Born to wealth, his inheritance more then just monetary, Tony Stark received his fathers genius and business savvy, along with his mothers good nature and common sense . Bolstering these with a natural talent for engineering, along with a will of Iron, Anthony Stark became an even more accomplished businessman then his father. But tragedy struck the young Millionaire, trapping him , he thought at the time, forever, in a suit of Iron to match his inner resolve! Since then he has fought back against many trails and tribulations, conquering every one like a shining knight of old. His steel mesh armor acting as a weapon for good against the most hi-tech villains of all time! He is the shining warrior of the future! The Golden Avenger! He is the one and only, the invincible
Tony Stark bursts through the double hospital swinging doors into the emergency room of
county general hospital in LA, he's got a jacket thrown over his shoulder , and his ever present
briefcase in hand, and he's obviously agitated!
"Where's Jim Rhodes! Nurse!"
Tony runs up to a nurses station as the head nurse, a large black woman, turns to him, angrily
"You!" She starts,"First off, you don't run in my hospital, like some damn fool on a fast break,
secondly, who the hell do you think you are coming in here like a maniac and upsetting these
patients. There are some--"
"Listen, I don't have time for this nonsense." Tony cuts her off, "My friend was brought in here in
critical condition. I want to know how he is. I'm concerned. If I came in a little strongly, I
apologize, but I was in mid-flight across the country from New York when the news reached
me."
She snorts derisively , "Mr I don't care who you are, or where you got your damn information
from. You DO NOT come into my hospital acting like an animal. Now why don't you take your
skinny butt back out those doors and wait for someone to help you, in the waiting area."
Tony's brow furrows angrily. This woman is now beyond the point of infuriating. If he was
wearing his now destroyed suit of armor* and she were a super villain, right now she'd be eating
a micro-mesh steel gauntlet.
*See last issue
"Okay , we'll try this one more time Nurse...Rogers. I-"
She cuts him off this time, hands on hips, tapping her foot impatiently
"Hon, you just are not listening, get out of here! Security!"
Tony's had enough! He calmly slaps his briefcase down on the nurses station desk and points his
finger at the plaque above the entrance to the hospital emergency room.
"Do you see that plaque? The name on it?"
"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Is her angry retort.
"Do you see it?" Tony asks again calmly.
"Y-yeah, The Maria Stark plaque. Some rich guy rebuilt this hospital a few years ago after the
Avengers got into a battle here and trashed the place. He dedicated it to his mama. What about
it?"
Tony still icy calm on the outside, now seething within practically rubs noses with the woman
he's so close now.
"Well, that "rich guy" is me. Maria Stark was my mother. And more importantly, this Hospital is
still here to tend to those who need it. And because of my generosity, you have a job here still.
Though for how much longer at this point is still up in the air."
The blood runs from Nurse Rogers face as she suddenly realizes who she's been verbally
sparring with, and she quietly begins leafing through her admitting papers, until...
"Rhodes, James. He's been released already Mr Stark. "
"What? Last I heard he was near death? What happened Nurse?"
A voice behind Tony causes him to spin around..
"I can answer that Tone."
Tony's face breaks into a huge grin.
"Rhodey! You're okay? What happened?"
"I-I don't know man. I broke into convulsions, and the pain was blinding. I woke up in the
hospital, but that's all I know. They said I was out for hours, and they put me through every
freakin' test they could come up with .I feel like a damned pin cushion. All they could tell me
was that I was in great shape."
Tony holds his chin in thought.
"So you feel fine now?" He queries.
"Yeah, I do. I think I'm just gonna head on home and catch some sleep. Take it easy for a day or
two."
Tony nods.
"Okay Mr Rhodes, but take it easy. You need anything buddy, just call me."
Rhodes grins and shakes Tony's hand as the two exit the hospital, leaving the Nurse wordless in
their wake.
"No problem boss-man. I'll let you know if I feel anything uncool, okay?"
"Alright. You do know what I'm thinking right?"
Rhodeys' smile drops, and he stares suddenly at Tony, his face dead serious.
"Yeah bossman, I do. The Eidolan warwear."
"Yes, exactly. I was always worried about that when you told me you lost it while I was gone."*
*Rhodey gave up the Warwear while Tony was trapped in the Franklinverse.
"Well,"Rhodes begins,"I think it's healing properties were done with me. I felt fine for months
after it was grafted to me, and for months longer after I chucked it."
Tony touches his car remote, and the doors on his Porsche automatically open. Both men climb
in, as Tony begins driving them back towards the small airport Rhodes Air operates out of .
"So what do we do now Rhodey?"
Jim looks at him quizzically.
"Uh, what do you mean Tone?"
