CHAPTER 1

He was ready. After months of tedious recovery and a year of vigorous training, here he was, standing in view of an abandoned warehouse, ready for the first strike of many. His skin was alight with anticipation; he was so close to the vengeance he'd been waiting so long for.

"Tony?"

"Yeah I'm here Rhodey."

"You're clear. But Tony…please be careful."

"Always am sweetcheeks. See you back at Pep's."

Tony Stark hung up and tucked his phone away where it couldn't get damaged and pulled out the gear he had painstakingly designed and put together himself. He flexed his hands, the mechanical gears of his gloves shifting along with his fingers. His palms glowed a faint blue the same shade as the small light peeking through his shirt. He wasn't helpless anymore; he had given himself power.

"You with me JARVIS?"

"Always, sir."

Tony adjusted his modified glasses and re-secured the communicator in his ear, automatically relaxing at the sound of his A.I. He was done preparing.

"J, bring up the specs. Let's find the back door."

Immediately a set of blue specs appeared in his vision, courtesy of his goggles. He'd looked through them with Rhodey just the day before so he already knew what to look for. JARVIS was there to pick up the security details and show him exactly where the weakest link was.

He came across the first guard within a couple seconds of hitting the perimeter. He hid in the shadows and slipped a metal disk out from one of his pockets. It slid easily across the ground, coming to a step just a few inches from the guy's foot. Tony watched with a hint of amusement as the guy nudged it with his foot right before it electrocuted him.

Tony had another eight minutes before the next guard would come around but he was already gone, slipping along the side of the building until he found the door he was looking for.

The automated lock on the door looked unassuming from afar but up close it was surprisingly high tech. However, Tony was a genius and this lock was child's play. All he had to do was slap another of his inventions on the side and let JARVIS do the work.

"Alright J, hit me with what you've got."

"Right away sir."

A more detailed three dimensional map of the building appeared before him marking the locations of the people inside, the electrical systems, and most importantly the large stash of black market weapons about to be shipped out.

"Brace yourself J, it's go time. Cut the lights."

"Yessir."

Tony slipped into the building with night vision at the ready. He moved as swiftly as possible, taking out the unsuspecting guards with a mix of the portable taser discs and a few combat moves he'd been practicing with Rhodey.

"Sir, by my calculations, the back up generator shall come online in the next 2.4 minutes."

Tony huffed under his breath as he grappled with a man about twice his size. Knowing he was about to lose the advantage of darkness, Tony lifted a hand up and sent a burst of blue light at the man, sending him flying backwards into a wall.

The guy was out like a light and Tony was once again sprinting through the warehouse. All he had to do was set the charges within the next….minute and a half. He was further behind than he wanted but he was Tony Stark. He survived an assassination attempt, built the world's smallest conductor of clean energy, and was named a certified genius by the time he was two. A bunch of idiot mobsters were nothing in comparison.

He finally made it to the loading dock and was stopped short. There were at least twice as much cargo and guards than he'd been expecting. The entire room was packed with large crates on heavy pallets that created a maze from one end to the other. And then there were the men. They weren't like the other goons he'd taken out on his way there; these guys wore heavy duty bulletproof vests and carried more artillery than a navy seal.

They apparently had night vision goggles to complete their ensemble. He barely managed to backtrack when guns started firing. Tony grit his teeth and refused to turn back now, "Alright J, on my mark, turn the lights on as bright as you can. If they want to play with fire, I can play with fire."

"I am ready when you are sir."

Tony took a deep breath and peeked around the corner. They knew where he was hiding and the guy that took a shot at him had acquired friends. He would have to move quickly, but the extra containers should prove to add a needed bit of cover.

He took another breath, adjusted his goggles and then he was moving, "Now!"

The first three guys went down easily, too blinded by the flood of light. It gave Tony just enough time to make it to one of the containers. The men were shouting angrily, at each other and presumably him. Tony really couldn't tell the difference. They were speaking in a harsh foreign language that Tony couldn't place, "JARVIS translate if you please."

"They appear to be speaking German, sir. They are planning to maneuver you into a corner from both sides. Would you like me to call for assistance?"

"Do you really have so little faith in me? I'm wounded!" Tony teased as he quickly formulated a plan. All he needed was to make a few adjustments to his shock discs.

"My apologies sir. I will endeavor to refrain from sharing anymore such misgivings."

"See to it that you do. Besides, Rhodey would be pissed if we tore him away from Taco Night," Tony continued lightheartedly.

"As you say sir."

"Damn straight," Tony nodded, tossing one disc in the directions of the voices and then promptly covering his ears. The flash bang echoed around the room followed by cries of pain. Tony smirked and threw another one in the opposite direction.

Satisfied that he'd distracted them for the moment, it was time to set up the explosives. He didn't have enough to take down the whole lot but he could sure as hell do some damage. All it took was a bit of strategic placement and it should get the job done.

