CHAPTER 221: TONY’S RECRUITMENT

In this world, Wanda and Pietro were not the same as the ones from the movie universe.

In the films, their childhood home was destroyed by a missile manufactured by Stark Industries, which sparked a deep hatred for Tony. But here, the two of them were older than their movie counterparts, and that tragedy had never happened.

Their powers were innate as mutants, not awakened by the Mind Stone. As such, there was no bad blood between them and Tony.

"Tony Stark. You should’ve heard our answer already. And yet, you’re still here asking why? Shouldn’t we be the ones asking you why you keep bothering us?" Pietro asked sharply.

Over the past month, Tony’s efforts to locate them hadn’t gone unnoticed. In fact, as soon as his search in Sokovia became public, Pietro, who had been working outside the town, was already aware of it.

The siblings knew that the wealthy American was looking for them for some special reason.

But it always came back to the same point.

The two of them didn’t want to get dragged into any trouble. Even if they knew stepping out into the world could offer them a better life, that kind of comfort always came with danger in every corner.

"Yeah, I know." Tony gave a nod. Of course he had received some intel: most notably from a Sokovian woman whose eyes glowed red. It was also the final piece that convinced him he had found the right place.

"But I believe you’ll agree to my terms."

"Go on."

Wanda looked a little intrigued, but the moment she spoke, Pietro quickly stepped in front of her, arm outstretched, shielding her from Tony.

"Wanda, don’t forget what we agreed on. As long as we’re together, we can get through anything. We don’t need help from someone like him."

No matter what, their father and fellow mutants had died at the hands of humans. Especially considering Stark Industries had maintained a close partnership with Wayne Enterprises for years, the siblings had strong reasons to distrust Tony and his company.

"Is that so? What a shame."

Just as Pietro braced for Tony to argue back so he could reject him once more, the man did something unexpected. He stood up, straightened his suit, and headed for the door without saying another word.

When he got there, he paused and said, almost like he was sighing.

"Too bad. You’re choosing to spend the rest of your life in silence, unknown and hidden. Do you really think this tiny little town can hold everything you are?"

With that, he reached for the door handle, only to find his way blocked.

A scarlet shimmer of magic had built a barrier across the doorway, stopping him in his tracks.

"Wanda! We—"

Pietro froze as he saw what his sister had done. He knew what that barrier meant, she had made her choice. But in his heart, he still felt uneasy about returning to the outside world, about working with humans in any way.

However, Wanda cut him off.

"Pietro, we’ll be fine. We’ve lived in hiding ever since we left the academy. But what about Lorna? Do you really want her to spend the rest of her life stuck in this tiny town?"

Tony hadn’t promised much. In truth, the only thing he was offering was to help Pietro and Wanda give all three of them legitimate identities.

That one thing, though, meant everything.

For an ordinary person, it would’ve been simple. With enough money, a few bribes here and there, and a trip to the right police station, anyone could fabricate a background.

But for the siblings, it was nearly impossible.

Their so-called peaceful life was entirely dependent on Wanda’s massive magical barrier. The instant they stepped out of it, and were beyond the reach of her magic, they were nobodies. No ID. No records. No history. Nobody would recognize them. No one would remember them.

Even Pietro’s job outside the town had only been possible thanks to Wanda using a bit of magic to subtly influence the company’s manager. Should anyone ever look closely, even a little, the truth about his identity would fall apart immediately.

But if they had real, legal identities, they could finally live freely. They wouldn’t have to stay hidden in this small town anymore.

"I..."

Pietro started to speak, though no words came out. He couldn’t argue with his sister’s reasoning, not this time. He might be fine living this kind of recluse life. So might Wanda. But Lorna?

Without a legal identity, she couldn’t even leave the town. And they didn’t dare use their powers to fix the problem, because this world, whether they liked it or not, belonged to humans.

"Looks like someone here finally understands."

Tony tapped lightly on the red magic screen in front of him and smiled before turning back and sitting down on the couch again.

"What I’ve said so far is just the starting point. If we’re going to work together, we can figure out the rest as we go," he said it with a calm and understanding tone. But both Pietro and Wanda understood the reality.

The more they asked for, the more they’d have to give. And the deeper they stepped into this, the closer they would be to the center of the storm.

Still, thinking was one thing. In the end, Pietro sat down.

"We want legal identities, and ones so solid that even LexCorp won’t be able to find any flaws. That’s our bottom line."

Since the decision was made, he didn’t bother to continue resisting. He got straight to the point. But when he brought it up, Tony showed a troubled expression.

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Pietro frowned. "You came all the way here, and you can’t even do that?"

Tony responded calmly, "Legal identities, I can absolutely get you those. No one can stop me. But asking me to keep LexCorp off your backs? That’s another matter. Think about it. You’re not stupid. If they really wanted to deal with someone, even a regular human could be labeled a mutant terrorist and none would question it."

The siblings fell silent. It was true.

They had seen firsthand how powerful LexCorp was, even here in Sokovia. Just the thought that someone out there could destroy them on a whim was enough to make anyone lose sleep.

"At the very least... guarantee Lorna’s safety. Don’t let LexCorp target her."

After exchanging a look, they adjusted their condition.

"That, I can agree to—"

"I don’t agree!"

Tony had barely nodded when a voice interrupted from the staircase leading to the attic.

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