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Understanding the Real Hero: Iron Man
Three
Christine lay on the bed. She woke sharply as a male computer voice echoed out into the bedroom, informing her it was 7 am, that the weather in Malibu was 72 degrees with scattered clouds. The window panes panned around to show the morning sky. The voice continued to explain that the surf conditions were fair with waist-to-shoulder high waves and that high tide would be at precisely 10:52 am. Christine got up from the bed, holding the covers to her body. She looked out of the window and the camera panned backward revealing Tony's cliffside mansion overlooking the coast.
"Look what you can get when you have money…" muttered Clint.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, Barton, but how many acres do you own on your farmland which SHIELD fund for you?" said Rhodey, rolling his eyes. "Do you pay for any of it?"
Clint opened his mouth to reply but Steve stepped in.
"Don't. You've worked hard for what you've got, Clint."
"And Mr. Stark hasn't?" queried Vision.
"Seriously, what did happen?" asked Bruce. "What have we missed whilst we were gone? Clint, you've never been this hostile to Tony before."
"It is sad to see all of you at each other's throats," observed Thor.
"You weren't there when he sent us to prison!" grated Barton, glaring at Tony.
Tony gritted his teeth, crunching his knuckles together. "I'm not the one who broke the Accords and refused to compromise. Why else do you think I'm allowed to operate, Barton? And, whilst we're at it, you chose to retire."
"Prison…?" Bruce looked shocked.
Tony sighed. "Look. It's all explained. Probably in this 'Civil War' movie. Make your own mind up when you see what happened."
Bruce nodded, but he did look worried when Clint shot Tony another nasty glare again before returning his attention back to the screen.
Christine walked through Tony's house, wearing one of his shirts. She was calling for him but there was no answer. She inspected the paintings on the wall and then turned her attention to a thermostat on the wall. She tried to turn it but the noise from it caused Christine to jump back as the same voice told her she was not authorised to enter the area.
A voice from behind her said: "That's JARVIS. He runs the house."
"Pepper…" Tony sighed. The others probably didn't know they were engaged to be married yet.
Pepper Potts is standing behind Christine, carrying her dry-cleaned clothes on a hanger for her. She was wearing a black suit with high heels and her hair tied behind her back. Pepper explained her clothes had been dry-cleaned and pressed and that there was a car waiting for her outside that would take her anywhere she would like to go. Christine hastened her composure and approached Pepper.
"You must be the famous Pepper Potts."
Pepper looked modest. "Indeed I am."
Christine took the clothes from her, hanging it over her shoulder, smirking at Pepper, commenting that after all these years, Tony still has her picking up the dry cleaning.
Pepper maintained a sweet smile as she retorted: "I do anything and everything that Mr. Stark requires, including, occasionally, taking out the trash. Will that be all?"
Everyone howled at Pepper's burn, even Wanda.
"She's a fiery one, definitely knows how to talk back!" hooted Sam, laughing.
"I like her," grinned Bucky.
"And that's why she can handle Tony!" pointed out Rhodey. "She takes no shit from him."
"Pepper has been good for me," admitted Tony quietly so that only Rhodey could hear.
"She has. And I'm glad you finally popped the question. You two have been dancing around one another long enough," replied Rhodey.
Loud rock music blared out as Tony worked on a piece of equipment. He looked at the monitor, asking for an exploded view. JARVIS complied and explained that the compression in cylinder three appears to be low. Tony wanted him to log it and kept on working as Pepper, on the phone, entered the workshop. The music stopped and Tony told her to not turn down his music.
Pepper told him he was supposed to be half-way around the world right now.
Steve rolled his eyes. "Knew it."
"Doesn't respect anyone," muttered Wanda under her breath.
Pepper was writing things down on a pad as Tony asked how Christine took her dismissal. Pepper said like a champ and Tony picks up a piece of equipment, accusing Pepper of trying to hassle him out of here. Pepper bit back that his plan was supposed to leave an hour and a half ago.
