Peter followed Tony's red Audi R8 through Manhattan traffic.
The custom sports car weaved between vehicles with practiced ease. Peter kept pace in his reliable sedan. Nothing flashy. Just functional transportation.
They pulled up to a diner tucked between two office buildings. The place looked surprisingly normal. No paparazzi. No crowds. Just a quiet breakfast spot with worn vinyl booths and checkered floors.
Tony was already inside when Peter walked through the door. Sunglasses off now. Sitting in a back booth with a view of the entrance. Strategic positioning. The man thought like someone used to threats.
"Took you long enough," Tony said.
"Thought maybe you'd chicken out."
"I drive the speed limit," Peter replied. He slid into the booth across from Tony.
"Of course you do. Responsible teenage genius." Tony flagged down a waitress.
"Coffee. Lots of it. And bring the kid whatever he wants. I'm buying."
Peter ordered eggs and toast. Simple. Efficient. Tony ordered enough food for three people.
"So," Tony said once the waitress left. He pulled out a tablet and stylus from his bag. "Let's talk about the project."
Blueprints appeared on the screen.
Complex schematics showing power distribution networks. Energy routing systems. Technical specifications that most people wouldn't understand.
Peter recognized it immediately. The foundation of what would become the Iron Man suit's power system. But Tony didn't know that yet. Right now, it was just theoretical armor support technology.
"New concept I've been working on," Tony continued. "Not the suit itself. The underlying support system. Power distribution network that could sustain high-energy output for extended periods." He zoomed in on a section. "Think of it like a circulatory system but for energy instead of blood."
Peter studied the designs with his enhanced analytical mind. His Mind stat of 8.8 made complex engineering problems almost trivial to solve. He could see the flaws immediately.
"Your energy pathing is inefficient," Peter said. He pointed to specific junctions on the screen. "You're routing power through too many conversion stages. Each conversion loses energy as heat. At high output levels, you'd cook whoever's wearing this."
Tony leaned back. Arms crossed. "Okay, smartass. How would you fix it?"
Peter took the stylus. Drew directly on the tablet screen. "Direct pathway architecture. Minimal conversion points. Use superconducting materials here and here to eliminate resistance." He added more details.
"And you need a better heat dissipation system. Something that turns waste heat into usable energy instead of just venting it."
"Thermoelectric recovery," Tony muttered. He grabbed the tablet back. Studied Peter's modifications. "Why didn't I think of that?"
"Because you're focused on power generation. I'm focused on power efficiency." Peter sketched another diagram on a napkin.
"Also, your central power unit placement is vulnerable. If this is meant to be worn, you need redundancy. Backup systems. Multiple failsafes."
Tony's expression shifted. Became more serious. "You're thinking about this like it's going to be used in combat."
"Aren't you?" Peter met his eyes calmly.
"You don't design power distribution systems this robust for a lab experiment. This is meant to go into the field."
Silence fell between them. The diner noise continued around them. Clinking dishes. Muffled conversations. Coffee maker hissing.
Tony took a long drink of his coffee. Set the cup down with deliberate care. "I have a demonstration scheduled. Afghanistan. Military contract. September 10th. Showing off the new Jericho missile system." He paused. "Big deal. Make or break for some of our defense contracts."
Peter's stomach tightened. Afghanistan. September 10th. Six days after senior year started. This was it. The beginning of the Iron Man timeline. Tony didn't know it yet, but he was about to be kidnapped. About to build the first Iron Man suit in a cave with scraps.
The timeline had shifted slightly from what Peter remembered. Movies weren't always accurate about specific dates. But the core events remained the same.
"Be careful over there," Peter said carefully.
"Afghanistan is dangerous. More dangerous than people think."
"I'll have military escort. Full security detail." Tony waved it off. "I'll be fine. But yeah, that's why I need this power system sorted out now. Once I'm back from that trip, I want to fast-track production."
Peter made a decision. He couldn't stop Tony from going. That would change too much. Create paradoxes he couldn't predict. But he could give Tony tools that might help him survive better.
"The heat dissipation system I mentioned," Peter said. He grabbed another napkin and started sketching. "It's not just about efficiency. It's about miniaturization. If you can recycle waste heat, you can power auxiliary systems without additional power sources. Life support. Communications. Emergency beacons."
Tony leaned forward. Interest clearly piqued. "You're thinking about survival systems."
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