Chapter 100 - Where it all began [3]

(I know this really isn't the place, but seriously, why in the middle of the desert?) She expressed with a hint of mild irritation.

After picking up Sara, the two quickly returned to Tony's demonstration site. Prime and Sara, now transformed, ran through the desert. They faced a moderate sandstorm; nothing dangerous, but it still bothered Sara. For Prime, the storm was just an intense breeze against his face, something he barely noticed.

"I really have no idea. Anyway, we should be almost there. I can sense the symbiotic bat's presence up ahead" Prime replied as he leaped and surveyed the surroundings.

As Prime's eyes caught sight of a hastily set-up makeshift camp, he knew they had arrived at the right place. Upon landing softly on the ground, Prime closed his eyes for a moment, focusing his perception. When he opened them again, he had a clear view inside the camp: Tony Stark was clad in a rudimentary armor, while Ho Yinsen worked frantically on a laptop positioned in front of the armor.

(Wow, that's incredible) Sara commented in Prime's mind, with a tone of evident admiration.

Though nothing new, Sara could also see exactly what Prime was seeing. With their symbiotic connection, they shared the same senses and abilities. This sensory synchrony was nothing out of the ordinary for them.

"I agree, though it seems a bit over the top" Prime said, returning to his human form beside Sara. "Let's go" he continued, with a slight smile, beginning to walk.

Sara followed without questioning, as she understood exactly what was on Prime's mind. After a few minutes of walking, they reached a steep slope surrounded by several rocks. However, Prime focused his gaze on a specific point below the elevated area where they stood.

"They have a lot more weapons than I expected from a terrorist group" Sara remarked, sounding surprised, next to Prime.

Prime shared Sara's surprise at seeing the impressive amount of weaponry the terrorist group possessed. From assault rifles to missiles, it seemed they had a full arsenal at their disposal.

Even from Prime's viewpoint, this seemed highly suspicious. It would be nearly impossible for terrorists to accumulate so many weapons without a constant supply. In short, someone was clearly backing them from behind the scenes.

When this line of reasoning crossed Prime's mind, the first name that came to the forefront was Obadiah Stane. Strangely, this assumption didn't seem far-fetched. Obadiah had more than enough reasons to support the terrorists, especially if it meant weakening Tony Stark.

Prime began connecting the dots and considered the possibility that Tony's own kidnapping could have been orchestrated by Obadiah. This theory made sense, given the ambition and rivalry Prime had observed in Obadiah.

"So, what's the plan exactly?" Sara asked beside Prime, fanning herself.

Watching Sara's action, Prime smiled slightly and then a tendril emerged from his back, extending over him and Sara, forming a makeshift umbrella.

"Ah, thanks" Sara sighed in relief.

"I don't have a definite plan. I just wanted to see how things unfold. But if something serious happens to Tony, we'll intervene. I don't want the genius behind Stark Industries to die while I'm investing my money" Prime said calmly.

According to Prime's calculations, Obadiah could probably keep the business running without Tony, but it would only be temporary. In the end, they would never replicate Tony's achievements — there was no substitute for him, Prime concluded.

"Are you sure about that? If we need to intervene, he'll find out about us. Besides, he'll probably wonder why a monster like us saved him. I think he's smart enough to figure out we have some connection to him, even if minimal" Sara said seriously.

"What does it matter? I don't intend to hide forever. The world is much vaster than it seems. Even if we don't want them to find out, someday others will discover. And on that day, they'll have to accept they're not alone, that there are much more powerful beings scattered across the universe" Prime replied convincingly.

Listening to Prime's words, Sara just shrugged, accepting his decision. If that's what Prime wanted, then it's what she wanted too. As these thoughts permeated her mind, several gunshots suddenly echoed. Though muffled, Sara and Prime could still hear them distinctly.

"What was that?" Sara asked, curiosity evident in her voice.

"Tony and the other guy started acting. It looks like something is being uploaded on the computer while Ho Yinsen distracts the terrorists..." Prime commented, interrupting his own words.

Hearing this, Sara also closed her eyes, visualizing the exact same images as Prime.

"... He's going to die this way" Sara commented indifferently.

"Yeah, he will" Prime responded with indifference.

It's not that they felt nothing knowing this; they simply thought it wasn't their concern. At most, Prime and Sara might feel a little pity when it happened, but it would be like watching news of deaths on television—it's hard to feel anything for people you don't even know.

Putting that thought aside, Prime opened his eyes and surveyed the camp. The terrorists also seemed alert to the shots echoing, beginning to prepare.

"Do you think Tony will make it out of this?" Sara asked beside Prime, with a curious tone.

Upon hearing Sara's words, Prime pondered the matter. He had a good idea of what Tony was developing—likely an armor. Prime was confident it would be robust enough to withstand heavy impacts. However, what intrigued him was the durability of this creation under extreme conditions; Prime wasn't sure how long it would hold up.

"I honestly don't know. While I trust Tony's intelligence, the fact that he used scrap to build this armor leaves me somewhat skeptical about its resilience. Either way, be ready to intervene if necessary" Prime replied.

Both Sara and Prime watched for a few more minutes as the incessant gunfire echoed from inside the cave. At one point, the shots abruptly ceased. Both Prime and Sara, along with the terrorists, turned their gaze to the cave entrance. Slowly, a loud metallic noise began to echo. Within seconds, an imposing armor emerged at the cave entrance.

While the design was somewhat rudimentary, Prime couldn't deny its robustness. The terrorists didn't hesitate and began firing, but no matter how many shots hit the armor, it remained unmoved; the shots seemed entirely ineffective.

Tony, inside the armor, raised his arms and jets of intense flames began to spout, engulfing the entire camp and the weapons around. Explosions reverberated all around. In this chaos, another shooter emerged, attempting to press Tony. Prime, observing the scene, instinctively thought to help, but soon realized it wouldn't be necessary; Tony was in control of the situation.

And as Prime had predicted, the place exploded into a spectacular scene, launching Tony into the air like an improvised rocket. The sight was almost amusing to Prime, but soon the amusement ended. Tony's armor began to dismantle itself, and he began to fall.

"Let's go" Prime said to Sara as his body began to transform, the familiar metamorphosis taking over Sara within seconds.