Tony was kneeling in front of his hot-rod car. "That's funny. I thought, with it being my plane and all, that it would just wait for me to get there."
"He does have a point," said Natasha reasonably. "But even private planes have to file flight plans and take off on time. You can't just do things when you want, Tony."
"I don't do that anymore," noted Tony quietly. He was a lot more responsible with his times now.
"The Accords situation showed otherwise," commented Wanda viciously.
"Says the woman who decided to do what she wanted against the wishes of the world," Tony replied, giving her a sweeping look. "And who pushed Vision down through several floors because he was trying to keep you safe? Not me."
Wanda's fingers glowed red but her powers did not manifest.
"Wanda, don't," advised Steve.
She looked like she wanted to argue back but Steve's continuing glare kept her silent.
Pepper needed to speak to Tony about a couple of things before he left. She looked stressed. Tony asked her if she thought it defeated the whole purpose of having your own plane if it departed before he could get there. He stood up and Pepper continued that Harry had been on the phone and he had another buyer for the Jackson Pollock painting. He wanted to know if Tony wanted it or not. Tony asked Pepper if it was a good representation of his spring period. Pepper believed not as it was a painting of the neighbourhood in East Hampton where he lived and worked, not like the season 'spring'. She went on to add that she thought it was a fair example but it was incredibly overpriced.
As soon as heard those words, Tony said: "I need it. Buy it. Store it."
"You didn't buy it because you really wanted it, you bought it because it was expensive," stated Clint, looking a bit disgusted over how Tony spent his money. "No thought for others who might appreciate the art and want to display it correctly."
Tony hated seeing his younger self. He'd been a jerk, buying things because he could, not because he wanted them. Pepper had spent years curating their art collection and he'd thrown it away without considering how much time and effort she'd put into it. "Remember, Barton, this isn't who I am now."
"Could have fooled us," snarled Barton, turning his nose up.
Tony sighed. He didn't think this would work. They'd still hate him.
Pepper started to mention the MIT commencement speech but Tony spoke over her, telling her not to harangue him about that stuff as it was in June. Pepper said they were haranguing her and told him she would say yes to that invitation. Tony told her to deflect and absorb it and to not transmit it back to him. Pepper handed him some papers, asking him to sign them before he got on the plane. Tony wanted to know why she was trying to get rid of him and queried if she had any plans.
Pepper held out a pen to Tony, telling him that she did have plans. He retorted that he didn't like it when she had plans. Pepper shook her head slightly. She told him it was her birthday and she was allowed to have plans on it.
"It's your birthday?" Tony asked.
"Yes," she clarified.
"I knew that. Already?"
Wanda scoffed.
"Dude, you didn't know her birthday? How long has she worked for you for?" Sam looked astonished.
"Of course, he wouldn't know. He only cares about himself," sniffed Wanda.
"I can't believe you didn't know her birthday…" breathed Steve.
"If it helps, I don't know when Rhodey's birthday is either and I've known him longer then Pepper," interjected Tony, hoping to defuse the criticism.
"It is a known factor, geniuses can be forgetful of simple everyday things which you feel they should know, Captain," answered Vision. "Your criticism of Mr. Stark is unwarranted in this case."
The others fell silent and Tony sent him a grateful smile.
Pepper said her birthday was the same day last year. Tony told her to get herself something nice from him.
"You let her buy stuff for herself with your money?" asked Steve, surprised.
"Yes. Got a problem with that, Rogers?" shirked Tony.
Steve shook his head. "No… its nice of you."
Tony wanted to bite back a reply but decided not to make a snarky comment.
Pepper explained she had already got herself something. Tony wanted to know more and she clarified that it was very nice and very tasteful. "Thank you, Mr. Stark." Tony smiled at her, his eyes shining brightly. "You're welcome, Miss Potts."
"She was the only PA you never slept with, wasn't she?" asked Bruce.
Tony looked a bit wary of the question. "Yes… why?"
"But he did sleep with her!" interjected Wanda. "He was clearly flirting with her! He let her use his money!"
