STARBORN: XXIV –THE HEART
2000
STARK INDUSTRIES, NY
Kalum Tiberius crystal blue eyes scan the black, unfinished bodysuit, Tony Stark had design for Alora Stark taking from the synthetic suit she used to rescue him. Tony continue to finish building his Mark III since the last one was pretty damage after his fight in Gulmira, both men stood in silence as they focus on the task at hand. Usually Kalum and Tony wouldn't hang around together, they somehow get on each other nerves but for a strange reason Kalum could feel the need of having to be here. He glances at Tony who supervise the CNC machine do his suit, Kalum knew the hero journey had begun according to the prophecy he had studied during years. He just knew.
"What gives JARVIS?" Tony wonders, Kalum toss a glance at Tony and notice the machine had stopped working.
"You have a visitor, sir. Obadiah Stane is here." JARVIS replied, Tony's face darkens at the mention of his father's old partner.
Kalum immediately notice the change in demeanor, he slowly walked toward Tony as he watched him silently debate if he should go or not. "Want me to go tell him off?"
Tony met his gaze before shaking his head, he put away his screen phone inside his back pocket. "Don't need my sister's ward to do my bidding."
"Is this why fate brought us together?" Kalum deadpanned, Tony rolled his eyes like the rich diva he clearly is and made his way to the door.
"Don't touch my stuff." He points a warning finger at Kal who just raised a daring eyebrow in response. "JARVIS finish my suit."
"Yes, sir."
Tony climb the stairs slowly; in his mind he wonders why would Obadiah come to his house? They were not on speaking terms since the night at the Gala where Tony had his eyes open by him. Obadiah Stane stood in the living room wearing his usual Tom Ford suit and a UNOS pizza with a set smile on his face, Tony stood a few feet away from him. His expression quizzical, silently asking why was he here after what he did to him.
"It's UNOS. Four cheese." He opens the box lid, showing a delicious cheese pizza. "I just had it flown in from Chicago."
Tony remain unfazed by his offering, what he did to him was something that wouldn't be solve by a simple sorry or a UNOS pizza. With a sigh, Obadiah nodded in understanding, he set the pizza on the coffee table before reaching inside his expensive suit. "I'd like you to proof-read something for me."
The former Stark Industries CEO received the letter, sitting on the couch as he quickly scans the whole letter before starting to actually read it.
"Would you want me it to spell-check it, sir?"
Obadiah eyes scan the place before pointing at the ceiling, knowing JARVIS would be an obstacle for him to do what he came to do. "Can you turn him off? All the way?"
Tony threw Obadiah a glance before doing as he requested. "Spin down Jarvis."
It was a letter of resignation, Obadiah Stane was deliberately stepping away from Stark Industries and offering Tony Stark his rightful position as CEO. Tony double check everything, wondering in his mind why would Obadiah all of a sudden give him his company back? Was this a test? Did Obadiah really have a change of heart and realize how wrong he was?
Tony turn to look at Obadiah, expression serious. "This is a resignation letter."
Obadiah nodded, confirming his words. "You were right. It's not my company—not my name in the building." Tony squinted his eyes slightly as he spoke, Obadiah smiled at him before placing his hands inside his pant pockets. "Working with your father had taught me so much—given me so much, you and Alora became my family. But I guess everything comes to an end eventually, this is where our paths diverge."
For a reason Tony found himself feeling bad, Obadiah became a father figure to him after Howard died. Hearing him talk about leaving caused his struggling heart to clench with nostalgia, another family member gone just like that. He felt his phone buzz, Tony took it out and checked the ID caller, noticing it was another call from Alora.
"It's Alora. I probably should take it."
Obadiah glance at Tony's phone before quickly speaking. "Tony, please. I'll be out of here in a minute." Without knowing the roguish reasons behind Obadiah's words, Tony decline the call and focus his attention of Stane. "We have too much history to part on bad terms. I'd like your blessing."
He walked near Tony and offered him a hug much like he did with Raza. Unknowingly, Tony lean into Obadiah's embrace when out of nowhere he felt a numb—almost painful sensation spreading rapidly from his ear to his entire body. Tony's body became paralyze, Obadiah slowly lay him on the couch with a sardonic smile on his face.
