Chapter 9: Iron Monger
January 3, 2006 – Tuesday
Stane was waiting in the living room for Tony and Faith with a pizza, his demeanor a blend of hope and apprehension. The air was thick with tension, and the pizza box he held felt like a fragile truce in the midst of turmoil.
"Peace offering? Or… pizza offering, as the case may be," Stane ventured, his voice tinged with an underlying sorrow.
Tony and Faith, their arms folded tightly, remained statuesque in their resentment. Their faces were etched with a cold resolve, leaving Stane with an overwhelming sense of futility. He understood that there were no words he could muster that would pique their interest anymore.
As a last-ditch effort to bridge the chasm that had grown between them, Stane carefully placed the pizza box on the coffee table. His movements were slow, as though he feared any sudden gesture might shatter the fragile equilibrium of the room. He then crossed the room to Tony, his steps heavy with the weight of their strained relationship, and produced a letter-sized envelope from his jacket pocket.
"Tony, I'd like you to proofread something for me," Stane implored, his voice a blend of vulnerability and regret.
"Would you like me to spell check it, sir?" Jarvis interjected, his artificial voice adding an eerie layer to the charged atmosphere.
Stane's expression contorted with pain, his anguish palpable. In a hushed tone, he pleaded, "Can you turn him off? All the way?"
"Spin down, Jarvis," Tony ordered, his fingers already delicately extracting the letter from the envelope. As his eyes scanned the document, they traversed a spectrum of emotions. Surprise gave way to realization, and his raised eyebrows mirrored his astonishment. "Your resignation?"
Stane nodded solemnly, as if finally unburdening a long-held secret. "You were right. It's not my company. Not my name on the building. We were a great team, but I guess this is where our paths diverge."
Tony was poised to offer a response when an unexpected blip from the phone system drew his attention. The name "Pepper Potts" materialized on the LCD screen in digital form. His brows furrowed with a mixture of concern and duty. "Pepper. I should take that."
"Tony, please," Stane implored, his voice carrying an uncommon vulnerability. The once-assertive businessman now seemed genuinely defenseless. "I'll be out of here in a minute."
Tony, recognizing the urgency in Stane's eyes, decided to involve Faith. "Faith, why don't you see what Pepper wants," he suggested, subtly passing the responsibility to her.
"Sure," Faith replied as she approached the phone. With a discreet press of a button, she cunningly diverted Pepper's call to voicemail. She had no intention of allowing any distractions while Stane was still in their presence. She then raised the phone to her ear, pretending to engage in a conversation with Pepper that didn't exist.
Stane placed a hand gently on Tony's shoulder, his expression softening and his tone taking on a fatherly quality. "We have too much history to part on bad terms. I'd like your blessing."
Tony's world spiraled into agony, his body wracked with paralyzing pain that sent shockwaves through his entire being. The room seemed to close in on him as he struggled to comprehend the nightmare unfolding before him. Panic and fear clawed at his consciousness, but he remained imprisoned in his own body.
His first instinct was to believe he was suffering a heart attack or a stroke, the grim irony of it all settling like a bitter taste in his mouth. The realization that Pepper's concern had been justified added to the torment coursing through him. He desperately wished he had heeded her advice and gone to the hospital.
But as he glimpsed the demented smile on Stane's face, a shiver of horror crawled down his spine. His eyes caught the electronic filter in Stane's ear, a piece of technology that spelled betrayal. It was a sinister revelation, like a dagger plunged into his heart. He understood that this torment was not a random affliction of fate but a deliberate, calculated attack.
And then, a memory surged to the forefront of his mind—the sonic taser he had designed for undercover police officers. A weapon meant to be small yet devastating, eluding routine searches. It was his own creation turned against him.
Tony's body sank into a chair, his gaze fixed straight ahead, unable to do anything but twitch spasmodically. His mind raced, trapped within a body that refused to respond, a prisoner in his own flesh.
"Dad!" Faith's anguished cry pierced the air, breaking through the haze of pain. Her voice was a lifeline in the darkness, a reminder that he was not alone in this nightmare.
As she took a courageous step toward Stane, her eyes widened in terror as she spotted the malevolent intent in his gaze. Stane's actions were swift and cruel, and Faith's body, like her father's, succumbed to the merciless agony of the sonic taser. Paralyzed, she slowly sank to the floor, her eyes locked on Stane, a silent plea for mercy and understanding.
"You know I had hoped when I had the hit done on your mother," Stane said, his voice dripping with malice, his eyes fixed on Faith. "And that when you were sent to the Lehanes that would put an end to any hopes of you claiming your birthright as a Stark heiress. Of course, I never expected you to be called as the Slayer. Which presented an opportunity at another chance to take you out of the picture. I made a deal with Raza's men to turn you over to the demon Cristos."
Stane placed the taser down on the table and then crouched in front of Tony, his demeanor disturbingly calm, as if he were a friend trying to guide Tony through a crisis. "Easy now. Try to breathe," he coaxed, his voice dripping with false concern.
Tony's eyes widened with helpless terror as Stane, with deliberate and unsettling precision, began to unbutton his shirt. Tony's chest rose and fell rapidly, but he was utterly powerless to resist or escape.
"You can't mess with progress," Stane continued, his tone carrying a twisted regret about the unfolding events. "It's an insult to the gods. You two created the greatest weapon ever, but you think that means it belongs to the both of you. It belongs to the world." With a cold smile, Stane pulled open Tony's shirt, and the eerie glow from the miniature arc reactor in Tony's chest illuminated his face. It was a malevolent grin, making him look almost satanic as he loomed over Tony.
Tony's eyes, wide with pain and fear, remained fixed on the nightmare unfolding before him. Inside his own head, he was screaming, the cacophony deafening to himself, yet inaudible to anyone else. All he could manage were gasps and gurgles as Stane methodically began removing the chest piece from its socket.
"Your heart will be the seed of the next generation of weapons," Stane declared, his voice a chilling monotone. "They'll help us steer the world back in the right direction—put the balance of power back in our hands. The right hands." With calculated precision, he pulled the reactor loose and held it aloft, like a conqueror claiming his prize. "By the time you die, my prototype will be operational. It's not as... conservative... as yours."
