Judging by the noise on the phone, Sharon was clearly under attack.

Rowan slammed the accelerator, his car roaring toward the company building.

Police were already cordoning off the scene when he arrived. One officer instinctively stepped forward to stop him, but Rowan calmly presented a credential. The officer took one look, flinched, and wisely stepped aside.

As Rowan entered the building's lobby, the devastation was immediately apparent it was the epicenter of the blast.

The air was thick with heat, and the acrid scent of burnt flesh hung heavy. The floor was strewn with debris and scorched remains.

Rowan glanced around and quickly realized something was off.

If this were a conventional bomb, the residual heat wouldn't be so intense.

Then he saw them several human-shaped blackened outlines on the floor.

They were the company's security guards and receptionists, vaporized in an instant.

No ordinary explosion could've done this.

A chilling thought struck him.

"Extremis Virus detonation."

He remembered how, in Iron Man 3, failed Extremis test subjects were used by Killian as human bombs walking weapons of destruction.

"Aldrich Killian... you really have a death wish," Rowan muttered, his eyes darkening with rage.

He had been planning to acquire the Extremis tech and kill Killian eventually. But it seemed Killian had made the first move.

Staring at the charred ruins of his company lobby, Rowan's fists clenched. Kroll Industries had just taken its first steps into the world, and now its headquarters lay in ruins. It wasn't just sabotage it was a declaration of war.

Just as he was about to rush upstairs to rescue Sharon, a soft ding came from the elevator to his left.

Rowan turned sharply.

The elevator was descending.

Apparently, the call button on the first floor had been damaged, but the lift itself still functioned.

Eyes narrowing, Rowan watched the elevator doors.

If Sharon was under attack upstairs, whoever was now coming down was likely connected.

He didn't rush in he waited silently by the elevator.

Ten seconds passed.

Ding.

The elevator reached the ground floor, and the doors slowly opened.

Inside stood Sharon. Her hair was disheveled, clothes intact but marked with scratches. Her expression burned with defiance and fury.

From behind, a cold, metallic hand gripped her neck, holding her helpless.

Towering behind her was a silver-gray armored figure, emanating a chilling, mechanical presence.

Through the haze of heat and smoke, Rowan's gaze locked with the figure's.

One look and he knew who it was.

Ivan Vanko.

Rowan's expression darkened.

He'd initially believed Killian was behind the attack, but now Vanko was here too.

"Rowan..."

Ivan Vanko seemed surprised to see him so soon.

He hadn't expected Rowan to arrive this fast.

But a smirk curled at the corners of his mouth.

All the better.

Thud. Thud.

With mechanical footsteps, the steel armor stepped out of the elevator.

As it did, the faceplate of the armor lifted, revealing Ivan Vanko's greasy hair and twisted grin.

"Well, well... we meet again, boss."

The word "boss" dripped with venom and mockery.

"So this is how you repay me?" Rowan asked coldly, eyes fixed on Sharon's pale, breathless face in Ivan's grip.

"Repay you? Ha!" Ivan spat. "You're no different from the Starks leeches feeding off my father's work, drooling over the arc reactor like scavengers."

Rowan's lips curled into a cold smile.

It was clear now Vanko had never intended to cooperate from the start. This steel armor, built with Kroll Alloy, couldn't have been constructed in a short time.

"You let Sharon go now," Rowan said flatly, "and I'll make sure there's something left to bury."

Ivan laughed like he'd just heard the world's funniest joke.

"Let her go? You fool. If it weren't for your precious Kroll Alloy, I wouldn't have created this perfect machine. And when I'm done with you, I'll pay Stark a visit. I'll show the world who really invented the arc reactor. I'll show them who owns the strongest suit of armor!"

Rowan didn't reply. He had no interest in further dialogue.

"Run, Rowan!" Sharon gasped, her voice trembling through the tightening grip on her throat. "He's insane! Call S.H.I.E.L.D.! Get help!"

"Don't worry," Rowan said, his voice calm and firm. "He won't hurt you."

As the words left his mouth, Rowan released a surge of invisible force.

Crack... Crack!

A horrible, teeth-grinding noise of straining metal filled the lobby.

The steel fingers gripping Sharon's neck were pried apart by an unseen force, slowly, irresistibly.

Ivan's manic grin froze into disbelief.

Before he could react, Rowan flicked his finger.

Whoosh!

An invisible force yanked Sharon by the belt and boots, launching her through the air.

"Ah!"

She didn't understand what was happening. One moment she was being strangled, the next, she was airborne flying straight toward Rowan. Instinctively, she closed her eyes.

Thud.

She landed against something firm and warm.

Eyes fluttering open, she realized she was safe in Rowan's arms.

Sharon was stunned.

What just happened?

How did she go from being a hostage to being... rescued? So effortlessly?

"That's impossible," Ivan muttered.

In a blink, his hostage had vanished.

Moments ago, he had her in an iron grip. And then... something had pried his hand open like it was nothing.

What's more, Sharon didn't run she flew. Propelled by some invisible force.

Even as a top-tier scientist, Ivan couldn't make sense of it.

"Ivan Vanko," Rowan said, voice like a judge handing down a verdict. "I gave you a chance. You wasted it. From this moment on... you will die, and not even your corpse will remain."

He glanced at Sharon.

"Did you get the arc reactor data?"

Sharon finally gathered herself and nodded, still panting. "I did... but I haven't had time to verify it."

"Good. Then go. I'll handle this."

"What? You can't—"

"Sharon. Trust me."

His eyes never left Ivan.

Sharon bit her lip hard, hesitating.

But she nodded. Rowan always acted with precision. If he said he had it under control he did.

She turned and sprinted toward the exit.

"Hmph."

Ivan's eyes flickered with malice. Rowan didn't even consider him a threat.

But if Sharon escaped with that arc reactor data, his plans were done.

Snap!

Ivan swung both arms forward.

Two long whip-like cables shot out from the armor.

They crackled to life, humming with blue electricity, lighting up the ruined lobby with a violent glow.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————

Already hooked? Tell me what reeled you in leave a review, spark the fire with a comment, and if we hit every 250 Power Stones, a bonus chapter drops!

The evolution's just begun. Dive deeper into Unbound Evolution and stay leagues ahead!

[email protected]/_tey

Change @ to a.