It's a new day and he's a new man! Connor Peterson; once a nobody, now a superhero-somebody! But has he got what it takes, true believers? Can he stand shoulder to shoulder with titans like Thor and Captain America? Bear witness to his struggle as Connor Peterson enters-
Chapter 3: Superhero Tryouts
The laboratory at Avengers Mansion was a true wonder of scientific and technological possibility. Tony had spared no expense in turning the subterranean levels of the mansion into a true superhero headquarters, complete with analysis, research and development, as well as a command centre for tactical data and coordination.
Connor found himself in the portion of the lab somewhat deemed for medical affairs, giving Hank an opportunity to study his body and abilities. "This is incredible! These metallic engravings are molecularly in line with your skin cells… they've been bonded, almost to a point of being indistinguishable!" Using a multi-positioning electron microscope, Hank studied a shirtless Connor and the lines of cyberware reaching up from the metal patches in his arms. Those on his left side rose high enough to wrap around his ear and across his back, while those on his right side stretched broadly across his pectoral.
"They showed up after the accident. I can only assume they're some side affect of the electro-fusion energy." Connor explained.
"It's still very astounding," Hank went on, "almost like living metal. We've yet to see anything like this in the field of science."
"Well, you're the microbiologist, you would know best." Connor remarked. "I remember reading about your insights in science journals. Those were my bread and butter while I was working for Hammer."
"Do you consider yourself a scientist, Connor?" Hank wondered, taking a moment to scribble some notes on a large pad of notepaper.
"Eh… maybe in a roundabout way. I have a degree in mechanical engineering. I know machines inside and out."
"Ah, so you're more along the lines of Tony's work then." Hank mused.
"Not to his level of success. I'm just a guy who knows machines well." The double-meaning behind his words was still known only to Connor and it was a secret he knew would only remain so for a little while longer.
At that moment, Janet entered the lab, still clad in her black and yellow dress. "How're we doing, boys?" She asked with a chipper smile.
"Just getting the old rundown before I tryout for the team." Connor answered, smiling a little. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately, moreso than he had for the past half a year.
"I hope Hank isn't boring you to death with his diagnosis." She joked.
"We share common interests, Jan. It's hard to be bored when Connor's just as invested as I am." Hank remarked as he turned back to his notes.
"Yeah, well, I'm just excited to work on your new outfit. I haven't had a decent project like this in forever!" Jan told the new recruit excitedly. "I made my own outfit, like it?" She wondered, twirling around in front of Connor to show off her dress and matching black-yellow boots and gloves. Connor stared for a moment.
"Yellow's my favourite color." He said quickly, not even thinking about what he was saying. Jan smiled in reply. "You make your own outfits?"
"I do a little fashion design on the side. My dad always said I was good at it, ever since I was little." She explained.
"Your dad… oh! Vernon Van Dyne, the chemist. Right?" Connor recalled, very knowledgeable about most of the Avengers public identities. With nothing to do other than wait around for his next unemployment check, he did his best to learn whatever little facts he could about a variety of topics.
"Wow, looks like someone's good a Trivial Pursuit." Jan teased.
"Connor here is a science journal aficionado." Hank elaborated. "He's very familiar with my thesis on microbiology and entomology."
"Don't pat yourself on the back too hard, Hank. You'll knock something loose." The brunette joked. "I'm gonna get to work on a little something for you to wear in the field." She promised Connor with a twinkle in her blue eyes. Then she leaned over and kissed Hank on the cheek. "You boys have fun." She said with a wave, making to leave. Connor watched her go, his brain mildly obsessed with the act that had just taken place.
"So… you and her are… together?" He slowly inquired of Hank.
"Huh? Oh! Yes. Yes, we've… been together for some time. Ever since her father was killed." The doctor responded, not even looking up from his notes.
"Oh…" Connor said simply. He turned back to the lab entrance, watching Janet leave with a sway in her step. His eyes were glued to her until she disappeared completely. "You're a lucky man, Hank." He said wistfully.
"Hm? Oh, thank you." Hank replied, rather absentmindedly.
Later that day…
With his medical profile completed, Connor was ushered into the expansive training room of the mansion, a sense of utter giddiness filling his soul. It was his first big step forward, graduating from washout scientist to Avenger. Already waiting for him were Tony, Cap, Black Panther and Wasp.
"Welcome to our little training centre, Connor." Tony announced, his Iron Man helmet off and under one arm. "You'll be spending the next few days in here, getting ready for field work."
"Field work, eh? You really want me out there with you guys."
"You managed to take down and stop Roland and his gang by yourself. You've got talent, it just needs to be refined." Steve Rogers told him, the hood of his Captain America suit removed.