Stane carefully produced a cloth from his pocket and wrapped it around the reactor, cradling it close like a cherished possession. His face was twisted with a disturbing kind of happiness, as if he were a child holding his dearest birthday gift.
Then, with a final, chilling statement, Stane stood and pocketed the sonic taser. Tony rolled off the chair and crashed onto the floor next to Faith, his gaze fixed upward at the ceiling, his body still paralyzed, a prisoner in the darkness of his own helplessness.
Stane looked down at Tony and Faith, his expression almost disconcertingly sympathetic. "The sad thing is, we're both the good guys."
'Like hell,' Faith thought, her inner defiance burning fiercely. Of course, Stane remained oblivious to her silent response. Instead, he calmly switched off the light, plunging Tony and Faith into oppressive darkness. The father and daughter lay there, unmoving, their world shattered, and they heard the soft click of the door, signaling Stane's departure, leaving them in a chilling silence, alone with their shared nightmare.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"What do you mean, he paid to have Tony and Faith killed?" Rhodey's voice crackled with disbelief and concern through Pepper's phone. The tension was palpable in the conversation, a stark contrast to the clacking of heels echoing through the underground parking lot as Pepper and Willow hurried along with Coulson and his team of men.
"Slow down. Why would Obadiah—?" Rhodey's questions tumbled out one after another, trying to grasp the horrifying revelation.
"Because he wants it all! He saw his chance and he took it! That's why!" Pepper's words rushed out, her voice laced with urgency and frustration. She and Willow were on the move, navigating the dimly lit parking structure like women on a mission.
Coulson and his team kept pace, the situation pressing on them like a heavy weight. "Willow and I just got done showing some Feds the proof!" Pepper continued, the urgency in her tone underscoring the gravity of the situation.
Rhodey's voice crackled with concern on the other end of the line. "Where is Tony and Faith now?"
"We don't know," Willow replied, her voice strained with anxiety. "They're not answering their phones."
Pepper's voice carried a plea as she urged Rhodey to take action. "Will you just go over there and check on them?" Her words were a desperate plea, a silent prayer for their safety.
Rhodey hesitated, torn between concern for Tony and Faith and the need for more information. "Why, where are you two? Aren't you—?"
"We're heading over to the office to round up Stane," Pepper declared with determination, her voice resolute and unwavering, even in the face of danger.
Willow chimed in, her voice carrying a sense of urgency. "So, can you check? Please?"
Rhodey's commitment was unwavering. "Of course," he replied with determination. "I'm on it."
"Thanks, Rhodey," Pepper expressed her gratitude before snapping her cell phone shut. The agents began to clamor into their Crown Victorias, preparing to take action. Coulson held the door open for Pepper and Willow, expecting them to join the federal agents, but the two women had other plans.
Instead of following the agents, Pepper and Willow made a beeline for Pepper's parked Audi, which one of the agents had driven to their headquarters while they were being questioned. Pepper's words were brisk as they climbed into the car. "I know a shortcut."
Coulson, realizing the situation's urgency, called out, "I'll ride with them," and quickly joined them in the rear seat of the Audi.
The Audi roared out of the garage, its engine a symphony of power and speed. Coulson grabbed the sides of his seat, trying to maintain his composure, though he couldn't help but regret not opting for one of the more conventional Crown Victorias. Glancing behind them, he noted that the Crown Vics were trailing closely but just barely keeping up.
In a low, angry voice Willow said, "If anything happens to Faith or Tony because you were busy playing twenty questions with us, I'll kill you."
Pepper glanced over at Willow and saw the stark change in Willow's look. Willow's hair had turned jet back. And all color had disappeared from Willow's eyes leaving only a black void.
"Threatening a federal agent is a crime," Coulson.
Pepper looked in the rearview mirror at Coulson with a glare. "I don't think you want to mess with Willow, right now," she warned.
Coulson's eyes lingered on Willow; his gaze fixed on the unsettling transformation she had undergone. He recalled the details from Willow's file, the dark chapter from her past in May of 2002, and the terrifying power she possessed. As he observed the void in her eyes and the intensity of her demeanor, a cold realization washed over him.
In that moment, Coulson understood that he didn't want to be the one standing between Willow and anyone she considered a threat to her loved ones. The memory of her past actions and the current circumstances were enough to make him reconsider any confrontation with her.
Silently, he nodded, a tacit acknowledgment of the unspoken understanding that Willow's protectiveness was a force to be reckoned with, one that even federal authority couldn't easily challenge.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The elevator doors that led into the workshop slid open and Faith having regained some movement in her body as the taser's effects wore off helped her father out of the elevator. She glanced briefly at Tony who was gasping, every breath labored.
Faith helped Tony over to the workbench and set him down. There, on the workbench, was their target: the original t chest piece that Pepper had mounted in Lucite. It sat there and glowed at them.
Faith reached for the chest piece and pulled it close to her. She picked up a screwdriver and within seconds she had managed to pry the reactor out of the Lucite. She lifted it and looked at it with pure joy.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the subbasement pipe room, the cold and dimly lit chamber, Obadiah Stane perched atop a stepladder in front of the massive armored suit. His gloved hands cradled the glowing miniature reactor with utmost care as he positioned himself in front of the chest of the imposing armor. It took him a moment, his movements precise and deliberate, to find the correct orientation. After a bit of careful experimentation, he managed to make it click properly into place.
For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happened, and Stane felt a sinking dread that he was about to face yet another crushing disappointment. But then, as if responding to a secret command, the eyes of the armor began to glimmer softly, a subtle awakening in the gloomy chamber.
Stane's shoulders relaxed, and he let out a sigh of relief, his gratitude palpable. It was as though he had been reunited with an old friend after a long separation. Suppressing the urge to cry out in triumph, he simply spoke, his voice tinged with satisfaction, "Hello, Iron Monger."
The Iron Monger remained silent, a towering and ominous presence, but its eyes glowed even more brightly as a surge of power coursed through the armor, bringing it to life in all its formidable glory.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The door to the living room quivered for a moment, then exploded open in a shower of wood fragments. Rhodey staggered inside, his shoulder aching from the force with which he had driven it into the door. Panic washed over him as he surveyed the overturned furniture and the absence of Tony and Faith.
