Chapter 32 – Damage Control (Part 2)
The Wakandan jet touched down far too smoothly for what it carried.
The hatch opened.
Chaos poured out.
Peter Parker launched down the ramp like gravity was optional, Ned Leeds right behind him, both of them vibrating at a frequency that suggested their bloodstreams were at least sixty percent caffeine and bad ideas.
Princess Shuri followed, not walking so much as gliding into the madness, eyes bright, hands already sketching invisible equations in the air.
"….if you anchor the Pym compression with vibranium lattice harmonics…"
"….you can prevent nano-shear during scale transitions…"
"…but only if the quantum buffer recalibrates in real time…"
"…which means you could house multiple AI cores without power drain…"
"…in a pocket dimension…"
"….inside a server…"
"…inside another server…"
They all stopped at the exact same time.
"…Server-ception," Peter said reverently.
Shuri snapped her fingers. "Yes! Exactly! You see it too. "
Ned gasped. "I love you guys."
Behind them, Bruce Banner exited the jet like a man walking away from a ticking bomb.
Vision floated down last, posture stiff. He looked like someone who had watched a clean experiment get infected by malware and then develop sentience.
Bruce walked straight to Tony and Stephen without breaking eye contact with the hive.
"We have a serious problem," Bruce said.
Tony didn't look away from the trio. "That makes twenty-seven today. Be specific."
Bruce swallowed. "They've formed a positive feedback loop. Social, intellectual, emotional. It's like… a hive mind."
Peter, Ned, and Shuri were now speaking in rhythm.
"…and if we test it live…."
"….with controlled failure thresholds…."
"…..we could literally fold space…."
"…..just a little…."
Stephen closed his eyes.
"I tried to slow them down,"
Bruce continued, voice tight. "They're finishing each other's thoughts. They share assumptions. They're correcting each other before errors form."
Tony stared.
Then he looked at Vision.
Vision met his gaze, visibly chastened. "…I may have underestimated their enthusiasm."
"That's one word for it," Tony muttered.
Shuri leaned closer to the boys. "You two think fast."
Peter beamed. "You think faster."
Ned nodded emphatically. "We should never be allowed alone again."
Bruce lowered his voice. "They are… frighteningly close to breaking space. And they know it."
Tony inhaled.
Exhaled.
Command mode snapped into place.
"Okay. Everybody stop."
They didn't.
Tony snapped.
"OKAY THAT IS ENOUGH."
The shout cracked across the landing pad like a sonic boom.
The hive froze.
Peter blinked. Ned stiffened. Shuri tilted her head, curious.
Tony marched forward, armor scuffed, eyes bloodshot, posture radiating the energy of a man who had not slept, had saved three thousand lives, and was one sentence away from yelling at the universe.
"I love you all," Tony said, voice too calm to be safe. "But if one more of you says 'quantum' before I finish my next sentence, I will personally ground physics."
Peter clapped a hand over his mouth.
Ned straightened. "Sir, yes sir."
Shuri smiled. "He's delightful."
Tony pointed at her without looking. "You're part of the problem."
She bowed slightly. "With pride."
Tony turned, pacing. "Okay. New rule. You are no longer allowed to stand within five feet of each other without adult supervision."
Peter raised a finger. "What if the adult is—"
"No."
Tony spun.
"Peter. You're with Dumbledore."
Peter's head snapped toward Stephen. "Wait—"
"No spider business," Tony continued. "You are an intern. Friday is activating Mini-Boss Protocol. You can authorize anything Doctor Strange and compound employees' needs. You do not leave his side."
Stephen blinked. "Mini-Boss Protocol?"
Friday replied cheerfully, "Activated."
Peter swallowed. "…Is this a punishment or a promotion?"
Tony rubbed his face. "Yes."
He turned sharply.
"Ned. You're with the lawyers."
Ned recoiled like he'd been shot. "The—lawyers?"
"In my private wing," Tony said, voice fraying, "there is a lab set up for you. Early birthday gift. Comes with a supercomputer. Your job is to scrub the internet. Redirect the news cycle. Bury the crash under something shiny and non-classified."
Ned hesitated. "Like… celebrity scandals?"
Tony waved a hand. "Aliens. Fashion. Sports. A goat that can paint. I don't care."
Ned straightened, eyes alight. "I won't fail you."
Tony immediately regretted that phrasing.
He turned.
"Shuri. You are with me and Thor."
Shuri brightened. "Oh, diplomacy."
"I need a buffer," Tony said. "Between me and the President. And also between me and my own temper."
She grinned. "I accept."
Tony turned last.
"Vision."
Vision stiffened.
"You," Tony said, voice edged, "are grounded as mastermind behind this mess."
Vision paused. "…I do not believe I know how grounding works."
"Boss Baby Protocol is active," Tony continued. "You monitor rescue ops. You authorize anything needed that Peter can't handle. Coordinate with Rhodey."
Tony finally faced the trio again.
"Don't think you're not in trouble. You are. I've just decided my yelling energy today is better spent dealing with the United States government."
Peter nodded rapidly.
Ned clasped his hands.
Shuri crossed her arms, amused.
"We are all," Tony continued, "going to sit down later and have a long, difficult conversation about yesterday and today."
His eyes flicked upward.
"That includes you, Friday. And you, Karen."
Friday replied serenely, "Understood, Boss."
Karen added, "I will prepare apology drafts."
Tony sighed. "Good."
He waved them off. "Now go. Before I actually lose my mind."
Tony sighed. "And before you go—introduce Bruce to Doctor Cho and apologize for scaring him."
Peter turned instantly. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Banner."
Ned bowed slightly. "We didn't mean to almost rupture spacetime."
Shuri smiled. "It was theoretical."
Bruce just nodded weakly. "That's… comforting."
They scattered.
Silence fell.
Stephen turned slowly to Tony.
"…You okay?"
Tony stared after the departing chaos, shoulders sagging just a fraction.
"I love them," he said tiredly. "But I swear to God, if they invent a new dimension before breakfast, I'm moving to one without teenagers."
Stephen smiled faintly. "You handled that well."
Tony laughed, hollow. "Grounding and punishments start Monday. After school."
Stephen nodded solemnly. "I'll bring charts."
Tony rubbed his temples. "Why do I have kids smarter than me."
Stephen clapped him on the shoulder. "Because this is Karma."
Tony groaned. "That's worse."
They stood there, watching the compound hum with controlled disaster.
Tony exhaled. "We're doomed."
Stephen smiled.