After a three-hour and forty-minute flight, they finally reached their destination. Looking down from the plane at the neon lights and dazzling city below, Leo couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement.
But then he glanced down at his own 1.25-meter frame, and his enthusiasm wilted slightly.
After disembarking, the three of them went straight to their booked hotel and dropped off their luggage. Jenny and George looked out the window at the skyline, embracing each other excitedly.
The small suite had two rooms. Leo stayed in the inner one, which meant he had to pass through Uncle George's room to get out.
George checked his watch and lay down on the bed. "Leo, get some rest early!"
"Uncle George, it's only 3 PM?"
"Las Vegas is the city that never sleeps. The night is when it truly comes alive. Many attractions aren't even open yet!" George stretched lazily.
"I've got everything planned. We'll head out at 6 o'clock, hit a fantastic buffet, and then I'll show you the famous musical fountains!"
"There are pirate shows, volcano eruptions, and roller coasters too! Now, Leo, go to bed!" Jenny gently nudged Leo into the inner suite. "This isn't like New York. You can't wander off alone here. This place is called Sin City for a reason!"
Back in his room, Leo spread out the hotel-provided map. "Tony Stark wouldn't bother with the low-tier casinos. There are seven top-tier hotel-casinos... Let me think, which one will he show up at?"
...
Two days later, George and Jenny slept until almost noon. Room service had already delivered breakfast—or rather, lunch.
Leo, who had been up for hours, had already eaten. He was still studying photos on his phone, torn between the entrances of two particular hotels. "The decor at these two... both have those statue fountains. This is tricky!"
"Leo, why are you up so early every day? Yesterday you were scoping out casino entrances. Are you looking for something specific?" George asked around a mouthful of pancake.
"Well, I heard Tony Stark is in Las Vegas too. I could never get past the front door of his company back home. Maybe I can actually see him here!"
"Why would you want to meet that playboy? Our world doesn't exactly overlap with billionaires like him," Aunt Jenny remarked.
"It's fine. I just want to give him a model. I prepared one for him a long time ago."
"Alright, but we can't stay out too late. We have a flight to catch tomorrow at noon!"
"Don't worry!"
Leo narrowed down his choices and finally settled on one last photo: the New York-New York Hotel & Casino. "I heard there's a costume party there tonight!"
At 7 PM, Leo, along with his aunt and uncle, arrived at the entrance of the New York-New York Hotel. His eyes scanned the central fountain and the white marble statues surrounding it, but most importantly, he spotted the blonde reporter hiding off to the side. A smile touched Leo's lips.
He strode over to the reporter. "Hello, Miss Reporter!"
Christine Everhart looked at the child before her, then glanced at his chest—no press pass.
She crouched down to his level. "Hello there, little guy. How did you know I'm a reporter?"
"My sister is so pretty, I remembered you from TV!"
Christine smiled at the boy. "Why are you here all alone? Where are your parents? It's not safe here; you should go back."
Leo waved over to Uncle George, who was waiting nearby. "Is my sister waiting for someone here?"
"That's a secret. You should head back now; this isn't a place for children." Christine turned her attention back to the notes in her hand.
Leo just smiled and quietly positioned himself behind Christine.
Christine, focused on her notes and determined not to be distracted, paid him little mind. She'd worked hard to get this tip.
Leo was buzzing with excitement. He was about to see the real Tony Stark—the "mortal who played at being a god," the future Iron Man.
The minutes ticked by. Finally, around 11 PM, just as Jenny was about to come retrieve him, a commotion erupted at the hotel's main entrance.
Tony Stark emerged, looking disheveled in a burgundy shirt and a black suit jacket, with light red sunglasses, a slicked-back hairstyle, and his signature Mustache.
Happy Hogan led the way, followed by three large bodyguards in suits, all striding toward a black Rolls-Royce parked nearby.
Leo's eyes lit up. He gave Christine, who was still reviewing her notes, a gentle nudge.
Christine snapped to attention, hastily shoving her notes into her bag and hurrying after them in her high heels.
