Son of Iron Man
Welcome back, chums! In this chapter, we see the beginnings of several new plotlines. It may not be the most exciting of chapters, but I still recommend reading it so future chapters make sense. Enjoy!
Chapter Sixteen: The Tin Man's Heart
Toby watched the multiple screens of the security room. They were streaming data from national servers, which he watched curiously. As he stared at the endless data, a voice spoke in his ear.
"I apologise, Mr. Stark, but we've never had a prisoner of that description here at the Raft," said a female voice. Toby sighed as he heard the same answer for the fifth time.
"OK, thanks for the help," Toby replied for the fifth time as he ended the call. He then put another call through. "Hello, is that Reed Richards? I'm Toby Stark; you know my father."
"Ah, the prodigal son," Reed answered. "What do you need?"
"I need to know if you've ever encountered a villain of this description." Toby described the mysterious visitor.
"Hmm... I'm afraid not," Richards said.
"Well, thank you anyway. It's been a pleasure to meet you."
"And you." The call ended. Toby sighed and put his head in his hands. After a while, he stood and left the room, going instead to his workroom where he had several projects underway. He opened up a file entitled 'Mark Three' and was greeted with a hologram of an unfinished Iron Man suit. It didn't look dissimilar to his current one, but it was bulkier to make room for more weapons. When he was frustrated, Toby liked to add a new weapon to the suit and imagine it blasting his troubles away. One day, once he'd found the enigma, he'd build it. Then he'd use it. He dragged a large cannon onto the shoulder and made some rearrangements so that it could fold into the back.
"Looks like Rhodey," observed the voice of his father. Toby turned around. "Get any more frustrated and you'll be too heavy to fly."
"Dad! What are you doing here?" Toby asked.
"I heard about what happened yesterday," Tony replied. "Got any leads?"
"None," Toby sighed exasperatedly.
"Well, don't give up. There must be someone you haven't tried."
"No, there's - wait! Sarah!"
"Ugh, that reporter girl?"
"Yeah. She's got a full-time job at the Bugle now, mostly as what they're calling a 'Superhuman Correspondent'. Perhaps she's seen this man before," Toby thought.
"It's worth a try," Tony agreed. Toby got up and walked swiftly to the door. "Wait - you got a bar?" Tony asked.
"Yes, of course," Toby said, exiting through the door. His head then reappeared. "...Not that we ever use it," he added before leaving for good.
The elevator doors slid open and Toby walked down the corridor. The third door on the right read: Sarah Shilling, Superhuman Correspondant. He knocked on the door and waited. After a moment, the door opened and Sarah answered. Seeing Toby, she smiled widely.
"How long has it been?" she asked, going in for a hug. Toby stopped her, however.
"Can I come in?" he asked urgently.
"Um... okay," Sarah said uncertainly, stepping aside for him. He nodded his appreciation and stepped inside.
"Nice office," Toby observed, looking around at the well furnished, cozy room. "You could live here."
"Thanks. After the whole Black Knight affair they couldn't refuse me. I hear you've got a new place, too," Sarah said, following him into the room and looking around, herself. "Is there any chance I could convince you to let me have a tour?"
"That depends on whether or not you can help me," Toby told her, sitting on a comfortable chair opposite hers, which she took up.
"I'll try," Sarah said. "What's the problem?"
"I need to know if you recognise this guy," Toby said, raising his watch and projecting a 3D model of the enigma. Sarah observed it closely.
"No, I- wait! I did a piece on him last month. Small time criminal with big time abilities. He just appears, takes a jewel - or a necklace, or a bag of money - and disappears," Sarah explained.
"Do you have a name?"
"None so far. I like to call him Enigma."
"Is there anything else you know about this... Enigma?" Toby pressed.
"Not really. Why do you need to know?"
"Yesterday he attacked us and took the Dark Avengers."
"He did?" Sarah asked, surprised. "And I missed it?"
"You've been a help," Toby said with finality as he stood.
"So, I get a tour now, right?" Sarah asked quickly.
"Sure. Call me when you're available."
"Oh, I will."
