21. Kidnapped Bruce Banner ?

The next day, life returned to normal for everyone—except for Tony. He had locked himself in his workshop, poring over the treasures left behind by his old man.

Tony asked Jhon if he wanted to join him, but Jhon wasn't interested. Tony didn't push him too much, either. He believed it was because Jhon had been too young when their parents died and didn't feel the same emotional connection. If Jhon ever heard this assumption, he'd be surprised. While Tony wasn't entirely wrong, he didn't know the real reason.

As Tony buried himself in his work, Jhon, on the other hand, was preparing for an important meeting—his first official encounter with Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk.

According to the events Jhon knew from the timeline, he was aware that the Hulk would surface at some point, but he didn't know exactly when. So, he'd secretly asked Jarvis to keep an eye out for any signs of a "big green guy." That morning, Jarvis finally informed him about the Hulk's clash with the military near Culver University in Virginia and that Bruce had now been spotted in New York.

Jhon hurried into his lab and opened a hidden compartment on the left side of the wall. Inside, a sleek black armor suit was revealed. Unlike Tony's bulky Iron Man armor, this one was slim and lightweight.

It didn't take long for Jhon to put it on. The armor felt like a second skin, with no change to his height or build. This suit wasn't designed for combat but for travel, and therefore, it lacked weapons. Jhon didn't mind; he had no intention of fighting. The armor also had a unique feature—the gloves could vanish at will. Its hood-like helmet gave it a mysterious and sleek appearance. Overall, it was fantastic—one of the perks of being a billionaire's younger brother.

Once suited up, Jhon ascended to the roof and flew away without informing anyone.

When he arrived in the city, the Abomination was already wreaking havoc, destroying everything in its path. Jhon landed on the edge of a medium-sized building and watched the chaos unfold like a spectator at a gladiator match.

Of course, he hadn't come to fight these gamma monsters—he wasn't ready for that yet. Instead, he planned to observe and help civilians in need.

As the Abomination rampaged, Bruce jumped out of a helicopter. Jhon spotted him midair and thought, "Here comes the battle of the gods."

Bruce crashed through the street, emerging from the crater fully transformed into the Hulk. He wasted no time and charged toward the Abomination, who was already sprinting to meet him.

Their collision was like a thunderclap. Hulk was hurled backward, skidding across the ground, while the Abomination stood firm, clearly the stronger of the two.

Hulk staggered to his feet, glaring at his opponent. Grabbing a taxi, he tore it in half and used the pieces as makeshift boxing gloves. He pounded the Abomination relentlessly until the remnants of the taxi disintegrated in his hands. The effort, however, only managed to make the Abomination spit a little blood.

Meanwhile, Jhon wasn't just idly watching the fight. He darted around the battlefield, healing the most critically injured civilians enough to stabilize them. Thanks to his stealthy approach, no one even noticed him.

The fight escalated. The Hulk was thrown through a building, followed closely by the Abomination. They disappeared from Jhon's view, leaving a trail of destruction.

Running out of particle energy, Jhon decided to leave. As he flew over the battlefield, he saw the Hulk restraining the Abomination with a massive iron chain.

"Damn, it's already over," Jhon muttered with a wry smile.

Hulk fled soon after, and Jhon trailed him discreetly. After half an hour, Bruce, now back in human form, collapsed unconscious under a bridge in Brooklyn.

Jhon hesitated for a moment, staring at the exhausted scientist. Finally, with a hardened expression, he picked Bruce up and flew away.

Looking down at the peaceful expression on Bruce's face, Jhon murmured, "I'm sorry, Bruce. You won't be seeing the light of day for a while."

After delivering Bruce to his destination, Jhon returned home. In his lab, he retrieved two bottles of green blood and carefully stored them away.

Days passed uneventfully until Tony approached Jhon with unexpected news.

"Hey, Jhon! I found a way to cure myself, but I need your help," Tony said, his face lit with excitement.

Seeing Tony like this, Jhon didn't need an explanation—he already knew what had happened. A wave of relief washed over him as the pieces fell into place, easing the tension he hadn't even realized he was holding. So, he's finally figured it out, Jhon thought to himself, feeling a sense of quiet satisfaction. Still, he kept his expression neutral, feigning surprise.

Jhon raised an eyebrow. "Really? How did you figure that out? Did Dad really leave something behind for you?"

Tony nodded, his tone calm. "Believe it or not, even after all this time, the old man still managed to teach me something."

Jhon smirked. "Well, I'll admit, he was always full of surprises. So, what's my role in all this?"

Tony grinned mischievously. "Oh, it's nothing too complicated. I just need you to help me break a few walls... and maybe a roof or two."

Jhon blinked, stunned. "Wait, what?"

Tony laughed, clapping Jhon on the shoulder. "Come on, little brother, don't tell me you've gone soft!"

Shaking his head in exasperation, Jhon sighed. "Fine, lead the way. But if this involves demolishing the house, you're explaining it to Pepper."

Tony's laughter echoed through the lab as he dragged Jhon along, his excitement contagious.