Tony control broke and he stood up. "Let me make this clear to you, Wanda, Pepper and I never slept together until after she was CEO and I'd stepped down. We'd been dancing around one another for years before we finally got together. Letting her use my money to buy herself nice things is no indication that we slept together. I trusted Pepper to have my back. My love for her grew from mutual admiration and long-term friendship. What I feel for Pepper is real."
"I can confirm the truth in what Mr. Stark is saying. I retain JARVIS's memories. Wanda, perhaps you should consider you are wrong," suggested Vision.
Wanda glared but didn't reply. Tony took it as a small victory.
Thor cast his gaze over his companions. "I really feel myself and Bruce are missing something. I'm not sure we can wait to see what happened."
"It's best if you do," said Natasha, attempting to be neutral. "Make up your own mind. I worry if anyone of us attempted to tell you, our views would be skewed towards our own personal opinion."
The others mutually agreed.
Tony signed the papers Pepper had offered to him and drank the coffee before handing the cup to Pepper.
The scene changed to a white Audi speeding down the road, followed by a black car driven by Happy. The Audi races into Stark Industries landing field and Tony comes to a stop by a light SI jet. Rhodey was standing at the top of the boarding stairs. Happy drew up next to Tony and as the billionaire exited his car, he told Happy that he was good and he'd thought he'd lost him back there. Happy confirmed that he had and he'd needed to cut across Mulholland to catch up.
"You like your speed?" asked Bucky. "Racing cars?"
Tony shrugged. "Habit. I had the money. I could buy myself out of prison or any tickets." He scratched the back of his head. "Which is wrong," he added as a way to avoid the others being given another excuse to yell at him.
Rhodey yelled at him from the top of the stairs to the plane asking him what was wrong with him, and that he was three hours late.
"Three hours?" Steve shook his head. "Geeze, Tony!"
"I wasn't happy about it," said Rhodey.
"That's obvious," commented Wanda sarcastically.
Tony said he had got caught doing a piece of Vanity Fair.
He winced at the easy lie he had told. Tony recognised he had been a jerk. Sex had been more important to him than having an early night and turning up on time. He simply hadn't cared. I'm a better person now.
Tony ran up the stairs and passed Rhodey, telling him they were now waiting on him. The pilot was given the go ahead to prepare the plane for flight. Rhodey followed in behind Tony.
There was a shot of the plane flying in the air. Tony and Rhodey were sitting at a table being served by blonde stewardesses, who smiles seductively at Tony and he watches on as she walks away.
Tony felt ashamed of how he had taken these women for granted.
"They're not just cabin crew… are they?" asked Steve.
Tony bowed his head. "No. They're not."
"Yuck." Wanda's eyes lowered.
"You slept with them?" probed Steve.
Tony's expression said it all. They were making him feel worse than he already did. "They agreed. I never forced anyone to have sex with me. The cabin crew did it of their own violation if I wanted it. It's shitty behaviour and I shouldn't have done it. What you're about to see happen in Afghanistan changed me. But I'm sure you'll still think little of me."
"Oh, we will," Wanda tilted her head to the side. "I've seen nothing yet which makes me change my mind."
Tony asked Rhodey what he was reading. The Colonel replied with nothing and Tony told him not to be mad. Rhodey stated he wasn't mad; he was just indifferent. Tony said he had apologised.
"The difference there, Tony, is that you weren't really sorry. This was common behaviour for you," pointed out Rhodey, sighing. "And I let you get away with it. I could have been a better friend and made you realise how wrong this was. But you were the type of person who did what you wanted on your own terms. You still do… but you are a lot more considerate of other people then you had been before."
Tony nodded, accepting Rhodey's criticism. He could recognise how he had taken his friends for granted. Afghanistan had opened his eyes, not just to how he was seen within the weapon's industry, but to what he would leave behind when he died and how he would be remembered. He cast a glance at Wanda. He knew she would still hate him. Nothing could realistically change her mind about him.
