章 5: 5.On their way.
So he did what he had planned.
He found Tony, and with him on his shoulder, went to the military base, where on the way they found a convoy of army vehicles. This convoy was being driven by Rhodes, Tony's friend. He had arrived literally half an hour earlier and was already on his way. Respectable.
They were already on their way to the base together. While the cars were moving, he made big jumps to the base and waited there. The soldiers manning the post cast glances at him. Glances of admiration. And fear.
And he could read people, a skill that came from a previous life, a fun childhood. And fear is the last thing he wants to instill in people. He makes sure it doesn't happen. He laughs, he tells jokes, he goes on stage, he flows. Spreading joy and laughter is his dream and now his job.
But... And he can also understand ordinary people, if Thomas were in their shoes, his heart would also go to the heels of a huge 4 meter man who fights with 50 meter giants. Thomas Andre is a phenomenon, unbelievable and unique.
No one knows what gave him his strength and his huge stature. A big topic for speculation in forums, and an incredible desire to research his body in scientists, all kinds of beaten on the head. While he only laughs at the theories of his fans, he has a different conversation with scientists. Too many who wanted a piece of him, literally.
Thomas knows what humanity in this world is capable of. The technological advancements here are astounding, with some individuals even able to defy the laws of physics and call it their invention. Approaches and reactions that would be impossible in his world, because his world is real, while this one was once fiction.
But after 35 years, you gain some experience. You get attached to people, you live in this town, you protect its citizens. And being gifted with powers... it's incredible.
Some people might be scared of it, some might hate it. Thomas understands why. His temper, his sharp tongue, his attitude towards villains... he's seen posts online criticizing him for being too harsh on villains. Well, of course he is.
An assassination attempt on millions of lives is an assassination attempt. New York has no idea how many times he's prevented disasters before they even started. Thomas does his job faster than even the Shield because he works alone. Unlike some enterprises that take a different approach. The Shield is one of them.
But that's not for him. He doesn't like taking orders or being on the run. While Nick Fury isn't a bad man, their methods for solving problems would never align. To ask Thomas for a favor and expect him to do it, you have to earn his respect.
Of course, he would do something if asked by a child (something reasonable) or his elders, because his parents' teachings are still with him. But someone who thinks they can just order him around? No, it doesn't work that way.
That's what Tony Stark say when he refused to fly on his private jet, but decided to go with Andre.
As they soared high above the clouds en route to New York, Thomas reclined in his specially designed chair. Opposite him sat Tony, his arm bandaged, dressed in a tuxedo with the jacket draped over his shoulders and the sleeves rolled up.
Tony recounted everything to Thomas: how he had been captured, imprisoned by terrorists, the creation of the arc reactor, meeting an incredible man, and witnessing that man's heroic sacrifice. Exhaustion was etched into Tony's face.
"Pepper was right, she was damn right..." he muttered, removing his sunglasses with his good hand. "Because of weapon business, because of my technology, all of this happened. And I know it—the further it goes, the worse it's going to get. Those bastards... And I'm no better myself."
Thomas nodded silently, giving his friend the space to reflect. The cockpit door was closed, with Sam focused on the flight, leaving just the two of them in their shared solitude. "Maybe I'll finally do what she's been asking. No more weapons business," Tony said, looking up at Thomas.
Thomas nodded again, meeting Tony's gaze. He spoke confidently, "There's no going back, and neither can the lives lost. The best thing is not to repeat the same mistakes. Don't let more innocent lives be victimized by those freaks."
Tony closed his eyes, leaning his head against the cold metal wall of the airplane. The hum of the engine filled the silence between them.
Thomas had a way with words. When he wanted to, he could be profoundly wise. Despite being only 35, sometimes he spoke as if he had lived two lifetimes. Maybe it was part of being a hero for the past 15 years.
All Thomas wanted was to get some sleep, drive home, eat a burger, and have a good night's rest.
"You know, fighting bad guys is a lot more interesting than making deals with them. Now I see why you like it so much," Tony said.
"That's good to hear, Tony."
" And talking about heroism. Your speech on that show was good. It inspired more self-proclaimed superheroes to take to the streets. I admit, it influenced me too. I think I'll rewatch that episode. 'O Great Goliath,'" Tony said, a small smile forming on his face.
Thomas shared the smile. "Well, that's also good to hear, Tony. Everything will be fine as long as those rookie punks know their stuff and learn from their mistakes."
Tony lifted his head, glancing around the inside of the airplane. It was an incredibly spacious room, mostly empty except for a few seats clustered in the center.
Nothing remarkable about this plane, except for the interesting paint job and his personally improved engine refinements. "I was gonna say, when are you gonna get rid of that pothole?" he said, slapping his hand against the iron wall. "I can do a lot better for you."
Thomas raised an eyebrow, his gold-colored glasses perched on his head and his arms crossed. "That was the plan. I'll see how much I can sell it for."
"Well look, with my powerful engines, you'll get at least 15 million."
"Yeah, you've done a hell of a job on the engines."
"No stranger—no shoddy work. But that was years ago. Rest assured, I'll do a much better job for you. I wouldn't mind a personal flying shuttle; your flying boy wouldn't mind either."
"Sam? Yeah, he's a contented, skillful guy."
"Remind me again where you found him?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D."
Tony frowned at the mention of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury. He knew all too well about their actions. He was selling his technology to them as well. Though they had a substantial budget, dealing with S.H.I.E.L.D. was expensive and often complicated. He couldn't see himself working with them in the long run. Maybe in his old age, he might change his mind. "Maybe he's a spy."
Thomas smirked. "To spy what? There's already a lot known about me. I doubt they'll get anything new. And don't worry, he can't hear us; these walls are soundproof."
"I was just gonna ask about that—" Tony started, but Thomas interrupted.
"...And if he can hear us, he'd have to be very careful."
Tony watched as Thomas jerked his head toward the cockpit, which was tightly closed. Nothing came from there—the guy was either scared or just didn't hear it. Suddenly, the phone rang.
*♪ Must Be Nice by Nickelback on Ringtone♪*
"Your playlist is the most chaotic thing ever, I swear," Tony said, pointing to Thomas's pocket.
Thomas laughed. "Heh, that's just the way I am." He pulled his phone from his pocket without checking the caller number and answered it in a gruff voice. "I'm listening."
Thomas had a habit of automatically lowering his voice when he talked on the phone, even though it was already quite deep. His phone was so large it could almost be mistaken for a laptop.
As Tony glanced away from his phone, he noticed Thomas's expression change to a frown. Thomas's tone became even more stern as he continued, "General Ross."
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