Location: Afghanistan, Earth 12252012

Time: 6:06 pm

Date: June 14, 2005

"It's an honor to meet you, sir." One of the soldiers was telling me.

"Yeah. Get that a lot." I dismissed what the soldier said. The successful demonstration of Stark Industries latest missile had been a success thanks to my friend James Rhodes. Now I can look forward to supplying the missile to the United States army, and working on the next idea to top this one.

The young man wouldn't give up. "Sir, I'm Ulrich Malcolm. My brother Duncan just became a father— "

"Oh, so you're an uncle now."

"Yes, but I would greatly appreciate it if you would consider giving him a job."

"Tell him to fill out an application, mention you recommended him, and I'll send it to employment services."

"Thank you, sir." No sooner had he said that than our jeep exploded. I was sent flying backwards and crashed into the ground. My chest had great pain in it and felt incredibly wet. Looking at it, I saw that my lovely new shirt had been stained red. With my blood.

While I was realizing this, I saw our convoy was under attack. The American soldiers were getting killed even from their cover. My vision began to blur, but I could see men carrying… something about those weapons seemed familiar. I heard footsteps approach me, but all I could see was a silhouette in the sunlight. That's when I blacked out.

I don't remember how long I was out, but every part of my body hurt when I regained consciousness. The place I was in was cold and damp, and… those were rocks. I was in a cave. But why was I in an… was this an operating chair? Holy crap, it was. And that was an operating table. With a car battery, and it connected to… my chest?! What the heck?

"Anthony Stark." A voice said. I then realized I was not alone. Standing next to me was a strange man. I mean he was dressed strange. He had this green robe that looked… Chinese. In fact, I'm pretty sure he was Chinese. He was clean shaven, but his hair… it was long, longer than any I had seen on a guy before. In the light, I noticed he had one ring on each of his fingers. Guess he needed to have a lot of bling to make himself feel good.

Sitting up, I gasped, "Where am I? Who are you? And why is this thing connected to my chest?"

"That battery is what is keeping you alive." The man answered. "Some of my men weren't careful with where they were firing, so I punished them accordingly. The resulting shrapnel from the attack has pierced you. We weren't able to recover all of them, so we used that battery to keep it out of your heart. As for your other questions, you are in one of the secret bases of the Ten Rings. And I am simply called the Mandarin."

"You got a thing for oranges?" I don't know why that came out of my mouth. It just did.

The Mandarin glared at me. "My name has nothing to do with some fruit. It has everything to do with my country. For years China has brought out some of the greatest rulers the world has ever known. Rulers known for the dynasties they started. And yet they are overshadowed by the rulers of the west. Your western civilization has blotted out the legacy of China for the history they teach.

"Well, that is all about to change. Soon, I will make myself known to the world, and I will create a new dynasty. A dynasty that will last through the ages, as my empire is secured."

"Then why not start in China? Why come to Afghanistan?" I asked.

The Mandarin looked at me. "Tactics. The Middle East, as you call it, is broken. Divided. Everyone seeks to unite this barren wasteland into a whole, under their rule and ideals. Well, the peasants will learn that their way is meaningless. The way of the Mandarin is the only way."

"Then why spare me?"

"Because I need you." The Mandarin then pulled up a weapon, a weapon I recognized as a gun that Stark Industries sold to the military. "Your mind is one of the greatest this planet has ever seen. You have made some of the deadliest weapons known to man. Now I will put it to a noble cause. You will build weapons for my army, weapons that the world has never seen before."

"And if I refuse?"

"Do not test my patience, Stark. I saved you from dying in the desert. You will repay your debt to me. Or you will lose the empire your father built."

The days blurred into a never-ending cycle from there. I used some of the materials at my disposal to build something else to keep the shrapnel from reaching my heart: an arc reactor. Just like the one my company has, but on a smaller scale. Something that could fit into my hand. I wasn't sure if it would work, but it did. I outsmarted even myself.

I hammered away at my new project. The Mandarin was still expecting me to make weapons for his army, but I would never supply a terrorist with weapons of mass destruction. I still can't believe that his Ten Rings group got a hold of my weapons. Well, I wasn't going to let them use them to conquer the world. I was going to stop them.

The armor I was building took shape. It was crude and not fancy, but it would do for this. I drilled the final screws into place and welded the last leg to the armor. Now to give it a test flight. Unfortunately, I had no sooner laid down in it before the doors opened and the Mandarin marched in.

"And what is this crude contraption?" He asked me.

I smirked. "A suit of armor. Completely bullet proof and missile proof."

"I see." The Mandarin stroked his beard. "How long will it take you to produce enough for my army?"

"Let's see. I think I will be finished by never." The suit closed on me and I stood up. I used the flamethrowers to force the Mandarin and his guards back while I stomped out. The Ten Rings tried to stop me, but like I said, the armor repelled their bullets. Any weapon stashes I came across, I torched. Better that my work was destroyed than used for evil.

