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Rhodes looked at Ethan for a moment, then spoke plainly.
"We need more offensive power."
Ethan nodded once. "Understood."
He turned slightly toward Sharon.
"Continue."
Sharon nodded and walked to the next, much larger case.
She released the locks and lifted the lid.
Inside was a compact but heavy-looking machine gun, dark metal with clean lines and a reinforced barrel.
Rhodes instinctively stepped forward. "Let me help—"
"I've got it," Sharon said.
She lifted it out on her own without any visible strain and rested it against her shoulder.
Rhodes paused, noticing that, then stepped back.
"This is a high-output support weapon," Sharon said calmly. "Despite its size, it's designed for individual use."
She adjusted her grip and flicked a switch near the trigger.
"It can fire up to eight thousand rounds per minute," she continued. "And yes—it can be used while holding it. No mounting required."
Rhodes frowned slightly. "Eight thousand RPM? That's not possible without losing control."
Sharon didn't argue. She simply stepped into the marked firing lane.
"Watch."
She braced her stance and pulled the trigger.
A deep, heavy thub-thub-thub-thub sound filled the hangar.
It wasn't a chaotic spray.
The rounds launched in an extremely tight stream, tearing through the reinforced targets downrange. Metal shredded, concrete cracked, and the target frame itself began to collapse under the sustained fire.
The sound was constant, controlled, and terrifyingly stable.
Sharon released the trigger.
Silence returned, broken only by the echo fading away.
Smoke drifted from the destroyed target.
Rhodes stared. "That recoil control…"
"Internal stabilization," Sharon replied. "Gyro-assisted, adaptive balance. The weapon corrects itself in real time."
The general stepped closer, eyes fixed on the ruined range.
"That amount of firepower… from one soldier?"
"Yes, sir," Sharon said. "Even standard infantry can use it after brief training."
"And overheating?" the general asked.
Sharon tapped the barrel. "Active cooling. It can fire continuously for four minutes before forced cooldown."
Rhodes let out a slow breath. "Four minutes at that rate would level a city block."
"It's meant for overwhelming force," Sharon said evenly. "When restraint is no longer an option."
Justin Hammer looked pale already knowing the contract slipping from his hand and that he won't be getting Stark tech.
The general turned to Ethan.
"This goes beyond personal defense."
Ethan nodded. "It's not meant to replace armies," he said. "It's meant to end fights faster."
Rhodes looked back at the weapon, then at Ethan.
"And this still isn't everything, is it?"
Ethan met his gaze.
"No," he said calmly. "This is just what you asked for."
The general looked at Ethan and nodded.
"Arasaka will modify the Iron Man armor," he said.
Ethan nodded in response. Sharon and Rhodes both smiled slightly.
"But," the general added suddenly, turning his gaze toward Justin Hammer, "Hammer Industries will first study the Iron Man technology and see if they can replicate it for the U.S. military."
Justin's pale face instantly brightened.
"O-of course we can do that," he said quickly.
"But that's not how it was supposed to be," Rhodes said, frowning.
"Orders from above," the general replied calmly. "I can't do anything about it."
He then looked back at Ethan.
"You'll receive Stark tech after one week. Modify it. One month later, it will be showcased at the Stark Expo."
Ethan simply nodded, turned around, and walked away.
"He still got it," Sharon said as they boarded their private jet.
"They know we'll never replicate it even if they ask us," Ethan replied calmly. "We'll just say we can't."
"So they chose Justin Hammer," Sharon said. "I doubt he can replicate it."
"No, he can't," Ethan said, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes.
"But there will be someone else."
Sharon stiffened. "Who?"
"Ivan Vanko," Ethan replied.
Sharon frowned. "But isn't he in a high-tech prison?"
"Check again," Ethan said calmly. "Most likely, he's already been taken out by Justin for his own use."
Sharon's expression darkened as she immediately began checking the data on her tablet while the jet lifted off from the air base.
After a while Sharon nodded.
"There was an incident at the facility where Ivan Vanko was being held," she said, looking at her tablet. "More than eleven criminals escaped. Ivan Vanko is one of them."
She looked up at Ethan. "How did you predict this?"
Ethan opened his eyes slightly.
"Justin has money, but no real talent," he said calmly. "Because of that, he keeps trying to buy talent."
He paused.
"He made offers to our company before. You remember—he even tried to get you hired under Hammer Industries."
Sharon nodded. "He did."
"He just did the same thing again," Ethan continued. "This time with Ivan Vanko. There was no need to guess."
Sharon exhaled slowly, her grip tightening on the tablet as the jet continued its flight.
"So Stark Expo is going to be a problem," she said.
"Yes," Ethan replied. "And it won't stay contained."
"But it's also an opportunity for us," he added. "How is the Arasaka Guard initiative going?"
Storm answered immediately. "We've trained them and equipped them with Arasaka technology. If we launch it publicly, we'll become the biggest private security force on the planet."
She smiled as she spoke.
Ethan nodded. "Good. Then let the world see it."
He looked at Sharon.
"When you go to the Stark Expo, take the Guard with you. Let them suppress the Iron Man army Justin will bring. Show everyone that Arasaka can protect people even from that."
Sharon nodded calmly. "Understood."
As the conversation ended, Sharon glanced at Ethan quietly.
This kid also has a sharp business mind, she thought.
Until now, she had handled most of the company matters while Ethan focused on inventions whenever he was absent.
But watching him now, she could clearly see it—Ethan wasn't just a genius inventor.
He was a strategist too.
As the jet disappeared into the clouds, the scene shifted back to the air base.
Justin Hammer stood near the Iron Man armor, rubbing his hands together, excitement barely contained.
"Alright," he said eagerly. "Let's get this beauty moved to my facility."
Before anyone could respond, Colonel Rhodes stepped forward.
"Hold on," Rhodes said firmly.
Justin blinked. "What?"
Rhodes ignored him and walked straight to the armor. He opened the chest panel with practiced movements.
Justin's smile faded. "Hey—what are you doing?"