Disclaimer: The following story is fiction. The characters are not meant to represent any real persons. I do not own the characters and make no money from this story. This is just a story.

Hostile Takeover

By Dbud (feedback requested)

Codes: MF, Non-Consensual Sex, Violence, Rape, Murder

This story takes place after Iron Man 2 and features a character from the comics, Tony Stark's brother Gregory.

Starring:

Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff

Nick Fury

Gregory Stark

Pepper confronts Gregory Stark over his take over of Stark Industries and realizes how depraved his plans are.

"Miss Potts! P-please! Stop! He asked not be disturbed! You can't go…"

Pepper Potts, acting CEO of Stark Industries, stormed past the woman sitting behind the desk and through the large double doors leading to Tony Stark's office. Bursting through the doors, she flung them open and slammed into the shelves lining the walls shaking the collected works of arts and knocking a very expensive vase onto the floor, shattering it.

Pepper stomped across the massive room and up to the huge desk at the other end, followed by the woman jogging behind her.

"You'll never get away with this you bastard!"

Pepper practically yelled across the room at the top of her lungs as she charged forward.

"I-I'm sorry Mr. Stark. I c-could-dn't stop her," the terrified assistant told her boss, her voice trembling.

The man at the desk was sitting in a high backed leather chair and had it turned away from the room as he gazed out the window and over the sprawling grounds of the company he ran.

"It's is alright Miss Fox. We will discuss your…incompetence later. Leave us."

A few long seconds passed as the woman scurried from the room and Pepper waited for him to turn around to face her.

"Well!?"

The man spun in the chair, "Well what Miss Potts?"

"Well what?! What do you have to say for yourself!?"

The man finally turned to face her as Pepper stood with her arms crossed and defiant, staring him down.

"I'm sorry Pepper; you're an intelligent woman so I assumed you understood all the paperwork I sent over. I really don't understand what the problem is."

The man sitting behind Tony's desk was not in fact Tony Stark. He looked similar though. He had the same thin but athletic build and even a similar goatee. His hair was lighter though, almost blonde and a bit thinner with a receding hairline. He was so similar in appearance to Tony Stark he could have been his brother. In fact, he was Tony's brother.

The man sitting behind the desk was Gregory Stark, older brother of Tony and new CEO of Stark industries.

Tony and Gregory had always been rivals. Their father was a stern man who pitted the boys against each other at almost every turn which created an intense rivalry between them. Both brilliant scientists, Gregory had never forgiven his father for bequeathing his company to his little brother. After years of lawsuits after his father's death where he claimed that Tony stole his birthright, Gregory finally gave up the cause and started his own firm.

He also gave up any claim to his father's fortune. On his own, starting from nothing, he had a personal net worth more than double Tony's and more than most medium sized countries.

Flashback…Several months ago…

Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. The Black Widow and a secret government agent for the world spanning global task force known as SHIELD entered Nick Fury's office.

"Hey boss."

"How many times have I told you to knock before coming in here Agent Romanoff?"

Natasha stepped back, and with the office door still open, reached up and knocked on it deliberately several times, "Happy?"

"Hardly."

"But you're right Nick, I mean, last thing we want is a repeat of what happened last month when I walked in on you…"

"I told you I had gotten some spam. I don't know where those websites came from!"

"Uh-huh."

Natasha sat down and put her boots up on his desk, "And your pants just happened to fall open at that moment right?"

"I was tucking in my shirt. Just fucking knock from now on!"

Natasha raised her hands as if conceding but without actually agreeing, "So, did you see my report on Tony?"

"Yes I did," Nick Fury, head of SHIELD and Natasha's boss seemed to be calming down. "It is troubling to say the least."

"So, have you called Gregory yet?"

Nick appeared shocked at hearing her say that name, "How did you…"

"Nick, I am a secret agent."

He decided to ignore how she had gained access to that level of classified information but he also fully intended to order a full security sweep of the SHIELD database as soon as she left.

