After dinner, everyone went their separate ways.
Luca arranged for Wanda and Pietro to be in two adjacent suites on the same floor.
late at night.
Pietro paced back and forth in his room, unable to sleep.
He glanced outside the door, his thoughts drifting.
Then, he activated his super speed, transforming into a silver blur as he slipped into Wanda's room.
At this moment, Wanda was somewhat bewildered.
So she sat on the sofa, gazing absently at the night view outside the window.
Nobody knows what she's thinking.
Is it Luca? Or Luca? Or Luca?
Oh no, that can't be, how could it be...
Wanda! What are you thinking?
Pietro lowered his voice and walked anxiously to his sister.
"Why should we stay? Luca is a devil! A complete capitalist and vampire!"
"They're asking us to pay back a billion?! We couldn't pay that back even if we sold our blood!"
"Let's run away while they're all asleep! At my speed, they can't catch us!"
Wanda paused for a moment.
Seeing her brother so anxious, her eyes remained calm, even showing a hint of tenderness.
" Pietro, we're not running."
"WTF?! Are you crazy?" Pietro's eyes widened, grabbing his hair with both hands.
"Didn't you see how he slammed Hulk into the ground during the day? If he wanted to kill us, it would be as easy as crushing two ants!"
That's right, that's what Pietro thinks.
He is indeed a speedster, but he had seen Luca's speed during the day.
At first, when Luca fought Hulk, he engaged in hand-to-hand combat, but later, realizing he couldn't match Hulk's strength, he started to use grappling techniques.
It was at that moment that Pietro saw what true speed was.
Like a ghost, he appeared behind Hulk without even leaving a trace.
The most outrageous scene was that Luca was so fast that more than a dozen figures appeared at the same time to attack Hulk.
Is this even human?! Huh?!
Wanda shook her head and said softly.
He won't kill us.
" Pietro, you don't understand. I saw his heart in the illusion."
At this point, Wanda's gaze became somewhat complicated, and the image of Luca's desperate rampage for his family in the illusion resurfaced in her mind.
On the surface, he appears arrogant, sharp-tongued, Playboy, and without any moral boundaries.
"But those are all disguises used to protect oneself."
"His parents were also murdered. In fact, he is just like us, a pitiful person who lost both parents."
He treats others harshly simply because he doesn't want them to see his vulnerability.
Pietro was stunned when he heard this.
Then he looked at his sister like she was an alien.
"A pitiful person? A fragile one?"
" Wanda, have you been brainwashed?"
"That guy could smash a car with one punch, and he's surrounded by different supermodels every night. How is he pitiful?"
"Most importantly, he's the world's richest man!! How is he pitiful?!"
Wanda ignored her brother's complaints and just looked at him firmly.
"No matter what you say, I've decided to stay."
"Moreover, it now seems that the bomb that landed in their house back then may not have been directly related to the Stark brothers."
"Staying by Luca's side might allow us to utilize their resources and find the real culprit who destroyed our family back then."
Pietro was somewhat speechless.
But seeing the determination in her sister's eyes, she knew she couldn't persuade her otherwise.
Then, he could only sigh helplessly and slump down on the sofa.
"Alright, alright. Since you've made up your mind, I'll go with you."
"But you must remember, if that bastard dares to do anything perverted to you, I'll risk my life to kick his balls to pieces."
Wanda smiled slightly and nodded seriously.
Will Luca do it? She doesn't know.
The next day arrived.
The group packed their luggage and boarded a private plane to return to Los Angeles.
This plane was custom-made by Tony; its interior space is ridiculously large, and its decoration is extremely luxurious.
Sofas, wine cabinets, home theaters—it has everything.
But for some reason, Steve felt uneasy as soon as he boarded the plane.
He was sitting on the sofa with his arms crossed, his brows furrowed.
"Gentlemen, welcome aboard. The estimated flight time is eleven hours. Would you like any drinks?"