"Speaking of abilities, any more we should know about before we get started?" Tony inquired. Connor swallowed nervously, the moment he had been fretting over had arrived. He closed his eyes and took a breath, believing his one shot at the Avengers would be totaled.
The world generally frowned upon people like him.
"Well, you see… I'm a technopath." He confessed in a sheepish tone of voice. "From birth, I've had the power to interface with machines and technology on a telepathic level." The news surprised the Avengers.
"Doesn't that technically make you a 'mutant'?" Tony asked.
"According to all existing definitions and policies, yes." Connor said with a shrug. "My parents didn't care much for the term, though. It never manifested in strange ways and came in real handy whenever the home computer was on the fritz." The explanation out of the way, he looked up into the eyes of his teammates, all of them on him. "I, uh, hope that doesn't change things…"
"Are you kidding? We're not like those bigots who hate mutants. We love them!" Wasp announced.
"Well, 'love' is a loose term," Tony mused.
"What he means is, we'll accept you regardless." Steve told Connor. "So long as you remain a man of upright moral character and are willing to act the way you did at Hammer's headquarters, we'll back you one-hundred percent."
"So long as I can run some tests to see this in action. I mean, if you're better than my own IT guys, I might have a job for you at Stark Industries." Tony remarked. Connor allowed himself to smile, a small one.
"Thank you. I mean it, thank you. I've kept this under wraps from years, fearing I'd get put on some list and be hunted down by the government."
"Rest assured, you're safe with us." Steve promised, laying a gloved hand on his shoulder. "Now, what do you know about hand to hand combat?"
"All I know is moves from playing Street Fighter when I was younger. Even then, they're not all that realistic." Connor admitted.
"Everyone starts somewhere." Steve said. "Now, let's go a couple rounds with the bag." He suggested, guiding Connor over to a punching bag. "Arms up, loose yet coiled. Ready to spring at a moment's notice. You want your stance tight but nimble." The captain described, guiding Connor's arms and feet into an appropriate boxer's stance.
"Tight but nimble. Got it." The technopath replied, taking a few breaths and waiting until Steve had moved. Then he landed his first punch on the bag. The material was sturdy and far less flexible than he took it to be at first glance. The result was a solid impact.
"Good. Right's and left's. Go." Steve instructed. Connor did as told, applying his left hand to the mix as he drilled the bag with a steady series of basic punches. Steve watched, impressed as rough, hesitant moves become faster and more fluid. The longer Connor worked, the better he became. "And roundhouse." Connor did as asked, his right arm hooking around into the side of the bag-
"YEOWCH!" He screamed, his hand recoiling as he clutched it in pain. Steve and Wasp were there in a moment.
"What happened?" The captan asked, sounding concerned.
"I have no idea!" Connor cried, his eyes watering. "But that was the most painful thing I've ever felt!" Tony stepped in, sliding on his helmet.
"JARVIS, give me an x-ray." Using his multi-spectrum optical scanners, a blue beam swept over Connor's hand, drafting a holographic render of its findings. "Hm… no breaks…" Tony mused. "Huh. Looks like there's a space between the metal and your bones in the knuckle region."
"Oh goodie." Connor winced, still shrugging off the painful aftermath. "The force of impact must've rubbed some nerves the wrong way…" He groaned.
"Yep, looks like it." Tony surmised, his scan complete. "Hang tight, I'm sure we have gloves around here." As he walked off, Connor tentatively flexed his hand.
"Gonna be okay?" Wasp asked.
"Yeah… Yeah… just hurt like the dickens, that's all." He murmured. Soon enough a pair of fingerless gloves, padded around the knuckle, were around Connor's hands and he went right back to punching the bag… admittedly throwing out hesitant, ginger punches with his right hand until his confidence was restored.
Later, Connor was ushered into the room's sparring ring, shaped much like the typical boxing/wrestling ring. "So, uh, what's next?" The rookie wondered.
"Time to test your mettle against a real opponent." Steve told him.
"Uh… so soon?"
"We've got to get you up and ready for missions. Nothing like experience for a teacher." Steve declared, sliding his shield into place over one arm. "First, you'll face off against Panther. He'll teach you a few things about holding your own." At his word, Black Panther vaulted into the ring, always spry and agile.
"Are you ready, Connor?" He asked.
"As ready as I can be." Connor sighed, putting up his arms.
"Lesson one, be prepared to get back up again." Launching forward feet-first, Panther's boots collided with Connor's rapidly-raised arms, the blow pitching him back into the ropes of the ring. The Wakandan moved relentlessly fast, landing two blows into Connor's guard and then a roundhouse to his stomach, causing him to double over with a gasp. A final leg sweep knocked him flat on the mat, groaning as he made impact.
"I think I get it now." He grumbled, pushing himself back to his feet. "Alright, get back up. What's lesson two?"
