The sound of helicopter blades echoed through the desert.
Tony and Leo both tensed immediately. Their first thought—the enemy was coming back for them!
Only those mercenaries were familiar with this godforsaken place. There was no way a random American helicopter could've found them in the middle of the endless sand dunes.
"Leo, what do we do? They're not gonna blast us with rockets, right?" Tony asked nervously.
Once bitten, twice shy — and after what he'd just been through, Tony wasn't about to take chances.
"Relax. Take a breath," Leo said calmly.
He lifted his head, eyes narrowing. His enhanced vision zoomed in effortlessly on the chopper above.
"Hmm? That's the Stars and Stripes…" Leo muttered. "Don't worry. They're your people."
Tony's face brightened. "Our own people? Finally, some damn good news!"
He waved his shirt in the air, shouting, "Hey! Over here! Over here!"
Up in the helicopter, Colonel James Rhodes was scanning the desert with binoculars when he froze.
"Wait… that's Tony! Quick, bring us down!"
The chopper descended rapidly. When it touched the ground, Rhodes jumped out before it even fully stopped, rushing over to hug his friend.
"Tony! You maniac! You've been missing for weeks—we thought we lost you!"
He patted Tony's shoulder hard, relief written all over his face.
Tony grinned, still full of swagger despite the dirt and exhaustion. "Come on, Rhodey. The great Tony Stark doesn't die that easily."
He gestured behind him. "Let me introduce you to the people who saved my life—Yinsen, and my friend Leo."
Then he added, "And this is Colonel James Rhodes, my best friend."
Rhodes smiled and offered a handshake. "Thank you both for saving this idiot. The world would be way too quiet without him."
Yinsen chuckled. Leo just nodded and shook his hand briefly.
The Destroyer System didn't react at all. Rhodes was simply too ordinary for it to bother with.
After a few quick words, they boarded the helicopter and headed for the military airbase in Afghanistan.
From there, they caught a transport to New York.
Yinsen originally wanted to stay behind, but Tony's insistence wore him down. "Come on, man! You helped build my heart. The least I can do is show you civilization and a real shower."
When the plane touched down in New York, chaos erupted.
Reporters swarmed the runway like vultures who'd smelled fresh meat. Tony Stark's disappearance had dominated headlines for weeks — and now he was back.
As soon as he stepped off the plane, Pepper Potts sprinted toward him, throwing her arms around his neck.
"Tony! You idiot! You scared me half to death!" she cried, tears in her eyes. "I told you not to go without security, but you never listen!"
Tony hugged her tightly, breathing in her familiar scent. "I know, baby. I'm sorry. Next time, I'll listen to you."
Pepper sobbed harder. "It's okay… you're home. That's all that matters."
Standing nearby, Leo rolled his eyes. God, the smell of love is so damn nauseating.
Still, he couldn't help but think — why freckles? Seriously, what's the obsession?
He preferred women like Wanda — cute, fiery, and dangerous — or even Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow. Though, honestly, she was a bit too… experienced.
While Tony and Pepper were lost in their reunion, the cameras outside never stopped flashing.
Tomorrow's headlines practically wrote themselves:
"Tony Stark Reunites With Mystery Woman — Sparks Fly at Airport!"
"Tony Stark Returns From the Dead, Melts Hearts!"
But soon, attention shifted to someone else.
Reporters began whispering when they spotted the tall, calm Asian man standing beside Tony.
"Wait… who's that guy?"
"He's way too good-looking to be security."
"Maybe he's a model?"
"Or Tony's new partner?"
"God, I'd pay to find out. Look at that face!"
Leo stood there silently, utterly unfazed by the attention, while Tony's PR nightmare only got worse.
Microphones shot out from every direction.
"Mr. Stark, were you really kidnapped?"
"Mr. Stark, who's this Asian gentleman beside you?"
"Mr. Stark, Stark Industries' stock has crashed — any comment?"
"Mr. Stark, how many girlfriends do you plan to meet tonight?"
Tony sighed. "Everybody, calm down! I'll answer a few questions now. I'll hold a press conference later to explain everything in detail."
The crowd quieted — barely.
Tony cleared his throat, switching into his trademark confident tone.
"First off, no, I wasn't kidnapped. I was working on something… interesting, out in the desert. You'll all see soon enough."
That was damage control 101 — talk big, say nothing, and keep investors from panicking.
Then came the question everyone really wanted answered.
"And the gentleman beside you, Mr. Stark?"
Tony smirked. "Ah, right. The man next to me? He's my—"
He suddenly froze.
A chill ran down his spine. It was as if invisible ice pressed against a very sensitive part of his anatomy.
Tony gulped. "...my elder cousin."
The reporters blinked. "Elder cousin?"
Tony forced a grin. "Don't be fooled by his young looks. You all know the mysteries of the East, right? Haha…"
The crowd exchanged skeptical looks.
Yeah right. We're not buying that one, Stark.