The afternoon sun lazily spilled over the desk, casting warm spots of light onto the circuit board design Artoria had just finished.
She put down the precision soldering iron, rubbed her slightly sore eyes, and picked up the herbal tea at her side, which was at the perfect temperature—Minerva could always refill it silently whenever she needed it.
From the direction of the living room came the steady sound of keyboard typing; that was Minerva processing her massive "daily information stream."
Artoria knew that this "daily" routine contained a vast array of information, ranging from global news to fragments of the dark web; it was the invisible antenna through which they understood the World.
She stretched her body and was just about to walk over to see what Minerva was monitoring when the phone on the workbench suddenly vibrated.
It was not a call, but a video call request from an encrypted communication app. The sender was displayed as a simple abbreviation, "TS."
Tony Stark.
Artoria frowned slightly, picked up the phone, and walked toward the living room. At almost the same moment, Minerva stopped typing, and one of the three floating data screens quickly switched to display the encrypted analysis results of the current communication signal.
"Signal source confirmed: Stark Industries private satellite encrypted channel. The link has a high security level, but there is a slim possibility of third-party monitoring," Minerva's voice sounded calmly, her optical sensors turning toward the phone in Artoria's hand.
Artoria nodded, walked to the relatively quiet floor-to-ceiling window, and answered the video call.
Tony Stark's face appeared on the screen. The background looked like a laboratory or studio; the lighting was a bit dim. He looked visibly exhausted, his stubble was unkempt, and the dark circles under his eyes were heavy. However, those caramel-colored eyes were exceptionally sharp, even carrying suppressed anger.
"Hey, Miss Neighbor, I hope I'm not interrupting your lovely afternoon tea time." Tony's voice sounded relatively relaxed, but the tension underneath could not be hidden.
"Tony, you look like..." Artoria chose her words carefully, "...you haven't slept in days."
"Sleep? Ha, I've been busy lately, busy figuring out how many 'good deals' my company made behind my back while I was nearly dying in the desert." Tony tugged at the corner of his mouth; his smile lacked warmth. He leaned closer to the camera and lowered his voice, "Listen, Artoria, I need you to do me a favor. It's not a technical problem; it's... something more practical."
"Go ahead." Artoria's expression also became serious.
"I've dug up some things," Tony said, speaking faster, his voice lower. "Inside the company, someone—and in a very high position—has been bypassing me, even using my 'disappearance' and 'death' to sell things that shouldn't be sold to people who shouldn't have them. The chain of evidence isn't completely locked yet, but I can smell the stench. And they've realized I've started investigating."
He paused, and a rare look of concern, unrelated to pride, flashed in his eyes: "Potts... she is the person I trust the most, and now she is also their most obvious obstacle within the company. I've strengthened her security—Stark Industries' own, and some people I arranged myself. But I'm not at ease. Some rats, when pushed into a corner, will do anything."
Artoria immediately understood: "You want me to protect Potts?"
"It's protection, and also... keeping a trump card that I can see," Tony admitted frankly. "I don't trust those paid bodyguards, nor do I trust those who use 'national security' as a cover, who knows what they are plotting behind the scenes. I know you, and your... 'family member,' have the ability to do things that others cannot. You don't need to charge into battle; you just need to watch from the shadows and ensure no dirty business touches her. If, and I mean if, something really happens that I can't react to in time..."
He didn't finish, but the meaning was clear. He needed a hidden, absolutely reliable, and powerful quick-response force, and it would be best if this force was directly reachable by him.
"Does Potts know?" Artoria asked.
"I mentioned it to her, saying that an 'absolutely reliable friend' would provide extra security from the shadows, but she doesn't know it's you; she only knows it's the'seaside cottage'." Tony rubbed his temples. "She didn't agree at first, thinking I was overreacting, but... I convinced her. She's currently in a secure apartment on the top floor of Stark Tower. The defense there is decent, but she can't stay inside forever. She has an industry meeting tomorrow afternoon that she can't cancel, in Midtown Manhattan. That's a risk point."
Artoria thought quickly. Protecting Potts was not a complex task in itself. The difficulty lay in staying hidden, anticipating potential threats, and intervening quickly when necessary. This was precisely the area where Minerva excelled.
"I need Ms. Potts' detailed itinerary for the next seventy-two hours, the complete structural blueprints of Stark Tower and its secure apartment, information on the overt security personnel you've arranged, and the list and information of the 'insiders' you think are most likely to take unfriendly actions." Artoria didn't agree immediately but instead made her requests.
A flash of appreciation crossed Tony's eyes. "The data is already being encrypted and transmitted; the receiving address is the secure email you left for Potts last time. As for the list... some are my speculations, but the most suspicious one is Obadiah Stane, my 'uncle,' the COO of Stark Industries. The old guy has been acting very strange lately, and he has channels to get his hands on some... military-grade defective technology that shouldn't have been leaked."
Obadiah Stane. Artoria understood in her heart; it was indeed him. The biggest villain in the first part of the Iron Man story, Tony's "family" and traitor.
"Understood. I'll help with this," Artoria said solemnly. "Ms. Potts' safety is in our hands. But Tony, what about you? You are the biggest target right now."
Tony grinned, his smile once again carrying his signature arrogance: "Me? I'm doing just fine. Besides, I'm busy preparing a 'big gift' for some people. If they dare to touch Potts, or dare to reach out to me..." A cold light flashed in his eyes, "...they will regret it. Keep in touch, Miss Neighbor. The communication channel is encrypted and on standby 24/7; call me directly if there's anything unusual."
"You too, be careful."