"Tony! Faith! Where are you?" Rhodey's voice was desperate as he called out, his fear mounting by the second.
He rushed towards the stairs leading down into the workshop, his heart pounding in his chest. When he reached the bottom, he froze in shock. Before him stretched a hall of armor, a testament to the battles that had taken place. The suits, bearing scars of battle like bullet dents and scorch marks, were there, unmistakable from their pursuit of the Raptors. But Tony and Faith had gone even further.
Components lay scattered around, evidence of another model in the making: helmets, gloves, boots, and prototypes hinting at future developments.
As Rhodey took in the vast array of technology, he thought he heard a faint sound, a rustling, from somewhere in the shadows. Cautiously, he called out, "Tony? Faith?"
"Over here," came Faith's response from the darkened corner where she and her father sat, hidden in the shadows.
Rhodey sprinted towards them, relief flooding through him like a tidal wave. "God, I thought you two were—"
"I almost was. I may yet be," Tony admitted with a low grunt, his face etched with pain.
Faith's voice trembled with emotion. "Don't even joke about that, Dad!" Her eyes were filled with a mixture of fear and fierce determination, her protectiveness for her father unwavering.
"What the hell happened?" Rhodey's voice was filled with concern and confusion as he tried to make sense of the chaotic scene before him.
Tony, still recovering from the ordeal, didn't mince words. "Obadiah," he began, his voice heavy with bitterness, "tried to kill me. If not for Faith, he would have succeeded."
Rhodey's expression darkened with anger. "Yeah, well, his trying-to-kill days are done," he declared, his determination clear.
Tony and Faith exchanged a worried glance. "Wait," Tony said, his brow furrowing. "What are you doing here? Where's Pepper and Willow?"
Rhodey's tone turned serious as he revealed the situation. "That's what I'm trying to tell you both. They called me, told me to come here. They were worried about you both... with good reason, obviously. They're with five Feds. They're going to arrest Obadiah."
Faith's gaze hardened, and her voice held a steely resolve. "That's not going to be enough."
Tony nodded in agreement. The danger posed by Obadiah Stane was far from over, and they were all too aware of the stakes they were facing.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Coulson had attempted to dissuade Pepper and Willow from accompanying them into the subbasement, concerned for their safety, but they were resolute and refused to back down. Willow's appearance had returned to normal, her hair and eyes no longer betraying her inner turmoil.
"No one knows that maze of tunnels the way I do," Pepper had asserted confidently. "Even the diagrams on Stane's computer aren't entirely accurate." Her words were a deliberate misdirection, concealing her true intentions. In reality, her familiarity with the tunnels was limited, and the specs on Stane's computer were indeed entirely accurate. She was driven by an unwavering determination to ensure she and Willow were present when Obadiah Stane faced justice.
Their path into Stane's hidden lair was initially blocked by a locked door leading to the subbasement. Both Pepper and Willow's access keys failed to grant them entry, signaling that Stane had taken measures to override their access privileges. However, Willow refused to be deterred. With a burst of magical energy, she unleashed a powerful blast, and the door was blown clear off its hinges.
Pepper couldn't help but be impressed by Willow's display of magical prowess. "Impressive," she remarked, her admiration evident in her tone.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Stane's attention was drawn by the deafening sound of the door being blown off its hinges, a jarring intrusion into his hidden lair. He turned his gaze towards a security monitor, fully aware of what he would find.
"Guests," he uttered softly, his voice taking on a sinister edge. The final "s" lingered in the air like a serpent's hiss, a harbinger of danger.
In the shadows of his subterranean domain, Stane prepared to face the unwelcome intruders
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the workshop, a soft clanking sound drew Rhodey's attention, and he watched in awe as Tony and Faith emerged from behind a bank of machinery. Their appearances were nothing short of astonishing: Tony was clad in a sleek red and gold suit of armor, while Faith wore an equally formidable red and black suit. Both held helmets in their hands, their armored visages a testament to their technological prowess.
Rhodey, a seasoned veteran with a wealth of military experience, couldn't help but be struck by the sheer power and presence of the armored figures before him. However, what truly gave him pause was not just the imposing armor but the fierce determination etched onto Tony and Faith's faces.
"What's the plan?" Rhodey asked, his voice tinged with both curiosity and readiness.
Tony's response was resolute. "We're going after Stane," he declared. "I'm betting he's back at the office."
"I'm betting you're right. I'm right behind you," Rhodey affirmed, his determination matching theirs.
"We're counting on it," Faith added as she and her father lowered their helmets over their heads, the helmets clicking into place with a mechanical precision. The eyes of the helmets illuminated, and there was a distinct sound of energy building.
Rhodey took a step back, a mixture of intimidation and concern coursing through him. He wondered if some explosive charge was about to be unleashed. Then, he watched in astonishment as Tony and Faith looked upward.
Two seconds later the boots of their armored suits ignited, and Tony and Faith blasted straight up through the ceiling, sending debris cascading down in their wake.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Pepper and Willow, accompanied by Coulson and a team of agents, proceeded cautiously toward the subbasement pipe room. Coulson was not taking any chances, walking right beside them with his gun at the ready, while the other agents followed in a disciplined "V" formation.
As they ventured deeper into the pipe room, Coulson couldn't help but voice his astonishment at the surreal sight that greeted them. "What the hell?" he whispered, taking in the bizarre scene before him. "It looks like a morgue for the Transformers."
Pepper and Willow exchanged glances, understanding his reaction all too well. They were navigating through a labyrinth of metal, surrounded by vats, machines, armored limbs, and metallic components suspended from tethers. The room resembled a chaotic fusion of machinery and anatomy, with utility pipes running along the walls like oversized metal veins.
Suddenly, Pepper halted in her tracks, her unease palpable. "Wait," she said, causing the others to instinctively stop as well. Her gaze was fixed on a massive metal scaffolding, and her expression was troubled.
Coulson, puzzled by the pause, questioned, "What? There's nothing here."
Pepper's response carried a sense of foreboding. "I know," she admitted, her voice laced with concern. "What worries me is that maybe there was before."
Coulson's lips pressed into a thin line, a sign of growing concern. He was about to issue an order when he abruptly stopped, his attention drawn elsewhere.
