Tony?
10: Chapter 10: Kara?
Tony?
Kara focused her mind slightly, and her Super Hearing rippled out like water—Stark Industries had already begun preparing a press conference for Tony’s return.
As a “columnist,” she naturally wouldn’t miss such an occasion, especially since she truly needed to see him.
She opened her phone, and the unread emails from the Daily Bugle had already piled up to 99+.
It seemed that over the past few months, the editor-in-chief, Robbie, had indeed been going crazy with worry.
Fortunately, before heading to Afghanistan, Kara had set up scheduled sends, so those pre-prepared scoops and drafts would still appear in the newspaper’s inbox as planned.
Despite not showing her face for months, Robbie hadn’t removed her from the roster, thanks to those explosive celebrity secrets.
In fact, the name Kara appeared on the newspaper’s pages almost every few days; she had become the most prolific reporter over these past months.
Because of this, Robbie kept writing to check in, terrified she might be poached by another outlet.
Kara picked the most recent email and sent back a reply with a casual excuse about being “too busy chasing news across various states.” Robbie replied almost instantly: “Miss Danvers, in light of your outstanding performance, the newspaper has decided to promote you to the position of Feature Reporter.
Your salary has been doubled, and your bonuses have been wired to your account.
Please come to the office as soon as possible to collect your press credentials.” Kara smiled slightly.
Robbie was clearly worried about her being headhunted—there were indeed many invitations from other newspapers sitting in her inbox.
She listened intently; Tony had finished buying his burger and was heading from the airport to Stark Tower.
The press conference was about to begin.
After a quick shower and changing into a simple dress, she shrunk her suit into a bracelet and put it on.
Kara then headed out toward the Daily Bugle office.
Ten minutes later, she walked out of the newspaper building with her brand-new Feature Reporter ID.
Putting on her glasses, she hailed a taxi and headed straight for Stark Tower.
The press conference hall was already packed.
Kara blended into the crowd soundlessly and soon heard familiar movements from behind the podium—a bald man was half-pushing, half-pulling Tony toward the front.
After taking the stage, Tony said a few words and then sat down casually, gesturing for the reporters to relax.
Kara sat down with the others, wanting to see what he actually had to say.
“I have decided to shut down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark Industries.” As the words fell, the entire room went dead silent.
The World’s largest weapons manufacturer was announcing the abandonment of its core business of nearly a century.
Kara was also stunned—this was practically digging up his own foundations.
She even wondered if Tony had sustained some brain damage in that cave.
Having made the announcement, Tony walked straight off the stage, leaving even Pepper—who was busy dealing with a persistent Agent—unable to react in time.
Kara quietly slipped out of the crowd and followed him.
She intercepted him at the end of the corridor.
“Mr.
Stark, may I have an exclusive interview?” “Sorry, miss, I don’t have time right now.” Tony didn’t stop walking.
“It’s because of that cave, isn’t it?” Kara asked softly behind him.
“You’re shutting down weapons production because of everything you saw there.” Tony stopped abruptly and turned to stare at her, his expression serious.
“Which paper are you with?” “The Daily Bugle.” “Well then, lovely Bugle lady,” his tone carried a suppressed anger, “you wouldn’t want to hear about my experiences in that cave.” Kara sighed softly and slowly took off her glasses.
“Actually, I know.” “Kara?!” Tony’s eyes lit up.
“You’re awake?
That’s great!
Wait…
why couldn’t I recognize you the moment you put on those glasses?” “Just call me Kara,” she smiled.
“Then you should call me Tony.” His expression relaxed, and he led her into a private reception room.
As soon as they sat down, Kara cut straight to the point.
“Tony, are you okay?” He rubbed his brow, looking somewhat exhausted.
“I just…
want to do something right.
Seeing those people—civilians, soldiers, and Ethan—all dying because of Stark weapons…” “That’s not your fault,” Kara said softly.
“The fault lies with the people using the weapons.” “No,” Tony shook his head, pain hidden in his eyes.
“Stark made the killing more efficient.
We were supposed to protect lives, not end them.” Kara fell silent.
He was right.
“I just want to protect others, the way you and Ethan protected me in Afghanistan.” Tony looked up, a glimmer in his eyes.
“To fight against evil, to guard the innocent—just like you said, ‘hope.’ I want to bring people hope.” Kara was momentarily speechless.
She had originally gone to Afghanistan to gather intelligence on other superhumans…
Tony looked at her with sincere eyes.
“Kara, that symbol on your chest—’el-mayarah’.
I want to become that kind of force.” She watched him.
The cynical playboy of her impressions seemed so different now.
Perhaps he really could become some kind of hope.
“Tony, do you know about S.H.I.E.L.D.?” Kara changed the subject.
“S.H.I.E.L.D.?” Tony looked bewildered.
“What’s that?
A new branch of the CIA?” Kara was stunned.
As the CEO of a military-industrial giant who had worked with the government for years, he was completely ignorant of S.H.I.E.L.D.?
Even someone like Kingpin knew a thing or two…
“What about Mutants?
Humans who possess superpowers like I do, I’ve heard.” Tony coughed slightly, looking a bit embarrassed.
“Mutants…
is that some kind of ethnic minority?
Like the Gypsies?” “…And magic?
How much do you know about that?” “Kara, to be honest with you,” Tony rubbed his nose, “before going to Afghanistan, the two things I was most proficient in were engineering…
and Victoria’s Secret.” Kara pressed her hand to her forehead and sighed.
“Fine…
then while I was unconscious, did anything unusual happen to my body?” “Oh!
I can answer that one.” Tony sat up a bit straighter.
“You just slept quietly the whole time.
The Doctors couldn’t even pierce your skin.
Seriously, how do you even get treated when you’re sick?” “No other anomalies?
Like glowing, energy fluctuations…
anything like that?” “None.
You were just like Sleeping Beauty, the one from Disney.” It seemed those memories only existed within her mental World and hadn’t manifested externally.
“Kara,” Tony said suddenly with a serious expression, “I plan to continue perfecting the research we started in the cave.
I need your help—would you be willing to join me?” “Was being a laborer in a cave not enough?” Kara blinked and stood up.
“I still have to go back and write your exclusive interview.” “Wait!
At least stay in touch…” Tony stood up hurriedly.
She smiled, waved her hand, and turned to leave Stark Tower.
Returning to the Daily Bugle, Kara handed an edited recording of the conversation to Robbie and spent the afternoon writing a long editorial supporting Tony’s decision to shut down the weapons business—hoping this would help stabilize Stark Industries’ stock price a little.
Robbie was exceptionally satisfied.
Despite the outside World’s pessimism, the Daily Bugle had secured an exclusive interview with Tony Stark, which was enough to boost subscriptions several times over.
Looking at the layout pages scrolling slowly on the computer screen, Robbie picked up his coffee, feeling that the best decision he had made this year was hiring this incredibly young reporter.
Meanwhile, Kara was already standing on the roof of the newspaper building.
The setting sun dyed the clouds golden-red.
She looked toward Stark Tower and gently touched the suit bracelet on her wrist.