Marvel: Umbrella Corporation

The next afternoon~

The sun slowly dipped below the horizon, its last rays bathing the world in a golden glow, draping skyscrapers in a coat of shimmering gold.

Admiring the stunning scenery, Adam lifted his head from the stack of files and gazed out the window.

"What a beautiful world," he murmured. "It would be such a pity if it were destroyed."

After concluding his inspection of Umbrella's armory yesterday, Adam had returned to New York earlier that morning.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in," he said.

Luna stepped in, her red high heels clicking against the floor. She was dressed in a sleek, crimson suit that accentuated her sharp yet alluring demeanor.

"Boss, here's the financial report for the third quarter."

Adam took the report and skimmed through it, a satisfied smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Thanks to the mass production of sentry robots and booming sales in Sakura Nation, the numbers for the third quarter looked stellar.

Revenue had exceeded $30 billion, with profits soaring past $5 billion. Compared to last year, profits were up by about 30%.

However, out of that $5 billion profit, at least $2 billion needed to go to Commissioner Smith and his associates. Without their backing, Umbrella's meteoric rise would've been riddled with obstacles.

Of the remaining $3 billion, another $2 billion had to be reinvested in research, infrastructure, and military upkeep.

In the end, Adam had about $1 billion at his personal disposal.

"Not bad," Adam said, setting the report down. He noticed Luna hadn't left. "Is there something else?"

"Yes, boss. Stark Industries called earlier. Tony Stark wants to meet with you."

"Oh?" Adam mused for a moment. "Tomorrow morning will do."

"Understood."

As Luna exited the room, Adam leaned back in his chair, deep in thought.

"Red Queen," he called. "Pull up recent news about Tony Stark."

"At once," the AI responded.

In the blink of an eye, headlines and articles about Tony Stark appeared before him.

There were reports of extravagant parties featuring a plethora of celebrities, flashy displays of his suits, and even personal shows broadcasted from his company's headquarters.

"It seems Tony's palladium poisoning has spiraled out of control," Adam surmised. "He's trying to go out with a bang. If he's coming to me, it's likely about the palladium issue."

Shaking his head, Adam dismissed the matter for now.

"Red Queen, where is Alpha Team currently located?"

"Alpha Team has crossed the border into Shamukistan and is en route to Arne City. However, due to quarantine protocols, they are taking an off-road route, which will add about four hours to their journey."

"What movements have the global factions made?"

"Most factions have dispatched teams to Arne City for reconnaissance. S.H.I.E.L.D. launched their helicarrier last night."

Such was the advantage of the Sky Eye Project. With satellites constantly monitoring global activities, Adam could track the movements of major powers and, if necessary, deploy orbital weaponry for support.

However, the U.S. Congress had their eyes on the orbital weapons platform, and Adam knew his current funds wouldn't stave off their greed for long.

He resolved to expedite the development of facilities in Russia and ramp up production using clones.

But those were secondary issues. The priority remained viral and genetic research.

"I wonder if there have been any breakthroughs this past month," Adam thought aloud.

With that, he set aside his files and took the elevator to the underground research facility to check on progress.

Morning came quickly.

Dressed in a sharp black suit, Tony Stark left Stark Tower under Pepper's watchful gaze. She had insisted on accompanying him, but Tony convinced her otherwise.

He didn't want her to know about his palladium poisoning. Letting her worry about his hedonistic lifestyle was better than letting her fret over his health.

Conflicted thoughts swirled in his mind as he arrived at the Umbrella Tower.

"Mr. Stark," Adam greeted warmly, his smile disarming. "It's been a while. The last time we met was about a year ago, wasn't it?"

Tony studied Adam's genial expression. It was hard to reconcile this amiable man with the ruthless reputation he had heard about.

But then Tony remembered how Adam had siphoned hundreds of millions from Stark Industries, leaving him locked out of his own company for months. Any notion of friendliness evaporated.

"Mr. Adam, thank you for seeing me on such short notice," Tony began politely.

After some small talk, Tony cut to the chase. "I need your help with something."

"What is it?" Adam asked.

"I need a solution for palladium poisoning."

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Palladium poisoning? I could look into it, but I'll need specifics."

Tony hesitated before undoing his tie and unbuttoning his shirt.

"Whoa, whoa," Adam said, holding up a hand. "Hold on. Just because same-sex relationships are legal here doesn't mean I swing that way."

Tony choked on his own spit, coughing awkwardly. He quickly composed himself and revealed the arc reactor embedded in his chest.

"About a year ago, I was attacked by the Ten Rings in the Middle East..." Tony gave a brief rundown of his situation, then looked expectantly at Adam.

Adam listened, then tilted his head, puzzled. "I feel for you, but I have to ask—why are you still using the arc reactor?"

"Its primary purpose was to power your electromagnet and prevent shrapnel from reaching your heart. You're back in civilization now. Why not use conventional electricity?"

"Sure, having a cable running out of your chest isn't ideal, but it would solve the poisoning issue. When you need to don your suit, you can reinstall the reactor."

Tony froze, his expression shifting through a spectrum of emotions: surprise, regret, excitement, and frustration.

"Yeah, why am I still using the arc reactor?" he muttered.

"Sure, it's not pretty to have a cord sticking out of my chest, but it's a viable solution. I could switch back to the reactor when necessary and remain Iron Man without risking my life daily."

Though enlightened, Tony couldn't resist asking, "Even so, is there a cure for palladium poisoning?"

"There is," Adam replied. "But it'll take a month to develop. It'll cost $1 million per dose. How about it?"

"$1 million? Why not just rob me outright?" Tony retorted.

"I am robbing you. Business is business. Feel free to negotiate."

"How about $100,000?"

"Deal. Payment upfront, delivery in a month."

As Adam's smile grew wider, Tony couldn't shake the feeling that he was staring into the face of the devil. Gone was the friendly demeanor; in its place was a predator savoring his victory.

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