Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1660 Error Alert

"You guys are too tense."

"Tony, the Secret Service agent responsible for your protection is dead!" Upon seeing the intelligence report, Colonel Rhodes, ignoring Tony Stark's resistance, forcibly dragged him towards the safe house. Two soldiers in desert camouflage body armor, armed with assault rifles, stood outside the safe house. "This means someone was planning to harm you, but they didn't know you were coming to Houston, so their plan failed. We can't be sure if they know this or if they'll raid your residence, so we'll help you contact Pepper and strengthen security around Stark Industries."

"Don't joke with me. What does the death of a special agent three kilometers away have to do with me?"

"There's only one village about ten kilometers from your residence, Tony. The address of the safe house is a secret; ordinary terrorists wouldn't know about the Homeland Security surveillance sites and agent teams they have there. The Secret Service spends a lot of money every year for your safety. Don't forget, the communications security between your residence, Stark Industries, and the Pentagon is top-notch, with special encryption devices, jammers, and telephone systems all at your disposal."

"I can guarantee that the amount of money that Pentagon spent is definitely less than what members of Congress took from me. So far, it seems that the Pentagon has spent this money well, after all, many of the products are made by Stark Industries."

Since Stark Industries withdrew from the weapons manufacturing industry and joined the Avengers, who operate outside official control, media opinions about him have become polarized. Even within conservative and liberal media outlets, attitudes towards him differ drastically after he became a so-called "superhero." Clearly, there's a disagreement between these two soldiers as well, with Tony Stark visibly noticing one of them being extremely agitated.

However, now is not the time to sign.

Tony Stark followed Colonel Rhodes leisurely through the open door. Colonel Rhodes glared at him, then closed the door and said in a low voice, "The new president is about to be inaugurated, and there will be a lot of personnel changes at the Pentagon. Especially since this president is a Republican populist and the previous president was a Democratic liberal, the personnel changes at the Pentagon will be very intense. Although many appointments and removals are still classified, I've heard some rumors, quite a few of which involve you. For example, that president wants you to be Secretary of Defense."

“Me?” Tony Stark raised his voice involuntarily. “In the eyes of the media, I’m a liberal, and Steve Rogers is the conservative.”

“But Steve Rogers committed treason, and he’s no longer on America’s side,” Colonel Rhodes said. “This has nothing to do with political stance, Tony. The new president wants to use you to promote the return of manufacturing and fulfill his promises to Rust Belt voters, so you’ll likely be going to Washington, where the new president’s chief of staff and the president himself will speak with you. You’ll gain a lot, Tony. I’m not some clueless fool who knows nothing about the world. I know you’ve always had ideals, but I know many families have used such opportunities to become part of America. Perhaps one day your descendants will become president, and then they can create an organization like the Avengers, instead of clinging to the present.”

"Rhodes, who taught you to say those things?" Tony Stark took a few steps back. "Who paid you?"

"I didn't take any money from anyone, Tony. I'm here on behalf of an old acquaintance to pass on these words to you," Colonel Rhodes continued in a low voice. "Say that person's name over the phone, and it will trigger the FBI's wiretapping alert."

"Hmm—eye patch, scar?"

"Yes."

Tony Stark nodded knowingly. He hadn't heard from Nick Fury in a long time, and hearing it from Colonel Rhodes was a genuine surprise. He had assumed Nick Fury was hiding in some safe house in some unknown corner, or had been captured and interrogated in a dark cell by some country's intelligence agency. Even though he had some unpleasantness with Nick Fury, hearing a familiar name still brought a sense of joy, as if from another era.

Have you seen him recently?

"He came to see me."

"That's in line with his style," Tony Stark said, arms crossed. "I hope the alarm goes off soon. If he's contacted you, it means he's very familiar with my itinerary. I'm not sure if there are any agents loyal to him left in the Secret Service, but if I were in danger, he would definitely have informed you."

"I'm not sure if you're unaware of his tendency to keep secrets."

