"Ohhhhh, MY that was exhilarating!" Tony motioned jerkily. Roy had done... something to bring him to the living room as soon as the song had ended. "I haven't done something so... FUN in eons!"

"Glad to hear it."

"Mhmhmhm, how DO you come up with this sort of thing? Why? Actually, no that's not even- Just, all I want to say Roy, is thank you. Genuinely, you have made my year you absolute maniac!" His classic enormous grin spread across his face.

"Is that so? Well then, I suppose you won't mind following me for your reward."

"Oh no of COURSE not! I'd nearly forgotten, this experience was a reward in and of itself!"

Roy smiled at the floor and shot a quick glance towards Tony before beckoning him out of the room. He was much more prepared for it this time. The tall man thought back to the last freak he hired, and how disastrously he'd handled it. He'd do better, he had to, he thought as he swung open the large metal door.

Tony's eyes adjusted to the darkness as the door slammed shut behind him. He glanced around the mostly empty room before resting his eyes on a strange, half finished looking machine. Tony couldn't help but marvel at it.

"What is that?"

"It's another project of mine. It... sort of has to do with your job."

"Hmm, explain!" Tony ordered as he paced about the room, keeping his curious eye on the machine.

"Well, obviously I need to teach my children some lessons. Sure, I can hire people like you for it. I can make a script and ask you to do it for me. But that's just not as easy as I want it to be..."

Tony nodded along, inspecting the humongous tubes behind the machine.

"I can control some things in this world, sure. But two layers down... I'll be able to do whatever I want. I can create objects, create LIFE, and I can control their every move... And I can teach my sons so perfectly..." Roy subconsciously folded his hands and smiled at nothing.

"Unfortunately, it's not ready for humans yet. I can't put my sons in there for a while."

Tony walked back around to Roy and placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling. "What a terrible shame. You have such an innovative mind dear sir. I can't wait to see it done. You'll have to invite me over some time so I can see it in action; your plan sounds quite fascinating indeed."

"I wasn't finished yet. I said it's not ready for humans. But it is ready for objects." Roy reached into his pocket.

"What?"

"Sure, objects I make on my own will suffice. But REAL ones, YOU... you'll be even more useful when you're dead."

Tony shoved Roy away from him flicked out his hand. Crap, he should've seen this coming! What kind of maniac like Roy would just let him go?! Time slowed to a stop and Tony caught his breath before heading to the door. As soon as time began to flow however, he felt an intense pain in his hand and saw that Roy had already thrown a screwdriver right where he knew Tony would run to.

Tony tore the tool out of his hand and tried to stop time again to no avail. His hand was completely useless now! Roy bolted towards him, another screwdriver in hand and jabbed it right under Tony's ribcage. He kicked him away and painfully slid down the wall. Still holding the first screwdriver, he tried to throw it right between Roy's eyes, but was too filled with panic and adrenaline to aim correctly. Tony burst another arm out of his jacket and tried to speed up time so that Roy would die but before he even had a second to start the process, he found a screwdriver pinning his arm uselessly to the wall.

Tony's chest heaved as ink spurted out of his wounds. How could he have been tricked so easily?! Was he loosing his touch? He was the master of trickery and destruction, he couldn't go out like this!

"Y- you son of a-"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence. It might sour my mood. I'm going to make your death quick, it's the least I can do for someone as excellent as you." Roy smiled again. It was a different smile than before. It looked so... content. "You're going to be a great asset to me, Tony the Talking Clock."

Tony felt an intense and overwhelming sense of doom. There was nothing he could do about this! He was going to die, and there was no way out of it. He'd never given thought to it because he'd never come this close, but he quickly realized that the thought of dying terrified him. Utter horror drenched his body. That would be a first.

And a last.

Roy drove the screwdriver straight into Tony's skull and yanked it out. That was a bit grotesque looking, but it worked out wonderfully. Roy was excited. For the first time, it felt like his plan would actually work!

Shame about that first attempt though.