Tony took his private jet back to California, and Luke hitched a ride. Of course, Tony hadn't invited him; Luke had simply sneaked aboard.
The flight attendant—who doubled as a pole dancer—was in the galley preparing a meal for Tony, making a few extra portions to bring up to the pilots. After carrying a plate out to the billionaire, she returned to the galley.
"Wait, why is there one missing? Did I miscount?" she murmured in confusion. Shrugging it off, she just started preparing another.
A shadow slipped quietly past her legs, roaming around the spacious cabin. As expected, Tony never compromised on luxury.
Massive flat-screen TVs, a top-tier surround sound system, an automated stripper pole, and gorgeous flight attendants. Luke took a quick tour but couldn't find Tony anywhere. Peeking into the private quarters, he found the billionaire 'chatting' with the female reporter he had brought along—tangled together in bed.
Not wanting to scar his eyes, Luke retreated to a quiet corner of the cargo hold to catch some sleep. His handheld console was dead anyway, and he had nothing better to do.
The jet landed in California, home to Tony's famous cliffside estate.
10880 Malibu Point, 90265.
Happy drove Tony and the reporter up to the stunning mansion, where Tony was undoubtedly preparing for a very 'in-depth' private interview.
"Happy, make sure to bring the bags in."
Happy flashed a thumbs-up and headed to the trunk to unload the luggage. The moment he popped the trunk open, a shadow slipped out into the darkness.
"Huh?" Happy blinked, thinking he saw something move, but dismissing it as a trick of the dim moonlight.
Luke stared up at the iconic mansion. Back when the first Iron Man movie released, this house had captured the imagination of millions. The sleek architectural design, the high-tech gadgets, and the private underground workshop where a man could just build whatever he wanted—it was the ultimate male fantasy.
Slipping inside, Luke figured Tony was probably busy delivering his infamous 'I rehearse this in front of the mirror every night' line to the reporter. Taking advantage of the distraction, Luke explored the rest of the house. Knowing that J.A.R.V.I.S., the highly advanced AI butler, was watching everything, Luke didn't dare drop his guard, strictly keeping himself concealed within the shadow realm.
After a quick tour, Luke had to admit that the place was a masterpiece. Though, personally, he would have swapped that grand piano for a high-end gaming setup.
Thinking about how this beautiful home was destined to be blown to pieces by three attack helicopters during the events of Iron Man 3, Luke shook his head in pity.
Having successfully unlocked the fast-travel point, and with absolutely zero interest in watching Tony's late-night wrestling match, Luke headed outside. He opened a portal back to his hotel room in New York, set his alarm for 4:00 AM, claimed his daily ad rewards, and went straight to sleep.
He couldn't just leave a Shadow Ninja behind to monitor Tony. The ninjas lost their ability to meld into the shadows if they strayed too far from him, even if he left a portal open. Without their shadow-cloaking, J.A.R.V.I.S. would spot them instantly. Right now, his command radius was twenty meters—a solid four-time increase from his initial five-meter limit, but still not enough for cross-country surveillance.
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Planning to head back early the next day, Luke spent his remaining energy to boost his ninja count to exactly 300, keeping a small reserve for himself before finally passing out.
Jolted awake by his alarm the next morning, Luke immediately drew a portal back into Tony's private jet and hid in a dark corner.
Rhodey showed up at the airstrip around 10:00 AM, but there was no telling when Tony would actually arrive.
Luke watched from the shadows as Rhodey stood out on the tarmac for four agonizing hours like a neglected wife waiting for her husband, even having to eat his lunch standing up.
'Tony, you really don't deserve a friend this patient,' Luke sighed sympathetically.
Finally, at 2:00 PM, Tony strutted onto the tarmac.
After a brief, dismissive chat, Tony led Rhodey onto the plane. Luke watched in amusement as Rhodey's righteous anger was completely derailed by Tony's sheer charisma in a matter of seconds. Soon enough, Rhodey was awkwardly vibing to the music. Even though he was just talking over the beat, Luke couldn't help but feel like Rhodey possessed an innate talent for dropping bars.
The flight to the chaotic, war-torn country of Afghanistan took until the next day. After partying all night, Tony cleaned himself up, strapped on a sharp suit, and stepped out of the cabin.
To ensure he didn't lose Tony's location during the events that were about to unfold, Luke shadowed the military convoy the entire way. He watched Tony flawlessly deliver his Jericho missile pitch, close the deal, and hop into the back of his designated "Fun-Vee."
Within minutes, Tony had effortlessly broken the ice with the nervous soldiers in the Humvee, joking and laughing with them like old friends.
Even Luke had to admit that when Tony wasn't actively being a sarcastic prick, he was incredibly charismatic and easy to get along with. Still, the score between them was currently tied at 1-1, and until a clear winner emerged in their little rivalry, Luke had no intention of chatting with him so amicably.
Just as Tony posed for a picture with the starstruck young soldier, an explosive shell screamed out of the sky, blowing the lead Humvee to pieces.
"Contact left!" the female driver screamed. She unbuckled her seatbelt, grabbed her rifle, and threw her door open—only to be instantly gunned down the second she stepped out.
Hiding in the shadows beneath the vehicle, Luke shook his head in absolute disbelief. 'The enemy is literally on your left! Why would you jump out the left door?! That's just suicide!'
Seeing her fall, the soldier in the passenger seat ordered the young kid next to Tony to protect the VIP. Racking the bolt of his rifle, he charged out to return fire.
He managed exactly two steps before a sniper round dropped him. The high-caliber bullet tore cleanly through his body, shattering the Humvee's window and ripping into the cabin.
Tony cried out in pain as fragments hit him, but his Kevlar vest took the brunt of the impact.
Watching his two comrades die in seconds, the young soldier beside Tony was overcome with a rush of adrenaline. Cursing loudly, he kicked the door open and rushed out into the kill zone. It was like watching lemmings march off a cliff—charging out one by one to die without even throwing a smoke grenade.
"Wait, give me a gun!" Tony yelled after him.
The soldier turned back for a split second. "Stay down!"
He took two steps before an explosive round blew him away. Shrapnel shredded the Humvee's armor, punching jagged holes that let blinding shafts of desert sunlight pierce the dim cabin.
Miraculously untouched by the shrapnel, Tony snapped out of his shock. Staring at the bullet-riddled armor, panic set in, and he scrambled out of the vehicle.
Dodging through the chaotic battlefield, he dove behind a large rock and frantically pulled out his satellite phone, trying to call Rhodey for backup.
Before the call could connect, a heavy artillery shell thudded into the sand just inches away from him.
Tony stared at the bold white letters stamped on the side of the casing: STARK INDUSTRIES.
His heart stopped. Panic surging, he scrambled to his feet, desperately trying to dive away.
But a second later, the shell detonated, launching Tony through the air in a deafening blast of fire and sand.
From the safety of the shadows, Luke watched as the unconscious billionaire was dragged away by a heavily armed group of terrorists.
Melting completely into the darkness, Luke silently followed them.
This agonizing journey in the desert would take a ruthless arms dealer away from the world... and return a superhero in his place.