Oh GOD, more conversations...make it STOP
I don't like this chapter but it was edited too much and this is the best outcome... I don't think I can write a chapter this long ever again...
It might still happen in the future but fuck was this hard :/
Reporter questions are underlined. The press conference was significantly longer before I said fuck that, edited it down, and added that confrontation with Phil. I'm working off of memory so if shit seems odd, that's probably why but whatever.
This is mostly dialogue...hopefully there won't be more chapters like this but the stage has been set.
They knew that Tony would have a nightmare. With everything that he'd witnessed, it was bound to happen. So when Pepper woke to the sound of Tony's moans, she gently shook James awake, and they gradually woke Tony up. Over the years, Tony changed how he reacted when he woke up. As the traumatic experiences piled up, it became harder and harder to get him out of his dreams. He couldn't be left alone to wake up by himself because usually he couldn't, or more like he wouldn't. Pepper had a feeling it was more like a self-inflicted punishment for whatever reason he believes he deserves it.
"Tony," Pepper whispered as she trailed a hand softly against his cheek. He murmured slightly in his sleep, burying his head further into her stomach. Smiling gently, Pepper bent over and whispered his name again in his ear.
"Pep…"
This time, James rubbed the balls of Tony's feet, making his way up his legs. He carefully kneaded the tension out of his body, knowing that when Tony finally woke up, his body was going to be sore. Soon enough, through the combined efforts of Pepper and James, Tony was brought out of his nightmare with a shuddering breath, and as always, silent tears followed. It was another thing Pepper noticed about her husband: he never made a sound when he cried, and half the time, she had no idea he did.
Tony's tears eventually stopped, and when he finally opened his eyes, he was met with the face of Pepper smiling gently down at him.
"Good morning, sir." Jarvis's voice rang through his house, and Tony relaxed further in the hold of Pepper and James.
"It wasn't a dream," he croaked out, and at his words, the soul stone shone brightly for a few moments, solidifying his words before the light disappeared once again.
Slowly, Tony sat up, running a hand through his hair, and when he locked eyes with Pepper, his mouth widened into a giant smile.
"Well then," Tony began. "How about some food, and then we can hash out a plan?"
Before anyone could agree, Jarvis chimed in with a phone call from General Ross.
"I'm terribly sorry sir, but it seems you have a phone call from General Ross as well as Director Mueller of the FBI. Should I place them on hold?"
Surprised, Tony and Rhodey shared a look, and Tony shook his head. "No, put us in a three-way call J. Might as well get this over with."
Soon enough, Tony was greeted with the sweet sound of General Ross yelling at him over the phone, and he placed his head in his hands, already wishing that the conversation was over despite it barely starting.
"Good-morning, Dr. Stark and company. I hope your morning has been well." Director Mueller said after Ross was done with his tirade and Tony barely suppressed a smile at how different the greetings were. He had no idea if Mueller did this on purpose after hearing Ross or if that was just how he was, but the difference was both hilarious and welcome.
"What can I do for you gentlemen?" Tony asked.
Mueller cleared his throat, cutting off anything Ross was about to say, and Pepper had to hide her chuckle behind a cough, not that it did anything good. Tony merely smiled at James and shook his head. "It's more about what you've already done and what we've just done."
"Explain?"
"This morning, around an hour ago, we attempted to arrest Obadiah Stane and did arrest 5 of your board members as well as 6 of your techs from your R&D program for their part in your kidnapping and the illegal arms dealing."
The silence that covered the room was oppressive as everyone took in what they had just heard. Tony knew that Obadiah wasn't working alone, but that was still 12 members of his company, and while he was glad they were gone, he was more confused because it wasn't that much the last time around. He gave them the same information as last time, and unless Jarvis was able to dig out more information, Tony didn't understand what changed.
"Dr. Stark, are you okay?"
Tony slowly nodded before he shook himself from his thoughts. He could worry about that later, even if he didn't want to; he knew it wasn't something that he was going to be able to let go of.
"Was that all?"
"Unfortunately no." The apprehension was clear in Director Mueller's voice, and Tony frowned but stayed silent until Mueller finished his sentence. "Once Stane realized why we were there, he attempted to escape and died amid the struggle after he attempted to shoot one of our men."
