Chapter 10: I am Ironheart
January 3, 2006 – Tuesday
As Tony and Faith soared toward the reactor building, they were met with a surreal sight: waves of energy radiated from the structure, creating a shimmering effect akin to a mirage. But this was no optical illusion—it was a tangible manifestation of the reactor's unstable state. The clear roof of the building, constructed from unbreakable Plexiglas, was adorned with satellite dishes, once intended to channel the reactor's energy to orbital receiving stations once it reached full functionality. However, that potential had never been realized, leaving the dishes dormant and ready to be pressed into service at this critical juncture.
"Faith, I am going to deal with the reactor," Tony declared, his voice resolute as they touched down on the roof. "Keep an eye out just in case Obadiah didn't die back there."
Faith nodded in acknowledgment, her senses on high alert as she scanned their surroundings for any sign of their formidable adversary.
Tony paced the roof with purpose, utilizing his HUD to guide him toward a crucial length of cable embedded beneath his feet. Below him, the reactor surged toward a catastrophic buildup, its energy levels spiraling out of control.
"Power at forty percent and dropping, sir," Jarvis reported, his voice carrying a note of concern. "You need to stop moving entirely for at least half an hour to have any hope of sufficient recharging."
Tony, however, was unwavering in his determination. He knew that he was the only one equipped to undertake this perilous task. "Not happening, Jarvis," he replied with steely resolve. "I'm the only one who can do this. Faith can't, as she doesn't have my knowledge when it comes to the Arc reactor."
With a swift and decisive motion, Tony tore the cable in half, taking one end with him as he attached it to one of the satellite dishes. Power surged through the cable with an urgent intensity that demanded action.
As Tony worked swiftly to complete the circuit and prepare for the discharge of the reactor's power, he communicated crucial instructions through his comm-unit.
"Pepper, tell Willow I'm about to complete the circuit," Tony relayed, his voice focused and determined. "Once I do, it's going to discharge all the power and channel it up through the roof. Have Willow get ready to push the Emergency Master Bypass. But not until Faith and I are off the roof. It's going to fry everything up here."
With his gauntlet disengaged, Tony left it affixed to the antenna, securing the cable in place as he prepared to initiate the crucial step in their plan.
"Circuit complete, Tony!" Pepper's voice crackled with excitement over the comm-unit. "Willow says the screen on the reactor says 'circuit complete'!"
Tony's response was swift and to the point, his focus on the impending danger palpable. "Have Willow wait until Faith and I get clear, then hit the button."
But just as they were preparing for the critical moment, Faith's alarmed voice pierced the air, her gaze fixed on a looming threat.
"Dad!" Faith exclaimed; her urgency evident. "He's alive and back."
The unexpected return of the Iron Monger added a new layer of complexity to their perilous mission. Meanwhile, Pepper, her curiosity piqued by the noise she had heard, sought answers. "Tony, what was that noise?" Pepper inquired; her voice tinged with concern.
The tension on the rooftop was palpable as Tony and Faith faced the looming catastrophe. Jarvis's updates on Tony's power levels brought a sense of urgency to their mission.
"Thirty-five percent, sir," Jarvis reported, the gravity of their situation underscored by the dwindling energy reserves.
"What are my levels at, Jarvis?" Faith inquired; her voice unwavering as she prepared to confront the Iron Monger.
"You are currently at forty-nine percent, Ms. Stark," Jarvis replied, providing Faith with the information she needed to gauge her readiness for the impending showdown.
With a determined command, Faith instructed her father to clear the area, her resolve unwavering. But before Tony could heed her directive, the Iron Monger launched a devastating roundhouse punch, catching Faith off guard and sending her skidding across the rooftop. She quickly regained her composure, igniting her boots to prepare for the impending battle.
Unable to stand by and leave his daughter to face this formidable foe alone, Tony propelled himself toward the Iron Monger. However, their collision proved to be a harrowing struggle, as the Iron Monger intercepted Tony's thrust and ensnared him in a bone-crushing bear hug. The pressure was excruciating, and Tony's armor began to crack under the immense force, his struggle for consciousness intensified as his HUD began to fracture.
