Ultimate Iron Man

Ch: 96 [Science, bonds & a new team]

The plaza buzzed with energy. Booths stretched in all directions, showcasing everything from levitating wheelchairs to personal water filtration pods that fit in your pocket. Drone couriers zipped through the air delivering coffee, while children tested magnetic shoes that let them walk up short walls under supervision. Scientists, inventors, students, and guests swarmed every corner, talking, sharing, laughing, and filming everything they could.

The Expo was alive.

Tony walked beside Howard down the central path, the crowd parting subtly as they passed. 

"You remember Senator Adams, don't you?" Howard said, nodding toward a man near one of the green-energy display towers.

Tony gave a slight nod. "Still has that stick up his spine, or did he get it surgically replaced?"

Howard didn't smile, but the twitch at the corner of his mouth was enough. "Play nice. He pushed through some of the early permissions for the Starfire initiative. We need him."

Tony adjusted his sleeve and extended a hand. "Senator. Glad you could make it."

Adams, a stocky man with perfectly styled hair and eyes that missed nothing, shook his hand. "Mr. Stark. Or should I say... the revolutionary?"

Tony smiled thinly. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. That comes next week."

Adams gave a humorless laugh. "You've got half of Capitol Hill calling me. Oil lobbyists are chewing glass. The medical board is in full-blown panic. What the hell did you just do?"

"Made it a little harder to ignore people suffering," Tony said. "You're welcome."

They talked for a few minutes before moving...

Next came a woman in her sixties with silver hair and a cane, Irine Lane, director of the Stark Biomedical Division. She stood near a modular prosthetic display. A boy with one arm was trying on a new limb that responded to neural pulses in seconds.

"Irine," Howard said, walking over.

She turned and smiled. "Well, if it isn't both Starks in one place. What's the occasion, besides the world changing?"

Tony returned the smile. "Just figured I'd check in on the ones actually making change happen."

Irine gestured toward the boy. "This is why I never retired. Every year, something new makes it all worth it."

A group of re

Susan sat on the arm of the nearest couch and watched the three of them, clearly enjoying the subtle dynamic test happening in real time.

"So," Tony said, glancing between them, "You two thinking of joining the big cosmic science ride?"

Johnny nodded. "Susan gave us the overview. Space. Radiation. Closest to the Sun. Sounds like a Tuesday."

Ben leaned against the wall with arms crossed. "Sounds insane. But I trust her. If she's going, I'm not far behind."

Tony raised an eyebrow at Susan. "You already pitched them?"

She shrugged. "They've known about my research for years. And you said I could bring two people. I chose the ones I'd trust to hold the line if the ship exploded."

Johnny turned to Susan. "Wait, it might explode?"

"It was a metaphor," Susan replied dryly.

Tony rubbed his chin. "I mean, it's not off the table. But we've got eject systems. Mostly."

Ben exhaled and shook his head. "Jesus."

Johnny flopped back on the couch, arms spread out. "Okay, but hear me out... what if it explodes and we get washed over by cosmic radiation? Do we get superpowers? You know, like mutants?"

"Johnny," Sue gave him that look.

"What? Just curious," He shrugged.

Tony snapped his fingers. "That's the energy I like to hear."

Susan rolled her eyes. "Don't encourage him."

Tony looked around the room again, more thoughtful now. This is it. The perfect team. Instead of Reed, it'll be him. 

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