Tony's eyes widened in response, and he could feel his jaw dropping but didn't have it in him to stop it. Obadiah was dead. Tony knew that Obadiah died in the last reality, but it was different hearing it rather than seeing it and having a direct role in said death. Part of Tony was more than happy that Stane was gone; it saved him a lot of time, trouble, and heartache, but the other part of him still wondered how this would affect things going forward. What would go wrong in response to Stane's early death? Tony had no idea, and he didn't like it.
"I'm sorry," Pepper interjected, her hand up in the air as she shook her head in confusion. "Stane is smarter than that. What made him think he would be able to start and win a shootout with both the military and FBI?"
"We are still baffled by that ourselves, Ms. Potts, and considering Stane did not try to make excuses for himself, it was most likely something he did on the spur of the moment." Director Mueller cleared his throat as if it would give him enough time to say his next words. "I understand that Obadiah Stane was your father's friend and your godfather, and for what it's worth, despite his actions against you, I am sorry for your loss, Dr. Stark, both personal and business-wise."
Tony waved away the condolences, even though they couldn't see him. He was shocked to learn that Stane was dead, but he wasn't going to lose any more sleep over him.
"Obadiah stopped being anything to me the moment I found out he played a part in my kidnapping. He placed not only my life but the lives of countless men and women in the force at risk. Death was the easy way out for him instead of facing the court of law for his actions. At least this way, he can no longer harm anyone else."
"Yes, speaking of that," Director Mueller began before he was interrupted by General Ross.
"Where are the rest of your illegally sold weapons?" Ross demanded.
Tony merely rolled his eyes at Ross's demand, and instead of answering him right away, he decided to make him wait a minute before answering. Right as Ross was beginning to talk again, Tony interrupted him.
"I have a list starting with Gulmira and ending in Sovokia."
Director Mueller hummed softly, seemingly to himself. "I see, he got around then…"
"Not likely," Rhodey said, shaking his head. "The people he sold to probably resold at a higher price."
"Which makes it harder to track even with the evidence of everyone he sold to." Happy added.
Tony shook his head, adjusting his place on the couch. He was surprised when he noticed that Pepper was no longer there. Happy noticed and pointed behind him to the kitchen. Nodding his thanks, Tony got the conversation back on track.
"Not necessarily," Tony clarified. "I placed a failsafe on every weapon of mine. They can all be tracked and shut down with the codes, and I highly doubt Stane was smart enough to get rid of them. Even if he did, J has the complete list."
"So you mean, not only will we have a complete list of terrorist organizations with your weapons, but you can also shut them down remotely without us having to send any of our men there?" Despite the hopeful edge to his voice, Tony heard the uncertainty in Mueller's voice, and he hurried to confirm his words.
"That's exactly what I mean."
"Why the hell didn't you mention this the first time we talked, Stark?" Ross growled out.
It seemed as if Tony rolling his eyes was going to become a regular thing the more he had to interact with Ross and his very apparent anger issues.
"There was no point until you captured Stane," Tony pointed out, with a harsh edge to his voice. "If they suddenly stopped working and Stane was still out, they would have contacted him. I wasn't keen on finding out what he'd try to do to me in retaliation. I barely survived this kidnapping, and I'm still healing; I wouldn't have survived anything else he tried."
"We understand your reasoning, Dr. Stark. Please excuse General Ross and his lack of decorum." If they were on a video call, Tony could just imagine the look of utter disappointment Mueller would be sending Ross. Even though Ross was a high-ranking member of the military, he would still have to answer to the director of the FBI. Tony decided that he would pay big money to see that happen.
"It's okay. He's always been like this, and I highly doubt he's ever going to change. He's a stubborn bastard, aren't you, General?" Tony quirked an eyebrow as he exchanged a brief glance with Rhodey, who was now busy with another general on the phone. No doubt already making plans before Ross had his chance to place himself right in the middle.
"It's how I got to where I am now, Stark. I won't apologize."
At that, Tony chuckled darkly, his patience wearing thin now. "I never expected you to." Tony took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, mindful of his chest. "Unfortunately, gentlemen, I must let you go so I can coordinate a press conference."
