Disclaimer: I own nothing that is Iron Man/Iron Man Armored Adventures! Absolutely nothing. I wish...
Quick Note: Oooookay....so I started this story a few months ago. I have it, maybe...half way done? I'm not quite sure yet. You'll just have to see! ;) I'm putting up one chapter at a time, whenever I have the time to do it. I hope that you like it, this story will line up with the Iron Man movie with Robert Downey Jr., Gwenyth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, etc.. So you'll just have to read and see how it works out!
Chapter One
It had been two years since anyone had seen Gene. Tony had turned eighteen in that time, and Obadiah, recognizing that Tony had just stepped into adulthood, relinquished his hold over Stark Industries. Extremely reluctantly. Reluctant meaning: he was escorted out of the building after yelling obscenities at Tony.
The Tomorrow Academy's graduation was only a week away, Rhodey was frantic, trying to decide which scholarship to take, and Pepper couldn't stop talking about her upcoming interview with S.H.I.E.L.D. and Tony was just glad to have finally stepped into his father's shoes. Taking over the company was not only a relief, it was also a huge comfort. With Gene's disappearance also went the hope that Tony had of finding his father. The company was all he had to remember Howard Stark by.
Tony stood in the empty conference room of Stark Industries, looking through the window at the vast city in front of him.
A knock at the door sounded behind him, "Come in..." He said absentmindedly.
Rhodey stepped into the room quietly, "Hey Tony, you doing all right?"
"Ya, ya...I'm fine." Tony mumbled.
Rhodey slowly made his way closer to Tony, stepping beside him, looking out the window. "Wow," he paused slightly, "you're dad sat here almost everyday, didn't he?" Rhodey asked quietly.
"Ya...he did." Tony said simply.
"Well, you've got some big shoes to fill, you ready for it?" Rhodey asked.
Tony smiled, glancing at Rhodey, "You know, I think I am. I know it'll be hard, but I think I'm ready."
Rhodey grinned, "Nothing you do is easy, Tony."
Tony laughed for what seemed like the first time that day. "You are completely right, my friend. Completely right."
Later that week came Tomorrow Academy's graduation. Dressed in their graduation attire with their caps and tassels, they sat in the gymnasium waiting for the ceremony to start. Pepper sat in between Tony and Rhodey, bouncing slightly with anticipation.
"Do you guys know when this thing is going to start? We're all ready! I mean, how long can they really keep us waiting?" She moaned.
Rhodey rolled his eyes, "Pepper, graduation ceremonies always take awhile."
Tony laughed, "I think I want this to be over with just as much as Pepper does."
Their principal tapped the microphone at the podium, "Tomorrow Academy students, you have reached a wonderful new chapter in your life, you will reach to the sky and achieve goals that no other person would have dreamed....."
Tony completely zoned out, hearing only a "blah blah blah, mah mah mah, blah blah, mah..."
Pepper was eyeing the many stadium seats looking for her dad, while Rhodey sat at attention, soaking up every moment. Pepper frowned, squinting into the crowd.
She nudged Tony slightly, who didn't respond. "Psst, Tony." She whispered, gathering his attention.
"Huh?" He said, not altogether interested in what Pepper had to say.
"Tony, look to our left, at the top of the stands, right next to the back door..." she frowned even more, "Is that who I think it is?"
Tony rolled his head in the direction Pepper was mentioning, bringing his eyes up to the top of the stands. There, at the back of the crowd, was Gene Khan. Tony's eyes almost bugged out of his head.
Pepper grabbed his arm, knowing what he was going to do just before Tony even thought of it. "Don't go anywhere. He'll see you coming in a second. Don't stare at him." Pepper hissed.
Tony's nostrils flared, lips pressed together in a straight line, "That traitor has my father."
"I know, Tony. Please. Just wait." Pepper pleaded.
Just when Pepper thought she could no longer hold Tony in-check, the Principal shouted, "Good luck, Tomorrow Academy! YOU are the better tomorrow!" The whole stadium erupted in cheers, hats were thrown in all directions. Tony's world seemed to go in slow-motion, he had shot from his chair, ripping his arm from Pepper's grip the second the Principal's speech was done.
"TONY!" Pepper yelled, running after him, dodging between people, trying to get to him as fast as she could before he did something rash.
Tony sprinted up the steps, taking them two or three at a time, heading straight into the direction he had seen Gene.
Rhodey looked to his left, surprised to see that Pepper and Tony were nowhere to be found. "What the...?" He muttered to himself.
Things were still in slow motion, Tony could feel the erratic beatings of his heart, the rush of adrenaline pounding in his ears. People yelled out in surprise around him as he pushed through the crowd. He burst through and stopped abruptly. He looked around wildly, trying to spot the familiar face of Gene Khan.
Pepper came up behind Tony, huffing and puffing, "Man, if I want a job with S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm definitely going to need to work out more." She gulped down more air, looking up to find Tony running through the back door, leaving the basketball stadium behind. "Oh you've got to be kidding me."
