Chapter 56


    Arc 5 - Ch 9: Whiplash


    Date: Wednesday, June 1, 2011.


    Location: Stark Expo, Flushing Meadows, Queens, NY


    The red and gold armor of Iron Man lay on the soft grass. Above him loomed the dark gray War Machine suit, its massive gauntlet clenched into a fist. The two armored titans had crashed down among the carefully cultivated trees and flowers of a biodome.


    Inside the golden helmet of Iron Man, Tony Stark''s eyes darted about frantically, searching for some way to slip out of Rhodey''s grasp. But the heavier War Machine armor had him pinned.


    "Tony," Rhodey''s voice rang out, tense and strained. Trapped within the War Machine armor, he was helpless to stop it as the suit moved of its own accord. The minigun mounted on the armor''s shoulder let out a rising whine as it prepared to unleash a torrent of fire at point-blank range. He could only watch in horror as the weapon systems charged, moments from ending his friend''s life in a hail of bullets. Desperately he shouted a warning, though he knew there was little hope Tony could evade the inevitable.


    Then, a soft chime sounded within the armored suit. Rhodey''s armor powered down, the lights on its surface fading.


    Hydraulics hissed as Tony tossed the War Machine armor off from atop him.


    Natasha allowed herself a grim smile as she watched the feed from Vanko''s station within the Hammer facility. She worked the controls, having hacked past Vanko''s digital defenses. Her voice came through the comms, "Reboot complete. You''ve got your friend back, Stark."


    "Thank you, Agent Romanoff," Tony replied with audible relief.


    "Well done on the new chest piece," Natasha noted, observing data from Tony''s suit. "I am reading significantly higher output and your vitals all look promising."


    Tony quipped, "Yes, for the moment, I’m not dying. Thank you."


    Pepper Potts'' anxious voice suddenly broke in. "What do you mean, you''re dying? Did you just say you’re dying? Tony, what have you not been telling me?"


    Tony cringed inwardly. He should have known Pepper would be monitoring his comms. "No, I’m not. Not anymore. It was...a temporary situation," he hedged. "I was going to fill you in. I didn’t want to alarm you.."


    Pepper''s voice rose in disbelief. "You were going to tell me? You really were dying?"


    Tony cringed again, cursing himself for letting it slip. "You didn''t let me," he protested weakly.


    "Why didn''t you tell me that?" Pepper demanded, her voice shrill with worry and anger.


    Tony ran a hand over his face. This was not how he had intended her to find out. "I was gonna make you an omelet and tell you," he said lamely. "Over breakfast, where you''d be sitting down already. So you wouldn''t faint or anything."


    Natasha interrupted firmly. "Hey, hey. Save it for the honeymoon. You got incoming Tony. Looks like the fight’s coming to you."


    Tony refocused in an instant. "You''re right, this isn''t the time. Pepper, raincheck on the heart-to-heart?"


    Pepper''s voice was shrill with worry as she demanded, "Are you okay now?"


    Tony answered, "I am fine. Don''t be mad. I will formally apologize for not telling you about my condition sooner.."


    Pepper''s eyes flashed. "I am mad!" she retorted.


    "…when I''m not fending off a Hammeroid attack." Tony finished.


    Pepper pressed her lips together. "Fine," she bit out.


    "We could have been in Venice," Tony said wistfully.


    "Oh please," Pepper scoffed, though her expression softened slightly. She knew Tony was trying to lighten the mood, even as he prepared to throw himself into harm''s way yet again.


    Tony''s faceplate rose. He leaned down and tapped his metal-encased fingers against Rhodey''s helmet. "Rhodes? You in there, buddy? Snap out of it. I need you. They''re coming any second. Let''s roll. Up and at ''em."


    The tension that had crackled between Iron Man and War Machine dissipated as Rhodey''s helmet slid open, revealing his face. He groaned, blinking up at Tony, and said, "Oh man. You can have your suit back."


    Tony extended a gauntleted hand and helped haul him to his feet. "You okay?"


