Chapter 3: IWUL

Oh my gods! Thank you guys so much for all those reviews! I love all of y'all! Thank you so much! So, here we go.

Shout outs!

- SilverPedals1402: THANK YOU! Thank you so much for that sweet review! You made me smile!

- 3mee: Why, that's really sweet of you! Well, here is the next chapter!

- Guest: Of course I will! I'm so happy that you guys love it!

- Gene is evil! He can't treat a girl like that I know! Wow, arsenic… you're sinister! Type to you later too! I like how you said that!

Disclaimer: I own nothing…

Tony ended up waiting for RobGlob to wake up. He decided that shocking a villain while unconscious was just not right. He was supposed to be a hero, not an electrocuting person.

Tony ended up searching for Pepper. Well, more then he did before. He wouldn't leave the armory, not with RobGlob in it. For one, it was too risky to have a villain in the home base for Iron Man, and two he wanted to get those answers as soon as possible.

He heard a groan from behind him. He scrambled away from his chair and quickly went to get his armor on. It would raise too many suspicions to know that Tony Stark and Iron Man worked together.

As the armor covered him up, Tony went to get the remote, which activated the box, from the counter. "Iron Man! What? Where? When? Who?" RobGlob struggled to morph around in his box.

"You forgot how. And I'll be asking the questions, not you." Tony growled out. He was wasting precious time that could help him find Pepper. It couldn't be a coincidence that Tony had to be called out of his armory, the same time Pepper was kidnapped.

"Oh yeah? Who made you the boss around here? I'm RobGlob! I do what I want, and I don't follow anyone's… orders." He hesitated on the last word. Tony grumbled and pushed the red button. The box sprang to life, and RobGlob wailed.

"I'm pretty sure this tells you that I'm in charge." Iron Man kneeled in front of the box, his forearm resting on his knee. RobGlob's form slowly morphed back to human. He put his hands up over his head.

"Okay, okay… What do you want?" He asked. Tony smiled and stood.

"Who do you work for?"

"Why should I tell you-u-u…" RobGlob faltered when he saw Iron Man's thumb hover over the red button. "I can't tell you, he would kill me."

"I guarantee your safety if you tell me." Tony promised. He felt bad threatening a villain like this. It was hardly fair. RobGlob was defenseless, whereas he was in complete control. But he needed answers. He needed Pepper back in his arms.

RobGlob hesitated. "Gene Yuan Khan." He finally said. He choked the name out, the fear overwhelming him more than ever. Tony could see that in his eyes and the way his body tensed. RobGlob morphed back into his green slime ball and settled towards the corner of the box. He morphed back.

"Gene…?" Tony was really surprised, almost shocked. But Gene was… wasn't Gene his friend? Tony hadn't done anything wrong. He's been helping out Gene get those weird rings. Maybe Gene was mad that he didn't give him his father's ring.

"Yeah. The guy hired me to rob the bank. He told me the time and day. He even gave me the specific route I had to take to escape. I'm telling you right now Iron Man, that guy has a screw missing in his head." RobGlob said. He finally relaxed, realizing that Iron Man wouldn't do any harm to him. Well, that he knew of.

"Why do you say?" Tony asked, absentmindedly. One half of him was focused on Gene's betrayal, the other half him listening to RobGlob's explanation. He wouldn't hurt RobGlob, but his anger was rising.

"That guy just keeps saying this one thing over and over. Something like 'Tony Stark will pay.' Something like that." RobGlob tried looking for any weird movement from the red and gold armor. But, Iron Man looked liked the Tin Man in Wizard of Oz, nothing but a frozen metal.

"RobGlob? You earned your freedom." Tony said. Then to his computer he said, "Computer, release the air tight box." The computer didn't respond, but merely let the box disappear into a small square. Tony bent down and picked the metal square up. He fingered it and placed it on the counter behind him. RobGlob stood.

"Wait? You're not going to take me to jail?" He hadn't bothered to change into a slime, or glob, and escape. He just knew that Iron Man was just doing a job. He also knew something else. His days as a villain were over.

"No. You did the one thing I wanted. You gave me everything I needed. You're free to go. But…" he stopped RobGlob before he could go. "Here. Take this. It's a signal transmitter. In any case you're in danger, I'll be there to help you. I keep my promises. And another. Do anything bad, I'll be sure to lock you up for the rest of your life in that box." RobGlob flinched but nodded. He gingerly took the device out of Iron Man's hands and morphed into his true form. Finding a drain, he went away.

"Gene Khan." Tony said. His voice dripped pure venom.

…

Pepper groaned. Her stomach ached, begging for food. She knew that anytime she was nervous, her hunger would spike. She wanted Tony so badly. He would make her very fears disappear in a flash. She heaved in a deep sigh.

"Hey." She heard someone say. Pepper looked up and shielded her eyes from the ceiling light that poured in through the bars above her.

"What now?" She snapped. She didn't want to talk to him, much less be near him, but she knew Gene well enough. Gene would keep pestering her until she would answer.

"I got you something. Dinner." Gene shook a McDonald paper bag in front of him. He pushed the bag through the bars and let the bag drop into Pepper's lap. "Bon appetite."

Pepper scrambled up to her feet. "Wait! GENE!" He popped up in her view again.

"Yes?" It was exaggerated. Pepper debated whether or not she should ask the question. She was pretty sure she knew the answer.

"When will you let me go?" She asked. She looked at his face, waiting for an answer. She only received a bark of laughter.

"Not until Tony dies Pepper. The moment his blood is spilled on the floor, your freedom will be given to you. You have my word." He asked, his expression suddenly stern.

"What? You're not serious! Tony trusts you! He trusts you like a friend! How could you?" She had to buy some time, hopefully get Gene to break and let her go earlier, before Tony's blood will be spilled.

"Ha! I just needed Tony for the rings. I don't trust him anymore. Tony will soon begin suspecting my true intentions with the rings. And I can't let that happen. But you will be free. Don't worry. I'll treat you well, but you are still held hostage." Gene said. He leaned into the bars.

"Wonderful. And what are your intentions?" Pepper asked, once more fearing the answer.

"To make you my queen. And crush Tony's lover boy heart."

…

Now that Tony had all the information he needed, he sent out a message to Rhodey. If anything happened to him, which he was guaranteed would happen, he was going to make sure that Rhodey would know not to look for him. Last thing he needed was for Rhodey to be in danger like Pepper.

"Computer, maim anyone who comes into the armory that is not Rhodey, Pepper, and to be safe, Roberta." Tony said.

"Noted." The computer responded. With a deep inhale of the last bit of clean air he could think of, Tony shot through the ceiling.

It was about time he got Pepper back.

Sorry about the cliffhanger! Please REVIEW! Y'all are awesome even if you don't! And so sorry for the short chapter!