"Yes, I have."

"And he seems open to it?"

"He does."

Natasha leaned forward with a concerned look on her face, "Are you sure you want to do this? I read his file. Is he really a man you can trust? By all measures, he's brilliant, maybe even more so than Tony. But his psych profile also says he is totally amoral and ruthless."

"Good."

"Good?"

"Yes, agent Romanoff, good. I like ruthless and amoral. I know how to deal with men like that; what makes them tick. Guys like Tony who suddenly grow a conscience are hard to get a read on."

"So, what's the plan for getting rid of Tony?"

Natasha had a smirk on her face that Fury had seen before.

"Not that! I figure something more subtle. We say that he's checked into rehab or something. His battle with alcohol is well documented. Then once he's out of the way, we slip our man into Stark Industries. Fake the necessary paperwork and it'll all be legal like."

"What about Pepper? She'll never go for it."

"Yeah, we'll have to deal with her too."

"Okay, I'll take care of it."

And with that Natasha got up and left. After a few seconds, Nick thought about what she had said and jumped up, running after Agent Romanoff.

"Hey! We aren't going to kill her! Natasha!"

She was nowhere to be found in the hallway,

"SHIT!"

Present day…Back in Tony's office…

Gregory spoke to the enraged woman standing before him, "I'm sorry if you are unhappy with your new role in the company. You were an assistant to my brother so I assumed you could do the same for me. I mean, I have to replace that moron out there."

Gregory pointed out towards the outer office where his beautiful assistant was located, "She makes me want to kill myself."

"You pompous asshole! This isn't about my position in the company. I no longer work for this company. I quit!"

Gregory seemed hurt by her comments and tone, "Oh, I am sorry to hear that. You are a valuable asset. Of course you will be missed. Perhaps some of the other girls could throw you a going away party…"

Pepper ignored his condescending tone, "What? I can't believe you expect to get away with this?"

"I'm sorry my dear but I don't know what you are…"

"YOU STOLE TONY'S COMPANY!" Pepper was screaming at him.

Gregory stiffened like he was genuinely shocked by her comments, "I most certainly did not! Tony has always had a problem with alcohol and drugs. He's an addict. And he has checked himself into a rehabilitation facility and in his absence he asked me to keep an eye on things. And to do so, he appointed me acting CEO. I am sure you saw the paperwork…"

Pepper leaned in over the desk, staring Gregory down intensely, "Look, you and I both know Tony has hated you his entire life. You haven't spoken in ten years. There is no way in hell he would sign his company over to you."

"Pepper, you may not want to believe it but I assure you…"

"I don't even know where Tony is, which rehab he's in? Why don't you start by telling me where he is if you are so concerned?"

"I know this must be tough on you. I mean you and Tony were very close, from what I have heard," Gregory had a leer in his voice as he spoke the last part, "so I am sure it is troubling for you that Tony didn't confide in you his plans or where he is. But perhaps he felt you were part of the problem…"

"Part of the problem? I am one of the main reasons this company is not bankrupt…"

"I 'm sure you are…were. But perhaps he felt you also contributed to his addictions. Even the closest of friends can be enablers…"

"HOW DARE YOU!?"

The two of them stared at each for several long seconds. Pepper spoke first…

"I can see there is nothing more to be accomplished here. I was a fool to think you could be reasoned with. I will be contacting my lawyers and getting an injunction to stop this farce immediately."

She turned to leave but after a few feet stopped and spun back to face him, "And I will find Tony, you can bet your ass on that! This is not over!"

Pepper spun again and just as she reached the doors Gregory reached under desk and found a small nub which he had installed just a few days earlier. He pressed it.

Pepper barely even registered the faint 'click' of the doors locking as she turned the handles to open them. They did not open. Stepping back a bit unsure of what to do, she grabbed the handles again and shook the doors violently. Turning, she saw Gregory's face and his smirking expression and immediately knew what he had done.

"Very funny! Open the doors and let me out of here."

