Chapter 5

Location: Afghanistan

The scorching sun blazed down on the vast desert, turning the landscape into a golden, shimmering furnace. Amidst the endless dunes, three figures and a dog trudged through the heat.

"Ted, your dog… gah! Is it really leading us anywhere? How long is this gonna take?" Deadpool grumbled, panting under the hot sun.

"At least you've got that mask. We're out here getting fried alive!" Pietro, wearing goggles, chimed in.

"Woof…woof... It's too hot for this…" Deadpool's dog stuck out its tongue, clearly struggling in the heat.

Ted sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Just hang in there a little longer. If this job was easy, someone else would've already collected the reward. Got any better ideas?"

Although Ted knew Tony Stark was somewhere in the Afghan desert, the area was massive, making the search a grueling challenge.

Flashback: The Meeting at the Good Luck Restaurant

That evening, Happy Hogan returned to the Good Luck Restaurant, carrying a box in his hands.

"Mr. Ted, this is everything you asked for. These are Tony Stark's personal items." He placed the box on the counter, revealing a pair of slippers, a watch, and a small clump of hair.

Ted inspected the items, then nodded. "Perfect. With these, I'll be able to track Tony."

It seemed Pepper Potts had taken Ted's request seriously, going so far as to collect strands of hair from Stark's bed. Ted couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy at how dedicated she was to Tony—Marvel's official couple, after all.

Happy let out a sigh of relief. Bowing deeply to Ted, he pleaded, "Please, Mr. Ted, bring Tony Stark back. I've failed him as a bodyguard…"

Ted looked at Happy's guilty expression and said, "Don't worry. It's not your fault. Tony's disappearance wasn't something you could've prevented. You're a good person, Happy, and a good bodyguard. I'll bring him back."

In truth, Ted thought, Even if you had been there, you couldn't have done much against the Ten Rings. Tony Stark was a valuable hostage, but Happy? He'd be lucky to make it out alive.

Happy smiled weakly at the reassurance, but added, "Thanks for that. You're a good guy too, Ted. Though your fee… it's pretty steep."

Just then, a notification popped up in Ted's mind:

Ding! "Congratulations, you've successfully added Happy Hogan as a friend." Skill gained: Driving Expertise LV6.

"Do you wish to merge the skill immediately?"

Ted grinned. "Yes, merge."

A flood of advanced driving knowledge surged into Ted's mind. Suddenly, he felt a whole lot fonder of the portly man in front of him.

After receiving Ted's promise, Happy left the restaurant, but not before Ted turned to his dog Deadpool. "Alright, buddy. Time to get to work. Smell these items thoroughly. It's up to you to find Tony."

Back in the present, the scorching desert wind snapped Ted back to reality. The dry gust felt like it was sucking the moisture out of the air.

"By the way, Wade, aren't you roasting in that suit?" Ted teased, watching Deadpool slump in exhaustion.

"Shut up! This is my style, okay? You wouldn't understand... Also, I'm definitely demanding a bigger payday for this heatstroke!" Deadpool snapped, sounding weak.

"I've got it worse than you!" Pietro complained, adjusting the heavy backpack strapped to his shoulders. "Why am I the one carrying all this stuff? It's discrimination!"

"This is called training, Pietro. Look how scrawny you are. You need to build some muscle. And don't even think about using your super speed!" Ted replied, grinning. "We should be close to where Stark disappeared. The destination can't be far."

"I'm fine with not using my powers, but why aren't we driving? Do you know how long it'll take to walk through this desert?" Pietro asked, exasperated.

Meanwhile, in a cave not far from Ted's group, Tony Stark was hunched over a blueprint. Next to him, a miniature arc reactor hummed softly, casting a faint blue glow across the dark space.

"Is this... a Jericho missile?" asked Ethan, the man with Mediterranean glasses beside Tony.

"No," Stark replied, not even looking up. "It's a miniaturized arc reactor. I've got a larger version back home, powers my factory."

Ethan frowned. "So, this little thing is supposed to save your heart?"

"It'll do more than that," Tony said. "Now, stop staring at the reactor and focus on the blueprint. This is how we're getting out of here."

Ethan studied the design more closely. "It looks like… a robot?"

Tony smirked, piecing the blueprint back together. "Look at it from this angle."

As the pieces came together, Ethan's eyes widened. A suit of iron—primitive but imposing—took shape on the paper.

"Wow… that's brilliant," Ethan whispered, eyes sparkling with admiration. In that moment, he realized he was in the presence of a genius, a man who could still think of a way out in the face of certain death.

Tony leaned in closer, speaking in a low, urgent tone. "I need your help. I can assemble this myself, but it'll take time—time we don't have. You in?"

Ethan hesitated, then nodded. "We'll have to be careful. If they catch on, we're dead. But what about the materials?"

Tony stood up, walking over to the masked militants outside the cave entrance. "I want to see your leader," he said boldly. "I'll build your missiles. But I need more materials."

Ethan watched Stark in awe. Under pressure, Tony Stark was truly a man of genius, even negotiating for the very resources that would help them escape.

With hope flickering in his chest, Ethan dared to believe they might just survive this after all.$

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