"Blood extraction complete. Analysis in progress."
Inside the Hive Base, the Hulk roared in rage, thrashing against his confinement. The cage, made from some unknown material, was utterly indestructible. He had exhausted every ounce of his strength, yet his efforts were in vain.
All he could do was watch helplessly as a massive syringe drew thick green blood from his body.
"Bruce, please stop struggling. If you make Mr. Mason angry, things won't end well for you."
The Red Queen's voice was soft, almost playful, but it sent a chill down Hulk's spine. Painful memories flooded his mind, and he knew exactly what she meant.
The kind of torment he had endured before… He never wanted to experience it again.
His voice was deep, tinged with reluctant submission.
"Our merciful sir seems to like you, big guy."
The Red Queen chuckled.
A golden light flashed, and Gene Mason appeared in the Hive Base.
"Creator, everything you instructed has been carried out."
The Red Queen's voice was filled with reverence and obedience. The Hulk's gaze immediately locked onto the being standing before him—a figure exuding a dark metallic sheen.
"Hmm… Inject the nanobots into him, then hand him over to General Ross."
Gene mused for a moment before issuing the command.
Hulk felt a sudden sharp pain at the back of his neck. A massive injector plunged into his skin, pumping a silver-white liquid into his body.
His vision spun. His massive green form rapidly shrank, and within moments, Bruce Banner was once again lying inside the containment unit.
"Tell General Ross to come pick him up. And while you're at it, alter his memories."
Gene instructed calmly.
Suddenly, Skynet materialized in front of him, looking eager and… slightly childish.
"Sir, the Stark Expo is about to begin. Shouldn't we host our own industrial expo as well?"
"We can't let Stark Industries steal all the attention."
The media had been fixated on Tony Stark's bizarre recent behavior and the upcoming Stark Expo. This clearly frustrated Skynet, who was used to being in the spotlight.
"The Stark Expo, huh?"
Gene murmured, rolling the name around in his mind. The events of Iron Man 2 were nearing their climax. Next up? Thor.
As that thought crossed his neural network, another idea surfaced—that hammer that fell in New Mexico…
"It's about time I retrieved it."
Gene muttered to himself.
"Fine. Skynet, you handle the planning for the Mason Industrial Expo."
The moment news of the Mason Industrial Expo broke, it spread across the globe like wildfire.
The buzz surrounding the Stark Expo was instantly overshadowed.
In just three years, Mason Industries had not only become a giant in military technology but had also achieved massive breakthroughs in civilian sectors. From commercial aircraft to pharmaceutical products, Mason Industries, Umbrella Corporation, and Skynet had their hands in everything.
"Holy crap! Mason Industries is going head-to-head with Stark Industries!"
"What does Stark even have to brag about anymore? Mason Industries has completely outclassed them in every field."
"At this rate, Stark Industries is gonna end up like Oscorp—swallowed up by Mason Industries."
"I can't wait to see what insane tech they unveil at the expo!"
"I wanna see the T-600 robots in action!"
With global hype reaching a fever pitch, numerous companies that had initially planned to participate in the Stark Expo quickly shifted their interest to Mason Industries.
Corporations scrambled to secure a spot at the Mason Industrial Expo, eager to bask in its glow. Meanwhile, massive construction efforts began to build the expo's venue as fast as possible.
Hammer Industries – Justin Hammer's Office
"You're supposed to be making me robots like Mason Industries' T-600 units—not these empty husks!"
Justin Hammer snapped, glaring at the Russian scientist standing before him.
His captive was none other than Ivan Vanko, whom he had recently bailed out of prison.
"This… too difficult."
"Remote-controlled suits… better."
Ivan spoke in broken English, barely trying to hide his disdain.
"I don't care! You're going to combine the best of both designs—full automation AND pilot control! Hammer Industries is going to dominate the expo!"
Justin Hammer's eyes gleamed with ambition.
Ever since he had witnessed Mason Industries' T-600 units in action, his obsession with Iron Man suits had faded.
No—humanoid combat robots were the future.
Not flashy, personalized suits like Tony Stark's—but real, powerful war machines.
Meanwhile, Ivan Vanko sneered at Hammer's naivety.
He loved dealing with arrogant, clueless businessmen .
His mind wasn't on building robots.
Not just against Tony Stark—but against the entire United States.
His father had been exiled and had died in poverty and disgrace in Russia.
Now, Ivan would complete his father's vengeance.
And he would start at the expo.
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