"Probably."
Finney shrugged his shoulders, silently mourning the loss in his heart. A hundred million dollars—gone! It was heartbreaking. Though he was dying inside, Finney kept a calm expression and continued chatting with Tony.
"As for other suggestions, once you've finished this version, maybe think about how to make it portable."
Tony didn't ask Jarvis to take note of that. It was unclear whether he had already considered it himself.
"What's going on with your previous armor?" Tony asked instead. "Is the tech for sale? Name your price."
"Can we stop talking about money all the time?" Finney sighed. It was exhausting dealing with this rich guy who thought throwing cash could solve everything. Unfortunately, the 'Haunted Demons' armor was linked to the system, so he absolutely couldn't let Tony study it.
"Why not talk about money? It solves most problems," Tony replied with casual flair. Finney had to admit—he really was charming in his own annoying way.
"Would you sell your armor?" Finney shot back.
That shut Tony up. He avoided the question and instead declared, "Well then, little Hellsey, thank me for my generosity. I've decided not to press charges for your little break-in."
"But you need to tell me—who are you, and why did you come to see me?" His tone shifted to something more serious.
Faced with the question, Finney paused, then answered honestly. "I'm a mage. I came to you to learn about something that might happen."
"Wait, are you talking about magic tricks?" Tony scoffed, thinking Finney was lying again. "You'd be more believable if you said aliens."
"Believe what you want, Mr. Tony Stark. Just don't assume you know everything."
Finney wasn't angry. He understood—if their roles were reversed, he wouldn't believe this kind of story either.
Tony frowned but said nothing. If not for Finney's earlier anomalies, he would've ended the conversation long ago.
"Fine," Tony said, trying to appear generous. "Tell me what this thing is that 'might happen.'"
"If I tell you, it might not happen anymore," Finney replied, sticking to the tradition. He started preparing to leave, but before stepping out, he grabbed a pen and scribbled a string of numbers on a nearby notepad.
"What's this? A password? Secret code? Prophecy of doom?" Tony joked.
"It's my phone number," Finney rolled his eyes. This was exactly why he hadn't wanted to get involved with Tony—his personality was exhausting.
"You might need it. If something comes up, call me. Consider it a real apology for today's intrusion."
"I doubt I'll need it," Tony said with disdain. "Also, if you're going to visit again, try the front door next time. Or deal with the consequences."
"Anyway, I've caused enough trouble today. Goodbye!"
"Portal!"
Without another word, Finney opened a portal and stepped through, vanishing from sight.
Tony found himself alone again in his spacious studio. After a moment, he exhaled deeply and said, "Jarvis, run a body scan. And check—he's really gone, right?"
"Sir, aside from signs of fatigue, your body is in perfect health. And yes, the room is now empty," Jarvis confirmed.
Tony returned to his seat and barked another order. "Jarvis, pull up all surveillance footage from earlier."
"I'm very sorry, sir. All video data has been deleted and is unrecoverable."
Tony suddenly remembered Finney giving Jarvis commands earlier. He rushed to scan Jarvis's programming, but after repeated checks, found nothing—no trace of intrusion.
"Impossible!"
Tony was more shocked now than when Finney had appeared through a portal or controlled his armor. Jarvis was his creation. How could it be influenced by someone else?
His eyes drifted to the note Finney left behind. After a moment's hesitation, he kept it and said, "Jarvis, initiate a studio renovation project. Objective: protection against unexpected intrusions or unauthorized control."
Finney had no idea Tony had already begun creating a full-on "Anti-Finney Studio." If things continued like this, he might even develop an "Anti-Finney Armor."
Back in his own space, Finney was still anxious. "Hopefully this doesn't cause too much of a ripple. I didn't say anything specific..."
He sighed. "Ugh, maybe no Iron Monger experience for me. Let Tony build a few more suits to make up for it."
Today's encounter had thrown off Finney's plans. He now had to be much more careful if he wanted to sneak the small arc reactor. With Tony suspicious, it was going to be hard.
Still, he didn't want to give up on the Iron Monger just yet. That's why he'd left his phone number—if things played out as expected, Tony would call when he needed help.
If not, and the Iron Monger didn't appear, then tough luck. Finney had acted too recklessly.
With that thought, his mood improved. Based on what he saw, Mark II wasn't far off.
Time passed quickly. A week flew by. Finney kept an eye on his surroundings, worried that meeting Tony might've messed up the timeline. But everything seemed calm.
Then—his phone rang. An unknown number.
Finney raised an eyebrow and answered.
There was only wind on the other end. After a moment of confusion, he realized what was happening.
"Are you doing a flight test?"
"Kid, speak up!" Tony's cheerful voice burst through. It sounded like he was having the time of his life.
"You're so annoying, you know that?" Finney shouted into the phone.
"Haha, jealous much? Can you mages even fly?" Tony teased in that obnoxiously smug tone.
Not one to let that slide, Finney rolled up his sleeves. "Talk big, huh? Tell me your location."
"Los Angeles. Malibu. 30,000 feet above."
"Just you wait!"
Finney hung up, equipped the 'Haunted Demons,' opened a portal, and launched into the air with Sky Dance. He soon found Tony mid-flight, gleefully screaming through the sky.
Tony hadn't expected him to actually show up. When he saw Finney floating beside him, his face—hidden behind the mask—looked like he'd swallowed a bug.
"I hate you, trickster boy!"
"Same to you, Mr. Moneybags!" Finney shot back. This had to be the natural rivalry between magic and science.
"How are you flying!? Where's the propulsion system? What powers it?" Tony bombarded him with questions as he examined the Haunted Demons armor. After a moment, he finally muttered:
"This... isn't scientific!"