    "Yeah. Thanks," Rhodey replied in an apologetic tone. "Tony, look...I''m sorry, okay?"


    "Don''t be," Tony said, dismissing the apology with a wave of his hand.


    But Rhodey insisted, "No, really. I should have trusted you more."


    Tony admitted, "I''m the one who put you in this position. Forget it."


    Rhodey shook his head, adamant. "No, it''s my fault. I just wanted to say I''m sorry."


    Appreciating the sentiment, Tony clasped his friend''s armored shoulder. "Thank you. That''s all I wanted to hear. Partner." He then shifted his focus to the impending threat, "Enemy closing fast. ETA any second. What''s the play?"


    Rhodey thought for a moment, tactical training kicking in. "High ground. We''ll set the biggest gun up on that ridge."


    Tony nodded. "Got you. Where do you want to be?" as he started walking toward the indicated hill.


    "Where are you going?" Rhodey asked, confused.


    "What''re you talking about?" Tony replied, eyebrows furrowing. "You have a big gun. You are not the big gun."


    Rhodey laughed. "Tony, don’t be jealous. It’s called being a badass."


    Tony scoffed, though his tone held no real irritation. "It’s subtle all the bells and whistles."


    A new voice came through the channel. "Am I too late for the dick-measuring contest?"


    James Rhodes frowned at the unfamiliar voice. "Who is that?" he asked, a hint of suspicion in his tone. "Who else is on this line, Tony?"


    The cocky reply came, "Mirage has entered the chat." He paused, then added with amused nonchalance, "Oh and my girlfriend is in here too."


    Natasha Romanoff immediately shot back over comms, "I''m not his girlfriend." Her voice was flat, clearly unimpressed.


    "It''s a work in progress," Mirage responded lightly.


    Tony''s grin was audible in his voice as he enjoyed the banter. "Fine. All right. Rhodes, you go up top. I’ll draw them in."


    James shook his head firmly. "Don''t stay down here. This is the worst place to be."


    Tony considered Rhodes'' protest for a moment, before finally nodding in acquiescence. "Okay, you got a spot. Where''s mine?"


    Rhodey''s expression sobered. "Don''t stay on the low ground. It''s a kill box, Tony. This is where you go to die."


    As Stark and Rhodes strategized, their banter was abruptly cut short. With a mechanical whine, over a dozen Hammer drones descended from the sky, encircling the two armored heroes in a menacing formation as they stood in what Rhodey had just described as the ''kill box''.


    Through the comms, Mirage said, "I''m on the way. Save me a few."


    The air hung heavy over the open courtyard, thick with the promise of violence soon to come. Iron Man and War Machine stood back to back, encircled by a menacing array of Hammer drones that surrounded them with cold, robotic intent. The suits'' mechanisms lowered metal masks over the faces of Tony Stark, and James Rhodes with a hydraulic hiss. The sound was a signal. The drones attacked as one, a cacophony of gunfire shattering the tenuous calm. Iron Man and War Machine moved in perfect synchronicity like they''d had years of fighting side-by-side. Repulsors flared, bullets flew, and rockets screamed as the heroes unleashed their arsenal. Iron Man''s repulsor blasts picked off drones, while War Machine was an immovable pillar of heavy ordinance, minigun spinning relentlessly as it scythed through swathes of robotic foes.


    The drones responded in kind, the courtyard becoming a maelstrom of clashing energy and weapons fire. Missiles streaked through the air, trailing tails of smoke before blossoming into explosions that sent debris raining down around the battling armors. Stark''s return fire was lethally accurate, repulsor beams lancing out to pierce drone after drone. War Machine was a juggernaut, the minigun''s barrel glowing red-hot as it churned through round after thundering round.


    "See that?" Tony called out over the screech of rending metal.


    "Yeah, yeah. Nice," Rhodey responded tersely, his attention focused on systematically demolishing the drones attempting to overwhelm his position.


    On and on the drones came, pressing the attack. Iron Man and War Machine battled with equal relentlessness, their suits'' capabilities tested to the limits by the sheer numbers arrayed against them. The courtyard grass slowly disappeared beneath accumulating piles of broken drones.


