World Traveler Villain

{Chapter: 323 Extremis Virus}

"Aldrich Killian, you'd better stop right there." Pepper's voice was trembling—not from fear, but from fury. Strapped to a cold, cross-shaped iron frame, her wrists bruised, her breathing shallow, she lifted her head and stared down the man who now stood before her.

"He will never compromise with you. William doesn't care about me. There's nothing between us. He's not the kind of man you can manipulate—he'll come for you, but not to negotiate. He'll kill you."

The room was stark, sterile, and cruelly industrial. The walls were built entirely of reinforced iron, matte gray and humming with chilled air. Everything felt cold—cold metal, cold air, and the cold certainty of death that lingered in the silence between words.

Killian stood beside her, dressed impeccably in a black designer suit, looking every inch the successful visionary—but beneath the tailored fabric was something darker, more volatile. He moved with a confidence born of arrogance, and smiled like a man who believed the world owed him everything.

"Is that so?" Killian chuckled, unbothered. "Pepper, Pepper, Pepper… I didn't bring you here simply to get William's attention. Though, I won't lie—that's part of the appeal."

He leaned in, the scent of cologne and corruption thick in the air.

"In truth," he said, brushing a finger along the edge of the metal frame, "this is personal."

"You treat me like a trophy," Pepper said flatly, glaring at him. "A symbol of your victory."

Killian gave a small, amused nod. "Smart girl. Yes. But you're more than that. You're Pepper Potts the former—CEO of Stark Industries. The strong woman behind two of the world's most dangerous men: Tony Stark and William. You represent power, prestige, and possession. And I want all three."

Pepper's eyes narrowed, voice cutting like ice. "You won't survive long enough to enjoy any of that."

Killian smirked, unphased. "You say that… yet you're the one tied to a cross while I walk free."

Pepper gave a bitter, almost mocking laugh. "You think William will let this go? You think he won't come for you? That's rich, even for you."

Killian raised an eyebrow. "Odd. You just claimed there was nothing between you and him. No connection. Now you're telling me he'll come to your rescue?"

Pepper remained silent. Her jaw tightened.

Killian stepped closer, studying her face. "Contradictions. I love them. That means something's real. You may say you're nothing to him… but your eyes tell a different story."

"Believe whatever helps you sleep at night," she said through gritted teeth.

He walked to the edge of the room and gestured toward a monitor, where a live simulation showed body vitals and cellular patterns. He turned back toward her, his eyes alight with fanaticism.

"I know what William is," Killian said quietly. "A monster, a reaper, a walking extinction event. But the world doesn't need to be afraid of monsters. It needs to control them. That's what people like me are for. Innovators. Visionaries. Pioneers."

"You're delusional," Pepper snapped. "You don't innovate. You corrupt. You weaponize every dream and pretend it's a gift to mankind."

Killian grinned. "Oh, Pepper… I like you. I always have. Ever since I saw you walking through the lobby of Stark Industries in those red heels and clean-cut suits. You had presence. Poise. Fire. Not like the tech-obsessed nerds around you."

Pepper looked away in disgust.

"But I'm not just here to make speeches," he continued. "You may have noticed a little… injection earlier. I assume it's starting to burn."

She froze. A flicker of pain twisted through her stomach. Her skin felt hot, her blood like boiling tar beneath the surface.

"…What did you inject me with?" she asked, fear curling around the edges of her voice.

Killian's grin widened. "The future. The Extremis virus."

She struggled against the restraints, panic rising. "You're insane—Extremis is unstable. It's volatile. It kills people."

"Only the unworthy," he said with a shrug. "But you, Pepper? You're special. You're built for this. Extremis will repair your body, enhance your nervous system, rebuild your cells from the inside out. You'll be perfect."

"And if I get too hot, I explode?" she snapped.

He laughed again, a rich, hollow sound. "There's a slight thermal instability, sure. But don't worry. I'll keep you nice and cool."

"You're using me as a lab rat!"

"I'm giving you a gift!" he barked. "A second chance to be more than human. I spent years being ignored—crippled, unwanted, overlooked. But now? Now I stand on the brink of godhood."

He leaned in close, voice low.