"What's wrong?" Willow inquired, her worry mirroring Coulson's.
Coulson's voice was tense as he asked, "Where's Colan? Colan!"
The others, including Pepper and Willow, turned to look around, and it became evident that one of the agents had vanished, leaving only four remaining.
"Colan! Report!" Coulson's voice rang out, sharp and urgent.
There was no response, no sign of the missing agent.
Coulson turned to Pepper and Willow, his expression grave. "Get out. Now. Back the way we came. Go."
Pepper started to protest, her determination evident, but Coulson's urgency left no room for debate. "But—" she began, her voice filled with concern.
"Now!" Coulson's command was sharp and uncompromising, his actions swift as he chambered a round in his gun. His experienced eyes scanned the surrounding area, his senses on high alert. The other agents closed ranks, forming a protective barrier around Coulson, and he forcefully pushed Pepper and Willow in the direction of the exit, his priority to get them to safety.
Willow, in the midst of the chaos, underwent a striking change in her appearance. Her hair was becoming startlingly white this time, a transformation that caught Pepper's attention.
"What's the difference between white and black?" Pepper questioned; her curiosity piqued despite the tense situation.
Willow, still maintaining her composure, provided an explanation. "Black is usually an indication of dark emotions or dark magics in play," she clarified. "White, on the other hand, is pure. When my hair goes white, it's a sign that I am channeling the very essence of good magic. The last time my hair went white was two years ago when I activated every single Potential in the world and made them Slayers."
Willow stepped up next to Coulson, asserting her presence and extraordinary abilities. "You're down one man, and I'm an extremely powerful witch," she declared, offering her support to the remaining agents.
Coulson hesitated for a moment, his gaze fixed on Willow, before slowly nodding in agreement. "Stay next to me," he instructed, recognizing the value of Willow's magical prowess in this perilous situation.
As Coulson, Willow, and the agents moved away from Pepper, she found herself pressed against the wall, her anxiety mounting. She reached for her cell phone in a desperate bid for help, but to her dismay, there was no signal. She tucked the phone away, turned her attention back to the agents, and then noticed something in the darkness—a pair of glowing eyes.
"Willow!" Pepper called out urgently when her friend and the agents seemed oblivious to the lurking danger. Their attention was scattered, focusing everywhere except in that particular direction.
Willow spun around just in time to hear the ominous sound of hydraulics and grinding metal. Panic surged as the agents opened fire, their bullets ricocheting wildly, striking pipes and sending bursts of scalding steam into the narrow hallways. A deafening clanking echoed through the chamber, akin to a mechanical monstrosity with legs.
Amid the chaos, another agent let out a horrified scream as unseen forces yanked them from view, disappearing into the shrouded murk. Pepper, her heart racing, attempted to flee the nightmarish scene but collided with a lower pipe, sending her stumbling to the ground. The corridor was filled with more screams, the futile sound of bullets being fired, and the menacing presence of an unknown threat that seemed impervious to their attacks. One bullet ricocheted off the wall, narrowly missing Pepper's head, and embedded itself in the cement wall to her right.
Amid the chaos and danger, one of the agents managed to stagger out of the mist, frantically shouting into his radio, "Agents down! Agents down!" Spotting Pepper in the midst of the turmoil, he gestured angrily for her to make her escape. With a forceful yank, he pulled her to her feet and practically hurled her toward the exit, urging her to flee.
Pepper stumbled, nearly falling, but managed to catch herself by gripping the railing of the stairwell that led to safety. As she began ascending the stairs, they suddenly shook violently beneath her feet, making her look back in alarm.
Recalling the diagrams she had seen in the files labeled "Iron Monger," Pepper's heart sank. The ominous and familiar glow emanating from its chest heralded the approach of something of that general shape and form barreling down the corridor toward her. She didn't linger to examine the details and had no intention of getting close enough to do so. Sprinting up the stairwell, she ascended two steps at a time, determined to escape the encroaching threat.
Pepper was nearly at the top of the stairs when the Iron Monger reached the bottom, but it was too wide for the stairwell and crashed into it, sending a shower of debris into the air. There was an angry mechanical whine, followed by a roar of hydraulics as a voice bellowed from within the armor, distorted but still recognizable. "Get back here!"
Willow, not far from the Iron Monger, addressed it confidently. "I think she's safe from you," she remarked, her eyes fixed on the massive mechanical menace. With a surge of magical energy, she unleashed a blast that rocked the Iron Monger, momentarily distracting it from its pursuit of Pepper.
Seizing the opportunity while the Iron Monger was occupied, Pepper shoved open the door at the top of the stairs and stumbled through. She slammed the door behind her, breathing heavily as she took in her surroundings. To her astonishment, she found herself in the main reactor room, with the long-dormant Arc reactor sitting just ten feet away.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Tony and Faith streaked through the air in their powered suits, a sense of urgency propelling them forward. In the midst of their high-speed flight, Faith couldn't help but express her desire for a convenient teleportation spell. "Remind me to ask Willow if she ever mastered that teleportation spell," she remarked.
Tony concurred; the urgency of their mission evident as he felt the armor slowing down. "It definitely would have come in handy right now," he agreed. Concerned about their decreasing speed, he asked Faith, "Faith, are you slowing down?"
Faith quickly consulted her heads-up display and confirmed their deceleration. Frustration welled up in her as she addressed Jarvis. "Yeah. Jarvis, what the hell! This is no time to shift us into low gear!"
Jarvis, always practical and focused on conserving resources, explained his rationale. "'Time' is actually the consideration, Ms. Stark. It is not something that your father has in abundance, not with the earlier model generator in place. I am merely endeavoring to conserve his energy. I felt that conserving your energy would be better than you outdistancing him and causing you both worry."
Tony emphasized the importance of their timely arrival, voicing his concerns. "All the conservation of energy isn't going to mean a thing if we get there too late to help Pepper and Willow!"
Jarvis, ever the voice of reason, responded, "If you arrive deceased, you'll hardly be in a position to help anyone."
Faith, displaying her determination, outlined a plan to make the most of their situation. "Give us the velocity we need, Jarvis," she requested. "Once we get there, I'll do most of the heavy lifting so we can try and conserve Dad's energy as much as possible."
