Chapter 555 - Welcome (1/2)
”This is definitely tiring.” Tony Stark now back in his penthouse slumped on his couch... with his Iron Man suit on. With the metallic clanks of his legs slowly stretching forward while he leaned back, the man heaved a deep sigh before a call running straight into the interface of his costume manned by an A.I. rang with the called I.d. showing a man with a serious expression, short brown hair with his hairline receding. A little surprised, Tony still connected with the call, a grumpy voice ringing through his headset.
”There's been a breach in the security.” The thick voice informed, making Tony snicker, ”Happy, come on, you know that I would already notice this. Anyway, how's it hanging? Didn't see you for... 7 hours? Right?”
”That's the time when you flew away, Mr. Stark,” Happy Hogan, Tony Stark's personal bodyguard didn't try to hide his indignation. ”I know right,” Tony smiled, standing from his sofa and making his way to the inner workshop where his 'magic' happened. ”You didn't call me to inform the breach by the companions of my partner, did you?” Tony inquired as the retinal scanner of the door leading to his workshop down from the secret entrance of his penthouse scanned his eyes. ”No, sir. It's about Carl Lucas, sir. He...” Happy thought for a more considerate word before keeping his report clean. ”He ripped the bars of his cell, broke through the walls, and quite literally broke out of the Seagate Prison.”
”Hmm?” Tony slowly walked down the stairs, minding his steps. The unfortunate scraps on the edges of the stairs already testified to his earlier falls. ”You still have an eye on him?” Tony inquired as he pushed open the door built at the end of the stairs and entered his workshop full of mechanical appendages programmed to continue to build the weaponry needed for his suit. ”No. He jumped... away.” Happy replied, ”I'm on my way to the company headquarters. Just figured that my shift could finally come to an end.”
”It's for the better, I guess. If we really poke that super-enhanced teen while my 'chat' with counselors are due in a week... let's just say that everything won't be rainbows and giggles for me anymore.” Tony steps on a circular platform with concentric marks slowly raising in different pillars that started to unscrew Tony's suit. Cutting off the call, Tony sighed, ”The first time I removed the suit was a nightmare. Jarvis, how long until we track Obanai's remnants?” Tony spoke to nothingness as a calm and peaceful voice uttered through one of the may surround space speakers. ”Sir, the breach was a probe. The criminals have gone offline.”
”Damn... another thing, Jarvis,” Tony muttered, ”The city's slowly turning strange. The headquarters won't suffice for much of a base. Have the security team ready. We are moving to the family mansion tomorrow.”
Tony's self-invented A.I. named Jarvis replied in agreement. ”Very well, Sir.”
”Did we get anywhere near the search of... Nick Fury?”
”No, sir. That person is not present in any records of the world. At least, digital. I did not try to hack into the servers of the central intelligence so as to keep the circ.u.mstance of devolving further than they already have.”
”Thanks. Keep an eye out for Mark. He has the local PD's transmitter.”
”Of course, sir.”
By now, Tony's suit was completely dismantled and he sat on the nearest chair before beginning to plan new, rare modifications to his armor. ”Say, Jarvis, I heard that Mr. Reed and his company have finally left for space successfully.”
”Yes, sir. That was a week ago.”
”Hmm, the results of his research should show soon, eh. That guy's a genius... and lucky. Did you see her girlfriend? Sue?”