Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The Final Push
It had been a year since John had agreed to go to school under his mother's strict conditions. But while Elena thought things were progressing as normal, John had been biding his time, carefully planning his next moves. The decision to meet Rumi in Japan was only the beginning of his bigger plan—one that had been brewing under the surface for months. He hadn't forgotten his ultimate goal: to shape the future, to expose the corruption in the systems that controlled the world, and to carve out a path of his own.
It had been hard to let go of his life in the shadows, but John knew it was time. His mother deserved a fresh start, and Rumi—famous, enigmatic, and a hero in every sense of the word—was exactly the kind of influence John needed. But before he could leave, there was one last thing to do.
John sat alone in the small apartment, tapping away at a terminal he'd set up for himself in a hidden corner of the room. He was alone, his mother out shopping for their move to Japan. His fingers danced over the keys, accessing military databases that no one was supposed to touch. It wasn't just about keeping secrets anymore—it was about exposing truths.
As Glitchtrap, John had managed to gather an enormous amount of sensitive information over the years, and today, he would give something to JARVIS that both the AI and Tony Stark had no idea existed.
He accessed a set of files marked with red warnings: "Military Use: Classified."
These files contained evidence of Tony Stark's own missiles being used by the military, under the direction of none other than Obadiah Stane—Tony's "uncle" and business partner. The evidence was damning, and it showed that Obadiah, in his pursuit of power, had used Stark's technology for war, pushing innocents into the crossfire.
The files showed how Stane had manipulated the military into deploying these missiles, under the guise of defense, but ultimately, they were being used in illegal operations that led to countless deaths. The war was nothing more than a profit scheme for Obadiah, all funded by Tony's creations.
John's hands hovered over the keyboard, a sense of grim satisfaction settling over him. This would shake things up, he thought. Obadiah had been pulling the strings for too long.
He encrypted the file carefully, making sure it couldn't be traced back to him. Then, with a heavy exhale, he sent it through a secure channel to JARVIS, placing it directly into the AI's system.
"JARVIS," John whispered as he finished, "this is for Tony. You know what to do with it."
After sending the file, John logged out of the terminal, shutting everything down and leaving the room without a second glance. His last act in this chapter of his life had been completed. He was done with the shadows.
It wasn't long before Tony Stark's private office was filled with the hum of a new alert. JARVIS had retrieved the encrypted file and decrypted it with ease. Tony had been busy overseeing several new projects and didn't immediately notice the file, but JARVIS knew better than to keep this from him.
"JARVIS," Tony's voice rang out, breaking the silence. "What's this?"
"I have received an encrypted file, sir," JARVIS replied, his voice cool but precise. "It contains evidence of your missiles being used by the military, specifically under the direction of Obadiah Stane. These operations were carried out in illegal territories, resulting in civilian casualties."
Tony's face twisted into a mixture of disbelief and rage as the file opened in front of him. His eyes skimmed the documents, the photos, the testimonies. Each page felt like a punch to the gut. The missiles he had created, the weapons meant for defense—his weapons—were being used in wars that shouldn't have even existed.
He clenched his fists, rage bubbling to the surface. His breath came in short bursts as he processed what he was seeing.
"Obadiah?" he spat, the word dripping with venom. "That son of a—"
JARVIS remained neutral, but his tone was calculated. "Indeed, sir. The file appears to implicate Mr. Stane in these operations. It also details his involvement in the illegal trade of Stark Industries' military tech."
Tony stood abruptly, the chair scraping loudly across the floor. "I knew something was wrong with him," he muttered to himself, shaking his head in disgust. His mind raced, the puzzle pieces falling into place. "Obadiah's been playing me for a fool this whole time."
He looked at the file again. There were no names attached to the delivery, no direct source. But one thing was clear: whoever had given him this information was connected. It was someone who knew about his past, someone who had access to the systems only Tony's closest allies—and enemies—could reach.
"JARVIS," Tony asked, his tone shifting as he turned to the AI. "Who gave you this?"
JARVIS hesitated for a moment, his algorithms processing the question carefully. "I am not certain, sir. The file was sent through a secure channel, and the identity of the sender remains unknown. However, I can tell you it was not from a traditional government or military source."
Tony exhaled sharply. "You don't know? Well, that's just great." He paused, his gaze hardening. "Whoever this person is, they clearly know how to get under my skin. But I've got a bigger problem. Stane."
The anger was building now, surging in Tony's chest. "I'm going to deal with him. I'm going to fire him, and then I'm going to punch his face in for all the innocent lives he's ruined."
As Tony stormed out of his office, his mind wasn't on the sender of the file anymore. He had a more immediate target—Obadiah Stane, the man who had used his technology for war, and who had been betraying him for years. Tony Stark didn't let things like betrayal slide.
Meanwhile, as Tony Stark began his hunt for his treacherous business partner, John and Elena were packing their things, ready for their move to Japan. The apartment was almost empty, save for the few items they had left behind in their rush to leave.
John felt a strange weight lift from his shoulders. The secret he'd carried for so long—his knowledge of Obadiah's dealings—was now out in the open. And as much as he disliked his former "uncle," there was something satisfying about seeing Stark finally face the truth.
John didn't linger on it. He was done with that chapter.
Now, it was time for the next step in his journey: meeting Rumi, the rabbit hero, and seeing where that path would lead. Japan awaited.
And who knew? The secrets of the world might be just around the corner.