Chapter 38 - Avenger's Initiative

The Raven descended like a ghost. With a deep, muted hum from its combustion-engine thrusters, the matte black jet glided through the coastal mist and hovered with inhuman stillness before gently touching down on Tony Stark's Malibu helipad. Sea air blew across its curved, seamless frame, the surface absorbing light rather than reflecting it. Where rotor blades might once have been, now only sleek propulsion modules hissed softly, releasing cooling vapor.

Inside the estate, a ping echoed through the main hall.

"Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S.' calm British voice chimed, "Mr. Glenn has arrived and is waiting outside."

Tony Stark stood motionless at the open minibar, staring into a glass of pale-green liquid.

The call with Glenn had just ended minutes ago. The casual banter, the smirks, the sarcasm—all routine. But now, as the image faded from his transparent phone display, Tony's expression changed.

He looked older than he had in months.

The mirror above the bar didn't lie. The red veins creeping up his neck from the arc reactor embedded in his chest pulsed subtly, like cracks in porcelain slowly spreading.

He took a sip of the shake, grimacing.

"Delicious," he muttered dryly.

"Your blood toxicity is at 42%," J.A.R.V.I.S. said calmly.

Tony sighed and grabbed his sunglasses. "Then we better make the most of the remaining 58, huh? Let's go meet the Handyman."

Outside, the sun hit the horizon, casting long shadows across the helipad. Glenn stood with arms crossed, wind tugging at his coat, one foot propped on the jet's entry ramp like a captain posing beside his ship.

Tony approached with an eyebrow raised, eyes instantly scanning the Raven's finish.

"Well, well," he whistled. "That's one hell of a ride. Where'd you steal it from? The future?"

Glenn grinned. "I negotiated it from General Ross. Apparently, saving his wrinkled ass earns you an experimental V-Jet. Military budget's your tax dollars at work."

"That's why he looked like a schizophrenic old man experiencing a heart break the last time I saw him." Tony chuckled.

Then he circled the craft slowly. "Modified combustion engines... composite frame... decent but not that impressive than my suit."

"That's why I'm here," Glenn said, stepping down from the ramp. "I want this baby an upgrade. Stealth system, energy weapons, ECM jammers. The works. Make it sing like one of your suits."

Tony leaned against the hull, smirking. "And what do I get in return? More sass? Another round of 'mock the genius billionaire'?"

Glenn's tone turned serious. "What you'll get in return is a peace of mind knowing you don't owe me any longer. Ring any bells? Saving your girlfriend from Stane. I'm cashing that in. Sooo...I want you to help me outfit the Raven."

"Right, of course I remember." Tony sighed, long and slow.

His eyes drifted briefly to the reactor in his own chest, then flicked back to Glenn.

He looked tired. Not physically but existentially.

"Alright," Tony said finally. "I'll do it. But you're helping me with the diagnostics."

Glenn tilted his head. "That desperate, huh?"

Tony said nothing.

The silence between them was brief but weighty.

Glenn's gaze flicked subtly to the dark marks trailing up Tony's neck. He noticed but he didn't comment.

He just nodded.

"Then I'll leave her here," Glenn said, patting the Raven's side. "You give her teeth. I'll be back after the Monaco party."

———

Hours later, in the dead of night, Glenn stepped into his penthouse suite.

The lights didn't flicker on. But his instincts did.

He already sensed him.

Nick Fury stood half-shadowed near the balcony doors, the city's ambient glow casting just enough light to reflect off his eyepatch.

Glenn dropped his keys in a bowl near the door and walked past as if he didn't see him heading towards the kitchen counter. He fetched a glass of water and drinked.

"They say in every great black man...."

Glenn paused and turned to face where Nick Fury was posturing.

"Is a great woman?" Nick continued.

"Is a police in suspicion."

"Hmm? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing! So..director Fury," Glenn said dryly. "What are you doing in the corner playing mysterious? I swear seeing you standing there, you looked like a character in video game who haven't been unlocked. Can't tell you're wearing an eye patch in that corner."

Nick Fury's eye almost twitch but he ignored the remarks.

"Glenn Peterson... The legendary Handyman. You really give us a lot of headache, huh. It took us a lot of effort just to find your name."

"I hope it's worth it." Glenn smirked and mocked a bow. "You are really something, director. You dare trespass my house unguarded. I don't know if you are stupid or just arrogant. But lucky you, I'm in good mood today cause the last group who trespass here had a taste of something they will remember for a very long time."

Fury reached into his earpiece and said, "Stand down."

What he didn't know was that, Glenn used conqueror's haki to knock Fury's men out right after he sensed them.

Glenn was amused and fetched a bottle of whiskey from the bar with two glasses for drinking.

He placed them down the table in front of the couch where Nick Fury was waiting.

"Don't bother telling them. They're already knocked out cold. Whiskey?"

Nick Fury felt a shiver down his spine though it took all his strength not to show it in front of Glenn. He appears to stay calm despite what happened with his men but he was anything but worried and apprehensive of what might happen next.

"Come on. Relax a little bit. You wanted to talk to me, right? It's just a talk."

Fury said. "You want to explain what the hell you are?"

Glenn played dumb and asked in return, "What do you mean? Here."

Glenn poured a whiskey in the glass, sliding it forward towards Fury.

Fury on the other hand didn't touch the glass, completely wary of the enigma in front of him.

"Are you a mutant? A result of an experiment? An alien? Tell me, Mr. Peterson, cause going hand to hand with Hulk and Abomination is no small feat."

Glenn made a sip of his whiskey before answering.

"Nah, I'm a pure human." he said. "It's just that, I know how to utilize my body's potential to the extreme."

Fury stared incredulously at him.

