The next morning, in a wasteland on the outskirts of Baghlan Province, Afghanistan.
"Boss, we're only two hundred meters away."
David looked ahead at the looming tent and the dozen armed men guarding it, then turned and reported to Carl.
Carl formed hand seals and used the Transformation Technique to take on the appearance of Obadiah Stanislav.
"Tell the team to put on their masks and keep their faces hidden. Once I go in, all of you head back to the hotel and wait for me."
Although Carl's objective was to eliminate Raza Hamidmi and everyone in the base, he couldn't be certain that all their members were currently inside. If any of them returned later and had seen David and the others, it might cause future complications.
"Yes, boss!"
David blinked in surprise when he saw Carl's transformed face in the mirror, then quickly nodded and pulled on the mask he had prepared.
He'd known about Carl's ability to transform into others, but this was his first time seeing it in person.
As they approached the tent, Carl and the two vehicles behind were stopped by armed men. Carl and David got out of the car.
"It's me, Obadiah Stane. Where's your boss?"
"Mr. Obadiah, Boss Raza is waiting for you in the tent. Come with me. Your bodyguards stay outside."
A burly, bearded guard stepped forward to inspect Carl's face, then gave the instruction.
Carl gave a subtle signal to David, who nodded and led the others back into the vehicle.
Inside the tent, Raza, bald and imposing, stepped forward and embraced Carl.
"Mr. Obadiah, it's not that I don't want to follow through with our deal. But in our line of work, every head has its price. And Tony Stark's head? The price you offered doesn't match its worth."
Obadiah had already offered a large sum, but Raza knew his motive—getting rid of Tony to seize full control of Stark Industries. He figured that if he kept pushing for more, Obadiah would eventually give in.
And if not? Then keeping Stark alive to develop advanced weapons was still a profitable option.
"Mr. Raza, I've been thinking about what you said these past few days, and you're right."
Carl laughed and released him. "I'm not just willing to pay more—I'm also willing to offer your organization a long-term supply of cutting-edge weapons from Stark Industries. But I have one condition."
"What condition?" Raza asked suspiciously.
Carl took a seat.
"Simple. I want to meet Tony in person. There's something I need to ask him—something about the company. Once I get what I need, everything I've promised will be delivered."
"That's it?" Raza squinted. He had a gut feeling there was more to it.
"That's it," Carl replied with a shrug.
Raza hesitated, then finally nodded, unable to resist the temptation.
"Fine. But you can't bring bodyguards, and you'll be blindfolded the entire way. Any violation, and the deal's off."
Carl pretended to hesitate, checked his watch, then said:
"No problem. Just make sure I'm back before 4 PM—I've got a meeting in New York tonight."
"If it's just a chat, that shouldn't be a problem," Raza said, his tone layered with subtle warning.
Five minutes later, Carl was blindfolded and escorted into a jeep.
After about an hour and a half of driving, the blindfold was finally removed.
"Mr. Obadiah, welcome to my base!"
Raza Hamidmi said in a slightly smug tone.
Carl, still disguised as Obadiah Stanislav, took a rough look around.
The location appeared to be a small valley, filled with various weapons. Several exposed missiles bore the Stark Industries logo, confirming the kind of arms the gang was stockpiling.
There were no bystanders—only members of the Ten Rings Gang, all heavily armed. A quick glance suggested there were thirty to forty men stationed here.
"Mr. Raza, take me to see Tony."
Carl didn't linger on the view and quickly refocused.
Raza gave him a nod and motioned for him to follow as they made their way toward a cave set into the cliffside at the valley's center.
This cave clearly served as a hub or living quarters for the gang. The passage was wide, winding, and rugged, with armed guards posted every ten meters.
At the far end stood a large iron gate.
Raza spoke briefly to the guards in a local dialect Carl didn't understand. They nodded, produced a set of keys, and unlocked the gate.
Inside, Tony Stark and Dr. Ethan were mid-weld on a project, but the moment they heard the gate open, they stopped and looked up.
"Obadiah?"
Tony froze when he saw Obadiah walk in beside the terrorist leader.
As far as Tony knew, Obadiah was a trusted family friend and the company's largest shareholder aside from himself. Obadiah had always supported him and handled many of the company's more difficult affairs.
The idea that he might be working with his kidnappers didn't fit—Tony's brain scrambled to justify it.
Was he kidnapped too?
But Raza's respectful posture and the casual way they entered together… didn't add up.
"Oh, isn't this my nephew Tony? It's great to see you alive! I thought you were killed by the people I hired—I was so sad for a long time."
Carl smiled broadly as he glanced at the arc reactor visible in Tony's chest, then turned to Raza:
"What I'm about to say isn't for others to hear. Mr. Raza, would you and your men give us a moment of privacy?"
"It's fine. Talk freely. If you need anything, my men are right outside."
Raza nodded and left with his guards, closing the door behind them.
"Obadiah, what the hell did you just say?"
Tony snapped the moment the room was clear.
Carl glanced up at the surveillance camera in the corner, then calmly picked up a chair and walked toward it.
"Seems you're not as clueless as I thought. You guessed it right—I want control of Stark Industries. So I hired these guys to blow you up.
Too bad you survived… and now they're asking for more money after finding out who you are. So here I am, tying up loose ends."