"Twenty-five percent, sir," Jarvis relayed, the diminishing power reserves a stark reminder of the perilous situation they were in.
Faith sprang into action, unleashing a torrent of Repulsor fire to distract the Iron Monger. The blasts were intentionally aimed wide to avoid hitting her father, but they provided the necessary diversion for Tony to take a crucial step. He reached down and disengaged two discs he had attached to his hips—explosives designed to unleash smoke and flames. The detonation engulfed the Iron Monger, forcing him to release his grip on Tony.
Coughing and waving away the obscuring smoke, the Iron Monger stepped out of the cloud, struggling to locate Tony and Faith amidst the chaos.
Faith had seized the opportunity created by the explosives. She deftly maneuvered behind the Iron Monger and leaped onto his back, exploiting a tactical error on his part. Instead of reacting by throwing himself backward, he instinctively attempted to reach for her, a decision that would prove to be his downfall. Faith seized the moment and tore loose the hydraulics, yanking a long cable from the Iron Monger's spine with the determination of a fierce warrior.
The Iron Monger staggered, clearly losing power as Faith relentlessly pummeled him. In a last-ditch effort, he managed to grab Faith by the head and swung her around with force, sending her flying through the air. The rush of wind against Faith's face brought a disconcerting realization—her helmet was missing.
"Dad, I'm blind," Faith urgently reported, her voice filled with concern. "Stane has my helmet."
Tony's response was swift and decisive, his primary concern her safety. "Get out then, Faith," he instructed, his voice filled with fatherly concern and determination as he prioritized her well-being above all else.
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Pepper's concern mounted as she anxiously awaited news from the rooftop, her impatience evident in her voice.
"What the hell are they waiting for?" she demanded to know from Willow, her worry palpable. "What is going on up on the roof?"
Just as tension reached its peak, the unmistakable sound of heavy stomping emanated from the rooftop. Willow's assessment brought a glimmer of understanding amidst the uncertainty.
"I would say Stane has their attention at the moment," Willow responded, her words confirming that the situation on the rooftop was far from resolved.
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Faith refused to abandon her father, standing by his side as they faced the towering menace of the Iron Monger. With unwavering determination, she remained steadfastly protective of Tony, just as he had done for her earlier. However, her vulnerability became evident when the Iron Monger crushed her helmet in his oversized hand and discarded the scrap metal aside.
As the Iron Monger advanced, extending his arm to reveal a massive Gatling gun, Tony recognized the imminent threat to his daughter and swiftly positioned himself in front of her to shield her from harm. The Iron Monger opened fire, bullets spraying in all directions, threatening to shatter the unbreakable Plexiglas rooftop.
The rooftop material, designed to withstand substantial stress, cracked in a spiderweb pattern before shattering completely. Tony and Faith tumbled precariously toward the bubbling reactor below, the perilous descent further intensified by the compromised rooftop. In a desperate bid to avert disaster, Faith reached out and grabbed hold of a metal girder with one arm while clutching her father with the other.
Plexiglas shards rained down around them, their impact a threat to anyone below, including Willow and Pepper, who sought shelter and protection from the falling debris.
"Dad, you need to do something," Faith implored, her grip on the girder beginning to slip. "The armor may enhance my Slayer strength. But trying to hold onto us both while in our armors, well..."
Amidst the chaos, the Iron Monger loomed on the rooftop, peering down through the hole and preparing to unleash more firepower. Tony reacted swiftly, igniting his boots to propel himself back onto the roof, narrowly avoiding the Iron Monger's barrage.
Faith followed suit, igniting her boots and soaring back onto the rooftop alongside her father. As they touched down on the far side of the gaping hole, Tony took charge, shouting instructions to Willow.
"Willow, hit the button!" Tony's urgency was palpable, as the fate of the city hung in the balance.
