NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: Grimclaw: It's for the sake of your dad and Peggy.
"Host: Grimclaw!"
"Age: Twenty-two!"
"Abilities: Ten times the peak physical fitness of an ordinary person, master of firearms, hand-to-hand combat expert, pyrokinesis, teleportation, and time rewind (three minutes)!"
Sitting on the sofa in Tony Stark's villa, bathed in dim light, Grimclaw checked his system panel, reviewing his current abilities.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed when suddenly, the sound of a car horn broke the silence outside the villa.
Shortly after, footsteps echoed from outside.
At the door…
"Damn it, who would've thought I'd actually be stopped from attending a banquet hosted by my own company?"
Muttering to himself, Tony Stark pushed open the door and strode toward the living room.
Just as he was about to flick on the light, he caught sight of a figure sitting on his sofa.
Seeing an unfamiliar presence in his villa, Tony Stark immediately tensed.
His instincts kicked in as he subtly moved his hand, reaching for something—anything—he could use to defend himself while signaling toward the room.
"The background protocols of J.A.R.V.I.S. have been tampered with by me. Otherwise, how do you think I got in?"
Noticing Tony's subtle gestures, Grimclaw turned his head and lightly snapped his fingers.
As soon as he did, the living room lights flickered on instantly.
Now, Tony Stark could see clearly—the man in black sitting on his couch was a young man.
"Who are you? And why are you in my house?"
Though Grimclaw remained still, Tony's guard remained high.
After all, he had just narrowly escaped a kidnapping and returned from the brink of death.
And now, someone had broken into his home.
How could he possibly stay calm?
"Relax, Mr. Stark. If I meant harm, you wouldn't be standing there right now—you'd be having a chat with your God."
Picking up a bottle of whiskey from the coffee table, Grimclaw poured himself a drink. Then, like he owned the place, he casually asked Tony:
"Drink?"
"I heard that Obadiah Stane prevented you from attending the Stark Industries banquet in your own name?"
"If you can't drink there, why not have one with me instead?"
Swirling his glass, Grimclaw smirked.
"Damn, is my business this public now?"
Perhaps it was because Tony Stark sensed no immediate hostility from the young man before him—who still wore a relaxed smile—he slowly walked over, took the offered glass, and muttered under his breath.
Then, he sat down on the sofa across from Grimclaw.
"Don't bother looking—I've already hidden your weapons."
As Tony Stark nonchalantly settled in, he was, in reality, discreetly feeling around the hidden compartment in the sofa where he kept a firearm.
But before he could make a move, Grimclaw sipped his drink and smirked.
"Come on, Stark. You're a weapons tycoon—did you really think I'd come here without doing my homework?"
Feeling the empty space where his gun was supposed to be, Tony's expression stiffened.
Then, he looked straight at Grimclaw and asked, "Who are you?"
"Grimclaw. Level 8 Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D."
"My colleague approached you a while back, but unfortunately, you brushed him off."
As Tony Stark's face darkened, Grimclaw chuckled.
"S.H.I.E.L.D… that's the one with the absurdly long name, right? Something about Strategic, Homeland, Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division?"
Hearing Grimclaw's introduction, Tony let out a relieved sigh—at least it wasn't the people who kidnapped him.
"That was the old name. I told my boss it was a mouthful, so we shortened it to S.H.I.E.L.D."
Pouring himself another drink, Grimclaw leaned back and got straight to the point.
"Do you know why I'm here?"
"Because I ignored your colleague?"
Taking the bottle from Grimclaw, Tony Stark poured himself another glass and glanced at him.
"Look, buddy, if you wanted to talk, couldn't you just make an appointment like a normal person?"
"If you keep breaking into people's houses like this, I might have to report you to—"
"And what? See if they dare to arrest us?"
Before Tony could finish, Grimclaw cut him off coldly.
"Alright, let's skip the nonsense. I'm here to let you know something, Mr. Stark."
"From now on, your safety is under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s protection until we uncover the mastermind behind your kidnapping."
With another snap of his fingers, two S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives in black tactical suits emerged from the shadows behind him.
"Starting now, these two agents will be by your side 24/7."
Grimclaw left no room for discussion.
"I object!"
Hearing this, Tony Stark immediately shook his head.
"I have my own bodyguards, and you're interfering with my priva—"
"S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't give a damn about your privacy!"
Before Tony could finish, Grimclaw interrupted him again.
"Of course, you're welcome to pull some strings and try to refuse."
"But just so you know—your connections mean nothing when it comes to S.H.I.E.L.D.!"
At this, Grimclaw paused, then fixed Tony Stark with an unwavering gaze.
"In fact, Mr. Stark, if it wasn't for your father, Howard Stark, and at Ms. Peggy Carter's request—"
"I wouldn't have wasted my time handling this personally."
"Do you think we at S.H.I.E.L.D. have nothing better to do than babysit a reckless billionaire?"
With that, Grimclaw leaned back, raised his glass, and continued sipping his drink.
"Wait—my dad and Aunt Peggy?!"
The frustration in Tony's expression vanished, replaced by genuine curiosity.
Want to read more? Visit patreon.com/Jozy_sr to support the story and get early access to exclusive chapters!