"Thirteen years ago, I was just a limping scientist—limping both physically and emotionally. And the man I looked up to most in the world? Tony Stark. My idol. My obsession."

Pepper stared, slowly beginning to understand.

Killian's eyes darkened with hatred. "Switzerland. New Year's Eve. High-rise party. I introduced myself. I offered him a chance to collaborate. And he told me to wait on the roof. I waited six hours in the snow. Alone. Forgotten."

"You're doing all this… because Tony blew you off at a party?" Pepper whispered, horrified.

"Don't reduce me to that," Killian snapped, suddenly furious. "That was the moment I realized what the world really values. Charm. Money. A flashy smile. I had none of that. But now I have power. Real power. Enough to rewrite the rules."

"You're trying to become a god… because one man hurt your pride."

Killian didn't answer. His silence said more than words.

"Gods don't need to kidnap women and play with unstable viruses," Pepper said coldly. "That's what cowards do."

Killian regained his smirk, brushing imaginary dust off his suit. "Coward or not, I'll still be standing when the world burns. Speaking of which... your old boss should be here soon."

Pepper's heart skipped.

"Tony?" she whispered.

"Yes. I called him personally. Used your voice—thanks to some voice cloning software Stark Industries patented years ago. Irony, huh?" Killian chuckled. "He's probably flying straight into a trap right now. I plan to kill him. Slowly. Publicly."

"You're a madman."

He didn't deny it.

"You'll die before he gets here," Pepper said, defiant.

"I've faced worse than Tony Stark," Killian said, turning away.

She smiled faintly. "No… you haven't met William yet."

Killian paused.

There was something about the way she said his name. Not just fear—but reverence. Awe. As if she wasn't talking about a man… but a force of nature.

For the first time, Killian's smile faltered—only slightly.

Pepper closed her eyes, whispering like a warning. "If you live long enough to see him arrive, remember this moment. The moment you still had a body."

"Anyway," Killian said, waving a dismissive hand, "let's get back to the point."

His voice had a slick arrogance, the kind that filled rooms like poison gas—calm, but lethal.

"The idiot researcher actually believed it. He stood on that rooftop for over an hour in the freezing wind. Waiting. Still hoping Tony would show. He really thought Tony Stark—playboy, genius, billionaire—would keep his word and come meet him. But Tony didn't come. Of course he didn't."

Killian's smile curled darkly, almost nostalgic. "And in that hour, something changed in him. Something broke. Or maybe... something woke up."

He turned toward Pepper, eyes gleaming. "That's when he realized the truth. The only way to get what you want in this world... is to become someone who matters. Someone superior."

Pepper's jaw tightened. She stared at him with barely restrained contempt. "The idiot researcher was you. Wasn't he?"

Killian didn't deny it. He didn't have to.

"You can't take revenge on the entire world just because Tony hurt your feelings," she snapped. "Grow the hell up, Killian."

Killian chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "No, no, Pepper... you've got it all wrong. Tony didn't make a mistake. He made me see the light. He showed me just how little people like me mattered. And that was the moment I began to evolve."

He spread his arms, exuding grandeur like a prophet revealing divine scripture.

"I'm not taking revenge on society. I'm saving it. I'm ushering in a new age. A world free from weakness, free from disease, free from chaos. A perfect era."

Pepper scoffed. "Perfect? You call this perfect?"

He turned toward her, unfazed. "Don't you see? I've transcended the man you used to know. I've refined myself into something... better."

"You've refined yourself into a lunatic," Pepper snapped. Her voice cracked, but she masked it with venom. "And a delusional one at that. This... twisted mess of ego and ambition isn't Killian anymore. That man I once worked with? He's gone."

Killian's grin widened, proud. "Exactly. That man was weak. Now? I'm perfection."

"There's no such thing as a perfect person," Pepper said quietly, eyes narrowing. "Only people too broken to accept they're still human."

Just as Killian opened his mouth to retort, a loud metallic CLANG echoed across the steel structure.

An armored suit landed hard on the deck outside the iron structure they were in. The red, white, and blue design gleamed under the artificial lights. It was the Iron Patriot—an enhanced suit the U.S. military had rebranded from one of Tony's older models.

Pepper's breath caught in her throat. "Rhodey?"

