Ivan Vanko, also known as Whiplash, had been rescued.
The operation was efficient. Not long after he was sent to prison for the attack, Hammer arranged for an explosion to fake his death, swapping him out in secret.
As the "prince" swapped in, Ivan Vanko had to prove his worth.
Hammer valued his ability to create a reactor identical to Stark's. He hoped Ivan could deal Tony Stark a serious blow at the Stark Expo.
"Yes, I understand."
But who was Hammer talking to?
"Our stock is growing, Mr. Wick," he said with a smile. "Stark giving up the weapons division is the absolute stupidest thing. What can we do? Wait, I know I cannot hide it from you, the scientist. Okay, yes, I understand."
Hammer's smile faded as the call ended. Turning to the parrot he had bought, his expression soured. Who would have thought the major shareholder of Hammer Industries would interfere in this matter? He stretched out his hand to tease the bird, then turned, put on a smile, and walked toward the scientists working on Hammer Industries' future.
Night had fallen.
John was gaining a new understanding of his father.
"Why did I never notice before how involved Dad is in so many things?" he muttered, rubbing his forehead. Couldn't this vacation be less troublesome?
Hammer Industries. Pym Technologies. His father's investment portfolio was truly impressive. At least the stocks of these companies were booming.
"Well, at least I know Dad is safe now," John thought. The good news was that even S.H.I.E.L.D. had no idea where his father was. As someone often followed by agents, Dad must be used to it by now.
Looking through the information, John stopped scrolling. His eyes fixed on the name of an agent in charge of the file.
"Phil Coulson, alias Clark Gregg, infiltrated Watson Wick's staff."
John stared at the name. He remembered his father mentioning someone named Gregg. This person had been working for his father for at least ten years and was also an agent. The name Coulson struck John as familiar.
"You do not even know there is a ghost in the house," John muttered, then tried to search for any old grudges between Stark and his father. Judging by the tone of the reports, it seemed there were other conflicts beyond the assassination attempt. John could not find anything concrete; perhaps Tony had deleted the records himself. After all, letting John know about their grudge might not be in Tony's best interest.
Even Iron Man had his secrets.
John scoffed and closed the computer. "My vacation is ruined," he sighed. It was a rare holiday, but there were so many things waiting to be dealt with. Fortunately, nothing was urgent. Dad and Mom were together, and with Mom's skills, even if the Hulk showed up, there would not be a problem.
What John had to deal with now was the person ringing the doorbell.
Even through the door, he could sense something unusual about the visitor. The feeling was similar to the female agent who had approached him before.
John opened the door and found himself looking at a very familiar face.
He stared for a moment, then let his gaze fall to the man's single eye.
A stylish fur coat, black eye patch, and an unmistakable presence.
John glanced at the man's shoes. The size and style matched the prints he had seen after his family left. Then his eyes landed on the beautiful red-haired woman standing behind him. John chuckled. "Miss London white-collar worker, welcome to New York."
Natasha looked at John, wondering how he had managed to cross the Atlantic so quickly.
With a charming smile, Natasha flipped her hair and said, "Aren't you going to invite the lady in?"
"I would rather call the police," John replied, glancing around. "But no police officer would answer the call tonight."
Inside the Wick home, it was unusually lively.
First the Supreme Sorcerer, then Iron Man, and now S.H.I.E.L.D.'s director. For thirty years, John had met almost no one, and now everyone seemed to show up at once.
"I do not think Americans like tea," John remarked, picking up a cup of black tea, though he did not offer it to his guests.
Nick Fury felt the clear hostility and looked at John with his one good eye. "Your hostility toward me is not without reason. Can I know why?"
"It is simple. A female agent pretended to be abducted in front of my house," John replied, glancing at Fury. "Someone else sneaked in after my family left and did not know what he was looking for."
"Wonderful," Nick Fury said with a slow clap. "Then if I ask, how does someone cross the Atlantic in one hour?"
"Wow, that must be magic," John answered with deliberate blandness, his expression calm. "You can ask the agent lady. She crossed the Atlantic in one morning."
Natasha, who had taken the Quinjet, was naturally different from John.
Nick Fury's gaze was sharp.
Even S.H.I.E.L.D.'s only information on John was his birth certificate, which showed how mysterious he was. After he turned nineteen, he had disappeared from the world for ten years. Even Coulson, who had been undercover with his father, had never met him. Now he had suddenly appeared in Manhattan, using the most mysterious methods, and had recently been in contact with Tony Stark.
He needed to be evaluated by S.H.I.E.L.D.
First impression: young. So young that he did not look thirty, more like he had frozen at nineteen.
Second: elegance. The suit vest, golden watch chain, and black hair gave him an aristocratic air. His red-brown eyes seemed to shift, making it hard to look away. Every movement carried the unique blend of Slavic and British temperament.
"Maybe you have not heard this in a long time, but when you enter someone else's house, you should state your name out of politeness," John said, setting down his teacup. "And it is rude to stare at the host like that."