"Use your strengths to any effect." T'Challa came at him again, Connor quickly raising his arms and blocking incoming punches. Then his arms began to glow with white veins as his magnet harnesses powered up. Quickly crossing his limbs, he reached out with the magnetic field, desperately hoping some magnetic material was lacing Panther's gloves. To his delight, they found something and latched on, managing to hold both his limbs at bay, the natural forces too much for even T'Challa to overcome. But he found a way and used the hold on his arms as a foundation to launch a dropkick that caught Connor in the chest.
"Oof!" The air rushing from his lungs, Connor was knocked flat on his back. "Ow…!"
"Lesson three, always be ready to move." Black Panther stated.
"R-Right." Connor groaned, picking himself up.
From there, the training session went much the same. Lesson after lesson, generally involving Connor getting laid out on the mat and suffering a few bruises in the process. Eventually, Black Panther switched out for Steve, the captain taking a turn as Connor's sparring partner.
"Please tell me you're gonna actually teach me some moves." He begged, feeling sore from having his ass handed to him by T'Challa.
"Pain is a part of the learning process, Connor. It helps you grow accustomed to it. And in this business, pain comes often." Steve replied, slipping his hood on. Leaving his shield strapped across his back, Captain America raised his arms like a boxer and beckoned Connor forward. "Hit me. Give it everything you've got." Striding forward, but not with much confidence, Connor swung with a right then a left. Cap dodged him with ease, landing a single punch that connected with his jaw and planted him on the floor of the ring almost instantaneously. The powerful blow was enough to cause Janet to wince uncomfortably.
With a pained groan, Connor forced himself back up and kept going. But after another handful of bruising defeats, getting laid out continually and only ever landing a blow against Cap's impenetrable block, Connor called it quits and limped over to the post of the ring for a breather.
"Feeling alright?" Tony asked as he strode over.
"I haven't felt this bad since the accident." Connor groaned, running a hand through his sweat-slicked black hair. "I can't fight like that… I-I don't know a thing about punching properly or whatever."
"Neither can I." Tony sympathized. "Cap just likes to make sure everyone can hold their own." With much difficulty, Connor crawled out of the ring and sat down beside it with a groan. As he did, Tony held out a small briefcase. "Here, I brought something I thought might be of interest." Flicking a pair of tabs the case fell open, revealing neat rows of six metal cylinders. Thoroughly interested, Connor lifted one out, the metal cold to the touch and about 8 inches in length. They were all identical.
"Huh. What is this… iron?" He wondered.
"Cast-iron. Leftover from a project that never went anywhere." Tony explained. "Naturally magnetic. Thought you could possibly find a use for it." Testing his words, Connor triggered his magnets and let the device hover above his palm, suspended in place thanks to the projected magnetic field.
"Maybe so. Thank you, Tony." Connor offered in reply. He took the case and studied the rods for a moment longer… maybe he could come up with some way to make use of them…
"Pardon my interruption, sir, but Interpol data has pinpointed the location of one of the breakout escapees." JARVIS suddenly announced through the room's speaker system.
"Which one?" Tony asked.
"The Crimson Dynamo, sir. Located in skies over Switzerland." Tony's brow furrowed into a glare.
"Him again!"
"The who-now?" Cap wondered with a raised brow.
"We'll explain on the way." Tony mused, quickly popping on his helmet. "We'll go handle this one, Connor, stay put and keep training."
"Yeah, sure thing." He affirmed with a nod. Cap and Panther abandoned the ring as Wasp shrunk down and took flight in pursuit of her comrades, Iron Man broadcasting an alert to Thor and Hank.
"Avengers, Assemble!"
And just like that, they were gone and the training room fell silent, Connor its sole occupant.
Picking himself up, the dark haired man paused to examine the iron cylinders he'd been gifted. He studied them for some time, turning them over in his grip, feeling their cold smoothness and questioning, pondering what he could do.
"I wonder…" Reaching out with his magnets, he grasped each piece of iron and levitated them into his hand. Tapping into his technopathic abilities, he boosted the power and strength of the magnetic generators, allowing him to seamlessly manipulate the field projected around the iron rods. Pulling them into a line, each cylinder came together with a soft metallic clink, forming a single staff 48 inches long.
Taking it in hand, Connor promptly smacked one end of the staff against the training room floor, hard. A loud clang echoed throughout the room, but the staff remained intact, held together by the powerful force of his magnets. "Okay, okay… getting somewhere." He mused, a faint excitement bubbling up within him. T'Challa's words echoed in his mind, possibly the most useful ones he'd heard all day. "Use your strengths to any effect." Grasping both ends of the staff, he tugged and pulled it into equal sections of three each, forming a pair of batons. They still held together, his magnetic fields strong and nigh unbreakable. "Now these I need to learn how to use." He said to himself. He was a scientist, a mechanic, he needed to study the issue of training to be a superhero from a mechanic's point of view. "Take the situation apart. See what makes it tick." He murmured. "Once we know each working part, we deal with it one part at a time." With his batons in hand, he left the ring behind him and ventured over to the holographic display station, capable of generating enemies of any type and caliber. The room was thick with data leaping back and forth, conversations between different devices that Connor was fully capable of dissimilating into individual connections.