Gregory stood and walked around the desk and towards her.

"Look," Pepper said to him with her normal commanding tone in her voice, "You might think this is funny, but it's not. This is only making things worse. There is nothing you can say to make me change my mind."

She turned back and began rattling the doors again to force them open.

"Change your mind? I don't want to change your mind my dear. For that, I would have to give a fuck what a stupid cunt like you thinks in the first place."

Pepper stopped shaking the doors and stood facing them for several long seconds. Her head was cocked to the side as if she was trying to ascertain if she had in fact heard what she thought she had heard. Slowly she turned to face Gregory.

Pepper had a look on her face like she couldn't believe what he had just said to her. When she spoke, she did so slowly and enunciated each word and syllable, "What did you call me?"

"A cunt! It's a euphemism for a woman's, umm, private region…"

"I know what it means! How dare you speak to me like that! I don't know who the hell you think you are, but you better let me out of here RIGHT NOW!"

Pepper turned back to the doors and jerked on them several more times. When that proved futile, she pounded her fist on the wood. Just then she sensed someone close to her, just over her shoulder. Looking back, she saw Gregory was standing just behind her. Before she could react, he pushed her hard against the door.

Pepper tried to move away but he pressed his hand against the side of her face holding her head against the door.

"HEY! Get your hands…"

Just then Pepper felt Gregory's other hand on her ass cheek.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

He didn't answer as he slid his free hand down her body until he found the bottom edge of Pepper's skirt. Reaching upward, he ran his palm up the soft flesh of her inner-thigh.

"STOP!" she screamed but he responded by leaning in and pressing his weight against her body. She felt him push his crotch against her rear as he pinned her against the door with his body. Still holding her face firmly against the wood, he began whispering in her ear.

"You know Pepper; I always wondered why Tony kept you around. I'm sure he had a good reason."

Pepper was trying to push herself away from the door, but he was too heavy.

"Stop this at once! Get off me!"

Unlike before, when her voice had been firm and demanding, it now was quivering and had a frantic quality running through it. Pepper's eyes widened as she felt his hand, still under her skirt, begin to rub between her legs. He began massaging her pussy with his fingers through her silk panties.

"NO! OH GOD! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

In a frantic effort to do something to get away, she began to beat her fists on the door and scream, "HELP! SOMEONE OUT THERE! PLEASE HELP ME!"

Gregory chuckled at her helplessness, "Scream all you want bitch!" he snarled in her ear, "This room is soundproof, you know that. And besides, even if that idiot out there could hear you, she's too stupid to dial the phone."

Gregory leaned in and began kissing Pepper's neck letting his tongue roll up and down her pale skin. As he did, he removed his hand from her face and reached it down and under her arm. Taking a handful of her left breast he sank his fingers into the soft meat, kneading it roughly.

"YOU BASTARD!"

Even though his weight was still on her, now that he no longer had her head pinned to the door she was able to push herself back and get some room to move. Turning somewhat as he continued to grope her, she managed to get her arms up and press her palms against his shoulders and chest. After a few seconds of pushing as he kept licking her neck, she managed to force him off her and quickly she moved away and into the office.

"Look, Gregory," she stood panting and disheveled with her hair mussed and her blouse pulled free from her skirt and the top button torn open, "This isn't funny. I don't know what you think you are doing or how you think you're going to get away with this…"

As she spoke, Pepper stepped backwards cautiously trying to keep distance between them as he advanced towards her.

"If I were you my dear, I wouldn't be worried about how I'm going to get away with this. I'd be more worried about what it is I am going to do that I will need to get away with."

She held up her hand palm towards Gregory as if to tell him to stop. She stepped back and felt the edge of Tony's desk against her buttocks, "Just unlock the door and let me out of here and I'll forget this ever happened. I promise. We'll just chalk it up to a momentary lapse in judgment."

Gregory smiled widely, "If that was a lapse in judgment, then what would you call THIS!?"

