Tony Stark In An Alternate Timeline

A/N: You guys get this chapter early because I do not know if I'm going to be home later this afternoon. Leaving to go celebrate my dad's birthday!

Another Pierce Perspective!

-x-X-x-

"Tony! Come in my boy, come in! Congratulations are in order, I'm told your people have restored and cleaned up New York years ahead of even the best estimated schedule! Oh, and congratulations on the daughter too, of course. She looked absolutely precious in that picture you sent me."

The smile on Alexander Pierce's face as he escorts Tony into his office personally is entirely genuine. Though he does of course take a moment to turn solemn after the mention of Tony's new baby girl, even as he directs the younger man to a chair.

"As well, my condolences again for the loss of Agent Romanoff, Tony. I understand you two were close."

Tony sighs as he takes a seat and gives Pierce a resigned nod.

"Thank you Mr. Secretary, for both the congratulations and the condolences. Morgan is doing well. As for Natasha, I think… honestly, I think that I could have turned her to our side, given a bit more time. She had a history of it already, after all. If it wasn't for the fact that nobody could have predicted an actual alien invasion, I might have suspected Director Fury of having her killed just to take her from me."

Pierce chuckles softly at that, even as he shakes his head while also sitting down.

"Nick wouldn't do that sort of thing, Tony. It's why he's not HYDRA. He doesn't quite have it in him to go that extra step. Speaking of which…"

"Ah, of course Mr. Secretary, sir. Here they are."

Putting the tablet on the desk, Tony flicks his fingers out, lifting holograms into the air that have Pierce leaning forward and looking closely at them. He smiles at what he sees. Unfortunately, before he can compliment the other man, Tony winces and then speaks up.

"I should tell you now, sir… I need Loki's Scepter to remain in my custody for work on the algorithm. I've been taking scans of the Scepter's gem and the data is… incredible. I think it should allow me to finish the algorithm in the next year or two, instead of a decade."

That causes Pierce to lean back for a moment. He's already got SHIELD and other branches of HYDRA breathing down his neck about the Scepter. Fury wants it out of Stark's hands at all costs, not realizing that even if SHIELD does acquire it, it's just going to wind up in the archives, where it'll eventually vanish and show up in a HYDRA laboratory somewhere. Which of course was precisely what his fellow HYDRA head, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, was already jonesing for. The man wanted the Scepter post-haste after seeing what Loki could do with the damn thing. And yet… Pierce was loath to just hand it over.

Fortunately, Tony had just given him the perfect excuse for why he didn't have to, at least where HYDRA was concerned. Project Insight was more valuable to HYDRA as a whole then any of Baron Strucker's little experiments. Meanwhile, Fury and SHIELD would just have to fall in line like they always did.

"Of course, Tony. I'll make sure the Scepter stays in your custody. After all, is not the one who pried it from Loki's grasp in the first place the most entitled to it? Spoils of war and all that."

Tony flashes him a smile which Pierce returns as he focuses back on the matter at hand.

"The Helicarrier designs are coming along beautifully, Tony."

"Thank you sir. I'm glad to see the World Security Council sees the sense in Project Insight now… even if they have no idea what it's really going to be used for."

Heh, indeed. Six Helicarriers was a lot to ask, that was for sure. But in the wake of the Battle for New York, some were even asking if it was enough. Alas, it would have to be for the time being. The Earth needed to be under HYDRA's complete control before they could focus their attention outwards to the stars. Protecting themselves was all well and good… but Pierce envisioned a HYDRA-led humanity taking the universe by storm, spreading peace and order to the cosmos.

All based on the incredible, genius work of Tony Stark. Speaking of which…

"Now that the battle is over, I did wish to speak with you some more about your new Personal Assistant, Tony. This… Penny Carter. You called her a Life-Model Decoy?"