The repulsors hummed as he swung his arms around, trying to hit as many as he could, jumping from one container to the next. He was making up some time and distance when the air was ripped apart by gunfire. Apparently these guys didn't take long to recover. Tony barely managed to make it behind the next crate. He kept as still as possible as the bullets ripped into the wood causing it to splinter.

"JARVIS is it just me or is it getting a bit crowded in here?"

"It does resemble the social events you used to frequent regularly."

"Ah those were some good times. If only Hammer stored his booze with his weapons."

"I'm sure that could only improve the situation sir."

The easy banter kept Tony focused. He had one more explosive to plant and then it was adios motherfuckers. The problem was there were about a dozen guys between him, the next cropping of supplies, and the door. What he needed was another distraction. Should be easy enough even though he was completely out of shock discs.

He was scanning his brain for another idea when he noticed something odd. Most of the crates he'd seen had the old Stark Industries logo stamped on the side from back before it turned into Stane Industries, but the one he was currently crowded against had an image he'd never seen before. As far as Tony knew, this was the warehouse Stane and Hammer used to complete their transactions.

"JARVIS? Scan and send the image to my server."

He didn't have time to investigate further. The gunshots had stopped and Tony had to make his move now if he had any chance of getting out of there. He was gearing up to make another run for it when more gunshots whistled through the air. Tony instinctively crouched further into his hiding place but then nothing happened. He peeked around the corner and saw a few fallen mobsters with their comrades standing above them, turned in the opposite direction whilst firing at someone else.

"Well that's convenient," He muttered. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Tony took the opportunity to set the final bomb.

"Are we good J?"

"Yessir. I'm getting a clear signal from all three devices."

"And that's my cue to leave," Tony turned back towards the way he came, heading for the same hallway he'd used to enter the warehouse. "Let's get some distance before we flip the switch. Pepper would kill me if I came home smelling like smoke."

He careened around the corner and hastily slid to a stop when he met the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. He didn't look like the run of the mill bad guys Tony's been dodging the whole night. He was still heavily armed but unlike the uniformed black Kevlar the angry Germans were sporting, this guy had a worn weather jacket, two shoulder holsters peeking out from underneath, and form fitting pants. Based on the heavy boots, uniform haircut, and the pair of dog tags glinting against his well-formed chest, this guy was former military.

But man, Tony kind of wished they all looked like him. The man had a shoulder to waist ratio that should be physically impossible. The strong jaw line and slightly disheveled blonde hair drew Tony in. If it weren't for the gun pointed squarely at his chest, Tony would've made an attempt to climb him like a tree.

He settled for the patented Stark smirk instead "Stand down, Blondie. I'd hate to see those washboard abs splattered across the pavement."

Mr. Blue Eyes raised an eyebrow and kept his stance. He definitely had a military background. It was the same stance Rhodey always adopted whenever they'd train together.

Tony let out dramatic sigh and clutched at his chest, "We could have been so great you and I…"

His other hand shot up with a repulsor blast. Tony thought that would be it. He'd knock the man out (it would be a travesty to damage that face) and be on his way but the man's reflexes were fast and he spun away from the blue beam, recovering quickly to bring his gun back up before Tony could get more than a few feet forward. Tony switched tactics and moved in close, knocking the gun away and aimed a fist at his face. The man blocked and twisted Tony's arm around so that he had him pressed against the wall. Tony pressed back, knocking out one of the man's knees to gain enough of an advantage to get out of the hold but the man was significantly stronger. He used his weight to trap Tony once again.

"Who are you?" The man growled, his face inches away from Tony's.

Tony refused to be cowed, "Not a chance sweetcheeks."

The man narrowed his eyes and adjusted his stance, making a point of flexing his strength. The tension between them skyrocketed. In any other circumstances, Tony would be all over him. But he had work to finish and this guy was standing in his way.

"I'm not going to ask nicely again. Who. Are. You?"

"Sorry handsome. Maybe another time," Tony met his gaze evenly with another smirk. For a second their eyes connected and it was like they were both trying to see into the other's soul. Tony's breath got caught in his throat for just second before he remembered where he was. His gaze hardened as he tensed his muscles, "Alright J let's give them a show."

The man's face twisted in confusion but slackened in shock when the first explosion shook the building. Tony took his chance and used the brunt of his shoulder to knock the man aside enough to get through. He took off in a sprint leaving the sounds of explosions and shouting behind.

As he ran he tried to shake off all thoughts of the guy he left behind. Tony was just getting started with his plans and soon he would get back everything that was rightfully his. He couldn't afford to get sidetracked. A pair of pretty eyes wasn't going to be enough to slow him down.

He made it back to his stash, changed clothes and packed away his gear just in time to avoid looking suspicious when the first police car careened by. He pulled his hood up and kept walking until he hit the subway. He switched trains three times just to be sure before finally catching a cab and doubling back to Pepper's apartment.

It was a decent sized eighth floor walkup that had become Tony's home in the past six months he'd been there. He made friends with the old tabby on the 3rd floor and the old woman on sixth who made a point to ask him to fix her television twice a week then forced food on him whenever she got a chance. It was completely different from the mansion he grew up in or Yinsen's secluded cabin, but he's slowly came to love it.