"Nick Fury," Fury replied with a grin, showing his teeth and flashing his ID. "Director of the Strategic Homeland Defense Attack and Logistics Support Agency."
"That is quite a name," John said. "Do not tell me you do not think so."
"The abbreviation is S.H.I.E.L.D. The people under me prefer to call it that," Fury replied with a wave of his hand.
John was not surprised. This organization had single-handedly promoted the Avengers plan. S.H.I.E.L.D. had come simply because of Stark.
"I think Tony Stark told you a lot," Fury said, looking around. Everything was intact; it did not look like there had been a fight. "We hope you will cooperate with us."
"Sorry, I do not want to cooperate," John replied firmly.
He had come for a vacation, not to get involved in S.H.I.E.L.D. business.
His refusal was so decisive that Fury hesitated. "What is it you do not want to hear?"
"Nothing good ever comes from it. I knew that the moment I saw this young lady agent," John said. "My vacation schedule is tight."
He was already tired from helping the Supreme Sorcerer during his break. Did they really expect him to get involved in even more trouble? Even the Witch King needed a rest.
Nick Fury seemed about to argue but then changed his mind. He stood up and said, "Well, I hope you enjoy your holiday."
His sudden change was confusing, but John could sense that Fury had no good intentions.
At the door, Fury called out, "By the way, say hello to your father for me. I have to say, he has caused me a lot of trouble."
Trouble?
John's mind raced. If the trouble was not Tony Stark, then who?
He watched Fury leave, his wand sliding into his left hand.
Outside, Fury whispered to Natasha, "Find another opportunity to get close to him."
"He has no news about Watson Wick," Natasha replied, for once agreeing directly.
Fury gave her a sidelong glance and said calmly, "He has information we do not know. The father will always come looking for his son. The Ten Rings organization will attack the underground president. There must be a bigger conspiracy. Keep an eye on this kid. If the Ten Rings cannot find Watson Wick, they might go after his son."
Natasha nodded. "I understand."
"What about Tony Stark?" she asked.
"Tony is S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top priority," Fury replied after a moment. "His situation will be resolved in the next few days. I will arrange for others to monitor here. You should focus on Tony's case."
Natasha was not the only S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, and being squeezed like this made her begin to understand John's reluctance to have his vacation ruined. Having an overbearing boss could be truly exhausting.
Their conversation ended, and they left the valuable property.
After they were gone, the Disillusionment Charm on John gradually faded away.
"The Ten Rings?" he mused. It seemed his parents really were safe. Even S.H.I.E.L.D. did not know where they were.
Meanwhile, Ivan Vanko, recently rescued, was proving his value to Hammer Industries. Hammer valued his ability to create a reactor identical to Stark's and hoped he could deal Tony Stark a serious blow at the Stark Expo.
"Yes, I understand," Ivan replied.
Who was Hammer talking to? "Our stock is growing, Mr. Wick," he said with a smile. "Stark giving up the weapons division is the absolute stupidest thing. What can we do? Wait, I know I cannot hide it from you, the scientist. Okay, yes, I understand."
Hammer's smile faded as the call ended. He turned to his parrot, not looking pleased. Who would have thought the major shareholder of Hammer Industries would interfere in this matter? He teased the bird, then turned, put on a smile, and walked toward the scientists working on Hammer Industries' future.
Night again.
John was still coming to terms with his father's many secrets.
"Why did I never notice before how involved Dad is in so many things?" he muttered, rubbing his forehead. Couldn't this vacation be less troublesome?
Hammer Industries. Pym Technologies. His father's investments were truly impressive. At least the stocks of these companies were booming.
"Well, at least I know Dad is safe now," John thought. Even S.H.I.E.L.D. did not know his father's whereabouts. As someone often followed by agents, Dad must be used to it by now.
Scrolling through the information, John stopped. His eyes fixed on the name of an agent in charge of the file.
"Phil Coulson, alias Clark Gregg, infiltrated Watson Wick's staff."
John stared at the name. He remembered his father mentioning someone named Gregg. This person had been working for his father for at least ten years and was also an agent. The name Coulson struck John as familiar.
"You do not even know there is a ghost in the house," John muttered, then tried to search for any old grudges between Stark and his father. Judging by the tone of the reports, it seemed there were other conflicts beyond the assassination attempt. John could not find anything concrete; perhaps Tony had deleted the records himself. After all, letting John know about their grudge might not be in Tony's best interest.
Even Iron Man had his secrets.
John scoffed and closed the computer. "My vacation is ruined," he sighed. It was a rare holiday, but there were so many things waiting to be dealt with. Fortunately, nothing was urgent. Dad and Mom were together, and with Mom's skills, even if the Hulk showed up, there would not be a problem.
What John had to deal with now was the person ringing the doorbell.
Even through the door, he could sense something unusual about the visitor. The feeling was similar to the female agent who had approached him before.
John opened the door and found himself looking at a very familiar face.
