Revenge. It was the only thing Gene could think of. Revenge for what? For being Iron Man, maybe. For making him blow the Howard secret. Or maybe it was for making Pepper look at him in disgust. Either was Tony Stark had to pay. Killing him as to easy, he was so stupid he'd walk into a trap. Gene had Howard, advantage? Perhaps, not as much as it would be if her had someone else though. HE freaked out if Ghang touched her, HE nearly died when that dragon charged at her, HE caught her falling from the chopper. Tony Stark was cleary in love with Pepper Potts, something Gene Khan would us to destroy him...and Iron Man.

"I say kill him." Pepper grubbled,
"I'm not going to kill him." Tony glared, "Tempting as it is." Pepper smiled. She knew Tony hated Gene now. Like she had all along, "I want to talk with him."
"GREAT IDEA!" She yelled sarcastically, "Hi Gene, how have you been? Yeah give me back my-BANG!" she micked a gun being fired, "Oh whoops, he killed you."
"Pepper has a point." Rhodey smiled, "Badly described but still a point. He will either capture you for information or kill you in his charming mannor." He mocked. Pepper sighed and rolled her eyes. She past the hurt upset stage a week ago. Now she was just mad. Still though, they all knew he had really hurt her. But she lost her feelings for him, reverted back to hating him with every fiber of her being.
"Well we need a plan...hulk buster! That will turn him into a pulp!" He squeeled clapping,
"With or without his armour?" Tony asked,
"Don't care." Pepper shrugged. Tony leaned over to Rhodey and whispered,
"Remind me not to EVER piss her off." Rhodey chuckled and nodded,
"Heard that!"
"Dammit!" He muttered,
"That too." She laughed, nearly singing.

Right, she'll be with him. He'll be more protective then ever now, wont he? Gene thought walking to the house. Compound burnt, his room. He snuck aaround the back and pressed his ear against the wall he knew was Tony's.
"All the others were destroyed, Pepper. We have War Machine and the Mark one. That is it." Tony looked down, all his work...destroyed. Pepper put a hand on his shoulder and sqeezed gently,
"It'll be OK. We'll find Gene we'll get your Dad back Tony." She smiled comfortingly, Rhodey started to get up, the two were oblivious as he slinked out.
"I just don't know who to trust anymore." He choked, trying to contain his emotions. Pepper put a hand on his cheek, Gene saw and tensed outside.
"Hey, Look at me Tony." His crystal blue eyes flicked up, "You can trust me. You know you can trust Rhodey, will we do until we get your Dad back?" She smiled, he smiled back,
"You always know what to say. Thank you Pepper." He said pulling her into a hug. Tony closed his eyes momentaryily but opened to she a face in the window that quickly disappeared. His grip tightened on Pepper,
"What is it?" Her voice shook, "What's wrong?"
"Gene." Tony growled. Pepper's face went white. Tony pulled her to his side. "You'll be fine, I wont let him near you."
"It isn't me I'm worried about." Tony looked at her face in shock, tears welling up in her eyes,
"Pep, It's me I'll be fine." He laughed, she shook her head,
"Not always." She tapped his heart implant, "He did that, he could do it again."
"I wont let him."
"What if you have no choice?" Tony just looked away. Not the answer she wanted. A tear escaped, he wiped it away with his free hand,
"If I have no choice, he will have done the lowest thing possible. Something I doubt he could do." Pepper looked confused,
"What?" She sniffed,
"Take you away from me." He spilled before he could stop himself. He scrunched his eyes together and bit his bottom lip. "I didn't mean to say that out loud."
"Don't." She smiled, "It would be my worst nightmare if he took you away from me." His eyes doubled in size, he looked down quickly bringing their faces, their lips, centimeters apart,
"Pepper I..."
"Shh, you seem to be talking more than me lately." Closer,
"Is that possible?" Closer,
"Possibly. Got any ideas to shut me up?" Their bottom lips brushed, she closed her eyes then felt a sharp pain in her neck. "Ah!"
"Pepper!" Tony cried out, "No!" The Mandarin stood behind her, chuckleing lightly,
"She isn't dead. You want to make sure of that answer your phone the next time it rings." He boomed. Tony held on to Pepper, he wasn't letting go...he didn't want to every let her go.
"You want her, you go through me." He growled, Gene rolled his eyes,
"Thought as much." He lashed at Tony. Landing a punched and a light beam in his face. He still clung to Pepper, drifting in and out of consciousness. She saw him hit, she lost her breath for the spit second he didn't move. Gene then grabbed his throat,
"Stay down Stark." He ordered throwing Tony against the hard floor, a small amount of blood exited the back of his head. Pepper tried to yell for Rhodey to help him, but her lips couldn't move.
"No..." She managed to whisper and Gene hauled her up,
"Hey Pepper, miss me?" He laughed lightly,
"Like a hole in the head." She breathed,
"Want one?" He growled, but she was alreayd down. He threw her over his should and left.

"Hey guys, you want soda or something?" Rhodey asked coming in. "Guys?" They didn't seem to be there, then he heard a groan from the bottom of the bed, "Oh no, Tony!" He cried dropping to his knees to see if his best friend was ok. "Dude say something." Rhodey begged. Tony squinted his eyes and coughed,
"Pepper..."
"She isn't here, what happened?" Tony's eyes flashed open,
"No...she's gone?"
"Yeah...her house?"
"Gene was here Rhodey. Gene has Pepper."

"Hey Howard." The Mandarin laughed, "Meet your cell mate." He threw Pepper into the dark cell and she landed with a cry and a thud.
"Mandarin, what game are you playing?" Howard demanded. Helping the girl to sit up. Her eyes widened like she saw a ghost.
"For you catch up. Pepper will fill you in. Play nice." He cackled before leaving.
"Pepper? What kind of a name is that?" Howard smiled. Pepper was still looking at him weird, "What?"
"Sorry, it takes a while to reajust that your not dead."
"Dead?" He asked, "They told everyone I was dead?"
"No body, assumed to were burnt up or something." She shrugged.
"Are you friends with Tony?" He asked, "How bad was he hurt after the crash?" Pepper smiled,
"If I told you...you'd never believe me.