NOVEL NEXT Chapter 211: Adamantium
The next day.
General Ross, still stressed over Blonsky and the Broadway incident, stepped into a bar hoping to relax with a couple of drinks.
That's when Tony pushed open the door and walked in, heading straight toward him.
"I smell steel, beer… and the scent of defeat," Tony said.
"General, you know I hate to say 'I told you so,' but there's a reason that Super Soldier program was mothballed in the first place.
Apart from Smith Dole, I've always believed hardware was the safer bet… I hear Blonsky has you in a bit of a bind right now."
Ross, cigar in his mouth, turned toward him.
"Stark."
"General," Tony replied.
Ross asked, "You planning to sell your Iron Man armor?
If you put it on the market, I'll have procurement ready immediately."
Tony shook his head. "No, no, no. I am Iron Man, and Iron Man is me. Selling myself? That's illegal in the United States.
I'm here to solve your problem, not make it worse."
Ross's expression turned serious. "And how do you plan to help me?"
Leaning in, Tony quietly explained his plan.
"You want to keep Blonsky? Fine. I'll get the senators I influence to back you, and I'll tap my old contacts in the Air Force, Navy, and Army.
You'll still have to pay a price in the end, but you'll get what you want.
In return, I hear the military has a material called Adamantium that's not for sale.
I need some of it."
Ross immediately understood what Tony was after.
"I can get you the material. Price is high, but for someone like you, that's not a problem.
But you'll need to lobby for me to make sure Blonsky stays by my side and doesn't get taken away."
Tony smirked. "Deal — but we'll need to put on a little show."
He didn't care about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s arrangements. This meeting with Ross was about getting Adamantium to build his next suit — specifically an anti–Smith Dole suit, and of course, an anti-Hulk suit as well.
They struck hands on it. Soon after, S.H.I.E.L.D. received word that the meeting had gone badly, that Tony had even bought the hotel and planned to demolish it on Thursday, and that Ross had refused to hand over Blonsky.
…
League of Assassins.
Construction on the 3,000-meter-high Karin Tower had begun in earnest, with massive shipments of stone arriving at the base. At the same time, Selene had led the vampire clan to New York.
Her contributions to the clan were widely recognized — enough that she was elevated to clan leader. She had solved their most fatal weakness, after all. But when she proposed joining the League of Assassins, not everyone agreed.
Those who opposed were swiftly suppressed by Selene and Marcus. The delay cost them time, but by the end, every vampire was united in joining the League and pledging loyalty to Smith Dole.
Inside the great hall, Selene and Marcus stood with the entire vampire leadership. Their numbers far exceeded the werewolves', but the hall — large enough for thirty thousand — could hold them all.
"I, Selene, leader of the Blood Clan, in the presence of the League of Assassins, swear my eternal loyalty to Smith Dole."
"I, Marcus, progenitor of the Blood Clan, in the presence of the League of Assassins, swear my eternal loyalty to Smith Dole."
One by one, every vampire present pledged allegiance, pricked their finger, and signed their name and bloody thumbprint on a parchment contract.
Fox took the signed parchment and handed it to Smith Dole.
Looking over the contract, Smith addressed the assembly.
"I accept your loyalty.
From this day forward, the Blood Clan will stand alongside the Werewolf Clan as gatekeepers of the League of Assassins, under my protection.
The war between your clans ends here."
Smiles spread across every face.
At Smith's signal, the vampires rose.
"Gunsmith. Apothecary.
Training these Blood Clan recruits is your responsibility, same as before.
They will learn the League's mission and code. Once they pass the tests, each Assassin Brotherhood hotel will have one vampire permanently stationed to ensure security and handle special incidents."
"Yes, Leader," they replied.
Smith knew their presence would give the Brotherhood an edge in verifying intelligence. With just a drop of blood, the Blood Clan could read memories — making it far harder for false information to slip through, unless the intel was fabricated to begin with.
To him, it was also a way to learn the world's secrets. If someone fell into their hands, nothing could be hidden.
After the oath ceremony, Selene and Marcus brought Smith to a massive cage covered in black cloth. The cage was made of special alloy, solid and secure.
Selene pulled the cloth away, revealing a massive wolf — even larger than a transformed werewolf.
The beast growled at the crowd.
Marcus stepped forward.
"Leader, this is my brother William — the progenitor of the werewolves.
For some reason, after he was infected, he lost his mind, and for over a thousand years has never returned to human form.
But the werewolves he sires can transform back into human form at will."
Smith nodded. "Leave this to us. I'll have Bulma and Melina research a way to restore him."
"Thank you, Leader," Marcus said. "I hope my brother can regain his sanity one day."
(End of Chapter)
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