Tony ran as hard as he could. He could have sworn he had seen some movement just at the end of the corridor. He rounded the corner and WHAM! Tony smashed into something. Or someone. Tony fell flat on the floor, staring up at the ceiling in shock.
Pepper jogged down the long corridor, her high-heeled shoe snagged on her graduation gown, giving her a sudden jolt forward, hitting the hard pavement on hands and knees.
"Oh great, now I'll have to pay them for this stupid gown!" She said in frustration, unzipping it and throwing it off. She rose to her feet, brushing off her light blue dress and starting her run in the direction she had seen Tony go.
"Tony!" Tony could hear Pepper shouting from down the hall. She rounded the corner, coming to a sudden halt at the scene before her.
Tony had gotten to his feet, staring at Gene Khan with all the menace he could muster. "Where's my father, Gene?" Tony asked.
"He's working on something for me..." Gene said slowly.
"What are you talking about? The Rings? You have all five! What do you need him for anymore?!" Tony was outraged.
"Hey Pepper, how are you?" Gene asked, completely ignoring Tony. "You look nice."
Pepper's mouth opened and closed like a fish.
"Where is my dad?!" Tony shouted.
"You'll have him back soon, Tony. I promise." Gene stated calmly. "I just came by on your special day to show you something that I found out."
Pepper frowned, looking at Gene suspiciously. Gene reached for the string of a necklace beneath his shirt, and lifting it to show them.
"Notice how many rings I have?" He smiled vampire-like.
Tony's mouth dropped open, "But, there were only five, how do you have...?" Tony gaped at the amount of rings on his necklace.
"Nine, Tony. I have nine rings. There are actually ten total, not five. I thought I'd just come by and annoy you with that new information...and maybe, to let you know you can have your dad back soon."
Tony couldn't keep in his anger any longer, he lunged at Gene. Just as he was about to hit him with all the force he could gather, Gene shifted like light and disappeared. Tony skidded to a stop. "What on earth?" Tony heard a surprised yelp behind him.
He turned to find Gene standing next to Pepper. She stood stalk still, while Gene started to circle her, but keeping his eyes on Tony. "My, my, Pepper, you've changed. Grown your hair out quite a bit...wearing make-up are we?" He smirked, "And a dress! How cute. Do you really need a friend like Tony? You could just come with me..."
Pepper looked at him in disgust, "Oh what, and pile me in the same cell as Howard? Forcing me to do your every bidding? No thank you." She folded her arms in a huff.
"Oh come on Pepper, I know you liked me before I left." Gene chided.
Pepper didn't say anything, just stared at Tony, waiting for him to make a move. She felt like the prey, waiting for the predator to strike.
"How did you do that?" Tony asked cautiously, stepping closer.
Gene shrugged, almost brushing shoulders with Pepper, "Isn't it amazing? It came on just by wearing the rings around my neck. Imagine that power multiplied nine times when I wear them on my fingers..."
"Gene, power like that can be dangerous. Even fatal. Let me analyze them, they could be changing your actual DNA make-up. It could kill you." Tony said slowly.
Gene laughed, stepping behind Pepper and resting his hands on her shoulders, Pepper felt a shiver spiral down her back. "Like you care." Gene's smile disappeared, along with himself and Pepper.
"NO!" Tony shouted, jumping toward where they had just been. For two seconds, fear gripped him. Where was Pepper?
Laughing came from behind him, Tony turned on his heel, charging straight for him.
Gene shoved a still-surprised Pepper in Tony's direction. She stumbled and hit Tony right in the chest, bringing them both to the ground. For the second time, Tony found himself dazed and spread on the floor, only this time, Pepper was lying on top of him.
Gene stepped in Tony's line of sight, holding up both his hands to show eight rings placed on his fingers, holding one out to show Tony. Pepper rolled off of Tony to his side, craning her neck up to see Gene standing over them, smirking.
"I didn't know you wanted Tony that bad, Pepper." Pepper's face reddened slightly.
"Tony's a better choice." She spat.
Gene's face contorted into a frown for just a moment before mentally shrugging it off. Tony started to get up, his head pounding from hitting the ground so hard. Gene stepped back, slipping the ninth ring onto his finger, "When I find the last ring, I'll let you know. Then you can have your father back."
Tony jumped to his feet, running for Gene as fast as he could. Gene's body was engulfed in ancient armor of silver. He shot a blast of light through the air, hitting Tony square in the chest. Tony yelled out in surprise and pain, hitting the ground.
"No! Tony!" Pepper screamed, running toward him. "Tony...Tony? Can you hear me?" Tears began to make tracks down Pepper's cheeks. She eyed the burn mark on the clothes around his chest, then dared a glance in the Mandarin's direction.
Just as she looked, Gene disappeared in a flash of light.
Note: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter!! Reviews would be nice. No flames, please... :) Thanks for taking your time to read this!