Despite his reservations, Jarvis complied with her request. "That sounds akin to wishful thinking, Ms. Stark," he remarked, but their speed increased nonetheless, propelling them closer to their destination and the impending confrontation with danger.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Pepper's heart had been gripped by fear as her cell phone continued to ring, each unanswered call feeding her growing concern for Tony's safety. She couldn't shake the dreadful thought that Tony might be lying lifeless somewhere, the victim of a deadly encounter.
But then, a glimmer of hope pierced through her anxiety as Tony's voice reached her ears. Relief flooded her as she leaned against the wall, her tension momentarily giving way. "Tony!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with relief. "Thank God, I got hold of you. Listen to me. Obadiah went crazy! He's got a big suit. It's kind of like yours. He calls it the Iron Monger."
Struggling to hear him clearly over what sounded like wind or machinery, Pepper urgently pressed for information. "Where are you?"
As she anxiously awaited Tony's response, a chilling thump resonated from below her, causing her to lose her balance. Her eyes widened with terror as she looked down, witnessing the floor crack beneath her. Backing away in horror, she saw another thump, and another, as the Iron Monger, unable to navigate the steps, ascended from below.
Before Pepper could create enough distance between herself and the gaping hole, the concrete beneath her feet gave way, sending her sprawling. Her cell phone skidded out of reach just as one of the Iron Monger's massive fists burst through the floor.
With relentless force, the Iron Monger pushed aside the shattered concrete and twisted steel, pulling himself out of the ground. Towering above Pepper like a behemoth, he reached his full height, a colossal ten feet tall, casting a shadow that dwarfed her into insignificance.
"Obadiah," Pepper gasped, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and disbelief. She could hardly recognize any remnants of the once-familiar Obadiah Stane in the monstrous figure before her, a hulking steel behemoth with a lifeless visage. Struggling to maintain her composure, she managed to rise to her feet and slowly began to back away as the Iron Monger ominously closed in on her.
Just as Pepper's desperate situation grew more dire, Willow floated up through the hole in the floor, her presence suddenly announced. She called out to the formidable foe, challenging him with a taunt. "Hey, Stane, forget me?"
Pepper's foot accidentally bumped against her cell phone, and she seized it, her trembling fingers dialing Tony's number. With a sense of urgency, she screamed, "Tony!" into the phone, praying for a response.
Meanwhile, as the Iron Monger continued to advance on Pepper, Willow spotted Tony and Faith descending from above, their powered suits blazing with repulsor rays. In a spectacular clash, the trio of armored combatants collided, sending sparks flying and shaking the ground beneath them. Together, they crashed back down into the hole from which the Iron Monger had emerged just moments before.
Pepper and Willow, standing at the edge of the hole, stared down, their hearts pounding as they watched the fierce battle unfold beneath them. Willow tapped her earpiece and called out to Faith. "Faith?" she inquired; her voice filled with concern.
"Kind of busy, babe," came Faith's voice from Willow's earpiece, indicating that the battle below was far from over.
Alarms blared, piercing the air with their urgency, as Pepper and Willow anxiously scanned their surroundings for the source of the commotion. Their eyes widened with dread as they swiftly identified the cause. The atrium glass encasing the Arc reactor had ruptured, sending shards of glass outward from the underground impact.
Despite the Arc reactor's minimal output at the moment, any catastrophic damage to the unit could lead to equally catastrophic consequences. Now, with Stane's forceful entrance and equally forceful exit, the reactor housing had cracked. Panic surged within Pepper and Willow as they realized the potential danger.
They quickly sought refuge behind a large steel wall, hoping it would provide them with some measure of protection. However, as the alarms grew more insistent and an ominous hissing sound filled the air, uncertainty gnawed at them, raising questions about the wall's ability to shield them.
Tony and Faith plummeted into the subbasement, the ground trembling beneath them as they desperately sought a weakness in the formidable Iron Monger. Their hearts pounded with adrenaline, their breaths ragged, all in a bid to bring a swift end to this nightmarish ordeal. But, as the saying goes, nothing worth having comes easy, and their quest was far from over.
With a thunderous crash, the Iron Monger struck the grating below, sending tremors through the floor. Tony and Faith were violently thrown about, their bodies careening along the cold, unforgiving surface before crashing into a distant wall. The impact rattled their very souls, but they fought to shake off the pain, determination burning in their eyes.
Struggling to their feet, they staggered forward, their steps unsteady, as they set off in pursuit of the crazed Obadiah Stane. However, in the midst of their relentless pursuit, Tony's sharp senses picked up on something amiss. He halted abruptly, his gaze scanning the chaotic surroundings, and it didn't take long for Faith to notice the same ominous signs.
"Faith," Tony uttered, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and urgency. "We have a problem."
Faith's eyes widened as she took in the ruptured pipes, billowing plumes of steam mingling with a sinister, greenish haze. It was not just steam; it was the vital coolant responsible for maintaining the Arc reactor's stability, and it was spewing out in a catastrophic fashion.
"Willow," Faith urgently spoke into her comm-unit, her voice laced with a frantic edge.
"Faith!" Willow's relief was palpable in her voice. "Are you and Tony okay?"
But Faith couldn't afford to dwell on their well-being at that moment. Her voice trembled with anxiety as she relayed the dire situation, her words carrying the weight of impending catastrophe. "Listen to me. We've got big problems: The Arc reactor is melting down."
Willow's response was a grim confirmation of their worst fears, a chilling acknowledgment of the impending doom. "We know," she said, her voice heavy with despair. "It just blew up."
Tony, his expression grave, interjected with a dire warning that sent shivers down their spines. "No," he declared, shaking his head with a sense of impending dread. "It didn't. When it blows up, it's going to take the whole city with it."
The revelation hung in the air like a dark cloud, casting a shadow of despair over the already dire situation. Pepper's voice, tinged with bitter sarcasm, broke the tense silence, encapsulating the grim reality they now faced. "That makes me feel better," she said dourly.
Tony's mind raced, the urgency of the situation pressing down on him like a vice, leaving no room for hesitation or doubt. He knew that time was running out, and there was only one desperate measure left to prevent the catastrophic meltdown that loomed over them. "The only way to prevent a meltdown is to overload the reactor and discharge the excess power," he declared, his voice laced with a sense of urgency that sent a chill down their spines.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Willow's voice quivered as she questioned, her concern evident, "How are you going to do that?"
