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*****
Pepper dodged frantically within the spacious office, but her elegant high heels clearly made the task difficult, and the locked door made a direct escape nearly impossible.
The dial tone coming from her phone felt agonizingly long. She saw Feny's name on the screen; in her panic, she hadn't had time to hang up and redial. Right now, she just wanted to get the message out.
Obadiah held a paralyzer—a device Tony had once invented—as he closed in on Pepper. The device was highly effective, but it had to be used at close range to work.
He had originally intended to sneak closer under the guise of conversation for a sneak attack, but Pepper's sudden phone call had disrupted his rhythm.
---
Kamar-Taj, early morning.
Having finished his training, Feny was enjoying the tranquility. The fresh air refreshed his mind and spirit; the clamor of New York was nonexistent here. Nature and peace defined the atmosphere of Kamar-Taj.
"Hey, Mage Feny, hurry up and give me two fried chicken wraps."
But the peace was soon broken. A female mage approached Feny with an impatient expression, urging him on.
"Mage Tina, you always make me feel like I'm a street vendor," Feny said, looking at her helplessly.
"Well, you could always come to Hong Kong to sell chicken wraps. You could experience Chinese cuisine while you're at it," Tina Minoru didn't mind the comment and instead offered a suggestion.
"Next time for sure, next time for sure."
The art of procrastination never failed; Feny declined with a grin.
After that, several others came by asking to be fed. Feny didn't turn anyone down; with his abilities, supplying all of Kathmandu wouldn't be an issue.
Having finished feeding the mages and concluding his Kamar-Taj morning session (which coincided with New York's evening session), Feny was preparing to open a portal home when his phone suddenly rang.
Looking at the unfamiliar number, Feny wondered who it could be. If it were Tony, the ID would definitely show as "Unknown."
Curious, Feny answered the call. A panicked female voice came through from the other side.
"Help, it's Oba... clatter..."
The sound cut off abruptly, as if the phone had suddenly dropped to the floor.
Feny's expression changed instantly. Although she hadn't finished her sentence, the information revealed was enough. This was definitely related to Tony, and the caller's identity was obvious.
Tony's assistant, Pepper Potts. Feny guessed who it was immediately. While he wasn't sure why Pepper would call him for help, he knew one thing: the future had changed.
"Hello? Where are you?" Feny asked urgently.
Based on those few words, Pepper was clearly in danger. She was the most important woman in Tony's life; if she were gone, Feny didn't think Tony would ever become the Iron Man he remembered.
There was no answer from the other end, and after a few seconds, the call disconnected.
"Damn it!"
Feny couldn't help but swear, his brow furrowed. A single phone call wasn't enough to locate her; he wasn't Ultron—he couldn't just track an IP address.
"Portal!"
Feny quickly thought of a solution. Regardless of the reason, this was definitely linked to Tony. Fortunately, he knew the address of Tony's villa.
Without a second thought, a portal opened.
However, just as he stepped through, the floor beneath his feet suddenly dropped. A set of mechanical shackles sprang out toward his ankles while, simultaneously, he heard a sound from above. Looking up, a massive net was falling rapidly.
Feny instantly felt like he had walked into an ambush.
Without hesitation, Feny used Sky Walk to soar into the air, dodging the shackles, while simultaneously summoning 'Incursio.'
Feny didn't equip the full armor yet. One hand condensed the Ring of Gaggador while the other held a longsword to slice through the falling net. Just as he was about to don the armor, he spotted a startled Tony standing to the side.
"What the hell is this?" Feny asked, frowning.
"Just a little gift for uninvited guests," Tony shrugged nonchalantly, silently noting the new abilities Feny was displaying.
"You really have too much time on your hands!" Feny snapped back with irritation before adding grimly, "A woman just called me. Something happened to her. I think it's your assistant."
"Pepper!"
Tony's expression shifted instantly. He shouted immediately, "Jarvis, call Pepper!"
A few seconds later, Jarvis's voice responded.
"Sir, Miss Potts' phone has been turned off. I cannot connect."
"How can this be!"
Tony paced back and forth in a panic, his heart racing. Seeing Feny nearby, he asked angrily, "Why didn't you go save her?"
"Do you think I'm God?"
Feny wasn't in a great mood either. Anyone who rushed over to help only to be greeted by traps wouldn't be happy. However, he knew how to prioritize; now was not the time for a spat. He asked immediately:
"Where is she now? Do you know? As long as it's within New York, I can basically open a portal there."
Feny spoke in a deep voice. He was very familiar with New York, so opening portals there was easy. Other locations—aside from Kamar-Taj and the other two Sanctums—were much harder.
"Stark Industries!"
Tony calmed down and said instantly, "I asked her to go to my office to find something. She must be there!"
"Then congratulations, she probably found it. She mentioned Obadiah on the phone; he's the culprit. And by the way, Obadiah was also the one who had you kidnapped."
Feny laid it out. At this point, he didn't care about the Iron Monger reveal anymore; saving Pepper was the priority. He worried Tony might still trust Obadiah, so he stated the truth directly.
Tony clenched his fists but remained silent. He had sent Pepper to the office, so Obadiah was already the primary suspect.
"Portal!"
Finding a secluded spot near the Stark Building wasn't easy. It took Feny a moment to open the portal. Looking at the anxious Tony, he said, "I'll go look for her first. What do you plan to do?"
"I'm coming with you!"
Pepper was the most important person to Tony right now, so he decided to go along. If they ran into Obadiah, he could give the old man a piece of his mind.
Feny didn't refuse. He wasn't familiar with the Stark Building at all; having Tony lead the way would be more convenient.
After stepping through the portal, the two appeared in a small alley. Feny thought for a moment, decided to equip 'Incursio,' and activated his invisibility.
Being seen with Tony was too high-profile. Tony was currently under heavy scrutiny; being with him would likely attract the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D., and by extension, Hydra.
Although he was part of an organization himself—and if anyone looked for trouble, he could call the Ancient One to beat their souls out of them—it was better to avoid unnecessary drama. Most importantly, getting the Ancient One to intervene wasn't easy.
"I'm right next to you, don't worry," Feny said to Tony after turning invisible.
Concerned for Pepper's safety, Tony didn't say much. He immediately started heading toward the company. His face was the best security pass there was; no guard failed to recognize him, and none dared stop him.
Following Tony, they entered the building without resistance. Feny took a moment to look around; he had to admit, the place had a very high-tech vibe.
Tony didn't share Feny's curiosity. Upon entering the building, he headed straight for the office. Finding it empty, he frowned deeply and said to Feny:
"Let's split up and look. I'll find someone to ask if Obadiah has left the building!"
(End of Chapter)