California
Jack parked the aircraft directly in the courtyard of Tony Stark's California mansion—one of the perks of owning a VTOL.
Natasha, however, didn't get out.
"Tony, your godfather's here," Jack shouted lazily. "Aren't you going to come out and welcome me?"
Clang!
A massive suit of armor dropped in front of him, blocking the path. The armor crooked a finger at Jack in blatant provocation.
This suit wasn't a Hulkbuster. It was taller, bulkier—nearly 2.5 meters high.
Jack sneered and leapt up, slamming his fist into it.
Unsurprisingly—
He got sent flying.
Flying far.
So far that Tony couldn't even see him from the villa.
JARVIS quickly deployed a long-range drone and located Jack 300 meters out at sea.
Jack wiped seawater off his face. He couldn't swim—but strength made miracles.
He mimicked a freestyle stroke and slammed his arms into the water. The sheer counterforce launched him forward, and in just a few strokes, he shot back toward shore.
Inside the villa, Tony watched Jack crash straight into the coastal rocks.
"Oh my God," Tony muttered. "Is this lunatic trying to kill himself?"
He immediately launched a rescue submersible.
The submersible, under JARVIS's control, dove off the cliff—only to be obliterated mid-air.
On the drone feed, Tony saw something leap from the sea, collide with the sub, and smash it to pieces before splashing back down.
Tony stared.
"…That was Jack."
"JARVIS, analyze that jump."
"Sir, Mr. Jack's ascent speed was approximately 300 kilometers per hour, or 82 meters per second."
Tony took a long sip of coffee.
"…Freak."
Stark Mansion
Jack crouched below the cliff, glanced at the shattered machinery, shrugged, and jumped again.
This time, he landed directly on Tony's bedroom observation window, punching both hands into the reinforced glass and hanging there.
"Sir," JARVIS said calmly, "Mr. Jack is currently outside your bedroom window."
Tony froze.
"…What?"
The feed popped up.
"Holy shit—my ocean-view glass!"
Tony sprinted to the bedroom just in time to see a man-sized hole punched clean through the window.
Jack stepped inside casually, glass crunching under his boots.
"Nice glass," Jack said approvingly. "Normal stuff would've shattered. This one just let me cut a hole."
Tony covered his eyes.
"JARVIS, call Pepper. We need a new window. Again."
"Yes, sir. She has already received the video."
The Lawn
Jack insisted on settling things outside—with the big guy.
Tony, already pissed off, agreed and decided to pilot the armor personally.
Jack pulled off his shirt, revealing a lean body—not bulky, but dense.
Tony frowned. "You don't even look jacked. Where the hell does that strength come from?"
"Talent," Jack replied. "Use everything you've got."
Tony laughed. "You want another swim? Fine."
Jack cracked his neck. "I'm tearing this big tin can apart."
He kicked off—
—and promptly lost balance, sliding across the lawn and smashing into a wall.
Tony blinked.
Before the dust settled, Jack burst out and slammed into the armor.
JARVIS raised an arm to block—
Jack went completely berserk.
One minute later, the connection cut out.
The armor lay dismantled into scrap.
Jack exhaled in satisfaction.
Stark Lab
Rows of Iron Man suits lined the wall—from Mark I to Mark XXXIII.
"What number was that one?" Jack asked.
"Mark XXXIV," Tony said flatly. "Or it was."
Jack nodded. "Shame."
Tony lifted his shirt. Jack tore it open anyway.
"Nice reactor scars," Jack said. "Street kids would kill for tattoos like that."
Tony scowled. "Enough. Tell me how the other me survived."
Jack smirked. "Remember that bet? About finding a scientist better than you?"
Tony's expression darkened.
Jack spread his arms.
"Howard Stark."
Tony froze.
"Founder of Stark Industries. Creator of Captain America's shield. Your father."
Tony scoffed. "I surpassed him years ago."
"Did you ever see him at his peak?"
Silence.
Jack continued. "He completed anti-gravity research. S.H.I.E.L.D. buried it—and everything he left you."
Tony stood abruptly. "They took my father's things?"
Jack nodded. "And smiled while doing it."
Tony clenched his fists. "We're going to S.H.I.E.L.D."
Triskelion – New York
Tony smashed straight through Nick Fury's office window.
"Tony Stark," Fury snapped, "this is S.H.I.E.L.D.—"
Tony blasted him across the room.
Jack leaned against the wall. "Hit him harder. He's enhanced."
Tony didn't hold back anymore.
Agents gathered outside until Maria Hill forced the door open.
Jack altered his voice. "Director Hill. Hand over Howard Stark's legacy, or Fury becomes a meat pancake."
No response.
Jack grabbed Fury and flew him onto the roof.
He leaned in close.
"You really want the world finding out about the Skrulls?"
Fury's eye widened.
"Give him his father's things," Jack whispered, "or I blow the lid off everything."
Silence.
"…Tomorrow," Fury said hoarsely. "At Stark's home."
Jack released him. "Good choice."
Afterward
As they flew away, Tony asked quietly, "You sure he'll deliver?"
Jack shrugged. "If not, we take it ourselves."
Tony nodded. "Fair."
Jack grinned. "By the way—how's that high-performance computer coming along?"
Tony smirked. "Already working on it."
Jack's eyes lit up.
"Good. I've got games waiting—and I'm dying to test them."
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