As he spoke the last word, he lurched forward and before she could react, Gregory whipped his hand across Pepper's face.

WAP!

His open palm slammed into her cheek nearly as hard as he could muster and Pepper's head was thrashed to the right as her vision went red and her legs buckled from the force of the blow.

Finding herself on her knees, she held her hand against her face. The stinging was the worst pain she had felt in a very long time. She looked up at the man who had hit her with a look of disbelief. Pepper could not believe he had hit her.

"Lo-look Gregory, this is getting serious. This is assault and false imprisonment. You need to think about..."

With a wide smile on his face, Gregory grabbed Pepper by the hair and yanked her to her feet.

"YAH!" she cried out in pain as he pulled her hair hard and her head was forced back. Holding her head with his left hand, he reached across his body with his right.

"I am so tired of your crap bitch!"

WHAP!

As he spoke, Gregory backhanded Pepper hard across her face. The blow was so hard that blood flew from her mouth.

"GYYYAAHHHH!" Pepper screamed again in pain as she was struck.

Before she could recover, Gregory slammed his fist into her gut, doubling her over.

"WHOOOPPPHHH!"

Pepper's eyes opened wide as she gasped in pain as he took her breath away. Gregory let her hair go and she staggered a few steps, wobbling on her four inch heels. Just before she was about to fall to her knees again though, Gregory took her by the arm and spun her.

"N-no! Stop!" she begged weakly as she was flung across the office. He threw her towards the sofa and Pepper hit it full speed and flipped feet over head over the back and landed with a 'THUD!' on the office floor.

Pepper lay for a second coughing and retching as she tried to regain her senses and get a full mouthful of air into her lungs. Finally, after a minute or so, she finally was able to move. She heard Gregory from the other side of the couch even though she couldn't see him.

"What the hell is a dumb bitch like you doing running this company anyway Pepper? I mean, you are a glorified secretary! You should be fetching coffee and making copies."

Pepper reached up and grabbed the edge of the sofa and used it to pull herself up to her knees as she tried to stand back up. That was when she saw Gregory. He was standing with his back to her facing the large windows that ran floor to ceiling along the entire outer wall of the office.

He was also completely naked.

His suit had been stripped off and was thrown over the back of his office chair. Pepper simply stared; she couldn't believe it. His body was lean and strong and well muscled.

"Really though, it's not your fault really, you were just in over your head."

He turned and Pepper's eyes fell to his crotch and the massive cock hanging between his legs. As he spun to face her, she heard it 'slap' against his thigh. It was huge even half erect as it was. He began to approach her and Pepper jumped to her feet and tried once again to back away.

"Y-you st-stay away from m-m-me you bast-tard!"

Her voice was cracking and weak as she yelled at him. He did not stop though and as he got closer she could see his cock hardening and rising with every step he took towards her.

"You can't do this!"

They both knew what she was referring to. His intention was clear.

"Oh but I can Pepper!"

He raised his arms to his sides and held them out, "Who is going to stop me? Who? You?"

Tears began to flow down her face as the realization of her situation sank in.

"Now, I'll give you a chance to save yourself some pain though. If you want to co-operate, go over to the desk and bend over. Otherwise, we'll have to do this the hard way."

He pointed at the desk on the other side of the room. Pepper stood for a few moments. As a business woman she was used to making tough decisions and weighing options. Then, to Gregory's surprise, she began walking towards the desk.

As she passed him, she shot him a look that could have killed, "Fuck you, you bastard! You'll pay for this!"

He smiled as he followed her and admiring her body. Pepper was nearly forty but she was a gorgeous woman. Tall with honey-blonde hair, she had a lean build of a woman who spent hours each week in the gym and ate almost nothing but salads. While a businesswoman who made her living dealing with men every day, she had managed to stay incredibly feminine. Her suits were cut to show off her curves and she usually wore skirts a little too short and blouses a little too low cut to be appropriate.

