Tony Stark was halfway through a celebratory glass of vintage champagne when the voice of his digital butler cut through the romantic ambiance of the penthouse.
"Sir, Agent Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D. is currently on the line," J.A.R.V.I.S. announced, his synthesized British accent sounding particularly apologetic.
"Tell him I'm not here. Tell him I'm a hologram. Tell him I've retired to a monastery in Tibet," Tony replied, not even looking up as he admired the way the moonlight caught the sharp lines of the Stark Tower's interior. He had just finished the arduous process of stepping out of the Mark VI, and his face, usually framed by a high-tech HUD, was now just a handsome, tired face with a perfectly groomed goatee.
"Sir, I'm afraid Agent Coulson is remarkably persistent. He suggests he won't believe the 'hologram' excuse," J.A.R.V.I.S. countered.
"Have some faith in my acting skills, J.A.R.V.I.S. I'm on a date. Use the 'Do Not Disturb' protocol. Or the 'Go Away' protocol. Dealers' choice."
Pepper Potts stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, her silhouette framed by the glowing holographic projections of the building's power grid. The blue lines pulsed with a rhythmic, healthy heartbeat, showing the seamless transition to the new arc reactor.
"The grid is holding beautifully, Tony," Pepper said, her eyes scanning the data. "I think we can officially call the Stark Tower the first self-sustaining skyscraper in New York."
"Of course it's holding. I designed it, I built it, and I personally swam to the bottom of the East River to plug it in," Tony said, walking up behind her. He wrapped a casual arm around her waist, leaning in close. "Be honest, Pepper. On a scale of one to ten, how does it feel to be dating a genius? And remember, ten is the floor."
Pepper turned in his arms, a playful smile on her face. She reached out and tapped the glowing triangular reactor in the center of his chest. "I'll let you know when the genius actually takes me to dinner like he promised."
Tony's expression softened. After the nightmare in Afghanistan and the mess with Ivan Vanko, he had started to realize that his life was more than just metal suits and press conferences. He had spent decades being a "lonely billionaire," but Pepper was the one constant that made the chaos worth it. They hadn't put a label on it yet—Tony wasn't great with labels unless they were on his own products—but the way they stood together spoke volumes.
"Speaking of missing people," Pepper said, her smile fading slightly. "Have you heard anything from Leander? I spoke to Jenny this morning. She's... she's not doing well, Tony. It's been seven months. Seven."
Tony's brow furrowed, the lighthearted mood evaporating instantly. "I'm depressed just thinking about it. George and Jenny are living in my villa in Malibu, pacing the floors like they're in a cage. I keep telling them he's on a 'special assignment,' but I'm running out of cover stories. Even my best lies have an expiration date."
"Do you really think he's okay?" Pepper asked, her hand resting on his arm. "Seven months is a long time for a teenager to be off the grid, even one as... special as Leander."
"He's the strongest person I know, Pepper. And I know a guy who can bench press a tank. Unless he's managed to find a way to get himself lost in another dimension, he's fine. He's just... doing his thing. Cultivating, or whatever he calls it." Tony let out a weary sigh. "But if I don't hear from him in the next forty-eight hours, I'm ignoring his warning. I'm taking the Mark VII to Wakanda and I'm digging him out myself."
Pepper squeezed his arm. "He'll come back. He's Leander. He knows how much his family loves him."
"Yeah, well, he's not that smart if he thinks I can handle his aunt for much longer," Tony grumbled. He raised his glass to Pepper, ready to toast to a quiet night, when J.A.R.V.I.S. spoke up again.
"Sir, your security protocols have been... bypassed."
The elevator dinked, and the doors slid open to reveal Phil Coulson. He was holding a slim S.H.I.E.L.D. tablet and his phone, looking as unflappable as ever.
"Stark, we need to talk," Coulson said.
Tony didn't even turn around. He held up his transparent phone, pointing it at the air. "You are currently viewing a state-of-the-art life-sized projection of Tony Stark. Please leave a message after the beep. Beep."
"It's an emergency, Tony," Coulson said, walking into the living room.
"Phil! Please, come in," Pepper said, offering an apologetic look to Tony.
"Phil? I thought his first name was 'Agent'?" Tony muttered, finally turning around. He looked at the tablet Coulson was holding out. "I don't like being handed things, Phil. It's a quirk. Very Howard Hughes of me."
Pepper rolled her eyes and took the tablet smoothly. "It's okay, I love being handed things. Thank you, Phil." She immediately pressed it into Tony's hands.
Tony looked at the tablet with a grimace. "I only accept consultations on the third Thursday of months that don't end in 'y'. You're early."
"This isn't a consultation," Coulson said, his voice grave. "It's the Avengers Initiative."
"I thought that was scrapped. And according to my files, I'm 'volatile, self-destructive, and don't play well with others.' I'm a consultant, remember?"
"Things have changed," Coulson said.
Tony sighed and activated the tablet. He might act like a brat, but he knew S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't send Coulson to his front door for a minor problem. "Miss Potts, you might want to see this."
He walked over to the holographic table and made a wide gesture with his fingers. The small images on the tablet expanded, filling the room with glowing data screens and high-definition footage.
Pepper gasped. On one screen, a blonde man in silver armor was fighting a giant metal construct in a desert. On another, a man in a World War II uniform was holding a vibranium shield. Then came the footage of the Hulk—raw, green destruction in the streets of Harlem.
But the most jarring images were the data files on the Tesseract.
"I have to go to Washington tonight," Pepper said, her voice small as she looked at the carnage on the screens.
"Tomorrow," Tony corrected, though his eyes were glued to the blue cube on the display.
"You have homework to do, Tony. A lot of it." Pepper walked up to him, leaning in to whisper in his ear. Whatever she said made Tony's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, a genuine smile breaking through his serious facade.
They shared a quick, firm kiss. "Good luck," she said, before turning to Coulson. "Is the airport on your way?"
"I can give you a ride, Miss Potts," Coulson said.
As they left, Tony stood alone in the center of his holographic command center. He reached out and "grabbed" the 3D model of the Tesseract, pulling it toward him. The blue light reflected in his eyes, making them look almost like Leander's for a moment.
He remembered the conversations he'd had with the kid. Leander had mentioned the Tesseract before. He had called it an "Infinity Stone." At the time, Tony had thought it was just more of the boy's cryptic nonsense, but seeing the energy readings now... he realized Leander had been warning him.
'The Tesseract was stolen,' Tony thought. 'And Leander knew it was coming. What else do you know, kid?'
His phone vibrated on the table. He didn't even need to look at the ID to know who it was. He swiped to answer.
"Director Fury. I assume you're calling to apologize for the break-in?"
"Cut the crap, Tony," Nick Fury's voice came through, sounding more tired than usual. "The world is on fire, and I'm missing my most unpredictable asset. Do you have any leads on Leander Hayes? Any at all?"