As I neared the cave entrance, the weather took a strange turn. It had been sunny and clear one second, the next there was this huge tornado blocking my way. I then saw the Mandarin standing there, holding up his hand like he was somehow controlling it. Was I crazy or was one ring glowing?

"You see that you are not the only one capable of remarkable feats, Stark." He growled at me. "My rings give me power beyond human imagination."

"Oh, I can imagine." Activating the rockets that I installed, I flew forward. Most of the time flying into a tornado is a stupid choice to make, but this time I was able to use it to my advantage. The rockets would not last long, so I needed an extra boost to make my escape.

The Mandarin had unknowingly provided me with such a boost.

After I gained enough altitude I turned on the juice. Using everything the rockets had left, I was able to use the momentum to break free of the tornado and fly out into the desert. I was able to hear the Mandarin's curses. "You may have escaped me today, but your flight has made you a deadly enemy. No matter where you go, no matter what you do, the Mandarin shall find you and make you pay. Heed my words. I shall not rest until I destroy you, Iron Man!"

The suit gave out I don't know how far away from my prison, but it gave out nonetheless. Without the means to carry it, I had to strip down and leave it there. Hopefully the desert buried it. I was not interested in people finding it. I was still impressed that I was able to make that suit. For a genius billionaire, there were times I still managed to surprise myself.

So I spent some time wandering around the desert, when fortune chose to smile down on me. A U.S. convoy was driving past when they stopped. And who should come out of the foremost vehicle but my buddy Rhodes. "Tony. Thank heaven. "We've been searching for weeks."

"The convoy. How many survivors?"

"Tony, now's not the time to-."

"How many survivors?"

"It's just you."

I felt my heart ache, and not from the shrapnel inside it. My own weapons, used to kill U.S. soldiers at the hands of terrorists. I nearly fell over, but my friend caught me and helped me up.

"Easy, Tony." He said. "You're going to be all right. We're taking you back to the states."

A few days later, I had touched back down on American soil. Sure enough, there were press there doing what they do best.

"Mr. Stark. How did you survive out in the desert?"
"What did you do for food?"
"Can you identify the source of attacks in the Middle East?"
Finally, I turned and looked at them. "If you want answers, head to my company. Go to Stark Industries, and there I'll answer all your questions." I did my best to drown out all further questions, but they kept ringing in my head. Finally, I was able to push through to the people I wanted to see.

My secretary stood at attention. "Mr. Stark. Why the company? Wouldn't you want to go home first?" Virginia "Pepper" Potts asked me.
"Uh, no. First, I want a hamburger, and then I want to make an announcement at Stark Industries." I said as I got in my limo.

"But sir, what's going on?" Potts asked me as she got in with me.

I just looked at my chauffeur. "Hamburger, then Stark Industries."

"Yes, Mr. Stark." Harold "Happy" Hogan said as he pulled out of the airport.

A few minutes later, I was still enjoying the taste of fast food as we pulled up to my company. Stark Industries, the Home of the Future. That cheesy slogan sounded more like a downright lie to me. After my experience in the desert, I couldn't bear to look at the words.

"Sir? Are you sure this is a good idea?" Potts was asking me as I moved up the stairs.

I looked at her. "Pepper, if I don't do this now, I won't do it ever." I then pushed the doors open and was greeted by a never ending barrage of camera flashes and reporter questions.

"Mr. Stark? Any comments about your rescue?"

"Why were you the only survivor?"
"Who was behind the attacks?"

I just motioned for everyone to calm down and stop talking. Good heaven, they were giving me a headache. Finally, when I reached the stand, they quieted down so I could speak, though they would still take pictures. It was then I began.

"Weeks ago, I went to Afghanistan to showcase a new weapon. While I was there, I learned a horrible secret: The weapons we have built, that my company created, that I came up with, they weren't being used to protect people. They were being supplied to terrorist organizations, and one organization captured me.

"The Ten Rings, as they call themselves, are led by a man called the Mandarin. He wanted to use my technology, my mind, to create weapons to create an empire. I escaped, but because of me, several American soldiers died. Because of me, there are widows and widowers mourning the loss of their husbands and wives, children crying for the loss of their fathers and mothers, and families crying for the loss of their sons and daughters. And it's all my fault.

"If I had not made those weapons, all those soldiers would still be alive. They'd be able to go home to see their families and friends, but because of what we made here in Stark Industries, they'll never be able to do that. That is why, effective immediately, I am shutting down the weapons division of Stark Industries permanently."

Needless to say, the room exploded with questions, but all of them went through one ear and out the other. I was done. I had said what I came to say and I was determined to only see my pillows and lie in my bed.

However, that wasn't to happen yet. "Stark!" Obadiah Stane yelled in my face. "What are you doing? You can't shut down the weapons division. That's where all the money comes in." I swear I saw veins popping up all over his bald head.
"This isn't open for debate, Stane." I tried to push past him. "The matter is closed."
He grabbed me. "You've got to have something else then. Something that's going to change the world forever."
"Yeah. I do."