He reached out with his mind, his thoughts entangling with each connection one by one and deciphering their language. He could soon speak it fluently and the holograms came to life one at a time, representing faceless Hydra footsoldiers. "JARVIS? You still there?" Connor asked aloud.
"Of course, Mister Peterson." The AI answered.
"Can you play music?"
"If you mean, can I play musical tracks via the mansion's speaker system, then yes."
"Got it. Play Hearts on Fire by John Cafferty. Filter into this room only, please." Connor requested.
"Right away, sir." JARVIS replied. Moments later, the heavy synth and electric guitar opening for the headline tune from Rocky IV filled the room, Connor rolling his shoulders and psyching himself up.
"Okay, Connor," he told himself, gripping his batons tightly, "time for some trial and error."
Later, Swiss airspace…
"Tell me more about this 'Crimson Dynamo'." Cap asked as the Quinjet streaked through the frigid alpine air.
"He's a Russian national named Anton Vanko. He's a brilliant engineer that created a suit of armor similar to Iron Man's… but a lot bigger and with more weapons." Ant-Man explained from the pilot's seat.
"The Soviets were our allies against Hydra. Did things change that much while I was frozen?" Steve queried. Hank was forced to pause, realizing the Captain America had missed the entirety of the Cold War.
"Um… yes. A lot. It's complicated." He replied. Now was not the time for a history lesson that packed. "Good thing for us, Vanko isn't. He's obsessed with destroying Iron Man. His armor is based on Tony's technology. And Tony is… well… let's just say he's a little protective of his technology." Hank surmised. "He's been trying to take Vanko down ever since they first met. And he finally did."
"Until the breakout." Cap concluded.
"Right. We've been tracking all the escaped villains, but I'm pretty sure this one's at the top of Iron Man's list. Sometime's I forget who is obsessed with who." Ant-Man mused.
"You said this 'Vanko' had weapons?" Steve wondered, glancing out the side viewport.
"Yes. A lot. Why do you-?" Hank queried, only to find his answer the moment he glanced out the same viewport. Multiple red explosions dotted the snowy terrain below, each one larger than the last and growing in ferocity. "Ah. Nevermind. If I had to guess, I'd say we've found the Crimson Dynamo."
Down on the ground, Thor, Wasp and Iron Man wound their way around swarms of incendiary missiles and plasma blasts as Crimson dynamo attacked from below. Iron Man promptly retaliated with heavy repulsor ray barrages.
"Pour it on Avengers!" He shouted over the din. "Whatever it takes, just put him down!"
"You are a coward, Iron Man! Do you hear me? A coward!" Dynamo roared from below, his armor tanking each repulsor blast. "You knew I would destroy you during the breakout, so you ran! And now you bring others to fight for you!" More explosive ordinance filled the air from Dynamo's shoulder launchers, Thor batting side missiles with Mjolnir as Tony's defence protocols took them out one at a time.
"Truly, Iron Man, this Dynamo talks too much." The Asgardian remarked.
"Well, feel free to shut him up, Thor." Tony offered. With a grin, Thor dropped to the ground, his hammer fully charged and unleashing a powerful shockwave that bowled over Dynamo.
"HAVE AT THEE, VILLAIN!" He roared, powerful lightning strikes from Mjolnir driving Crimson Dynamo flat on his back and into the snow. Wasp swooped in from up high, peppering the Russian's large glass dome with her biostings.
"So, let me get this straight: you're a second-rate Iron Man knockoff who really likes the color red. I can't believe you're the reason I'm not skiing in the Swiss Alps right now!" She jeered, flying circles around him as electric yellow stings landed scattered hits across his armor.
"No… not knockoff, my armor is superior." Dynamo countered. "Allow me to demonstrate…" Reaching up out a massive mechanical hand, he snatched Wasp out of the air, pinning her tiny body within his grip. Releasing a cry of pain, Wasp struggled vainly as Dynamo laid Thor out flat with his plasma caster.
Dropping down from above, Black Panther and Captain America went on the attack. Launching a series of explosive Vibranium daggers, the Wakandan scored good hits on Dynamo's dome, cracking the glass. Moving in next, Cap swung his shield like a battering ram, shattering the glass and smashing Dynamo across the head. "Back off, 'comrade'!" He remarked as Dynamo was driven once more into the ground, smoke rising from his shattered helm as various subsystems shorted out. The Avengers gathered before him, Ant-Man dropping down to join the ensemble.