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The tension in the control room was palpable as Pepper's voice cut through the blaring klaxons. "You said not to!" she screamed; her anxiety evident as she grappled with the weight of their choices.
Willow's hand hesitated over the button, her eyes darting between Tony's command and Pepper's apprehensive protest.
Tony's urgent directive left no room for hesitation. "Just do it!" he implored, the urgency of the situation paramount.
Willow's worry was evident as she sought clarification, her voice trembling with concern. "Are you and Faith off the roof?" she asked, her heart pounding with fear for her girlfriend and her boss.
Faith's resolute voice rang out from overhead, addressing their dilemma with unwavering determination. "Babe, Stane is up here. We don't have a choice," Faith declared, her words bearing the weight of their predicament. "We have to stop him! Do it now!"
Willow looked up worriedly. Faith had survived as the Slayer for six years. If she hadn't activated all the Potentials as Slayers during the battle with the First would this have been how Faith's replacement was called?
With a deep breath and a heavy heart, Willow finally pressed the button, activating the switches that would discharge the reactor's power. She and Pepper sought refuge under the consoles, their prayers intertwining with the steel-blue cascade of events, hoping against hope that they hadn't just sealed the fate Tony and Faith.
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As the electromagnetic pulse surged upward along the reactor, Tony and Faith braced themselves for the impending impact. The blinding flash of the EMP momentarily halted between the satellite dishes, casting an eerie, frozen tableau upon the rooftop. In an instant, their power and electronics were obliterated, rendering them and the Iron Monger into statues, trapped in a state of paralysis. Even Tony's chest reactor, the lifeblood of his Iron Man suit, fell silent.
The devastating blast continued its relentless march outward, radiating concentrically and plunging everything it touched into darkness. The rooftop, incapable of withstanding the overwhelming heat generated by the surge, began to buckle and sag at its center. Tony and Faith remained completely immobilized, their bodies and armor rendered powerless by the EMP's ruthless force.
The Iron Monger, positioned closest to the collapsing section of the roof, lost his balance and toppled over. His lifeless fingers clung precariously to the edge, leaving him on the brink of a perilous descent.
In the eerie stillness, Stane's voice resonated, accepting the inevitable outcome of their fateful clash. "I guess this is a draw," he mused. "The genie is out of the bottle. We've done our part. We've brought a great gift to the world, and now it is time to go. That is the law of nature, Tony."
With the roof giving way entirely, Stane tumbled downward, descending into the swirling, purple miasma that enveloped the Arc reactor. There was no scream, no defiance, only a silent plunge into the heart of the reactor.
Tony and Faith, still paralyzed and powerless, watched Stane vanish into the abyss below. Tony's wry remark punctuated the moment of gravity-defying drama. "And that is the law of gravity," he concluded.
January 4, 2006 – Wednesday
"You've all received the official statement of what occurred at the Stark Industries facility last night," Rhodey declared, addressing a throng of reporters gathered in the lobby of the Stark Industries building. Tony and Faith watched the live feed from Tony's office upstairs, eager to see how the situation was being handled.
Rhodey continued to deliver the prepared text, carefully choosing his words. "There have been unconfirmed reports that a robotic prototype malfunctioned and caused damage to the Arc reactor. Fortunately, two members of Tony and Isabella Stark's personal security staff were able to neutralize that situation utilizing classified Stark technology. We are also investigating the Arc reactor breach and are happy to report that, although some disruption to the Howard Stark Parkway occurred, no civilians were injured. It is now confirmed that ninety percent of the power has been restored in the surrounding area. Regarding the specifics of the events as they transpired, I urge all of you not to jump to conclusions and to wait for the facts as they unfold."
As Tony and Faith listened, their attention was drawn to a copy of the Los Angeles Times on Tony's desk. A grainy newspaper photo depicting the freeway battle adorned the front page, accompanied by a full-column headline that posed the question, 'Who are the Iron Men?'
Faith raised an eyebrow at the headline, her voice tinged with amusement and incredulity. "Iron Men?" She glanced at her father with a smirk. "Really, after I had Jarvis mold my armor to fit my form. It was obvious I was a woman, wasn't it?"
