"You go first. Your armor is too crude to be of any help. I'll handle this."
Tony took one look at the chaos and realized staying would only get him killed. He triggered the armor's makeshift jets—two plumes of black smoke burst from under his feet—and shot upward, vanishing into the fiery light of the explosions below.
In the original timeline, Ho Yinsen died saving Tony. It seemed that Lock's arrival hadn't changed that fate… until now.
Rubble crashed down from the cave entrance, sealing it off. Inside, Yinsen lay sprawled on the ground, barely clinging to life.
Lock knelt beside him, pulling a small vial from his system's storage. Without hesitation, he poured the recovery potion into Yinsen's mouth, then struck him sharply between the shoulder blades. Several bullets clattered to the ground as green light surged through Yinsen's body. Within seconds, the wounds vanished without a trace.
Yinsen stared in disbelief. "The bullet holes… they're gone."
"Come on," Lock said firmly. "Stick close, and don't wander."
The cave was collapsing fast—saving Yinsen meant nothing if they were buried alive. With one hand shielding his head, Yinsen followed as Lock strode forward. Massive boulders fell from above; jagged rocks blocked the path. Lock punched them into rubble without slowing.
Outside, Tony hovered anxiously in the air, watching as the cliff face crumbled, completely burying the entrance. Regret hit him hard—he'd insisted Lock try to save Yinsen, but now it looked like he'd gotten him killed.
Then, from deep inside, a deafening roar shook the canyon—like some ancient beast awakening. With a thunderous BOOM, the rock face exploded outward. Multi-ton boulders sailed dozens of meters, crushing Ten Rings soldiers and throwing the camp into chaos.
Lock emerged from the dust, Yinsen tucked securely under one arm. With a single leap, he cleared the canyon, heading toward Tony's position.
But a new problem was unfolding.
In the original events, Tony's first suit only managed a short, uncontrolled flight before running out of fuel and crashing into the desert. But now, he was still climbing—100 meters… 200… 300. The crude armor had no flight stabilizers, and the fuel wouldn't last.
The black smoke sputtered and died. "Oh, crap…" Tony muttered inside his helmet.
"If you fall from this height, you'll die for sure!" Yinsen shouted.
Tony's scream was undignified but entirely justified. From this altitude, his landing would be as bad as dropping an egg from a rooftop.
Lock crouched, gauging the distance. Sand exploded beneath his feet as he launched himself skyward—two hundred meters in a single bound—catching Tony mid-fall.
"Hey…" Tony managed between gasps, smirking despite himself. "First time I've been held like this by a guy. How about dinner at a French place tonight?"
Lock chuckled. "Aren't you worried Pepper will get jealous?"
Before Tony could reply, Lock tossed him upward again, timing it so that when Tony fell, Lock could catch him at the last moment, bleeding off the impact without breaking every bone in his body.
By the time they landed, Tony's legs gave out. He collapsed into the scorching sand, panting. "Hah… Yinsen, you're alive—that's… that's great."
"Not just alive," Tony realized, eyes narrowing. "You were riddled with bullets. How the hell—?"
"He gave me a potion," Yinsen explained simply. "Healed me completely."
Tony's flippant grin faded. "Thank you for saving both our lives."
A quiet chime echoed in Lock's head: Iron Man's Luck Sharing: 30%.
Only thirty percent? Lock sighed inwardly. Stark was as guarded as ever.
"Tell me your goal," Tony said. "If it doesn't cross my moral line, I'll agree."
"No rush," Lock replied, glancing toward the horizon where a plane was approaching. "Let's get out of here first."
In moments, Lock had them hundreds of kilometers away, carried by leaps that defied all logic. Wind roared in their ears, stealing their breath; neither man could speak, only exchange wide-eyed looks of disbelief.
They landed in a quiet Middle Eastern city. Inside a rented flat, Lock finally said, "I have no ulterior motive. But someday, I may ask a favor. You'll be free to refuse."
"Then I refuse now," Tony said flatly.
Lock just laughed. "If you truly refuse later, I won't force you."
He handed Tony a phone. "Call Rhodes. Have him pick you up. I'll take Yinsen."
"No way," Tony said immediately. "Yinsen's my benefactor. He's coming to the States, working for me."
Lock's gaze sharpened. "Do you think this kidnapping was an accident?"
Tony's expression shifted. "…Wasn't it?"
"You'll see. But right now, showing up with a man who worked under the Ten Rings—even if forced—will only cause trouble. The DoD won't believe the truth. And Hammer Industries will use it against you."
Tony processed this quickly. He didn't like it, but he understood. "Fine. I'll wire you five hundred million. Keep him safe."
Lock smiled faintly. "If I didn't want to keep him alive, I wouldn't have saved him in the first place."
He turned to Yinsen. "Do you want to visit your hometown? Comilla is nearby."
Yinsen blinked. "How do you know where I'm from?"
"Does it matter? Do you want to go?"
Yinsen shook his head. "No. Nothing for me there. But if you can, help the people of that town. That would mean something."
Lock simply nodded. Without another word, he lifted Yinsen and leapt skyward, leaving Tony standing in the sand, already dialing Rhodey.
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A/N: What do you all think about the story so far? And Please Write A Review.....