"Value Line Corporation?"
Tony Stark raised an eyebrow as he sat up in bed. "And I'm supposed to care… why, exactly?"
"Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied smoothly, "the company belongs to Wilson Fisk. He is currently campaigning for mayor of New York and is widely believed to be one of the most influential crime figures in the country."
Tony paused.
"…So a mob boss wants me at a party. Still not hearing the appeal."
"According to the invitation," J.A.R.V.I.S. continued, "the company claims to have discovered a method related to human longevity."
Tony snorted.
"Oh, great. Immortality now. What is this, a late-night infomercial?"
"There is more," J.A.R.V.I.S. added. "At tomorrow's event, they plan to select one attendee at random and grant them this 'secret' for free."
That made Tony pause.
"Wait, seriously?"
"Yes, sir. Invitations have been sent globally—to major media outlets, government officials, military leadership, and corporate executives."
Tony leaned back, thinking.
"Okay… now I'm interested."
He frowned slightly.
"Do they even have the credentials for something like this? Are they some kind of biotech firm?"
"No, sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied. "According to their materials, the 'secret' is contained within a book. They claim that by following its instructions, one can significantly extend their lifespan."
Tony stared at the ceiling.
"…So it's a self-help book."
A beat.
"…With immortality."
Another beat.
"…And apparently performance enhancement."
That last part made him grin.
"Yeah, okay. I'm in."
"Pull everything we've got on this event," Tony said, swinging his legs off the bed. "I want details."
Data flooded his display instantly.
Names. Connections. Reports.
And one name kept appearing.
"Noah Vale…"
Tony scrolled, eyes narrowing.
The more he read, the more his expression shifted—from curiosity…
…to genuine interest.
"Okay," he muttered. "This guy's either the real deal… or the best con artist I've ever seen."
He smirked.
"Either way, I'm not missing this."
"Cancel the rest of the Hawaii trip," he added. "We're heading back to New York."
At the Xavier Institute—
Charles Xavier held up two invitations.
"I've received these," he said calmly. "Would anyone like to accompany me?"
Scott Summers leaned against the doorway, arms crossed.
"With respect, Professor," he said, "this whole thing sounds like a scam. A book that grants immortality? That's not science—it's marketing."
Nearby, Jean Grey tilted her head.
"Where did you even get those invites?" she asked.
"From Erik," Xavier replied.
That immediately changed the mood.
Cyclops straightened.
"Magneto gave you those?"
Xavier nodded.
"And the work itself… is tied to Noah Vale. I want to see it firsthand."
He didn't mention everything.
Not the brief moment when he'd tried to reach into Noah's mind—
And been immediately noticed.
Or the blunt warning that followed.
Still—
The fact remained.
Noah was a mutant.
And not just any mutant.
Xavier could feel it.
This was someone who might reshape the relationship between mutants and humanity.
Cyclops shook his head, clearly frustrated.
"This has 'Brotherhood setup' written all over it," he said. "There's no way Magneto's not involved."
Xavier didn't argue.
Instead, he looked at Jean.
"Would you come with me?"
Jean sighed, glancing briefly at Scott before nodding.
"…Of course."
At the top floor of Value Line Corporation—
Fisk stood by the window, cigar in hand.
"Well?" he asked. "Invitations are out. Who's coming?"
His assistant didn't hesitate.
"Confirmed attendees include the President and Vice President, multiple governors and mayors, executives from major corporations—including Stark Industries—and representatives from nearly every major media outlet."
Fisk nodded slowly.
Good.
Very good.
"And the public slots?"
"We released thirty random tickets across the city," the assistant said. "They were acquired almost immediately by unknown parties. We'll only know who they are when they arrive."
Fisk tapped his fingers against the railing.
"Make sure the selection process goes exactly as planned," he said. "The 'random' winner needs to be the one we chose."
The assistant hesitated.
"…Sir, if it's that individual, there could be complications."
Fisk's expression hardened.
"That's the point," he said. "Impact. Visibility."
A pause.
"I've already handled it. They'll cooperate."
"…Understood."
At S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters—
Nick Fury looked at Phil Coulson.
"We're going," he said. "I secured two of the public tickets."
From the side, Clint Barton frowned.
"For a book launch?"
Fury shook his head.
"It's not about the book."
He glanced at the briefing screen.
"It's about who's showing up."
Maria Hill crossed her arms.
"I still don't get it," she said. "Why is everyone taking this seriously?"
Fury's expression darkened slightly.
"They're not going for Fisk," he said. "They're going for Noah Vale."
Silence followed.
"If a single individual can influence the outcome of a battlefield," Fury added, "people pay attention."
No one argued.
Because it made perfect sense.
Across the city—
The hype had already reached its peak.
Advertisements everywhere.
Live broadcast announcements.
And one bold claim repeated across every platform—
Noah Vale's book was being promoted as something revolutionary.
Something that could change humanity itself.
Tomorrow—
All of it would come to a head.
...
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