Walking back to my room, I noticed the television my grandpa had left on in the dining room. An urgent news report rolled across the screen: "Tony Stark, owner of Stark Industries, kidnapped."
Liam paused for a moment, absorbing the headline. 'With this, the MCU has officially begun,' he thought.
A couple of hours ago…
Tony Stark stood in front of a crowd of military officials, his usual swagger on full display. "Is it better to be feared or respected?" He paused, mischief flashing in his eyes. "I say, is it too much to ask for both?"
With a casual signal, the soldiers launched the Jericho missile toward the mountains in the distance. A massive explosion erupted, sending a shockwave through the air. Tony stood unfazed as debris and dust filled the sky behind him.
"For your consideration, the Jericho," he announced, spreading his arms wide, basking in the spectacle.
After the demonstration, Tony made his way to a military vehicle. Before getting in, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the caller ID. 'Obadiah.'
"Tony."
"Obie," Tony grinned, answering the call. "What are you doing up? It's late."
"I couldn't sleep until I heard how it went. How'd it go?"
"It went great. Looks like it's going to be an early Christmas this year."
"Hey! Way to go, my boy! I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"
Tony chuckled. "Why aren't you wearing those pajamas I got you?"
Obadiah sighed, his tone slightly irritated. "Good night, Tony."
"Good night, Obie." Tony hung up, a smirk still lingering on his face.
Climbing into the vehicle, Tony exchanged a small talk with his military escort, still feeling the great because of his demonstration. The convoy started moving through the desolate desert terrain, the sun beating down on the convoy.
Suddenly, a massive explosion ripped through the lead Humvee, stopping the convoy dead in its tracks.
"Ambush!" one of the soldiers shouted as gunfire erupted from all sides. Chaos ensued. The soldiers rushed outside the Humvee to defend Tony, but the attack was overwhelming.
Tony quickly scrambled out of the vehicle, diving behind a nearby rock for cover. His heart pounded as bullets flew past him. Fumbling for his phone, he tried to make a call for help, but then— THUD.
A missile landed just a few feet away from him. His breath caught in his throat as he read the logo stamped on the side: "Stark Industries."
"Beep... beep... beep..."
"Whoa..." Tony barely managed to utter before the missile exploded, knocking him out from the pain.
A short while later…
''Gasp! Ugh ugh''
Tony awoke with a sharp gasp, the world around him blurry and unfamiliar. His chest ached. His throat felt dry. He tried to move but felt something tugging at him—he was connected to a crude, makeshift medical device, a tube running through his nose. Panic surged through him as he groaned in pain.
His hand fumbled for a cup of water on a small table beside him, but his arm was weak. The cup tipped and fell, spilling its contents onto the dusty floor.
"Cough... Cough…" Tony gasped, his throat burning.
He turned his head to take in his surroundings. The walls of the room were rough and cold, like a cave. There were no hospital machines here—no sterile equipment. Just raw, primitive tools. His mind raced, trying to piece together what had happened.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a man standing a few feet away, shaving in front of a small, cracked mirror.
Trying to get off the bed, Tony groaned as pain shot through his chest.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The voice came from the other side of the room, calm yet firm.
Tony froze, his breath catching as he noticed wires running from his chest. Instinctively, he ripped at the bandages, revealing a crude, metal object embedded in his chest. His heart raced as panic and confusion set in.
The man who had spoken was no longer in front of the mirror, but now stood by a small stove, stirring porridge in a pot.
Tony sat up, despite the burning pain. "What the hell did you do to me?" His voice was raspy, barely audible.
The man continued stirring the pot for a moment, then finally turned to face Tony. His expression was calm, even amused. "What I did?" He chuckled softly before continuing, "What I did is to save your life."
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Liam switched off the television, the news report still fresh in his mind. Tony Stark's kidnapping meant only one thing: the gears of the MCU were officially turning. Events were set in motion. Soon, Iron Man would be born, and with him, the world would never be the same.
As he sat back in his chair, Liam couldn't help but wonder what kind of butterfly effect his presence in this world would create.
'Guess it's going to take a bit longer for Fury to go after me' he mused.