To Be An Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D (Marvel)(MCU)

"No chaos today," Tony said, adjusting his sunglasses. "Maybe the world's finally calming down."

James didn't answer. He just watched the crowd — calculating, processing, already planning the next move.

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"Yeah, not bad," James said, shaking his legs as they walked. "We pulled it off. Stock's going to climb, the game's already spreading. It's truly a good day."

"Wait," Tony Stark said, cocking an eyebrow. "Isn't the game free? How are we making money?"

"Cosmetics. Cheap skins for the masses, expensive ones for flex. Then there's runes, champions, account boosts. If you don't want to wait, you pay. If you don't want to pay, you grind. Simple psychology."

Tony nodded, impressed. "Genius. Wide user base, low cost of entry, monetized impatience… Now I believe you're actually an agent. That's straight-up psychological warfare. Speaking of, check out my new car."

He gestured to a sleek new Audi R8 parked nearby, and leaning against it is a model-tier woman in heels and designer sunglasses.

"Is she... included?" James asked.

Tony smirked. "I didn't check the options list. Hey, Hogan? Is she a standard issue?"

"I dunno. Should I ask?" said Hogan, Tony's bulky, exasperated driver.

They all walked over. James's own car was parked nearby, it was last year's model, nothing flashy. James didn't care for upgrades or convertibles. He glanced at the woman, who smiled and introduced herself.

"Agent Natalie Rushman. Law enforcement." She flashed a badge. "I have business with Mr. Stark."

Tony lowered the top on his car and slid into the driver's seat. "So, what kind of business?"

"I'm serving a subpoena." She handed it to him. "You are ordered to appear at the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. 9:00 a.m. tomorrow."

Tony looked at Hogan. "How far is it to D.C.?"

" Two hundred fifty miles," Hogan replied.

"Hey, Ace," Tony shouted to James, who was climbing into his car. "Want to race to D.C.?"

"Two hundred fifty? That's… in how many kilometers?"

"Four hundred two. Why?"

"Just wondering how far ahead I'm about to be."

"Meet at the Sofitel in Lafayette Square," Tony said. "Closest hotel to the White House."

"No further questions." James started his engine, pulled up his S.H.I.E.L.D.-issued navigation system, and with a screech of tires, he shot out of the lot without waiting.

The drive was intense. Two hours of flat-out speed, cutting through traffic like a Wrasse escaping a predator. James arrived first, grabbed a Coke, and leaned against a post outside the hotel.

An hour later, Stark rolled up, hair a mess, and his car roof still off.

"When did you get here?"

"About an hour ago," James said, sipping his drink. "Is that hairdo standard with the car?"

"I didn't even stop to put the roof back on." Stark laughed. "You really don't mess around."

"The highway suits my car. That was the first time I've driven it like it was meant to be driven."

'And with the help of Cortana, I will always find the fastest path and perfect gear shifts.'

They went inside. The night passed without incident.

The Next Morning, 9:00 a.m. sharp.

James sat beside Tony as the Senate hearing began. It was his first time in a room like this, but he immediately sensed something off. One of the senators had the look: polished, hollow, and seemingly dangerous.

'Hydra,' James thought. 'This whole thing might be a setup to seize the Iron Man tech. If they mass-produce suits… it could be catastrophic.'

The hearing began.

"Mr. Stark," the senator asked, "do you possess a specialized weapon?"

"I don't," Tony said. "Depends what you call a weapon."

"Iron Man is a weapon, isn't it?"

"What I built isn't a weapon."

"Then how would you classify it?"

Tony leaned into the mic. "It's an advanced prosthetic. That's the nicest word I've got."

Laughter echoed through the room. Even James cracked a smile. Stark had better comedic timing in real life than in any briefing tape.

"You should surrender the suit to the American people," the senator insisted. "For their safety."

"You want me to surrender "me"?" Tony shot back. "Should I wear the suit while picking up trash on the freeway too?"

More laughter erupted. Stark wasn't backing down.

The committee called up Justin Hammer, a Department of Defense contractor. James turned in his seat. 'This guy? He's running a defense company?' Hammer looked like a joke. The kind of man who trips over his own press releases.

He tried to argue. Stark buried him with evidence, hacked satellite footage of Hammer's failed test units.

James leaned forward. "Permission to speak, Senator?"

The chair scowled. "Who are you?"

"James Gibson. Partner to Mr. Stark. Chairman of League Games."

The room quieted.

"I have questions about the framing of this hearing. Let's start with energy. The arc reactor in Tony's chest — that's not just a power source. It's a breakthrough. It's clean, compact, and decades ahead of what anyone else has."

He continued, voice calm and firm.

"You want to nationalize the Iron Man tech, but without that reactor, the suit is useless. Without energy, it's just a hunk of metal. New energy is the true game-changer here. And unless the U.S. government's got a reactor prototype hiding in the basement, it can't afford to duplicate this."

He sat back. "So let's stop pretending this hearing is about weapons. It's about power — literal and political."

Tony stood up beside him. "That's my partner, folks. Now do you see the difference between innovation and regulation? You want to control me? Too late. I've already helped the nation. I've neutralized threats you don't even know about. I'm Iron Man. and I am the deterrent."

A few people stood and clapped. Most stared, stunned.

Americans loved their heroes. And Tony knew it.

"What else do you want from me?" he said, gesturing to the cameras. "I showed up. I gave you the benefit of the doubt. But I'm done working with this circus."

He turned on his heel. "James, let's go."

James followed him out as flashes popped all around them.