    Amid the battle, Iron Man spotted a momentary opportunity. He called out, “Rhodey, get down!”


    James Rhodes, instantly responded to the warning, throwing himself flat against the debris-strewn ground. Iron Man spun rapidly as he unleashed the full power of an experimental cutting beam built into his suit. A brilliant coruscating beam of intense light erupted forth, slicing through the air and the encircling drones with equal ease. The powerful laser cut a swath through the ranks of robots, bisecting their metal bodies which fell sparking to the ground in a cacophonous shower of metal plating and circuitry.


    In the wake of this devastating attack, an almost eerie silence descended on the decimated courtyard. In an unexpected twist, a towering tree in the path of the deadly laser, groaned and toppled to the ground, adding to the destruction.


    Rhodes stood and raised his faceplate to survey the effectiveness of Iron Man’s attack. “Wow, I think you should lead with that next time.”


    “Yeah, sorry boss. I can only use it once. It’s a one-off.” Tony replied, raising his helmet. As he spoke, a smoking husk was ejected from his armor, proving the expendable nature of the powerful laser.


    The two comrades shared a brief moment of victory, standing amidst the smoking wreckage of their mechanical foes. But their hard-won moment of triumph was abruptly shattered as Natasha Romanoff’s urgent voice crackled over the communications link, “Heads up. You''ve got one more drone incoming. This one looks different. The repulsor signature is significantly higher.”


    The air was pierced by the scream of high-powered propulsion as an armored form dropped from the sky, landing with a resounding boom.


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    The reinforced suit towered over them.


    Compared to the polished designs of Iron Man and even War Machine''s reinforced suit, this armor was bulkier, with an industrial and almost brutish aesthetic; all thick cables, heavy hydraulics, and heavy armor plating. The armor looked like a hulking mechanical beast designed for nothing but destruction. Menacing lengths of electrified whips crackled and hummed with deadly energy, extending from each arm. The armor''s design seemed a further evolution of the same tech that Ivan Vanko had used when attacking Tony at the Monaco Grand Prix.


    The faceplate of the newcomer''s armor slid upwards with a hiss of hydraulics, revealing the weathered features and coldly determined eyes of Ivan Vanko. The three men stared at each other, face to face in their armor.


    Vanko''s heavy accent cut through the silence left in the wake of his arrival.


    "Good to be back," he declared in a tone that promised violence.


    One moment Vanko arrived, the next another figure was there, moving with supernatural speed. Mirage raced across the biodome, he lept, his momentum making it seem almost as if he flew toward Whiplash.


    Then with ferocious intensity, Mirage wound his fist back and shouted.


    "Detroit Smash!"


    Mirage launched a full-force punch directly into the center mass of the Whiplash armor.


    The impact resounded through the biodome like a clap of thunder, the sheer kinetic force of Mirage''s blow sending the armored form of Vanko flying. The Whiplash armor tumbled end over end, crashing violently into the base of a nearby cliff. The sound of rending metal screamed out as the armor crumpled against unyielding rock. In an instant, the once imposing figure now lay in a mangled, twisted wreck. Jagged rents now marred the armor''s surface, leaving it looking as though it had taken a massive beating from some epic struggle.


    Had Natasha heard Tyson announce his massive attack with an anime-style shout, she would have rolled her eyes and chided him. However, the next words through the comms came from Rhodes as he asked incredulously, "Did you know he was that strong?"


    Tony could only shake his head, stunned into silence by the raw physical power Mirage had displayed in dispatching the Whiplash armor.


    The three heroes, Iron Man, War Machine, and Mirage, approached the Whiplash suit.


    The armor lay in a mangled heap, crumpled and rent by the ferocity of Mirage''s attack. Inside the wreckage, Ivan Vanko stirred feebly, barely clinging to consciousness. Blood dripped from his mouth as he uttered two final words with grim certainty.


    "You lose."


    His eyes then closed for the last time, a chilling declaration filled with spite and defiance.


    Suddenly, the arc reactor on Vanko''s chest began to blink red.


