[2008, New York.]
Eddard was actually bemused by the devastation that Stark's abduction and the economic collapse had caused. The number of people committing suicide just because they lost their money disgusted him and confused him equally.
Eddard could never understand how people can simply end their life, seeing as how one lost his very self at death. He had never been depressed but how can someone justify killing themselves at having lost something as inconsequential as money and disregard their own life was something that had baffled him in both his lives. When he had been in the void, he had mourned his own death, he would have done everything short of murdering an innocent to live again. Life itself was such a beautiful thing, starting over was not so difficult because as people said time healed all scars.
When he asked Jayden, a boy who was 17 this year. The boy had just looked at him, "Maybe they don't see death as an end, I am not too sure."
Later that day Mia had come up to him and told him something that had solved this dilemma of Eddard.
"You know when I was back there, with those people you killed, I had in part of my mind justified what they did to me. For people like that, like me, life doesn't hold much appeal.
I have been reading lots of books about things like this. There is this man David Wallace, he described what I had felt quite clearly. Eddard, you don't jump out of a burning building because you are not afraid of falling but because you are more afraid of burning."
"Say there is a man who I know that has lost everything- His family that he considered his greatest treasure. He is dying and I have the chance to save his life even if it exposes my secret of being a God. Yet he does not wish to live. Would letting him die be wrong? Would letting him die be selfish? Be immoral?"
"Immoral? Killing twelve people without making sure of their crimes was immoral too, Eddard. Kindness sometimes is doing something that is immoral, Eddard."
"Thank you, Mia." Eddard thanked the girl for understanding the core of the question he was trying to ask.
"No, thank you, Eddard. I do not know how many people have told you this but you are a good man. A complicated person since you could control the world with how amazing your abilities are but you only care for satisfaction and not power." Mia smiled at the younger looking God as he looked at her in gratefulness.
Eddard was thankful for the reassurance since he had felt guilty for letting Ho Yinsen die, the man was a good man who had lost his family and helped Stark live by buying him time and was one of the greatest reasons Tony Stark fought for something greater than himself.
Eddard commented, "You would be surprised how large our world is Mia, I could be considered a contender for the strongest being on this planet but I am definitely not the strongest being on this planet."
Mia seemed surprised by this, "There are people stronger than you. Damn."
"Most of them have a vested interest in Mankind's survival."
"An individual still should be worried of offending some God, no?"
"Always." Eddard said thinking to people like Loki.
Eddard moved to the roof of his building. Looking at the city of New York.
" Come." He called upon his armor, gauntlet and shoes. Motes of golden light converged upon his body while motes of purple light converged upon his left hand. The only parts of his body that were left exposed were his head and right hand.
He started running from one roof to another as fast as he could. The vibranium soles of his shoes along with the concepts of shock absorption, silence and stealth allowed him to run on the roofs of the buildings unnoticed. He was running from Bleecker Street to the One World Trade Center.
He ran through the roofs of lower Manhattan to the roofs of Tribeca and then jumped upon some of the high rise industrial buildings taking a second to catch his breath at the roof of 'Borough Of Manhattan Community College' from which he jumped down to Washington market park and he began running again towards the one world trade center. When he looked at the building, he started running again and and moved to the corner where the glass met so as to not break it while grabbing it as support to climb the five hundred meter tall building. It took him seven minutes to cover the full distance.
Seven minutes is what it took me run around two-and-a-half miles (approx.- Four kilometers and two hundred meters) and a minute to climb half a kilometer.
He was currently on the top of the tallest building of NYC. And the only reason he was there risking discovery was that he wanted to see this city which would be war torn in four years when two civilizations would collide in what most other civilizations would call a minor skirmish for the possession of one of the most destructive items in the universe.
The infinity stones, singularities with infinite control over their domains in this universe. Eddard was not sure how his powers would react to what basically was a crystallized concept.
Eddard was truly rethinking how to take advantage of his anonymity. He thought he would keep his existence secret till 2012 but 2010 was seemingly more appealing point of time to break his stance and existence to the ones in control simply because gods would have a bad reputation among the ones in control simply because there arrival always meant trouble. Loki's actions will have even cemented these opinions by 2012.
The best time to show his face in public would be 2010 during the attack of Whiplash to see the future saviour of the universe.
And to reveal his powers would be the Queens Stark expo of the same year.
It would bring Shield and the World Security Council to the table. This sadly would also bring to the table politics.
Eddard honestly was not worried about getting demonized. His true worry laid in that it would make everyone in 221B subjects to scrutiny. One way he could think of safeguarding them was leaving them but he could also think of something much more better. The Avengers were independent of any nation as Fury stated at the end of the 2012.
The Avengers was an organization that was supposed to be international in its functioning.
As he was thinking of such things, he jumped from the top of the building. He had been doing things like this often to not underestimate or overestimate his physical strength and to come off the mindset of a normal human being.
When he returned to 221B, he found everybody watching the television.
Jacob commented looking at Eddard, "You remember the crazy fight that happened in Los Angeles yesterday. Well guess what, Tony Fucking Stark was the guy in the red mecha armor. Stark Industries is a stock I regret having and love having all at the same time."
"How much do we own?" Eddard asked curious.
"About 0.06%" Jacob said giving Eddard a smile that sent shivers down the god's spine.
"We are rich, right? Like super rich?" Eddard asked since he never really checked their net worth.
"Depends on who you are asking, we have access to metals which the world does not even know about. But according to the government Shamrock Order is worth a few hundred millions. Nothing like Stark but we are rich enough to afford most luxuries we want. The problem is most of our assets are tied to stocks and the only liquid assets we have are the 16 businesses we help set up. But those liquid assets are used for running day-to-day operations of this place or investing more ."
"So say we aren't like pressed for money, right?"
"No, the watchdogs are self sufficient if not for the repairs of their equipment, their youtube channel actually turns a profit which they make me do taxes for and invest money for. The programmers are self sufficient due to their free anti-virus service. Their youtube channel also turns a good profit of which I handle the financial aspect. The mechanical engineers also are self sufficient because they opened an online store for all the junk they built. The camera quadcopter was pretty popular on their newly opened youtube channel.
Wilson's patent for his polymer gets him money but he is writing a book and since he doesn't tinker with things, he does not have much expenses and can easily make do with his daily allowance, the same applies to Jayden, but he is not writing a book but ideas on how to use your power. The only one who requires active investment on your part is Sophie but everyone knows her research in genetics and evolution is very important since we saw how Vibranium can bind with cells to recreate tissue and increase its longevity by multiple lifetimes. As for me I literally control every single penny of this building so I would say I am not pressed for money."
"A simple no would have helped, but thanks for the financial report."
Jacob's brows furrowed at that, "You should be more careful with your money, what if I stole from you?"
Eddard laughed at the boy's words and simply said, "I would like to think you are not stupid enough to try stealing from a god."
Jacob's face darkened at that , "I have seen people destroying the lives of their own family, the woman who gave birth to me was one of them. Do not forget what greed can do to others Mr. Clarke."
Eddard sighed, "I forget that age does not equate wisdom, most of the people here are wiser than their age would suggest."
"You say it like it is a bad thing. We aren't living in a fantasy world where Heroes always defeat villains. The world is a cruel place."
"No, Jacob, the world is not a cruel place, the world has cruel people in it. Your father is a hero, he won and the proof of his victory is beside me."
"You always have to get the last word in, no?" Jacob smiled at Eddard.
"I do, now let us discuss the order's future with everybody here."