Marvel : Super Extraction

"Boss, are we just letting this slide?" One of the bodyguards sidled up to Obadiah as Leon's footsteps faded down the corridor. His voice was a low growl, barely above a whisper, his eyes glinting with barely restrained aggression.

Obadiah rubbed his aching stomach, the sting of Leon's punch still fresh. His face twisted into a scowl. "You think I'm happy about it?" he snapped. "There's a time and a place. This ain't it."

The bodyguard's hand drifted toward his waist, fingers brushing the outline of a concealed dagger. "Next chance, then," he murmured, his voice laced with menace. "When he's alone."

Obadiah's pupils narrowed. 'Killing Leon here, in the States, was a gamble- messy, but not impossible. Unlike Tony Stark, Leon wasn't a national icon, the FBI wouldn't kick up a big fuss if he disappeared. Still, the risks were there.' He looked at the bodyguard "I didn't hear that," he said with a meaningful tone.

The bodyguard nodded once, stepping back as Obadiah adjusted his tie. He turned on his heel, striding away with his two shadows trailing behind. His expression was stone, but beneath it, rage simmered. 'You'll pay for that punch, kid. Just wait.'

....

Leon's boots clicked against the polished floor as he moved through Stark Industries' gleaming halls. 'I should have hit him harder', he thought, a smirk tugging at his lips. Killing Obadiah right there would've been tempting, but it wasn't the time, not yet. Obadiah was a big fish, swimming in plain sight, and fish like him had too many eyes on them-high-ranking individuals in the government, shareholders, the whole damn system. For now, Leon needed patience.

The punch wasn't random, though. It was a calculated jab to let him think Leon was just some hot headed punk. Underestimation was a weapon, and Leon wielded it well. 'Come after me, old man', he mused. 'I'll be ready.'

He reached the elevator and pressed the button. A quick ride up, and he stepped onto the executive floor, heading straight for Tony's office. Inside, Pepper sat behind the desk, her fingers dancing over a stack of files. She glanced up as Leon knocked on the open door.

"Leon?" Pepper's brow lifted, surprise softening her professional mask. "Didn't expect you here. Everything alright?"

He flashed a crooked grin. "Just picking up something for Tony. Won't be long."

Pepper rose, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "What is it?"

Leon walked toward an object draped in black cloth against the wall. "That. Dad's old model."

Pepper tilted her head, puzzled. "The Expo model? I thought you and Tony couldn't stand that thing and called it a dust magnet."

He chuckled. "Yeah, well, Tony's had a change of heart. He thinks it's worth a second look." He stepped over, tugging the cloth aside to reveal the intricate cityscape beneath."

"I will take this thing back to the villa. See ya!" Leon said as he headed out.

A short while later, when he was gone from the premises entirely.

One of Obadiah Stane's black-suited bodyguards approached Oabadiah, his tone hushed but deliberate. "Boss, I need to take some time off, got a few things to sort out."

Obadiah's gaze shifted to the man, a flicker of something expectant in his eyes. "Go ahead," he replied curtly, granting the leave with a nod.

The bodyguard dipped his head in acknowledgment, then turned and slipped out of the building with practiced ease. Meanwhile, Leon, oblivious to the exchange, reached his car and slid the model into the backseat before sitting in the driver's seat. The engine roared as he pulled away. He didn't spot the black suited figure watching from across the street, slipping into an unmarked sedan moments later.

The bodyguard didn't tail him. Instead, he turned the wheel in the opposite direction, blending into the city's midday traffic.