Arc Reactor

Obadiah Stane stormed across his office, his boots thudding against the polished floor. The overhead lights shined on his bald head, highlighting the sneer twisting his lips.

'They're alive.' The realization clawed at him, relentless and bitter. He had set it all up perfectly. It should've been their end. Yet here they were, back into the States like ghosts too stubborn to stay buried. 'Unacceptable'. Behind his cold, calculating eyes, rage simmered.

Years of deals in the dark, arming monsters for profit, all led to this moment. He was inches from taking everything. His fingers gripped the desk's edge, knuckles whitening. 'They won't survive long enough.'

.....

Meanwhile, at Tony's villa, Leon sprawled across the couch, a beer dangling from his hand. His tone was light, dodging Tony's questions with a shrug. "What do you want me to say? Think of me as a mutant if it makes you feel better."

"Oh, that's my green light. Come on, let's hit the lab. I'm running every test I've got, on you." Tony said, his eyes alight with excitement. Before Leon could argue, Tony grabbed his arm and dragged him downstairs to the private lab, a high-tech sanctuary tucked beneath the mansion.

The lab buzzed with life, holographic screens bathed the space in cool blue light, steel surfaces gleaming under the glow. No one breached this fortress without Tony's approval. He snapped on gloves, snatched a syringe, and called out, "Jarvis, full workup, blood, vitals, everything. Let's see what's under the hood."

Leon grimaced as the needle bit into his skin. "Most brothers bond over pizza, you know."

Tony smirked, eyes flicking to the data streaming across his screens. "Most brothers don't turn into Captain America overnight."

Half an hour later, Tony gaped at the results. Leon's muscle density was off the charts, his reflexes clocked at a hundred times human average, and his nervous system was a live wire. Tony leaned in, voice tinged with awe. "Alright, spill it. How did you do this? We're brothers-half, sure, but still. If you can mutate, so can I, right?

Leon held Tony's gaze, a shadow of unease crossing his face. "You'd need the X-gene, Tony, which you most likely don't have. Another option is Genetic agents - those things are a crapshoot. Screw it up, and you're a horror story."

Tony waved him off, undeterred. "If I don't try, I'll never know. I've heard of genetic agents- Super Soldier Serum, right? It worked for Captain America, but the perfect version is long gone. The knockoffs? Russian roulette with extra steps. I'm not dumb enough to roll those dice." He shot Leon with a mock glare. "But I'm not letting this go. You're sticking around till I crack your secret."

Leon rolled his eyes. "Good luck with that."

"Tony your expertise is tech, not bioengineering. If you want power, I've got a better idea." 

Tony's brow arched, intrigued. "Hit me."

Leon leaned in, voice steady. "The Arc Reactor."

Tony blinked, gears already turning. "The Arc Reactor? Go on."

"Picture this," Leon said, hands tracing shapes in the air. "A suit-armor powered by the reactor. Portable and tough as hell. You'd be a walking tank, Tony. With flight, an arsenal of weapons, and Jarvis as your co-pilot, enemies wouldn't know what hit them."

Tony tapped his chin, gears spinning. "An armor… Huh, that's got potential. The reactor's got the juice." His eyes glazed over, already sketching blueprints in his head.

Leon grinned. " It will match your ego, too."

Tony snapped back, smirking. "Sold! We're doing it." He grinned

But quickly his grin faded, replaced by a flicker of unease. "But those terrorists… they had my weapons, my tech and that ambush, it wasn't random Leon."

Leon's eyes narrowed. After a heavy pause, he finally spoke, "It's Obadiah. Not some faceless player but Obadiah himself. He's been pulling the strings behind the scenes."

"Obadiah? How is it possible?" Tony's eyes widening in disbelief as his face froze in shock.

"Tony, In Stark Industries, aside from you, he's the largest shareholder. If you and I ever fall, the company naturally falls into his hands. And Who do you think can sell weapons behind your back to terrorists? No one else but Obadiah.

Tony's face darkened, drained of color, "I-I trusted him. I designed weapons to save lives, to make our country stronger, so that the enemy wouldn't dare attack us. And to think that Obadiah has been secretly selling our weapons to terrorists." His voice cracked, guilt and fury tangling. "How many died because I was blind?" His fist shook against the lab table.

Leon gripped Tony's shoulder, grounding him. "What's done is done. We've got a war to win brother, starting with that suit. But first, I need something from you."

Tony blinked, refocusing. "Anything."