Chapter 62: Is Good Luck a Super Ability?

In a remote HYDRA base in Western Europe, Tony Stark was in the middle of a skirmish when his phone rang. He punched an enemy out of his way and picked up, his voice sharp.

"Make it quick, you've got three minutes," Tony said, landing another blow.

"Tony, it's Rhodes," came the voice of Colonel James Rhodes on the other end. "The Mandarin's in New York."

Tony froze for a moment, pausing just as he was about to dispatch another attacker. After a brief hesitation, he blasted the enemy away and flew to a quieter corner.

"Wait, what? I thought Mandarin was on the border of country M. What's he doing in New York?"

Rhodes's voice remained tense. "S.H.I.E.L.D. tracked him there. They found him hiding in the Broadcasting Building."

Tony frowned. "Broadcasting Building? Is he trying to get on TV? Because he sure isn't as famous as me."

Rhodes didn't share in Tony's humor. "I don't know, but S.H.I.E.L.D. has already moved in. Hill and Hawkeye are leading the operation. Word is they've got him under control."

Tony's expression darkened, his instincts kicking in. "You sound worried, Rhodey. What's wrong with that? Sounds like good news to me."

"Tony, come on. Do you really think it'd be that easy to capture the Mandarin? You've fought him before. This doesn't feel right."

Tony went silent, considering the situation. After a beat, he asked, "Where's Jiang Chen? Is he part of the team?"

"No," Rhodes replied. "He didn't go. Hill and Hawkeye are leading, along with a bunch of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents."

Tony's face tensed, remembering the cryptic call Jiang Chen had made earlier about Anna. "Damn it. I think I know why he stayed out of this one."

"What do you mean?" Rhodes asked.

"I'll explain later. But if Jiang Chen decided to skip this mission, that's not a good sign. It means something's off."

Just as Tony was processing this, the phone call was interrupted by a burst of cheers in the background. Rhodes's voice returned, a bit bewildered.

"They're saying they've caught the Mandarin?"

Tony blinked. "Already? You've got to be kidding me. How could it be over this fast?"

As if to punctuate his disbelief, Thor suddenly appeared, smashing his hammer into a nearby enemy. "Are you slacking off, Stark?"

Tony dodged another incoming attack, shooting a repulsor blast in response. "Not at all," he replied, barely paying attention to the Asgardian. "Rhodey just called. Says the Mandarin's been caught in New York."

Thor stopped mid-throw, his face showing mild confusion. "Who's the Mandarin?"

"Big bad guy. Lots of magic, ten rings with different powers. Think of it like Lord of the Rings, but with more explosions."

Thor chuckled, spinning Mjolnir lazily. "Do you believe he could stand against my hammer?"

Tony shrugged. "I beat him, and I don't have a hammer. So, yeah, I'm pretty sure you could."

Their banter was cut short by Captain America, who approached with Black Widow beside him. Steve's face was grim. "Is something wrong?"

"Not sure yet," Tony admitted. "Rhodes just called to say that S.H.I.E.L.D. captured the Mandarin, but it feels... too simple."

Cap's brows furrowed, his voice firm. "Mandarin's no small-time villain. If they got him, it means something else is happening. We need to wrap up here and get back to New York."

Thor swung Mjolnir again, eager for action. "Then let's finish up quickly. We can deal with this Mandarin when we get there."

Tony hesitated, glancing at the bunker-like HYDRA base in front of them. "Yeah, but first I need to make a call."

Captain America looked at him sharply. "Jiang Chen?"

Tony nodded. "Exactly."

Thor raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "Who's Jiang Chen?"

Tony smirked, but his tone was serious. "A guy with a superpower he claims is luck."

Thor laughed heartily. "Luck? That's no superpower!"

Tony's face didn't change, his voice calm. "If you were as lucky as him, you'd change your mind."