As soon as the plane took off, JARVIS's gentle voice rang out in the cabin.
Steve was startled and jumped to his feet, looking around warily.
"Who? Who's speaking?"
"Damn it, get out here!"
Tony couldn't help but roll his eyes at Steve's attitude.
"Relax, old fogey. That's JARVIS, my AI butler."
"It has no physical form; it's just a program."
Steve didn't understand anything about artificial intelligence; he just felt like an invisible ghost was watching him.
"I don't care what kind of bullshit program it is!"
"Can't this machine just shut up?!"
"It feels like being spied on by a perverted guy who has no testicles!"
Do you all have exhibitionism? Do you enjoy being stared at by something you can't see?
Tony's lips twitched slightly as he was scolded.
"Damn, your mouth stinks even more than Fury's spit."
" JARVIS, put it on silent mode. Ignore this Old Popsicle that crawled out of the septic tank."
"Yes, sir," JARVIS replied, and then the cabin fell silent.
Steve snorted and sat back on the sofa, observing his surroundings with a look of disgust.
On the other hand, Pietro acted as if he had never seen the world before.
As soon as he boarded the plane, he wandered around the cabin, touching this and looking at that.
When he walked to the bar and saw the pure silver cutlery and fine wine glasses, his eyes widened in amazement.
He swallowed hard, looked around, and found that no one was paying attention to Z.
So he quietly reached out, intending to steal a few forks.
The instant his hand touched the fork.
"If you dare put a fork in your pocket, I'll chop your hand off and flush it down the toilet."
Luca's words came coldly from behind.
Pietro was startled and recoiled as if he'd been electrocuted.
He then stared blankly behind him and saw Luca sitting on a sofa not far away, holding a biology magazine in his hand, without even looking up.
But Pietro knew this guy was a man of his word.
Left with no other choice, I could only give an awkward laugh and quickly slink back to my seat.
After a while, Luca put down the magazine and looked at Tony across from him.
" Tony, the armor performed terribly on the field."
"To be whipped like a spinning top by a Russian who never bathes, don't you feel ashamed?"
"Luckily, I arranged for this guy to be taken back to Los Angeles and detained beforehand, otherwise I'm afraid you'd have nightmares tonight."
Tony laughed in exasperation and immediately retorted.
"Shut up, Luca. That's just portable armor; it sacrifices defense for portability."
"And in the end, I sent him flying with a single punch; it was all on my own."
"But you, you ruined the room to take a shower and brought back two unborn kids. Are you planning to open an orphanage in Malibu?"
"If I were to open an orphanage, I'd send you, this giant baby, there first," Luca retorted with a sneer.
Wanda sat to the side, quietly watching the two brothers exchange sarcastic remarks.
To outsiders, the two had a terrible relationship and were irreconcilable enemies.
But in Wanda's eyes, it was a completely different story.
She felt that Luca was using pointless arguments to mask his inner loneliness and longing for family affection.
He actually cares about Tony a lot, but he doesn't know how to express it, so he can only use these clumsy methods.
Thinking of this, Wanda's eyes softened even more.
She got up, walked to the bar, and poured herself a drink.
Then he walked over to Luca and handed him the wine glass.
" Mr. Luca, why don't you have a drink and relax?"
Wanda spoke softly, trying to get some information out of Luca and to close the distance between them.
"You don't always have to be so tense. Relaxing occasionally and speaking your mind will make you feel much better."
Luca looked at the wine glass with a bewildered expression, then at Wanda's virtuous and motherly demeanor.
"It's very impolite, but I still want to ask, are you poisoned by magic?"
"I appreciate your concern, but I am Luca Stark, and I don't need anyone's concern. Thank you."
Although Wanda was rejected, she wasn't angry. Instead, she felt that Luca had been touched on a sensitive topic and was just being coy in his attempt to hide it.
So she obediently nodded and returned to her seat.
This scene sent chills down Jessica's spine as she sat in the corner.
How is that possible?!
