NOVEL NEXT Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Hypnosis?
Phil Coulson had thoroughly investigated the interpersonal dynamics between Tony Stark and Pepper Potts over the past few weeks. However, George was a completely unfamiliar face, a new variable in the equation.
With twenty years of experience as an agent, Coulson's instincts screamed that this newcomer was no ordinary individual.
That aura and demeanor didn't match someone who worked under Pepper Potts.
"Investigate the man who just entered with Pepper Potts," Coulson whispered into his miniature communicator after George and Pepper's figures disappeared from view.
The response came swiftly from the other side.
"We couldn't find any information on this individual."
"No information at all? Are you sure?" Coulson's face immediately displayed a look of puzzlement.
With S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence capabilities, they should be able to find records on any person with a registered identity, no matter the country. Could this man be off the grid?
Meanwhile, George and Pepper entered the elevator to Tony's office on the top floor.
"I'll guard the door. You handle the operation," George said, closing the door behind them and motioning for Pepper to proceed.
Still a bit nervous, Pepper nodded and, in her high heels, hurried to Tony's desk. She inserted the special USB drive Tony had given her into the computer's mainframe and began hacking into the company's system.
Tony's genius was evident as the USB bypassed all the corporation's security defenses in less than five seconds.
"Oh my God, it really is him!" Pepper gasped, covering her mouth when she saw a treasure trove of illegal accounts and a video of the Ten Rings demanding payments from Obadiah Stane.
The evidence was more than enough to send Obadiah to prison for life.
At that very moment, the office door creaked open.
"Pepper, what do you think I should do? Tony can be so irresponsible at times, even at his age. You must persuade him more often," Obadiah Stane said as he entered, holding a glass of wine.
Pepper's heart almost stopped, thundering in her chest as she worked to download the evidence.
"Confundus!"
Before Pepper could panic, George stepped forward from behind the door and cast a Confundus Charm on Obadiah.
Obadiah's entire body trembled as the spell hit him, his expression turning dazed and vacant.
"Don't worry, keep going. He'll be stuck like this for a while," George reassured her.
The Confundus Charm could disorient and confuse the target, leaving them in a distracted state. Once the spell wore off, the target wouldn't even realize they had been bewitched, merely assuming they had zoned out.
While Hogwarts students often used this charm to prank their peers, wizards in the wider world frequently employed it to keep Muggles from discovering magic.
George wasn't yet fully proficient with this spell. Coupled with his wand-ring lacking the ability to amplify magic, the effects only lasted about a minute on a regular human like Obadiah.
But that was no issue. George could reapply the spell as often as needed until Pepper completed her task.
"Got it!"
Watching Obadiah stand motionless in the doorway, seemingly entranced, Pepper felt her nerves settle.
In about five minutes, all the evidence was downloaded.
"Check everything. Don't leave any traces," George reminded her as she stood up.
He recalled how, in the movie, Pepper's haste had left behind a download-complete indicator, tipping off Obadiah and driving him to act recklessly to seize Tony's arc reactor.
Although Obadiah didn't yet have the Iron Monger suit, nor did he know about Tony's creation of the Iron Man armor, any discovery of Pepper's actions would undoubtedly prompt him to make a move in self-defense.
After confirming that no traces were left on the computer, George finally stopped casting the Confundus Charm.
When Obadiah regained clarity, he didn't notice anything unusual, assuming his brief blank-out was a mere lapse in focus. He resumed his approach toward Pepper and struck up a conversation.
"Pepper, I'll make sure to talk to Tony about this. Please remind him for me," Pepper said, using the excuse of sudden errands to quickly leave the office.
"That's fine. Go ahead and handle your tasks," Obadiah replied with a smile, waving her off.
But as soon as Pepper and George exited, Obadiah's expression darkened.
"Something feels off…"
Years of business dealings had sharpened his instincts for subtle nuances. Pepper's expressions and demeanor seemed slightly unusual, and the presence of that bodyguard was even more suspicious.
Setting down his wine glass, Obadiah quickly accessed Tony's desk and checked the computer. Finding no visible tampering, he sighed in relief.
Still, a nagging unease lingered. Grabbing the phone, he barked into the receiver, "When did Pepper arrive, and where did she go?"
"She arrived twenty minutes ago and has already left the building. She was accompanied by someone claiming to be Agent Coulson."
Obadiah's pupils constricted. He sprinted toward the surveillance room, piecing together the puzzle.
Once inside, he reviewed the footage. His face turned pale as he watched Pepper downloading files while he himself stood frozen in the doorway.
"What is this... hypnosis?"
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Obadiah wasted no time. Pepper had evidence of his crimes and was now in league with government agents.
In a call to one of his clandestine clients, Obadiah coldly ordered, "I've agreed to our deal, but you must eliminate Pepper Potts, her bodyguard, and the agent who just left the building. I can't let my crimes come to light."
The reply came swiftly: "Consider it done. They'll meet with an unfortunate accident soon."
Still uneasy, Obadiah began organizing his men to storm Tony's Malibu mansion. If Tony had orchestrated Pepper's actions, then Tony himself could no longer be left alive.
"This time, Stark, you won't escape."