A soft wind blew through Central Park. The trees rustled slightly in the moonlight. A silence had fallen in the lack of people, the only sound that of distant traffic. Heavy rain fell as dark clouds gathered and thunder struck. The scene was illuminated by a flash of sheet lightning as a bright beam of light descended from the heavens with a rushing sound. It hit the ground with a roar before dissipating with an even bigger flash. In its wake stood two men in full body armour, wielding huge swords that, to a lesser man, would be two-handed. The brothers looked around with fondness.
"Tell me, Magni, did you ever think you'd be so pleased to see a place again?" the older one asked.
"Aye, Mothi, 'tis good to be back and out of father's shadow," his brother agreed. The two stood for a moment, observing the intricate pattern seared into the ground at their feet by the Bifrost. "Take note of this, brother, for Hel's arrival would have been heralded by a similar symbol," Magni told his older brother.
"Aye, but who could know where to find it?" Mothi asked.
"Perhaps the Avengers could have seen the symbol?" Magni suggested.
"I thought we discussed this? We do not require aid in this noble deed."
"Though perhaps..."
"No." Magni stared at his brother with meaning. "Now, let us begin our quest." The two swung their swords around their heads faster than the eye could see and took off, each flying in a different direction. As Magni flew, his eyes scoured the ground, the mark of the Bifrost still clear in his mind. However, as the sun rose several hours later he still had not had any luck. Nor had Mothi. He landed on top of a building and looked around. This would be a long search. Heimdall had said she was somewhere in New York... but where? He saw Stark Tower in the distance and looked around for Mothi. Satisfied that he wasn't around, he flew toward it. Whether Mothi agreed or not, they needed help.
Toby was once again sat before the myriad screens of the security room. The screens were filled with digital editions of some of Sarah's articles, all pertaining to Enigma. None of them shone any light on the visitor. None had pictures. He opened up the document he had been working on and added the articles to it, drawing lines additional to those that already connected information. When he was finished, he stared at the jumble of lines and pictures and realised that he was still no closer to finding Enigma. He had a few past locations, but they changed every time. Hands in his head, he sighed in frustration. Just as he considered getting up and adding some more weapons to the Mark Three, he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Emily's red glasses and the eyes behind them boring into his own.
"Stressed?" she asked.
"You don't know the half of it," Toby replied gloomily.
"Perhaps not," Emily admitted. "But I do know Rome wasn't built in a day."
"What do you mean?" Toby asked.
"This visitor of ours appeared out of nowhere just yesterday. Perhaps if we wait long enough, he'll trip up and we'll find him. Maybe we'll even chance upon him some time; we just need to be patient."
"You're right," Toby agreed.
"When am I not?" Emily asked. "Now, let's go take your mind off this for a while." She kissed him for what felt like forever.
"You've got some good... oh..." Tony said as he walked in with a bottle in hand. "I'll just..." their lips remained entwined. "...yeah... go..." Uncomfortably, Tony walked out of the room.
The room was dark. A sole ray of light penetrated the darkness through a barred window high on the wall, dust particles dancing in its pale luminescence. The air was stale when breathed, and had the unfortunate side effect of drying the mouth. Dustin Hammer looked around, seeing shadowy forms but not much else. He coughed painfully. Confusion struck. He knew he was being transferred by the Avengers, but surely they wouldn't build something so... cruel? He remembered his fellow prisoner.
"Ricardo?" he called out. He was met with silence.
"You are alone," replied a voice he didn't recognise. He looked around frantically, unable to pinpoint the source.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
"An ally," the voice answered cryptically, "with a proposition."
"That being?" Dustin asked, still wary.
"You have spent a year in the captivity of Toby Stark, correct?" the voice asked. Dustin nodded and somehow the voice's owner saw it, continuing. "Then we share a common enemy. I, too, want the Iron Man dead."
"And how do you propose we do that?" Dustin questioned, interested.
"It's quite simple, actually: to get to the Tin Man, we have to go through his heart." Dustin nodded appreciatively.
"Are you suggesting what I think you are?" he asked.
"Are you on board?" the voice asked back. Dustin gave it a moment's thought.
"Let's see what you've got."
Well, that's that. What do you guys make of this mysterious Enigma fellow? Will Toby ever find him? And whatever are Dustin and the voice planning? Why am I asking you all these questions? WHY CAN'T I STOP? Join us next time to see if these questions are answered - or if more are raised.
Until next time, true believers.