"Ahh you don't believe, do you? If you want you can take a sample of my blood to see how it goes. Go on, call on a new guy and let him bring up some equipment for a test. I'd be very disappointed if SHIELD doesn't have that kind of technology at least. I can wait."

Fury pressed another button in his earpiece.

"Hill, you still there in front of the building? Bring me someone for a quick comprehensive test."

Then he took the glass of whiskey from the table offered to him.

"So what really is your goal? Mr. Peterson."

"Huh? Me? That was a very broad topic. If you are talking about my work, it depends on the commission. And please, just call me Glenn. Or Handyman..whatever that suits you. I can call you Nick right?"

"Fury."

"Fury it is.. So what answer are you looking for?"

"Why do all this? Why become a mercenary if you have that kind of power?"

"First of all, let me explain my ability. Maybe it'll put you at ease... or not. Anyway, do you know that a human body has limitless potential? Like how someone could endure some pain with sheer will. How perfectly normal human could move in so fast with a spike of adrenaline?"

Glenn paused and said, "Come to think of it, I think my primary ability is that, I could perfectly control my body."

"So a mutant?"

"What? No! I know that some readers might think I'm stupid explaining this to you but as far as I know, no one will be able to replicate my ability unless I wanted to. That's because my power comes from 'Will' that I call Haki."

"What reade—"

"My point is, my Will was so strong that it could manifest physically. I could coat any part of my body, including both arms and legs with my technique called Haki making it harder than a steel and powerful like, canon. Maybe even more so."

"So no special experiment or whatsoever. Are you sure you are not an alien?"

"Like I said, I am human. You can confirm it with the device your guy is carrying outside the door."

As of on cue, both of them heard a knock.

"How did—"

"It's my technique, director. It's a type of energy. A force of will. Everyone has it. In fact, even you can learn doing what I do if you learn to harness your will. Unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to unlock it. It lets me see through lies, sense intent, knock people out cold without touching them and fight oversized egoistic monsters.", Glenn said while he stood up to open the door for Fury's guy.

"So psychic kung-fu. Like what you did to my men outside." Fury's brow remained arched.

"Something like that!"

"D-director, you called?" The agent was fidgeting nervously.

"Mmm, I want you to run a test using his blood." Fury nodded at Glenn's direction.

A few minutes later, using Glenn's blood, the scan results showed a completely healthy normal human.

"I told you." Glenn said while he puff a smoke sitting on the couch, completely relaxed.

The tension softened just a degree and Glenn could see Fury became more at ease.

He chuckled at the sight and said, "Look, I'm not here for trouble, I can reassure you that. Unless trouble finds me." Glenn continued.

"The problem is I don't trust your assurance. Besides, what do you get in all this? You haven't answered my question yet, what is your goal?"

"Well that's your problem. As for me, I'm just trying to make this fucked up world a better place to live in. Haven't you figured out yet the pattern of the missions I took in? Given my long standing reputation with my clients and you investigating me for a long time, I'm sure you already have an idea what my bottom line is. I don't harm the innocent specially children. And my primary missions were always to fix the mess not to cause it. Isn't it why I was called the Handyman in the first place?"

"Then how can you be so sure if the mission you're involved in won't target the innocent."

"You already have the answer to that question. Come on, Fury. Put some oil on those gear inside your head and start to think. Aren't you the one who poached her from me?"

"Skye."

"Correct! We wouldn't just accept any mission. Once a commission comes in, we make an investigation first, you know by accessing information online..."

"By hacking!"

"Small details! Then decide which ones."

"Then why don't you do it for free? Like a super hero of old?"

"Working for free? Not a chance!" Glenn scoffed and then continued, "Everything has a price, director. I follow the law of equivalent exchange."

"Just like a hero for hire."

"Exactly, but I'm not a hero with complex inner turmoil. My life is not an indie film and I'm not vying for Oscars. I kill when I have to."

Fury stared at him for a moment and then stood up facing the California city lights.

"There was an idea, Stark knows this, called Avengers initiative.. "

"Sorry, I'm gonna stop you there. I don't like where this is headed. It would be a big joke if you are planning to involve me in that...wait, you're serious?"

Fury turned to him and nodded.

"Pass! Not interested!"

"Can I ask why?"

"Who's in charge? You?"

"The world council—"

Before Fury could complete his response, he was interrupted by a ringtone, ringing inside Glenn's inner pocket.

A/N: This is was a real song called Galactic Mermaid by Mermaid Sisters. Check it out on Spotify.

~du du du du fucking bullshit 🎶

~fucking bullshit

~son of a bitch what the hell

~oh motherfucker, goddamn bullshit holy shit

~son of motherfucking bitch, oh shit🎶

"Aren't you going to answer that?" Fury asked with slight irritation.

"Oh sorry. Don't mind that. Probably some cable offering a promo upgrade. What do you think? Cool ringtone, right?" Glenn asked with a smug on his face.

"Shall we get back to the topic Handyman?"

"Okay fine! Geez! Where are we? Oh yeah, so a bunch of old guys halfway through their grave wants to be in charge? Nope! I don't have the patience to indulge them in their illusions for power. Besides, I don't want to answer to anyone. Sorry, I'm used to my freedom."

"That's a pity. Well, if ever you change your mind, just let me know."

"Although, I can't joined that ragtag team idea of yours, my services are open to you, Nick. Not in the name of world council, not SHIELD either. Just you. Consider it a professional courtesy, you know just in case you're in a pinch." Glenn said as he held a black card towards Fury.

"Fine.." Fury said as he accepted the card and carefully tucked it inside his inner pocket.

"By the way... " Fury continued as he headed towards the door to leave. "Send me a copy of that ringtone."

Glenn raised his brows and his lips couldn't help but twitch.

"Can't help yourself, huh!"