Just yesterday, Wanda was the assassin sent by the organization to kill Luca.
Why have you suddenly become so submissive today?!
What exactly did Luca do to her?
Have they been brainwashed?!
That's terrifying!
Luca, that devil, is even more ruthless than Hydra!
Jessica didn't dare to think about it further, and simply buried her head even lower.
She was relieved that her clearance level was quite high, and Wanda and Pietro had no idea about the organization's situation.
Otherwise, if they told Luca directly, she would be doomed.
After more than ten hours of flight.
The plane landed at a private airport in Los Angeles.
Everyone disembarked from the plane.
Pepper glanced at his watch and said to Tony and Luca.
"There are still many details to be handled regarding the headquarters relocation to New York. I need to go back to the company for a meeting immediately."
" Jessica, come with me and help me organize the documents."
Jessica felt like she'd been granted a pardon and quickly followed Pepper, scrambling into another car as if her life depended on it.
Luca and Tony took Steve, Banner, Wanda, and Pietro to their villa in Malibu.
An hour later, the car stopped in front of the villa.
The group entered the spacious and bright living room.
Luca pointed to the rest area and spoke to the four of them.
"You guys, stay here for now."
"There's food and drinks in the Fridge, help yourself."
Also, don't touch my things.
Carter turned to look at Steve.
"Especially you, Old Popsicle."
"Don't smash my TV, mistaking it for an enemy communicator. That thing is worth a hundred thousand dollars."
Steve rolled his eyes, cursed "fuck capitalist," and then started wandering around.
Banner and the twins followed.
After everything was arranged...
Luca's smile vanished instantly.
He looked at Tony, his eyes cold.
"Come with me to the lab."
Tony paused for a moment.
He rarely saw Luca show that expression.
Even when faced with the biggest troubles, Luca always appears determined to succeed.
He realized that something serious must have happened.
Without another word, he followed Luca to the laboratory.
As soon as I arrived.
Luca issued the order directly.
" JARVIS, disconnect from the external network."
"Activate the jamming and anti-eavesdropping systems."
"No one is allowed to approach the laboratory without my permission."
"Okay, Mr. Luca. Network disconnected, shielding activated."
The laboratory lights dimmed, leaving only a few dim blue work lights.
Tony noticed Luca's tense demeanor and furrowed brow.
"What exactly happened?"
"The look on your face is like you've just discovered you have a terminal STD."
Tony tried to ease the tension with a joke.
But Luca didn't respond.
He walked to the lab bench, placed his hands on the table, and took a deep breath.
" Tony, do you remember that anonymous email we received before?"
Luca's tone was low.
"It's that file about the truth behind my parents' deaths."
Tony's expression changed.
This email was a thorn in their side.
The email stated that the 1991 car accident was not an accident at all, but an assassination attempt.
However, the email did not specify who the murderer was.
"Of course I remember." Tony clenched his fist.
"Didn't we agree that once things stabilized recently, we would use all our resources to investigate?"
Luca looked up and stared directly into Tony's eyes.
"No need to check anymore."
"I already know who the murderer is."
Tony's eyes widened, and his breathing became rapid.
Who is it?!
Luca didn't answer immediately, but instead recounted the events of the previous night in detail.
" Wanda's magic showed me what I most longed for and feared deep within my heart."
"On the second level of the illusion, I returned to 1991, back to the highway where the car accident happened."
At this point, Luca's voice became a little hoarse.
"I saw Dad and Mom."
"I also saw the killer who was planning to cause a car accident."
Tony stared intently at Luca, his eyes already beginning to redden.
Tell me, who is that bastard?!
Luca took a deep breath and dropped a bombshell.
"Before he died, Dad recognized the assassin."
His name is Bucky Barnes.
"That is, Steve Rogers' best buddy back in the day."
Tony was stunned.
Bucky Barnes?
That hero who fought alongside Captain America in the WWII documentary, and ultimately fell off a cliff and died?
He's not dead?