Pepper walked in, placing a small kiss on Tony's forehead.
"Already done, Tony. It's scheduled for 3 hours from now." Pepper smiled sweetly at him, placing a cup of coffee and a bowl of fruit salad on the table. Happy followed behind with plates, silverware, and a carton of orange juice. Tony easily returned the smile and helped himself to a generous portion of fruit. He was lucky Pepper remembered the diet he had to be on the first time. He was even luckier that he continued to eat simple breakfasts like this in the 5 years after the initial decimation.
"Efficient assistant you have there, Dr. Stark."
"Ms. Potts is the best of them, Director Mueller." With that, Tony motioned to Jarvis to cut off the phone call. Tony laid his head back briefly, taking in the sweet silence of the living room before it was interrupted by Rhodey.
"Well..." Happy said after a moment.
Pepper snorted shortly, her face mimicking Happy's sentiments. "Stane is apparently a lot stupider in this reality, it seems."
"Not really."
Tony frowned down at his chest, which was currently glowing its trademark orange. Something told him that if he asked how the stone knew, he would regret it, but sue him. He was a sucker for pain.
"Okay, explain."
"The mind stone may or may not have played around with his critical thinking skills and general common sense." Tony narrowed his eyes at the soul stone's words. He could have sworn the stone was sheepish in its explanation.
Rhodey raised his eyebrows in disbelief at the stone's words. "I thought you said that the stones don't take away someone's free will?"
"I didn't, and neither did mind," the stone rushed to clarify. "Mind merely influenced his feelings of desperation and played around with him. His actions were still his own."
"What a loophole," Happy commented, his eyes narrowing on Tony's chest.
"Stane had friends in high places, and if it went to trial, there was a high chance that he would have served less than 10 years. He knows too much about you and your company, and there's no telling what other secrets and allies he's harboring. It was best he was killed."
"….are you guys going to do that with my other enemies?"
"If we must," the stone replied haughtily and Tony could tell Rhodey wanted to say something else but was refraining.
Tony could only sigh wearily as the rest of the room's occupants shook their heads in different stages of disbelief and/or exasperation.
"You know what?" Tony said. "It makes things easier on me, so I'm going to just let you all do what you want. Just keep mind in check; I think its influence was felt a tad too much last time."
"Noted."
Tony's chest stopped glowing shortly after that, and again the room was plunged into silence as they all ate their respective breakfasts. Once they were done, Tony clapped his hands together with a slightly manic smile on his face.
"Well then… Anyone want to help me throw out every bottle of alcohol in this house?"
Pepper's entire face lit up, and she rushed off toward the kitchen. She no doubt knew where he hid everything. If she didn't, Tony would actually be surprised.
"Very good, sir." Jarvis complimented and Tony just nodded as he joined his wife. James and Happy came up beside him, and they each wrapped their arms around his shoulders, silently offering their support and praise. Tony spent the better part of that morning following them to different parts of his house as they disposed of a vice he vowed to no longer be a victim of, with a small but content smile on his face.
It truly was good to be back.
Tony, James, Happy, and Pepper were all on their way to the conference room in the Malibu headquarters of Stark Industries. Even though Tony had a script written out for him, he already told his PR team that he would answer almost all questions with complete honesty, even if it made Stark Industries look bad. There was simply no time for lies or half-truths anymore. By the time the first invasion comes around, Tony needs the public to look at him and know they will get nothing but the truth, even if it scares them, even if they don't believe him then and there. It's what they deserved.
As they were walking, a voice came up behind them, someone shouting his name. Tony knew exactly whose voice that belonged to and sighed in annoyance. He didn't necessarily hate Phil Coulson, but he could definitely admit he disliked the guy. It wasn't like Tony forgot about Phil's role in everything. It was subtle, but it caused its own separate damage.
"Here we go," Pepper muttered, and Tony chuckled at her put-out expression. A quick glance at James and Happy showed that they weren't bothering to hide their true feelings from the man quickly approaching them.
Turning around, Tony was met with Phil's never-changing expression, and at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to pretend he didn't see him. "Mr. Stark, I'm Agent Coulson from the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, and I would like to talk to you before you go to address the press."