"Stay down, Vanko. It's over. You're done." Tony snapped. "You steal my tech, this is what happens. You're going away for a long-"
"Uh, Tony?" Hank interrupted. Iron Man waved him off.
"He needs to know, Hank. They all need to know, my armor will not be used for…"
"Iron Man…?" Cap trailed off.
"Just turn around, Tony!" Wasp shouted, finally drawing his attention to the item of importance that had enraptured his colleagues.
The moment he did, he found out why it was so important.
Four individuals stood on a nearby peak. Leading them was a man in blue, black and yellow, his identity concealed by a domino mask while the iconic USSR emblems of a hammer and sickle adorned his chest, identical weapons also gripped in each hand. The blonde haired Nikolai Krylenko was a man who showed no fear and beheld a commanding presence as the team leader: Vanguard.
Beside him was a woman in a skintight black and yellow bodysuit, her long blonde hair flowing in the chilly mountain air while vibrant violet energies surrounded her fists. Unbeknownst to the team, Laynia Petrovna (Nikolai's twin sister) drew her power from the Darkforce Dimension, hence her alias of Darkstar.
Behind them sat a massive brown bear, bigger than any normal species, its expression tightly furrowed in a rather human-like fashion. Under any other circumstances, he would've masqueraded as a normal man: Mikhail Uriokovitch Ursus. But under these circumstances, he was Ursa Major; the only mutant accepted on Russian soil.
Hovering above them, a man in an electromechanical suit of armor with a vaguely green tint provided their air and fire support. Heavily armed and capable of mid-air combat, Boris Bullski was a force to be reckoned with as the one-man army: Titanium Man.
"The Winter Guard has come for Crimson Dynamo!" Vanguard announced. Leading his team down into the plateau, the Russian superhero squad stood opposite the Avengers. "I recommend you do not stand in our way." He added. The Avengers tensed at his words, the possibility of a brewing fight lingering in their minds.
"Who are you?!" Tony demanded. "If you're working with Dynamo-"
"We are not, Iron Man. I am called Vanguard, and my team and I are servants of the Russian Federation." Nikolai promised. Iron Man paused, assessing them all, then chose to continue… warily.
"What do you want with Dynamo?"
"He has committed crimes against the Russian people. We are here to see he faces spravedlivost. Our justice." Vanguard explained.
"Vanko seems like a popular man." Cap mused. Hank took even more positively to the situation.
"Tony, this could solve our immediate problem. We don't have anywhere to put the Dynamo, we can't trust SHIELD to hold him, and Hydrobase hasn't finished construction yet." He suggested. But Iron Man whirled on him.
"What? I'm not turning Dynamo over to these guys." He sharply retorted.
"Tony…" Cap responded in a low, wary tone. Iron Man turned on him next.
"Vanko stole from me, Cap. He hurt people with my technology! We're taking him." He stated, ending the discussion. Meanwhile, Thor, Panther and Wasp remained vigilant by the downed Dynamo, watching the newcomers from a distance.
"They have a giant bear. Freaky." Janet mused.
"Indeed. Such creatures are seldom seen even in my native Wakanda." T'Challa concurred.
"Verily." Thor agreed. Vanguard took a step closer.
"We are not asking, Mstitel. This is going to happen." He stated gravely. Titanium Man touched down beside him, his visor and central reactor glowing green in an almost-radioactive fashion.
"The Winter Guard is here with the permission of the Swiss Goverment. Are you, comrade? By what authority do you take Anton Vanko?" Boris questioned.
"Step away from the Dynamo. We do not wish for any beda." Vanguard commanded. Despite their heavily accented voices, Iron Man's HUD was able to translate and Tony knew just how to respond.
"You don't want any trouble? Well, guess what…" His ARC reactor glowed brightly, blue energy forming within the central focusing lens as Tony charged up his unibeam, "you got some!" Unleashing an almighty blast from his chest, Iron Man struck the quickly-raised weapons of Vanguard, hammer and sickle glowing brightly as they shielded him from the blast, shunting him back and leaving trails through the snow.
"Tony! Stop!" Hank cried, grabbing his shoulders in an effort to subdue his attack. But the damage had already been done. With his weapons aglow, Vanguard urged his team onwards.
"Winter Guard, attack!" The trio sprang into action, Titanium Man blasting Iron Man with twin beams of emerald energy and pitching him across the ground into a snowy cliffside.
"JARVIS, analyze that armor's systems!" Tony ordered.
"Unable to comply, external sensors offline." His AI grimly reported as Titanium Man closed in. Meanwhile, Thor moved in to take his place against Vanguard, ducking low as a sizzling energy beam from his hammer narrowly missed his head.
