Chapter 11: Who is Ironman?
A few weeks have passed, and all I have been doing is experimenting, spending time with pepper, and remote piloting the Mk.II as it darts around the world and pops up every few weeks to roast some baddies.
I stretched a few times as the TV began to play in the background. There was a news report about there being an explosion inside one of the laboratories of Culver University in Virginia, along with the national guard cordoning off the area, saying there was a chemical leak. I sat down on the couch and smiled slightly, realising the hulk had just been created.
Thor was still about a year and a half away, and Vanko hopefully won't come after me since no one except Pepper and Jarvis knows about the suits. But, if he does, I'll be prepared. I should hopefully have a fully functional MK. III by then, or maybe something stronger, and it should be better than any of the suits I originally built until I started using Nanotech, since the armoured plates of the new suit will be vibranium alloy.
Now, how can I spend the next year and a half productively? I began to scroll through the list of people that I had made and asked Jarvis to get me background checks on. I should probably make contact with Professor X and the other mutants, though I have no idea how they have remained hidden, since by this time period in the X-men series, mutants' existence is well known. Just their existence makes things a little trickier. I had just heard the news about strange being in a car crash and currently being in the hospital at the moment. I would make sure to remember to send some flowers or something.
The same goes for Eddie Brock and Reed Richards. Victor von Doom, the Symbiotes, and Galactus exist because of them. Galactus, as if Dormanu wasn't enough. Why don't we throw in ego? We have a trifecta of gods. I don't really count the Asgardians as gods, though, since they can bleed. Odin is a powerhouse, though. I suspect he's the only reason why Thanos doesn't just come to earth directly and grab the Time, Space, and Reality Stones; he is meant to be the defender of the nine realms after all. Actually, when you throw in the ancient one and the eternals, I can kind of understand why Thanos stays clear of us.
Then there's the whole Kree massacring the Skrulls, and then they're also taking refuge on earth. But if I want to help the Skrulls, then somehow I'm going to need a ship. "Wait, hasn't Marvel's damaged ship still been in orbit since the 90s?" I said it out loud but lost enthusiasm when I came up blank on how to find it in the near future.
Oh, and what about the Eternals, Inhumans, and Celestials, if they ever get an inkling of what I have planned? Then I also have Hydra, TVA, AIM, The Real Ten Rings, The Mystics, The Hand, Wakanda, Talokan, Latveria, Vampires...
The number of different factions I would have to deal with was beginning to give me a headache as I thought about them. There wasn't much I could do currently, but there were a few people I wanted to deal with that could be done in the foreseeable future. A thought popped into my head, and I quickly checked the list. A sense of sadness enveloped me when I found the name. Benjamin Parker passed away about a year ago in a car accident. If he were still alive, I could figure out how to save him, but it was even more heartbreaking that he died the same way his brother had.
Halfway through my run, I heard Jarv say, "Sir, simulations on optimal alloys according to your parameters have been completed. Also, the psychosis moulds have finally finished cooling, and the date for the arrival of your adamantium is today." said Jarvis, and it took a few seconds for me to process what he had said.
I then placed a towel around the back of my neck and began to head towards the workshop. "Come on, then. Show me the composition of your new alloy." After a few seconds, he responded. "The alloy, while not being able to absorb as much kinetic energy as a proto-adamantium, still has a higher tensile strength, compression limit, and strain tolerance than any known metal and a theorised melting point of 4781 degrees Celsius. It is composed of roughly 35% vibranium, 4% tungsten, 5% inconel, 11% steel, 2% hafnium, and 41% titanium, with the remaining 2% being made of thirteen other trace elements and alloys, including starconium."
"Start manufacturing the plates for the MK. III, then." I said as a wide smile crossed my face. I then heard the service entrance's door ring and headed towards the back of the mansion.
"Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot!" I yell as I come running into the workshop a few minutes later. "Out my way, DUM-E. Thank You." I say as I move around DUM-E, who was in the way, and I then walk in the direction of the crucible. It was glowing red and had a muon emitter letting out a constant stream of heat below it. I laid down the barrel I was carrying and put on a face covering to protect me from the heat. I then slid in thermal gloves that went past my elbow and then pried open the barrel.
Inside was a bubbling silver metal that, even through the protection, was starting to hurt. I then heaved as I poured the boiling Adamantium into the crucible. I then tossed aside the barrel it had been delivered in and grabbed a measured amount of vibranium and lead. I was currently making an alloy called psychoses. It was the same alloy that Magneto's helmet was made of. Once the vibranium and lead had mixed together, I poured them into several moulds for helmets and ingots.
Once I was done, I walked upstairs and took off the mask. My face was bright red and tender, and I had first-degree burns over my whole body. "Well, that was dumb." I said under my breath before shouting, "Jarvis, where's the aloe?"
