Once Alex made up his mind, he didn't hesitate for long.
Instead of wandering around outside, he drove straight back to Howard Stark's mansion.
"How was it, Alex? Must've been quite the ride!"
Howard Stark had already come out to greet him, clearly in high spirits.
Truthfully, Alex wanted to say it was a pretty rough experience—this old car couldn't compare to the vehicles of the future—but he just smiled and said, "Of course, Mr. Stark."
"As long as you liked it!"
Howard beamed with satisfaction. Seeing someone appreciate his car always put him in a good mood.
After parking, Alex handed the keys back to Stark.
He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Mr. Stark, I have a request that might be a bit much. But if you agree to it, let's consider it as me repaying the debt I owe you for saving your life."
Now Howard was truly intrigued.
A favor from him was no small thing. And Alex was willing to cash it in now?
What kind of request could possibly be worth that?
"Go on, Alex," Howard said, genuinely curious.
"I want to buy this car from you."
Alex said it with a fervor that was almost over-the-top. "I love it. I took it for one spin and realized—I can't live without it."
He put on the act of a young man completely smitten, willing to do anything for his beloved car.
Howard stared at him in silence for a few seconds, then gave him a look of disbelief. "You're serious? You're not messing with me?"
It was such a ridiculous request.
A favor from Howard Stark… in exchange for a car?
And Alex wasn't even asking for it outright—he wanted to buy it?
"Mr. Stark, I know it might sound immature, even absurd, but this is what I want. I really, truly car," Alex said solemnly, reaffirming his decision.
Howard examined him for a moment longer and finally realized—Alex was dead serious.
He had thought Alex was more level-headed than this, but then again, the guy was still young.
Showing a bit of youthful impulsiveness now and then wasn't that strange.
"Alex, when I was young, I did plenty of ridiculous and impulsive things. I think you and I might just be on the same level."
"This car? It's nothing. If you really want it, I'll give it to you. But are you sure you want to waste a favor from me on something ?"
Howard was dead serious.
A favor from him could prove invaluable in the future.
"Yes, Mr. Stark," Alex replied firmly.
Howard let out a sigh. "Well, I think it's a damn shame, but… if that's what you really want—"
He handed the car keys back to Alex. "The car is yours. No need to pay me. My favor isn't that cheap."
"But this also means—we're even."
"I understand. You owe me nothing now," Alex nodded. This had gone even smoother than he expected.
Then again, for someone like Howard Stark, a car really wasn't a big deal.
"Well then, congratulations, Alex. You and your new baby—perfect match," Howard joked.
"Thank you, Mr. Stark. See you around."
Waving a quick goodbye, Alex hopped into the Cadillac, started the engine, and drove off without looking back.
"He's still just a kid,"
Howard muttered to himself, shaking his head as he watched the car disappear down the street, then turned to go back inside.
Now that he had the car—what next?
Alex fell into deep thought.
The first step was clear: find out what secret the car was hiding. That was the ultimate goal.
And he believed that for a genius like Hank, this wouldn't be too difficult.
Given the relationship between him and Hank, all it would take was a single word.
If even Hank couldn't figure it out, then there was no hope of anyone else doing so.
But soon, Alex dismissed that idea. He couldn't take the car back to Xavier's School. He couldn't let the other mutants see it.
This car was connected to his System.
That was his ultimate secret.
And this wasn't just any car, either.
It contained some kind of special energy source—to be precise, an energy source directly tied to Alex's power growth.
Though the energy source was currently inaccessible, if it could be analyzed, perhaps it could reveal leads on how to extract usable energy in the future.
This was not something to take lightly.
So, Alex made a sharp turn onto a different street and parked somewhere quiet.
After giving the car a thorough check, inside and out, and making sure no one was tailing him or watching, he finally headed to a local auto repair shop.
He had made up his mind: he needed someone to dismantle this car.
There was no choice—disassembling a vehicle was a technical job, not something just anyone could do. He needed a professional.
"Whoa! Buddy, tell me I'm not seeing things—is that the Cadillac?"
To Alex, the car looked like an outdated lump of metal. But to the people here, it was an absolute showstopper.
The shop was buzzing. Workers stopped what they were doing, eyes glued to the car.
A young Black guy holding a wrench let out a loud whoop.
"People who drive something like that don't usually come to a place like ours."
A man in a cap—clearly the boss—walked over and greeted Alex politely. "What can we do for you?"
"I need some work done. Who's your best mechanic?" Alex asked bluntly.
"Heh, not to brag—but I've been doing this for over twenty years. There's not a car I can't fix!"
A slightly chubby middle-aged man in the yard gave himself a hard sell.
"I don't like how he talks himself up," the boss chuckled, "but I can't lie—he's the best we've got."
"Old Jack, huh? Got time right now?" Alex asked, eyeing him.
"Hey, Ryan, you think I've got time right now?"
Jack turned to his boss. He was clearly in the middle of another job.
"If the gentleman's in a hurry…"
Boss Ryan thought for a moment, then made the call.
Customers like Alex—with money and taste—deserved special treatment. That's just how the world worked.
"Well then, Jack, let's get started. I want this car torn down completely."
Alex gave the order directly.
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