And he even became the murderer of his own parents?!
After a brief moment of stunned silence, Tony was consumed by an uncontrollable rage.
"Ah!!!"
Tony roared, his power instantly spiraling out of control.
He slammed his fist on the lab table.
"Bang!"
The tabletop was smashed, leaving a deep dent, and the whole table started to shake.
Tony's eyes turned bloodshot, and veins bulged on his forehead.
"That son of a bitch!"
Tony cursed through gritted teeth.
He actually killed my parents!
The angrier Tony got, the faster he turned around and strode toward the display case where the armor was kept.
"I'm putting on my armor right now and going to drag Steve down!"
"I want him to tell me where that bastard Bucky is hiding!"
Tony had lost his mind.
All he wants now is to kill, all he wants is revenge.
Just as Tony's hand was about to touch the armor...
A strong, large hand pressed firmly against his shoulder.
It's Luca.
"Calm down, Tony!"
Luca looked at him firmly.
"Let me go, Luca!"
Tony struggled, trying to shake off Luca's hand.
"He killed my parents! How can you expect me to stay calm?!"
"Do you expect me to pretend nothing happened?!"
Luca gripped Tony's shoulders tightly, staring directly into the other's bloodshot eyes.
"I didn't tell you to pretend nothing happened!"
"But what's the point of you rushing up and killing Steve now?"
" Steve has been frozen for seventy years! He can't even use a cell phone now, how could he possibly know where Bucky is?"
"To put it bluntly, he probably doesn't even know Bucky is still alive!"
Tony paused for a moment, but his anger had not subsided.
"So what? Bucky's his friend!"
Luca took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm.
In situations like these, it's crucial to avoid acting impulsively.
" Tony, use your brain and think about it," Luca quickly analyzed.
When Bucky fell off the cliff, everyone thought he was dead.
"But not only did he not die, he came back decades later to assassinate his parents."
What does this mean?
"This suggests that he was likely rescued by Hydra or S.H.I.E.L.D.., and then brainwashed and controlled, turning into an emotionless killing machine."
"My dad also told me in the illusion that the killer was brainwashed."
Tony gritted his teeth, his chest heaving violently.
I don't care if he's been brainwashed or not!
"All I know is that he fired the shot! He caused the car accident!"
He must die!
Luca nodded, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
"I know."
"He absolutely must die."
Seeing that Tony had calmed down, Luca released Tony.
"Whether he was brainwashed or did it voluntarily."
"He must pay the price for killing our family."
But we can't just wander around like headless flies.
Luca walked up to Tony and patted him on the chest.
"Listen, Tony."
"What we need to do now is pretend we know nothing."
"We'll continue organizing the New York Expo, and continue being our superheroes, keeping everyone in the dark, including S.H.I.E.L.D.. and Hydra."
"But secretly, we need to track down Bucky's whereabouts."
At this point, Luca's killing intent was no longer restrained.
"As long as we find him."
"I will crush his bones one by one, so he can experience what true despair is."
"As for what organization is behind him, whether it's Hydra or S.H.I.E.L.D.."
"I will uproot them and scatter all their ashes into the Pacific Ocean to feed the sharks."
Seeing Luca's cold, sinister gaze.
The madness in Tony's eyes gradually faded, and reason once again prevailed.
He knew Luca was right.
Impulsive actions won't solve anything; they'll only alert the enemy.
They are Stark; they have the means and patience to pull out those rats hiding in the gutter, one by one.
Tony took a deep breath and wiped his eyes.
Silently watching Luca, he felt the unspoken understanding that blood is thicker than water.
"Good."
Tony nodded, his tone returning to its usual coldness.
"We'll do it your way."
"On the surface, we continue to play along with their act."
"We'll find that bastard, even if it means digging three feet into the ground."
They exchanged a glance.
No need for unnecessary words.
But they all knew that from this moment on, revenge had begun.
Anyone who dares to harm their family members will die.
That's Stark's rule.