Chapter 68: Let Me Go

Luke didn't spare much thought for General Ross. Honestly, it didn't matter to him whether the man lived or died. If Ross ended up fried like a sausage, great, but Luke certainly wouldn't be losing any sleep over it. As far as he was concerned, he was just a grumpy military fossil, barking orders from behind a desk. Nothing worth lingering on. What did matter, however, was what came after. Last night, after Bumblebee sliced Obadiah Stane in half with a single, smooth strike, Luke kept his promise and took Sharon and Steve to the hospital. The moment he met Peggy Carter in person, the system pinged, awarding him a plot point for the historic encounter. Mission accomplished. Of course, all that talk about her being his "idol"? Just his shameless way to tag along. Sharon, watching closely, quickly noticed that Luke didn't show a shred of excitement while meeting her aunt. His expression remained calm, even faintly respectful, but hardly fanboy-level enthusiasm. After a short, awkward introduction, Luke and Sharon quietly excused themselves, leaving Steve behind in the hospital corridor. The poor man was still processing the shock of seeing his long-lost love, now decades older, looking more like his grandma than his girlfriend. The room had gone from heartwarming to heartbreakingly surreal in seconds. Neither of them wanted to linger in that emotional minefield. ... Luke had done well this time. Really well. He now had two third-order mutants by his side, powerful assets by any standard. First, Doggo, his ever-loyal husky, now capable of splitting into three deadly fire-breathing forms. And second... Bumblebee. The Camaro that had slain Iron Monger without breaking a sweat. As Luke watched his sleek yellow car basking in the early morning light, a string of system information appeared above it like a hidden HUD: [Name: Car Variation Direction: Autobot Technology Variation Level: Third Order Anomaly: A lone Autobot is not yet powerful. Acquiring the Spark and forming a Transformer team is the next goal!] Luke rubbed his chin thoughtfully. A full team of Transformers... He could already picture it: a convoy of sleek cars, each one with a unique fighting style and personality, forming a mechanized unit unmatched on Earth. But reality set in quickly. First, he'd need to buy those cars. Then, he'd need a place to put them. His tiny garage next to the store could barely fit Bumblebee, let alone a robot army. Clearly, step one was buying a bigger house. Or maybe... a warehouse. But even that idea came with its own problem. Would Wanda, his suspicious, money-grubbing sister, really let him blow thousands of dollars on a "Transformer squad"? Unlikely. ... Early Morning The sun had just peeked over the rooftops when Luke called out from the door, brushing crumbs off his black T-shirt. "Sharon, we're heading out!" Sharon, tying up her hair in the hallway, gave a nod and grabbed her jacket. Today, Stark Industries was holding an urgent press conference to address the events of last night. After all, Iron Monger's meltdown had taken place in their own building, and the fallout had stirred panic across the city. For Luke, this press conference was more than just a corporate apology tour, it was another plot point opportunity. Why bring Sharon? Simple: her status as a high-level agent granted him access, credibility... and occasionally, free parking. But someone clearly didn't look as thrilled as him. Wanda stood behind the counter of their small grocery store, arms crossed, expression stormy. "Again?" she snapped. "You're taking her again?" Luke blinked. "You mean Sharon?" "No, I mean the ghost of Christmas past," she grumbled, slamming a hand on the counter. "You never bring me anymore. Do you, do you not like me now?" Luke flinched. That line always hit like a dagger. Wanda's eyes shimmered with frustration, not just jealousy, but fear. Deep down, she was terrified of being left behind. Luke was more than just her guardian; he was the only real family she had. From the moment they'd met in that orphanage, they had stuck together like glue. "I'm still your brother," Luke said gently, but Wanda looked away. She pouted again, fire in her stare. "Then prove it. Stay and run the store with me today." Luke froze. That was not the plan. He rubbed the back of his head, searching his brain for an escape route. After all these years, she knew all his usual tricks. So he would need to think of something convincing enough. Then, ding~, an idea lit up in his mind. He quickly pulled out his phone, tapped into his trading app, and waved it like a holy relic. "Look! I'm not just going out to hang with Sharon. I'm going to make money. For you!" Wanda squinted at the screen. "The stocks of Hammer Industries have stopped rising. I need to see if Stark Industries is worth investing in next," Luke said. "If we play this right, we could double, maybe triple our money." Wanda's pout melted slowly into suspicion. But then... Money. Her weakness. The storm in her eyes calmed as she stared at the numbers on the phone. She could already see the dollar signs dancing in her head. "...Fine," she said after a long pause. "But don't take all day. And report back every hour." Luke grinned. "Deal." He turned, threw on his glasses, grabbed Sharon by the hand, and bolted out the front door toward the garage, if they wanted to arrive at the press conference in time they needed to make haste. But just as he was opening it, a shout echoed from the store behind them. "LET ME GO!!!" ...