Marvel Transmigration: I Possessed Iron Man

"Listen, I'm not an expert!"

"Of course you're not an expert at selling your body for money—come on, you're a senator!" Laughter erupted behind him as Aetheris casually waved toward the source. But when he caught the concerned look in Pepper's eyes, he offered her a small, reassuring smile.

The senator ignored the crowd's amusement. His composure was solid as ever, and he pressed on.

"But we've brought in a weapons specialist to help clarify things. Please welcome Justin Hans, the Department of Defense's lead arms contractor."

At the mention of Hans' name, Aetheris felt an uneasy shift in his gut.

Soon, Hans stepped up to the podium. Blond hair, black-rimmed glasses, sharply dressed in a suit and tie—he was a picture of polished confidence.

Gone was the groveling, eager-to-please version of Hans that Aetheris remembered from their first meeting. Now he radiated self-assurance, his smile charismatic, his posture bold.

"I saw Mr. Justin Hans walk in, but I didn't see any weapons expert," Aetheris muttered, irritation in his voice. Just months ago, Hans had come to him like a desperate stray, pleading for help. Now he strutted about like a peer.

Hans lifted a glass, took a slow sip, and then leaned in toward the microphone.

"Hahaha, that's right. I'm not the expert. You are, Tony. You're the genius. Senator, with your permission—maybe I'm not the expert, but everyone in this room knows who is."

He stepped forward, microphone in hand, and pointed dramatically at Aetheris.

"Your father, Howard Stark! Not only our founding figure, but the father of the modern military-industrial complex. And let's not get it twisted—he wasn't some idealist. He was a lion. We all know the truth. For the past six months, Tony Stark has created a phenomenal weapon but he calls it a shield. He wants us to just trust him and hide behind it."

The audience was hanging on his every word. Sensing the momentum, Hans raised his voice.

"I wish I felt safe. I wish I didn't have to lock my doors. But this isn't Canada. We live in a dangerous world and Mr. Stark cannot anticipate every threat."

He paused, his tone turning somber, almost prayerful.

"Thank you all. God bless Iron Man. God bless the United States of America."

With that, Hans returned to his seat, calm and composed.

Thunderous applause erupted—mostly from Hans' allies, especially the senators, who clapped like their lives depended on it.

"Well said! Well said, Mr. Hans!" one senator grinned wide enough to split his face.

"Next, we'll hear from our next witness—Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes."

At the mention of Rhodes, Aetheris' relaxed expression tightened.

"Rhodey? What's he doing here?"

James Rhodes was his closest friend—battle-tested and loyal.

As always, the press surged forward like a wave, cameras flashing non-stop like rapid-fire machine guns.

Wearing his navy-blue dress uniform, Rhodes entered the room. Without thinking, Aetheris stood to greet him.

"Hey, man. Didn't expect you here."

"Yeah. I'm here. Deal with it."

Aetheris had a bad feeling creeping in.

On stage, the senator held up a document.

"This is Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes' full report on Iron Man's capabilities. Colonel, please read paragraph four on page fifty-seven."

Rhodes' brow furrowed, tension drawing deep lines on his face.

"You want me to read just one paragraph?"

"Yes."

"I thought I was here to present a full, contextual report," Rhodes responded firmly.

The senator gave a tight smile.

"Yes, but there've been some last-minute adjustments."

Rhodes wasn't having it.

"You understand that reading just one paragraph distorts the point I was trying to make, right?"

"I understand, Colonel. Please proceed."

Rhodes shrugged, unamused.

He opened the report, flipped to the requested page, and began reading, his voice tinged with reluctance.

"Iron Man is not affiliated with any government entity, and thus may pose a threat to national security and interests. However, my conclusion is—Iron Man's benefits far outweigh his potential risks…"

"That's enough! That's enough!" the senator snapped, cutting him off mid-sentence.

But Rhodes wasn't done. He continued reading louder, with added conviction.

"This is precisely why we are interested in having Mr. Stark join the military command structure."

Aetheris smirked.

"I have no plans to join the military, but I might consider the role of Secretary of Defense—assuming the working hours are better."

Laughter rolled through the chamber right on cue. But Hans, watching Aetheris win over the room so effortlessly, felt the urge to jump back in.

Before he could, the senator interjected again.

"I'd like to show the footage included in Colonel Rhodes' report."

Rhodes slammed his water glass on the table.

"I don't believe this video is ready for public release."

But the senator had already given the signal. The screen lit up.

"The footage features several imitation Iron Man suits—confirmed by our allies to be operational and potentially combat-ready."

This was the moment they'd been waiting for. They were clearly prepared, having secured footage of knockoff suits from foreign governments, trying to pass them off as genuine competitors to Stark tech.

It was a bold move—but Aetheris had to think fast. How could he prove his work was in a league of its own?

"Tony?" Pepper's voice came from behind.

She slipped something hard into his hand. He looked down—some kind of transparent tablet, shaped like a sleek smartphone.

He blinked in confusion. What the hell was this? A mobile game to lighten the mood?

Pepper pointed at the tablet, then at the giant display screen.

Suddenly, it clicked. Aetheris swiftly tapped through the interface, pulling up test footage of the knockoff suits.

This was cutting-edge Stark Industries tech. With a few taps, he hijacked the main screen.

The room stirred in confusion.

"I've taken control of your screen. I need it," Aetheris announced, fingers dancing across the tablet.

"What's going on?" the senator barked, alarmed.

"Just look at the screen," Aetheris called out.

The footage played. On screen, one of the imitation suits lurched forward like a drunken toddler before collapsing with a metallic thud. The machine guns mounted on it discharged wildly, accidentally shooting several uniformed soldiers.

(End of Chapter)

Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon

https://patreon.com/Glimmer09