Tony didn't yet know that his parents were killed by the Winter Soldier, but he was aware that their deaths were linked to Hydra.
For a moment, the room fell silent.
Luke spoke slowly, "Since you know about Hydra, I won't waste words. As far as I know, Hydra did not die out after World War II. Many of them went into hiding, changing their identities to recuperate, and are now gradually regaining strength. Their objective this time is to capture me. I think you understand why without me explaining. They also seem to want to kill you—but that's just incidental."
Luke emphasized that last part.
"How much do you know about Hydra? I want all the information," Tony said, his expression unusually serious.
Not long ago, he had received his father Howard Stark's relics from Nick Fury, which made him realize what kind of man his father truly was. More importantly, the video had shown him that he had always held the most important place in his father's heart. That revelation deeply moved him.
"No problem, but you need to return my materials," Luke stated.
Tony nodded without hesitation.
The agreement was set. Neither mentioned the subject of personal reconciliation; both knew there was no point in pretending. Their personalities clashed too much. For now, they were on the same side, so they simply engaged in a straightforward exchange.
Tony was a businessman, preferring pure transactions. Luke also disliked dragging things out, so this arrangement suited him perfectly.
They immediately hit it off and exchanged intelligence for materials, with S.H.I.E.L.D. footing the bill.
"Don't worry, I'll sort out the information on Hydra and send it to you as soon as possible." Luke had already thought of a way to manipulate those Hydra operatives. He could do someone a favor while venting his own frustration. What a genius move.
After reaching their agreement, Luke stayed for a while, chatting with Tony.
It quickly became clear that their personalities clashed too much to get along. Both were proud, conceited, and unwilling to back down. They debated fiercely over various topics, each stubbornly holding to their own views.
Tony had no sense of respecting his elders and tore Luke's opinions apart. Meanwhile, Luke found Tony's smug billionaire attitude infuriating and fired back with sharp words of his own.
Before long, they were close to an outright brawl.
Fortunately, Tony remembered that this was his house and held back from provoking Luke too much. If this kid lost his temper, he would definitely wreck the place. Tony had no doubt about that.
"I won't argue with kids," Tony huffed, waving a hand dismissively.
"I won't argue with someone who has no taste!" Luke shot back, arms akimbo.
"No taste? That's the funniest joke I've heard all year!" Tony sneered.
Their argument escalated into a heated debate over mecha aesthetics. Their design philosophies were worlds apart.
Luke insisted that the most crucial aspect of a mecha was its inverted triangle structure, which reflected a futuristic look. The head should be an inverted triangle, the shoulders and upper body should form another, and if there were wings, they should also incorporate multiple inverted triangles. His design inspiration came from Gundam and EVA.
Tony countered with a single devastating line: "Then why are both of your machines built like a bunch of cubes?"
Tony's design philosophy, reflected in his Iron Man suits, emphasized sleek, streamlined forms. He believed joints should be tight and smooth, exuding power and masculine energy. He scoffed at Luke's flashy inverted triangle design, dismissing it as a child's doodle.
As they continued their fierce argument, Jarvis suddenly interrupted.
"Sir, James Rhodes is here for a visit."
Just as he finished speaking, the elevator door across the room opened, and Rhodes stepped out, dressed in his crisp Air Force uniform.
Tony hadn't been expecting him, but Rhodey's casual demeanor suggested he was just dropping by—probably in response to last night's events. His expression indicated that it wasn't anything urgent.
The man entered with a relaxed smile and immediately noticed Luke sitting across from Tony.
Rhodey grinned. "Tony, since when did you have a kid this grown up?"
Everyone knew he was joking.
Rhodey was genuinely surprised. He knew Tony hated kids. Seeing one in Tony's house was like seeing a pig fly.
"Hey, Rhodey, what are you doing here?" Tony asked bluntly.
"Just checking if you're still alive. I heard you got shot twice last night?" Rhodey looked him over, smirking.
"Just once," Tony corrected, brushing it off.
Dressed in a casual T-shirt and slacks, he showed no visible signs of injury.
He had been shot in the waist, but the Mark VI had stopped the bleeding. Upon examination, he found the bullet had missed his kidney by just 0.6 centimeters. The bullet was removed that night, and he had already forgotten about the pain.
Rhodey, reassured that Tony was fine, turned his attention to Luke.
"Hey! Kid, you ever thought about joining the military? Do you know what this is?"
Rhodey sat down in front of Luke, grinning as he pointed to the Air Force badge on his chest.
"This is the Air Force. How about it? Interested in flying? I know some ace pilots…"
Luke glanced at Tony with a strange expression. Tony simply turned away, pretending not to notice.
Rhodey continued, completely unaware.
Luke now witnessed firsthand how much Rhodey loved to brag—just like in the movies.
Within minutes, he was convinced that Rhodey was another chatterbox.
Rhodey went on about his heroic feats fighting terrorists in the Middle East, elevating his accomplishments to legendary status. He even cracked a few ridiculous jokes—though he was the only one laughing.
"Hey, you know War Machine? I'm its pilot. Strictly speaking, the title 'War Machine' was actually given to me…"
Luke finally had enough. He sighed and stood up.
Rhodey, noticing Luke's expression, turned to Tony. "What's with the look? Is something wrong?"
Tony was about to explain, but Luke raised a hand to stop him.
Luke locked eyes with Rhodey and spoke calmly. "Colonel Rhodes, we've met before."
"Met before?" Rhodey was confused. "When and where? I don't remember."
"A while back, at the Hammer Tech Expo."
"Hammer Tech Expo?" Rhodey frowned, trying to recall.
His memory was a blur—fighting all night, getting his suit hacked, being carried around New York like a ragdoll. But he had no recollection of the kid standing before him.
Luke sighed again, his expression serious. "Colonel Rhodes, let's reintroduce ourselves. My name is Luke. You can also call me Apostle."
Rhodey's mouth fell open. His tonsils looked a bit red.
He glanced between Luke and Tony. Then, suddenly, he shot up from the sofa.
"You're joking, right? Tony, tell me he's joking! There's no way he's—"
Rhodey grabbed Tony, his face serious, lowering his voice. "Is he really the Apostle?"
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