The Air Hostess arrived and smiled at Tony. Rhodey reiterated that Tony didn't need to apologise and that he was Tony's man. Tony explained to the Air Hostess that he was sorry as the Hostess handed him a napkin.
Rhodey looked like he'd had enough of Tony's sass. "You don't respect yourself, so I know you don't respect me."
Tony said he did. But Rhodey explained he was just Tony's babysitter, that when he needed his diaper changed to let him know and he'd get him a bottle. Rhodey picked up the cloth the Air Hostess had handed him and cleaned his hands. She tried to hand him a drink but he refused as they were working, though Tony accepted his own drink.
"You are constitutionally incapable of being responsible."
"So true," agreed Wanda. "Stark has always been irresponsible."
"The Ultron fiasco is a good example of how irresponsible he is," quipped Clint.
Tony sighed. He may have argued back however there was no point, not when both Wanda and Clint had already made up their minds about him.
Tony stated it would be irresponsible not to drink and all he had been talking about was a nightcap. The Hostess offered a Hot Sake, and Tony said yes to two of them though Rhodey tried to say no.
The scene changed to Tony and Rhodey holding drinks. It was clear Rhodey was drunk. Music blared in the background.
"Wow," whistled Steve. "You let him get to you."
Rhodey winced. Tony had always been good at getting him to drink when he didn't want to.
"Drink doesn't repair everything," sighed Tony. "This was my life back then. It isn't now."
Sam peered at Tony curiously. "Are you sure about that, Stark?"
"When was the last time Tony was papped stumbling out of a club, or at a party or with his next conquest?" put in Bruce. "Can you name when?"
The other Avengers exchanged careful looks before admitting they couldn't. "No," answered Steve, answering for everyone.
"Just because Stark doesn't participate in that type of behaviour now doesn't mean he's changed," sniffed Wanda.
Clint agreed.
Tony shook his head in despair. Even though it was obvious he'd changed, the others were still not willing to admit it.
Rhodey was talking about how when he puts on his uniform in the morning, he recognises that everyone in that uniform has his back. Tony said he wasn't like Rhodey. The camera pulled back to show flashing lights as the Air Hostesses danced sexily around a pole. Rhodey told Tony he didn't have to be like him, only to be more than what he was. Tony's eyes were on the scantily clad girls and he admitted he was a bit distracted by the three dancing girls. Rhodey told him he couldn't be distracted right now but Tony took another sip of the drink and continued to watch the girls dance.
"Sorry."
"Tony, unlike the rest of them," Rhodey referred to the others on Steve's side, "I recognise you have changed. This you we're seeing on screen is not the one who became Iron Man. You have become more than what you are. You are a hero. It doesn't matter what they think, it matters how the world views you. And you are a hero to them."
Tony was grateful for Rhodey's support.
Wanda looked like she was about to say something back but Steve shook his head, urging her to keep her opinions to herself.
The scene changed to Tony arriving in Afghanistan, walking down the steps and towards the General, shaking his hand. The General was looking forward to his weapon's demonstration.
Now Tony was standing in front of an array of mountains, facing the US army.
"Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both? With that in mind, I humbly present the crown jewel of Stark Industries Freedom Line."
"Freedom line?" Steve gasped. "Really, Tony?"
Tony muttered under his breath. "I knew you'd pick up on that."
"It's the first missile system to incorporate our proprietary repulsor technology. They say the best weapons are ones your never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once. That's how Dad did it. That's how America does it. And it's worked out pretty well so far. Find an excuse," Tony raises his left arm to indicate a missile launcher stacked with three missiles, "to let one of these off the chain, and I personally guarantee you the bad guys won't ever want to come out of their caves." He indicated for the demonstration to begin.
Army heads turn as the missile launcher raises and fires the left one, flying over the landscape and breaking apart in flight, shooting little missiles as they pulled away from the main framework. Tony begins to raise his arms in a god-like pose.
Steve rolled his eyes and Wanda scoffed.
