Kara handed the signed poster to one of Happy’s bodyguards, instructing him to pass it on to Peter Parker of Midtown High School.
Afterwards, she relayed the news of Stark’s upcoming hearing back to Editor-in-Chief Jameson.
It seemed a trip to Washington was inevitable—otherwise, the Senate might very well tarnish the identity of “Supergirl.” Washington, D.C.
The early morning mist had not yet fully dispersed, and the white dome of the Capitol Hill was faintly visible in the gray sky.
The air was filled with the scent of damp earth, and an invisible, taut atmosphere of political maneuvering.
Kara arrived on an early flight, accompanied by several fellow New York media professionals.
Everyone’s expressions varied as they quietly exchanged various speculations about this sudden hearing.
No one knew if the mysterious “Supergirl” would appear, nor did anyone understand what the senators truly knew or what their intentions were.
But everyone sensed the approaching storm—a storm aimed directly at Tony Stark.
Kara found a coffee shop near the Senate Office Building, where the hearing was to be held.
She ordered a latte and opened her laptop to do a final review of her materials.
She had registered as a Daily Bugle reporter to attend, but Editor-in-Chief Jameson’s demands on the phone last night were far more than just “attending”—”I want to know what that bastard Stark is hiding!” She rubbed her temples, her gaze drifting out the window.
Super Vision pierced through walls and distance, “seeing” the final preparations being made in the hearing room.
Staff members hurried about, and security was visibly heightened.
She also “saw” Tony’s striking audi r8 driving through the D.C.
streets.
Tony inside the car looked no different from when he was at the expo last night, still with that cynical expression, even adjusting his tie in the rearview mirror while waiting at a Red Lantern.
But Kara remembered that “19%” reading.
She used the free time on the flight to try and search her information channels for special toxins possibly related to high-energy Rare Metal Reactors, but only found scattered and mostly theoretical data.
As the time approached, Kara closed her laptop and walked towards the Senate Building.
After passing through layers of security, she entered the hearing’s public gallery, which was packed with reporters, assistants, and onlookers.
The meeting room was solemn and oppressive.
Behind the long interrogation table, several senators were already seated.
At the head was Senator Stern, known for his tough conservative stance, his face grim, his gaze sweeping the room like a torch.
Tony sat alone in the witness box.
Pepper and Happy sat in the back row.
He was still impeccably dressed in a suit, crossing his legs, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest, as if he wasn’t there to be questioned, but to attend a slightly boring talk show.
He didn’t even bother to look at the senators, turning instead to chat with Pepper in the back row.
“Mr.
Stark, please pay attention!” Senator Stern struck the gavel.
“What is it, dear?” Tony playfully responded.
“Could you please listen seriously?” Senator Stern struck the gavel again.
“Do you possess a specialized weapon?” he began his questioning.
Tony straightened his face and replied earnestly, “I do not.
Well…
it depends on how you define the word ‘weapon.'” “Iron Man is a weapon.” Senator Stern stared intently at him.
“My device does not fit that description.
It’s…
a high-tech prosthetic.” Tony continued to “explain.” “It is a weapon, Mr.
Stark.
My top priority is to hand over the Iron Man weapon to the U.S.
government.” Senator Stern’s tone was unyielding.
Tony waved his hand irritably towards the senators’ seats, equally firm: “Then you can forget about it.
I am Iron Man, and I am one with the suit.
Handing over the suit is like handing over myself, which is like…
selling myself.” He paused, then clearly articulated the last few words, “You’ll never get it.” Kara maintained her professional reporter’s demeanor, rapidly taking notes.
The senator quickly summoned “weapons expert” Justin Hammer—the CEO of Hammer Industries was brought in to corroborate that Tony’s armor was a dangerous weapon.
However, Tony quickly exposed Hammer’s true colors, projecting a series of evidence onto the large screen at the hearing.
On the screen, various dangerous weapon experiments from around the World were exposed, especially Hammer Industries’ tests, which seemed to have resulted in the death of a test pilot.
Although Hammer desperately argued that no one had died as a result, the entire room was in an uproar.
