Chương 13: Chapter 13
Pepper's finger trailed along the inked path on the map, leading to a mountain range. In an instant, she knew that the map was telling them Tony's current location, just as Jamie had promised to her.
The parchment worked in a similar way to the Marauder's Map, which was created by Jamie's father and friends. After countless failed attempts to obtain it from Harry Potter, Jamie took matters into her own hands. Drawing inspiration from Sirius, James, and Lupin's mischievous memos she stumbled upon, she reverse-engineered the process and made her own improvements to it.
A meaningful glance passed between Pepper and Rhodes, their silent agreement clear: Tony's there!
Soon, they all found themselves inside Tony's private plane, with Happy assuming the pilot's seat. Pepper placed the map directly within the cockpit and asked Happy to follow the direction.
The plane soared through the sky, covering a distance of two hundred kilometers at a remarkable speed, until they arrived above a small yet beautiful oasis. As Pepper caught sight of a very strange-looking tent, memories of her time at The Enchantress flooded her mind, prompting her to direct Happy to locate a suitable landing spot.
The plane gracefully descended in the nearby desert, allowing Pepper and Rhodes to disembark and make their way towards the small oasis.
Since the plane landed, Yinsen had patiently waited at the entrance of the tent. Jamie had already informed him about Tony's friends coming to pick them up, so he was present to receive them. Spotting their arrival, he called out, "Are you Tony's friends?"
Pepper, taking swift strides forward, responded, "Yes, that's us! Where's Tony?"
Yinsen, visibly relieved, relaxed his rigid posture and motioned for them to follow. "Come, Tony's sleeping at the moment. He requires a few more hours of rest," he said and led them inside the tent.
Rhodes, who entered the tent after them, took in the unexpected scene before him and glanced outside at the vast expanse of desert, utterly bewildered. His mind spun in confusion, and he couldn't help but say, "What in the world?!"
Pepper, on the other hand, was unfazed. She followed Yinsen up the stairs, while Rhodes struggled to keep up, his gaze fixated on what was behind him—a broom autonomously sweeping away dust and cabinets that rose up on a pair of feet. It was an extraordinary display that left him utterly amazed.
Making their way up the stairs to the second story, Yinsen led them into Tony's room. Pepper's anxiety dissolved into a sigh of relief as she discovered Tony lying peacefully on the bed. Stepping closer, she scrutinized his features with care. Apart from the small frown marring his face, she couldn't help but observe that Tony had seemingly put on a few extra pounds.
Pepper's voice quivered with worry as she questioned, "Why is he sleeping? Did something happen?" She turned her attention to Yinsen, the stranger beside her. "Oh, I'm sorry but we haven't properly introduced ourselves, have we?'
Yinsen sighed. He removed his glasses and cleaned them before placing them back on. "No need to apologize, Ms. Potts. My name is Yinsen. I too was a hostage here. They took me captive to treat Tony's injuries after they ambushed him. As for why he's sleeping, well, it's a long story."
Pepper's eyes welled with tears, unable to fathom the reality of it all. The thought haunted her: if she hadn't met Jamie, would Tony still be trapped in that cave, tirelessly searching for a means of escape?
A solemn expression etched across Rhodes' face as he observed Tony's prone figure on the bed. The sight of his best friend in such a state made him very angry at himself for failing to protect Tony.
In the midst of their conversation, an unexpected interruption came in the form of a gentle tap on the door. Startled, Rhodes, who happened to be standing closest to the entrance, turned the doorknob and found himself rooted to the spot.
Yinsen, noticing Rhodes, walked over. He hurriedly pulled Rhodes aside when he saw a tray floating at the door. He reached out to take it and said, "Thanks, Koby, you're right on time."
"You're welcome, Mr. Yinsen," came a high-pitched voice, yet no one could be seen.
Yinsen balanced the tray in one hand while casually nudging the door shut with his foot. He turned his attention to Rhodes, who seemed on the verge of a panic attack, and calmly said, "Listen, I know it sounds crazy, but we've a tiny, magical creature here who attends to our needs and happens to be an incredible cook.
Why don't you two take a seat? Koby has prepared some delightful tea and snacks." Yinsen set the tray on the table by the window and extended a welcoming gesture to Pepper and Rhodes.
Seating herself comfortably, Pepper reached for her cup and raised it to her lips. It tasted just like the one she had back then. Taking another sip, she couldn't help but inquire, "So, you guys have been staying here for a week?"
Yinsen's smile stiffened as he responded, "Yes, it's been about a week since we were rescued, and this place has provided us with a safe haven." He did not mention the stunt Tony pulled yesterday.
Rhodes, still slightly unsettled by the magical occurrences and the earlier presence of Koby, cautiously picked up a snack and took a bite. He was pleasantly surprised by the taste. "These snacks are amazing."
Yinsen nodded, his smile returning to its usual warmth. "Koby is a master in the kitchen. With him around, food was the least of our concerns. He can whip up anything you want in just a few minutes."
Pepper, noticing Tony's recent weight gain, pursed her lips, unsure how to respond. Following their discussion over coffee and snacks, Pepper and Rhodes heard an audible groan, coming from Tony.
"Tony!" Pepper heard it and quickly rushed over to the bed.
Tony opened his eyes and instinctively reached for his ribs, only to realize the pain was almost gone. Letting his jaw relax and the soreness in his hand subside, Tony glanced at the people gathered in the room. "You all made it? How long was I out? And why do I feel like I've been run over by a freight train?"
Pepper, relief flooding her features, replied, "You've been asleep for a while, Tony. And you do look like you've been through a lot. But we're here now, and we're going to take care of you."
"Hey, any chance I can hop in your fun jeep next time?" Rhodes approached Tony and held his hand with a relieved smile.
Tony's face briefly tensed up, but he eventually shook Rhodes's hand. "Let's just not talk about that anymore. I've had enough of this place. When can we leave?!"
Upon finding out that the plane was parked nearby, the fully recovered Tony immediately got out of bed. Jamie joined them at this time, and they all decided to depart after dinner.
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