The call ended. Artoria turned around and saw that Minerva had already brought up a 3D map of Manhattan, with one point flashing in high brightness—that was Stark Tower. On another screen, data streams were rapidly decoding and categorizing the information Tony had sent.
"Task received: Protect Virginia Potts, highest priority, time limit initially set for seventy-two hours," Minerva's voice sounded, calm but filled with focused readiness. "The data is being decrypted and analyzed. Based on available information, Obadiah Stane has the highest threat level. He controls Stark Industries' internal resources and may deploy private armed forces, mercenaries, or even acquire special equipment through illegal channels. The Stark Tower security system needs to undergo penetration testing to confirm there are no backdoors. Ms. Potts' itinerary for tomorrow needs to be re-planned, with at least three backup routes and five safe houses preset."
She had completely entered tactical planning mode. On the screen, the Manhattan map was detailed, with traffic monitoring nodes, high points suitable for sniping or ambushes, densely populated areas, underground pipeline networks, and Police patrol routes all being marked one by one. Potts' portrait, daily behavioral pattern analysis, Stane's public itinerary, and information on known associates were also quickly retrieved and compared.
"What are you planning to do?" Artoria walked to her side, looking at those dazzling tactical analysis charts.
"Two-line protection. The overt line will be handled by Stark Industries and Tony Stark's private security for daily close protection and itinerary accompaniment; we will not interfere too much to avoid exposure. The covert line will be handled by me, conducting full-time, medium-to-long-range surveillance." Minerva pulled up the 3D structural diagram of Stark Tower and began marking it. "I will select at least two optimal observation points across from the tower to ensure coverage of the windows on the floor where Ms. Potts' apartment is located, the main entrances and exits, and the surrounding blocks. I have already begun attempting to establish covert, encrypted monitoring links for her personal communication devices and vehicle to ensure signal security and trajectory tracking."
Her fingers danced rapidly across the virtual keyboard, generating individual plan modules: "For tomorrow's outing, I will conduct on-site reconnaissance of the scheduled and backup routes two hours in advance to eliminate potential threats. For the meeting location, I will infiltrate in advance to complete environmental scanning and deployment. Throughout the entire process, I will maintain encrypted communication with you and Tony Stark. In the event of an unplanned threat, I will assess the threat level, prioritize ensuring Ms. Potts' safety, and, depending on the situation, take measures including non-lethal suppression, electronic jamming, and physical isolation. If necessary, I can call Tony Stark or initiate an emergency evacuation plan."
The plan was meticulous and comprehensive. Artoria had no doubt that Minerva had the ability to execute this mission perfectly on her own.
"What do I need to do?" Artoria asked.
"You are my command node and final decision maker." Minerva looked at her, her optical sensors glowing steadily. "You need to stay online, receive my real-time reports, and make the call when subjective judgment or higher-level decisions are required (such as whether to intervene proactively, whether to change protection strategies, whether to notify S.H.I.E.L.D., etc.). At the same time, your own safety is the highest priority; during the mission, please try to avoid going out, or stay within a range where I can react quickly."
This was the most reasonable division of labor. Minerva would execute at the front line, and Artoria would command from the rear while keeping herself safe.
"Good. Proceed with your plan." Artoria nodded, then added, "Minerva, be careful. Stane is not an ordinary businessman; he is very likely to act desperately. If the situation becomes critical, prioritize the safety of Potts and yourself; don't worry about exposure."
"Understood. The threat assessment already includes contingency plans for high-intensity conflicts." Minerva replied, then immediately began breaking down the massive plan into specific action instructions, deploying them by time and category. She even simulated several possible attack scenarios and generated corresponding response procedures.
Outside the window, the sunset began to sink, dyeing the sea golden red. The atmosphere inside the cottage was completely different, filled with a silent, efficient air of pre-battle preparation.
Dinner was simple sandwiches, which both of them finished quickly. Minerva changed into dark, easy-to-move-in casual clothes, carefully checked the necessary micro-equipment—high-magnification optical monitors, signal interceptors, micro-drones, non-lethal weapons, etc.—and packed them into a specialized equipment case, categorized by type.
"I'm heading to New York first to establish initial monitoring points. I expect to arrive near Stark Tower within an hour. I will provide my first security report upon arrival." Minerva picked up the equipment case and walked to the door.
"Minerva," Artoria called out to her, walked up, and hugged her gently. Minerva's body was as warm and stable as always. "Be careful. Keep in touch."
Minerva seemed to pause for half a second, then raised her arms and gently hugged Artoria back, her movements a bit stiff but very soft. "I will. Please make sure you stay inside the safe house and keep communication open. If you need anything, call me anytime."
She let go, put on those tinted sunglasses, took one last look at Artoria, then turned around. Her figure quickly blended into the deepening twilight, and she drove that Aston Martin, silently speeding onto the road leading to New York.
Artoria returned inside and closed the door. The room suddenly became quiet, with only the rhythmic sound of waves. She walked to the console, watching the moving location signal shared by Minerva and the real-time surveillance footage of the area around Stark Tower that began to stream in one after another.
The warm daily routine was temporarily paused. On the other side of the World, those conspiracies and dangers hidden under the shiny surface were clearly presented before her through Minerva's "eyes."
But she was not flustered. Because she knew that her most reliable Guardian, like the most precise hunter, had quietly slipped into that city that never sleeps, beginning to weave an invisible, powerful web of protection to safeguard a kind person and to fulfill her promise to her.
The night deepened, and the lights of New York lit up one by one in the distance. A silent protective operation had already begun.
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