Chapter VIII: Aftermath
Tony looked at the remains of the dockyard. The steel girders of the cranes had been melted by the intense heat, which had collapsed.
'Sir, I'm not reading any further traces of Extremis.'
'Nice work- Rhodey: let's get back to the boat, check on Pepper and the President.'
'Copy that,' Rhodey replied.
Tony and Rhodey flew back towards the boat, and landed by the stern, stepping out of their armour. Tony rushed over to Pepper, and hugged her, while the Mk.42 lifted off and joined the remaining armours back at the wreckage.
Rhodey stood next to Ellis, who watched the ruined docks.
'My God...' the President began. 'The 'big bucks' are gonna kill me.'
Rhodey paused, before adding. 'No, Sir. We've just nullified the risk of a Presidential assassination and a threat to control the United States, and her interests.'
Ellis turned to face him. 'Thank you, Colonel Rhodes.'
He clapped him on the shoulder, and sat down.
Tony held Pepper gently in his arms.
'Am I gonna be alright?' Pepper asked him.
Tony leant back, and looked at her. 'No. You're in a relationship with me. Everything will never be alright.' His face broke into a slight smile. 'I nearly had the solution to this when I was drunk, twenty years ago: I think I can figure this out; make you better.'
Pepper smiled.
'That's what I do: I fix stuff.'
'And... Your distractions?'
Tony paused. 'I'll tone them down a little.'
He tapped his ear, and the earpiece inside it. 'JARVIS?'
'All cleared up here, Sir. Will there be anything else?'
'Uh, yeah. You know what to do.'
'The Clean Slate Protocol, Sir?'
'Screw it. Yes. It's Christmas.' Tony said.
Tony, Pepper, Rhodey and Ellis watched, as, one by one, each of the suits exploded in midair, creating fireworks in the night sky.
They watched until each one had vanished in a cloud of sparks, before setting off for a less devastated part of Florida.