After speaking, Tony set the subpoena aside, intending to say something to Sebastian. But before he could, Sebastian suddenly reached to unbutton Tony's shirt. Instinctively, Tony grabbed his hand to stop him.
"Oh, Sebastian, you're good-looking and all, but I'm still into women, so…"
Sebastian shot Tony a wry look. "Tony, quit joking. Let me see."
"But…"
Tony's eyes flicked toward the front, nodding subtly at Happy, who was glancing at them through the rearview mirror.
Sebastian instantly understood. Tony didn't want anyone knowing how close he was to death. After a moment's thought, Sebastian drew his wand and held it between himself and Tony. A soft white light spread outward, enveloping the space around them in a shimmering veil.
To Happy, it looked as if a faint mist had swirled around Sebastian and Tony, obscuring them from view.
"Okay, now no one else can hear our conversation, and Happy can't see what's happening. Show me how bad the poisoning is."
At Sebastian's words, Tony unbuttoned his shirt.
For the first time, Sebastian saw the arc reactor embedded in Tony's chest, along with the gray, web-like palladium metal traces radiating from it, spreading along his blood vessels.
"It's almost reached your neck. If it gets to your brain, it'll be serious."
"I know. That's why I'm exploring every option. The best solution would be finding a new element to replace palladium, but I've tested every known element, and none work. So, I'm left with the next best thing—finding a way to slow or cure my symptoms. Your potion is one of those options, and right now, it's the most promising."
Sebastian studied the palladium poisoning's effects on Tony's body, nodding slowly. "It's definitely complicated. My potion isn't ready yet, and I don't have a spell to directly treat this condition. But I might be able to slow the spread and ease your discomfort and pain."
Tony's face lit up with hope, and he started to stand, eager to respond. But Sebastian, with a quick flick of his wand, gently pushed him back into his seat.
"Don't move, don't talk, just look at me."
"Sebastian, it's my first time. Maybe you could be a bit gentler, not so rough."
The corner of Sebastian's mouth twitched as he glared at Tony. Ignoring the quip, he began chanting a spell. A radiant white light burst from his wand, enveloping Tony's body. It rippled like water, spreading across his entire frame.
It would be inaccurate to say Tony fully trusted Sebastian, considered him a close friend, or felt deeply familiar with him. Both Sebastian and Tony would likely find such claims ridiculous.
That's not to say Tony felt no gratitude or fondness toward Sebastian, but calling their bond a strong friendship was far from the truth.
For Tony, Sebastian represented a chance at survival—a glimmer of hope. Meanwhile, Sebastian saw potential for collaboration with Tony to achieve his own goals. This mutual benefit allowed them to get along, and perhaps with more time, they could become true friends. But at this stage, their relationship was purely practical.
For Tony, the arc reactor was like a second heart, exposed and vulnerable. Given his guarded nature, only someone like Pepper could touch or see it. If Sebastian hadn't offered a way to ease his condition and pain, Tony would never have revealed the arc reactor to him.
Sebastian lifted his wand from Tony's body, and the white light it emitted faded quickly, dissolving into the air.
Tony felt a wave of relief, as if he'd just stepped out of a warm bath. He glanced down at the gray palladium traces retreating slightly toward his chest. The heavy cloud in his heart lifted, no longer weighing him down as before.
"Huh… This is the most relaxing treatment I've ever had. Can I book another session?"
"This isn't some spa treatment. That spell was a one-time effect, and it only helps a little. Like I said, it can ease your discomfort and buy you some time, but that's it."
"It doesn't matter. Anyway, I have more time now. I can wait for you to prepare the potion. Of course, I'm willing to pay any price for this."
"I haven't decided on the price yet. I'll figure it out later, but I have another question for you."
Sebastian didn't immediately bring up his idea of Tony funding a research lab to streamline potion development. Instead, he posed a different question.
"Another question? What is it?"
"I'm wondering if, with detailed data, artificial intelligence could run calculations to replace multiple manual experiments. Could it speed up the process and pinpoint the best substitute materials for the potion's recipe?"
Tony's expression grew serious as he considered Sebastian's words. After a moment, he nodded. "It's possible, but you'd need to provide extremely precise data. I'm not sure if potion-making follows the same principles as standard drug research. There could be fundamental differences."
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind. Once I have the lab data, I'll share it with you for analysis. It might help us find the right potion formula faster."
"Then thank you very much."
"No need to thank me. I expect something in return. I believe in fair trade—this time I help you, next time you help me with a reasonable request."
Nothing in the world comes free, and when Sebastian mentioned he had his own expectations, Tony felt a strange sense of relief.
"Of course, as long as it's a reasonable request, I'll do my best to help you."
"Okay, let's not drag this out. We've covered everything we needed to. I won't keep you—you've got that meeting tomorrow. But before I go, I need a sample of your blood to check if the potion will work."
"Okay, let me find a syringe…"
Before Tony could finish, Sebastian produced a syringe, swiftly drew a vial of Tony's blood, and stored it carefully. As Tony adjusted his clothes, Sebastian dispelled the privacy spell, allowing Happy to see and hear them again.
While buttoning his shirt under Happy's curious gaze, Tony asked Happy to pull over.
After bidding farewell to Tony and Happy, Sebastian stepped out of the car. In a secluded alley, he opened a portal and returned home. He placed the vial of blood in a pre-prepared freezer to preserve its viability.
----------------------------------------------------
In a cramped room at a federal prison, two men sat across from each other. A burly middle-aged bodyguard stood behind one of them, exuding strength.
The man in a prison uniform, bald and middle-aged, stared at the slender, bespectacled man opposite him. His face carried a mix of skepticism and disdain, barely concealed.
The man with glasses noticed the scorn but remained unfazed, meeting the gaze with a calm smile.
"Obadiah, I'm practically your rescuer here. Could you at least show a little gratitude?"
Indeed, the man in the prison uniform was Obadiah Stane, also known as the Iron Monger. After being struck by a stun spell and captured by S.H.I.E.L.D., he had survived, though his freedom had not.
"Justin, your Hammer Industries was always a second-rate arms dealer, trailing behind us and scraping by. Now you've gone to great lengths to transfer me from that secret prison to this one, just because you need something from me. So, what's your game? Spill it, or get out."
"Obadiah, I know your son Zack has some of the tech you took from Stark. It just so happens that another partner I've found also has valuable assets. Combine that with my funding, and we have a real shot at taking down Stark. You get your revenge by crushing him, and I take over Stark Industries to become the world's top arms dealer. What do you say?"
"Who's this other partner? What does he have that makes him worthy of working with me?"
A smug smile spread across Justin's face. He leaned back in his chair, eyeing Obadiah. "Obadiah, you were once Old Man Stark's partner. Ever heard of someone named Vanko?"
Obadiah's eyes narrowed. He studied Justin for a long moment before bursting into laughter.
"Hahaha, you actually found someone who can build an arc reactor. With him, we might actually pull this off. I'm going to crush Tony's skull with my own hands!"
"So, you're in?"
Obadiah stifled his laughter, his expression turning fierce. He nodded slowly. "I'm in. Get your people to arrange it. I want out of here—now!"