"Your weapons are impressive, mortal… but allow me to show you the power of a true hammer!" He thundered, retaliating in turn with the electric might of Mjolnir. As they struggled, Cap and Panther struggled against Ursa Major, the Wakandan pouncing on the ursine mutant's back and attempting to throw him, only for the bear to grab Panther's glove with his teeth and pull him off, sending Black Panther crashing into a rocky outcrop.
"Panther!" Cap cried, quickly raising his shield to block against Ursa's claws.
"Walk away Captain, before you and your komanda are hurt. Or worse." The bear growled. Cap raised a confused brow beneath his hood.
"Talking bears?! The future gets weirder every day…" He muttered under his breath.
Flexing her impressive powers, Darkstar shrouded herself in Darkforce energy as she challenged Wasp and Ant-Man. "You chose this, Avengers, not us! T'ma poglotit tebya!" She cried, unleashing a burst of pitch-black energy that consumed Wasp whole, Janet disappearing into the dark with a scream of terror.
"Jan!" Hank shouted in alarm, quickly toggling his belt regulator and growing to Giant Man size. He moved on Darkstar, a massive hand reaching for the woman and severing the Darkforce flow enshrouding Wasp. Her beams colliding with his hand, Darkstar turned frightened as she struggled to maintain her control.
"No, no! Stay away koloss!" She shrieked as Janet renewed her flight with a shake of her head.
"Ugh! What is that? It's like I was stuck inside the color black!" She questioned aloud.
"She's manipulating some kind of energy, it might be other-dimensional. That's amazing!" Hank said, awed by Darkstar's powers.
"Amazing?! It tried to eat me!" Wasp exclaimed in disbelief. Diving in to attack Darkstar, Wasp peppered a hastily-raised shield with her biostings. "And that's for blasting me with your weird black stuff!"
Grappling in the sky, Iron Man and Titanium Man went head to head, trading metal, mechanized blows and sizzling energy bolts. "Are you insane, Iron Man? We both want the same thing: Crimson Dynamo in prison!" Boris shouted.
"Is that right? Well, here's a question for you: where did you get that armor?" Tony retorted. "Because I can't help but notice the similarities to Dynamo's… and that means it's mine!" Unleashing a barrage of micro-missiles from his shoulders, Tony called up his AI again, "Talk to me JARVIS, I need to know what's in that armor."
"Sir, sensors are still offline. Repair systems still need time." JARVIS responded as Titanium Man's energy field blocked out his explosive ordinance.
"Dostatochno! We do not wish to fight!" He shouted. His voice carried over the din, drawing the attention of both the Avengers and the Winter Guard.
"Your armored warrior wishes to stop the battle?" Thor questioned as Mjolnir's lightning battled the energy beams from Vanguard's hammer.
"We did not come here to battle the Avengers. Your Iron Man attacked us." Nikolai grunted. "But if you wish to fight, we will oblige you!" Hearing his words, Giant Man broke through the din, trying to bring some common sense to the chaotic scene.
"Cap! Panther! Thor! This is pointless! We're the problem here, not them!" Still grappling with Ursa Major, the Wakandan and the supersoldier had the mutate in a combined chokehold, struggling to contain him.
"The words of the Winter Guard appear to ring true." T'Challa noted.
"Your Ant-Man speaks the truth, chelovek-kot." Ursa rumbled. Hearing his affirmation, Cap paused and slowed his shield from around Ursa Major's thick neck.
"We… We need to stand down, Iron Man." He concluded. Pausing up above, Iron Man hovered in place as a silence crept across the land. It was broken by a synthesized chuckling, wrought from a revived Crimson Dynamo.
"You are right to suspect them, Stark. Who do you think their first recruit was for the Winter Guard?" He asked in a rather leading tone. "Who do you think designed the Titanium Man armor?" Tony paused, putting the pieces together in his mind.
"Dynamo…" He trailed off.
"He lies. You cannot listen to that lzhets." Titanium Man urged. Thor clued in.
"The Dynamo is a villain and cannot be trusted, friend Stark. He is manipulating you!" He called out. Cap nodded in agreement as a released Ursa Major mutated back into his human form, clad in a jumpsuit marked with Soviet emblems.
"They're willing to talk. Let's listen to what they have to say… carefully." Steve urged. Darkstar also stood down, prompting Giant Man and Wasp to do the same.
"And if we don't like what you have to say, then zapping will resume." She promised, hands on her hips.
"Jan… that's not helping." Hank sighed, moving on. "Iron Man, I know what's going through your head. These people are not the enemy."
"And what if you're wrong, Hank?" Tony questioned. "You don't know what my tech can do in the wrong hands. I do. I've seen it."