    In ominous unison, similar crimson flashes echoed from reactors across the biodome, emanating from the scattered remnants of the Hammer drones.


    Rhodey quickly grasped the grave implications of the flashing red lights. "All these drones are rigged to blow. We gotta get out of here now!" he shouted urgently.


    Mirage took off in a blur of speed, evacuating the area.


    The repulsors in Rhodey''s boots flared as he rocketed skyward.


    "Pepper!" Tony called out as he ignited his repulsors. Consumed by the need to ensure her safety, he streaked off in desperate search of her last known location.


    — Rogue Replacement —


    Tyson ran at his top speed, desperate to catch up to the armored suits of Iron Man and War Machine as they crashed into the biodome. He arrived just in time to witness Tony Stark and James Rhodes engaged in a light-hearted argument over who had the bigger gun. Tyson jumped into the banter but remained hidden in the background, observing silently.


    Tension ramped up inside the biodome as, one after another, the Hammer drones began landing around Iron Man and War Machine with heavy thuds. Soon the heroes were surrounded by the looming robots.


    The ensuing battle was a spectacle of technology and weaponry as Iron Man and War Machine engaged the drones, their suits aglow with the bright flare of repulsor beams and blurs of ammunition. Explosions lit up the interior of the biodome, the sound of the blasts echoing off the curved glass and steel. In return, the drones targeted the two heroes with their own integrated weapons systems.


    Throughout the raging battle, Tyson remained a silent out-of-sight observer, his presence unregistered by the drones and unnoticed by the battling duo. After Iron Man executed a devastating laser sweep that sliced through the ranks of Hammer drones, Tyson prepared himself for the moment he had been waiting for.


    Natasha’s voice crackled through his earpiece. “Heads up. You''ve got one more drone incoming. This one looks different. The repulsor signature is significantly higher.”


    By the time the sound of powerful propulsion announced the drone’s arrival, Tyson was already in motion. The Whiplash Mark 2 armor descended from the sky, landing with a heavy thud near Iron Man and War Machine. When the armor''s visor was raised to reveal Ivan Vanko himself, Tyson made his move. All three armored men had exposed their faces. Tyson dashed directly in front of Vanko, invisible to their eyes thanks to his illusions.


    He then projected an illusion of Vanko declaring triumphantly, "Good to be back."


    Meanwhile, Tyson reached out, touching Ivan Vanko''s face and looking directly into his eyes. As he did, a torrent of Vanko''s life memories flooded through Tyson''s mind.


    His father worked alongside Howard Stark but was deported back to Russia in disgrace, forgotten, and discredited. He grew up with a sense of betrayal festering deep within him. His childhood was marked by poverty and struggle. Despite the hardships, he inherited his father''s intellect and aptitude. He honed his skills in mechanics, engineering, and physics, often operating on the fringes of legality. His life was a mix of academic brilliance and criminal undertakings. The defining moment came when he learned of Tony Stark''s Iron Man. This revelation reignited the smoldering embers of his vendetta, driving him to create his own suit of armor. He made his first public appearance against Stark, a dramatic confrontation that brought him to the world''s attention. Though he was defeated, he entered into a reluctant partnership with Justin Hammer. Hammer gave him the idea to attack Tony Stark’s legacy. So, he built the drones and the new suit, each a weapon aimed to do just that.


    Tyson acted decisively upon emerging from the flood of Ivan Vanko''s memories. Projecting a flawless illusion of Mirage charging forward to deliver a knockout blow, he bought himself the crucial moments needed.


    With the illusion in place, Tyson grabbed the half-ton heft of the Whiplash suit, hoisting its weight with an effort that tested his remarkable strength but landed within its limits. Breaking into a run, he carried the inert form of the real Whiplash suit while maintaining the illusion within the biodome.


    To the gathered heroes, the illusory Mirage approached the crumpled form of the imagined Vanko, flanked by the real Iron Man and Warmachine. This clever ploy provided ideal cover as Tyson enacted the next stage of his plan. Using Vanko''s memories, he tapped a few commands into the armor, activating the self-destruct sequence on all the Hammer drones, careful to exempt the Whiplash suit from this order.


