The door to the van opens and the sack is ripped off his head. They're in a very white room, there is a plane in the background. Justin Hammer is sitting at a table in the middle of the room.
"Okay, not confused anymore." Peter said to himself, now he was only wondering exactly what Hammer wanted from Ivan. He had a feeling it couldn't be good and he suspected Hammer was after the arc reactor tech that Ivan seemed to have.
Hammer welcomes him and says to get the handcuffs off of Ivan and apologizes for them. Someone takes the handcuffs off.
he tells Ivan that he's a huge fan and that he didn't want to make his first impression like that. He introduces himself to Ivan and says he'd like to do business with him. He tells Ivan to eat.
"Wait, what exactly does Hammer want from Ivan?" Ned asked.
"My guess is something to do with the tech he displayed in Monaco." Sam said. "That kinda thing turns heads."
A waiter walks over. Hammer says that anything Ivan wants they have. he says that he'll have his desert first and that it was flown in from San Francisco but its an Italian dish. He says that its organic ice cream and that he has a sweet tooth. He says that Ivan has a sweet tooth for Tony.
"Um, that sounds weird." Shuri says.
"That makes me a little uncomfortable." Tony said.
He tells Ivan that his actions toward Tony spoke to him and that he knew that Ivan knew he was listening.
"Huh? I don't think he did. I don't think he cares." Shuri said. Ivan seemed to be focused on his vendetta against Stark and solely on that.
He says that he couldn't bear to have Ivan shipped off because it would have been a waste of talent. He tells Ivan that he shouldn't have tried to kill Tony, he should have tried to kill Tony's legacy. He says that he has the resources that Ivan needs and that he'd like to be his benefactor.
"Wait, so he's recruiting Ivan to make something for him to essentially kill your legacy?" Steve asked.
"The best way to destroy a man's life isn't to destroy a man's life." Tony said.
Ivan says something in Russian. Hammer asks if he speaks English and he can get a translator if he doesn't, then asks if Ivan has understood everything that he's says.
Ivan says he has. They do a cheers. Ivan says he wants his bird.
Hammer asks if he wants a bird.
"No he wants his bird." Scott corrected. "It's a pet. It has to be that one."
Ivan says he wants his bird.
Hammer says he can get him 10 birds.
Ivan says he wants his bird.
Hammer asks if he's talking about a bird he has in Russia.
"Where else would it be?" Sam said.
Pepper and Natasha are sitting on the couch, both are talking on the phone. Pepper says that the fundamentals of the company are still strong after Monaco.
Natasha tells Pepper that the AP wants a quote.
Pepper tells her to fax them.
Rhodey enters and asks where Tony is.
"Someone's in trouble." Clint joked.
Natasha says he doesn't want to be disturbed. Pepper says that he's downstairs.
On the TV, a reporter is talking about Tony, she talks about Tony's erratic behavior and asks if he can still protect them.
Pepper says that the events in Monaco proved that Iron Man never stopped protecting them.
"So people are seeing Monaco two different ways, those being you driving and you beating up Ivan Vanko." Bruce said. "On one hand there was a stupid and reckless decision and on the other you stopped Ivan Vanko."
Tony is in his lab, sitting in a car and looking at holograms of different newspapers referring to Ivan and Anton Vanko. JARVIS says that Anton Vanko was a soviet physicist who defected to the US but was suspected of espionage and deported in 1967.
"Not at all surprising. The height of the red scare." Natasha commented, almost absentmindedly as if she were studying the information for herself.
JARVIS says that Ivan is also a physicist was convicted for selling weapons grade plutonium to Pakistan. He says that Ivan served 15 years in Kopeisk prison.
"Wow." Scott said.
Rhodey puts in a code and enters the lab and tells Tony that he needs to go upstairs and handle the situation, he says that he's been on the phone with the national guard trying to stop them from taking the suits, and reminds Tony that he said no one would have the technology for 20 years.
"Technically, I said 5-10 years." Tony said.
"Technically that doesn't matter anymore." Rhodey rebuked.
Rhodey says that someone had the tech yesterday and that its no longer theoretical, he then asks if Tony is even listening.
"Probably not." Clint said.
Tony looks at him, Rhodey asks if he's okay. Tony gets out of the car, he starts to fall Rhodey helps him up and asks if he's alright.
"I was f-" Tony started.
"No- no you were most definitely not fine." Pepper said.
