John Wick spoke up:
"His combat skills and reflexes are top-tier. He managed to sabotage several operatives, but eventually got forced out by a group of assassins working together."
"If he hadn't run fast, they would've torn him to shreds."
These registered assassins aren't amateurs swinging swords—they're sharpshooters, each one deadly accurate. If Daredevil had been listed as a Hand target, he'd never have escaped their sniper fire.
Also, the number of killers dispatched last night was off the charts. After the wax bath was proven real, it drove many assassins into a frenzy.
Smith Doyle thought for a moment, then said:
"Give him a warning."
"Let word spread—I don't mind him playing underground hero. But if he interferes with our operations against the Hand again, we'll put a bounty on his head. Same price as a Hand leader."
"Harboring evil is no better than committing evil."
John Wick nodded.
"Understood. I'll make arrangements."
"I'll relay your orders to the assassins and post it on the dark web."
"Also, sir—Stark Industries sent over equipment and supplies worth $100 million. Enough gear for a hundred people, including protective equipment like multi-function tactical helmets, bulletproof vests, tactical vests, gloves."
"Weapons: automatic rifles, sniper rifles, light machine guns, grenade launchers, handguns, bomb-disposal robots, explosive detectors, and so on…"
"Comms and nav: tactical watches, radio communication gear."
"Recon and observation: night vision goggles, laser rangefinders, thermal sensors."
"Survival and medical: gas masks, hazmat suits, first aid kits."
"Special mission tools: capture nets, batons, tasers, breaching tools."
Smith Doyle was surprised by how complete the equipment package was. While it lacked heavy weapons or vehicles, it was comprehensive for light warfare—enough to fully arm a 100-man special ops unit.
"Store everything properly. Send the scientific equipment and materials to Bulma's lab."
---
Elsewhere
Tony Stark, now dressed, arrived at an Air Force base to visit his old friend, Colonel Rhodes.
After some banter in front of Rhodey's men, the colonel waved them off for a private conversation.
Rhodes clapped Stark on the shoulder with a grin. "I'm surprised."
Tony turned toward him. "Surprised by what?"
Rhodes chuckled.
"Didn't think you'd be up and walking around this soon."
Tony shrugged. "I can do more than just walk."
Rhodes crossed his arms. "Is that so?"
"Yep."
Suddenly serious, Tony looked Rhodes in the eye.
"I'm planning something big."
"I wanted to talk to you about it—hope you'll be part of it."
Rhodes pursed his lips, glanced around, and said:
"You better smooth things over. What you said at that press conference? That stirred up a hornet's nest."
Tony responded calmly:
"This isn't for the military. I'm not building weapons..."
"This time, it's different."
Rhodes frowned.
"What, you humanitarian now?"
Tony replied, "I want you to hear me out."
But Rhodes cut him off.
"No need. You just need to cool off."
"Tony, if you stop making weapons, the military won't need you anymore. You get what I'm saying?"
Tony chuckled, but Rhodes looked stern.
"I'm serious."
Tony sobered. "Alright."
Rhodes nodded. "Still, it's good to see you, Tony."
Then he turned and walked away.
He didn't know what he'd just walked out on.
---
Back in his lab after the rejection, Tony called out:
"JARVIS, you there?"
"Always, sir."
Tony gave a new order.
"Start a new project file. Call it Mark II."
JARVIS asked,
"Shall I save this to the Stark Industries mainframe?"
Tony pulled up a hologram of the Mark I suit.
"Honestly, I don't know who to trust right now. Keep it on my private server. Unless I say otherwise."
JARVIS confirmed,
"So this is a secret project, sir?"
Tony looked at the Mark I and said:
"I just don't want it falling into the wrong hands."
His mind flashed back to the armed group that had kidnapped him—armed with Stark weapons.
Then he thought of Smith Doyle. Once Mark II was done, he planned to invite Doyle to a test flight demo… and discuss revising their third agreement.
---
Meanwhile
In the Afghan desert.
Zara, after escaping, failed to convince Xu Wenwu—who was still lost in grief and obsessed with resurrecting his wife—but he did get support from their leader, bringing back a squad of men.
Returning to the cave where Tony Stark had been imprisoned, he found the exterior ruined—but the interior relatively intact. Even the surveillance gear still worked; it had just lost power.
Once the circuits were repaired, the footage came back online. Zara saw the entire incident—Tony building the first Iron Man suit, and Poole turning into a massive iron hammer to rescue him.
Zara searched the cave and found Tony's original blueprints.
Back in the control room, he compared them to the Mark I in the footage. After several adjustments, the lines matched. Zara smiled.
He didn't have the skills to build it—but Obadiah definitely did.
---
Time passed.
A week had gone by since Phil Coulson's visit to Smith Doyle.
In that time, the Hand had been completely erased from existence. The few remaining members changed their names and identities, no longer daring to call themselves part of the group.
Meanwhile, the wax bath gained a legendary reputation. Assassins who tried it were full of praise. S.H.I.E.L.D. even reserved 100 treatments as a standard supply—always restocking once used.
As for the intelligence sold by the mysterious group, the Brotherhood of Assassins posted it all publicly for other killers to take.
The League of Assassins, on the other hand, refused to deal in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence.
—End of chapter—
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