"About what?"
Phil thrust his hand toward Tony, which held a small notecard full of everything he promised himself he'd no longer need. A notecard full of lies and poorly written platitudes he had no interest in. "I have a statement prepared for you."
Before Tony could respond, Pepper shifted her clipboard and took a not-so-subtle step in front of Tony, a sickly-sweet smile plastered on her face.
"No thank you, but Dr. Stark already has a statement prepared, and no offense, Agent Coulson, whatever organization you are a part of should not have access to this part of the building, and since you do, I can only guess that you snuck in, which of course would be considered trespassing." With another shift of her clipboard, Pepper stood tall and patient. She could have called security, but she was giving Phil an out. She was giving him a chance to make a different choice, even if he didn't notice it for what it was.
Phil stared at Pepper for a long moment, but when he realized that she wasn't going to budge, he ignored her and turned his attention back to Tony.
"Mr. Stark, please." The way he said his last name had Tony's hair standing at attention on the back of his neck. Funny, Phil once had the patience of a saint; something obviously changed.
"It will only take a minute of your time," he implored, or rather demanded, with that same tone of voice.
"My father told me all about Shield Agent Coulson." Tony decided then to head off the conversation before it could get any further. He wasn't planning on revealing this card just yet, but things were changing far too quickly. Rather than major events, the people themselves were changing their initial reactions and behaviors, and unfortunately, Tony had no way to legally control the way people acted the way he could with events.
"I'm sorry?"
Tony rolled his eyes and adjusted his cufflinks before staring down at Phil with every bit of annoyance he could muster.
"I know exactly what Shield is, and I'm not interested in anything you have to say. My father was killed delivering something for your organization. I have no interest in you all."
Tony had great satisfaction watching Phil's eyes widen in surprise before they settled down. It lasted for a few seconds, but it was more than enough for Tony to secure what he already knew.
"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about, Stark."
"Oh, look, he dropped the honorific Rhodey. Isn't that surprising?" Tony smirked as he turned his head to smile at James, who still had his gaze locked on Phil. A small quirk of his lips told Tony he heard it too. It was something everyone at Shield did whenever Tony pointed out something they didn't like or whenever he got too close to the truth for their liking. Any sign of respect disappeared at a moment's notice.
"Look, Agent Coulson, the only thing of remote interest to me is you giving me back my father's research and the Captain's shield. Anything other than that will result in a lawsuit for harassment and stolen property, in which I will do everything in my power to expose every sordid detail I have on you and Shield as a whole." Tony raised a single eyebrow and tilted his head ever so slightly.
"That includes your Russian spider and circus act." Tony took great pleasure in seeing Phil's eyes widen and stay that way. It seemed as if Tony had actually broken through his carefully crafted façade, and he was damn proud of it.
Slowly, Tony walked up to the still-surprised Phil and leaned in so their faces were almost touching. "Don't push me," Tony whispered lowly, the warning clear in the air.
"Now," Tony straightened out Coulson's jacket, wiping off imaginary lint from his shoulders. "Please find your way out of my damn building before I have you arrested for trespassing." Before Phil could say another word, Tony turned around and continued to make his way toward the conference room.
"Nicely done, Tones," James chuckled as they made their way to the conference room.
"You think they'll give you what you want?" Happy wondered.
Tony nodded with confidence, "Oh definitely. I exposed that I knew things I shouldn't have known, and since they have no way of knowing what my father told me or when he told me, they'll give me what I asked for probably by the end of the day."
Pepper quirked her eyebrow, her lips thinning slightly. "If they send Romanov after you anyway?"
Tony knocked his head to the side, glancing quickly at Pepper with a grin on his face. "Then Romanov is going to have a surprise visit from her little sister. A family reunion of sorts."
James scoffed and shook his head. "I still don't understand how Shield had no idea about her when they knew everything else."
"It's infested with Hydra," Tony replied, righting his head. "Bringing Romanov in wasn't planned, and they don't want to take a chance on another Black Widow making their way inside. That's asking for trouble."
"Surprising," Pepper said sarcastically, making them all laugh.
