Crisis of Faith: Confrontation
Disclaimer: All characters of Marvel Comics' creation belong to Marvel Comics. Persiana/Farrah Willows and Crisis/Leon Maxwell belong to Persiana13. Kid Razor/Robert Parkins and Sonic Blue/Spencer Burton belong to me. Enjoy!
Author's Note: This chapter is set during Chapter 12 of Persiana13's Crisis of Faith. I personally don't consider New Avengers: Illuminati #3 canon because that story contained many continuity errors, including saying Tony Stark was Iron Man during Secret Wars (James Rhodes was Iron Man during that crossover).
The Monitor Station
"Let's get to work." Leon Maxwell stood up, looking at this makeshift Avengers team: Hercules, the Greco-Roman God of Strength. Firebird/Bonita Juarez, a devout Roman Catholic woman who gained pyrokinetic powers, precognition, immunity to poison and radiation, and possible immortality due to exposure to the energies of a meteorite. Kid Razor/Robert Parkins, a Cleveland teenager who fought crime thanks to a magical guitar, guided by the ghost of his idol, the legendary musician Ronnie Rocker. Sonic Blue/Spencer Burton, a Cincinnati teenage genius who used a self-built suit of armor that gave him superhuman speed and the power to fire sonic waves. Jocasta, a robotic woman created by the mad android Ultron to be a mate for him, but turned on him and became a hero. Yellowjacket/Henry Pym, a biochemist who created the Pym particles, subatomic particles that allowed him to change his size. Sersi, a fourth-generation Eternal whose abilities to manipulate cosmic energy granted her numerous powers, including her specialty: transfiguration.
"Good luck to you, Leon." Henry patted Leon's back.
"Thanks, Doctor." Leon sighed, looking at the ring.
"Leon, you do not have to do this." Bonnie told the younger hero. "You do not need to put yourself at risk like this."
"We can still do the switch, Leon." Hank reminded. "We can catch Superwoman, and have Sersi impersonate her."
"What makes you so sure that will work?" Leon frowned.
"Sersi can use her telepathy to read Superwoman's mind, and with her centuries of experience in the arts, she can pull off the role." Hank smiled. "She has done plays back in the day. She has the same powers Superwoman does: strength, flight, invulnerability, heat vision, everything. I know that you have some discomfort with her, but..."
"It's not that, Doctor." Crisis admitted. "Yes, Sersi's forwardness does make me a bit nervous, but that's not why I was against the plan. It's a good plan, but this is something I should be doing." A sad frown crossed the young man's face. "I have to admit, I didn't enjoy the work I was doing for Fury. What kept me going was that...well, I felt what I was doing was right, and that it mattered. But now, seeing what has happened..."
"You feel all you did amounted for nothing." Hank realized. Leon nodded. "Well, kid, let me tell you, I've been there. You know my history, my issues in the past, so I can understand where you're coming from a bit. If you really want to do this, I won't stop you, but just keep this in mind, kiddo: It's better failing knowing you tried your best at succeeding rather than failing knowing you never tried to succeed at all." Leon smiled a bit.
"Thanks, Doc." The precognitive powerhouse shook Hank's hand. "Oh, before I go, sorry about the choking thing."
"I don't blame ya, kid." Hank nodded. "We'll work on some ideas while you're recruiting this Luthor guy."
"If he's anything like he is in the comic books, then it'd be too dangerous to work with him." Spencer piped up, shaking his head. Leon smiled.
"Not this version. Trust me." Leon put on the yellow ring, and his outfit transformed into a black-and-yellow number, the insignia on his chest changing into the symbol of the Sinestro Corps.
Opening portal to the Antimatter Universe. The ring intoned.
"What would you have us do while you are gone?" Bonnie wondered.
"I dunno about you, little miss Jesus freak, but the Kid of Rock wants to see if he can get a burger in this fancy space station. Can't fight a Goblin on an empty stomach." Kid Razor shrugged.
"You always think about yourself first, don't you?" The Hispanic woman frowned.
"Just hold the fort, and make a backup plan! Wish me luck!" Leon disappeared in a flash of yellow light. Hank sighed and turned to the Monitor.
"Monitor, may I ask you something?"
"Of course." The mighty being answered.