Clint coughed. "Full of himself!"
"Ignore them," whispered Rhodey.
"For your consideration: the Jericho!" Tony decreed.
The missiles hit the mountain range behind him, sending out a massive explosion. Dust and wind blew Tony forward a few steps and the hats fly of the heads of the soldiers as the wind from the explosion buffeted them.
Tony winced at his tactics, not liking how he had performed for the crowd. It was expected of him. He had a media personality. Pepper and Rhodey were a few of the only people who truly knew the real Tony Stark.
Tony opened a case with glasses and champagne. He said he would be throwing one of these in with every purchase of five hundred million or more. He raised his glass and toasted to peace. Tony looked at his phone as it rang and saw Obie's face. Tony answered and asked him what he was doing up.
Obadiah explained he couldn't sleep until he found out how it went. Tony reassured him it went great and that it would be an early Christmas. Tony started to walk towards the Humvee. Obadiah congratulated him and said he would see him tomorrow.
"No, he won't," said Tony quietly. He wished he had been more open-minded, and recognised the signs Obadiah had been given for a long time.
Tony asked Obadiah why he wasn't wearing the pyjamas he got him. Obadiah told him goodnight and ended the call as a soldier opened the door to the Humvee for Tony. Rhodey walked up as Tony moved to sit in the Humvee. Tony stopped Rhodey from joining him.
"I'm sorry, this is the 'fun-vee'." Tony leaned out the window. "The 'hum-drum-vee' is back there."
"Rude," commented Sam. "You could give him more respect. He's supposed to be your friend."
Even Tony could see the way he treated Rhodey was awful.
"You should be more respectful of Earth's warriors, Stark!" deemed Thor.
Tony decided not to reply. He didn't want to defend himself as there was nothing to defend against it. He'd been such a dick to Rhodey, he was surprised the man still wanted to be friends with him.
Rhodey said he would see Tony back at the base as Tony began to drink and the Humvee drove off.
There was a rapid flashing off images streaming across the screen. Blurry images of a cave. Tony being operated on and held down, screaming, blood covered his chest, and something round and metallic was being placed in his chest, before a shot of a hand covering Tony's mouth appears. Tony went limp.
"What the hell was that!" yelled Bucky.
Tony sighed, shifted on his seat so Bucky could see him. "I was dying. They had to put a magnet in my chest to stop pieces of shrapnel from piercing my heart. I was awake for it, as you saw."
Bucky looked white, but his hands were clenched tightly together. Tony could understand, the Super Soldier had been tortured too and what he saw happening to Tony reminded him of his own torture.
"It still… haunts me," admitted Tony.
Steve lowered his head. "Sorry, Tony. We didn't know."
"No, you didn't," replied Tony.
"It wasn't in your file either," added Steve. "Why not? Fury gave it to me. All it said was you were kidnapped in Afghanistan and was missing for three months and created the Arc Reactor there."
Tony folded his arms across his chest. "That's because I edited the file and removed all mention of what happened there. I didn't want anyone to ever find out." He swept his arm out in front of him. "But, no choice now. You'll see what really happened."
"Why did they kidnap you?" asked Thor. "Are they still alive? I could destroy them-"
Tony raised his hand. "Thor. I dealt with them. The ones that hurt me are dead."
"Good." Thor sounded pleased. "Anyone who dares to hurt one of my teammates will not live past the wrath of Thor."
Steve winced at the words
Tony wondered what Thor's reaction would be when he saw Steve beating Tony to a bloodied pulp. Was Thor aware he had strangled Tony too? He wasn't going to bring it up. He'd wait to see Thor's reaction.
Tony wakes up with a tube up his nose. He started to pull out the line, yanking off the tape over his nose.
Clint shuddered. "Ew. Not nice."
He saw a glass of water on a cabinet next to him and he reached out for it, but his fingers missed and he fell to the floor. He was parched. Coughing from the effort, Tony saw a man on the other side of the cave, humming and shaving in a mirror.