Once they opened the doors to the conference room, reporters began their usual business of yelling out questions and general annoyance. They all made their way to the stage without much trouble, and for the first time since returning, Tony was facing off with what could either make or break his future. To say he was nervous would be a vast understatement of the emotions currently swirling around in his stomach.
Tony held up a single hand, and like always, the room gradually quieted down. He tried hard to smother the smile that threatened to spill out. He managed to bring it down to a smirk, but really, having the ability to quiet a room full of rowdy press members would always bring him great joy. Not even Pepper could call it immature; she enjoyed that particular ability herself.
"Before I say anything else, I'm going to lay down some ground rules." The minute Tony began to talk, his smirk disappeared and his voice hardened. He wondered briefly how the press would react to what he had to say next before pushing it out of his mind. If they truly wanted to stay, they'd behave.
"This is not a normal Tony Stark press conference, so if you can't be respectful, you will be escorted out. Do not ask any questions until I'm done. If I refuse to answer a question and you insist on my giving you an answer, not only will you be escorted out, but you will also be banned from attending any press conference I or my company is a part of."
Tony took a moment to bask in the silence he was able to place upon the room's occupants. He'd normally let them run wild because it was easier to take advantage of them that way, but this worked out quite nicely as well. He had no intention, however, of ever letting future conferences retain the seriousness that this one has. If he has his way, every other conference he does in the future is going to be about the future and all the good he wants to happen.
"As you all know by now, Obadiah Stane and 11 other people from Stark Industries were charged with illegal arms dealing, treason, and aiding and abetting kidnapping." Tony started off strong, his voice ringing through the still-silent room.
"I won't go into details as this is still an active investigation by the military and the FBI in conjunction with Stark Industries, and it has been classified as a threat to national security. At this point in time, any questions about what is being done will have to wait until the investigation is complete. Naturally, there will be details omitted as they are sensitive information and not available to the public, but for the most part, there will be transparency regarding everything."
Tony let the information sink in for a moment, allowing the press who didn't bring a recorder to write down their notes before he continued with his statement. He never had the attention of the press like this before; it was odd seeing them hang onto every single word he spoke when before they would pick and choose what he said.
"Now, Obadiah Stane was killed when he attempted to harm an FBI agent, so unfortunately, unlike the rest of his team, he will not be facing the court of law. I, on behalf of Stark Industries, take this time to apologize to the families and the people, including our men and women overseas, that were harmed due to the actions of Stane and his team."
Tony took a step back and allowed James to take over the stage as he announced that all members of the armed forces that were killed protecting Tony in Afghanistan would be receiving full military honors and would have their funerals paid for by Stark Industries. After Rhodey's announcement, a short clip of all the men who died was shown briefly before James asked for a moment of silence for the fallen. He eventually took a step back, and Tony began speaking once again.
"When I was kidnapped," Tony began after a short breath, "it was a set-up orchestrated by Obadiah Stane. If I had not returned and had been pronounced dead, the company would have automatically passed to him. Unluckily for him and luckily for me, I was able to survive my ordeal and make it back. While I cannot give too many details, I have been allowed to inform you all that the terrorist group responsible for my kidnapping is called the Ten Rings."
A hush went over the room as Tony announced the name. Some members of the press knew exactly who they were, while others were confused. It didn't really matter if they didn't know who they were now. The point was that if a terrorist group was able to kidnap him, it would cause worry for everyone else.
"In the simplest way I can put it, they wanted me to build the Jericho bomb for them, and I said no. Naturally, they didn't like that answer, and they made it known very quickly."
Tony sighed slightly as he looked over the crowd. While he knew it had to be said, it didn't mean he was going to enjoy this next part, and from the looks on a couple of their faces, they weren't all that eager to listen to it either.
"The problem with everything wasn't what they wanted me to build; it was what they already had. After a few torture sessions, they brought me out of my cell to show me that it didn't matter if I didn't comply with them. They had no need for the Jericho bomb; they just wanted it."
Tony removed the microphone from its hold and went to sit down on the steps. If he was going to announce this, standing would make him seem strong, but in reality, he was tired. He was more than ready for this conference to be over, but he promised himself honesty over deceitfulness. Shortly after he sat down, he felt Pepper sit down next to him, silently offering her support.
