Chapter 4

When I got home, after dropping off the bike on Tito's pizza, I set about analyzing my eyes and my powers to see how I could wake them up, which led to a somewhat pathetic sequence on my part, trying different poses and phrases to see if they would activate again.

"Activate."

"Back to the Future."

"Za Warudo."

I said as I tried poses, one more ridiculous than the last until I bumped into a door, oh yeah I forgot to mention, turns out even in Harlem living is pretty expensive, so my house is actually shaped like an apartment and a rather cramped one at that.

After much show I simply sat on my bed and analyzed the events that had happened so I could trigger them, I was confusing and they were going to shock me. 'Mmmm, what if my powers activate only when I'm in danger, that would be a very convenient thing, but I'd like to know how to activate them voluntarily after all I also want to see what their limit would be.'

'But putting myself in a dangerous situation just to test some powers that might not activate doesn't seem like the best idea.' I thought, however an idea occurred to me.

'Maybe if I close my eyes and try to concentrate I can activate them, after all my powers are here, I can feel them.'

So that's what I did, I set out to relax and try to make my only thought be to activate my powers, unfortunately after half an hour with no results I simply gave up and set out to do something else and as I had nothing better to do I started zapping until I found something that interested me.

"Boring, I am not in the mood for music, stressing, stupid, yellow journalism, wait a minute." I said as I stopped on a channel.

"Tony Stark is still missing, rumor has it he was abducted by Afghan terrorists after a demonstration almost 3 months ago where he exposed a new missile model that Stark industries has been developing. Stark Industries is offering a reward of $10,000,000 for anyone with unidentified information on his whereabouts" says the journalist while showing the number to call in that case.

'Tony Stark was kidnapped? I didn't even know the guy was out of the country. Too bad I can't use my power to find out where he is, I could do so many things with that money.'

That was it though that the gears in my mind started moving again. 'Wait what if that's what I've been missing all this time? What if all this time all I needed was a goal to focus on?' It was as if an imaginary light bulb had gone off. 'I need to buy a map.'

After buying the map in a bookstore I found open, I returned and went to my room, placed the map on the floor as I knelt beside him, only illuminated by the light from my nightstand on my desk.

I close my eyes and place my hands on the map of the world. Mentally, I look for a connection to Tony Stark, who has been kidnapped by the terrorist organization known as the Ten Rings.

"Show me... show me where he is..." Out of nowhere, I have a sequence of flashes and snippets.

Flash 1: A dark, damp cave. There is a distant echo of clashing metal. The vision zooms in on the Ten Rings icon carved into a stone.

Flash 2: A barren, desolate mountain range. The wind is blowing sand and dirt around, exposing a hidden entrance between rocks.

Flash 3: A group of armed men in combat gear, keeping watch over a cave entrance.

The sky is dyed a deep blue, and mountain shadows are cast along the grounds at sunset. As the vision sequences play out, I sensed my hands shuffling across the map, seemingly tracing a path guided by an invisible force. Every time they touch a point on the map, the vision flares up. *I whisper, feeling the place's energy* "Closer... closer..."

My hands finally come to a stop after hovering over a specific region in Afghanistan. My fingers now are delicately pressing the map, pinpointing the exact place. A faint green glow emanates from my hands, confirming that i have found what I was looking for.

*I open my eyes, gasping* "Afghanistan... in the Hindu Kush... that's where Tony Stark is." The map shows the region marked by my fingerprints, now surrounded by a faint greenish glow.

"Hello operator, I found it. It's in the Hindu Kush mountains."

After a few minutes of talking to the operator trying to convince him, I finally succeeded with some persuasion. After that, all I can think is.

'I hope I'm not wrong'.

(Meanwhile somewhere else in the world)

*NEUTRAL POV*

Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes, a man in his mid-30s, sits inside the cockpit of the military helicopter, an imposing silhouette. Of solid athletic build, he appears to have many years of military service to his credit.

Rhodes retains the marks of the worry that accompanied him throughout the mission.

His injected dark brown eyes, dispensers of confidence and determination in normal times, are slightly reddened from lack of sleep and long strain.

Every buzz of the earpiece in his ear makes his square jaw prime the engagement. Large, rough hands, hardened by years of training and combat, hold a detailed map of the area he and his team have scouted over the past few days.

As the helicopter continues its path through the air, Rhodes maintains his vigilance, his broad shoulders slightly hunched forward, as if the responsibility for the entire mission rests with them. Yet even in these moments of uncertainty, his presence is that of a victor, of a man determined to do his duty at all costs.

Suddenly, a noise comes from the helicopter's radio communicator, prompting the colonel to quickly grab the communicator.

"This is Colonel Rhodes here."

"Colonel Rhodes, Critical message to share. Stark has been found. The source isn't quite checked out but it's the best lead we have so far."

Rhodes frowns and pushes the map aside, concentrating on the transmission.

"Really, where is it, where's the target?"

The operator takes a while to respond before resuming transmission, as if to confirm to Rhodes.

"The Hindu Kush mountains, a cave north of our current position."

Rhodes closes his eyes for a moment, allowing himself a small exhalation of relief, but the determination on his face doesn't waver.

"Change course right now. We're heading north. Call the team on the ground to regroup and take out the building. Call just in case, time is of the essence."

The pilot nods and climbs the helicopter heading north. Rhodes opens his eyes and looks ahead, his thoughts focused on what is to come. He clenches his hand into a fist, a gesture that shows a desire to get Tony back and anger at letting something like this happen to him.

"Hang in there a little longer, buddy. You'll be home soon."

The helicopter flies hurtling north, ready to do whatever it takes to save one of the most important men in the world.