113 True Intentions

"Let's have a chat."

"Oh? About what?"

"Let's talk about how to kill Tony."

Obadiah Stane racked his brain, but he simply could not fathom what was wrong with the young man before him. Although this was their first face-to-face encounter, he had seen the man's dossier. As the most prominent figure to recently emerge within the Avengers, there were few people in New York who didn't know who Joss was.

Yet, here he was, discussing the murder of the sole heir to the Stark family inside Stark Tower with one of Stark Industries' founding members, using the same tone one might use to decide between pizza or steak for dinner.

*Wait,* Obadiah thought, *if I really think about it, is this actually... kind of thrilling?*

*No, no, no! My current identity is a founder and major shareholder of Stark Industries...*

Obadiah stared at the youth, his eyes wide with shock, but he masked it almost instantly, forcing himself to adopt an expression of extreme indignation. He was baffled by Joss's unperturbed attitude; he couldn't figure out what the man was playing at. At first, he suspected his secret had been exposed, but Joss didn't seem to be using this as a threat. Then, he wondered if Joss shared his own dark ambitions, and in his excitement, he began to contemplate how to push Joss to the front lines while he reaped the rewards.

But now, he realized the entire premise made no sense. Joss's primary connection to Stark Industries was simply collecting a hefty monthly paycheck. If he really were to kill Tony—regardless of whether anyone discovered his involvement—the relationship between a restructured Stark Industries and the Avengers would inevitably shift. If nothing else, a cushy, no-strings-attached arrangement like Joss's would certainly come to an end.

Looking at it from every angle, Joss stood to gain nothing from such an act. From that moment on, Obadiah concluded that the youth was merely fishing for a confession, perhaps armed with a few vague clues, waiting for him to slip up.

Having steeled his resolve, Obadiah’s performance became even more convincing. No matter what Joss said, he acted the part of a model employee.

"Mr. Joss, are you joking? No, even as a joke, this is far too much!"

Obadiah already possessed an naturally intimidating presence, and with his face now twisted in genuine-looking rage, he looked like a villain from a comic book, as if he might fire a deadly energy beam at any second.

Joss shrugged nonchalantly. "What? Don't tell me you aren't interested. Or is it that you know even if Tony died, you wouldn't be able to swallow Stark Industries, so you’ve given up on the idea?"

*Thump!*

Obadiah slammed his fist onto the table, veins bulging on his forehead as he roared, "That is enough! Do you have any idea what you are saying? Even as a member of the Avengers, you have no right to insult Stark Industries or Tony Stark like this!"

"Oh, go ahead and report me then. Go jump in front of him and tell him I’m going to snuff him out. See if he believes you." Joss toyed with his fingernails, looking utterly unbothered by Obadiah’s outburst.

The moment those words were spoken, Obadiah froze. Joss was right. Even if he had recorded this conversation, what would showing it to Tony accomplish? Who would announce an assassination plot in such a casual, public manner? Tony would surely dismiss it as a joke, and Obadiah would look like a complete fool.

*But wait,* Obadiah thought, growing even more confused. *What is your game, Joss? Aren't you supposed to be here to get your equipment repaired? Why are you pulling this erratic performance?*

Obadiah’s expression flickered, but he decided not to dwell on it. He would report this to Tony; that way, whatever happened next would be out of his hands, and it might even provide cover for his own plans. Having settled on this, he straightened his posture, ready to speak with cold, calculated authority.

*Snap!*

Joss slapped a circular, pocket-watch-like object onto the desk, cutting Obadiah’s words short.

"Alright, joke's over. I'll ask you this once: do you want a miniature arc reactor? One price, take it or leave it!"

When Tony had forged the great sword *Mercy* for Joss, he had embedded an arc reactor within it; the object Joss had pried out was exactly that. The moment Obadiah saw it, his eyes went wide. Everything Joss had said previously evaporated from his mind, replaced entirely by the sight of the device.

A miniature arc reactor! It was the very thing he had dreamed of, sitting there right in front of him!

They say a man never truly grows up; he is a boy his whole life. What man didn't have a giant robot fantasy? Why had he been scheming and plotting all this time? Was it just to hoard wealth? No, it was to pilot a giant machine! Why else would a villain in a movie steal an arc reactor instead of just stabbing the hero in his sleep?

To Joss, these people were all idiots. There were so many better ways to use such advanced technology, yet they all obsessed over giant robots. If they used this tech to replace conventional power plants, the profits alone would be astronomical!

"Anyway, as you can see, I can provide you with the theoretical technology for the miniature arc reactor. You can use it for anything you want, provided I get fifty percent of the profits. You and Tony can hash out the rest."

"This..." Obadiah’s face softened, his performance completely forgotten.

"I’ll talk to Tony about it later. Honestly, this is just a useless scrap to him; he won't mind if we use it to make some money."

Hearing Joss's promise, Obadiah’s mask finally shattered. He stared fixedly at the arc reactor on the table and gave a firm nod.

"Then we are partners from this moment on, Mr. Joss... but what is that on your hand?"

"Oh? This? Don't worry, it's just a pair of gauntlets." Joss calmly pulled on his 'Friendship-Breaking' gauntlets, and with a smile, began to walk toward Obadiah.