Tony says he heeds to get to his desk. Rhodey holds Tony up as they walk to the desk. Tony tells him to get the cigar box and tells Rhodey that it's palladium. Tony collapses into his chair, Rhodey opens the box.
Tony removes the arc reactor, the core ejects. Rhodey asks if its supposed to be smoking.
"No!" Every scientist in the room shouted.
Tony says its neutron damage from the reactor wall. He hands the arc reactor to Rhodey, he takes the core out and says that Tony had this in his body, then asks about the marks on his neck, calling it a high tech crossword puzzle.
"High tech crossword puzzle?" Pepper asked. "That's the best you could do?"
Tony plays it off as being road rash then takes the arc reactor from Rhodey and puts it back in his chest and thanks him and starts drinking something from a water bottle then asks Rhodey what he's looking at.
Rhodey says he's looking at him and tells him that the lone gunslinger act isn't necessary and that he doesn't need to do it a lone.
"You don't." Rhodey said for good measure.
Tony says he wished he could believe him and tells Rhodey to trust him. He says that contrary to popular belief, he knows what he's doing.
"I really don't think you did." Vision said.
"Queens, New York' appears on screen.
"Ah, home crap home." Ned, May, peter and MJ said at the same time. They got a few strange looks.
A limo pull up outside of Hammer industries. Hammer and Ivan are walking through a lab. Hammer says that they can work in peace there and says that it must be fun to be dead because there's no pressure.
"I never thought about it like that." Peter said.
He shows Ivan the suits and says that he might have done a few miscalculations and rushed the prototype.
"So he wants Ivan to make those work?" Quill asked.
Ivan puts on his glasses and starts typing on a computer. Hammer tells him not to do that and that he'll be able to access it as soon as they generate encrypted passcodes. He asks if they can generate encrypted passcodes.
Ivan says something in Russian.
Hammer questions him.
Ivan says his software is shit.
"Well, he's not exactly wrong." Tony said.
Hammer says that Ivan blasted past the firewall. Ivan gets a latter so he can see the suits better. Hammer asks to show him where he'll be working and says that the suits are for viewing purposes because they cost 125.7 million each. Ivan pulls the head off of one.
Everyone laughed.
Hammer tells him that that's where the pilots supposed to go but he's having trouble finding volunteers.
"I wonder why he's having a hard time finding volunteers." Valkyrie said, sarcastically.
Ivan asks, in broken English, what Hammer wants the suits to do.
Hammer says that he wants them to make Iron Man look like an antique and that he wants them to put him in the pentagon for 25 years. He says he wants to go to the Expo and take a shit in Tony's front yard.
"So he's gonna try and show you up on your own terf?" Steve asked for clarification on Hammer's metaphor.
"More or less." Tony answered.
Ivan says he can do that.
The scene switches to Tony's bedroom. Tony is looking at the rash on his chest in a mirror. The screen reads 'palladium concentration 89%'.
"That's not looking too hot." Happy commented.
Natasha walks in with a box in her hands and asks Tony which watch he'd like to wear.
Tony buttons his shirt and says he'll give them a look. Natasha sets the box down and starts mixing a drink Tony asks if he should cancel the party.
"I should have." Tony sighed.
Natasha looks at him and says he should. She walks over with a drink in her hands and says it's ill timed.
Tony agrees and says that it sends the wrong message.
"Yeah."
She hands Tony the drink, he sips it she asks if its dirty enough for him.
Tony says he'll give the Jaeger a look and asks her to bring the watches over. Natasha picks up the box and hands it to him. He takes it from her, she sits on the arm of the chair and starts covering up the bruise by his eye. Tony says its hard to get a read on her and asks where she's from.
She says she's from legal.
Tony asks her if he can ask a hypothetical question. He asks if it was her last birthday party what she would do.
She says that she would do whatever she wants with whomever she wants.
"Let the record show that I tried." Natasha said.
Tony is now drunk, wearing his suit, dancing. He fist bumps the DJ.
Tony groaned, embarrassed.
Cars pull up outside the house. Rhodey is in one of them, on the phone he tells the person that within 24 hours, Iron Man will be on watch. He walks into Tony's house and over to Pepper and greets her.
Pepper says she needs some air.
Rhodey asks her what's wrong.
"What wasn't wrong?" Pepper asked.
They walk over to where they can see Tony she says she doesn't know what to do. Tony falls over.