He suspected that it was in an effort to keep up with Tony's new assistant Natasha, who was such a stunning beauty that she could quite literally take a man's breath away when he first saw her. Whenever she entered the room, no matter how alluring Pepper was, all eyes went to the raven-haired beauty. He as sure Pepper noticed the lack of attention on her when Natasha was around.

Standing straight at the edge of the desk, she appeared to be trying to hold onto her dignity. It was one of the things Gregory found so attractive about Pepper; she had an air of superiority and a regal quality about her that was very alluring.

"Hands on the desk," he ordered her.

Looking back over her shoulder at him as he stepped up behind, her eyes seemed to be pleading with him even though she could not bring herself to actually voice the words. Leaning forward, she bent over the edge of the glass desktop. Gregory placed his hand on her shoulder and shoved her hard.

"UGH!"

Pepper grunted as her head was forced nearly to the surface of the desk and she was bent all the way over. As he held her there with his hand on the back of her neck, with his other, he grabbed the edge of her skirt and jerked it hard up and over her waist.

"OH GOD!"

Pepper cried out as what he was going to do was driven home as she felt her most private of areas exposed. Grabbing her panties he tore them free. Pepper, while she had seemed to be trying to maintain her composure, suddenly couldn't help herself and began to struggle. Leaning forward and pressing his weight into her, Gregory pushed her down harder as he kicked the inside of her calves outward.

"Spread your legs! Spread em!"

She had no choice but to comply. Holding her, he took the bulbous tip of his cock in his hand and began rubbing it between her legs. Feeling it part the soft folds of her pussy, Pepper began to sob uncontrollably.

"Please! NO!"

After a few up and down strokes, he found the entrance to Pepper hidden between her legs and let the tip of his organ slip inside her. Gregory felt her body stiffen as she was violated. A slight whimper passed her lips as he pushed his length deep into her cunt.

Gregory closed his eyes and let his head fall back as he felt the warm tight sensation of her grab a hold of his cock and squeeze it tight, "OH YES!"

"GYAH! NO!"

Pepper cried out again as he drove his cock as deep inside her as he could. Not only was his organ extremely large but also Pepper was not ready to receive him and the sensation for her was as painful as it was pleasurable for him.

Letting go of her head, he took her by the hips and began to thrust in and out of her hard and fast. Using her hips to control her, she had no choice but to take him inside. Pepper continued to sob as she was raped anew with every thrust.

Pepper was lurching forward as he pounded away from behind her. Gregory was slamming his cock into her as hard as he could and with every forward motion Pepper would be shoved onto the desk over and over.

Reaching around her, he grabbed her blouse and tore it open.

"OH GOD!" Pepper cried as she finally broke down totally, sobbing.

"Did my shit of a little brother fuck you over this desk? Huh? DID HE?! Everything that belonged to him is mine now! And that includes his whores!"

Gregory pushed himself deep into her as he leaned back, letting the pleasure her pussy gave him flood through his body. After several minutes, he felt his climax building and began working his dick up and down, grinding it into Pepper.

"OH FUCK!"

Pepper gritted her teeth as she felt his cum fill her as he released his orgasm into her. He worked his cock inside her, savoring his climax until he finally, pulled his cock free of her. He was breathing deeply as he stepped back, covered in beads of sweat. Pepper was nearly in shock.

She stood, cautiously at first, afraid he was going to attack her again but he seemed less interested in her now that he had cum. She turned, but stood relatively still as if trying not to draw attention. Reaching down with her right hand, she pulled her skirt down to cover herself. With her left, she used her forearm to cover her bare breasts as she reached up with her hand to wipe the tears from her cheek.

A minute or so passed, and Gregory stood facing her once again totally naked and exposed. He clapped his hands together…

"Well, let's finish this shall we?"