Tony offered a smile to Faith, though he winced in pain. "Careful," he cautioned Pepper.
Pepper, unwavering in her determination to ensure Tony looked presentable for the cameras, responded with a touch of humor. "Don't be a baby," she quipped as she continued her makeup work, concealing the injuries from prying television lenses.
Agent Coulson, standing on the other side of the room, focused on scanning a set of note cards he held in his hand.
Tony, still contemplating the newspaper headline, mused aloud, "Iron Man." He recalled the moment when terrorists had shouted that name in fear as he stormed into their midst. "I like that. It's not technically accurate—the suit is a gold-titanium alloy—but I like the ring of it. I like the imagery. Plus, you know, you have to love Ozzy. 'I am Iron Man,'" he recited, enjoying the words. He then turned to Faith with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Iron Woman, maybe? Or Iron Girl?"
Faith shot her father a stern look. "Ironheart," she declared with a grin. "I'm Ironheart."
However, Coulson intervened with authority. "No. You two are not," he stated firmly. "And to prove it, here's your alibis." He handed both Tony and Faith sets of cards. "You two were on your yacht. We have port papers that place you both in Avalon all night, and sworn statements from fifty of your guests."
Tony, ever the quick thinker, suggested, "Maybe it was just Faith, Willow, Pepper, and me."
Coulson remained resolute. "This is what happened. Read it word for word." He wanted to ensure that their cover story was meticulously adhered to.
Tony and Faith glanced through the cards in a perfunctory manner, their expressions a mix of curiosity and apprehension. "There's nothing here about Obadiah Stane," Tony noted, his voice tinged with frustration and concern.
"That's being handled. He's on vacation. Small jets have such a poor safety record," Coulson said sarcastically, a wry smile playing on his lips. His tone carried a touch of mockery, underlining his confidence in handling the situation.
Willow, standing nearby, furrowed her brow and couldn't hide the worry in her eyes. "Is this going to work?" she wondered, her voice quivering with uncertainty.
Coulson's gaze shifted to Willow, and for a moment, a glimmer of empathy softened his usually stern demeanor. "This isn't my first rodeo, Ms. Rosenberg," he assured her, his voice holding a hint of reassurance before returning his attention to Tony and Faith. "Just stick to the official statement, and this will all be behind you both," he advised, his words carrying an air of authority.
He nodded to Pepper, acknowledging her presence, and then said, "We'll be in touch."
"I know," said Pepper, her voice filled with a sense of resignation. "The Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division."
Coulson couldn't help but crack a faint smile at Pepper's comment. "Just call us S.H.I.E.L.D.," he said, his tone lightening.
"Much better," said Tony, a glint of relief in his eyes as he acknowledged the change.
Coulson nodded once and then walked out the door, leaving the four of them alone. Tony and Faith continued to thumb through the cards, a mixture of emotions washing over them - relief, curiosity, and a hint of amusement.
"I have to admit, this is pretty good. Even I don't think that I'm Iron Man or Faith is Ironheart," Tony said, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips as he acknowledged the clever diversion from their true identities.
"You're not Iron Man, and Faith is not Ironheart," Pepper countered.
Tony, with a mischievous glint in his eye, couldn't resist a playful tease. "You know, if we were," he said slowly, drawing out the words for effect, "We'd both have girlfriends who know our secret identities and are always worried that something bad is going to happen to us—but at the same time, they'd be so proud that we're out there saving the world. They'd be conflicted, and that only makes them crazier about us."
Neither Pepper nor Willow replied, and an awkward silence grew between them. Tony, sensing the tension, cleared his throat uncomfortably. "You ever think about that night?"
"What night?" Pepper replied, her face the picture of innocence, though her eyes betrayed a hint of curiosity.
Faith, however, chimed in, knowing exactly what night her father was referring to. "That night on the balcony," she said, her voice tinged with a mix of nostalgia and gratitude. "The night I was almost arrested if not for Coulson."