Tony took a deep breath and began to explain the stockpiles of weapons he saw. How there were boxes upon boxes of his guns and bombs. How almost every member he saw, was wearing the protective gear he made for the military. He detailed how they had things he'd designed years ago and how they were studying them. If the crowd wasn't scared before, they were definitely scared now. Even though Tony knew he had the ability to shut it all down remotely and that the military was in fact gearing up to remove his weapons from enemy hands, it didn't put him at ease until he knew for a fact that everything was destroyed.
"They then asked me if I was a bit more willing to do what they wanted. When I refused again, they upped their torture antics. Don't ask me about anything I had to endure while I was over there. It will unfortunately be made public the moment the investigation is completed." Tony warned as he eyed a particular reporter who had begun to open his mouth to ask a question. Luckily for him, he remembered what Tony said in the beginning and quickly shut his mouth before he uttered a single word. Nodding slightly, Tony turned his attention back to the room.
"The only reason I'm not dead now is because they had a doctor captive as well." Tony took a deep breath as he prepared to speak about a man who deserved to live, who deserved to have better cards dealt to him, a man he wasn't given the ability to save. His chest ached with his breath and the memory of a man who pushed him to become better.
"A man by the name of Ho Yinshen helped and saved me whenever they were done with their little torture sessions. He died," Tony's voice cracked as he fought the sob threatening to make its way out of his throat. He never cried for Yinshen's life when he came back, and it seemed as if his emotions decided right now was the best time to do so. Tony, quite frankly, did not agree.
After a moment, Tony shook his head to clear his thoughts. "He died making sure I was able to escape. His family was gone, and he wanted to help me get back to mine. It was the first time I was helped in that way by someone who wasn't my parents or my personal group."
"To be honest, I didn't deserve it," Tony declared. He ran a shaking hand through his hair and down his face. "My bombs killed his entire family. You would think he'd be mad at me, that he'd blame me, but he didn't. He was disappointed. He said my father helped bring peace in a time of war, but I helped bring about destruction unseen since the war. He then asked me if I was able to escape, what I would do, and whether or not I'd let this become my legacy and tarnish the legacy of my father." Tony chuckled lowly, a self-deprecating laugh that shook him to his core.
"I'm called the Merchant of Death, and I didn't see a problem with it because I believed I was helping our soldiers when they're out there. I didn't think of the repercussions my weapons had on the world and the people living in it. There was a reason why my weapons are the most sought-after, and it took me too long to realize that it was never a good thing." Slowly, Tony stood back up and made his way back to the podium with Pepper, a silent supporter, by his side.
"So as of today, Stark Industries is shutting down our weapons manufacturing permanently," Tony pronounced. He ignored the exclamations of surprise and outcries full of judgment, instead choosing to focus on the warmth of Pepper's body. He would deal with everything later, but for now, everything else went ignored.
"The military has been notified and has agreed to cancel our contracts early. I will still be making protective gear, but any and all weapons currently in production will be dismantled and destroyed. Stark Industries will give its full cooperation to the military, the FBI, and the CIA as they continue with their investigation. Any questions?"
Tony believed that the moment he opened the floor for questions, he'd have to fend off hordes of eager members, but the room was deathly quiet for a long moment before Christine Everhart raised her hand. When given the okay, she asked the first question in a long, long line of them.
"How do you think your father would feel about this? Do you think he'd be angry?"
"Going for the jugular, huh?" Tony snarked and had to snort when he saw her expression full of her trademark judgment. He knew she would ask the first question and wouldn't hold back, but he was still surprised she mentioned his father first.
"My father would be just as angry, but he'd also be disappointed, not only in the company but with me," Tony revealed. It was one of the things he and his parents talked about in the soul plane. As proud as his father was, this was the one thing he said he was disappointed in Tony for. It hurt to know and hear, and it hurt, even more, to admit now, but there was something freeing about it as well.
"I should have been a better leader; I should have paid more attention, and because I didn't, this happened now. Yes, someone in my company sold my weapons illegally, but they were able to do it because I was hardly there. I spent my time partying and drinking and didn't see a problem with it. As a result, terrorists now have my weapons, which rest on my shoulders. So yes, my father would be disappointed, but he'd also be angry. Angry that someone would take the company he built and turn it into this. Angry that I was betrayed by people who weren't supposed to. He'd be angry that I'm now in this position. Next question."