Tony's response was a stark revelation that left them both stunned. The weight of his words settled heavily upon Pepper and Willow. "You and Pepper are going to do it," he stated firmly.
The shock and disbelief in Pepper's eyes were palpable. She struggled to find her voice, her words barely escaping her constricted vocal cords as she questioned with incredulity, "Us?"
Tony, determined and unwavering, pressed on with his instructions, realizing there was no time for hesitation. "Yes," he affirmed; his tone unwavering. "I want you two to go to the central panel..."
Willow's eyes darted towards the central control room, the epicenter of their mission, where the crucial central panel was situated. She was ready to take charge, to do whatever it took to avert the impending disaster. "What do you need us to do?" she asked, her voice filled with resolve.
Tony swiftly explained the critical tasks at hand, the intricate details of their high-stakes mission. "Go to the panel and close all the low-voltage relays," he instructed with urgency. "Then I need one of you to go to the east wall and close all the 800-amp breakers."
Overwhelmed and feeling out of her depth, Pepper's frustration and anxiety spilled out in exasperation. "I don't know what you're talking about!" she admitted with a sense of helplessness.
But Willow, with unwavering determination, stepped up without hesitation, her voice filled with confidence and a fierce resolve to see this through. "I've got it, Tony," she affirmed, her commitment to the task unwavering, even in the face of imminent danger.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Stane's chilling mechanized voice reverberated from all directions, filling the pipe-filled room with an eerie, unsettling presence as Tony and Faith pressed forward. Their hearts raced in tandem, their senses heightened as they navigated the intricate steel maze, scanning it with infrared beams. But the ruptured pipes and the billowing steam, casting crimson plumes and playing tricks with the shadows, concealed Stane's whereabouts, leaving them in a tense and perilous pursuit.
"It's miraculous. It's your Ninth Symphony," Stane mused, his words echoing ominously around them.
Tony and Faith strained their senses, trying to pierce through the disorienting chaos of the room. The weight of Stane's words hung heavy in the air, a grim acknowledgment of the destructive power they had unwittingly unleashed.
"Trying to rid the world of weapons," Stane continued, his voice dripping with a blend of disappointment and contempt, "you gave it its best one ever."
Faith, unwavering in her resolve, responded firmly, her voice laced with determination and a sense of moral duty.
"This wasn't meant for the world," she declared.
Stane's disappointment was palpable, as if he regarded Tony and Faith's actions as a betrayal, akin to failing a critical test.
"How can you both be so selfish?" Stane queried, his disappointment deepening. "Do you understand what you two have created? This will put the balance of power back in our hands for decades. Your country needs this."
Tony, his voice filled with a grave concern for the future, challenged Stane's perspective, a moral quandary at the heart of their perilous situation.
"What kind of world will it be when everybody's got one?" Tony questioned, his words laden with the weight of ethical considerations.
Stane countered with a grim reminder of the past, invoking the legacy of Tony's father and the choices that had shaped their world.
"Your father helped give us the bomb," Stane reminded Tony, his voice haunting. "What kind of world would it be if he'd failed us?"
Tony and Faith's realization came a split second too late as the colossal Iron Monger materialized from behind the labyrinth of machinery and girders, hurtling towards them like an unstoppable juggernaut. In the blink of an eye, the mechanical behemoth's vice-like grip closed around them, ripping them off their feet and propelling them forward with brutal force.
Together, they crashed through one of the sturdy restraining walls that separated the sub-basement, perched on its concrete island, from the bustling highway beyond. The impact was cataclysmic as they plowed into a tractor-trailer, obliterating the back of the rig, and continued their destructive trajectory. The world outside blurred into a chaotic frenzy as they clanged onto the unforgiving asphalt, bouncing once, twice, and then a third time.
The air resonated with the deafening screech of tires and the sickening collision of cars. A hydrogen-powered bus jackknifed, its fate narrowly averted through the Herculean efforts of a driver who fought desperately to regain control. Panic engulfed the streets as car doors swung open, and people fled in every direction, their only thought being to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the surreal, Michael Bay-esque showdown unfolding before their eyes.
Amidst the chaos and pandemonium, Tony and Faith were keenly aware of a grim truth that eluded the panicked masses: If Willow and Pepper couldn't successfully shut down the reactor, there would be no escape, no place far enough for people to run.
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Pepper watched with bated breath as Willow diligently executed every step of Tony's instructions, her hope clinging to the belief that the wailing klaxons would finally cease their relentless cacophony. But her hopes were dashed as the alarms persisted, their shrill cries amplifying her growing dread. She feared that Willow might have made a mistake, a chilling prospect in the midst of this high-stakes situation.
Willow, her fingers trembling with anxiety, tapped her earpiece to establish contact with Tony, her voice filled with uncertainty and a yearning for reassurance.
"Tony, I closed all the breakers..." she reported, her words shaky with worry.
Tony's voice crackled through Willow's earpiece, carrying the weight of the crisis that enveloped them all, his stress evident in his strained tone. "Go to the TR1 box and hit the red button!" he urgently commanded.
Pepper couldn't help but interject, her concern palpable as she inquired about the fate of Tony and Faith, her voice laden with worry as Willow darted toward a circuit box labeled TR1, determination driving her forward. "Did Tony and Faith find Obadiah?" Pepper wondered, desperate for any news of their well-being.
Willow relayed Pepper's question to Tony.
Faith's voice crackled through the earpiece, her reply cryptic.
"You could say that..." Willow relayed Faith's message, the unspoken tension hanging heavy in the air. She reached the box, her heart pounding in her chest as she flipped open the panel, preparing to hit the red button that held the key to their salvation. Yet, what she found was an intimidating array of eighteen flashing red buttons, each one a daunting challenge in their race against time.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Tony and Faith stood frozen in horror as the Iron Monger, with monstrous strength, hoisted a Volvo station wagon high above his head. Inside the vehicle, a terrified mother clung to the steering wheel with white-knuckled desperation, her children screaming in terror.