He stared for a moment, then let his gaze fall to the man's single eye.
A stylish fur coat, black eye patch, and an unmistakable presence.
John glanced at the man's shoes. The size and style matched the prints he had seen after his family left. Then his eyes landed on the beautiful red-haired woman standing behind him. John chuckled. "Miss London white-collar worker, welcome to New York."
Natasha looked at John, wondering how he had managed to cross the Atlantic so quickly.
With a charming smile, Natasha flipped her hair and said, "Aren't you going to invite the lady in?"
"I would rather call the police," John replied, glancing around. "But no police officer would answer the call tonight."
Inside the Wick home, it was unusually lively.
First the Supreme Sorcerer, then Iron Man, and now S.H.I.E.L.D.'s director. For thirty years, John had met almost no one, and now everyone seemed to show up at once.
"I do not think Americans like tea," John remarked, picking up a cup of black tea, though he did not offer it to his guests.
Nick Fury felt the clear hostility and looked at John with his one good eye. "Your hostility toward me is not without reason. Can I know why?"
"It is simple. A female agent pretended to be abducted in front of my house," John replied, glancing at Fury. "Someone else sneaked in after my family left and did not know what he was looking for."
"Wonderful," Nick Fury said with a slow clap. "Then if I ask, how does someone cross the Atlantic in one hour?"
"Wow, that must be magic," John answered with deliberate blandness, his expression calm. "You can ask the agent lady. She crossed the Atlantic in one morning."
Natasha, who had taken the Quinjet, was naturally different from John.
Nick Fury's gaze was sharp.
Even S.H.I.E.L.D.'s only information on John was his birth certificate, which showed how mysterious he was. After he turned nineteen, he had disappeared from the world for ten years. Even Coulson, who had been undercover with his father, had never met him. Now he had suddenly appeared in Manhattan, using the most mysterious methods, and had recently been in contact with Tony Stark.
He needed to be evaluated by S.H.I.E.L.D.
First impression: young. So young that he did not look thirty, more like he had frozen at nineteen.
Second: elegance. The suit vest, golden watch chain, and black hair gave him an aristocratic air. His red-brown eyes seemed to shift, making it hard to look away. Every movement carried the unique blend of Slavic and British temperament.
"Maybe you have not heard this in a long time, but when you enter someone else's house, you should state your name out of politeness," John said, setting down his teacup. "And it is rude to stare at the host like that."
"Nick Fury," Fury replied with a grin, showing his teeth and flashing his ID. "Director of the Strategic Homeland Defense Attack and Logistics Support Agency."
"That is quite a name," John said. "Do not tell me you do not think so."
"The abbreviation is S.H.I.E.L.D. The people under me prefer to call it that," Fury replied with a wave of his hand.
John was not surprised. This organization had single-handedly promoted the Avengers plan. S.H.I.E.L.D. had come simply because of Stark.
"I think Tony Stark told you a lot," Fury said, looking around. Everything was intact; it did not look like there had been a fight. "We hope you will cooperate with us."
"Sorry, I do not want to cooperate," John replied firmly.
He had come for a vacation, not to get involved in S.H.I.E.L.D. business.
His refusal was so decisive that Fury hesitated. "What is it you do not want to hear?"
"Nothing good ever comes from it. I knew that the moment I saw this young lady agent," John said. "My vacation schedule is tight."
He was already tired from helping the Supreme Sorcerer during his break. Did they really expect him to get involved in even more trouble? Even the Witch King needed a rest.
Nick Fury seemed about to argue but then changed his mind. He stood up and said, "Well, I hope you enjoy your holiday."
His sudden change was confusing, but John could sense that Fury had no good intentions.
At the door, Fury called out, "By the way, say hello to your father for me. I have to say, he has caused me a lot of trouble."
Trouble?
John's mind raced. If the trouble was not Tony Stark, then who?
He watched Fury leave, his wand sliding into his left hand.
Outside, Fury whispered to Natasha, "Find another opportunity to get close to him."
"He has no news about Watson Wick," Natasha replied, for once agreeing directly.
Fury gave her a sidelong glance and said calmly, "He has information we do not know. The father will always come looking for his son. The Ten Rings organization will attack the underground president. There must be a bigger conspiracy. Keep an eye on this kid. If the Ten Rings cannot find Watson Wick, they might go after his son."
Natasha nodded. "I understand."
"What about Tony Stark?" she asked.
"Tony is S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top priority," Fury replied after a moment. "His situation will be resolved in the next few days. I will arrange for others to monitor here. You should focus on Tony's case."
Natasha was not the only S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, and being squeezed like this made her begin to understand John's reluctance to have his vacation ruined. Having an overbearing boss could be truly exhausting.
Their conversation ended, and they left the valuable property.
After they were gone, the Disillusionment Charm on John gradually faded away.
"The Ten Rings?" he mused. It seemed his parents really were safe. Even S.H.I.E.L.D. did not know where they were.