After hearing Richard's calm admission, Tony did not explode as many expected he would. Instead, he fell into a heavy silence. The anger in his eyes did not disappear, but it sharpened into something colder and more focused.
He gestured to a nearby waiter and asked for a chair.
Moments later, he sat down across from Richard and the White Queen, folding his hands together as if trying to restrain himself.
"Rogers was my friend," Tony said at last.
"Barnes was his friend," Richard replied evenly. "The same Barnes who killed your parents. And if you're being honest with yourself, you already know Rogers valued him more than you."
Tony's jaw tightened.
Before he could respond, the White Queen spoke softly.
"Several people are texting right now. They're preparing to leak that you killed Rogers. Do you want me to stop them?"
Richard smiled faintly.
"No. Let them send it. I don't mind."
He took another sip of wine.
"Besides, it won't be me dealing with the fallout."
Captain America had millions of admirers. People had grown up on stories of his heroism. Agents like Phil Coulson practically worshipped him. But Richard had never intended to be a universally beloved hero.
Nor did he want to conquer the world.
If he had to choose a label, anti-hero suited him best.
Tony glanced briefly at the White Queen, displeased by the interruption, then returned to the matter that clearly consumed him.
"You killing Rogers can wait," he said. "I want to know how you knew Barnes killed my parents."
His fists clenched unconsciously.
"Nick Fury confirmed it. He gave me the footage. He said only a handful of people inside SHIELD knew. Hydra knew."
His eyes narrowed.
"You have telepathy. But you didn't get that from SHIELD. So either you're Hydra… or you know how to find them."
Richard leaned back slightly.
"I do know how to find Hydra," he said calmly. "But information isn't free."
Tony didn't let him finish.
"Name your price."
Richard sighed faintly.
"Don't interrupt. Basic etiquette."
He paused, then continued more lightly.
"Fortunately for you, I don't dislike you. You're one of the few I actually respect."
Tony's expression didn't change, but he listened carefully.
"There are Hydra members inside SHIELD," Richard continued. "Alexander Pierce. Former SHIELD director. Current head of the Security Council. Office at the top of the Triskelion."
Tony's eyes flickered.
"He's Hydra. One of its leaders. And he oversees the Winter Soldier."
The restaurant suddenly felt smaller.
"If you want Barnes, start with Pierce. Catch him, and Barnes will surface."
He added calmly:
"Be prepared. Barnes isn't easy prey."
Tony stared at him in silence.
Alexander Pierce. Hydra.
If someone else had made that accusation, Tony would have dismissed it immediately. But Richard had no reason to fabricate such a claim. And verification would be simple.
"I don't like owing favors," Tony said finally. "Ask for something."
Richard smiled.
"Think of it as entertainment."
"No," Tony insisted. "Name it."
Richard considered briefly.
"Fine. Build me an anti-Richard armor."
Tony blinked.
Even the White Queen looked at him with mild surprise.
"An armor designed specifically to counter me," Richard clarified. "And give it to me."
Tony frowned.
After a long pause, he nodded.
"After I finish what I need to finish."
"No rush," Richard replied. "Whenever it's ready."
Tony stood and left without another word.
Once he exited the restaurant and re-entered his armor, Richard casually used telepathy to alter fragments of memory among the diners. He did not mind the public knowing he killed Captain America.
But Alexander Pierce could not know that Tony was coming.
Hydra was not prepared for open war with SHIELD. If alerted too early, they would retreat into deeper shadows. Richard disliked SHIELD.
He disliked Hydra more.
…
That evening, every major news station carried two explosive headlines.
"Richard Wesley Publicly Admits to Killing Captain America. SHIELD Denies Claim, States Rogers Was on Classified Assignment."
"Iron Man Tony Stark Storms SHIELD Headquarters, Abducts Security Council Minister. SHIELD Claims Alexander Pierce Participating in Joint Avengers Exercise."
Exactly as expected.
Denial. Containment. Narrative control.
To the public, only curated truth existed.
…
One week later.
For ordinary citizens, nothing extraordinary had occurred.
For Tony Stark, it had been the most significant week of his life.
He had found Barnes.
And he had killed him.
Now he sat in the White Queen's apartment, sunglasses concealing dark circles that even expensive tailoring could not hide.
He poured two glasses of whiskey from a bottle worth fifty thousand dollars and handed one to Richard.
"You look like you not only finished your revenge," Richard observed lightly, "but also convinced Fury to clean up after you. How?"
Tony took a slow drink.
"I told him that if he didn't handle the aftermath, I'd expose everything. Pierce. Hydra infiltration. All of it."
He set the glass down.
"If the public found out Hydra had infiltrated SHIELD at the highest level, SHIELD would either be dismantled or stripped of authority."
Richard nodded.
"And Fury wants SHIELD intact."
"Exactly."
Richard smiled faintly.
"I didn't expect you to use political leverage. Thought you disliked that sort of thing."
Tony waved it off.
"Forget that. I didn't bring this to reminisce."
Richard studied him briefly.
"You didn't come here to chat. You barely know me. You have Pepper. Rhodey. Happy."
He leaned back.
"There's a twenty-five-year gap between us. That's eight generational divides by standard metrics."
Tony snorted.
"You're eighteen," he shot back. "You don't act like it."
Richard ignored the remark and sipped the whiskey.
"Do me a favor," Tony said at last.
"What kind?"
"I can't sleep."
He removed his sunglasses, revealing severe dark circles.
"Jarvis says it's acute anxiety. Sleeping pills don't work. Every time I close my eyes, I see my parents dying."
His voice lowered.
"I thought killing Barnes would fix it. It made it worse."
Three days. Less than two hours of sleep.
"I'm not your therapist," Richard replied plainly.
"I know. That's why I'm not asking for free help."
Tony leaned forward.
"You have telepathy. Remove the memory. Replace it. Or suppress it. I'll pay whatever you want."
Richard considered briefly.
"Another Mark armor," he said. "Same model you're using now."
Tony answered instantly.
"Done."
"I'll implant a psychological suggestion," Richard said. "You'll be able to sleep when you choose."
Tony frowned slightly.
"That's different from deleting it."
"Don't underestimate me," Richard replied lightly. "I can do far more than that."
Tony shook his head.
"If anyone's Omega-level, it's Jean Grey. Jarvis ran the numbers."
At that moment, a system notification appeared before Richard's eyes.
[Task: Son of the Devil (IV)][Content: Defeat "Dark Phoenix" Jean Grey][Reward: True Demon Form][Time Limit: None]
Richard's expression shifted subtly.
Defeat.
Not kill.
The wording mattered.
The system had never objected to him killing major figures before. If it specified defeat, that implied killing her was beyond current capability.
Was this universe's Jean Grey that powerful?
Interesting.
Tony noticed his slight frown.
"Did I offend you?"
Richard dismissed the panel and looked back at him.
"My psychological endurance is stronger than yours," he said calmly. "You'll get a month-long suggestion. If it doesn't work, I'll remove the memory entirely."
Without waiting for consent, he extended his telepathic influence.
The suggestion embedded itself effortlessly into Tony's subconscious.
Two seconds later, Richard resumed drinking.
Tony blinked.
"Did it start? Or did it already finish?"
For a brief second, Richard wondered whether Tony intentionally phrased things in ways that invited unfortunate interpretations.
.....
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