"You said you were once called the Merchant of Death. You liked it then; what changed?"
"Well, being tortured for 3 months will change a person. Knowing your weapons are in the hands of terrorists will have that effect on you too. Before, I was protected. I was shielded by my money, fame, and importance as a weapons contractor. I was so far removed from anything that I was only able to see from my point of view, which was also the military side of things. I was willfully ignorant. I was told my weapons caused destruction," Tony replied with a small nod toward Everhart. She was the first to confront him, right before he left. "I was told to look at the end result, but I didn't. I didn't want to. I thought I didn't need to."
"How does the military feel about this?"
"Oh, they're just as pissed as I am; in fact, I'd say they're angrier. They understand a little better since they spend so much time dealing with terrorists, but they're also worried that the next time our boys go out, which ones won't come back as a result of my weapons. They're figuring out what they're going to do on that front, and I don't have answers to that, but yeah, they're angry and worried. The same goes for the FBI. It's not a good situation for anyone."
"What happened when you escaped?"
"I blew up the compound, and my weapons went with it."
"I'm sorry?"
Tony shrugged but reiterated what he had already said. "I blew up the compound and burned my weapons. If I didn't, they'd still be there like sitting ducks. I escaped a few days before I was found, and a lot can happen in a few days. I wasn't sure if that compound was the only one nearby, and I didn't want to take a chance, so yes, I blew it up."
"How will your company cooperate? What steps are being taken?"
"As I said, our factories are being shut down, and weapons are being dismantled and destroyed. As for the people side, there will be an investigation into every single board member that wasn't already arrested, including the assistants. Before anyone asks, that does include myself, as agents have already searched or are currently searching my office, the office of Pepper Potts, and our homes as well. Going from there is where I don't have information for you."
"Are you worried?"
"Of course I am." Tony scoffed at the question. "I worked with these people, and the ones arrested have been on the board since my father founded the company. Some of them used to come to my house when I was a child. I know these men personally, so yes, I'm worried. Even though they betrayed me, my father, the company, and the country, I'm worried about their families and what this will do to them, but I'm not going to protect them if it's found they played a part. It wouldn't be right to the people killed with my weapons by terrorist groups; it wouldn't be right to my father's legacy; and it wouldn't be right to me."
"What about you?"
"Are you asking if I'm worried that I'm going to end up in the same boat?" At the reporter's nod, Tony rolled his eyes but answered.
"No. I was kidnapped and tortured for 3 months. Anyone who does that willingly to themselves has some misplaced masochistic tendencies. I didn't do anything illegal, so I'm not worried in the slightest because I know I'm innocent. The contracts I signed and the weapons I sold to the U.S. were all done legally." Tony shrugged for a moment, tilting his head as he pondered the question. "Morally," he clarified, "you could say I'm guilty, but on the side of legality, I'm as innocent as a baby bird."
"What will the future of Stark Industries look like now?"
"I want to focus on science and innovation. Technology and green energy. So many in the R&D department have the potential to create things to help rather than destroy. My company can change, and we will. We already have projects in the works, and I know others are waiting for my approval. Nothing will happen until I'm completely healed, of course," he explained. "However, contracts are being rewritten, and my employees will be given the chance to decide what they want to do when all is said and done. It's not going to be easy with the number of employees we currently have, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy."
It was a few weeks after the press conference that Tony was notified that the investigation had been completed. He'd been on house arrest; the only places he could go were home and work, and he was under constant surveillance, as was the entire company. It was annoying, but since they agreed to let him screen every person they sent in, it wasn't too difficult. The fact that he was able to weed out a few Hydra members was a bonus. Even though it was kept tightly under wraps, it did give the military and the FBI the jump start they needed to get any remaining Hydra members out of their ranks. It wasn't all that bad. Once it was known that the rest of his company was clean, they were able to announce it during another press conference, and all stocks that had dropped before were slowly on the rise once again. It was slow going, but it was worth it to be able to walk down the street or get takeout in person.