"I sense no trickery among them. The Winter Guard are formidable, and while their tone is filled with arrogance-"
"The truth is that you did attack them first. Let's hear them out." Cap finished on his behalf. Iron Man stayed silent, dwelling on their words.
"We could do that…" he slowly replied, turning on Titanium Man, "or I could just take my armor back and then we could talk!" He shouted, barreling towards the verdant armor suit.
From his position, Crimson Dynamo cackled. He had sown the seeds of discord and chaos, dividing both of his enemies against each other and doing away with what could've been a potent alliance. Now all that was left was for him to do was to destroy both sides.
Unleashing a volley of heat-seeking missiles, his incendiary salvo bore down on an oblivious Iron Man, but Titanium Man took notice right away.
"Vysmatrivat'!" He cried in alarm, streaking past the armored Avenger and taking the incoming volley point blank, an explosion enveloping his verdant frame as Tony whirled around in surprise. Shocked by the Winter Guardsman's selflessness, he looked in on shocked horror as Titanium Man disappeared from view in a fiery plume.
"No!" Down on the ground, Thor, Darkstar, Wasp and Vanguard joined forces to attack Crimson Dynamo, beams of Darkforce, bio-electricity, lightning and photons striking his electromechanical suit. "Villain!" Thor cried, channeling his angry power into Mjolnir.
"Perhaps. But I am not a liar nor thief. Not like Stark." Vanko retorted, using his surviving traversal systems to escape the onslaught.
Catching Titanium Man in his arms, Iron Man brought him to the ground. "Stay with me, I've got you!" He promised, setting Brois down as his restored external sensors quickly swept over his chassis. "You saved me… Why? Why would you-" He abruptly stopped, his scans drawing a negative response that caused a look of horror that dawned on him. "Your armor, I… oh no, I… that's not my design at all." He realized. His gaze lingered on the exposed, sparking reactor core powering his suit. It glowed green, possibly dangerously so, energy readings were climbing and far too quickly for it to be a safe thing.
"I-Iron Man," Boris sputtered, "the power core… it is still unstable. High intensity radiation. A design flaw…" he rasped, "it is going to explode."
"What's the blast radius?" Tony asked, concentrating on variables.
"Several miles… you must run…" Boris urged. Reaching into his chestplate, Tony tore out the power core instead.
"I don't think so." With that, he took to the skies at top speed, his boosters propelling him at a supersonic pace into the upper reaches of the sky. He disappeared moments later when Titanium Man's core detonated, filling the sky with a man-made dawn that illuminated the plateau below with orange and gold. Avenger and Winter Guard alike stopped to watch, each offering a silent prayer in hope that Tony had survived his suicide mission.
The moment a larger piece of smoking debris plummeted from the cloud of smoke and flame, Thor took off in hot pursuit. He came across the scorched and shattered remains of Iron Man's armor, a bloody and bruised Tony visible beneath the broken faceplate, catching his friend and ally in his arms and able to listen to a few scant words muttered between coughs, "Sorry… Avengers… may… m-may have been wrong…" he apologized before passing out.
Some time later…
Coming to with a cough, Tony felt the chilly alpine air bite at the exposed flesh of his bruised face before he groaned, "ow… being dead sucks." The friendly faces of his colleagues and newfound allies above him, it took Ant-Man and Vanguard to hoist him to his feet.
"I think you're gonna be okay, soldier." Cap commented.
"Where's Dynamo?" Tony queried.
"Gone. He escaped during the explosion." T'Challa answered.
"It was really big." Wasp emphasized. Tony nodded in agreement, having experienced it for himself, and turned to the Russian heroes.
"Look, Vanguard… I'm sorry. This is all my fault." He apologized. Nikolai nodded in acceptance and agreement.
"You are right. But we were entirely truthful either. The Winter Guard did try and recruit that zlodey Crimson Dynamo." Vanguard confessed. "We realized our mistake, but not before people were hurt. Now we try to make up for that mistake, nashe pokayaniye." Tony seemed to understand better this time around, nodding as Nikolai spoke. "When next we meet, let us meet as allies, tovarish." He offered. Tony quickly nodded.
"Agreed." The Winter Guard turned to leave, Vanguard offering a hand of salute.
"Proshchaniye, Avengers. And good hunting!" The Avengers waved them off before Tony turned inwards, one more apology to make.
"Guys… I'm sorry. Dynamo… I got blinded. I just had to be the one to take him down."
"Of course. For all your gold and science, you are still a warrior at heart." Thor sympathized, a hand on his shoulder.
"It's just… I've seen my technology destroy lives too often. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by it." Tony explained.
"Understandable. But you're not up against this alone." Steve offered. Tony sighed.