Rhodey slapped Tony on the back of the head. "I deserve that." Tony said.
Rhodey says he's making a call.
Pepper tells him not to.
Rhodey says he just stuck his neck out for Tony.
Pepper says she knows and she'll handle it.
Rhodey says if she can't he will.
"Something tells me that that wont be pretty." Scott said.
Tony says that a question he gets asked often is how he goes to the bathroom in the suit, he pauses for a moment before saying that that's how he does.
"Dude... that's gross." Clint said.
"Yeah." Tony agreed.
Pepper walks up to him and takes the microphone and says that Tony knows how to throw a party.
Tony says he loves her.
Pepper thanks everyone for coming.
Tony says that they didn't have cake or blow out candles.
"You are a literal child." Bruce said.
Pepper tells him he's out of control and that he needs to trust her.
Tony tells her that she's gorgeous.
A few people cringed, that was not the time.
Pepper says that its time to go to bed.
Tony tells her to give him a kiss.
Pepper says that he wont be happy about this.
Tony tells her that she wants to kiss him.
"Not at that moment, I did not." Pepper sighed.
"I am so sorry." Tony said.
Pepper tells him he peed in the suit.
Tony says it has a filtration system.
Pepper says that it isn't sexy.
Tony says that they could drink that water.
A chorus of 'Ew's' were heard.
Pepper tells him to send everyone home and grabs the bottle and hands Tony the microphone. Tony says that the party is over and that it was over for him an hour and a half ago. He says that the afterparty starts in 15 minutes and that if anyone doesn't like it they can leave. He points to the door, accidentally shooting at it. A girl throws a bottle in the air, he shoots it, spraying glass and liquid on the floor. Rhodey looks angry, then leaves.
"I don't like where this is going." May said.
Another bottle is thrown, Tony shoots it. Rhodey walks down the stairs and into Tony's lab. Tony looks into a mirror and shoots at something behind him. Rhodey gets into the suit. Another girl appears with a watermelon she throws it in the air and Tony shoots at it, using his chest beam. Rhodey appears behind everyone and tells everyone to leave. Everyone starts running.
Rhodey and Tony looked anywhere but the screen and each other.
Rhodey tells Tony that he doesn't deserve to wear the suit and that he should shut it down.
Rhodey and Tony cringed.
Tony turns to the DJ and tells him to give him some music to beat Rhodey's ass too.
"Oh no."
'Another one bites the dust starts playing'
A few people tried to suppress giggles at the DJ's song choice.
Rhodey tells Tony to shut the suit down and grabs Tony's chest from behind. Tony blasts them through the wall, they're now in the gym.
Tony gets up and starts walking away and tells Rhodey to put the suit back. Rhodey throws something, it hits Tony in the back of the head. Tony turns around, Rhodey throws something else, it hits a glass door.
"You two are really about to do this?" Clint asked with a frown.
Tony picks a barbell and knocks Rhodey across the room. He flies over to him and lands beside him and tells Rhodey that Iron Man doesn't have a sidekick.
"Are you sure about that?" Rhodey asked.
Rhodey hits Tony with a pipe. Rhodey kicks him and he goes flying through the ceiling, they're now in the bedroom. Rhodey flies in through the hole and asks if Tony's had enough.
"Knowing Tony, he hasn't." Pepper said, tightly.
All of the guests outside. Pepper is standing in the middle of the room, Pepper says that she's onto Natasha. Tony and Rhodey fall through the ceiling. Happy runs inside and grabs Pepper and tells her to leave. Natasha runs off. Tony and Rhodey are still fighting, everyone is watching. Rhodey and Tony start punching each other. He turns to the crowd and growls, they scatter.
Everyone sighed.
Rhodey picks up a sink and wacks Tony with it, the force knocks him into the fire place. The raise their hands at each other.
"Oh my God."
Rhodey tells him to put his hand down.
Tony asks if Rhodey thinks he has what it takes to wear the suit.
Rhodey tells him that they don't need to do this.
Tony tells Rhodey to takes his shot since he wants to be the War Machine.
"Is that how you got your name?" Wanda asked.
Rhodey tells him to put his hand down.
Tony tells him to take the shot. They both shoot, their blasts meet sending a shock wave through the room, breaking the glass. Tony and Rhodey are knocked back by the force. Tony sits up, looks around and watches as Rhodey flies off.
"Where did you take it?" Loki asked.