Chapter 52: Tony is Anxious! He Deals with Obadiah!
"Now, how about letting me pick out a few paintings to take away?"
Tony remembered his original purpose, glanced around the studio, and selected a few pieces he liked.
"Take whatever you want—just make sure you pay for them," Ethan Lee said indifferently. "But I should remind you, although this gallery is my workplace, there aren't that many pieces here. You'd be better off browsing the exhibition."
Tony didn't deny it. "I just picked some at random. I know your real treasures are hidden away in the North Building."
"Keep that to yourself. Don't go around blabbing and causing me trouble."
Ethan pulled a low-alcohol drink from the fridge and asked, "Want one?"
"Of course," Tony said, snapping his fingers. "Pour me a glass."
Ethan lowered his gaze, placed the bottle and a glass on the table. "Pour it yourself."
"I got it," Happy said, stepping in. He poured Tony a glass and grabbed one for himself. "Oh, this is good."
"Really good," Tony agreed, swirling the glass but not drinking yet. His attention had turned to a painting on the wall—a portrait of a sensual woman.
"She came to your place too? The date on her signature is earlier than mine. Impressive," Tony said, recognizing the woman as a cover model he had briefly dated before everything in Afghanistan fell apart.
Ethan took a sip. "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not like you. It was just a portrait."
"Come on, this is why we get along," Tony said with a grin, but he set the painting back. He knew Ethan wouldn't sell pieces like that.
"There are three lovely girls behind me," Ethan said, brushing Skye's hand away. "Tony, you're not blind. Better keep your comments to yourself."
"Alright, alright. I apologize," Tony said as he wandered with his glass in hand.
Something caught his eye. "What do we have here?"
He picked up a small picture frame tossed in a corner. Inside was a figure in red and gold armor.
"You like Iron Man?"
Tony dusted it off and raised an eyebrow. "It's not very polite to leave it lying around like this. Still, it's a solid painting."
"Just a casual sketch. The armor's not bad," Ethan said casually. He had drawn it on a whim, never expecting the original subject to find it.
"I want this one," Tony said without hesitation, handing it off to Happy.
Then he pulled up Ethan's bank account info and transferred a generous sum without blinking.
Ethan didn't even check the notification. He waved him off. "Goodbye."
Tony choked on his parting words.
"I didn't say I was leaving yet."
"Looks like you want to hang back and chat with your girlfriend. I'll head out first," he said. "Remember what I told you."
"Martial arts," Ethan replied flatly.
---
After Tony Left...
Ethan didn't stay behind to bond further with Skye and the others as expected.
Instead, he told them, "You guys go ahead and keep practicing. I've got something to take care of."
If Tony was going to wander around, then it seemed necessary to cross paths again—under another identity.
---
Back at Stark's Mansion…
Tony returned home, intending to give the Iron Man painting to Pepper. But she wasn't around.
Beep—
His phone rang.
It was Pepper.
Before he could answer, a wave of pain surged through his chest. His face turned pale, and purple veins bulged across his skin.
Obadiah Stane stepped out from behind, holding a strange device.
"I wanted to show you my Iron Man suit, Tony," he sneered, "but I guess I won't get the chance."
He plucked the blue arc reactor straight from Tony's chest.
"Too bad Pepper got involved. I had planned to keep her alive."
Then, spotting the painting Tony had set on the sofa, Obadiah picked it up and sneered,
"Iron Man? What a joke. Do you think saving refugees makes money?"
He moved to tear the painting—
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a voice said from the shadows.
A figure stepped forward, calm and steady—Ethan Lee, dressed as the Knight Spider.
"Black Spider?!" Obadiah froze. He remembered the reports—Tony had gotten involved with this guy?
Before Obadiah could act, Ethan clapped a hand on his shoulder and smoothly took back the arc reactor and the painting.
Obadiah didn't dare resist.
He knew the Black Spider was different from the other heroes—ruthless.
Norman Osborn, the powerful tycoon, had been crushed to death by him.
Swallowing nervously, Obadiah tried to offer a deal.
"Maybe we can talk. Work something out—"
Ethan ignored him and turned to Tony.
"Tony Stark," he said.
"I've saved you twice now—no, three times if we count Electro.
So get started on what I asked you for.
I'll come find you if I need anything else."
Tony couldn't respond—he could only scream in his mind:
Can you plug the damn reactor back in?! I'm dying here!
Obadiah, sharp as ever, caught the implication.
"Black Spider," he jumped in quickly, "I can give you what Tony can't! Better!
I'll provide anything you need. Wealth. Power. Women. Anything!"
Tony panicked. Don't listen to him! he tried to scream internally. I can offer you everything too!
Obadiah, ever the salesman, pushed harder.
"We'll be great allies. Just walk away from this, and I'll give you the world."
He looked at Ethan with confidence.
"Well? What do you say? No one turns down an offer like that."
"You talk too much," Ethan said coldly.
Then, with a swift move, he grabbed Obadiah by the throat and lifted him off the ground.
"You've made a mistake," he said, staring coldly into Obadiah's eyes.
"There's only one Tony Stark. But people like you… businessmen like you… they're a dime a dozen."
"You overestimate your worth."
Obadiah's legs kicked helplessly as Ethan crushed his cervical spine with brutal efficiency.
He didn't kill him.
But Obadiah Stane would spend the rest of his life as a vegetable.
If Tony wanted to keep him alive—that would be his choice.