"You mean that night that I had too much to drink and had a lapse in judgment that will never, ever happen again? You mean that night?" Pepper asked, her voice tinged with a mix of self-deprecating humor and regret as she finished the makeup job. She gave it one final inspection, her hands deftly adjusting Tony's tie.
Willow, standing nearby, saw the look in Pepper's eye, a complex blend of emotions she could relate to all too well. She understood that look better than anyone could ever know. It was the same look she had worn when Giles had first told her and Xander all those years ago about vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness. Willow knew there was a line, a divide between the world they knew and the one they were now thrust into. The question that lingered was which side of the line Pepper was going to choose. Would she stand by Tony and Faith, or would she distance herself from the chaotic world that had just revealed itself to her?
"Will that be all, Mr. Stark?" Pepper said, her words carrying a subtle but unmistakable indication that she was choosing the latter option, keeping her distance from the newfound challenges.
"That will be all, Miss Potts," Tony replied, his voice holding a hint of resignation.
And then Pepper was gone, leaving a palpable sense of uncertainty hanging in the air.
Faith turned her attention to Willow, locking eyes with her girlfriend. "What about you, Willow?" she asked, her gaze filled with a mixture of hope and apprehension. "You can walk away too, you know."
"I made my choice a year and a half before I ever met you, Faith," Willow answered with unwavering determination. "The choice that set me on the path to becoming a badass witch. I'll stand by your side, just as I did Buffy's. I'm in this for the long haul."
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"And now, both Mr. and Ms. Stark have prepared statements," Rhodey announced, his voice carrying a sense of gravity. The reporters, including Christine Everhart, of course, were gathered, their anticipation palpable. Questions started to bubble up, filling the room with a buzzing tension, but Tony promptly raised a hand to silence them. His heart raced as he glanced at the carefully arranged cards on the lectern before him.
"I'm just going to stick with the cards this time," Tony said, his words slightly halting as he began, the weight of the situation evident in his voice. "Because last time…" He paused, his gaze briefly drifting to a place only he knew. "There has been speculation that my daughter and I were involved in the events that took place."
Christine Everhart, never one to hold back, interjected with skepticism. "Do you honestly expect us to believe," she challenged, "that you two now have bodyguards who nobody has ever seen or heard of before, who have conveniently appeared despite the fact that you, Mr. Stark, historically disdain bodyguards?"
Tony pressed on, trying to regain control of the narrative. "Yes," he replied, his voice firm as he returned to the cards. "Some have gone so far to actually suggest that…"
Everhart, relentless in her pursuit of the truth—or her version of it—interrupted again. "And these mysterious bodyguards were somehow equipped with undisclosed Stark high-tech powered battle armor prototypes?"
"See, I'm getting to that," Tony said, his tone tinged with frustration. "Some have gone so far to actually suggest that we were actually the guys in those suits—"
"I'm a little confused," said Christine, her tone a mix of skepticism and intrigue. "Is the story that all three were bodyguards in high-tech powered battle armor, or that two were bodyguards and the other was a giant robot that was fighting the bodyguards in high-tech powered battle armor?"
Tony, caught in the web of his own tangled narrative, paused for a moment. He looked at the reporters, really looked at them, and saw the questions etched on their faces. It was a pivotal moment, and he couldn't escape the gravity of the truth.
He thought about how deception and secrecy from others had brought him and Faith to this point, and a sense of clarity washed over him. He had sworn to put an end to that kind of duplicity, to eradicate the underhandedness and double-dealing that had plagued his life and led to the creation of dangerous weapons. It was time to be honest, to break free from the web of lies that had entangled them.
"I am going to drop the cards," Tony declared, fully aware that somewhere, Agent Coulson was likely about to have a fit. He carefully placed the cards aside, folded his hands, and looked out at the room full of reporters. "The truth is, I'm not the heroic type. I've had a lot of indiscretions in my days. I've made a lot of mistakes. Some of you know more about that than others," he said pointedly, directing his words at Christine. "But the fact of the matter is, in all honesty… I am Iron Man."