"Well to be honest, I'd like to run you through a few tests of my own back at S E . But I know
you must be feeling a bit...out of it about now. So you tell me. You know I'll be looking for
things the normal hospitals can't possibly know of , and working in conjunction with Hank Pym ,
we could find out if there is any problem basic medical science is unaware of."
Rhodes says nothing, and quietly stares out the cars window as they speed along. He scratches
his head, then turns to Tony.
"Look man, I'm gonna pass for today. Tomorrow, well we'll see then. I'm figuring this to be a one
time occurrence . "
Tony nods.
"Okay Jim. It's your call. But if you decide overnight that you want me to do the tests, let me
know. No pressure here."
"That's cool Tone, and by the way, don't think I don't appreciate the offer, cause I do."
They drive along in silence a few more minutes until,
"Hey Tony, I heard about the business with Ultimo, but what about Bethany, did you find her?"
Tony shakes his head grimly,
"No Jim, I didn't. By the time I got around to looking her up, after the Ultimo disaster, she was
gone from the country. Seems according to Ling MacPhereson* she has some business in the
Orient. Well now that I know where her office is and where I can reach her, I won't give up
trying to make contact."
*Ling MacPhereson is Bethany Cabes partner.
Tony pulls the Porsche into the parking lot of Rhodes air, as Jim opens the door and exits,
shaking Tony's hand through the open drivers window.
"Thanks for the ride home Tony. I'll call you tonight."
"Do that partner, I want to know how you're feeling."
Rhodes waves and Tony drives off, his mind still thinking of Bethany Cabe.
Half a world away, Bethany Cabe is thinking of Tony Stark , as cold water is poured over her
head, she awakens with a shudder.
"Wha?" She starts
The man before smiles sardonically.
"Relax Miss Cabe, we are all friends here. For the moment at least. Now you will tell me what I
want to know, or our friendship will become somewhat...forced."
Beth returns his icy glare with one of her own. Her hands and legs are bound to a dilapidated wooden chair she's seated in. Her head is bandaged where the bullet that grazed her left its mark.* And her entire being is wracked with pain. What she has discovered is more then a simple case of industrial espionage. It is world shaking and world threatening. She must get word to Tony Stark, to Iron Man!
*Again, see last issue
"Now once again Miss Cabe. What is it you have discovered about our operation."
Across the dingy, dimly lit room a curtain opens as the first man slaps Bethany's face hard. Her
head snaps around, and she sees another man coming through the curtain. Suddenly an energy
beam lashes outwards, engulfing Beth's tormentor in its fiery glow. And when the beam
dissipates, the man is gone. All that remains of him are ashes. Bethany stares at the newcomer,
eyes wide with both fear and recognition. Then he speaks, his cape swirling around him in the
dungeon-like basement.
"Now my dear, what was it that barbarian was asking you?"
Beth shivers, wishing once again that she had stayed in contact with Tony Stark, and wishing
desperately that he was here.
Forty eight hours later......Tony Stark has sequestered himself within the massive underground
complex beneath SE's LA based headquarters. An area he refers to as the "Forge". He's been here
almost the full forty eight hours and awake most of it. Doing what he does best. Designing. His
beard is grown and ragged, and he himself is slightly disheveled. He gets that way when he
begins to work single mindedly on a project. His reverie is broken by a knock on his door, as the
door opens he turns toward the sound.
"Yo bossman, still at it?"
Jim Rhodes enters his friends innermost sanctum.
Stark smiles, "Yes Rhodey. I'm just adding the finishing touches to the final designs. I've just
begun the final manufacturing process."
"Man," Rhodey muses, "It never ceases to amaze me what you can come up with in a couple of
days."
Starks head snaps around, "A couple of days?? What day is it?"
Rhodes laughs heartily, "It's Thursday Tone. What'd you lose track of time again?"
Tony shakes his head and smiles. "I Suppose so Jim. I guess I've had no major emergencies since
I started this process, other wise I guess I'd know."
"Yeah chief, I think Bambi or Felix would've let you know if you were needed."
Stark laughs himself.
"Bambi. If Mrs Arbogast ever heard you call her that to her face she'd probably deck you."
"Yeah, she probably would .Wait until you tell her your moving the whole operation back east.
She's gonna bust a blood vessel. Especially since she just moved back here."
Tony grins at the thought of Bambina Arbogasts face when he tells her of the reloaction of Stark
Enterprises headquarters back to Long Island.
" So what kinda goodies did you add to this version of the tin can?"
"Well, I actually went back to the drawing board with this suit. I added the dual powered flight
systems back into the suit."
"Like the silver and red suit had?"
"Yes, and the gold and red immediately afterwards did as well."
"How come?"
