Marvel : Endless Power

"Am I going to get sniped again?" Rody muttered, his hands trembling as he flipped through the pages of the strange comic book, desperate to know what was coming next.

The more he read, the more his blood ran cold. The comic depicted a dozen black-clad agents storming the commercial center, their movements perfectly synchronized—almost like S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives in pursuit of a high-value target. His heart pounded as he slowly looked up.

And there he was.

A tall, muscular agent—dressed exactly like the ones in the comic—was making his way up the staircase. His face was hard, his eyes sharp. But the most terrifying thing? Rody was in a dead-end corner. If he didn't move now, he'd be caught in seconds.

Think fast.

Rody's mind raced. His only exit was the stairwell. If he moved at the right time, he could reach it just as the agent entered. With the frosted glass of the security door obscuring his figure, he had a chance to get the drop on him.

Taking a deep breath, Rody sprinted forward. He kept his steps light, his muscles tensed like a coiled spring. Through the glass, the agent's silhouette loomed closer.

The second the door cracked open, Rody threw his full weight against it.

BANG!

The door slammed into the agent's face with brutal force. A sickening crack followed as the man staggered backward, his nose crushed and blood spraying from his nostrils. The unexpected impact sent him tumbling down the stairs, groaning in pain.

Rody didn't waste time celebrating. He leaped down and delivered a savage kick to the agent's head, knocking him out cold. His pulse was racing, adrenaline surging through his veins. He had never fought in his life, but instinct had taken over.

Shaking, Rody knelt and searched the unconscious man, pulling out a sleek, matte-black pistol and two extra magazines. He had never fired a gun before, but holding one gave him a small sense of control.

Just as he turned to leave—

"Freeze, punk!"

A second agent, this one darker-skinned, emerged from the corridor, his pistol locked onto Rodi's head. The sheer fury in his eyes was unmistakable—he had just watched his partner go down.

Rody's breath caught in his throat.

The agent's voice became distant, muffled. Time itself seemed to slow. The world sharpened, every detail suddenly crystal clear. Dust particles floated lazily in the air, the agent's muscles twitched ever so slightly, and—

I can hear him.

Rody's eyes widened in shock. The man hadn't spoken a word, yet Rody could hear his thoughts.

"This kid just took down an agent. He's more dangerous than he looks. I'll put a bullet in his skull before he tries anything."

Panic clawed at Rody's chest. His vision darkened at the edges, his heartbeat thundering like a war drum. Then—

Something snapped inside his mind.

His eyes burned. An invisible force surged from within, exploding out in a wave of energy.

"ARGHHH!"

The agent screamed, clutching his head as blood gushed from his nose, ears, and eyes. His entire body convulsed, his pistol wavering. He squeezed the trigger—

BANG!

Pain erupted in Rody's shoulder, but the agony barely registered before darkness swallowed him whole.

---

Rody awoke to the distant hum of machinery. His body ached, his head throbbed, and his shoulder burned where the bullet had torn through. Blinking, he tried to focus.

"Ah, you're finally awake, cousin. Took you long enough."

The voice was smooth, cocky. It dripped with arrogance and charm. Rody's vision sharpened, and he turned his head.

Sitting beside him, wearing a custom-tailored Armani suit and flashing that famous billion-dollar smirk—

Tony Stark.

"Tony… Stark?" Rody croaked, disbelief hitting him like a freight train.

"The one and only," Tony said, grinning. "Man, you look like hell. Then again, getting shot will do that to you."

Rody's brain struggled to process. When the hell did I become related to Iron Man?!

"Wait… cousin?"

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Damn, that bullet must've messed you up worse than I thought. Yeah, your mom—aka my aunt—told me you were coming to New York before she and my uncle went on their little Amazon adventure. But since things have been a little... messy lately, I had some CIA guys pick you up. And what do you do? Knock one out and kill another."

Rody's stomach twisted. "Wait… they were CIA?"

"Yep. My bad," Tony admitted with a shrug. "I told them to protect you, not traumatize you. But, y'know, government goons aren't exactly the brightest bunch."

Rody was speechless. The sniper, the ambush at his house—were those not CIA? If not…

Who the hell was trying to kill him?

Tony patted his shoulder. "Anyway, get some rest, kid. We've got a lot to talk about. But first…" He smirked, pulling out a bottle of whiskey.

"I was gonna take you to a party full of supermodels tonight, but seeing as you're recovering from murdering government agents, I guess I'll have to drink alone."

Rody groaned, covering his face. "I have no idea what's going on anymore."

Tony laughed. "Welcome to my world, cousin. Welcome to my world."

---