Chapter 216: Metal
"Surprised, Tony Stark?" Nick Fury's voice carried its characteristic gravelly rumble through the phone. "Wondering how SHIELD bypassed your security and delivered a package directly into your living room?"
"Because I spent twenty-four hours building Jarvis and never upgraded him since." Tony's tone was defensive.
"Your technical consultation satisfied SHIELD. What's in that package is payment, Tony." Fury brushed past Tony's deflection without acknowledgment.
"You're certain it's payment?" Tony scoffed.
"Your condition doesn't escape my notice, Tony." Fury's voice held faint amusement. "The Helicarrier's overall tech might be dated, but you spent enough time aboard for Agent Hill to identify your problem."
"What problem?" Tony kept his expression neutral, walking to the living room bar and extracting a bottle of red wine.
SNAP!
Still wearing the Mark III, Tony flicked one finger, launching the cork across the room. Then he tilted the bottle back and drank straight from it with zero grace whatsoever.
"That reactor in your chest is causing complications, correct?" Fury continued. "Whatever element you're using is triggering rejection. Heavy metal poisoning, perhaps?"
Tony disliked being lectured. But he didn't hang up. Instead, he raised one palm and fired a repulsor blast at the case.
"Don't take your frustration out on the box, Tony. Your father's inside."
Fury had clearly heard the discharge. His laugh carried obvious amusement. After several seconds, he added: "What your father left for you, anyway."
"Whatever he left makes no difference." Tony said. "I've tested every known element as a replacement for the current reactor core. Every single one failed."
"You haven't tested all of them, Tony."
Fury disconnected, leaving Tony standing alone in the living room, lost in thought.
Minutes after Fury hung up, Jarvis's voice interrupted Tony's contemplation: "Sir, you have a visitor at the door."
"Tell them I'm not home," Tony responded without hesitation.
"Sir, he's already inside."
The visitor was Agent Phil Coulson—who'd spent over a month searching New York for Batman unsuccessfully before Fury reassigned him to California.
"If I remember correctly, you tried hitting on Pepper at my first press conference after returning from the Middle East."
Tony regarded Coulson as though he possessed comprehensive knowledge of everything.
In reality, Jarvis had simply briefed Tony during Coulson's walk from the entrance hall to the living room.
"That was me, Tony." Coulson smiled pleasantly.
"Perfect timing. Go to the coffee chain and pick up some drinks. I need to work in the lab for a while." Tony said.
"That's not why I'm here." Coulson maintained his smile. "Director Fury authorized me to use any means necessary to prevent you from leaving this villa."
Tony's mouth twisted into a sardonic grin. "What?"
"I gained entry to your home. I certainly possess methods to stop you. Trust SHIELD's tactical capabilities, Mr. Stark." Coulson's expression remained perpetually pleasant.
Night deepened. The full moon hung high overhead.
"I need a partner. But not the three from North Brother Island. Not Venom either."
Batman stood with arms crossed over his chest, watching a rat scurry past the cave entrance.
The gamma creatures' antidote required the three island scientists' expertise. Batman needed their intellects more than their strength.
Venom's status remained uncertain. Based on previous symbiote research, it wasn't dead—merely entering some form of dormancy.
Daredevil, Silver Sable, Black Cat. Batman believed all three would assist if he asked.
But what Batman intended next offered them limited utility. Potentially exposed them to extreme danger.
Batman needed to locate missing Harry Osborn, the vampiric Morbius, and Max Dillon.
"Oscorp Tower experienced total power failure the day of the incident. Max Dillon landed exactly where severed cables were positioned."
"Wall damage included exposed electrical wiring torn free."
"Evidence indicates severe surface burns on human tissue. But only epidermis—not deep tissue charring."
"Max Dillon likely became something similar to Superman's old adversary Livewire."
Batman hadn't only collected Morbius-related evidence at Oscorp Tower. He'd gathered information on the other two missing individuals as well.
He'd even noticed the discarded empty vial after serum injection and collected a super-soldier serum sample from it.
Batman had observed the shattered glass on Oscorp Tower's top floor. Had reviewed Harry Osborn's handwritten documents in the executive office.
Current circumstances were clear. Morbius had become a vampire. Max Dillon had become "Livewire." Harry Osborn had become the second Green Goblin.
Batman required a partner he could trust yet control. SHIELD obviously didn't qualify.
Currently, Batman could identify only one viable candidate: Tony Stark.
But Tony Stark presented his own complications.
Oscorp Tower lacked surveillance, but Metro-General Hospital didn't.
After returning to the cave, Batman had hacked Metro-General's security systems—both replacing footage of his daytime visit and reviewing Tony delivering Warren to the hospital.
The footage showed Tony's Mark III flight pattern unstable, wavering erratically.
Either Tony had been drunk, or his internal element levels had reached toxic thresholds. Potentially life-threatening concentrations.
Batman always prepared for worst-case scenarios. He immediately assumed the latter and began planning accordingly.
"Tony's extremely intelligent. He won't tolerate ongoing palladium poisoning. He's definitely testing alternative known elements as replacements. Obviously without success."
Batman's gaze sharpened. His mind rapidly cycled through various elements and metals existing only in his original reality.
Various colors of Kryptonite. Nth metal. X-metal. Amazonian steel...
Those dangerous thoughts flashed past and were immediately discarded.
Some couldn't be manufactured due to technological, material, or mystical limitations. Others were too dangerous for consideration.
Quickly, Batman's attention settled on the palm-sized vibranium sample T'Challa had gifted him.
***
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