Looking slightly abashed, Tony nods and flicks a finger, turning the holographic interface to their newest topic. Pierce eyes the specifications for the Peggy Carter android, pretending like he knows what he's reading even as he admittedly finds himself getting a little lost, truth be told. This isn't exactly in a digestible format, he notices.

"Honestly, I think I made a mistake, sir. I was just fiddling around really. She was a side project more than anything. But then I threw her in Fury's face and I realize now that I shouldn't have done that. He's like a dog with a bone once he gets his teeth into something. He assigned Sharon Carter as my newest SHIELD Liaison, if you hadn't heard."

Pierce raises an eyebrow at that, leaning back in his chair. He had heard of course, though he hadn't known that Tony knew who Agent Thirteen really was. Heh, the other man must have hacked deep into SHIELD's systems to find that information. Not that it mattered all that much given his loyalty was to HYDRA.

"I'm aware. And you might be right, my boy. Nick doesn't like things he can't understand. More specifically, he doesn't like things he realizes he doesn't understand. So long as everything in his life makes sense, he's happy. Of course, given his position, there's always something that makes his life not make sense anymore… hence his perpetually grumpy attitude."

Tony cracks a smile as Pierce grins at his own joke.

"Alas, you've most definitely set yourself up as the mystery that just won't quit, Tony. Nick Fury has had his eyes on you since Afghanistan… and I know, I know. That's not your fault. None of what happened to you over there was your fault. But even still, Nick isn't the kind to just let things lie. He thinks you're a threat… which in his defense, you are."

Sometimes, Pierce wished Tony could be less antagonistic. In a way, it helped for a time because Fury had had his eye on Tony Stark and not on more important things. But these days so much of what Tony did was entangled with HYDRA that it was becoming more and more difficult to keep Nick from uncovering something that would force Pierce to have the SHIELD Director terminated.

That said, he had one thing that might just be able to help Tony out of his current predicament, and maybe even put Nick back in his place for a little while longer. But first…

"Can this… Life-Model Decoy be duplicated? How long until you can create more of them? How effective are they as infiltrators, exactly?"

Pierce tries not to sound too excited, but it's difficult. This Life-Model Decoy that Tony has developed is very, very promising. Unfortunately, Tony doesn't look quite so enthused.

"I'm afraid that it's not so simple, Mr. Secretary. Making something like this takes time… time that I would really rather prefer I spend on Project Insight. Between designing the six Helicarriers and perfecting the algorithm, I'm just not sure I'll be able to split my focus without making mistakes. Though, if you would rather we put Project Insight on the backburner and focus on this instead, I could probably have the LMDs perfected in a couple more years. Could start producing them in another eight months after that."

That was… tempting. But no. As much as Pierce wanted Tony to finish these 'LMDs' of his so that HYDRA could make use of them in a variety of different ways, he recognized how silly that would be. The Life-Model Decoys would make infiltration and replacement so much easier… but Project Insight and Tony's algorithm, once perfected, would literally let them seize control of the entire world in one fell swoop.

Weighed against one another, it was really no contest.

"Don't worry about it, Tony. Focus on Project Insight above all else. I speak for the entire World Security Council when I say we want the Helicarriers to be your top priority. And I speak for all of HYDRA when I say that perfecting that algorithm… it's going to help us permanently change the world for the better at long last."

Tony gives him a smile at that, now looking far more excited.

"Yes sir!"

Chuckling, Pierce laces his fingers together over his stomach.

"Besides, those Life-Model Decoys of yours will be just as useful in the future, especially for dealing with any pockets of resistance that manage to go to ground. I'm sure once you have less on your plate, you'll be able to use the data you're currently collecting from 'Penny' Carter to make some truly spectacular things, Tony."

Tony begins to nod at that, before his face falls after a moment.

"… How do you suggest I deal with Agent Carter, sir? Agent Romanoff and I had more of an understanding. She actually acted like my SHIELD Liaison, rather than a spy. But I can't help thinking Agent Carter is going to go out of her way to try to figure out my secrets… not just with the LMD prototype, but everything else as well. I wish I could say there's no way she could uncover the true nature of my work on Project Insight… but I'd rather not have to disappear her in the event that she did. I need a way to collar her, sir."

