Iron Man: Ultimate Upgrade

Tony Stark woke up early the next day, still running on minimal rest. His time in captivity had changed his sleep habits—he now needed less rest than ever before. Despite that, his mind was sharp and focused. After a quick breakfast, he headed straight for Stark Industries' headquarters in Manhattan.

When he arrived, Tony sensed the tension in the air. Employees in the lobby whispered among themselves, stealing glances at him. It was clear they were both surprised and relieved to see him back in one piece. Tony offered polite nods but pushed forward toward the executive elevator, ignoring the occasional gasp or whisper of his name.

The boardroom was already full of directors and significant shareholders. Pepper Potts stood discreetly to one side, tablet in hand, her posture calm despite the palpable anxiety in the room. Obadiah Stane lingered near the head of the table, hands clasped behind his back and a tightness around his eyes. Tony couldn't miss the flicker of relief mixed with annoyance in some of the board members; at least their CEO was alive, but his sudden return meant upheaval.

Tony took his seat at the head of the table. "Good morning," he said, voice level as he surveyed the group. "Let's get started."

Before he could say more, a few directors launched into questions about his kidnapping. How had he escaped? Was he injured? Did he have any leads on who was responsible? Tony brushed off these inquiries with a practiced calm. "I'll address the details of my experience later," he said, leaning forward, "but for now, there's a more pressing matter."

He inhaled slowly, letting the tension build. "Effective immediately, Stark Industries will cease all weapons manufacturing."

A collective hush fell over the room. Tony allowed a moment for the weight of his words to sink in. Eyes darted nervously, and one older board member finally croaked out, "Tony, that's our core business. You can't just shut it down. We have contracts, obligations—"

Tony's tone hardened. "I'm well aware. But I refuse to build instruments of destruction any longer. From now on, our focus shifts to technologies that help people, not kill them."

Across the table, Obadiah Stane took a slow breath, feigning a paternal concern. "Tony, we all understand you've been through a traumatic event, but this is a drastic move. What about our employees, the investors, our defense contracts? You're talking about dismantling the backbone of this company."

Tony's gaze flicked toward him. "Then we'll retrain our people and transfer them to new divisions—clean energy, medical tech, advanced engineering. I realize this won't be easy, but my decision stands."

A ripple of dissent spread among the directors, but Tony could see none of them had the nerve to openly contest him. He suspected they'd wait until the meeting ended to air their grievances privately. He also knew exactly why he was making such a headline-grabbing decision: by gutting the most profitable arm of Stark Industries, the stock price would nosedive, allowing him to buy up shares easily on the cheap.

Pepper Potts cleared her throat, drawing attention. "Mr. Stark has been evaluating our existing research. We already have promising starts in renewable energy and advanced robotics. If we pool resources from the weapons division, we can accelerate those programs significantly. It will require restructuring, but it's feasible."

Obadiah's eyes flickered with something darker—anger, or perhaps fear. Tony knew about Obadiah's involvement in his kidnapping but had no hard proof yet. Even so, he was determined to wrest control of the company away from any hidden hands pulling the strings.

"I've made my decision," Tony repeated firmly. "If anyone here wants to raise concerns, now's the time."

Most directors exchanged glances, unsure. Finally, one of them mumbled about reevaluating profit projections, but no one directly opposed Tony's order. His recent kidnapping, along with the rumors swirling around his survival, had given him an intimidating edge.

"Very well," Obadiah said with forced congeniality. "We'll work on restructuring. But don't expect this to be easy, Tony."

"I don't expect easy," Tony countered. "I expect results that align with my conscience."

When the meeting adjourned, a surge of hushed conversations broke out among the board members. Tony rose, giving Pepper a short nod. She gathered her tablet and followed him as he left. Obadiah lagged behind, then suddenly hurried to catch up.

In the corridor outside the boardroom, Obadiah's voice was low. "Tony, this is a grave mistake. You're handing our competitors an opportunity to swoop in and take our defense contracts."

Tony shrugged. "Let them. I'm done with weapons. Howard Stark might have built a legacy on them, but times change."

Obadiah's brow furrowed. "Howard would be rolling in his grave. This is an insult to everything he stood for."

Tony met his gaze, unflinching. "My father's not here to weigh in. I am."

Pepper stood quietly nearby, her expression carefully neutral. She glanced at Obadiah, sensing an undercurrent of hostility. Something about the man's demeanor had grown more intense since Tony's return. She couldn't put her finger on it, but a tiny alarm bell rang in her mind.

Without another word, Tony entered the elevator, Pepper following close behind. Obadiah stood in the hallway, fists clenched at his sides, watching the doors slide shut. Tony exhaled as the elevator descended, noticing Pepper's uneasy glance.

"What's wrong, Pep?" Tony asked quietly.

She hesitated. "It's Obadiah. I've never seen him so on edge. He's worried about the shareholders, yes, but there's something else…"

Tony's voice turned grim. "He'll either come around or get out of my way."

The elevator door opened into the main lobby, where employees watched from a respectful distance. Tony gave them a nod, forcing a relaxed smile. He knew rumors would fly about the day's announcement. That was precisely what he wanted: a swirling storm of speculation that would drive Stark Industries' stock into free fall.

Soon, he would step in—quietly, methodically—buying back the shares. And once he held a controlling interest, he could run the company on his terms without board interference. Obadiah might suspect the ploy, but Tony had no intention of letting him stop it.

He bid Pepper farewell for now, telling her to prepare for a press conference later in the afternoon. As she walked away, this was only the first phase of reclaiming his legacy.