The Solo Show Begins

At that moment, Jack was filled with a swirl of emotions. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind, but there was no outlet for them. All he could do was sit silently on the sofa, heaving a heavy sigh.

Seeing Jack like this stirred something inside me. We had been through so much together. Though we weren't related by blood, we were closer than family.

I walked over to the couch, where he sat looking defeated. "Jack, I need to tell you something important," I began softly. "Last night, someone from the government came to see me."

My words hit him like a bolt of lightning. His eyes shot wide open, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. His hands clamped down on my shoulders, his grip tight.

"What did you say?" Jack's voice was hoarse with disbelief.

I offered him a reassuring smile and patted his hand. "I said someone came to see me, but they didn't do anything. No arrests, no threats."

He looked at me as though I'd told him the moon had turned green. "How's that even possible?" Jack knew all about the headlines linking me to Tony Stark's kidnapping. Given the gravity of the situation, anyone else in my shoes would probably have been in handcuffs by now.

Jack's expression shifted, his years of experience kicking in. He'd always had a sharp mind, and he could sense when something was off. "You're not telling me everything, are you?" he said, staring at me with eyes that seemed to see right through me.

I grinned, giving him a thumbs-up. "You always were quick, Jack. Yeah, I've got my secrets, but trust me, it's... complicated. You wouldn't quite get it yet."

His face softened, the storm inside him settling as my confidence seemed to rub off. The worried look in his eyes faded, replaced by the clarity and focus I'd always admired in him.

"I should've seen it," Jack muttered, shaking his head with a small smile. "Ever since you renamed the company and launched the Captain series, I knew something was different about you. You're not the same person you were back then."

He paused, then added, "Maybe I'm just getting old, losing track of things, but I'm still your Uncle Jack. And no matter what you decide to do, I'll back you all the way."

His earlier confusion about my involvement in the Tony Stark case had been replaced by the calm pragmatism I knew so well. Jack wasn't one to fall apart for long. He was steady, dependable—exactly what I needed right now.

He'd been there through every step of my rise, helping me build the company from the ground up. He was smart, more capable than most, and always seemed to figure things out on his own.

"Thanks, Jack," I said, smiling at him. "I won't bore you with the usual 'thank you's,' but listen—stop everything on the publishing end for now. We need to focus on the press conference this afternoon."

Jack nodded, understanding without needing any further explanation. He'd long since stopped questioning my decisions. He left the office, already making plans, leaving me alone with Sarah.

Sarah was still sitting on the couch, her tear-streaked face a mix of worry and relief. She'd been more scared for me than Jack had, thinking I was about to be dragged into a legal disaster. But now, after overhearing my conversation with Jack, she seemed more at ease, though she still looked at me with uncertainty.

She wiped the last of the tears from her cheeks and looked up at me. "Big brother, Dad's gone to set up the venue. What can I do to help?"

I sat down beside her, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. "I've got the most important task in mind for you."

Her eyes widened, lighting up with excitement. Sarah had been working with me since she joined the company, always eager to help, but I'd rarely given her anything more than minor tasks. Now that I'd said I had something big for her, she looked over the moon.

But then I leaned back on the couch, stretched, and pointed to my shoulder. "The most important task... is to give me a massage. These shoulders are killing me."

Sarah's face fell, and she grit her teeth, staring at me in disbelief. "Is the most important task really rubbing your shoulders?"

"Absolutely!" I said with a grin. "If the boss is happy, the whole company runs better, right? So, making me feel good is definitely the most important task."

Without a word, Sarah placed her hands on my shoulders... then bit down, hard.

"OW! What the—? Are you trying to kill me?!" I yelped.

She glared at me, unamused. "That's what you get for lying!"

---

By the afternoon, Jack had the venue prepared. It wasn't anything fancy—there hadn't been enough time—but the reporters didn't care. All they wanted was a story, and they were about to get it.

I stepped into the makeshift press conference area, feeling the buzz of anticipation in the air. As soon as I appeared, the chatter died down. All eyes were on me.

I cleared my throat, looking out at the sea of reporters. "Thank you all for coming. I know what you're all thinking. Yes, I did know about Tony Stark's kidnapping in advance."

The room erupted into chaos. Reporters were shouting, questions flying left and right. It was a madhouse.

But even amidst the noise, the journalists kept their cool. Hands shot up across the room. I pointed to a blonde reporter in the front row. Might as well pick someone easy on the eyes.

She stood, microphone in hand. "There are rumors, Mr. Walker, that you were involved in Tony Stark's kidnapping. You've just admitted that you knew about it beforehand. Does that mean you're confirming those rumors?"

"No," I replied firmly. "I'm a law-abiding citizen. I had nothing to do with the kidnapping."

She wasn't satisfied. "Then how did you know?"

The room fell silent, every reporter hanging on my next words.

I smiled, pointing to my eyes. "Because I saw it."

Confusion spread through the room like wildfire. The reporter frowned, not understanding. "What do you mean, you *saw* it?"

I nodded. "Literally. As you know, we live in a world of three-dimensional space and one-dimensional time. Most people can only see what's right in front of them. But when I focus, I can see through time and space. I can perceive events from the past and the future."

The room went dead silent.

"In other words," I continued, letting the weight of my words sink in, "I can predict the future."

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