Tony looked pale and could barely stand.
John stared at his neck, noticing how unsteady Tony had become.
Tony breathed heavily. "Tell me you have chlorophyll juice at home now."
"Unfortunately, I do not think anyone in my family likes that stuff," John replied, watching Tony's struggle with a mix of concern and curiosity.
The palladium poisoning in Tony's body was close to ninety percent, nearly fatal. He looked like a fish dying of thirst, flopping helplessly on land.
Seeing Tony's worsening condition, John asked, genuinely concerned, "Are you telling me you are about to die here?"
"Yes, I am really sorry," Tony said, supporting himself on the table, still managing to keep talking. "Unless you can get me home in ten minutes so I can replace the damaged core, I will either be pierced by shrapnel in my heart or die of poisoning."
Neither was a good way to go.
Ironically, Tony's reactor was designed to keep him alive, but it was now the very thing killing him. He felt as if he could see his dead parents waving to him from the other side.
Thinking of his parents, Tony's heart was far from calm. The toxins raged in his body. In a daze, he murmured, "Father."
The imagined figure of his father leaned down and slapped him across the face, snapping Tony back to reality.
"Are you still conscious?" John asked, patting Tony's face to check his awareness.
It was almost surreal to think of the famous Iron Man dying in his own home. Still, John knew that if Tony died now, there would be no one left to stand against the coming threats. He had no choice but to act.
John quickly prepared a glass of dark liquid. While Tony was still dazed, John poured it down his throat. The smell was a strange mix of wet earth and volcanic ash. Just one sip was enough to make anyone feel both invigorated and horrified.
"Oh my god, what did you make me drink?" Tony sputtered, suddenly regaining consciousness. He wanted to vomit but could not. "Is that fertilizer from that tree?"
Tony pointed at the unusually tall cactus in the room.
John scoffed, "I would not even give you that to drink."
He lifted Tony's chin and watched as the dark lines on Tony's neck, like Morse code, gradually faded away.
"You should be grateful my mother likes to cook, or I would not have had a cauldron to make the potion," John remarked.
Tony realized his body was starting to recover. He looked down at his chest. The shrapnel that should have pierced his heart had not moved forward. The reactor now glowed purple, the core inside replaced with a purple crystal.
It was as miraculous as seeing his father come back to life and call him "dear boy" once more.
John tapped the reactor and said casually, "It is impressive technology, but it is a shame it can poison people."
He pulled out a pocket watch and checked the time. "The magic crystal in your chest should last until you get home."
Tony stood up, feeling a new sense of hope. "Honestly, I am starting to believe what you say," he admitted. "Why are you helping me?"
"You are not exactly likable," John said, "but I just made a deal with someone, and it would not look good for a superhero to die in my house."
John clapped his hands, stood up, and waved his wand. The dismantled Iron Man suit flew toward Tony and assembled itself onto his body.
Tony looked himself over, then at John in amazement. "That is a beautiful way to get dressed. It must be very convenient for you to change clothes."
"I hope you understand, Mr. Stark," John sighed. "You are really annoying."
Tony grinned. "What I say is worth millions of dollars." He was used to being the center of attention, but today he was simply grateful.
"Thank you, little wizard."
Tony prepared to leave. "I will send the information over. You know what a courier is, right?"
"Do not make me use Expelliarmus on you again," John replied with a friendly but unmistakable warning.
Tony smashed through the glass and flew out.
John looked at the shattered window and regretted not having snapped a photo of Tony Stark in his most embarrassing moment.
As for the so-called express delivery, John held a USB flash drive in his hand and shook his head. "In this day and age, who still uses paper documents?"
Who says wizards must be isolated from the modern world? John decided to find a computer and see what secrets the drive held.
At S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, Director Nick Fury was growing anxious. The disappearance of Tony Stark had thrown his plans into chaos.
"Do not tell me Tony Stark has died somewhere," Fury muttered, frustration clear in his voice.
Tony's recent reckless behavior had convinced Fury it was time to intervene. He had known about the palladium poisoning for a while; that was why he had sent Natasha Romanoff undercover to monitor Tony's health. After the attack in Monaco, Natasha was dispatched to England to investigate.
But after a fight with Colonel Rhodes at a party, Tony Stark vanished overnight.
Tony was not just a billionaire playboy; he was the only son of one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founders. If he died, it would be a massive blow to both S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers Initiative.
Fury's one good eye narrowed as he ordered his agents to search for Tony.
Natasha, dressed in her black tactical suit, returned from her assignment to a house still in disarray from the previous night's fight.
"Still no sign of him?" she asked, already suspecting the answer.
Fury's expression was grim. "S.H.I.E.L.D. was hacked yesterday."
Natasha was not surprised. "Stark?"
"Who else could treat our network like their own backyard?" Fury replied. "We need to find him before he dies of poisoning, or all our efforts will be wasted."
S.H.I.E.L.D. did not need more accolades; they needed to save Tony Stark when he needed it most.
Just as Fury pondered Tony's whereabouts, the roar of repulsors echoed overhead, and Iron Man landed in classic superhero fashion.
"I will tell the police you broke into the house," Tony said as his helmet opened, revealing his face to Fury and Natasha. "I do not want to join your super-powered boy band."
His eyes landed on Natasha, who had changed out of her tactical gear and looked as poised as ever. Recognizing her, Tony said, "You are fired."
Natasha raised an eyebrow. "That is not your decision."
Tony was no longer CEO of Stark Industries, and Natasha was now the CEO's assistant, not his.
"Tony, this is Agent Romanoff," Fury interjected, maintaining his composure. "When we learned you were sick, I sent her to keep an eye on you."
Tony shrugged, ignoring them both as he walked inside. After what he had been through, his outlook had changed. The elemental problem was still there, but now he had hope.
Fury and Natasha exchanged glances, both puzzled by Tony's new attitude, but they followed him inside.
"You appointed Pepper as CEO, gave away your property, and let your friends fly off in the armor," Fury began, trying to provoke a reaction.
"I did not give it to him; he took it," Tony replied, which amused Fury.
If Tony had not given permission, even the best armor would have been useless.
"Tony, your situation is very serious," Fury said, reaching out to touch Tony's neck. He expected to see the telltale signs of palladium poisoning but was stunned to find the toxins gone.
Even the lithium dioxide syringe Natasha had prepared was no longer needed.
They stared at Tony's neck as if it were a rare treasure. This was nothing like Natasha's last report. According to their calculations, Tony's poisoning should have been over ninety percent by now.
Plans had changed, and not in a way Fury liked.
Even more baffling, who could have solved this problem?
Fury's expression grew serious. "Where have you been for the past two hours?"
"You really want to know?" Tony replied, still in his playboy tone as he lounged on the sofa. "I went to Manhattan and fought a guy with chopsticks."
His answer was deliberately vague, leaving Fury confused.
Natasha's eyes narrowed at the mention of Manhattan. Was this related to the assassination attempt?