancements, as well as molecular and atomic studies. But as of now, it's a money funnel for me, because while smart, I am no scientist, but you are." I said, taking a seat on one of the chairs in his living room. "You are correct to assume I worked with SHIELD, but it was more like an alliance of sorts, we shared the same enemy, and we both teamed up to destroy it."

"What enemy?" Hank asked.

"Hydra." I replied. "They kidnapped me, and tried to… well break me, but in the end, it was me who broke them. In a way." I chuckled.

He stared at me, processing all the information I had just unloaded. "And your partnership with them ended?" he eventually asked.

"I suppose it did. I no longer help them." I replied, for Fury didn't count as SHIELD helping me for me, he was my bro.

"Let's say I believe you." He said, his eyes on the floor. "Let's say that you really don't want my formula, what is it that you want me to do?"

"Help me become a billionaire?" I chuckled. "Look, your formula, your magnum opus, it's yours, what I want it's not only to become a rich man, a very rich man, but to help humanity in the process."

Hank looked at me, and in his eyes I could see a spark of something akin to wishful thinking, like he really wanted to believe me. "Does SHIELD know you're here?" he asked.

"Yes, but worry not. I was clear on my demands, that you were to be left alone." A demand Fury was not happy with, but considering SHIELD considered me an asset bigger than Hank Pym, they complied.

"And you believed them?" He chuckled in a dark tone. "You must be a fool."

"Perhaps." I nodded. "But I am a fool with the power to destroy SHIELD, should they prove to be a nuisance." I smiled. "I alone killed thousands of Hydra bases, SHIELD wants me more than it wants you, and it fears me more than it fears you, as long as I help them every now and then, they will help me every now and then, besides, they know they can't lie to me, my powers make than an impossibility."

"Your powers?" Hank asked with a bit of interest.

"I can… see where everyone's true alliance lies with, so no matter how good a spy is…" I grinned.

"You can see it…" He finished for me. "Remarkable."

"Look, as of now, all of my employees are ex-SHIELD scientists, but should you take this job, you would be free to hire and fire everyone you like." I said.

"If I take this… job, there are some ground rules we need to discuss." Yes! He was giving in! "One, no SHIELD for me, you can keep your alliance with them, but keep them as far away as possible for me."

"I can do that." I nodded.

"Two, my work, my magnum opus as you accurately described is mine, and mine alone, you don't talk about it, you don't ask about it, you don't research about it, understood?" He said, with a tone of finality.

"Of course." I nodded, once again.

"And last, but not least, if I am to be your lead scientist, your CEO, I want to be your partner, not your employee." He finished.

"That can be arranged." I nodded, I mean, I was already prepared to offer him a partnership.

"Then, let's talk business, kid." Hank said, with just the hint of a smile. He was like an onion, with many layers of shit, but a soft center.

"Gladly." I smiled, looking at the clock. "Would you look at that, you gave me four minutes."