Soon, documents were slowly being released online, which took a fight to make happen. The military, particularly General Ross, wanted to keep the information private, but Tony, with the help of Director Mueller and James, was able to get some documents online. The public had a right to know some things, and while more sensitive information, such as where terrorist groups were located, was to remain sealed, information detailing illegal dealings was covered for the most part. Slowly but surely, everything was unraveling, and it turned out that it wasn't just Stark Industries that suffered from under-the-table arms deals. It not only took the heat off him but also allowed for greater cooperation among the U.S. and its allies as some of the companies were foreign; he supposed it was for the better.
While that was going on, Tony focused on his personal projects, such as his arc reactor, creating the suits for himself and James, as well as the search and rescue armor for the military. Tony was lucky that Jarvis had his data up to Ultron, so the suit designs were more advanced than the originals. He once thought about starting from the beginning, but as all the material was now available, even if it were a bit pricy, it was better to start off strong. By the time the invasion comes, the suits will be able to operate at a higher level. Tony also decided that he would start the legion again after a long conversation with James and his superiors. They weren't exactly thrilled by the idea of Tony essentially having his own "army" of armored weaponry, but with a detailed plan of how they would be used, it was agreed upon as long as they were used within that context.
Once Pepper found out what he was up to, she informed him that she would rather have her suit now than wait for something to go wrong. She wanted to be able to protect herself if anything happened. She knew that with her "training" to take over Stark Industries, she would become a huge target. Possibly bigger than before since she played a significant role in the outing of several Hydra members. If their list previously only had Tony, it most definitely includes her now. It didn't bug Tony, not really. While their relationship was still private, she was still his wife, and her safety was always his top priority, so Tony and Jarvis began on Pepper's model alongside his own.
Things were relatively peaceful for once in Tony's life, and of course, that is when it all started to get hairy. It was a few days after the first few documents were made available that his medical records were placed online alongside the rest of the information available to the public.
"We knew it was going to happen," Pepper hummed lowly from her place in Tony's arms that night.
"Yeah, I know, it still sucks. I'm just happy they decided to keep the information about my arc reactor to a minimum. No one needs to know just what it is."
Tony looked down at his chest and smiled to himself. Just as he predicted, Shield had given him his father's research and the Captain's shield a few hours after he arrived home. He was surprised that when they came to his home, they brought both Natasha and Clint. It was fun toying with them as he directed them to his living room. Their poor excuses to find out all he knew about them were hilarious. It would have continued to be funny if Jarvis didn't inform him of their hacking attempts, at which point Tony, Pepper, and Rhodey all had a repluser aimed at their faces. If Tony had Jarvis take a picture and had them framed in his lab, that was for him to know and laugh at and for them to never find out.
"You know Shield is going to try and get in your good graces by trying to "solve" your poisoning problem, right?"
Tony chuckled lowly, tightening his arms around Pepper. "I know, but since it's already been solved, or rather in the process of being solved, they won't get very far." Tony had already scheduled an appointment with Dr. Strange and was set to meet with him in a few days. So while it'll be annoying having to deal with them, Tony would be too busy with his many projects and plans for the Stark Expo, and they'd have a hard time trying to squeeze their way into his life.
Tony wanted nothing to do with Shield until his alien God brought the mind stone to Earth. Only then would they get anywhere near him.
I killed Stane...I really really didn't want anything to do with him...so yeah he's dead dead. We hate Obadiah Stane in this house.
Yes I mentioned Natasha's sister. There is a reason for it, it won't come up for a few chapters but you'll why when it does. Tony knows everything about everyone of importance in Shield. That knowledge will come out at seemingly random times but it will play into the larger picture later.
There were some time jumps at the end there but we'll get back into the nitty gritty next chapter. I can't wait to introduce Dr. Strange, hopefully I do him justice. Vanko and the other bad guy, I forgot his name because he isn't important is coming up soon...I still don't have a plan for them...I'll probably kill them too tbh LMAO
Don't have a plan for a character? Kill them.
I have a plan in mind for how I want the next chapter to go but I'm too tired to think straight...
Speaking of straight and how I'm not...
HAPPY PRIDE MONTH LOVELIES!