Michael Cross, CIA agent, was busy guiding a team of Hulkbuster troops when the Hulk picked up a very large toilet seat, and threw it at his APC. The Toilet seat hit him and nearly killed him. However, he was extracted, and surgery was performed to remove the errant toilet seat, but he died of post-surgery complications. However, the death was a cover-up and he was given a set of 6 rings: One covering the chest (where his shrinking upgrade is located), a Collar (where the activation controls are located), two Shoulder rings (limb armor control location), and two anklets (sneaker activation, and leg armor deployment controls location).
"Director Hayden, sir!" Michael said.
"Don't sir me. I am not your superior officer. Your… incident has prompted us to see if we can work on a power armor that would extend life, and improve the wearer. You will be our test candidate."
"Me, sir? I don't even like the tuxedo I wear for infiltration missions."
"Well, we have decided that you could benefit most from this, so design your suit while you recover."
"Yes, sir." So while Michael recovered, he designed his armor and its features while he recovered. The suit, which was Steel and Blue in coloration, was comfortable on him (he made sure of this and actually cussed out a worker when the arms were a bit too tight), and was made of an iron-steel alloy. He took the suit on several unofficial field tests to test each upgrade (shrinking was quite funny actually. He shrunk to minimum height, or half an inch, and went through a habitrail. He encountered the hamster and ran the other way, and fast) and component (his armor folded up nicely, but when he tried to take the collar off, it unfolded active and pummeled him. He had a biometric security system added to prevent that). The suit was completed after about six months, at which Michael was recovered fully. The Agency decided to let him pick his own last name, and he never got around to it (thence the Michael X designation on his PO box).
"Looks like I can return to my abnormal life again. I will have to find a new house though, because that big green palooka ripped mine to shreds."
So he headed off to his house in the city. A dilapidated thing, but it served him well for the past 3 years. So he spent the evening watching TMC and drawing up a new vehicle. His hobby was artistry