Marvel : Super Extraction

"Leon? Leon, get back here!" Tony Stark's voice rang out, laced with a mix of panic as he scanned the shoreline. His pulse raced, the memory of the villa attack still fresh–explosions, blood, and Leon cutting through enemies like a blade through paper. Losing him now felt like a kick in the teeth. "Don't do this to me, kid," he muttered, squinting at the rippling water. "I'm too young for a heart attack."

Thirty meters out, Leon surfaced, water cascading off him as he tilted his head at Tony. "What's up?" he asked, his tone so nonchalant it bordered on absurd.

Tony blinked, caught between relief and the urge to throttle him. "What's up? What's up?! You vanish into the ocean, and I'm over here thinking you become fish food!" He pointed a finger at Leon, his voice sharp but shaky with the adrenaline still pumping. "I was two seconds from diving in after you, you idiot!"

Leon's mouth trembled into a small, knowing smile. Tony wasn't just mad, he had been scared. The invincible Tony Stark rattled over him. "Sorry, Tony," he said, gliding toward the shore with smooth, effortless strokes. "Didn't mean to freak you out. I just went swimming."

"Swimming?" Tony echoed, snorting as he crossed his arms. "Yeah, sure." His glare softened as Leon neared, though he couldn't resist adding, "Next time, give me a heads-up so I don't age ten years."

Watching Leon move through the water like he owned it, Tony's curiosity sparked. "Hang on….since when did you learn how to swim? Last I saw, you swam like a rock with attitude."

Leon grinned, treading water with ease. "Secret," he said, his eyes flashing with playful defiance.

"Right, because you're a vault of mysteries," Tony shot back, rolling his eyes. "You're practically a dolphin out there." He waved a hand.

Leon didn't bite, just dove under again, slicing through the waves with a grace that left Tony muttering, "Unbelievable. I've got a ninja mermaid on my hands." Tony filed it away, half-impressed, half-annoyed.

As Leon messed around in the surf, Tony hauled himself onto dry land, his mind shifting gears. The villa attack had exposed holes in his game. He kicked a rock into the water, scowling. "Gotta step it up."

.........

Half a month later, at Stark Industries

 Obadiah glowered at a lumbering hunk of metal, a crude attempt to copy Tony's suit. "This is it?" he shouted. "This is the armor you promised?"

"Y-Yes, sir," the guy stammered. "It's the best we could manage with the footage and—"

"Best?!" Obadiah's fist slammed the desk. "I poured millions into this, and you give me a walking dumpster! Tony's suit flies like an eagle, this thing stumbles like a hungover rhino!".

The engineer swallowed. "Maybe the video was doctored—"

"Out!" Obadiah shouted. Alone, he paced, fury boiling. "Tony, you arrogant prick," he hissed. "Always one step ahead." He'd seen the real thing, Tony's armor was a masterpiece, and this was garbage. "What's your secret, Stark? What's powering that suit?"

His scowl twisted into a cold smirk as he grabbed his phone and dialed a number. "Plan C. Kidnap Leon. Tony will cough up the tech to save his little brother." 

The last attempt to kill Leon had gone sideways, Jerry, his trusted bodyguard, was captured. Obadiah had shrugged it off then, 'Tony's suit must've been close'. But now, staring at that video of only Tony in his suit knocking bodyguards he was sure "Leon's just a tagalong. No tricks up his sleeve, no fancy toys, just a regular guy in over his head." He thought that Leon must be scared, hiding somewhere when the goons attacked.

He almost pitied the kid. Almost.

Leaning back in his chair, Obadiah's confidence surged. The FBI could poke around all they liked, by the time they connected the dots, he'd have the armor's technology. He can completely use the armor as a card, and negotiate with the military. He'd be untouchable then.

........

Leon didn't know what Obadiah Stane was plotting next and frankly, if he did, he'd probably greet it with a cocky grin and a scheme of his own. He and Tony Stark had been gunning to take the old man down for weeks, but without solid proof, they were stuck. Killing him outright? Off the table. Obadiah never moved without a small army of bodyguards, and any misstep would light a fire under their feet faster than they could blink. So Leon bided his time, betting Obadiah's ego would trip him up sooner or later.