"Yinsen," said Tony softly. All these years later he still mourned the man's loss. Yinsen should have lived. He was just one of the few people who Tony had failed to save. "His name is Yinsen."
Tony rolled to the left to reach for something and he noticed a tug at his chest. Yinsen said he wouldn't do that if he were Tony. This prompted Tony to look down at his chest and he saw wires which led to a car battery. The two wires led directly into his chest. Panic rising, Tony could feel something metallic underneath the bandages wrapped around his chest. Pulling them off he saw there was a metal plating attached with wires that was embedded into the centre of his chest. He was in shock, his breathing louder than normal.
"That's what they did to you," mentioned Bruce quietly.
Tony nodded solemnly. "And hooked up to a car battery to keep me running."
Steve was shaking his head in shock. "That's… horrible. What they did to you…"
Wanda sneered. "Stark deserved it."
Tony was surprised by how quickly Thor reacted. The God of Thunder had risen from his chair, and stalked towards Wanda with a furious look on his face. "How dare you say that about Stark!"
Wanda shrunk back as Clint tried to protect her.
"She didn't mean it!" Clint said. "Did you?" He shot Wanda a look.
"No." Wanda grated the word through her teeth.
Tony was sure she didn't mean it but he felt compelled to speak up but it was something that had to be said, to try to clear the air between himself and Wanda. "Wanda, I didn't kill your parents." He'd kept quiet, not wanting to pull apart her logic in front of the others.
"Yes, you did!" Wanda replied.
"Wait, is that why you don't like Tony?" Rhodey queried, watching the younger woman carefully. "Because you believe he killed your parents?"
"It was his missile. His name on the bomb," stated Wanda. "He killed them."
Rhodey sat back, shaking his head. "Unbelievable." He couldn't believe how naïve Wanda really was. Surely, she knew that just because someone's name was painted on the side of a bomb, did not make one directly responsible for the tragedy that occurs from it.
Bruce was about to speak when Tony began first.
"Wanda, I'm not even going to attempt to explain things to you. I know you wouldn't believe me." Tony wasn't going to waste his breath trying to convince her unless there was a chance, she might believe it. Right now, she was not in the right frame of mind. "Let's just continue. Thor, sit down."
The God of Thunder returned to his seat though he had been suitably ruffled by Wanda's comments about Tony.
Later, Yinsen is stirring food in a pan as Tony looks at the chest piece via a small mirror. Tony wanted to know what the man had done to him.
Yinsen chuckled. "What I did is to save your life."
Tony smiled sadly. "I'm glad he did."
Rhodey grabbed his shoulder, knocking him gently. "We all are."
Tony doubted Wanda did but wisely kept silent.
Tony studied the home-made magnet, absorbing the information the man continued to impart about the operation he had carried out on Tony. The man had removed all the shrapnel he could but there was still a lot left and heading to his atrial septum. He asked Tony if wanted to see the shards which were stored in a glass bottle. He threw it to Tony who caught it and brought it up to his eye line. He could see the tiny metal fragments inside it.
"I've seen many wounds like that in my village. We call them the walking dead because it takes about a week for the barbs to reach the vital organs."
Sam cringed. "Ouch. Not a nice way to go."
Tony asked what was in his chest. His companion explained that it was an electromagnet hooked up to a car battery and it was keeping the shrapnel from entering his heart. Tony zipped up his jacket, not wanting to look at it anymore.
"Glad I don't have it anymore," said Tony. "That thing was a killer on my lung capacity."
"I always meant to ask, why did you not have it removed earlier?" asked Bruce. "You could have had it taken out when you returned home."
"I investigated. The top heart-surgeon in the world could not operate," explained Tony. "I had to wait for technology to move on before it was possible." The only reason Tony had been able to remove his Arc Reactor completely was because of the invention of Extremis. The risks of the operation decreased with Extremis and Tony had managed to stabilise it for general use, though it was not available on the market. It was a substance that could easily be used for evil despite its good qualities. "I had to learn to live with it." He held a hand up to his chest. "Chronic chest pain every day is hard to live with."