    Across the grounds of the Stark Expo, downed Hammer drones began flashing crimson, heralding their imminent obliteration. Rhodey recognized the imminent explosions and instructed everyone to evacuate. Tyson''s illusory Mirage darted away while Iron Man flew off in search of Pepper.


    Tyson kept his hold on Ivan Vanko. After carrying the armor out of the blast radius of any drones, he scanned the Expo grounds, intent on finding suitable transportation. His gaze settled on a box truck, used for delivering Expo supplies. Despite the surrounding destruction, it appeared intact.


    Approaching the vehicle, Tyson was relieved to see the keys dangling from the ignition. He hauled open the truck''s rear door and hefted the Whiplash armor inside, securing it firmly. With the suit stowed, he turned his attention to Vanko. Still enthralled by Tyson''s power, the man stood motionless. Tyson locked his will upon Vanko''s mind, imprinting firm instructions to remain inside the truck. Vanko''s eyes glazed over as the compulsions took hold, eliminating any chance of disobedience or escape. Tyson nodded, satisfied, and hopped out, closing the back of the truck and dashing off to complete his deception.


    — Rogue Replacement —


    Tony Stark landed on the rooftop with Pepper Potts after saving the CEO from the self-destructing Hammer drones. The final remnants of the drones'' fiery self-destruction still lit up the night sky, leaving the expo a bonfire, and explosions like fireworks in the night sky.


    Overwhelmed by the harrowing events of the evening, Pepper expressed her distress, fear, and frustration in her trembling voice. "Oh my God, I can''t take this anymore," she exclaimed.


    "You can''t?" Tony responded.


    "I can''t take this," Pepper reiterated, shaking her head. "My body literally cannot handle the stress. I never know if you''re going to kill yourself or wreck the whole company."


    Trying to lighten the mood with his usual confidence, Tony replied, "I think I did okay." His comment was punctuated by another explosion flaring in the distance.


    But Pepper would not be swayed by his charm this time. "I quit. I''m resigning. That''s it," she declared. Her decision was born from the culmination of stress and fear for Tony''s well-being over the years.


    Tony blinked in surprise, though perhaps he should not have been taken aback. He studied Pepper''s face, seeing the creases of tension and weariness etched there. "You''re done?" he asked finally, hearing the faint echo of incredulity in his voice. "That''s surprising." A pause. "No, it''s not surprising. I get it. You don''t have to make excuses."


    Pepper''s jaw tightened, her eyes flashing. "I''m not making any excuses," she bit out. Her spine was rigid, her hands clenched. She had finally been pushed to a breaking point. She needed this to be over.


    Tony held up his hands in a placating gesture. "You actually were just making excuses," he pointed out. "But you don''t have to. I understand." He kept his tone easy, trying to ease the sudden spike of tension between them.


    Pepper bristled, color rising in her cheeks. "No, I wasn''t making an excuse," she insisted, her voice sharp. "I''m actually very justified in this."


    Tony''s expression softened, the casual confidence dropping away. "Listen," he said quietly. "Hey. You deserve better. You''ve taken such good care of me. I''ve been in a tough spot, but you got me through it. Right?"


    The simple honesty in his words defused Pepper''s frustration. "Thank you," she murmured.


    "Yeah."


    A hint of Pepper''s usual unflappability returning. "I''ll handle the transition," she assured, "It''ll be smooth."


    Finally Tony cleared his throat. "Okay, what about the press? Because you only had the job for a week. That''s gonna seem..." He trailed off.


    Pepper quipped, "Well with you it''s like dog years."


    "I know," he said simply, a wealth of understanding in those two small words.


    Pepper''s smile widened slightly, a glimmer of humor returning to her blue eyes. "I mean, it''s like the Presidency," she added. The sudden breeze of levity blew away the tension that had crackled between them.


    Unable to resist, Tony leaned forward and captured her lips in a tender kiss. As they parted, he murmured, "Weird."


