Shut him up

"Leon, what's up?" Tony Stark asked, picking up the phone.

"I was attacked. Hurry up and come to my location," Leon replied, his voice steady but urgent.

"What? Wait there, I'm on my way!" Tony's shock was immediate. Without waiting for Leon to give his location, he hung up and moved towards his research lab. He suited up in his armor, the sleek metal clicking into place as he rushed out of the seaside villa, thrusters roaring to life.

"JARVIS, track Leon's phone," Tony ordered, the wind whipping past as he soared into the sky.

"Yes, sir" JARVIS replied.

Coordinates locked, Tony increased the thruster's output and streaked across the sky toward Leon like a missile.

Minutes later, he touched down on the coastal road, the bay cloaked in orange shade. Leon stood over a crumpled figure in camouflage, one boot pinning the guy to the dirt and wreckage of a smoldering sports car on the road. Tony's helmet opened as he scanned the chaos, his voice dripping with that trademark Stark sarcasm. "What, just one clown?"

"Yep, just him."

"Seriously? I was hoping for more of a chance to flex this suit," Tony quipped, half-annoyed and half-amused, gesturing to his gleaming armor. 

"Didn't want to drag you in," Leon said. "But this idiot turned my car into a bonfire with a rocket launcher. I'd rather not have the FBI breathing down my neck so I called you first. Plus, I needed a ride for the model, it's over there." He nodded toward a rocky crevice where the Expo model was safely stashed.

Tony let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine."

He moved over, picked up the model, and flowed back toward Leon. "You know, I'd appreciate a little gratitude."

Leon rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, thanks for doing your job."

Tony snorted. "Real heartfelt."

Leon's face darkened for a beat, but he stayed quiet as Tony's grin widened. He picked up the unconscious man like a potato sack and grabbed Tony. "Let's go."

With a roar of thrusters, Tony carried both of them towards the villa.

...…..

Back at the villa, Tony made a quick call to Pepper, asking her to handle things with the agencies. She didn't hesitate, immediately setting things in motion.

Once inside the lab, Tony removed his helmet and turned to Leon. "Alright, mind explaining who this guy is?"

Leon leaned against the table. "One of Obadiah Stane's bodyguard. I ran into him today at the company. He tried to kill me, on Obadiah's orders."

Tony blinked, his brows furrowed. "Obadiah? Are you serious? How the hell is he pulling this off in broad daylight? This is still the U.S. Unless…" He paused, then squinted at Leon, suspicion creeping in. "Wait, what'd you do at the company to tick him off?"

Leon chuckled. "Oh, I just didn't like his face, so I punched him. Pretty hard too. Think I nearly made him cough up his lunch."

Tony snorted, rolling his eyes. "You're a real saint, you know that? No wonder he's gunning for you."

"What can I say? If I can't kill him outright, I might as well speed things along."

Tony caught the glint in Leon's eye. "You baited him on purpose, didn't you? Got him to retaliate so you could gather evidence against him and have him booted from the company."

Leon didn't even try to deny it. "Of course. I'm not about to let someone like that stick around as a ticking time bomb. Might as well cut him loose before he causes more damage."

Tony let out a low whistle. "Well, damn, brother. Alright, if you manage to take him down, his shares are yours. Consider it a reward."

Leon smirked. "I'll take that deal."

They turned to the bodyguard, now awake. Predictably, the man refused to talk. But that didn't discourage Leon or Tony. They had ways to loosen tongues. Tony might have had his limits, but Leon? Not so much

Leon took the lead. Death was too easy, suffering was the key. He carved shallow cuts into the man's skin, smeared them with sugar, and unleashed a swarm of ants.

....

Night settled over the city like a heavy shroud. Miles away, another of Obadiah's men burst into his office, breathless. "Boss, Jerry's gone dark, we can't reach him."

"What?" Obadiah's face tensed, his fist slamming the desk with a thud that echoed. "Find him. If he's with Leon or Tony, shut him up—permanently."

"Yes, boss!" The man bolted, leaving Obadiah alone, his mind churning. Jerry vanishing wasn't in the script. He trusted the bodyguard's loyalty, but doubt gnawed at him. If Jerry talked, it could unravel everything. Fury blazed in his eyes, tinged with a flicker of dread.