Mayor George stared at the television screen in stunned disbelief. His mouth hung slightly open as he struggled to process what he had just heard. After several seconds of silence, he finally spoke, his voice uncertain and almost incredulous. "He… he's… Iron Man?"
Ethan Voss leaned back comfortably in his chair, a playful grin spreading across his face. He seemed far less shocked by the revelation than the mayor. "Yeah, Mayor George. The biggest playboy in New York, a regular fixture on magazine covers, and the city's most notorious eccentric billionaire has apparently decided to become a superhero."
He paused for a moment, letting the absurdity of the situation sink in. His smile widened slightly before he added with casual amusement, "I have to say, this could be the beginning of a lot of trouble for New York City, Mr. Mayor."
Mayor George frowned as he continued watching the television broadcast. Tony Stark was currently being surrounded by a swarm of reporters, cameras flashing nonstop as journalists shouted questions from every direction. The spectacle was chaotic, and it was clear the media frenzy would only grow worse.
The mayor rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he considered the implications. He wasn't entirely sure what Stark's sudden transformation into Iron Man meant for the city, but his instincts told him that it probably wouldn't be simple. After all, Tony Stark had already been notoriously difficult to deal with when he was just a billionaire industrialist.
Now he was apparently flying around in advanced combat armor.
After watching the footage for another moment, Mayor George suddenly asked, "Do you think he'd be willing to sell the armor to New York City?"
Ethan chuckled softly and shook his head. "I honestly have no idea. Maybe he's feeling patriotic these days."
The mayor didn't pursue the topic further, seemingly deciding that Stark was a complicated issue best left for another time. Instead, he smoothly shifted the conversation to something far more practical: the future development of New York City.
Ethan listened politely but clearly showed little genuine interest in municipal planning. When the mayor finished outlining several urban development concerns, Ethan simply smiled and responded casually.
"Mayor George, Minister Borrell and I have developed a very good working relationship. Our cooperation regarding Nahaid Prison has been going extremely smoothly."
He leaned forward slightly and spoke in a relaxed tone, making the situation sound almost friendly. "You could say we're practically family now. If there's anything you want to discuss, you can talk to me directly."
Mayor George smiled faintly and nodded in acknowledgement. "Of course, I remember your generosity at last year's charity gala. You made quite a significant contribution."
His tone then shifted slightly as he brought up a new topic. "Mr. Voss, I also have a few friends in Washington. They recently mentioned that you finalized a military procurement contract with the White House."
Ethan's expression remained calm, though his brows subtly tightened. He wasn't particularly surprised that the mayor had learned about the deal. Information traveled quickly in political circles, especially when billions of dollars were involved.
Still, he was curious where this conversation was heading.
The mayor continued, "I heard your company is called Future Defense & Individual Weapons Company."
He leaned forward slightly and spoke in a more deliberate tone. "Recently, I've been considering several projects that require specialized individual weapons. Naturally, you were the first person who came to mind."
At that moment, Ethan immediately understood what this meeting was truly about.
This wasn't just political small talk.
It was a business opportunity.
However, Ethan knew that his company's partnership with the White House had focused primarily on defensive technology. Very little information about their individual weapon systems had been publicly disclosed.
Still, since the mayor had come personally to ask, Ethan didn't mind offering a brief introduction.
"Mayor George, since you're interested, allow me to explain."
"Future Defense & Individual Weapons primarily researches and manufactures defensive systems and specialized gear for individual soldiers. Our products are designed specifically for urban warfare and special operations."
He spoke casually, but the list of equipment he began describing sounded increasingly unusual.
"In addition to conventional weapons like assault rifles and pistols, we've also developed a range of specialized devices."
"For example, I recently recommended several prototypes to the White House. These include sonic guns, neural suppressors, enhanced ballistic-resistant vests, plasma whips, electric shock cufflinks, web shooters, tranquilizer watches, and even voice-modulation bow ties."
Ethan gestured lightly as he spoke, as though the entire list were perfectly ordinary.
"All of these devices serve different tactical purposes, so we have quite a wide range of options."
He then tilted his head slightly and looked directly at the mayor. "That's why I need to ask one question first. What exactly do you need these weapons for?"
Mayor George fell silent for a moment as he considered his answer.
To be honest, he hadn't been entirely sure what to expect when he scheduled this meeting. All he knew was that this young billionaire had recently secured a massive military contract with the federal government.
If nothing else, establishing a relationship with someone that powerful could be useful.
But after hearing Ethan describe the company's technology, the mayor suddenly realized that the possibilities were much greater than he had originally imagined.
After a brief pause, he spoke carefully.
"You know this is my third year as mayor. Next year will be the re-election."
Ethan nodded calmly. "Of course. With your record, I imagine re-election shouldn't be too difficult."
Mayor George shook his head slightly.
"It's not that simple."
His expression grew serious as he continued speaking. "I've received information that a very capable opponent is preparing to run against me. If I want to secure enough voter support, I'll need more accomplishments before the election."
Ethan frowned slightly as he considered this.
"I know quite a few media outlets," he suggested casually. "For example, the Daily Bugle."
