Marvel : Endless Power

Rody saw Tony Stark's worried expression and realized he had blurted out something absurd. He quickly changed the subject.

"Wait, Tony. My head hurts—I need some quiet."

Tony's concern immediately took over. "Alright, don't worry. Just rest up." He waved over a doctor and nurse, instructing them to monitor Rody closely before leaving.

Now alone in the luxurious private ward, Rody took a deep breath. The past day had been insane. If not for the bandages on his shoulder, he might've convinced himself it was all just a dream.

First, the funeral for his parents, the mysterious letter, and the prophetic comic book. Then, SHIELD agents, snipers, and now Iron Man himself? Everything felt like it had been pulled straight from a Marvel blockbuster.

What the hell am I supposed to do now?

Then it hit him—the comic!

Rody frantically searched the bedside table and let out a relieved sigh when he saw the torn pages. In the chaos, he had instinctively clenched them in his hand, preventing them from being thrown away as trash.

Among the scraps, only one page remained mostly intact. The illustration? Him. Sitting in an unremarkable room. But on the opposite side of the room, a mysterious file folder sat on a desk, its cover partially torn. The only visible letters?

OSB.

"OSB…? Oriented Structural Board?" Rody muttered, frowning. That was what Google suggested when he searched the term on the ward's computer, but something felt off. The way the letters appeared in the comic—bold, official-looking, and embossed—didn't scream construction material.

His head throbbed. There was too much to process. Maybe…maybe sleep would clear his mind. Maybe when he woke up, his parents would be there, telling him it was all a bad dream.

But deep down, he knew better.

---

Over the next few days, Rody recovered at an alarming rate. His shoulder, despite taking a direct gunshot wound, had completely healed in record time. Even for someone in Tony Stark's world-class medical care, this didn't make sense.

Something's off.

Still, he wasn't about to complain. The last thing he wanted was to spend another day locked up in a hospital bed.

During his recovery, he had subtly probed Tony for information. He learned that, in this world, his parents weren't ordinary university professors. Instead, they were renowned biologists who had vanished six months ago during an expedition to the Amazon Rainforest.

In Rody's original world, they had died in a car crash.

Now? They were missing.

Even Tony Stark, with all his resources and connections, hadn't been able to track them down. That alone set off major alarm bells.

What exactly had they been working on?

Could this OSB be connected?

---

"Rody, are you sure you want to leave today?" Tony asked, arms crossed. "I haven't even had dinner with your full-time nurse yet." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Rody sighed. "Tony, I swear, if I spend another minute in this place, I'll lose my mind. Even New York's air pollution sounds better than hospital sterility at this point."

"Fine, fine. But tonight, we're celebrating—I'll invite some lovely ladies to welcome you properly."

Rody rolled his eyes. "I'm seventeen, Tony."

"So? My first time was at fifteen! You're already lagging behind, kid." Tony grinned smugly.

Rody smirked. "Oh yeah? Does Pepper know about that?"

Tony instantly froze.

"Uh—"

Before he could recover, Pepper Potts strolled into the room, heels clicking against the floor.

"Does Pepper know what exactly?" she asked, arms crossed.

Rody chuckled, watching Tony squirm. This woman was more intimidating than any villain in the MCU.

"Absolutely nothing, my dearest Pepper," Tony said quickly, flashing an awkward smile. "Just some cousinly bonding, that's all."

Pepper arched a skeptical brow. "Uh-huh. Sure."

Suppressing a laugh, Rody grabbed his jacket. "Alright, let's get out of here before I go stir-crazy."

---

Tony's sleek Audi R8 sped down the highway, the city skyline reflecting in the windshield. Soon, they arrived at Tony's Malibu mansion, a sprawling glass-and-steel fortress perched over the ocean.

The moment Rody stepped inside, a familiar British AI voice greeted him.

"Welcome home, Mr. Rodi. Your suite has been prepared."

Rody blinked. Wait…

Was that—?

"That's J.A.R.V.I.S., my personal AI assistant," Tony explained smugly, noting Rodi's awed expression.

Rody felt a grin tug at his lips. He had always dreamed of having his own super-intelligent AI. And now, he was living in a house run by one of the most advanced systems in the world.

"J.A.R.V.I.S., you are officially my favorite cousin," Rodi declared.

"I am honored, sir. If there's anything you require, simply ask."

Rody smirked at Tony. "Did you code him yourself?"

"Of course," Tony said, puffing out his chest.

"Doesn't seem like your style. I expected more inappropriate jokes and crude sarcasm."

"Excuse you!" Tony gasped dramatically. "I take my work very seriously."

"Uh-huh. And how long before you install a 'hot secretary' mode?"

Tony opened his mouth to retort—

"Sir, Ms. Potts is approaching," J.A.R.V.I.S. warned.

Tony immediately stiffened.

"I mean—very serious work—scientific rigor and all that," he corrected himself hastily.

Rody barely held in his laughter. Pepper Potts truly was Tony's kryptonite.

---

After some casual conversation, Rody finally made his way to his new room.

To say it was extravagant was an understatement. Massive king-sized bed. Wall-to-wall windows with an ocean view. State-of-the-art entertainment system.

A life of luxury, all thanks to his new identity as Tony Stark's cousin.

And yet, despite the comfort, Rody couldn't shake the nagging feeling in his chest.

His parents.

The comic.

The OSB file.

He was knee-deep in something big, and if his gut was right, it wasn't just about missing scientists.

This was the Marvel Universe, after all. And in a world filled with gods, mutants, and super-soldiers, there were things out there far beyond his comprehension.

Taking a deep breath, he sat down and opened his notebook.

It was time to figure out what the hell was really going on.

---