An amusing way of putting things. Especially since Pierce was pretty sure that the 'understanding' Tony had with the now deceased Black Widow was more one where Natasha spent many of her nights on her back in bed with Tony and Pepper Stark. Did Tony intend to do the same with Sharon Carter with all this talk of 'collaring' her? Heh, perhaps. Either way, Pierce was about to give him the ammunition he needed.

"You don't have to worry about that, Tony. Soon, you'll have all the authority you need to keep Agent Carter in line."

When the other man gives him a confused, curious look, Pierce allows himself a moment of gloating, his grin widening.

"After all, thanks to our machinations, there's an opening on the World Security Council, Tony. And having considered your contributions to the WSC and SHIELD over the past few years, as well as your more recent contributions in New York… the World Security Council has voted to ask for you to join our number."

He so rarely gets to see Tony Stark look poleaxed. Pierce chuckles as Tony just gapes at him, completely caught off-guard.

"Me, Mr. Secretary? Sure… surely not. I mean, I thought the WSC was political appointment only."

Pierce just inclines his head.

"It's true that you're not technically a politician with the US Government or any other. However, in the wake of the nuclear strike that a certain majority of the Council ordered on New York City, an argument has been raised that someone without a political bent might be best served joining our number. And really Tony… who better to replace the man who suggested nuking New York in the first place, then the man who saved the city and state from Nuclear Armageddon?"

The best part was, this would give HYDRA another vote on the World Security Council, increasing their power and influence even further. Best of all, Tony was HIS. Oh sure, Tony was HYDRA… but there were different layers of HYDRA. Different branches, to be specific. Pierce might be the Secretary of the World Security Council and the head of the HYDRA branch that existed within SHIELD, but he actually wasn't the only HYDRA Head on the WSC.

With this, not only would HYDRA have more sway over the World Security Council, but Pierce would also have a leg up on his fellow head… Gideon Mallick. And the best part was? Mallick couldn't even be that upset, because this wasn't even Pierce's idea!

Oh, he was certainly implying it was to Tony right now. In fact, as the other man processes the offer, he can already see gratitude shining in Tony Stark's eyes. However, the truth was… Pierce hadn't even considered putting Tony on the Council until the suggestion came from as unbiased a source as HYDRA could get.

Arnim Zola.

To be fair, Zola probably wasn't THAT unbiased. He had wound up recruiting Tony Stark into HYDRA in the first place even if Pierce had taken Tony under his wing since. However, as an uploaded mind, as the grandfather of modern HYDRA, Arnim Zola was considered the most neutral among the HYDRA Heads. He had no personal plots or schemes, no selfish desires. All that the uploaded human mind wanted was to see HYDRA succeed and flourish.

With that in mind, Mallick couldn't argue against Tony's appointment to the Council even if he wanted to. Because the idea came from Zola, and Zola was above reproach.

"I… I don't know what to say sir. I mean, I accept, of course I do. They'll… understand if I can't make every meeting, right? I'm going to be busy with Project Insight…"

Chuckling, Pierce waves a hand.

"Of course, Tony. Not everyone makes every meeting. A lot of times, it'll be remote anyways. But more than that, the Council… or rather, your fellow Council Members now… they understand the importance of what you're doing. Even if they don't know everything. You're trying to protect the world, Tony. No one's going to begrudge you that."

"Yes sir. And thank you sir. I suppose… well, I suppose I'm technically Agent Carter's superior now, aren't I?"

Pierce smirks, allowing Tony to smirk right back.

"You are a member of the World Security Council now, Mr. Stark. So yes, you have the authority to give Agent Thirteen orders. She can choose to bring them to Fury, who can in turn bring them to the council… but their avenues to seek redress are sufficiently curtailed given your new position. We can't have you getting distracted now, for the previously mentioned reasons. Whatever you feel the need to do, even if you decide you no longer need a SHIELD liaison at all… the Council will back you up."