He shrugged lightly as he continued. "Their editor-in-chief is an old veteran of the news industry. I'm sure he'd endorse you without hesitation if we increased your media exposure."
But the mayor immediately waved his hand dismissively.
"No. That's not what I want."
His voice became more serious as he continued speaking.
"Mr. Voss, you know that most mayors in New York City serve two or three terms at most. But if someone performs exceptionally well, it's not impossible to break that pattern."
There was a sharp glint in his eyes as he said those words.
Ambition.
Ethan recognized it instantly.
And strangely enough, it made him even happier.
In Ethan's experience, the most difficult people to deal with in the world were those who lacked ambition. People who had no desires, no goals, and no drive were impossible to manipulate.
But ambitious people were different.
They burned with desire. They were willing to take risks, make deals, and push boundaries in pursuit of their goals.
Those people were far easier to guide in the direction you wanted.
Ethan smiled faintly and asked calmly, "So what exactly are your plans?"
Mayor George slowly leaned back in his chair before answering.
"New York is a great city," he said thoughtfully. "And Manhattan is the crown jewel of that city."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"But even the most beautiful jewel can have flaws."
"There's an ugly scar in Manhattan," he said quietly. "And I intend to erase it."
Ethan raised his eyebrows slightly.
Now he understood.
And suddenly the mayor's interest in advanced weapons made perfect sense.
Still, Ethan couldn't help thinking that the first thing the mayor should probably purchase wasn't a weapon at all.
It was a shield generator.
If this plan actually went forward, Mayor George might end up needing more protection than the President of the United States.
The mayor's face flushed slightly as he spoke, clearly growing more excited about the idea.
"So tell me," he asked eagerly. "What kind of weapons do you think the NYPD and the ESU should be equipped with?"
Ethan thought for a moment before responding carefully.
"Mr. Mayor, that district has certainly attracted a large number of criminals."
He spoke calmly, choosing his words with care.
"But objectively speaking, it has also absorbed a significant portion of the city's criminal activity. In a strange way, it reduces the security pressure on other areas."
He looked directly at the mayor.
"If that place disappears, you'll have to consider where all those criminals will go next."
Mayor George nodded immediately.
"I understand that," he said confidently.
"That's actually another reason I came to see you."
"You should continue expanding Nahaid Prison."
Ethan couldn't help smiling slightly.
He leaned back in his chair and studied the mayor carefully.
"Are you absolutely certain?"
Mayor George's expression hardened as he replied.
"I'll coordinate with Borrell to ensure the courts cooperate fully. Criminals will be prosecuted quickly and punished severely."
His voice became colder.
"If arresting one thousand criminals isn't enough, then we'll arrest two thousand."
"We'll throw them all into prison."
"No one is going to stop me."
Ethan clicked his tongue quietly in admiration.
Under the American political system, a mayor had considerable autonomy. They didn't answer to the president or the state governor.
They answered only to their voters.
After a moment of thought, Ethan spoke again.
"Mr. Mayor, if I may speak frankly, this plan might benefit New York as a whole. But aside from the residents of that specific district, most citizens probably won't notice much difference."
He spread his hands slightly.
"After all, most people already avoid that neighborhood."
Mayor George smiled confidently.
"Mr. Voss," he said calmly, "do you know how expensive land in Manhattan is?"
He paused before delivering the key point.
"That place might be a scar today."
"But tomorrow, it could become a landmark."
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
"And perhaps… you might want to get involved as well."
Ethan laughed openly at the suggestion.
"It would be an honor," he replied. "And I'm sure there will be many other partners involved."
He nodded thoughtfully.
"If everyone works together, eliminating that place shouldn't be too difficult."
He understood perfectly well that the mayor must have already secured the support of many powerful individuals.
After all, transforming Hell's Kitchen into another luxury district, shopping paradise, or financial center in Manhattan would generate hundreds of billions of dollars in economic value.
That was an incredibly tempting prize.
If Mayor George controlled the distribution of those development rights, he would gain enormous political support.
It could easily propel him not only deeper into city government—but possibly even into state politics or national office.
After thinking for a moment, Ethan asked another question.
"So does the mayor already have a concrete plan?"
Mayor George nodded slowly.
"We have a few ideas."
He leaned forward slightly before explaining.
"There are many gangs operating in that district. Every one of them wants to become the underground king of New York."
A cold smile appeared on his face.
"So why not let them fight each other first?"
He continued calmly.
"Once the chaos burns itself out, we'll step in to clean up the situation."
"That way everything will appear natural, and their resistance will already be weakened."
Ethan nodded slowly.
As long as the situation was handled carefully, the plan could work.
Intelligent figures like the Kingpin might see through the scheme, but most gang members lacked the ability to think strategically.
If the overall situation collapsed into chaos, even someone as powerful as Wilson Fisk would be forced to react rather than control events.
At that point, the initiative would no longer belong to him.
"It seems your plan is quite comprehensive," Ethan said thoughtfully.
He paused for a moment before asking the final question.
"So now there's only one problem left."
"How do we ensure that we have overwhelming superiority when the battle begins?"
Mayor George smiled with satisfaction.
"That's exactly why I came to see you."
.....
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