…
A man missing an arm who had bruises all over his body lay silently inside his cell. He opened his door as a guard opened the door and said, "Up. You've got a visitor."
Klaue winced as he was dragged towards an interrogation room. If he ever met that bastard again, he swore he would make sure to kill the man.
As he was shoved into the metal chair and was attached to the table, he looked up to see a man with a slightly caramel complexion who lacked hair on his head and had thick black glasses. He was reading from a file as he looked up and smiled before saying, "Good morning, Mr. Klaue. I was wondering if I could have a chat with you. I'm Agent Sitwell."
"Well, I already told them, I ain't yapping. Do you know what lengths some of my clients will go to to make sure I keep my mouth shut?" he spat.
Sitwell smiled before leaning forward and saying, "No, I mean, what can you tell me about the Iron Man who attacked you?"
"Not much." He shrugged. "He was tall; he was fast. Oh, and he sounded like one of those posh Soutie's, but he could speak fluent Afrikaans."
"I see. Anything else?" Sitwell said, writing what he said into a file.
Klaue narrowed his vision as he stared at the agent before saying, "Why are you Americans so interested in him anyway?"
"Not that it concerns you, but the American government is growing concerned about this vigilantism. He obviously has access to some pretty advanced tech, and using it over the last three months has worked against American interests," said Sitwell, closing the folder to leave.
He burst out in laughter after mulling over the response a few seconds later, as Sitwell was leaving the room. Whoever this man was, Klaue suddenly felt less angry towards them. After all, even if one was now in prison for the rest of their life, it was still funny to see your enemies face just as hard as the times.
…
I savour the notes of bergamot from my tea as I lie on the couch with pepper typing furiously on a laptop beside me. I smiled to myself as a news segment was played on the screen. "Today, the new division of the Stark Corporation, Stark Media, announced that it had just closed a deal with Lucasfilm, one of the world's leading entertainment companies, to buy a controlling stake in the company, with reports of over seven billion dollars being the buyout prices.
Many fans are hesitant but excited, while some industry experts have denounced the move by Tony Stark as 'Foolish'. Only time will come to tell whether this was a momentous failure or a complete success."
"Look, honey, I'm on TV." I said in a sarcastic voice, to which Pepper rolled her eyes and responded, "You're like the fourth richest person in the world; you're always on TV."
"Actually, it's the richest. I finally overtook Warren Buffet, Henry Osborn, and Bill Gates a few weeks ago. At this rate, I'll be richer than all of them combined by the end of next year." I said, waiting to see her reaction.
I was surprised when she didn't seem surprised or happy but let out an exasperated sigh before saying, "At your current rate of spending, I'm not surprised that you figure out some way of making money. I mean, in the last month alone, you've spent over 10 million just on uranium, 120 million on four oil tankers in Panama, 40 million on an oil rig in the North Sea, and 30 million on an island off the coast of Borneo. I mean, what on earth are you doing, Tony?"
"It's all part of the plan. Please trust me. I'll explain it all eventually." I said while turning back to the TV, to which she just responded, "M-hmm."
"Now we go to the final story for this morning: Mystery Superhero "Iron Man" Emerges Worldwide, Thwarting Criminal Activity.
"In a series of astonishing events, a mysterious figure donning an advanced suit of armour has emerged across the globe, disrupting criminal operations and leaving authorities baffled. Referred to as "Iron Man" by eyewitnesses and media outlets, this enigmatic hero has single-handedly thwarted weapon smugglers, human traffickers, and various criminal syndicates in recent weeks.
"Reports of Iron Man's interventions have surfaced from major cities to remote regions, sparking intrigue and speculation about the identity and motives of this newfound vigilante. Eyewitnesses describe a figure clad in a sleek, high-tech suit of armour as a middle-aged male with a concise British accent. If you have any information on this person, please report it to the authorities.
"Authorities have been unable to ascertain the true identity or origins of Iron Man, leading to widespread conjecture and theories circulating online. Some speculate that Iron Man may be a highly skilled individual operating independently, while others suggest the involvement of government agencies or clandestine organisations.
"Despite the uncertainty surrounding Iron Man's identity, there is unanimous praise for the superhero's efforts in combating crime and protecting communities. Numerous instances have been documented where Iron Man intervened to rescue hostages, dismantle illegal operations, and apprehend criminals, earning admiration and gratitude from the public.
"However, concerns have also been raised about the potential dangers of a rogue vigilante operating outside the bounds of law enforcement. Questions linger about the legality of Iron Man's actions and the potential for collateral damage in the pursuit of justice.
"As authorities scramble to uncover the truth behind Iron Man's identity and motives, the public remains captivated by the exploits of this mysterious superhero. With each daring intervention, Iron Man cements a legacy as a symbol of hope and justice in a world fraught with uncertainty and peril.
"We all do wonder, who is this Hero?"
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