Chapter 37: Lynn: Tony Really Is a High Roller
Stepping through the portal was a bizarrely novel experience.
One second, he was standing in Tony Stark's villa; the next, he was on a beach in Miami.
The warm air and the sound of the surf were instantly soothing.
Right now, Lynn desperately wanted to be in a pair of swim trunks, kicking back on a lounge chair and soaking up the sun.
"Wow. That is a seriously cool ability."
Tony Stark, watching the portal snap shut, looked amazed. "Ms. Elsa, is that sorcery? If it is, can it be applied to my suit?"
"I mean, don't magic and sorcery usually require patterns or rituals? Like hexagrams and stuff?"
"If I put one on the armor…"
Before Tony could finish, Elsa cut him off. "It's my family's Bloodstone ability. As for magical runes or whatever, sorry, I wouldn't know."
"Alright then." Tony shrugged, looking disappointed. "Well, folks, since we're here, let's get prepped."
"We move at 2100 hours. Sharp."
"Got it. I'll contact the local assets, use the cover of a training exercise to evacuate the civilian population in the target area. Prevent any of them from getting out and hurting people."
As Natasha finished, Steve nodded. "That's the right call. Let's stick to the plan."
"I'll go get the anti-vampire gear."
Clint Barton glanced around. "I'm going to set up a perimeter of UV rigs. Anyone want to help?"
"I'll go with you."
Bruce Banner, quiet until now, spoke up. "I... I've done some research on ultraviolet and gamma radiation."
"Wow, Banner. 'Some research.' You're just so humble."
Tony Stark put on a look of dramatic exaggeration at Bruce's understatement.
With that, all eyes in the group turned to Lynn.
"Don't look at me. Fine, fine. I'll provide the slowing potions."
Lynn threw up his hands. "I already have the stuff ready. As for now… I'm going to go enjoy this lovely beach."
He gave them a wave and, without a second thought, turned and walked away.
'Are you kidding? The beach is covered in eye-candy in bikinis. Who in their right mind would want to hang around with a bunch of dudes?'
Watching Lynn leave, Clint Barton muttered, "Is it just me, or does it feel like he's deliberately keeping his distance from us?"
"It's not just you. But he's not avoiding us, he just hates trouble."
"Knowing Lynn, he would genuinely rather sit on a couch at the Manhattan precinct and die of boredom than get involved in… well, any of this."
"If he wasn't like that, the Avengers wouldn't have been a team of six at the Battle of New York. It would've been seven."
Natasha clapped her hands. "Alright, boys, let's get to work. This isn't the time for chit-chat."
***
The team split off to handle their tasks. Lynn went to a nearby hotel and got a room.
He changed into a pair of swim trunks, headed straight for the beach, put on his sunglasses, and sprawled out on a lounge chair.
Under the shades, Lynn's eyes were constantly scanning.
He had to admit, the local girls in their bikinis were a spectacular sight.
He took a sip of his juice and let out a long, satisfied stretch.
'This... this is the life.'
While Lynn was appreciating the view, the view was appreciating him right back.
With his physical fitness at five times peak human, Lynn's build was basically perfect.
The tall frame, the handsome face, the clean lines of his abs, and the lean, explosive muscle that wasn't overdone...
All of it was making the nearby girls practically drool.
In just ten minutes, several had already come over to talk to him.
Lynn, naturally, was the type who never refused a beautiful woman.
Well, '8.5s and under, and black women, need not apply.'
So, when it was time for dinner, and Lynn walked from his hotel to the restaurant Tony had booked...
Natasha instinctively sniffed the air as he approached and smiled. "You sure you're going to have any stamina left for the vampires tonight?"
At her question, Lynn took a step back, feigning shock. "I took a shower. You can still smell it?"
"Ha. So I was right."
'Okay, so she was just bluffing... but it looks like she'd hit the nail on the head.'
Lynn sat down next to Steve and started digging into the food.
He listened as the team hammered out the final details of the night's assault.
He had to admit, even though they'd only really worked together once during the Battle of New York...
...these guys had an incredible synergy.
***
Nine P.M. The evacuated city block.
Standing in front of a large ventilation shaft, Lynn uncorked a bottle of slowing potion.
Tony Stark, in his suit, crouched beside him, watching as the liquid in Lynn's hand seemed to thicken and crawl, like a solid, into the vent.
"How did you do that?"
"What?"
Tony's sudden question caught Lynn off guard. "How'd I do what?"
"That. Change its physical state. From a liquid to a solid."
"Tony, now is not the time."
Natasha walked up, handing Lynn a silver longsword. "You two can geek out about it after we kill the vampires."
As she spoke, she saw Lynn nod.
Natasha immediately fired a grapple line into a nearby tunnel entrance and rappelled down.
The others followed suit.
When Lynn landed last, Steve gave the order. "Three tunnels. We split up."
"I'll take the wizard. We'll go left."
Tony Stark didn't hesitate, pointing right at Lynn.
He was now intensely curious about all the weird stuff Lynn had.
He didn't even wait for Steve's approval, just grabbed Lynn and started walking.
***
In the tunnel.
The suit's lights cut through the oppressive darkness, illuminating a passage that stretched out of sight. It was dead silent.
The echo of their footsteps was the only sound. It was the perfect set for a horror movie.
"So, Magic Man. Besides the slowing potion, what other cool tricks you got in your bag?" Tony asked as they walked.
"Plenty."
Knowing full well that Tony Stark was a high roller, Lynn didn't hesitate to list the effects of his various potions.
The more Lynn talked, the brighter Tony's eyes got under the faceplate.
This was a field of science he had never even touched.
"How much?"
Tony looked at Lynn. "I mean... for the whole set. All of them. Triple the amount. What's the price?"
Lynn held up two fingers, meaning two hundred thousand.
That's what he'd charged Natasha and Steve, after all.
"Two million? That's it? Deal. I'll have JARVIS wire it to your account right now."
With that, Tony immediately instructed JARVIS to find Lynn's bank account and initiate the transfer.
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Author's Little Life Advice: Next time you do a job, don't name your price. Just raise two fingers. Let their imagination do the rest.
And if they try to lowball you, just drop your index finger.
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