That causes a contemplative look to spread across Tony's face for a moment, before finally he nods.

"… Good to know, sir. I'll let her in for now and have her watched closely. When she inevitably steps out of line… then I'll decide what to do then. I promise sir, I won't let her jeopardize our plans."

No, Pierce didn't doubt that for a second. Though the mention of women who can jeopardize their plans does bring a frown to Pierce's face as he thinks about something else.

"Ah, that does bring me to one last thing. Loki. Have you and JARVIS managed to make any progress in tracking her down?"

Pierce already knew the answer would be no, of course. Even Zola couldn't find Loki with all of HYDRA's resources at his fingertips. Still, it was important to remind Tony of the alien enemy all the same. As well as his failure to contain her. No doubt, it would focus him on the work ahead.

Indeed, Tony's face immediately hardens, his hands curling into fists.

"No sir. JARVIS is doing his best but Loki's magic is keeping her hidden for the time being. We'll know when she returns though, sir. And if nothing else… she'll probably want her Scepter back eventually. Which means she'll come right to me."

Ah yes, another reason to leave the Scepter in Stark's hands. He was the one who'd easily defeated her and her army last time. Feeling more at ease, but still a little on edge, Pierce rises and shakes hands with the other man.

"Just keep your head on a swivel my boy. Whatever Loki is up to right now, I'm confident that it's heinous and as vile as her past deeds have been. And when she comes for you, I imagine she won't come easily."

-x-X-x-

"A HORSE?! They think I gave birth to the All-Father's HORSE?!"

"Among other things, yes."

Loki whimpers as she stares down at the book in front of her. Still disguised as Sylvie, a look she would probably be wearing for the foreseeable future to avoid having an angry mob of Midgardians come for her head, she lets out a whining wail as she glares up at the ceiling.

"Why?! Why would you show me this?!"

She'd been in Stark's tender care for a short time now but had to admit already that living in the incredibly wealthy secret ruler's home came with a lot of perks. However, she had started to get a little bored. The only thing stopping her from going out and performing serious mischief… was JARVIS. Stark's Genius Loci really did have the reach that he said he did, or at least his reach extended beyond the man's tower far past the limits of the city she'd sort of invaded.

Loki had tested this, much to her own detriment as JARVIS turned out to be quite good at finding ways of punishing her. For her latest indiscretion, she'd found this book of Norse Mythology waiting for her when she'd woken up.

Rather than respond to Loki's horrified question with words, JARVIS turns on a holographic projection that shows her stabbing his Master in both kidneys two years ago. Loki flinches, because pretty much anything else she might have been able to claim she was under the Scepter's influence. That? Not so much. And while Stark himself didn't seem to hold a grudge for some strange reason… his Guardian Spirit definitely did.

Before the Goddess can even think of what to say, JARVIS suddenly speaks up again.

"You should turn to page fifty-five."

She knows in her heart of hearts that she shouldn't listen. And yet… Loki has always been too curious for her own good. Hesitantly, she turns to page fifty-five… and begins to read.

A moment later and an anguished cry splits the air and fills the room.

"A SNAKE BIG ENOUGH TO ENCIRCLE MIDGARD'S ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE?! HOW DOES THAT EVEN MAKE SENSE?!"

"Presumably, Jormungand was the size of a normal human infant when you gave birth to him."

"I AM CHILDLESS!"

JARVIS' answer, that of a noncommittal 'hm' like he doesn't believe her, makes Loki groan and bury her face in her hands. Midgard was secretly Hel. She was in Hel.

-x-X-x-

A/N: JARVIS is a troll. Loki is most aggrieved. Oh and Pierce is still an idiot, fufufu.

The Zola Puppeting continues to pay dividends~

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