Tony Stark leaned against the sleek bar on the top floor of Stark Tower, his private sanctuary, swirling a freshly mixed drink in his hand.
"Jarvis, how long's it been?" he asked, his tone casual but edged with anticipation.
Ever since Peter Parker handed him that half-finished, yet remarkably advanced AI model—brimming with technical maturity and a clear conceptual framework—Tony had used it to overhaul Jarvis into a fully realized artificial intelligence. Life had never felt so effortless. Pepper handled his day-to-day needs, while Jarvis provided razor-sharp insights for his work.
"Three hours and fourteen minutes, sir," Jarvis replied, his voice smooth and precise. "Sir, your blood alcohol level has reached 0.08%. I recommend—"
Tony cut him off with a wave of his hand. "Drinking keeps me happy, Jarvis. Let's leave it at that."
The AI fell silent, opting instead to dim the ambient lighting to a soft, calming blue, casting a serene glow across the penthouse.
Tony refilled his glass, his eyes flicking toward the elevator with barely concealed excitement. Peter Parker had agreed to design a comprehensive security system for S.H.I.E.L.D., working from an office in the tower. Truth be told, Tony could've tackled the project himself, but he'd deliberately passed it to Peter. He wanted to see just how far the kid's genius stretched.
Fueled by this mutual respect between masters of their craft, Tony's gaze darted to the elevator every few seconds. When his freshly poured drink was drained once more, the digital display above the elevator finally sprang to life, the numbers climbing steadily toward the top floor.
"Done," Batman said, tossing a one-time access token to Tony. With a nonchalant flick, Tony sent it sailing over his shoulder into a trash can.
"Congratulations, Mr. Parker," Tony said, setting his glass down and striding to his private workstation. "You don't mind if I take a crack at hacking your new security program, do you?"
As he spoke, he was already logging into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s network, his fingers dancing across the keyboard with eager confidence.
Batman extended a hand in a gesture of invitation. "Be my guest."
As always, Batman exuded unshakable confidence in Tony's presence. It wasn't just faith in his technological prowess—it was a calculated performance of Peter Parker's persona. Parker Industries, the company he'd founded, was destined to grow into the Parker Group, a sprawling business empire. Constantly downplaying his abilities would only invite suspicion. Displaying Peter's brilliance, however, made his achievements feel plausible, even inevitable.
Batman's research into Peter Parker had already confirmed the young man's genius. The web-shooters and their fluid formula were proof enough—innovations so clever they'd inspired Batman to upgrade his own grappling gun into the sleeker, faster Batarang.
Tony's competitive streak flared at Batman's self-assured demeanor. Without hesitation, he dove into the challenge, attempting to breach S.H.I.E.L.D.'s new system. But as minutes ticked by, his expression darkened. After more than ten grueling minutes, he threw up his hands in defeat.
"I surrender," Tony declared, shaking his head as he turned to Batman. "Peter, you're a damn genius. That firewall of yours—it's like you're the God of Gamblers in those old Hong Kong flicks. You've mastered every trick in the book, and you've already anticipated every move your opponent could make."
He paused, his tone shifting to one of genuine respect. "I'm completely convinced now. That AI model? You wrote it yourself."
Batman gave a slight nod, acknowledging the accuracy of Tony's praise. As a world-class hacker from Gotham, he'd honed his skills infiltrating every kind of system imaginable. A firewall crafted by someone of his caliber was virtually impenetrable—except, perhaps, by Batman himself. Built on concepts far ahead of this world's technology, it would stump even a prodigy like Tony Stark in the short term. And if Tony did manage a breach, the system would detect it instantly and sound the alarm.
Batman hadn't even needed to embed a backdoor. The entire S.H.I.E.L.D. system was his playground, accessible at his whim. Writing the program had taken less than three hours, with half that time spent decrypting S.H.I.E.L.D.'s double- and triple-encrypted files. He'd even covertly commandeered their satellites, pinpointing the missing Norman Osborn.
The entrepreneur, now clad in his Green Goblin suit and shrouded in a tattered cloak, was hiding in plain sight on the streets of Queens, New York. His disheveled appearance might have seemed pitiful, but Batman wasn't fooled. Norman Osborn was responsible for the brutal deaths of seven or eight scientists in the third basement level of his facility, as well as the Spencer family's murder. He also bore partial blame for the deaths of fifty homeless individuals in the second basement, with the rest of the responsibility falling on General Ross, the Air Force Lieutenant General.
Watching Batman construct an unhackable system from scratch left Tony in awe. He now regarded Peter Parker as an equal, someone worthy of serious collaboration. "Peter, this morning Jarvis analyzed the market and flagged a new material developed by something called 'Parker Industries,'" Tony said, leaning forward. "Stark Industries is very interested. We could collaborate, and I can even connect you with some top-tier raw material suppliers."
Batman, still embodying Peter Parker, allowed a warm smile to break through his usually stoic demeanor. "I just acquired a factory and rebranded it as Parker Industries," he explained.
The combination of a groundbreaking AI model, an impregnable security system, and a revolutionary new material convinced Tony he was witnessing the rise of a new entrepreneurial titan. What had started as a meeting of equals now felt like the beginning of a partnership. His offer of suppliers wasn't groveling—it was a gesture of friendship.
But Batman politely declined. "Thank you, Tony, but I've already secured suitable suppliers."
He had no intention of letting anyone meddle in his operations. His goal wasn't to dominate this world's economy or become a billionaire tycoon. Parker Industries existed to fund his true mission: creating a Mother Box—or something even more advanced—to return to Gotham.
Even as he built his empire, Batman never lost sight of his war on crime. Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, remained a priority. Currently blending into the crowds of Queens, Norman wasn't someone Batman planned to confront physically in broad daylight. Instead, he was preparing Plan B—a strategy originally devised for the moment the Green Goblin brandished his long blade at Osborn Manor, only to be derailed by miniature missiles, pumpkin bombs, and his glider.
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