"Easy now. Try to breath..." Obadiah mumble to Tony, the eldest Stark could only stare wide eyed to the man he thought was family. "You can't mess with progress, Tony. It's an insult to the Gods. You created your greatest weapon ever—but you think that means it belongs to you." Obadiah unbutton Tony's chest buttons revealing his center, with almost pure bliss Obadiah stare at it. "It belongs to the world."
Obadiah placed a retrieving device on his chest piece before removing it, Tony's heart began to beat furiously as he clearly remembers what happens if that chest piece is removed. By the time this paralysis wears off, Tony Stark would be dead on his couch due to the shrapnel finally making its way to his heart.
"Your heart will be the seed of the next generation of weapons. They'll help us steer the world back in the right direction—put the balance of power back in our hands. The right hands." Obadiah stood up, the arc reactor glowing on his face. "By the time you die, my prototype will be operational. It's not as conservative as yours." Tony watched Obadiah begin to leave with an agonizing stare, Obadiah stopped abruptly before turning around with a raise pointer finger. "The sad thing is... we are both the good guys. Don't worry about Alora, she never really was your sister to begin with."
With a last wink, Obadiah left Tony to die in his living room, his plan was going accordingly now all he needed to do was get to Stark Industries. Tony fought hard, trying to get his body to react was difficult and time consuming but not impossible. His upper body began to tingle; his arms were starting to come back to him slowly but surely. Tony began to slide off the couch, using his kind of numb arms to drag his body to his workshop where he hopes Kalum still was.
Oblivious to Tony's life and death situation, Kalum was twirling his spear, deciding it was time for him to do some practicing since he had nothing else to do. Kalum's back was facing the stairs were Tony was slowly tumbling down, the demigod tried some martial arts move using his spear, one of the moves had him swiveling around which had him face to face with a pale Tony Stark.
"For Horus eyes and the fucking seven wonders!" Kalum curse out, dropping his spear as he rushed to Tony whose eyes were fixated on something. "What the hell happened?"
One of his helping bots Tony built in MIT slowly made its way to the two men while holding his old arc reactor. Quickly, Kalum laid Tony on the floor and took the arc reactor, smashing the glass before Kalum retrieve the chest piece and quickly insert in Tony's socket. "Come on Stark, don't leave us. Don't leave us."
Tony felt his body immediately react to the arc reactor, allowing him to feel calm and unpreoccupied of an untimely death. Taking a loud gulp of air, Kalum let out a sigh of relief, running a hand through his dyed brown hair. Tony gave him a grateful nod, taking a couple more of deep breaths to try and calm himself before starting to sit up with the help of Kalum.
"Tony! I tried calling—why the hell didn't you—never mind there's something you need to know." Alora rushed to his brother' aid, not knowing what had happened. "Obadiah—."
"—Tried to kill me." Tony finish, Alora blink in surprise. "Yeah, came by to give me a resignation letter but the bastard had other intentions. He took my arc reactor."
"What?!" Alora screeched in horror, her hands squeezing Tony's shoulder's comfortingly.
"Oh so that explains a lot." Kalum spoke, nodding to himself while being ignored by the Stark siblings.
"I'm going to kill him." Alora said, swore to the heavens above.
Tony placed his hand on her arm, the words Obadiah said ringing in his head but Tony wasn't sure if they were true or another of his lies.
"There's something I need you to see." Tony said, a sly smile etching on his face.
✶ ┊사랑병 ˎˊ˗
↳ ScriveFiorella_ Note
TONY BUILT ALORA A
SUIT?? Amazing, my brother
Barely even gives me the time
Of the day.
I can't believe what Chris Evans
Did, like I get it was an accident.
But poor baby, honestly my first
Reaction was concern since we
All know he struggles with
Crippling anxiety and to be trending
Like this?? Jesus...
What really made me laugh was
The 'Guard that pussy' meme,
HAHAHAHA that was hilarious.
What were your reactions
Upon realizing the reason
Behind why he was trending?
Stay safe kiddos💕