The heavy doors of the conference room swung open. A burly Russian man, his long hair matted and his beard thick, stepped into the room.
The moment Ivan Vanko entered, his eyes swept across everyone present. He noted the divide at the round table: one side was dominated by Westerners, while the other was entirely Asian.
His brow furrowed slightly when he realized the Asian side included a woman and several children. Three of them, to be exact.
On his way here, he had been told this was a meeting of the organization's high-ranking leadership.
The upper echelon... includes three children?
Across the round table, Shiranui Hayate watched the man approach. He spoke with a calm, piercing authority.
"Ivan Vanko. Your father, Anton Vanko, collaborated with Howard Stark many years ago to develop the original Arc Reactor technology. The two parted ways because of a fundamental disagreement: Anton wanted to use it for military applications and industrial profit, while Howard wanted to use it for the benefit of humanity."
Hayate's gaze didn't waver.
"Subsequently, Anton was deported for certain reasons and returned to the Soviet Union, where he lived in squalor. He was later convicted of treason in Moscow, detained, and forbidden from ever touching scientific research again."
"Wesley tells me you are a genius in mechanics," Hayate continued.
"So, tell me. What do you hope to gain from me, and what can I possibly gain from you?"
Hearing the man at the head of the table recite his family history so effortlessly didn't surprise Ivan Vanko. However, hearing the reason for his father's deportation sparked a sharp retort.
"Howard is a thief. He worked alongside my father on that research, and once they found success, he had my father cast out. It was an injustice."
Hayate remained indifferent to the explanation.
A man who had been fed his father's bitterness since childhood wouldn't change his perspective because of a few words from a stranger. Besides, Hayate didn't have the physical evidence of the past; he only knew how the story ended.
"Ivan Vanko. Answer my question. What do you want, and what can you bring to my table?"
Irritation bubbled within Ivan. He wanted to scream about how Howard had stolen his father's life's work, how they had been suppressed for decades, but he forced the impulse down.
"I need a laboratory. I need the funding to conduct my research. I will prove to the world that the Vanko family is not inferior to the Starks."
He paused, looking at the equipment in the room.
"Sir, can you provide a computer? I wish to demonstrate my findings."
At Hayate's nod, Hotaru rose and led Ivan to the operations area. The monitors flickered to life as Ivan plugged in a hard drive. He opened a presentation and began his pitch.
The schematics on the screen were unmistakable: the giant Arc Reactor—the same research Anton Vanko had taken to his grave.
Ivan spoke with fervor, detailing the power output, the clean energy potential, and the future of the technology.
Since Iron Man had not yet made his debut, and the miniaturized reactor didn't exist yet, Ivan hadn't even considered making the device smaller. He hadn't even successfully built a full-scale working model, let alone a portable one.
Hayate watched the performance in silence. When Ivan finally finished, Hayate spoke.
"I've seen this thing before. I visited the Stark Industries building."
He tilted his head slightly.
"If you are just building this for your own use, it's not a problem. But if you intend to market this or charge for it... have you considered the patents?"
The word "patents" struck Ivan Vanko like a physical blow, leaving him utterly speechless.
Though his father had co-developed the project, the Vanko family held no legal rights to it.
Hayate didn't miss the chance to drive the point home.
"Furthermore, this technology of yours... it's already obsolete."
"Impossible! That is absolutely impossible!" Ivan shouted, his face reddening.
"I did my research before coming here! Stark Industries hasn't had a breakthrough in this technology for decades!"
Hayate shrugged, unimpressed by the outburst.
"Ivan Vanko, if this is all you have to offer, then I can only say I'm sorry."
A technology that couldn't generate immediate profit didn't interest Hayate. He didn't need low-end Mark-series armors. He needed money—dollars that could be converted into copper coins—and items that carried value.
Ivan Vanko, at this moment, had neither.
Ivan went silent, frantically searching his mind. He knew his own capabilities were high, but he truly had nothing else tangible to show yet.
"Sir, I may not have other results right now," Ivan said, his voice regaining a desperate confidence. "But I believe that if you give me the chance, I will bring you exactly what you desire."
Hayate chuckled softly.
"I want an Artificial Intelligence. Can you develop that?"
He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.
"And pay attention—I said Artificial Intelligence, not an artificial idiot."
Hayate remembered the convenience of JARVIS in Tony's villa. If he could have a comprehensive AI of his own, he wouldn't mind taking in Ivan Vanko, the future harbinger of chaos.
Ivan's mouth opened, then slowly closed.
"Sir... my expertise lies in mechanical engineering. I have not delved into the field of Artificial Intelligence."
Disappointment flickered in Hayate's expression.
"Wesley. Give him some money. Let's not let Mr. Vanko's trip be for nothing."
Wesley looked at the Russian with a hint of pity. He stood up and escorted Ivan out of the conference room.
Once the doors closed behind them, Hayate turned back to the remaining members.
"If any of you wish to recommend people to join us, that is fine. We have many positions available."
"In combat, we have the High Table Adjudicators. In technical research, we have the Hotel's R&D department. In medicine, we have roles for physicians."
He paused, his voice turning cold and serious.
"But if anyone wishes to earn a seat in this conference room, they must possess a level of ability that I recognize."
"Whether it is martial prowess or technical genius, I only require top-tier talent."
He thought of his current circle. Even Wesley and Carlos could trigger Bullet Time and leap between skyscrapers. Even John Wick possessed a lethal precision that rivaled Hawkeye.
Mediocrity had no place at this table.