Natasha Romanoff was a top agent, one of the best in the world at reading people. And after spending time with Jack, she was certain of one thing—he had zero interest in joining SHIELD or the Avengers.
For now, that was enough. She wouldn't push. Nick Fury had bigger fish to fry, and if Jack wasn't an immediate threat, then Fury could afford to focus his attention elsewhere.
Of course, that didn't mean SHIELD had backed off entirely.
Jack knew damn well he was still being watched. He could feel it.
Eyes in the shadows. Surveillance that never stopped. He wasn't paranoid—just realistic.
And speaking of people being watched…
Tony Stark had been missing for almost two weeks now.
The U.S. military, the FBI, and who-knows-how-many intelligence agencies were tearing Afghanistan apart, but still—nothing. Not a single trace.
And then, on the fourteenth day of Tony's disappearance, Jack received an update from the system.
Mission: Rescue Tony Stark.
Jack groaned. Are you fucking kidding me?
He'd planned to just wait for Tony to escape on his own and let the story play out. Then, he'd swoop in later and take down the villain.
Apparently, the system had other ideas.
Sure, he'd seen the movie. He knew Tony was in a cave, but which cave?
Afghanistan wasn't exactly small, and even the full force of the U.S. military couldn't pinpoint the location. How the hell was he supposed to find it alone?
Jack rubbed his temples. "Well, fuck me sideways."
He needed Intel. And there was only one person he trusted to get it.
He pulled out his phone and dialed.
The line connected instantly.
"Compared to my current environment? Yes, I miss you," Natasha's voice came through, slightly distorted by background noise. "Working next to you is like a vacation."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Are you… on a mission?"
"Give me a sec."
Then came the sounds of gunfire. Shouting. A thud—probably a body hitting the ground.
And then…
A long, bloodcurdling scream.
Jack's fingers tightened around his phone. "...Did you just—?"
Natasha came back on the line, her voice as casual as if she were discussing dinner plans.
"What do you need?"
Jack hesitated. "Uh… what the hell did you just do?"
"Oh, that?" She chuckled. "I crushed his balls into a burrito."
Jack winced, subconsciously shifting in his seat. "Jesus. That's… one way to send a message."
"You called me for a reason," Natasha reminded him.
Right. Focus.
Jack cleared his throat. "I need information on Obadiah Stane."
Natasha was silent for a moment.
"You think he's involved in Tony's disappearance?"
"Call it a hunch. Are you in L.A.? I think we should meet in person. And don't tell anyone yet."
"Wait for me. I'll be there in two hours."
She hung up without another word.
Midnight Meetings and Sharp Suspicions
Natasha didn't walk into Jack's apartment—she strode in like she owned the place.
Black tactical suit. No nonsense. No small talk.
Jack let out a low whistle. "You walk around in that at night, and it's a crime against every wannabe gangster out there."
Natasha smirked. "If they don't mind having their balls turned into burritos, they're welcome to try something."
Jack visibly crossed his legs. "Noted."
She sat on the couch, all business. "Tell me why you suspect Obadiah."
Jack grabbed a couple of drinks from the fridge and tossed one to her.
"Not many people knew Tony's exact route to Afghanistan," he said. "Only his inner circle and the military. I'm guessing the military already cleared their people."
Natasha nodded. "They did."
"Okay, so let's look at motive. Who benefits the most from Tony disappearing?" Jack leaned back. "Only one guy fits all the criteria—big, bald, and shady as fuck."
"Obadiah Stane," Natasha murmured.
"Exactly. He's not like Howard or Tony. He's not an inventor, he's a businessman. He invests in people. First Howard, then Tony. But now?" Jack smirked. "Now, it's time for him to cash in."
Natasha was silent, processing.
"What you're saying makes sense," she admitted. "But we can't arrest him on a hunch. I'm not the Secretary of Defense."
Jack waved a hand. "Who said anything about arresting? I just need to find Tony. If Obadiah's involved, he had to leave a trail. Emails, calls, something."
Natasha sighed, rubbing her temples. "Breaking into Stark Industries' system isn't easy. They have their own private satellites and internal network. The second any external data transfer is detected, the whole system locks down."
Jack frowned. "Shit."
"Yeah. The only way in is from the inside."
Jack considered his options. Maybe Happy or Pepper could help—
But before he could say anything, Natasha had already pulled out her phone and stepped away.
A few minutes later, she returned, looking completely unfazed.
"Alright," she said. "Now we wait."
Jack blinked. "Wait… done? You just said it was impossible unless we had someone inside!"
Natasha smirked. "Who said we didn't?"
Jack narrowed his eyes. "You have a mole in Stark Industries?"
"It's not just me, it's SHIELD," she corrected. "I called Fury. He's mobilizing our assets. We'll have information soon."
Jack facepalmed. "Oh, for fuck's sake. I told you not to tell anyone!"
Natasha shrugged. "I'm on a mission. I can't just disappear for hours without reporting in. Besides, relax. We're the world's biggest intelligence agency. Our people are carefully vetted—professional, reliable."
Jack let out a slow breath. "Yeah… sure."
He didn't argue.
But inside, he was already thinking ahead.
"Professional, reliable? You'll change your tune when you realize just how many of your people are Hydra."
For now, though, there was nothing he could do but wait.
And hope that SHIELD's little mole didn't accidentally alert the real enemy.
Because if Obadiah was working with Hydra?
Then Tony wasn't just missing.
He was as good as dead.