“Believe me, I know people with a penchant for secrecy very well.” Tony Stark blinked. Now wasn't the time to say too much, because someone was eavesdropping on everything happening here through a hijacked Stark Industries civilian communications satellite. However, this didn't stop him from spitting out a venomous spray from his sharp tongue that caused itching, swelling, and even a slight stinging sensation—but only a slight sting. “A penchant for secrecy doesn't mean keeping all information secret. If someone does that, it just means they have a peculiar preference for information, doesn't it?”

His last few words were practically just muttered words. After all, he had seen "You know who" use superpowers to smash someone's head off from thousands of miles away, and that person was unpredictable. Who knew if that person was watching everything happening here from a distant information receiver?

"This isn't the time to discuss that, Tony. The important thing is that someone is planning to pose a threat to you."

"All clear." The sergeant pushed open the door, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. Clearly, the alarm had put him on edge, and he'd been carrying out so many checks that even the building's air conditioning couldn't lower his body temperature. "You can continue your work, Mr. Stark."

“I already told you.” Tony Stark puffed out his chest and handed over a business card. “Your work ethic is admirable, sir. Would you be interested in joining Stark Industries’ security department after your retirement? I rarely extend invitations, but this one has no time limit. I believe your professional skills will be put to good use there.”

"Thank you for your recommendation, Mr. Stark."

The sergeant's attitude had improved considerably. As an elite member of the Navy SEALs, after being certain he wouldn't be promoted, the only career options he could join after retirement were private security companies or working as a bodyguard for important figures. He had long heard about Stark Industries' high salaries and the extremely low work pressure in their security department. If he could secure this offer, he and his wife could live a wealthy, fulfilling, and safe life.

"Come with me. The general is still waiting for you. There's not much time left before the mission begins."

Long, slender fingers tapped slowly on the marble tabletop. A holographic projection in the center of the room displayed strings of white and fluorescent green that cascaded down like a waterfall, spreading across the dark room and onto Regent Victor von Doom's deep green cloak. The golden disc-shaped lapel pins and chains symbolizing royal power on either side of the cloak's collar gleamed even in the dim light. When a specific string of characters appeared, Regent Victor von Doom finally stopped tapping. Instantly, the other rooms connected to this one, filled with numerous computers and staff, began to bustle with activity.

"The virus has been implanted and is searching for satellite coordinates. Search complete, data is being uploaded to the Tianjian space station data link."

"Order SkySword Space Station to execute Plan Delta-5," Regent Victor von Doom said. "Shoot down the satellite, clear the space, and ensure there are no other satellites in the vicinity."

"Calculations show that the satellite debris will fall into the Pacific Ocean."

"Very good. I do not wish for this operation to cause any disruption to the global political situation."

Viktor von Doom watched Tony Stark, who stood on the command platform, from multiple angles through miniature cameras and internal cameras in the Houston command center. The latter would casually glance up at the surveillance cameras in the command hall, appearing both guilty and nervous, as if he already knew that someone behind the cameras was watching him with hawk-like eyes, scrutinizing his every move, weighing whether his and his family's lives were worth placing on someone's desk. However, he was unaware that the person watching him was currently considering something far more worrying, the reason why Guard Derrick had risked crossing the border to deliver the message.

Regent Victor von Doom picked up his scepter and stood up from his chair.

The scepter was ignited by his spiritual power, and the room was lit again.

There was nothing more to worry about. Tony Stark had already handed over the blueprints for the Lovers spaceship, and the blueprints for the New Territory spaceship had been found in the Houston command center's database. As long as the plan proceeded smoothly, the Houston command center would lose all information about the New Territory and Lovers rescue ships, providing ample opportunity for the Emperor's planned operation. No other power in the world would know that the Emperor, who had just appeared on the news, had already arrived at the SkySword Space Station, preparing to board the Sky Carrier to travel to the space region near Neptune. To Viktor von Doom's amusement, when the Emperor reappeared, the intelligence he received indicated that the leader of the rioting organization, trained by the CIA and funded by non-profit organizations, immediately booked a flight abroad, seemingly not intending to return to the Yugoslav Federation. Meanwhile, the foreign non-profit organizations within the Yugoslav Federation, lacking permission, could not even report the incident.

(End of this chapter)