Wow, things are wrapping up here! Only 5 chapters left! (Iron Heart ends at 30) Well, as usual, thanks to Alice. Dreamer 15, (Aw, thank you! Smile Emoticon!) Marvel789, (Aw that stinks. ;( Hope you get un-grounded soon!) and SilverPedals1402, (Thanks! But seriously, your Writing skills are WAY better than mine. :) )
Chapter 25, "Duel"
Stane laughed his mocking laugh. "Tony, Tony, Tony. Would you REALLY dare to fight ME? With my armor, I could-and will-tear you apart. You're just a teen!" Tony gritted his teeth, charging a Repulser, and flew at Stane; nimbly avoiding the giant fist aimed at him, and blasted the holographic Stane, causing him to growl with indignitation and close the hatch. He then unfurled two packs of small missiles from the shoulders of Iron Monger, and launched them at Tony. He took off, flying fast to avoid the deadly projectiles, weaving in and under Iron Monger's limbs. He came up from behind his opponent, and at the last second, rocketed upward, making six of the pursuing missiles wane and blast the back of Stane's armor.
He flew around, hoping to see Obadiah stagger upon the impact, but he showed no signs of faltering. But Tony wasn't one to give up. The shoulder flap of his armor opened up, and the small three-pack of missiles open fired.
(Yeah, buddy. Two can play at that game.)
The missiles were a futile attempt, he knew, but it would provide a distraction.
Or not.
Stane merely laughed and reached out, plucking the three power packs out of the air and flinging them into a nearby building. He turned to Tony, grinning wickedly.
(Oh, nuts.)
He tried to shield himself as Obadiah threw the missiles back at him, but to no avail. His own missiles hit his chest and exploded, throwing him back hundreds of yards away. He skidded far on the pavement, scratching his armor and denting it as well, rolled a few yards, and finally came to a stop as he hit a rather large building. In the Iron Monger, Stane grinned once more with satisfaction at the large CLANK! Tony's armor made as he hit the building. He advanced, moving fast until he was staring down at the crumpled red-and-gold heap on the pavement.
Pepper twisted in a vain attempt to free herself, worrying fervently what had happened. Stane had squeezed her armor so hard that the visual failed, and she could barely see out of the tiny eye slits. She felt her face burn hot with anger and loathing for Stane, for what he had done.
"DARN IT, STANE!" She shrieked once more. "LET-ME-GO!" He growled in frustration at the annoying girl. He brought her face close to his, and spoke in a dangerous voice.
"I-told-you! Shut up or I'll squeeze you until your armor-or you-breaks!" She smiled smugly.
"What are you smiling for?" Obadiah demanded. Suddenly, behind him, Tony grabbed onto the back of Iron Monger's neck, and yanked off a flap of metal, exposing Iron Monger's internal computer.
Stane snarled like an animal and wheeled around, trying to grab Tony, but the arms of his armor weren't meant for acrobatics, and he couldn't touch him. Pepper smiled. "Stane, you crazy old guy, you may have destroyed the vision of the Hulkbuster…"
"…But not the communications!" Tony finished with satisfaction.
"No…NO! NOOOOO!" Stane screamed as Tony ripped out several of Iron Monger's wires. The interior of Iron Monger suddenly flashed red, indicating that the armor was malfunctioning. [Caution: Iron Monger main computer is severely damaged.] Sparks flew everywhere. Stane sat, frozen in horror, as the monitor to his left showed a message:
[Self-destruct activated. Ten seconds…]
"WHAT!" He shrieked. Tony, who had hacked into the computer, saw the message and gasped.
"Th-that shouldn't be happening!" He stammered. "It-the computer systems NEVER had a -"
"Tony! Just deactivate it!" Pepper pleaded. Tony's mind raced faster than ever before. The wiring was already destroyed, the computer microchips a mess. It should've been finished! There was nothing left to do! (Unless-)
His eyes widened as a thought occurred to him. [Five seconds…]
He hurriedly charged a Repulser, but this time, it was different.
Tendrils of the blue electricity raced around his hand, coiling around his fingers like snakes, and gathered into a blue ball of energy.
"Computer, activate paralyzing energy!" He commanded, pulling his arm back to throw the sphere. The Repulser glowed green, the ball of energy imbued itself with paralyzing energy, and the monitor inside of Iron Monger blinked, [One.] and as fast as lightning, Tony shoved the ball inside of Iron Monger's already damaged circuits, bracing himself for the explosion.