"Can you send me to where Tony Stark is?"
"Why do you want to talk to Stark?" Razor blinked.
"I have to hear something from the man himself." Hank explained.
"You mean about the..." Razor made a motion of an explosion with his black biker-gloved hands. Hank nodded.
"Yeah, I do."
"What is he speaking of?" Hercules blinked. Spencer sighed.
"You may all want to sit down." The young genius removed his helmet. "According to Crisis, Tony Stark was responsible for Nitro and Stamford." The other heroes' reactions were varied, but they all had one theme in common: They were all shocked and horrified.
"No..." Jocasta gasped.
"Madre de Dios..." Bonita covered her mouth with her hands in horror, tears coming down her eyes. Hercules clenched his mace angrily.
"This is most worrisome..." Sersi frowned.
"He caused that disaster?" The son of Zeus snarled. "I wish to make that traitorous monster face my wrath."
"Calm down, Herc." Hank told the Olympian. "I know. I was horrified to hear that, too."
"Why?" Bonnie stammered.
"Because he wanted to drum up support for the Registration Act." Razor grunted. "At least, that's what Crisis says."
"You don't trust him?" Spencer's jaw dropped. "Razor, he just exposed what Stark did to start this whole Registration mess! He allowed innocent people to die just so that he could get the Act passed!"
"Hey, don't get the Kid of Rock wrong, he don't trust Stark. But he don't trust Crisis either, in a way. Think about it. He suddenly comes back and says there was this big conspiracy? Come on! The guy's obviously watched way too many episodes of The X-Files."
"Maybe." Hank agreed. "But I want to talk to Tony. I've known him for years. Yeah, he has a tendency to put things on himself and take matters into his own hands, but not like this."
"Two words: Armor Wars." Sersi frowned. "When he rampaged and attacked armored villains."
"Well, I want to hear his side of the story." Hank insisted. "Monitor, where is he?"
"Before you go, you will need this." The Monitor handed Hank a small silver spherical device. "This device will protect you from being detected by security systems. You will need it."
"Why, where is he?" Hank blinked.
"The prison complex you call the Raft."
The Raft
Tony Stark laid back in his cot, thinking. It was all he could really do with his time anyway. A flash of light erupted from within his cell, revealing Hank in his Yellowjacket costume. The shocked former hero practically leapt out of his cot.
"Hank?"
"Shh." The biochemist hissed at the inventor. He quickly put the sphere he was holding on the cot, and pressed a button on it. The top of the sphere started emanating a soft blue light. "There. We can now speak freely."
"Hank, what're you doing here? You made off with one of my suits, took some Avengers to another reality-!"
"I know." Hank raised his hands in a calming gesture. "But that was not me. It's a long story."
"Then, are you here to break me out?" Tony blinked. "Look, I have no love for Osborn, and..." Hank sighed.
"Tony...I'm sorry, but I'm not here to break you out." Hank admitted. "I know."
"Know about what?"
"I know about the Illuminati." Hank told Tony. "I know about everything. I even know..." He pulled back his mask and glared at the Armored Avenger. "I even know about Nitro and Stamford. I know you were behind it." Tony blinked.
"What?"
"You sent Nitro to battle the New Warriors in Stamford. You knew his explosions would wreck the town and cause innocent deaths, and you knew the people would-!"
"Hank, stop!" Tony snapped. "Who told you this? Who told you I was behind it all?" He shook his head and waved it off. "Wait, wait, I can guess. Crisis, right? That kid blames me for everything that's gone on here. I bet he blames me for Steve's death, right?"
"Well, I'm not sure..."
"You tell him that was not me! That was the Red Skull who masterminded Steve's assassination, and Crossbones who was the trigger man! I was Director of SHIELD, then. I sent Barnes to deal with him, because he wanted Skull and Corssbones' heads for it as badly as I did!"
"Barnes?" Hank blinked in surprise. "As in Bucky Barnes?"
"Yup." Tony nodded, sitting down. "Turns out the kid wasn't dead. Found by the Soviets and used as a secret weapon for the decades of the Cold War. Steve found out and used the Cosmic Cube to free him. After Steve's death, I got a letter from him stating the mantle of Captain America should continue. So, I allowed Bucky to take up the mantle. It was what Steve would've wanted."