"You never said," Steve told him. "Why?"
Tony threw him a look. "I don't trust easily."
"But since you had it removed, you're alright?" asked Sam.
Tony nodded. "Yes. But the fear is still there."
The shield slamming down on his chest… He'd had nightmares about that. Steve bashing his chest in with incredible force. He'd been lucky to survive. Now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
Tony noticed a camera in the corner of the cave. Yinsen told him to smile and turned back to cooking. He explained to Tony that they had met once, at a technical conference in Bern. Tony didn't remember.
Wanda rolled her eyes.
"Too drunk I bet," stated Clint harshly.
Tony couldn't argue with that. His lifestyle back then had been one of party, party, party! He simply hadn't cared. Nowadays he was a changed man. He still remembered Yinsen. He would never forget him.
The man continued and said if he had been that drunk, he wouldn't have been able to stand much less give a lecture on integrated circuits.
"Wait. You were drunk and still managed to do a lecture?" Bruce looked surprised.
"If you recall I did tell you about this…" pointed out Tony.
Bruce winced. "I…
"Was asleep. I know. Through the whole time I was talking to you about it," said Tony. In hindsight, Bruce hadn't been the correct person to talk to.
"Ah, you hold your liquor well, my friend!" crowed Thor. "We shall have to have a drinking game!"
Tony eyed the God of Thunder warily. He doubted he would win at one. Thor's drinking ability clearly outdid his own. "I think I'll pass."
He saw Clint about to make a comment but Steve's glare silenced the archer.
Tony asked Yinsen where they were but before he could answer, they heard voices from behind the large bolted door. A peephole slit opened and a man spoke Arabic through it.
Urging Tony to stand up, his companion told him to do as he did, and they both put their hands behind their heads.
The door opened and several men walk into the cave, carrying guns.
"Those are my guns. How did they get my guns?" Tony whispered, shock rattling through him.
"You didn't know?" Bucky observed quietly.
Tony shook his head. "No. How they got my weapons had nothing to do with me, albeit I should have realised what was going on long before now if I'd had my eyes open instead of closed. This is what I mean by Afghanistan changed me."
The man in the centre of the group moves forward, raising his arms happily and speaks in Arabic, gesturing to Tony. Yinsen translated. Their captor welcomed Tony, who to them was the most famous mass-murderer in the history of America. They were honoured and they wanted him to build the missile. The Jericho missile that Tony had demonstrated.
They passed Yinsen a photo who showed it to Tony.
"That's what they wanted," said Steve. "The missile?"
"They did."
"Please tell me you didn't…" Steve looked horrified.
Tony was about to reply when Wanda interjected: "He will. Stark only cares about profit, not other people's lives."
Gritting his teeth, Tony was slowly losing patience with Wanda.
"How many people here actually believe Tony would betray his country like that?" asked Rhodey, leaning forward and focusing his gaze upon Team Cap.
Both Wanda and Clint raised their hands. Steve tried to look suitably ashamed but it was clear what his thoughts were. He actually had considered Tony would build a weapon of mass destruction for terrorists?
"Wow." Rhodey couldn't believe it. "Thought you'd know your own team-mate better, Barton."
"He's not my team-mate," stated Clint.
Tony laid a hand on Rhodey's shoulder. "Don't bother. They want to believe it. Let them."
Tony looked at the photo, then back at his captor. He said two words. "I refuse."
"Oh, thank god," said Steve, relieved.
"It's not over yet, Cap," pointed out Clint. "He's not even been there for three months. He said no now but it doesn't mean he won't say yes."
The scene changed abruptly and suddenly Tony's head was being forced and held underwater.
He was being waterboarded.
They pulled him back up for a gasp of air before thrusting his head back down into the bucket of water, drowning him.
Thor was up from his seat again but Bruce pulled him down. He grumbled but acquiesced.
Bucky's arm was twitching.
