Afternoon, Hell's Kitchen
"Ma'am, you shouldn't have come here. Let me handle this—this is Hell's Kitchen, not exactly the safest place in the world," a voice called from outside the door.
Alex Ray and Deadpool turned to see a rotund man in a suit walking in.
Trailing behind him was a concerned-looking blonde woman and a brunette in a sharp secretary outfit.
Deadpool immediately dashed over to greet them.
He gestured flamboyantly and began his introductions. "Alex, this is our distinguished sponsor, our employer—Ms. Pepper Potts."
Pointing at the man, he added dismissively, "This gentleman's probably a tag-along. Ms. Potts' bodyguard, or something."
"And as for this stunning beauty—are you here to see me?" he asked with a dramatic bow, offering a rose to the brunette.
The man stepped forward. "Just call me Happy. I'm Stark's bodyguard. I recommended you to Ms. Potts."
"And this is Stark's new secretary, Ms. Rushman."
The brown-haired woman gave a polite nod.
Alex Ray quickly stepped forward to shake Pepper Potts' hand.
"Please, have a seat, Ms. Potts," he offered.
Pietro Maximoff hurried over with a tray, pouring tea for their guests.
"Please enjoy. Make yourselves at home," Pietro said with a practiced smile.
Three cups of tea were placed neatly in front of Happy, Pepper, and Ms. Rushman.
Happy and Pepper looked momentarily stunned.
Only Ms. Rushman remained unreadable, as though she had expected this.
Alex shot Pietro an annoyed glance and said calmly, "Don't mind him. Just a little trick of ours. If we didn't have some talents, how would we survive in Hell's Kitchen?"
"Now, back to the matter at hand. I was sorry to hear about Mr. Stark's disappearance. We'll do our best to find him. Can you tell us what happened?"
Pepper adjusted her posture, exhaling slowly.
"A month ago, Tony Stark traveled to Afghanistan to oversee an arms deal with the U.S. military. After the deal concluded, his convoy was ambushed by unknown assailants on the way back to base. His body wasn't found. It's presumed he was kidnapped."
Her voice faltered.
"I need your help to bring Tony back. Even if… even if it's just his body."
Her eyes reddened, her voice breaking.
Happy frantically searched for tissues, but Ms. Rushman calmly produced a handkerchief and passed it to Pepper.
Alex, who already knew the truth, forced a somber expression but was secretly relieved. He responded quickly.
"Ms. Potts, I completely understand your pain, and I'm deeply sorry for what happened to Mr. Stark."
"But… since he was taken by an unknown armed group, rescuing him might mean going up against some serious firepower. It won't be easy."
He paused, looking conflicted.
"There's no guarantee of success. And if Mr. Stark is still alive, extracting him will be dangerous unless—"
Behind him, Deadpool brought his fingers together in a subtle money gesture.
Pepper caught the signal immediately.
"Money isn't an issue. Just bring him back safely. I'll add fifty million dollars to the reward. Even if… even if it's just to recover the body, I'm willing to pay five million."
It was clear she wanted closure—alive or dead.
Alex, knowing Stark would build his own escape suit, put on a solemn face and nodded.
"Then it's settled. Our team is composed of the best. We'll complete the mission—no payment until Tony Stark is back."
"We're professionals," Deadpool added quickly.
"That's right," Pietro chimed in with a thumbs-up.
Pepper seemed comforted by their confidence, her demeanor lifting slightly.
"Hah," a sarcastic chuckle cut through the atmosphere.
Everyone turned to look at Ms. Rushman.
"Even the FBI and military can't find him. And you three think you can?" she said with a skeptical smile.
Alex studied her for the first time, really looked at her.
"System," he thought. "Scan her."
Ding—
[Name: Natasha Rushman (Natasha Romanoff)]
[Alias: Black Widow]
[Race: Human]
[Favorability: None]
[Skills: Locked — Not a friend yet.]
Black Widow, he mused. Marvel's infamous Black Widow.
He knew her background—born in Stalingrad, trained since childhood by Soviet operatives, enhanced to age slowly.
She was a deadly veteran, even if she looked like a woman in her prime.
He'd seen her solo film in his previous life, but skipped the later Avengers movies he considered heavy-handed with politics.
Still, she was here—and that meant SHIELD wasn't far behind.
Alex felt conflicted. He didn't want to be on SHIELD's radar. Especially not with that bald one-eyed bastard Nick Fury watching.
But being close to the Avengers was the fastest way to build relationships with Earth's mightiest heroes.
Trying to win them over one by one would be inefficient.
Still, that was a problem for later.
Right now, he had an opportunity to get close to Black Widow.
"My lovely lady," Deadpool said, unfazed. "You underestimate us. I could rescue Stark myself. All you need to do is wait for the good news."
He winked. "And when I do, how about a date with yours truly?"
"I'm terribly sorry, Ms. Rushman," Alex said quickly, covering Deadpool's mouth with one hand and looking apologetically at her and Pepper.
"I'm sure Ms. Potts has already reached out to multiple contacts. Ms. Rushman, I understand your skepticism. So how about this—we make a bet?"
"A bet?" Natasha tilted her head slightly, intrigued.
Even Pepper and Deadpool leaned in with interest.
Alex continued, his voice sincere.
"Ms. Potts, I mean no offense, truly. But I have two passions in life: money, and making new friends."
"If we find Tony Stark, I hope to become friends with Ms. Rushman."
Pepper waved dismissively. "I don't mind. Go ahead."
Natasha smirked. "Alright. If you really manage to find him, I'll be your friend. But if you fail? The FBI has already come up empty. What makes you so sure you'll succeed?"
"There is no 'if.' We will find him," Alex said firmly.
"I just need you to bring me something Stark's recently worn—something with a strong scent."
He glanced toward the exit.
"No problem," Pepper replied. "I'll take that bet for Ms. Rushman. Happy—gather what they need. We'll head out now and await your good news."
She stood, prompting Happy to follow.
Natasha lingered at the door. Just before exiting, she turned and gave Alex a meaningful glance.
Alex frowned.
Deadpool suddenly shouted, "I'm in love! You're so damn beautiful, Ms. Rushman!"
He slapped his head. "Damn, I forgot to ask for her number! Ms. Rushman, wait up!"
He bolted out after her.
Pietro looked at Alex, concerned. "Something wrong with Ms. Rushman?"
Alex sighed. "Nothing serious, Pietro. Just… our quiet days are ending."
He placed a hand on Pietro's shoulder, his tone low as he walked toward the elevator.
They watched him go.
Pietro gave a bitter laugh. "In a place like Hell's Kitchen, 'peace' doesn't exist. No matter how crazy things get—it'll never be worse than this place."
Alex paused but said nothing. Still, his posture straightened—no longer weighed down.
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Natasha -->
Pepper Potts -->
Happy -->
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