Desperation and fear surged through the air, the cacophony of trapped cars honking their horns and the heart-wrenching cries of the mother and her children drowning out all else. Faith's voice rose above the chaos as she called out, desperately trying to make herself heard.
"Don't," Faith pleaded, her voice amplified to reach Stane over the tumultuous cacophony.
Tony's voice joined the desperate chorus, his words laced with urgency as he implored the Iron Monger to reconsider. "This is our fight!" he emphasized.
But the Iron Monger remained coldly detached, his voice devoid of empathy, as if he were delivering a chilling lesson in the harsh realities of war.
"People are always going to die, Tony, Faith," the Iron Monger intoned, callously dismissing their pleas. "Part of the chess game."
Tony struggled to summon the power of his Repulsors, his frustration mounting as he realized the limitations of the older reactor he was forced to employ. Every moment felt like an eternity, and their dire situation grew increasingly perilous.
"Faith!" Tony called out to his daughter, desperation creeping into his voice. "The power-up is taking too long with this reactor."
Faith, unwavering and resolute, responded to her father's plea, determination coursing through her veins as she brought her Repulsors to bear. With a surge of energy, the Repulsor rays erupted from her gauntlets, striking the Iron Monger with formidable force. The hulking figure was knocked backward, and at the last possible moment, he released his grip on the car, sending it flipping in Tony and Faith's direction.
Tony strained against the immense weight of the car, his muscles bulging beneath the armored suit as he grunted with the effort to set it down safely. But the situation had taken a dire turn. The armor's gyros struggled to compensate for the awkward positioning, and as Tony attempted to lower the vehicle, his knees buckled, and he collapsed beneath the car.
The relief was that Tony's body had acted as a cushion, protecting the terrified mother and her children from harm. The impact had been absorbed by the armored hero. The unfortunate consequence, however, was that Tony now found himself pinned beneath the car, his strength insufficient to free himself.
"Dad!" Faith's voice rang out in alarm as she turned toward the car, her concern and fear evident in her eyes. She hurried forward, but she was not alone in her approach.
The Iron Monger, undeterred by the chaos and danger surrounding them, closed in on the scene. The situation grew increasingly dire as Tony lay trapped beneath the car, unable to move.
Then, a small voice from within the car pierced the chaos—a voice filled with terror and urgency. The boy inside shouted to his mother, his words carrying a plea for escape.
"Go, Mom! Go!" the boy cried out.
Before Tony could disentangle himself from the car, the wheels spun and caught, propelling the Volvo forward with a sudden surge of acceleration. Tony found himself being dragged along as the car sped away from the Iron Monger, racing back in the direction from which it had come.
"Dad!" Faith's voice called out, a mix of worry and panic as she watched her father being dragged away.
As the car careened down the street, a shower of sparks erupted from beneath Tony, where his armored back scraped against the pavement. The Volvo weaved through the chaos, dodging wrecked cars and pedestrians desperately trying to clear its path. Tony's focus narrowed to the ordeal at hand, and he no longer heard the thundering footsteps of the Iron Monger. He could only hope that Faith's valiant efforts had successfully distracted Stane, even as he clung to the speeding car, determined to find a way to free himself and rejoin the battle to save their city.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Rhodey drove Tony's Audi R8 like a madman. He barreled around slower cars and sped along on the shoulder of the road, honking constantly and flashing his lights. People might have thought he was an ambulance as he blew past them. Taillights flashed past him like tracer bullets as he sped past tight traffic.
Then he noticed something ominous: There was no traffic coming from the other direction. None. Which meant something had closed it off.
He hoped that, whatever it was, it had nothing to do with Tony and Faith.
He also had the funny feeling that he was destined to be disappointed on that score.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
With a Herculean effort, Tony managed to push the car off his trapped form, freeing himself from the weight that had pinned him down. The vehicle sped away, heading the wrong way up an entrance ramp, with three wide-eyed children in the back seat. Their innocent gazes belied the chaos and danger they had just witnessed, and Tony couldn't help but wonder what stories they would carry with them to school the next day—provided, of course, that the city had not been devastated beyond recognition.
Tony's heads-up display (HUD) offered a grim assessment of his situation. Power levels were dangerously low, hovering at a mere 50 percent. It was barely sufficient to sustain basic life support systems, let alone power the offensive weaponry that might be needed to confront the Iron Monger. Any further drain on his power reserves, and he risked tapping into the energy that sustained his own life. The consequences of such a move were dire, as it could lead to his own demise.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Amidst the chaotic scene of stopped traffic and desperate attempts to escape the impending catastrophe, a lone biker, perhaps emboldened by the urgency of the situation, attempted to thread his way through the gridlocked vehicles. He skillfully weaved around a truck, believing he could make a swift escape, but his confidence soon gave way to sheer terror as he nearly collided with the massive Iron Monger.
Realization of his grave mistake struck the biker too late, and panic gripped him as he found himself in the looming shadow of the mechanical giant. In a swift and ruthless motion, the Iron Monger reached out and seized the motorbike, sending the hapless biker hurtling through the air, his world spinning in disarray.
With the stolen bike in hand, the Iron Monger swung it around with alarming force, a makeshift weapon aimed directly at Faith. The impact was brutal and sudden, slamming into her armored form with relentless power. The force of the blow sent Faith reeling backward, her head ringing inside her helmet as she was propelled through the chaotic scene.
Faith's armored body skidded to a halt, coming to rest in front of a stopped hydrogen bus. Her world spun, and the world outside her helmet seemed hazy and disjointed as she struggled to regain her bearings in the midst of the chaos.
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Tony's heart raced as Willow's urgent voice crackled over his comm-unit. The gravity of her message was unmistakable, and it sent a chill down his spine.
"Tony," Willow's voice conveyed a sense of impending crisis, "we have a problem. On the central panel, the monitors are showing the bars rising."
Fear gripped Tony as he sprinted toward Faith and the menacing Iron Monger.
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The Iron Monger's relentless advance sent shockwaves through the ground, each stomp resonating with an intensity that made Faith question if the colossal mech could inadvertently trigger a fault line beneath their feet. Fear clawed at her as she desperately tried to bring her Repulsors back online, only to be met with an alarming realization.
"Jarvis, what's going on?" she asked, her voice quivering with a mix of anxiety and frustration.
