NOVEL FROG Chapter 97 – Jericho
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In his past life, if someone had asked Prime about his future goals, he would have answered without hesitation that he wanted to have his own money and a house of his own. Of course, by saying this, Prime meant a modest house in a nice neighborhood and enough income to not go hungry, still allowing him to enjoy his hobbies.
Now, this same Prime found himself on a private jet that he had hired himself. If someone had gone back in time and told his former self this, he probably wouldn't have believed it. Prime had always been more realistic than a dreamer; he preferred to keep his feet on the ground rather than risk big aspirations and face disappointment.
It was a bit ironic for someone who was now flying above the clouds in a private jet. Initially, Prime had no intention of traveling by jet, but Sara insisted, arguing that it would make a good impression. He ended up giving in to her words, although deep down, he didn't care much for such ostentation.
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Prime glanced at his notebook, which was on the table in front of him. An email from Obadiah Stane was open on the screen. Prime quickly read the message. Although filled with flattering words and disguised compliments, Prime had no trouble interpreting the true purpose: Obadiah was clearly seeking his help to bring Tony Stark down from his pedestal.
Prime had no interest whatsoever in getting involved in this power game. He decided to set the matter aside as it was not in his interest. His brief analysis of Tony Stark led him to conclude that Tony was someone primarily focused on himself. Therefore, Prime chose to watch from a distance the internal strife at Stark Industries, preferring to remain aloof from the struggle for control.
Furthermore, Prime was using the trip to test how far he could stay away from Sara without suffering significant side effects. He was probably already thousands of meters away from her, but for now, the only noticeable change was a slight feeling of extra weight in his body. If someone asked if he felt weak, the answer would be a categorical "no".
Using an analogy, it was as if Prime's body had returned to the state of an ordinary human — nothing more, nothing less. He didn't mind the discomfort, as he had spent his entire life like this. To Prime, this feeling was akin to the aftermath of an intense workout: a familiar and bearable fatigue resulting from continuous effort.
As these thoughts passed through his mind, Prime noticed a woman dressed in an elegant suit approaching him. On the jet, besides the pilot, there was a flight attendant specially hired for the flight. Prime watched her out of the corner of his eye as she approached, curious to know what she had to say.
"Sir, we're about to arrive at our destination. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable for the remainder of the flight?"
The woman, with a kind yet professional smile, asked Prime if he needed anything. Without much reflection, Prime signaled that he didn't want anything. After all, he couldn't taste anything anyway. With a simple gesture of refusal, the woman nodded and tilted her head slightly in understanding. Then, she returned to the front of the jet, leaving Prime in his silent contemplation.
As mentioned by the woman, the jet soon landed. About 30 minutes later, Prime found himself at a military base located in a desert region. His jet would be parked there until his return, under the care of the military. After all, the events planned for that location were not meant for the general public.
"Welcome to Bagram Air Base, Mr. Connor. We've been expecting you"
Upon disembarking from the jet, Prime was promptly greeted by soldiers. No matter where he looked, it was clear he was being treated like a VIP. This was evident in the soldier at the forefront, who held a high rank at the base. The mere fact that someone with that rank had come personally to fetch him said a lot.
Prime couldn't understand why he was receiving this special treatment. While it was true he had been contributing significantly for some time, he still found it strange to be suddenly treated like a VIP. However, it wasn't something he disliked; after all, he preferred being treated as a VIP rather than being ignored or unwanted.
"I'm at your service" Prime said, with a business-like smile.
As he was guided by the soldiers, Prime couldn't help but feel increasing discomfort. His white hair and silver eyes stood out like a yellow spot in a red sea, especially in that environment.
But what could Prime do, after all? He shrugged and followed along with the soldiers. At one point, a thought occurred to him: he couldn't detect the presence of Tony or Obadiah in the area. Not that they were among the soldiers, but with his heightened senses, Prime would have noticed if they were nearby, which didn't seem to be the case.
"Where are Tony and Obadiah?" Prime asked calmly.
"They're about to arrive, sir. They should be here in a few minutes" the soldier replied.
Nodding his head, Prime suddenly heard a loud noise coming from the sky. Abruptly stopping, he turned his gaze toward the sound. The soldiers noticed Prime stopping and exchanged confused glances among themselves.
"Sir, is there a problem?"
Seemingly answering the soldiers' questions, a relatively loud noise echoed through the area. Looking in the direction of the sound, Prime spotted a jet even more sophisticated than his own. He immediately recognized the people inside the jet.
Minutes later, the jet's door opened and Tony Stark emerged, dressed in a stylish suit and glasses. Prime watched with mild amusement as several soldiers gathered around the aircraft; Tony seemed to be a celebrity among ordinary people.
As he stepped off the jet, Tony was greeted by a man of imposing appearance. They shook hands as they talked, and Prime, who was relatively distant, could perfectly catch the conversation due to his sharp senses.
Behind Tony, Obadiah in his suit was also chatting with some soldiers, but no matter how Prime looked at it, the smile on Obadiah's face seemed completely forced.
From a distance, Prime observed Obadiah's interaction with the soldiers, a amused smile forming on his face. He wanted to see how far Obadiah would go with his ambition. Would he succeed or fail? As long as it didn't affect Sara, Annie, and Ema, Prime personally didn't care.
***
"Is it better to be feared or respected, I ask, or is it an exaggeration to want both?"
Some time later, Prime found himself alongside some soldiers and a few other investors in a secluded location far from the military base. Tony Stark was delivering a speech about his new product, something that Prime simply ignored. Though he understood the importance of the speech, it wasn't what captured his attention at that moment.
His thoughts were fully focused on his future business ventures. As mentioned earlier, Prime had attended the location more to get away from home than out of genuine interest. While reflecting on this, Prime noticed Tony Stark making some sort of signal. The missiles, previously inactive beside Tony, began to move, catching the attention of everyone present.
Then, one of the missiles was fired. Prime calmly watched the missile, everything unfolding in slow motion before his eyes. Joking with himself, Prime wondered if he could stop the missile in his current condition, with his strength perhaps below 10%, or even less.
"For your viewing pleasure" Tony said, spreading his arms. "The Jericho"
As soon as Tony uttered those words, the missiles fell, explosions echoed, and a powerful shockwave rippled through the area. Everyone visibly marveled at the power of Tony's missiles, but in Prime's mind, who knew the magnitude of his own powers, all he could think about was when he could go back home.
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