He was attacked the second he stepped through the front door, "Oh my god, are you alright?"

"Pepper, my love, I'm fine," Tony awkwardly wrapped his arms around his friend. She was still in her impeccable work clothes, a perfectly prim skirt and jacket with her signature three-inch heels. She must've been waiting up for him.

She stepped back and crossed her arms with a growl, "Anthony Edward Stark! How dare you not call when you were done! Thank god JARVIS thought to let us know you were on your way home. Honestly Tony you have just…wait…is that a black eye?"

"They got in a few lucky shots but really Pep I'm fine," Tony tried to wave her off but it was too late. Pepper was a force to be reckoned with, it was best to just let her do what she wanted.

"You sit down and I'll get the medical kit Yinsen sent us," Pepper ordered sternly, waiting until he was actually sitting to leave the room. "Rhodey should be back any second with pizza."

Tony took a moment to check over his gear as he waited for Pepper to return. He was going to have to recalibrate the left gauntlet but it all managed to hold up pretty well by his standards. He'd do another check once he could make it down to his workshop.

"Alright, are you in any pain?" Pepper asked, getting straight down to business. She set down a familiar leather bag onto the coffee table while her eyes were focused on the list in her hand.

"I'm fine," Tony repeated although he suspected she wasn't actually listening to him. "Just a little sore."

"So you say," Pepper shot him a disbelieving look as she dug through bag. "There should be a cream to put on that bruise somewhere in here. And then you should probably take some ibuprofen or you'll have a killer headache tomorrow."

"I've had worse," He pointed out.

Pepper plowed right over him, "And you'll be going to bed right after you eat. Your body needs rest. You can't stay up all through the night in your shop. All of that stuff can wait, understand?"

"Yes ma'am," Tony relented.

Pepper's face finally softened into a smile, "Good….I'm really glad you're okay. Now hold still."

"I'm back!" The front door opened and shut and then Rhodey appeared in the doorway with two boxes in his hands. "And I see the idiot made it back as well."

"Just admit you missed me sugarplum," Tony smirked and made grabby hands for the boxes. "Please tell me you got my favorite."

Rhodey rolled his eyes and passed over a box, "Yes I got your gross Hawaiian with mushrooms. Me and Pepper will stick with normal pizza."

"Oh, let me get some paper plates and drinks," Pepper jumped up. "Would you like a beer Rhodey?"

"That would be great Pep thanks," Rhodey slumped into the armchair in the corner.

"Hey! What about me?" Tony interjected.

Pepper seemed unfazed by his puppy dog eyes, "You will be having water. And I've hidden all the coffee so don't even think about that either."

Rhodey chuckled, "And that's why she's Yinsen's favorite."

"Yeah yeah," Tony rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

"So…" Rhodey set his box aside and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "You want to tell me what happened?"

It was like he flipped a switch, Tony was all business, "It wasn't what we expected."

Rhodey frowned, "But our intel was good. What went wrong?"

"It should have been an abandoned warehouse. The one abandoned Hammer Tech properties that showed the most suspicious activity, but the guys in there were more equipped and trained than anything Justin can afford," Tony explained. Pepper entered the room and silently took her seat to listen as well. "I also found twice as much cargo and not all of it was S.I. property. I found a symbol stamped on the side that I've never seen before."

He grabbed a tablet off the side table, "If you would be so kind J."

The picture he took appeared on the screen. It was a red skull with six tentacles curling out from behind it. He passed it over to Rhodey, "Do you recognize it?"

With his connections as NYPD officer, he'd have the best shot of knowing what other kind of group they were dealing with. He shook his head, scowling at the screen, "I can ask around but I don't know….it might be above my pay grade."

Pepper took the tablet next, "I'll see what I can dig up as well."

"Whoever they are, they mean business so…be careful," Tony requested quietly. He wasn't an overly sentimental guy but these were his best friends and the closest thing he had to family. They stuck through with him, when he lost his parents, his fortune, and his company. They helped him get better and gave him a place to hide out. And then they were going above and beyond by helping with his plan to get back at Stane. He didn't think he could handle it if they got put in danger because of him.

"Please…" Pepper shot him a reassuring and knowing look hidden behind a smirk. "I work with so many misogynistic assholes that they won't notice if I stay late to make their boring copies while I hide away in the file room."

"Don't worry man, I can take care of myself," Rhodey added. "I was the one who got your pathetic ass into shape in the first place."

"Please," Tony rolled his eyes. "You would be lost without my amazing ass."

"Yeah maybe," He relented with a smile. "Just eat the damn pizza Stark. The rest can be dealt with later."

"Oh alright."

Pepper laughed and took that as a cue to start passing out the paper plates. Rhodey helped dish out the pizza and then they ate in companionable silence until Pepper started telling a story about work. Soon they were relaxed and laughing with one another. This is what kept Tony grounded. Tomorrow he'd look into who else has been getting their hands on his weapons but tonight he would enjoy the company of his friends.