[Horizon Island Base]
The storm of flashing cameras and political outrage faded quickly once Tony was back on Horizon Island. From the moment his shoes touched the glass floor of the hangar, he had already pushed the world's noise into a box. Natasha, Melina, and his father could handle the talking heads. They had the patience for it. He did not.
Instead, he turned his focus to the real work.
Holographic reports floated around him in the central lab. Each feed carried a different piece of the aftermath: Sue Storm with her small team of Widows in New York, stabilizing mutants who volunteered for the cure; Yelena and Janet drilling the new recruits in combat formations; Ben, Johnny, Ghost, and Wanda spreading themselves thin across the globe, stopping whatever criminals thought they could thrive in the lull.
Even Pietro and Lorna had stepped back to finish their studies, which secretly amused him more than he let on. Mutant speedster and magnetic prodigy going back to classrooms instead of battlefields.
As for Rogue's cure, Tony decided to use Forge's idea to upgrade the stability serum, which will allow Rogue to absorb power without touching anyone and remove the final drawback of her power: the memory absorption. For now, Rogue's using the suppressor bracelet.
A notification pulsed in the corner of the display. Meeting: Lorna's parents.
Tony rubbed his jaw, pulled a clean shirt from the rack, and headed for the private call room.
Lorna's aunt and uncle appeared first on the feed, the middle-aged couple looking stiff and wary until Lorna slid into view beside him.
"Mr. Stark," her uncle began. His tone was clipped, cautious. "We did not expect to speak with you directly."
"Please. Call me Tony," he replied, leaning back casually. "Your daughter's done good work with us, and if I say so myself, she's got huge potential. I wanted you to know she's got my full sponsorship for college and higher education."
Her aunt blinked at that. "Sponsorship? You mean… paying for it?"
Lorna crossed her arms in the background as her voice came. "He means I don't have to fight my way through another mess. I can actually study whatever I want. And I'm going to do it right this time."
Her uncle's lips parted, but no words came out. Her aunt reached for her niece's hand on the table. "Lorna… you mean it?"
"I'm sorry," she said suddenly, her throat tight. "For the fights. For running off. For… everything. I thought I had to prove I was strong by being impossible. But I want you to be proud. I'll reach the top. You'll see."
The silence that followed stretched long, broken only by the sound of her uncle clearing his throat. His eyes glistened as he gave a shaky nod. "We already are proud, Lorna. We always were. We just… never thought we'd hear you say this."
Her aunt brushed tears quickly from her face. "You're our daughter. That's all that matters."
Tony quietly stepped out of the frame, leaving them to the moment.
...
Later, in the strategy room, Howard Stark's face appeared on the screen.
"The French President is demanding answers about X-Force," Howard reported. "The Russians are pretending they had nothing to do with the mercs. Half of the world wants in on the space program, and surprisingly, they've been pretty supportive of you. The other half wants you tried for vigilante overreach."
Tony sipped his coffee. "Which half is offering money?"
Howard gave him a look that could strip paint. "Do not joke, Anthony. Melina and Romanoff are working overtime to keep this from spiraling. You made a hell of a speech, but speeches are like grenades. The shrapnel always lands somewhere."
"That's why you're in charge of the cleanup," Tony said smoothly. "Delegation, Dad. You taught me that. Let me build while you play politics."
Howard's sigh was long but not without pride. "Just do not forget, the stronger you build, the harder they'll try to tear it down."
"I'm counting on it," Tony replied, shutting down the feed.
...
[2 days later] [NY Shield's training ground]
The training grounds echoed with the sound of metal striking metal. Yelena was running a squad of new recruits through a combat gauntlet, barking orders with her usual sharp humor. And she was more than happy to order them around.
"Faster. You think those space freaks are going to pause and let you catch your breath? Again. Shields up. Block as if your life depends on it."
Janet hovered nearby, wings shimmering, correcting stances and technique with surgical precision. She caught Tony watching from the sidelines.
"They're improving," she said, landing beside him. "Some of them even smile while training now. That's a bigger win than you realize."
Tony tilted his head. "And the ones who aren't smiling?"
"They're here anyway," Janet answered simply. "That's enough for today."
Yelena smirked as one recruit finally managed to flip another onto the mat. "See? You listen, you live. You don't listen, you break a rib. Simple math."
Tony clapped his hands once, drawing the squad's attention. "Listen to your teachers. They're the best I could find. And remember, if you think the gauntlet is hard now, wait until you see the world outside."
...
[Medic section]
In the medical wing, Sue guided a trembling mutant boy onto a cot. His eyes glowed faintly, traces of uncontrolled energy sparking along his skin. Six Widows stood nearby, monitoring the situation. Then there were some combat bots and drones around the place to stop any unnecessary interruption.
Sue's voice was patient, maternal. "We'll stabilize the energy first. No one's taking anything from you. This is your choice. If you want the cure, we'll help you. If you want control, we'll train you."
The boy nodded slowly, tears streaking his cheeks. "I just… I don't want to hurt anyone anymore."
Tony was looking at them through the surveillance live feed. He watched as Sue placed her hand gently on the boy's shoulder, her field dampening the sparks until his trembling slowed. The Widows exchanged relieved glances.
For all his talk about machines and strategy, moments like this reminded him why they fought.