"What do you me…"

Before Pepper could finish, Gregory lunged forward, his arms out in front of him. With a sudden violence that took her by surprise even with everything he had done, he surged forward and wrapped his hands around her long thin neck. His weight crashed into her and Pepper was knocked backwards and her feet came off the floor as Gregory tackled her and the two of them found themselves on Tony's desk; Pepper on her back and her rapist on top of her.

Gregory pushed himself up onto her, straddling her torso with his thighs as he kept his hand wrapped tightly around Pepper's graceful throat. It was in this moment that she realized he intended to murder her. Even when he beat her and even through the rape she suffered by him she had always believed he would let her go after. She was convinced that this was some sort of twisted revenge against his brother but she never thought he intended to end her life. She now saw he did; the wild look in his eyes told her that.

"I've got to admit Pepper, raping you wasn't nearly as satisfying as I hoped it would be. You didn't fight as much as I'd hoped."

He sank his fingers into the meat of her neck, cutting off her air and severely hampering the flow of blood to and from her head.

Panicked, Pepper grabbed his wrists in her delicate fingers and frantically tried to pry him free of her. Gregory was squeezing so hard, the veins in his forearms became engorged and visible.

Pepper began to wildly kick and fight for air as she was throttled. Her feet knocked the papers and other items on Tony's desk off, scattering them across the floor. As she flailed her legs out and to the sides in an effort to break free, one of her heels flew off her foot and shattered an expensive crystal vase resting on a stand against the wall.

"That's it you fucking cunt! Fight! Fight to live you bitch!"

Pepper did fight; balling her small hands into fists, she began punching Gregory in the shoulders and upper arms, pounding her knuckles into his well muscled torso. Unfortunately for her, there was simply no way she could push him off her.

Pepper's face was turning a bright red as her eyes were wide and her mouth open. She began to quiver, her head jerking back and forth as she was taken by uncontrollable convulsions as her brain ran out of oxygen.

Gregory lowered his face towards her and he stared into her eyes as they turned bloodshot. He watched from only inches away as she experienced the final moments of her life. She stiffened and her body went rigid underneath him, twisting and jerking in her death throes.

"That's it Pepper. Give in now. It's no use. Time for it to be over."

Gregory gritted his teeth as he ground his fingers deep into her throat, literally wringing the life from her. A few last gurgles escaped Pepper's lips just before she went slack. Gregory watched as the final light left her eyes and she died in his hands.

Suddenly, he felt a welling from his crotch. Looking down, he saw his cock was engorged and hard once again.

Leaning forward, he held himself up with one hand while he knelt over Pepper's body as with his other hand he began furiously jerking his cock's shaft. So excited from her death, it took less than ten seconds for him to feel a massive orgasm about to explode through his organ. Lowering himself, he pushed the ending few inches of his cock into Pepper's open mouth.

As soon as the tip touched her lips, it exploded and his balls emptied in the most intense orgasm of his life.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! OH GOD!"

Gregory Stark screamed loud and long as he pumped his semen into Pepper's still warm mouth and throat. Crouching over her, he left his organ in her orifice for several long minutes as he lost track of time and his senses, so intense was his climax. Finally he lifted his head and climbed off the desk, leaving Pepper Potts sprawled out, limp and lifeless on the glass top. Climbing into the office chair, he sat panting and heaving for breath and covered in sweat.

After several minutes, the phone on the corner of the desk beeped and Gregory reached over and pushed one of the buttons.

"What is it you idiot!? I told you I didn't want to be disturbed!"

The voice of his assistant came over the phone, "I-I am sorry s-sir, but Commander Fury is here."

"Nick? Good, send him in."

A few moments later, a tall athletic bald black man with an eye patch over his left eye walked into the office. He was Nick Fury, commander of SHIELD.

"Hey Gregory, try not to be so hard on your girl out there, she's easy on the…HOLY SHIT!"

Nick saw the body of Pepper Potts sprawled out on the desk and obviously dead. Drawing his sidearm, he charged forward, "GREGORY!? YOU OKAY!?"