"That's all well and good, Tony, but I want to know what the hell you were thinking, pulling that crap with Nitro in Stamford?" Hank growled. "Do you have any idea how much misery that you and the Illuminati created? You tore the superhero community in half! You opened up the opportunity for the Skrulls to attempt an invasion, an invasion that I helped stop! You caused Osborn to be the top cop of America's superhuman community!"
"Hank, can I tell my side of the story, please?" Tony sighed. "If only out of respect for all the years we worked together as Avengers."
"Oh, I'd love to hear this." Hank crossed his arms. "That's why I'm here. I want to know why you caused the Stamford Incident."
"Okay..." Tony sighed, getting up. "Yes, there were secret meetings with the Illuminati, but it's not what you think. It's not this big sinister thing that Crisis believed. It was formed shortly after the Kree-Skrull conflict. The original idea for the Illuminati was to provide a governing body for superheroes, much like the United Nations. However, it didn't really fly with the other members. Charles feared that it would make things harder for human/mutant peace. Namor felt too many of the heroes were violent outsiders. Dr. Strange felt that the idea would create a 'counter-establishment'. So, we decided to meet up every so often and share information. The only one who wanted nothing to do with the idea was T'Challa. He thought it would lead to disaster...and he was right."
"That's all fine and good, but what does that have to do with Nitro?" Hank frowned.
"Nitro is the reason why the Illuminati dissolved." Tony explained. "You see, at one meeting, I suggested we try again at the group's original purpose. To be the United Nations for superheroes. I urged the other members to support Registration before a disaster hit."
"So to prove you were right, you provided a disaster." Hank shook his head in complete disgust. "You are a piece of work."
"Can I finish?" Tony grumbled. "Nitro and Stamford was a horrible tragedy. And it was the disaster I feared. But I did not arrange any part of it." Hank blinked.
"What?"
"I had nothing to do with it." Tony explained. "I did not cause Stamford. I supported Registration because..." He put his head on the wall and looked up. "You know I'm a recovering alcoholic, right?"
"Mm." Hank nodded. "You tried to help Carol confront her own drinking problem, when the Avengers were reformed after that weirdness with Onslaught and Franklin Richards' Counter-Earth."
"I once nearly killed somebody when I was drunk and in the armor." Tony admitted. "I still am haunted by it. If I was registered with the government, I would've had to be held responsible for my actions. People would've seen that those in costumes do have to answer for their mistakes. That's why I supported it. I didn't want people to fear costumed heroes."
"The problem was, Tony, you tried to force Registration on us." Hank sighed.
"It wouldn't have worked if it was voluntary." Tony sighed. "Not many heroes would do it, and people would still mistrust heroes."
"At least we'd still have the choice, Tony." Hank countered. "And I think you would be surprised how many heroes would've been willing to register if it was a voluntary thing. Instead, we have this." Tony slumped with regret and guilt.
"Yeah. We do." He looked up at Hank. "Hank, I didn't cause the Stamford tragedy. I had nothing to do with it. It was just a horrific disaster. And that's the truth." The biochemist sighed.
"I want to believe you, Tony." Hank admitted. "I've known you for years, and I like to think you have a great regard for your fellow man, but..." He leaned back against the wall. "I don't know. So much craziness has happened, and...I don't know who to trust anymore. After the Civil War, the Skrulls...And of course, your own history. Two words: Armor Wars." Tony sighed, rubbing his head.
"I know. I know I do tend to take things into my own hands." Tony sighed. "But this time, I did nothing. That's the truth. Take it for what you will." Hank nodded.
"We'll have to see. The only reason that I came to see you was because I wanted to hear your side. I'm sorry, Tony, but until I'm sure, I have to leave you here."
"Fair enough." Tony nodded in understanding. "And Hank, if you can...save Rhodey. Osborn or one of his flunkies did something to him, and now he's some mindless automaton at Osborn's command." Hank nodded.
"I'll see what I can do." He grabbed the sphere. "Monitor..." He called into his wrist. "I'm ready to be picked up. I'm sorry, Tony."
"So am I." The inventor watched Hank teleport away. He then laid back on the cot and looked up at the ceiling. "I'm sorry about a lot of things."
Thanks for reading!