"I know. It's just… It takes some getting used to. This 'team' thing." He replied. "And now, because of me, Crimson Dynamo is still on the loose."
"Wakandan elders often say 'he who recognizes his fault is already fully healed'." Black Panther sagely offered. "Now the question is, will you learn from this or repeat the lesson later?"
"The former, I hope." Tony answered. "And, well, next time I'll just bring the handy-dandy technopath we have on hand."
"In that case, I think we should head back to the Mansion and bring Connor up to speed. He can't be an Avenger if he's not properly run through training and such." Hank proposed, earning the agreement of everyone.
Later, back at Avengers Mansion…
The irons split into three pieces, spinning around Connor's hands until they became a blur of motion. Sprinting forward, his motions were precise and fluid, bashing two Hydra troopers in the head with heavy-metal impacts that knocked them down. The irons reformed into batons as he slid across the ground on his knees, quickly two more Hydra troopers down with quick assaults to their legs.
Yellow bullet rounds whizzed past him as three separate defence turrets attacked him with their salvos. Quickly snapping his batons together to form a staff, he planted his weapon on the ground and used his magnets to vault off, Connor flying through the air and barely managing to land on top of the central turret. A mere touch was all he needed to interface with its circuits, overriding its commands and implanting new ones in the wake of his efforts. The turret then turned first to its left, shooting the turret there before it exploded, before doing the same with the turret on its right. An explosion of sparks and rippling electricity followed suit as Connor hopped off, the turret shutting down in obedience to his new command.
Retrieving his staff, Connor paused to breathe. The turrets were down, the Hydra soldiers were down, all in all a pretty successful training run with his newfound capabilities. "JARVIS, how long was that?" He asked aloud.
"In accordance with existing Avengers training times, you have the twenty-seventh fastest time Mister Peterson." Breathing a sigh of acceptance, Connor figured it was time for a break. Sweat matted his hair to his brow, stained his shirt front to back, he was in desperate need of a shower. But not before he made sure he had something to show for his efforts.
Spying a nearby bench, he made to sit. Splitting the staff into its components, he dropped the iron down on the space beside him before also taking a seat. Connor wiped the sweat from his brow, noticing other stains under his arms as well. Footsteps suddenly sounded from the room's entrance and his head rose to check…
In strode Janet, still in her hero dress, carrying a bottle of water and a towel.
"Caught sight of you on security and figured you could use these." She said with a smile. Connor allowed himself to smile, Janet's very presence bright and cheery.
"Oh… thank you," he replied, accepting the items from her, "you didn't have to."
"Looked like you were going hard. I thought you could use a break." Janet said. With a nod, Connor happily chugged half the bottle before running the towel through his hair, doing his best to wipe up the excessive amounts of sweat. "You've been training ever since we left?" She asked. Connor nodded.
"Had to keep trying. I needed to have something to show everyone." He explained. Janet offered him a friendly smile.
"All your hard work is bound to pay off." She promised. "You're doing good, Connor. You ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask me." His smile broadened, his brown eyes meeting her blues in a moment of connection. For the first time, in a very long time, someone made his heart sing with elation. Someone looked upon him with favor and friendliness.
"I… I will. Thank you, Janet." He offered softly in reply.
"Feel free to call me 'Jan', all my friends do." She told him. "I'm gonna go work on your suit now. Catch you later!" With a cheery wave, Jan made to leave. Connor remained where he was, entranced and enraptured by her very presence. He breathed a happy sigh, content with the interaction that had just taken place.
If only she were single… He thought to himself.
Elsewhere, on the northern coast of Germany…
Having limped his Crimson Dynamo suit back to his secret home, Anton stripped off his armor and hung it up for some much needed repairs. Scorch marks, dents and other superficial plating damage were the least of his worries. Entire systems needed to be rebooted and overhauled, a near-complete internal makeover scheduled in the pilot's mind.
But it would all be worth it.
"I will make my armor better, more powerful. I will destroy him." He murmured in the dim light of his workshop. Running a hand across crumpled crimson plating, Anton knew that the freedom the breakout had provided him was an opportunity to be better than before. He had to make the Crimson Dynamo armor the best it could possibly be. "I will destroy Tony Stark, even if I have to destroy the Avengers to do it." He vowed.
A green glow suddenly lit his shop and Anton whirled around as a voice with a feminine lilt called his name. "You wish to destroy the Avengers, Anton Vanko?" His eyes adjusting to the light, Anton quickly took note of a woman in green, flanked by the regal form of Baron Zemo, the imposing Skurge and the unstable Wonder Man. Enchantress offered him an alluring smile, "We can help." She promised.
"Join our ranks, Doctor Vanko, ranks of men just like you… men who want the Avengers dead." Zemo offered. Anton didn't say a word, but his smile was all they needed…