Hearing a noise behind him, Nick Fury spun with his weapon in front of him. He quickly lowered the gun as he saw Gregory Stark, wearing only his pants but no shirt, standing at the bar and dropping ice cubes into a glass.

"Don't shoot," he said sarcastically as he poured what looked like scotch into the glass and took a gulp.

"What the hell Greg?"

"What?" was the response as Gregory sat down in the office chair.

Nick looked down on Pepper's corpse. Her blouse was torn open and her breasts exposed; her skirt was pulled up and over her hips; her face was a dark red and her eyes were bulging and staring blankly up at the ceiling; and one of her legs hung off the edge of the desk. A thick white fluid dripped from between her legs and the corner of her mouth as well.

"Jesus Greg, I thought we talked about this?"

"I really don't see what the problem is Nick. Everything is on schedule. I think I'm entitled to a little…diversion."

Nick slid his sidearm back in its holster. Then, looking down at Pepper, "Wait a minute, that's not the real thing is it? Because we agreed…

"…that the real Pepper was off limits. I remember."

"So, this is…"

Gregory finished Nick's sentence, "…a life model decoy? Yes."

"Man, I have to admit, these things are so real looking."

Gregory looked hurt by the comment, "Real looking? My good commander, she is real. In every way she is Pepper Potts, right down to the cellular level. She had Pepper's memories, personality, intelligence; everything that makes Miss Potts who she is, I mean was in this Pepper as well. Granted she was born only four days ago and grown to her current state in less than forty-eight hours, but I assure you, she is as real as it gets."

Nick seemed convinced, "So, how many does that make?"

"That I've killed? Four…this week. You should try it sometime. It's a great stress reliever."

"I don't think so. I'm not twisted like you are."

"Oh, please. Tell me you haven't thought about peeling that catsuit off that walking pair of tits you call Natasha and having your way with her."

Nick's face told Gregory he had thought of it, "I wouldn't be a man if I hadn't had thoughts like that about Agent Romanoff, but I can restrain myself."

"Too much restraint will lead you to an early grave Nick," he tapped his chest, "bad for the heart."

"And even so, I wouldn't want to do…this," he waved his hand at Pepper.

"How many people have you killed? Hundreds most likely."

"In combat, sure. When I kill it's for my country and to defend myself and innocent people."

"Suit yourself. Where is the intrepid Ms Potts this week anyway?"

"New Zealand. My people fed her investigators a lead that Tony was down there. It'll be another week at least before she figures out it's a dead end."

"And she still has no idea you oversaw his disappearance and are keeping him under wraps?"

"No, and I intend to keep it that way. And I intend to keep her alive. So, you can keep with the decoys but you leave the real thing alone. Got it?"

Nick jabbed a finger in Greg's face to make his point.

"My dear commander, we have a deal and while I may be a bastard, I am an honorable bastard. I will hold up my end of the bargain. You deliver me my birthright in the form of this company and I deliver to you Tony's Iron Man armor and I re-start the weapons division. Plus, I add my own little invention and voila, you have your own personal force of perfect but disposable soldiers for your clandestine operations. You can send them wherever you wish and if they get killed, no pesky paperwork to fill out. And more importantly no questions from Congress. And forty eight hours after death they decompose down to the molecular level completely; not even any DNA left to analyze or lead back to you."

As he spoke, Greg took Pepper by the hair and dragged her corpse off his desk and tossed her body to the floor. Nick flinched seeing the woman treated so roughly and casually as she landed in a twisted pile of limbs; her face staring up at him blankly. Greg sat down in his chair.

"Speaking of which, how come you can build your little plaything here but you can't deliver any to me?"

"That's completely different. This is a simple clone of Pepper…base model if you will. What you want is a fully augmented and combat ready version. You need to be patient."

"I am patient, but if I find out you are stonewalling me, there will be consequences."

Fact was, Nick Fury didn't fully trust Gregory and he always suspected he had his own agenda. Nick got up and turned to leave.

"Of course, my good commander, of course."