    Pepper shook her head. "No, it''s not weird," she insisted.


    "It''s okay, right?" Tony couldn''t keep a hint of uncertainty from creeping into his voice as he sought reassurance.


    "Yeah," Pepper affirmed.


    Emboldened, Tony tilted his head towards her. "Run that by me again," he said with a roguish twinkle in his brown eyes. Pepper smiled indulgently as their lips met once more.


    The intimate moment was shattered by a familiar voice. "I think it was weird," James Rhodes commented drily. Tony and Pepper jerked apart, surprise flickering across their faces. They turned to see Rhodey still encased in the silver and gunmetal armor of War Machine, sitting nonchalantly with a bowl of popcorn in his metal-gloved hands. "You guys look like two seals fighting over a grape," he added.


    Beside Rhodey, Mirage stood casually, also enjoying a bowl of popcorn. Spider-Man was perched on the rooftop''s edge, his masked face tilted as he observed the couple with interest. It was a surreal sight, the three heroes lounging around amidst the chaotic aftermath of the battle.


    Tony felt a flush creep up his neck, embarrassed, but amused at the sight. "Where did you get popcorn?" he asked, unable to keep a note of incredulity from his voice.


    Mirage raised a hand. "I conjured it," he replied.


    Tony playfully suggested to the group, "You should get lost." with a wave of his gauntleted hand, his tone light despite the recent battle.


    Rhodey, unruffled by the quip, retorted "We were here first. Get a roof," while casually tossing a kernel of popcorn into his mouth.


    Never one to miss a beat, Tony shot back, "I thought you were out of one-liners."


    "That''s the last one," Rhodey replied smoothly, keeping pace with their back-and-forth wit.


    "You kicked ass back there, by the way," Tony said, his voice ringing with sincerity.


    "Thank you," Rhodey responded, dipping his head in appreciation. Then he added, "Listen, my car got taken out in the explosion earlier, so I''m gonna have to hang on to your suit for a minute, okay?"


    Tony, half-jokingly, waved both hands in refusal, "Not okay. Not okay with that," he protested.


    Rhodey stood, brushing popcorn kernels from his hands, and said firmly, "It wasn''t a question." Then with a whine of repulsors, he launched himself into the sky in the borrowed Iron Man armor.


    Mirage stood and tossed his bowl of popcorn over his shoulder. As it hit the ground, the bowl dispersed into a flutter of butterflies instead of spilling and shattering.


    "Thanks for the invite," he said, "You throw the best parties."


    Tony quipped in response, "Off to see your girlfriend? I can''t believe you let me introduce you when you already knew her. I thought I was hooking you up."


    "You did!" Mirage replied enthusiastically. "Your birthday party scored me a date. Good looking out." He paused for a moment, glancing around. "But nah, I''m going to give her some space. She likes to play the mysterious one, but that''s my bag. We''ll see how it goes. Plus a mess like this usually means cleanup or paperwork. I''m not about that life. Tony, Spidey, Miss Potts - Mirage signing off."


    With a final nod of farewell, Mirage''s image began to shift and distort. Faint lines appeared across his form as it wavered from side to side. Then, like an old television set shutting off, his image collapsed in on itself and disappeared completely.


    As Mirage disappeared, Spider-Man stepped forward, extending his hand towards Tony Stark. "Hi, Mister Stark, I''m Spider-Man, and I''m a huge fan," he introduced himself, unable to keep the excitement and respect from his voice.


    Tony clasped the young hero''s hand and shook it firmly. "I''m a fan of yours too," he replied smoothly. "Anyone who can swing around the city in pajamas and still look cool has my respect." Tony''s voice took on a more sincere note as he continued, "I saw Mirage''s show, your story. You''re a real hero." It was an honest compliment, acknowledging the bravery and vital contributions Spider-Man had made to the city.


    Though Peter was humbled by the words, meeting Tony Stark, a figure he had long admired and looked up to, was a significant moment for the young hero.


    Until Tony Stark asked, "What''s it like fighting villains in your underoos?"