MTLNOVEL Chapter 7: A Sword and the SHIELD
Smoke hung over the damaged Malibu mansion, the air thick with the smell of burnt circuitry and cracked plaster. Surveillance drones buzzed above and scanned silently. Inside, Pepper sat on a bench, eyes locked on security footage and system alerts. Fatigue battled with focus.
The door hissed open.
Alex Kane stepped inside, shirt torn and streaked with the stain of blood. The wound that had gashed his shoulder earlier was now a faint pink line. Tony Stark followed close behind with a cup of coffee, his T-shirt also bearing burnt marks.
Tony looked at Alex from top to bottom, and at his shoulder with surprise. "That shoulder... You okay?"
"I heal fast," Alex said, brushing ash from his arm.
"Understatement of the decade," Tony snorted. "Next time, maybe try a Band-Aid? For appearances."
Pepper stood and walked over to them. Her gaze lingered on Alex's shoulder, then shifted to Tony. "I saw what he did. Those moves weren't just reflexes... and that missile_" She stopped herself, uncertainty still in her eyes.
Tony gave her a sideways grin. "Let's call it an accelerated field assessment_ guy passed with flying colors."
Before anyone could answer, the door opened.
Phil Coulson walked in, calm and deliberate. He surveyed the damages briefly, eyes darting to Alex's visibly fading wound, expression unreadable.
Pepper frowned, recognition dawning. "You're that guy from the press conference... Strategic something__ you kept trying to meet Tony."
"Phil Coulson," he replied, " from Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division."
She blinked. "Still an awful name."
Alex recognized the name instantly. "S.H.I.E.L.D.," he murmured.
Coulson's eyes snapped to Alex. One eyebrow lifted__ a subtle but deliberate acknowledgement. He held Alex's eyes for a beat, a silent note taken, then smoothly turned back to Tony.
"We need to discuss about the attack, Mr. Stark," he said. "And the circumstances of your return from Afghanistan. The official records have a significant gap."
Tony stepped beside Alex, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Let me introduce my new head of security, Alexander Kane"
Alex glanced sideways, surprised at the introduction.
Tony continued, "He, alongside my security system, is the reason I can successfully take down the attackers."
Pepper folded her arms, watching the exchange. 'Happy is not going to like this,' she thought.
Coulson gave a small, professional nod. "I wasn't aware there had been a change in personnel."
Alex stepped forward, offering his hand. "Alexander Kane. Kane International Security Solutions."
Coulson arched a brow. "K.I.S.S.?"
"Just Kane International," Alex said flatly. Alex knew that no matter what he said, he was going to be on the records of SHIELD.
Coulson nodded again, then glanced between the two men. "Gentlemen, shall we proceed?"
Tony and Alex nodded while Pepper stepped out.
JARVIS projected schematics in the air as Coulson stood motionless.
"The intruders used Stark tech replusor cutters," Coulson noted, eyes on the rotating schematic.
"Affirmative," JARVIS replied. "Stark inventory records indicate the devices were logged as stolen three months prior. Serial numbers match with records."
Coulson's gaze settled on Tony. "That raises significant questions about internal security protocols."
"Yeah, yeah, we're plugging holes as fast as we can," Tony muttered. "Starting with certain traitors in executive chairs."
Coulson remained impassive. "This was a paramilitary assault using stolen proprietary technology. Far beyond standard corporate sabotage."
Tony's tone cooled. "I'd love to know how they know exactly when to strike."
Alex, who had been silent, stepped forward slightly. "Stane underestimated us this time. He won't make that mistake again."
Coulson took that in without comment. His eyes lingered on Alex a beat longer than necessary, then turned back to the schematics. The unspoken question__ "How do you know'__ hung in the air.
---
As the final SHIELD SUV vanished down the coast road and silence returned, Tony stood in the foyer, frowning.
"JARVIS, review the cracked files from Kane. What am I looking at here?"
"Sir, hacking signatures consistent with Stane's known associates," JARVIS responded. "40 million routed through multiple shell corporations to Ten Rings operatives."
Tony glanced at Alex, who stood silently by. JARVIS continued, "Voiceprint analysis confirms an 87% match to Obadiah Stane."
"I found a video recording that ties to Obadiah Stane. Shall I play it, sir?"
Tony gave a nod. "Play it."
A video played on the main display, showing a grainy feed of some masked terrorists with guns addressing the camera, with Tony kneeling in the middle. The voice cut through the silence:
"You did not tell us the target you paid us to kill was the great Tony Stark. As you can see, Obadiah Stane, your deception and lies will cost you dearly; the price to kill Tony Stark has just gone up."
Tony's face twisted, rage boiling just beneath the surface. Without another word, he cut the video__ he had seen enough. The proof was undeniable.
Tony's breathing became sharp. He turned to Alex again, "Stane is not just selling weapons. He's coordinating assassinations."
Alex's face was cold. "We need to end this."
Tony nodded. He briefly thought while looking at Alex. "I have a proposition. Kane International provides full security protection for Stark Industries. In return, a 20 million dollar retainer, R&D collaboration in real-time, and mutual protection. We can make an airtight contract."
Alex stepped forward, meeting his gaze, "Deal. But we're not just defending anymore. We're going on the offensive."
Tony grinned. "Good. Because I'm done waiting. Next time, I won't be sitting on the bench. It'll be a surprise."
Alex met his gaze, a knowing smile forming. He already knew what the surprise was, but he didn't say anything.
---
Later that night, Tony sat alone in his workshop, fingers dancing across a blue touchscreen keyboard.
He looked at the remnants of the Mark I__clunky, crude, yet life-saving.
"JARVIS, you up?"
"For you, sir, always," JARVIS replied.
"I want you to start a project, index it as MARK II." Tony was already deleting the useless components of MARK I in the hologram.
"Let's store it in my private server. We can't let Obadiah ever find out about this." Tony said.
"Working on a secret project, are we, sir?" JARVIS said in a machine voice as schematics danced in the air.
"I don't want this to end up in the wrong hands. Maybe I can actually do something good."
"The world's changed," he whispered. "So I will, too."
He touched his heart, and the Arc Reactor on his chest glowed.
The birth of Iron Man had begun.