Harry was already quite familiar with this kind of operation.
The reason he had joined the Avengers in the first place was because of Anton orders.
Now, using his former Avengers status to probe the potential crisis Anton had mentioned was nothing more than a repetition of past actions.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Anton stood up. "We already have a solution for this matter. Right now, what we lack the most is time. No matter what, we have to buy ourselves enough time."
"Is there anything I need to do?" Harry asked.
"For now, no. Just keep an eye on the former Avengers. If you come across Nick Fury or if he contacts you, handle it as you see fit—just don't alert him."
After saying this, Anton took his leave.
Harry watched him go, standing in place, lost in thought.
Another alien?
In the past two years, incidents involving extraterrestrial beings on Earth had occurred multiple times.
From Lang invasion of Earth, the Transformers, the Chitauri, and even Thor and the Asgardians—now, there were the Skrulls, who possessed shapeshifting abilities and could disguise themselves as humans…
Earth was facing a crucial turning point.
Humanity was on the brink of a new era.
"Looks like I've become part of this era too."
Harry suddenly chuckled. Compared to the dull and uneventful life he used to have, he found no dissatisfaction with the way things were now.
The Next Day
Anton received a transmission from Z, but it wasn't intelligence from Nick Fury.
Ever since this possibly fake Nick Fury appeared at Stark Industries, he had vanished without a trace once again.
The Men in Black organization had not been able to capture any information about Nick Fury.
However, instead of doubting the intelligence, this only reinforced their belief that the Nick Fury seen at Stark Industries was actually a Skrull impostor.
"You want to meet Maria Rambeau?"
Anton picked up his phone and spoke to his subordinate on the other end of the line.
"That right."
Z replied, "Maria Rambeau is the director of S.W.O.R.D. She sheltered the Skrulls for so many years. If she as smart as we think, then S.W.O.R.D. must have some kind of countermeasure against the Skrulls. I want to talk to her…"
"No problem."
Anton pondered for a moment. "I'll request approval from the U.N. Security Council. Go see her alone. Don't disclose detailed intel, but try to get a read on her stance."
"Understood."
Z nodded. "By the way, we found out that Tony Stark has been conducting some sort of experiment at Stark Industries recently. We're not sure about the specifics yet, but considering that this fake Nick Fury showed up there, I suspect it related to this mysterious experiment."
"You mean…"
Anton Realized: "You Want Me to Go to Stark Industries to See Tony Stark and Find Out What He Up To?"
"Just a suggestion," Z replied. "You're the boss. It's your call."
"Alright, that's a good suggestion."
Anton was not the type to be stubborn or insist on his own way. In fact, he preferred to delegate responsibilities.
Z, as the second-in-command of the Men in Black organization, had successfully built the entire framework of the organization. The results spoke for themselves—his competence was undeniable.
His suggestions were never just empty talk.
Thus—
The two split up.
After Anton submitted the request, the United Nations Security Council quickly approved the Men in Black request to meet Maria Rambeau.
With the officially stamped documents in hand, Z set off for the prison where Maria Rambeau was being held.
Meanwhile, Anton headed to Stark Tower, located in the heart of Manhattan, New York.
Though the building had suffered extensive damage during the Battle of New York, it had been fully restored in just over a month.
He hadn't made an appointment.
Of course, with his current status, he could go anywhere without one.
As soon as the Stark Tower receptionist saw Anton arrive, she immediately recognized him—even though it was their first time meeting. She respectfully greeted him,
"Mr. Jameson, welcome. Do you have an appointment?"
"No, and I don't think I need one."
Anton stated flatly, "Tell Tony Stark that Anton Jameson wants to see him."
"Uh…"
The receptionist hesitated. "I don't have direct access to Mr. Stark." She paused for a moment before adding,
"But I can contact his assistant—through her, we can reach the CEO, Miss Pepper Potts. She may be able to help."
"As long as I can meet Tony Stark as soon as possible, I have no objections."
Anton nodded.
A short while later—
Inside the Stark Tower Meeting Room
Anton was soon greeted by the current CEO of Stark Industries—Tony Stark's former assistant, Pepper Potts.
"Anton, long time no see."
Nicknamed "Pepper", the CEO of Stark Industries seemed somewhat surprised by Anton's unexpected visit.
She and Anton hadn't met many times, but they were at least acquainted.
"You came without notice and want to see Tony right away. Is there something urgent?"
Pepper's expression showed a hint of concern, revealing her inner unease. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, she got straight to the point.
As Batman's official representative, Anton's sudden visit made it difficult for her to remain calm.
Especially considering past incidents—Tony, as Iron Man, had clashed with Batman multiple times…
For now, Pepper couldn't determine Anton's true intentions.
"There is something important," Anton admitted. "But I can't share the details with you. I need to see Tony first."
"He's in the lab. Even I have trouble seeing him these days."
Pepper sighed helplessly before standing up. "Come with me."
Inside Stark's Laboratory
Located just below the penthouse of Stark Tower, the entire floor was Tony's private research facility.
Through the glass walls, Anton could see several Iron Man suits, lined up neatly along the walls, each painted in various colors and designs.
Counting Them Carefully, There Were About Forty Suits
Since the Battle of New York ended, Tony's workload had clearly been immense over the past month.
His work on developing new Iron Man suits had reached an almost obsessive level.
However—
Anton also noticed someone unexpected.
Doctor Octopus.
Otto Octavius.
"Otto is here too?"
Anton looked at Pepper in surprise. "Has he been working with Tony at Stark Industries ever since the Battle of New York?"
"Yes."
Pepper nodded and explained, "After the Avengers disbanded following the battle, Otto and the others lost S.H.I.E.L.D. protection.
But since they had already been granted amnesty due to their work with the Avengers, they were free to go… Tony offered them jobs."
Them?
Anton narrowed his eyes slightly.
He could guess that by "them," she was referring to Otto Octavius and Flint Marko, aka Sandman.
At that moment—
Tony, who was in the middle of an experiment, turned his head and noticed Anton standing beside Pepper. His movements froze for a brief second.
Their eyes met.
Then, under Anton's gaze, Tony set down the container he was holding and began walking toward him.