"Well," Tony begins, "I went back to a bulkier armor, again like the red and silver, and then I
took some cues from the armor my double wore during the "Crossing" fiasco."
"I'm surprised Tone, I figured you'd never get anywhere near anything from that point of your
life."
"To be honest Jim, the designs were, in a sense, mine for that suit. So I investigated it a little
further, and found some nice ideas there. Also I added a few new features as well."
Jim Rhodes opens his mouth to speak, and suddenly , he's wracked with immediate and sudden
pain! He doubles over in agony as he begins to sweat and shake uncontrollably!
"JIM!" Tony screams!
He runs over to his friends side, as suddenly, inexplicably the very air shimmers next to Rhodey,
and from it steps a man Anthony Stark has not seen in years!
"Zarko! The so called Tomorrow man!" Stark practically shouts as he leaps immediately at the
known future villain.
The portly Tomorrow man touches a stud on his wrist, and Tony stark freezes in time, in mid
leap!
Zarko laughs, "How quaint Anthony Stark. Leaping to your friends defense. But the Tomorrow
Man can stop time in a localized area, as your body guard knows all to well. I suppose I should
leave the area immediately before he arrives. But not before I retrieve that which I want. "
He reaches over and touches the convulsing James Rhodes, and instantly the convulsing stops, as
Rhodey is likewise frozen in time.
"Mr Rhodes, you are suffering from a time displacement malady. When last you traveled the
realms of time, you lost something. That something was bound to your molecular structure
during your time transit. You became disconnected from it at the worst possible instant. Mid
time transit. But I came upon your missing item ,and have decided to use it's somewhat
antiquated systems in my wars and battles. But to do so properly, I need you to become
re-integrated with the item, at least temporarily. "
Zarko touches another stud on his wrist, and suddenly Rhodey finds himself clothed in a
possession of his he thought never to see again. The original War Machine armor!
Zarko grins evilly. "Very good Mr Rhodes. I must, I'm afraid take you with me , to have you cede
control of the suit to myself. Several of the suits internal defenses must be re-programmed. And
only you can do that while inside the armor. When we are done I will return you to your proper
era. I am no killer Mr Rhodes. Honor my requests, and you will be unharmed. Refuse, and I may
have to break my own personal rule."
Zarko touches yet another stud on his wrist , and both he and Rhodes disappear in a flash of
light. Simultaneously Tony Stark drops to the ground from the spot he was hanging in mid air.
"Unngh!" Rhodey! I have to find him, him and that bald madman both!
Stark touches several controls on a panel to his left, as he lets out a whoop!
"GOT IT!"
He turns and runs over to yet another device, this one begins to digitally enhance information
that was half perceived. It is recreated and enhanced, as the genius of Tony Stark is once again
made apparent.
Across the room a buzzer sounds, and a vault like room opens with a hiss of compressed gasses.
Starks head turns , and amid his concern and anger, he smiles, like a tiger stalking its prey. Two
words are all he speaks. "Perfect timing."
Two minutes later the skies outside of the LA Stark offices are ablaze with an all to familiar , yet never quite like this sight. the sight of the all new . All invincible Iron Man!
Special thanks to Kell Carpenter for drawing this awesome new suit of armor from my chicken scratching--Ralph
Next: Chronal Chaos!
Armored assaults C/O [email protected]
just wanted to mention how I loved to see Bethany Cabe back from
oblivion. It was not the only good point of the story but her scene was
the one I enjoyed the most.
Great character!
Bye ALEX
it do so! I'm really glad to see Tony thinking about heading back to New York. That's just the place for him actually, as California is getting overloaded in MV1, what with the Champions, AWC, and God knows who else. Also the Bethany Cabe subplot caught my attention and I can't wait to see where you are going here. I know it'll be good. And for Jim Rhodes, my favorite character, whatever you have in store will keep me eager to read more! Ultimo was a fantastic threat, and seeing IM and Thor work together is always a pleasure. All in all, I can't wait until next issue! Keep up the awesome work buddy! Thanks guys! Hope you liked this issue . This was awesome to work on this month, I think my
IM run should be one hell of a lot of fun. Let me know if I'm right or not!
By the way for the uninitiated, Alex and TJ are both EXCELLENT authors themselves here in
the MV1 . Alex' work include the Defenders, the Seekers, Force Works, as well as Ghost Rider
(With the esteemed Matt Turnage, a name I'm sure you're all familiar with.) TJ writes The
Liberty Legion and the Destroyer here on the MV1 as well as severla titles on our sister site,
the Faux DC. Anything these two write is great! Let me know what you all think of this issue
guys! I Hope you enjoy it.
Ralph
Hey Ralph! Well, Iron Man has taken off with a bang
and I'm thrilled to see