"Buck, are you alright?" Steve whispered. "I know this might bring back some bad memories–"
Bucky cut him off. "I'm not the one you should be comforting." He indicated Tony who was sitting at the end of the left sofa, his face white. "This clearly traumatises him too. Perhaps give him some compassion instead of putting him down all the time? I killed his parents, Steve."
"But that wasn't-"
"It doesn't matter. He's supposed to be your friend. Start acting like one."
Rhodey noticed Tony's white and stock posture. "Tones? Anything I can do?"
The inventor silently shook his head, his eyes never leaving the screen as he watched his own torture.
The Reactor in Tony's chest sparked.
Thor roared but didn't try to move.
Pepper's voice echoed in Tony's head. "Tony!"
"You heard her voice," murmured Rhodey.
Tony nodded weakly. "That was… when I knew I loved her. Out of everyone in the world who I've met, my thoughts then were for only one person. Pepper. She's my rock."
Steve listened quietly but made no comment.
A bald man watches Tony's torture. The terrorists pull Tony away from the bucket, yelling the word 'Jericho' over and over again. They pull a sack over his head and pushed and pulled him until they were stepping out from the cave into the daylight. Tony held the battery in his hands and the sack was pulled off, the bright sunlight hurting his eyes.
They were deep in the mountains. Tony's guard pushes him forward and he stumbles, managing to regain his balance. As they walked into the camp, they could see boxes upon boxes of Stark Industries weapons. The whole camp was full of them.
"See!" Wanda pointed out vehemently. "Your weapons! Your name! You sold them!"
Sam looked at Wanda, worried by her words. "But he was surprised they had his weapons, Wanda. Come on, be reason-"
"Stark is a good actor. He knows when to fake his emotions," stated Wanda, folding her arms across her chest.
Vision leaned forward. "Wanda… I was Mr. Stark's AI during this time. I can assure you; Mr. Stark may be a good actor at hiding his true façade, but he is not faking now."
Wanda bit her lower lip and said no more.
They stopped in front of the same man Tony had seen earlier, who had made the request for him to build the Jericho, who gestured to Yinsen to translate. The terrorist wanted Tony to know what he thought of their weapon's stash.
Tony thought they had a lot of his weapons. The terrorist continued, explaining they had everything Tony required to build the Jericho missile. They wanted him to take the materials from the weapons they had and for him to start working straight away, and when Tony had finished, they would set him free. The Arabic man held out his hand to Tony who shook it.
"SEE!" Wanda shouted, jumping from her seat. "I said you'd make them for them! I know you, Stark! And now we all have proof to ruin you!"
Tony raised a single eyebrow at her. "Do you think I'm stupid enough to actually go through with making them the Jericho? Iron Man was born in Afghanistan. What do you think I really built there with those materials?"
"Stark's right, Wanda," Clint admitted, though it pained him to do so. "Even I know this is where he created Iron Man. But I don't believe he didn't know where his weapons were going to. Stark is the one who said yes to this. He has to placate them somehow otherwise they'll get too suspicious. He'll give them something."
Tony would have congratulated the archer if he hadn't been so wrong. He had underestimated Clint badly.
Tony knew that the terrorist's definition of being set free would be to kill him. Yinsen smiled too, also agreeing with Tony's assessment that he wouldn't be freed. The deal had been made.
To be continued...
Please let me know what you think!
Clint and Wanda really do not like Tony... Steve isn't being as hostile as I thought he would be, however, Clint and Wanda seem to have more of a beef with Tony which is why a lot of their comments seem to be quite mean. It's all part of the character development they will all go through as they continue to watch the films.
The cabin-girls on Tony's flight to Afghanistan... They're not simply cabin girls. I can see Tony being the type who would sleep with them on long journeys, though it is all consensual.
I'm also trying to get a lot of reactions from the Avengers, getting them to talk and react properly, as I feel you need to have a lot of discussion between them, in addition to their reactions.
Next chapter: Tony escapes. To be posted next Sunday.
Until then,
the-writer1988