"Mr. Stark! Excuse me, Mr. Stark!" she finally called out, just as he was about to get into the car. "I'm Christine Everhart, a reporter for Vanity Fair. May I ask you a few questions?"
Leo trailed closely behind her like a little shadow.
Tony didn't even bother to look back.
Happy leaned in. "She's punctual!"
"Really?" Hearing this, Tony, who had been ready to brush her off, turned around with sudden interest.
"Hi," Stark said with a smirk.
"Hi," Christine replied.
"Alright, let her through," Stark waved. The bodyguards stepped aside.
Leo smoothly slipped through with her, immediately catching Tony Stark's eye.
Christine rushed forward. "Some people call you the modern Da Vinci. What are your thoughts on that?"
Stark's gaze shifted from Leo to the reporter, taking in her pretty face. He smiled. "I don't know about that. I don't paint."
"And what about another nickname: 'The Merchant of Death'? What do you think of that one?"
Stark tilted his chin up slightly. "That's not bad, I suppose. Let me guess, you went to Berkeley?"
"It's Brown University."
"Right, Miss Brown," Stark said, suddenly adopting a serious tone. "This world isn't perfect, but we don't have a choice. I promise you, the day we no longer have to trade weapons for peace, I will personally rebuild the children's hospital."
The overly rehearsed line made Leo cover his mouth to suppress a laugh.
Christine narrowed her eyes slightly. "Do you practice that in the mirror often?"
"Every night before bed," Stark replied without missing a beat.
Leo's eyes crinkled with even more suppressed laughter, and Stark's attention kept drifting back to him.
Christine pressed on, "I can tell!"
"I'd like to show you personally," Stark said, staring intently into her eyes.
"Could you give me a serious answer?" Christine flushed.
"Okay, a serious answer. My father had a philosophy: 'If you want to avoid being bullied, carry a bigger stick.'"
"A fine philosophy for a stick salesman."
"My father helped defeat the Nazis and worked on the Manhattan Project. Many people, including your college professors, said he was a... wait, wait." Tony paused, suddenly pointing at the snickering Leo. "Is this constantly laughing kid with you?"
Staring at Leo's grinning face, Stark said, "I've put up with you for a while now, kid! Is this really that funny? Can't an interview have some professionalism?"
Seeing Leo, who had been tailing her, Christine quickly explained, "Mr. Stark, I don't know this child. I have no idea who he is!"
"Sorry, Mr. Stark," Leo spoke up, looking up at Tony Stark. "I followed the reporter in on purpose. I wanted to chat with you alone."
Stark looked Leo over. The people around them took a few steps back, leaving only Happy closer to Leo than Stark was.
"Mr. Stark, what I really want to say is that people only truly grow through experience. I'm sorry!" Leo said, meeting the gaze of the still-arrogant Stark.
"What?" Tony looked puzzled.
Leo pulled an exquisitely crafted metal model from his pocket and offered it to Stark. "This is for you, Mr. Stark."
Stark put his hands behind his back, taking a step back. "Oh, I don't like people handing me things."
Happy reluctantly stepped forward, took the object from Leo's hand, and passed it to Stark, who finally accepted it.
"It's a small metal model. For you. Goodbye. I believe we'll meet again." Seeing Stark take it, Leo quickly turned and hurried back to where Uncle George was waiting not far away.
Stark glanced at the metal model in his hand. He was about to toss it onto the car seat, but the intricate craftsmanship and satisfying weight made him hesitate.
Christine stepped forward again. "Sorry, may we continue?"
"Of course, proceed."
He composed himself for a moment before continuing, "But many people say he was a war profiteer!"
Tony took off his sunglasses, his expression turning serious. "Let me ask you this: Why don't your reports ever mention the millions of lives saved by our advanced medical technology, or how our intelligent crop systems have solved famines? All of that was funded by military contracts, my dear."
Christine was instantly captivated by the serious Tony revealed without the sunglasses, a special light appearing in her eyes.
Leo watched Christine get into Tony's luxury car. As the vehicle drove away, he whispered silently to himself, "I look forward to your return, Iron Man."