Solomon found an excuse to check on Stark's situation. While he was confident that Stark would overcome this ordeal, the mage didn't mind using his rare free time to join the commotion. His excuse was simple: his recent sculpture was of Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture, grain, and harvest. He intended to gift the small plaster statue, which depicted Demeter searching for Persephone, to Pepper Potts. The sculpture was modeled after Pepper's mother, and Solomon believed Pepper would be delighted to receive it.
As an added touch of trivia, the actress Blythe Danner, who played Demeter in American Gods, is the real-life mother of Gwyneth Paltrow, who portrays Pepper Potts.
Giving the sculpture to someone who could appreciate it seemed far better than leaving it to be critiqued by a group of painters who barely knew how to paint. Solomon always believed that wealthy people bought art simply to show off, rather than because they had any real taste for it. He had once seen a painting Stark had purchased—a canvas with just a single, simple line. Solomon couldn't fathom its value, as it clashed entirely with his aesthetic sensibilities. Gifting the sculpture to Pepper was also a way for Solomon to make up for missing Christmas. He had sent presents to everyone he knew.
For Athena, he gifted a gemstone-encrusted golden goblet. For Bayonetta and Jeanne, he gave jeweled necklaces. For Kaecilius, he offered a French cuisine recipe book. For Mordo, he gave a bottle of highly acidic wine from the monastery's 2000 vintage—a "gift" bordering on a prank. Even Daisy and Jane Foster, far away in Europe, received alchemically crafted skincare products delivered by Phoenix. Daisy was absolutely thrilled with her gift ("This is so magical!" she exclaimed). He gave the Sorcerer Supreme a massive bag of candies from all over the world. Even Dormammu received a gift—a white mouse Solomon had secretly taken from Eton College's biology lab. It seemed he wanted to bring the Christmas spirit to everyone.
Carrying the small plaster statue, Solomon arrived at the top floor of Stark Tower. Taking the elevator down, he spotted Agent Maria Hill sitting in the waiting room outside the CEO's office. A cup of cold coffee sat untouched beside her. Hill was visibly surprised to see Solomon—she had no idea he would be there.
"What are you doing here?" she asked cautiously. Of all the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, Maria Hill was second only to Nick Fury in her understanding of Solomon. Fury had shared some of Solomon's records with her (though not voluntarily), and she was fully aware of his involvement in various incidents. Consequently, Hill immediately assumed that Solomon's appearance signaled yet another magical disaster. This had always been the case in the past, and she didn't think this time would be any different.
"A gift," the mage replied, holding up the neatly wrapped plaster statue. Hill gave the high schooler standing slightly taller than her a wary look. Fury had warned her repeatedly that any matter involving Solomon was likely extremely dangerous, and she took those warnings to heart.
"What kind of gift?"
"A small statue."
"And that's it?" Her tone unconsciously shifted toward interrogation.
"Of course." Solomon raised an eyebrow, his voice calm. "What about you? Is Fury not planning to get involved in this?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D. has its own plans," Hill replied, glancing at Solomon's expression, as if trying to gauge how much he knew. "Are you here for this as well, Solomon? You should know this isn't under your jurisdiction."
"Stark refused protection, didn't he?" Solomon said, ignoring her question. "I can already guess his excuse. He always thinks he can handle everything himself—that all responsibility falls on him. Hard to say whether that's arrogance or confidence. While he's certainly capable of solving problems, he's still just a mortal."
Hill stared straight ahead, motionless, as if she hadn't heard his words. She still had much to discuss with Pepper Potts, and Killian was currently in the office. She couldn't leave now; her priority was ensuring Pepper's safety. While waiting for Killian and Potts to finish their meeting, Hill found herself growing increasingly annoyed by Solomon's incessant chatter. The mage was prone to spouting cryptic, rambling thoughts, reinforcing her belief that all wizards were a bit mad.
Just as she was about to interrupt him, Hill caught sight of another woman entering the office out of the corner of her eye.
Maya Hansen. Botanist. Former acquaintance of Tony Stark from 1999. Currently working for Killian. Hill silently recited this information in her mind, analyzing Hansen's possible intentions in seeking out Pepper. She used this distraction to focus, tuning out Solomon's endless musings.
But before long, a dull explosion shattered the tension. The office door was blasted off its hinges, and the glass walls of the waiting room shattered into fragments. Instinctively, Hill dropped to the floor, bracing for the inevitable rain of glass shards. Yet no shards fell on her. Rising quickly, she noticed the fragments lay neatly on the floor, as if stopped by an invisible barrier. Hill nodded at Solomon, then drew her handgun from her holster and stepped over the glass into the office.
Inside, chaos reigned. The explosion had left the office in ruins. The ceiling and walls were charred and broken, exposed wires sparking as flames licked at the remains of the shattered light fixtures. The solid wood desk had been blown to pieces, its fragments engulfed in flames. Smoke and dust filled the room, making it difficult to see anything until Solomon waved his hand, conjuring a gust of wind that swept the debris out the shattered windows.
But the people who were supposed to be there were nowhere to be found. Pepper Potts, Killian, Maya Hansen, and Killian's bodyguards had all vanished.
Hill frowned deeply. Killian was undoubtedly aware of the dangers posed by the Extremis Virus. The most likely explanation was that Maya Hansen had triggered the explosion. As the original developer of Extremis, she knew it better than anyone else.
Why would she do this? What could have happened in that room to push her to such an extreme act—possibly attempting to kill either Pepper Potts or Killian? Was Pepper even alive? Before the panicked Stark Industries employees could arrive, Hill quickly examined the scene, identifying the point of origin of the explosion. She turned to Solomon, who had followed her into the office.
"Do you have any way to confirm Pepper Potts' condition?"
"She's alive," Solomon said confidently. "One hundred percent sure. You should focus on Killian's intentions. He's too much of a coward to commit suicide."
Solomon suspected that Maya Hansen had revealed Killian's connection to the Mandarin's recent terrorist broadcasts, enraging him and leading to the explosion. However, Solomon had no intention of sharing this theory—S.H.I.E.L.D. would uncover the truth sooner or later, with or without his input. Revealing what he knew would only raise questions about his sources.
"You know all this?"
"Most of it." Solomon unwrapped his gift and placed the small statue on a precarious surface. "Looks like my present won't be delivered today," he remarked. "The rest is your responsibility, Agent Maria Hill."
Hill took a deep breath, ignoring the mage's sarcasm. "I'll handle it," she said firmly. "I'll get to the bottom of this."
"Good luck," Solomon replied. "But first, you'll need to inform Stark that his girlfriend is missing. That might be enough to convince him to accept S.H.I.E.L.D.'s help."
Don't kid yourself—it's still a workday.
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