Leon had an edge most didn't: he knew how this story was *supposed* to go. Sure, his arrival had derailed the original plotline beyond recognition, but some beats stayed predictable. Obadiah's crew had gotten a front-row seat to the armor during that messy villa raid, and once they ran their mouths, Obadiah's greed went into hyperdrive. The guy even showed up that same night, practically drooling to take a peek at that piece of the tech. He'd gone quiet since, but Leon wasn't buying the silence. Obadiah was cooking something, and it wouldn't be long before he came knocking again.

...….

That morning, Leon wrapped up his usual workout—push-ups, pull-ups and a run. He showered before going into Tony's lab. His brother was sprawled over a workbench, surrounded by holograms and scribbled formulas, looking like he hadn't slept in days.

"Hey, Tony," Leon called, propping himself against the doorframe. "What are you doing? I am thinking of hitting the streets for a bit?"

Tony didn't even look up at first, just kept scratching his head. Then he paused, peering over the edge of the screen with a smirk. "Out? What's the play here, Leon? Are you trying to dangle yourself as bait for Obadiah?"

Leon laughed, brushing it off. "What, me? Nah, I'm not that reckless."

Tony set the tablet down and leaned back, crossing his arms. "Obadiah got a look at the armor through his goons. Right now, he's probably got a basement full of sweaty engineers trying to cobble together their own version." He snorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Spoiler: they're screwed. The Ark Reactor's the secret sauce, and those idiots wouldn't know how to miniaturize it even if I drew them a blueprint. Without that, they're stuck with some clunky, oversized trash heap that'll barely move. Good luck fighting in that."

Leon nodded, unfazed. "Right. And when his knockoff flops and it 'will' he'll come sniffing around us again. I'm the softer target, so…"

Tony's smirk faded, replaced by a hard stare. "So he grabs you to twist my arm for the blueprints. That's your genius plan?"

"Pretty much," Leon said with a shrug. "He's probably got eyes on us as we speak, just waiting for me to step outside solo."

Tony rubbed his jaw, sizing Leon up. "And here I thought your big talents were punching stuff and flirting with anything in a skirt. Didn't realize you'd been hiding a brain under all that hair."

"Full of surprises, me," Leon shot back, grinning. "But relax, I'm not playing bait today. I've just been cooped up too long. Need some air. Plus, I've got a detour planned for the Oscorp Group."

"Osscorp?" Tony's eyebrow arched. "Why?"

"They've got this specialized spider silk," Leon said, flexing his fingers like it was no big deal. "I want to grab some and have you whip me up a launcher. You know, something to go with my… particular skill set."

Tony's eyes sparked with sudden curiosity. "Wait, you mean that creepy wall climbing trick of yours and the danger-sensing bit?"

"Yeah," Leon said. "I'd be able to traverse the city quickly and enhance my combat abilities."

Tony waved a dismissive hand. "Why bother? I already built you a perfectly good armor. What's a glorified slingshot gonna do that my tech can't?"

"Humor me," Leon said, his grin turning sly. "Come on, don't tell me the great Tony Stark can't slap one together in a couple of hours."

"Please," Tony scoffed, his ego clearly stung. "I could churn out a dozen by noon, blindfolded. It's not even a challenge but I am busy right now."

"Knew you'd say that," Leon said. "I am going."

Tony shook his head, turning back to his formulas. "Watch yourself out there. Hell, take the armor and stash it in the car. If Obadiah pulls something, I'm not in the mood to tell Dad's ghost I let you get snatched."

Leon rolled his eyes. "I'll be fine, Mom."

"Yeah, well, keep your phone on," Tony said, his tone dropping to something graver.

Leon's grin widened a flicker of excitement in his eyes. "Honestly? I'm hoping he tries. It's about time we put him down for good." With a mock salute, he turned and strode out of the lab, heading for the villa's exit.

Tony watched him go, the door hissing shut behind him. "Uncle Stan," he muttered, his voice low and edged with venom. "I've given you every chance to walk away. But if you come for Leon again, I'll lock you up myself and melt the damn key."

His jaw clenched. Obadiah had been a lifeline once, after Howard's death, he'd propped Tony up and guided him through the chaos of running Stark Industries. But Leon was his only brother, and after two close calls, Tony's goodwill had burned out. Nostalgia be damned, Obadiah's clock was ticking.