...
[Horizon Base] [Evening]
Tony found himself in the hangar, alone with the silence of machines. He adjusted the final calibrations on a new prototype, its nanite systems weaving like liquid metal across a skeletal frame.
Ghost appeared out of nowhere, leaning casually against a crate. "You really think this peace will last?" He asked.
"Peace never lasts," Tony replied without looking up. "But stability? That's worth chasing. Besides, every villain who pops up gives us another excuse to test-drive new tech."
Ghost gave a dry chuckle. "Always the optimist."
"I call it realism," he said, snapping the casing shut.
He tilted his head, studying him. "And when the next big war comes?"
Tony finally looked at her, eyes sharp. "Then we'll be ready. With more than just armor this time."
...
[One Week Later] [Medical Lab]
Tony stood in front of a containment chamber, arms crossed, watching the green solution swirl inside a cylindrical vial. He hadn't slept more than three hours a night all week, not that he needed any sleep, but no one can escape mental exhaustion. Besides, when it came to cracking a mutation like Rogue's, obsession was the only language worth speaking.
Rogue sat on the examination table nearby, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap. She looked nervous since this was the moment of truth that would change her life forever.
"You're staring at it like it's going to sprout legs and run away," she said finally. Her Southern drawl cracked the silence.
Tony smirked. "If it sprouts legs, I'll patent that too. Walking medicine. Could be big."
"Quit dodging," she shot back. "You tellin' me this thing's ready?"
He picked up the vial and held it against the light. "Ready as it's ever going to be. I've run every simulation, tested every variable. This rewrites your cellular interaction pattern. Think of it like a firewall that you can toggle. When you want to absorb, you'll absorb. When you don't, you won't. No more accidental kills, absorption, or comas. Plus zero memory baggage."
Her breath caught. "So this is it. I'm ready."
Tony set the vial carefully on the tray. "Just a warning... don't expect miracles on day one. This isn't like flipping a light switch. Your power's been firing uncontrolled for years. The serum stabilizes the engine. But you'll still have to learn how to drive it."
She laughed softly, though her eyes were glassy. "Tony Stark, teachin' me how to drive? Now that's a headline."
"Relax. I'm a great teacher," he deadpanned. "Just ask anyone who survived my crash courses."
The door slid open then, and Wanda stepped in, curiosity written across her face. "Is it true? You're giving her the serum today?"
"Unless she decides she prefers gloves and isolation," Tony said.
Rogue shot Wanda a look. "What do you think?"
Wanda walked closer, folding her arms. "I think you've earned this. But if it backfires, I'll hex him into the sun."
Tony raised a brow. "Noted. Although I'd prefer you wait until after we confirm the results." He pointed at the vial. "Drink it."
Rogue exhaled slowly, then uncapped the vial and drank it in one steady gulp. The liquid glowed faintly as it slid down her throat, warmth spreading through her chest like fire.
For a few seconds, nothing happened. She sat there, staring at her hands, waiting for something catastrophic. Then, slowly, her skin began to glow faintly as the nanite-serum bond activated.
Tony checked the monitors. "Vitals stable. No cellular rejection. It's holding."
Rogue clenched her fists. She could feel something different. It was as if a huge pressure had been lifted from her body. She opened her palms and clenched them a few times. She felt a weird hum.
Her eyes widened. "Tony… it feels different. Like I'm not drowning anymore."
He tapped the screen. "That's because you're not. The serum is working."
"I... I feel sleepy..." Rogue mumbled as her eyes felt heavy.
Everything went dark before her eyes as she fell back. She could tell someone caught her, but after that, nothing... She fell asleep.
Rogue slumped back against the examination table, eyes closed, breath steady but faint. The serum's glow pulsed faintly in her veins like threads of light beneath the skin. Tony was already moving, one arm catching her weight before her head hit the metal.
Wanda's eyes narrowed as she stepped closer. "What just happened? She was fine a second ago."
"She is fine," Tony said, shifting Rogue into his arms. The monitor continued to display results rapidly, graphs rising and falling with each second. "The serum is rewriting her DNA. It's evolution in real time. And evolution hurts like hell."
Tony continued as he carried Rogue toward the door, and Wanda followed him. "I built in a sedative agent. It keeps her under while the serum does its work, numbs the nervous system, and prevents her from feeling like her skeleton is being pulled inside out. Trust me, she should thank me later."
The door slid open, and Wanda walked beside him. "How long until she wakes?" She asked.
"Forty-eight hours," Tony said. His tone was matter-of-fact, but his eyes were locked forward. "Give or take. When she does, she'll be stable. No memory backlash, no uncontrollable drain, no risk of killing anyone by accident. For the first time since she awakened her mutation, she'll be able to control her power."
They reached Rogue's quarters. Tony lowered her carefully onto the bed, pulling a blanket over her. The glow beneath her skin pulsed softer now, settling into a rhythm that almost matched her heartbeat. Wanda lingered in the doorway.
He turned back and asked, "Would you stay and keep an eye on her?"
"Yeah. I'll look after her," Wanda replied instantly.
"Great. Let me know when she wakes up. In the meantime, I'll have a little chat with our guests in the cells," Tony said as he looked at Rogue one last time before walking out, leaving her in Wanda's care.
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