The senator and Hammer’s faces were terrifyingly grim, their gazes like knives stabbing at Tony.
“You want to take my property?
No way!” Tony stood up, facing everyone, “But I did you a huge favor—I successfully monopolized World peace!” He struck a signature victory pose.
Senator Stern was still not giving up, pressing further: “Mr.
Stark, putting aside weapons for a moment—that flying woman, how do you explain her?
Didn’t you claim to know her?
Perhaps you can tell us her true identity.” The air in the hearing room suddenly solidified.
All cameras, all eyes, instantly focused on Tony.
In the back row, Kara gently pushed up her glasses.
“Senator, it seems you are a villain who likes to betray friends,” Tony sneered.
“Stark!
Everyone saw her battle with the Hulk that day, which almost destroyed half of New York!
That woman is as dangerous as the Hulk!
She must accept government Super Vision!
The Senate also summoned her today, where is she?!” Senator Stern roared, losing his composure.
Tony watched him contemptuously, continuing his sarcasm: “How could an elegant lady deign to meet a buffoon like you?” “Screw you!
Go to hell, Stark!!” Stern cursed.
“This hearing is adjourned!” A senator nearby quickly interrupted, trying to prevent his colleague’s unsightly display from being fully recorded by the cameras.
Tony turned, striking a completely victorious pose, and specifically waved towards the Daily Bugle camera— Kara precisely captured that moment.
Flashbulbs rained down, following Tony Stark’s head-held-high departure.
A characteristic, victorious smile was plastered on his face as he casually waved to the media on both sides, as if he had just concluded a successful product launch, not a government inquiry intended to strip him of his armor.
Pepper and Happy followed closely.
Pepper’s brow was slightly furrowed, as if she was quickly assessing the potential commercial and public opinion chain reactions this public confrontation might trigger; Happy faithfully used his burly physique to separate the overly excited crowd.
Kara did not continue forward.
She quickly checked the images she had just captured on her camera: Tony’s wave, his mocking expression towards the senator, his confident display of evidence, and his final defiant victory pose.
The photos were clear and powerfully angled, enough to support a fiery cover story.
She had already thought of the title: “Stark’s Hearing: A Complete Victory—’World Peace, I’m in Charge.'” Of course, the internal text needed some modification; she would need to mention Senator Stern’s accusations regarding “Super Vision” and “Supergirl”—though those accusations seemed pale and powerless against Tony’s sharp counterattack and Hammer’s embarrassment.
Kara packed up her things and slowly walked out of the meeting room with the crowd.
The hallway buzzed with activity; reporters excitedly exchanged recorded statements, analyzing the political implications.
Kara’s Super Hearing caught fragmented conversations: “Stark’s stock will surely soar,” “Hammer is finished,” “Who exactly is that flying woman?” “Stark is too arrogant, something will happen sooner or later…” She calmly walked to the restroom, and in a stall, quickly emailed the core photos and a brief explanation back to the Daily Bugle editorial department.
Almost simultaneously, Jameson’s reply popped up, short and excited: “Excellent work!
Front page!
Keep a close eye!
I want more dirt on Hammer!” Kara put away her phone and sighed softly.
She washed her hands and looked at herself in the mirror—her blue eyes behind the black-rimmed glasses held a trace of imperceptible fatigue.
The political calculations permeating the air in Washington, combined with the hidden sense of crisis surrounding Tony, made her feel an invisible weight.
Undoubtedly, the federal government was already watching her.
When she left the building, Tony’s motorcade had already departed.
The afternoon sun was somewhat dazzling, dispelling the morning mist, but the shadow of Capitol Hill seemed to grow heavier.
Kara decided to return to her hotel first to process her manuscript.
However, just as she was walking towards the subway station, her phone vibrated again.
A voicemail: “Miss Danvers?” It was a crisp male voice, devoid of extra emotion, “Mr.
Stark invites you to dinner at the Malibu Villa.” It was Jarvis’s voice, Kara immediately recognized.
She pressed the reply button, her tone calm: “Tell Mr.
Stark I will be there on time.”