But the armor opened... and a much older man slumped forward and collapsed onto the ground with a dull thud.

Her eyes went wide in horror. "Mr. President?!"

Killian's expression turned triumphant. He sauntered forward like a man unveiling a prize.

"Welcome aboard," he said, mockingly formal. "Such an honor to have you with us, Mr. President."

They were on a massive cargo freighter, anchored somewhere out at sea. The entire structure had been transformed into a grotesque monument of industrial ambition. Heavy steel beams crisscrossed above them like a metallic jungle gym, and the iron "throne room" where Killian held court was suspended above the ship's main deck by an intricate network of supports.

The President slowly looked up at him, bruised and disoriented. "I didn't expect it to be you."

Killian grinned, crouching beside him. "Of course you didn't. That's what makes it fun."

"What do you want?" the President asked, voice strained.

Killian stood up and stepped back, sweeping his hand dramatically. "I want nothing... except to kill you. On live television. With the whole world watching."

The President's eyes widened.

"I've already picked your replacement," Killian said, eyes gleaming. "A loyal little puppet who'll do whatever I say. He'll be sworn in this time tomorrow. Clean transition. No one gets hurt—well, except you, of course."

"You won't get away with this," the President rasped.

"Why not?" Killian said lazily. Then he turned to his guards. "Take him. Tie him up."

Guards moved in without hesitation.

Pepper's face twisted in disbelief. "You actually kidnapped the President of the United States."

Killian looked amused. "Kidnapped? No, Pepper. I'm way past that. This isn't just politics anymore. This is evolution. Revolution."

Then he smiled wider. "And it's only the beginning. I can't wait until William arrives. Then the real show begins."

That name—William—cut through Pepper's chest like a blade.

She flinched. It was subtle, but Killian noticed.

Her fists clenched. Her voice dropped low and venomous. "That... will be the beginning of your end."

Killian raised a brow. "Really? Still believing in fairy tales?"

"You have no idea what you're messing with," she growled, stepping toward him. "You think William is just some wildcard? You think he's some myth? You don't even know what happened in New York, do you?"

Killian shrugged. "Nuclear warhead, alien invasion, government cover-up. The usual bedtime story."

"You're wrong," she said. Her voice shook now—anger boiling to the surface. "Everyone thinks it was the warhead that wiped it off the map. But it wasn't. It was William. The warhead only silenced the witnesses."

She paused, emotions storming in her eyes. Anger. Guilt. Pain. Something unspoken.

Killian laughed. "You want me to believe he did that? Some ghost story Tony whispered about while drunk? Please."

Pepper's composure cracked like glass. "You're so far out of your league, Killian. You don't understand the man you're hoping shows up. You don't want him to show up."

Killian smirked. "Sounds like someone's projecting."

"You think I care?" Pepper snapped. Her hands trembled, and she didn't even notice. "William doesn't care about people like you. He erases them."

Her voice faltered again. There was something deeper in her tone now. Something uncertain. Personal.

"I don't even know what I feel about him anymore," she muttered, as if the words escaped before she could stop them. "Sometimes I hate him. Sometimes I..."

She cut herself off, teeth clenching.

Killian leaned in, curious. "Sometimes you what, Pepper?"

She shook her head violently. "No. No, he doesn't get to live in my head. Not after what he did."

Killian laughed louder. "My God, you do have feelings for him."

"I said shut up!"

"Is it love? Fear? Guilt? Maybe all three?"

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" Pepper screamed. Her voice echoed through the iron walls. She pointed toward the exit, tears threatening to form—but her fury held them back. "You think William's coming to help you? You'll pray for death when he does."

She turned away, biting her lip so hard it bled. Her hands curled into fists. "You think this is your moment, Killian. But it's not. It's the last calm before the storm. And when it breaks... you'll wish it was Tony you pissed off."

Killian tilted his head, mocking. "So poetic."

But deep inside, a flicker of unease passed through him.

Because despite her fury, her heartbreak, her conflicted loyalties—Pepper wasn't lying.

She wasn't sure whether William would come to save her or kill them all.

And that's what terrified her the most.

*****

You can support me by joining my Patreon and get upto 60 chapters in advance.

patreon.com/Eden_Translation