The AI responded, delivering the grim news that sent a shiver down Faith's spine, her worst fears realized. "Your reactor is critically low, Ms. Stark," Jarvis reported, his digital voice laden with solemnity.
Tony, undeterred by the looming threat of the Iron Monger, positioned himself between Faith and the hulking menace. His voice carried a desperate plea for reason as he attempted to reach the man within the mechanized monstrosity.
"The Arc reactor has been damaged, Obadiah," Tony implored, his words heavy with the weight of impending catastrophe. "It's going to blow up. A lot of people are going to die."
But Stane remained unmoved, his resolve unyielding as he delivered a chilling response.
"It didn't have to end like this, Tony," Stane retorted coldly. "You were down; you should have stayed down."
With a swift, brutal motion, Stane struck Tony, sending him crashing to the ground. The Iron Monger's massive boot loomed overhead, poised to apply deadly pressure on Tony's vulnerable form.
Desperation gripped Faith, her voice pleading for a lifeline in their darkest hour. "Jarvis, I need emergency power, before he can crack Dad's armor like an egg," she implored, her hope hanging by a thread.
Then, like a ray of light in the darkest of moments, Jarvis responded with a glimmer of hope that pierced the looming darkness. "Bringing emergency power online," he declared, his digital voice infused with determination.
As she rose to her feet, Faith's eyes remained locked on the menacing Iron Monger, determined to protect her father and avert the impending catastrophe that hung over them like a dark cloud. But just as she prepared to confront the formidable foe, a miraculous turn of events unfolded before her eyes.
Out of nowhere, a car hurtled toward them, striking the Iron Monger squarely in one of its legs.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Rhodey's driving skills were pushed to the limit as he careened through the breakdown lane, navigating the chaotic scene with reckless abandon. People scattered frantically in his wake, desperate to get out of the path of the speeding Audi. Rhodey was on a mission, and he redlined the engine, pushing it to its absolute limit as he popped the clutch and utilized every ounce of power from the V-8 engine. The Audi responded with a surge of acceleration that felt like a rocket taking off.
As he blew past a stopped truck, a shocking sight greeted him: three armored figures, two on the ground and the other towering menacingly over them. Rhodey didn't hesitate for a moment. Instead, he floored the accelerator, pushing the Audi to its maximum speed. The sleek vehicle became a high-speed missile hurtling toward the armored trio.
The impact was devastating. The Audi rammed into the taller figure's leg with bone-jarring force, its front end crumpling like aluminum foil upon impact. The vehicle spun away from the collision, the engine screeching in protest, its fate sealed by the ferocious collision.
Rhodey's audacious maneuver had struck a critical blow in the battle against the Iron Monger, but the price paid was the near-total destruction of the Audi. Nevertheless, he had disrupted the formidable foe's advance, buying precious moments for Tony and Faith
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
As the resounding crash echoed through the air, Tony's incredulous question hung in the air, his sharp ears detecting the familiar sound of an engine just before the collision that sent the Iron Monger staggering back.
"Was that?" Tony asked, a sense of realization dawning in his voice, almost certain that he had recognized the engine's distinctive roar.
Faith's reply confirmed his suspicions, her words carrying a mixture of astonishment and relief. "Your Audi."
As they watched the hulking Iron Monger lurching, its vast height working against it for the first time, the armored duo witnessed a remarkable turn of events. The Iron Monger, struggling to regain its balance, teetered on the brink of disaster. Its colossal form almost managed to right itself but then lost control once more, crashing into an abandoned hydrogen bus that lay jackknifed in its path, perforating the vehicle.
Desperation and chaos ensued as the Iron Monger's groping metal fingers inadvertently created sparks by scraping across the metal wreckage of the bus. Those sparks ignited the hydrogen within, and a massive fireball erupted, engulfing the Iron Monger in a searing inferno.
Through the protective filters covering their eyes, Tony and Faith witnessed the unfolding catastrophe. The flames had also reached Tony's sports car, which had crashed against the median divider. Fueled by a fresh sense of urgency, Tony staggered to his feet and rushed to the car, his heart pounding with fear for what he might find inside.
With a surge of strength, Tony ripped the car open, revealing a stunned Rhodey still seated within. Without hesitation, he yanked Rhodey free, the seat belt offering no resistance as it snapped like limp spaghetti. Together, they moved away from the car just as the flames consumed it in a blazing spectacle.
"You had to take my car," Tony remarked, his annoyance tinged with humor even in the face of danger.
As flames roared and smoke billowed from the fiery wreckage, Faith kept her vigilant gaze on the Iron Monger, cautious of any sign that their formidable adversary might emerge from the conflagration. The battle had taken a devastating toll, and the outcome remained uncertain.
"Get this area evacuated. There's going to be a meltdown," Tony instructed Rhodey, his voice resolute as he prepared to take action to prevent further catastrophe.
With a burst of energy, Tony and Faith ignited their boosters and hurtled skyward, leaving Rhodey below to orchestrate the evacuation. As they ascended into the sky, Rhodey's exclamation reached their ears.
"You could have said thank you!" he shouted in jest, his words carrying a note of camaraderie amid the chaos.
"Willow? Pepper? How's it going?" Tony inquired, his concern evident.
Pepper stood alongside Willow at the central console, her fingers tense as she grappled with the overwhelming challenge before them. Willow had handed Pepper her earpiece as she focused on the critical task at hand. The entire area seemed to pulse with an ominous energy buildup that sent shivers down their spines.
Pepper's response was measured, her attempt to sound casual a stark contrast to the gravity of their predicament. She relayed the frustrating news to Tony, her words carrying a mix of resignation and determination. "It's not looking good, Tony," Pepper admitted, her voice steady. "Willow did everything you told us, but she's saying that it's telling her 'circuit not complete.'"
Tony's urgency was palpable in his reply, as he knew the stakes had never been higher. "I've got to get to the roof. Sit tight," he instructed.
Pepper's muttered response held a hint of exasperation and wry humor, a coping mechanism in the face of impending disaster. "Sit tight," she repeated, her tone dry. "Wonderful." She shook her head, her thoughts drifting to the uncertain future. "There damned well better be a major bonus in mine and Willow's envelopes come Christmas, that's all I'm saying."