Tony then turned toward Faith and smiled as he waved her forward, inviting her to reveal her own truth to the world.
"And I am… Ironheart," Faith added, her voice carrying a sense of pride and conviction. In that moment, they had chosen transparency over secrecy, honesty over deceit, and they were ready to face the consequences of their revelation together.
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Tony, Faith, and Willow stepped through the front door and into the living room, their faces still reflecting the weight of their recent revelations.
"Jarvis!" Tony called out, a hint of urgency in his voice.
"Welcome home, Sir, Ms. Stark, Ms. Rosenberg," Jarvis's voice replied, though it sounded somewhat distorted. Then, abruptly, the AI cut out, leaving the room in eerie silence.
"'I am Iron Man.' 'I am Ironheart.' You think you two are the only superheroes in the world?" came a mysterious voice from the shadows, shrouded in darkness. "Mr. Stark, Ms. Stark, you two have become part of a bigger universe. You just don't know it yet."
The sudden intrusion sent a shiver down their spines, and Faith wasted no time in demanding answers. "Who the hell are you?" she questioned, her voice laced with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
In response to Faith's question, Nick Fury, the enigmatic director of S.H.I.E.L.D., stepped out into the light, revealing himself to Tony, Faith, and Willow. His eye patch added an air of intrigue to his presence as he declared, "I'm here to talk to all three of you about the Avengers Initiative."
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As Faith, Tony, and Willow processed the unexpected meeting with Nick Fury and the mention of the Avengers Initiative, Faith's phone suddenly buzzed in her pocket. She retrieved it, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw Buffy's name on the caller ID.
With a deep breath, Faith answered the call, her voice trembling slightly with a mix of anticipation and apprehension. "Hey, B. What's up?"
Buffy's voice on the other end of the line was filled with curiosity and concern. "Faith, I just saw the news. You and Tony, you... declared yourselves as superheroes?"
Faith hesitated for a moment, realizing the magnitude of what she had done. "Yeah, B. It's... kind of complicated. There's a lot you don't know."
There was a brief pause on Buffy's end, and Faith could sense the worry in her voice. "Faith, you know I've always had your back. But this... it's a whole new level. Are you okay? Is your dad?"
Faith glanced at Tony and Willow, who were watching her intently, waiting to see how she would handle the conversation. "We're fine, B. We're just trying to figure things out. But there's something big happening, something we can't ignore."
Buffy's tone softened, her concern for her friend evident. "I trust you, Faith. Just promise me you'll be careful, okay? And keep me in the loop."
Faith smiled, grateful for Buffy's understanding. "I will, B. Always."
But then Buffy's voice took on a more serious tone. "There's something I need to tell you, Faith. Something I've been keeping a secret. I've become a superhero too."
Faith's eyes widened in surprise. "You have? What are you talking about, B?"
Buffy took a deep breath before revealing her truth. "I'm known as Huntress, and I work alongside Batman in Gotham City."
The revelation hit Faith like a bolt of lightning. She had no idea that Buffy had taken on such a role in another city. "Buffy, that's... incredible. But why didn't you tell me before?"
"It's kind of recent to tell the truth," Buffy admitted. "Like just within the last month. Dawn's even joining the team. Though she's going to work from behind the scenes at the computer."
Faith couldn't help but smile at the thought of Dawn getting involved in the superhero world as well. "That's awesome, B. It sounds like you've got a real team going on there. And Dawn, working her magic behind the scenes? That's perfect."
Buffy's voice held a hint of pride. "Yeah, she's really good with technology. And you know she's got that Watcher's training in her blood."
Faith couldn't agree more. "She's come a long way since the days in Sunnydale. I'm glad to hear she's using her skills for something important."
Buffy chuckled softly. "Me too, Faith. And hey, maybe someday our teams can join forces. Gotham and wherever you're at, we could do some serious good together."
Faith's excitement grew at the prospect of a future collaboration. "That sounds like a plan, B. We'll save the world, one city at a time."