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 trials 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
High above Northern New York State rockets the menacing form of the Iron Monger, and
it's newest pilot. Mere minutes ago, the Iron Monger seemingly hurled a powerless Iron Man
to his doom , in the raging waters of Niagara Falls. Now, miles distant from the scene of
the Golden Avengers death, the Iron Monger is filled with happiness. Never in all his
dreams did he ever think he would actually be the one to destroy the Avenger.*
*See all the action in our last heart stopping issue! -Ralph
"Iron Man is the champion of the evil technology" Thinks the small
minded man flying the multi-million dollar piece of destructive equipment, "And
I, I am now the hero of the entire coalition."
Ba-KOW!
Suddenly the Iron Monger is struck by a powerful blow, seemingly from empty space! End
over end, the Iron Monger suit tumbles through the air, before slamming to the ground,
toppling tree after tree in a destructive arc through the huge forest!
"Wh-what---" Stammers the Monger, as he slowly, painfully struggles to his
feet, when suddenly a gleaming golden figure appears before him, turning visible as if
from nowhere.
"You! IRON MAN!" Roars the surprised Iron Monger, "B-but you are dead! I
Killed you myself."
"Hardly, you small minded idiot." Answers the angry Iron Man, as he raises
his right gauntlet, and fires a repulser into the still stuttering Iron Monger, smashing
him backwards into the forest, burying him amongst fallen trees, while still advancing
menacingly on the fallen enemy."I have no idea where they recruited you from , but
obviously it wasn't from the head of the class. Now you're going to tell me everything you
know about this group of throwbacks, and you're going to do it now. Or I'm going to peel
you out of that suit like it was an orange. And I won't be gentle."
The Iron Monger hurls a fallen tree at Iron Man, activating his boot jets as he does,
taking to the sky in full retreat.
"Yeah Monger, that might work." Says Iron Man, as he fires off a quick pulse
bolt, disintegrating the tree before it gets anywhere near him, then he takes to the sky
after the retreating Iron Monger.
Across the sky the two gleaming warriors fly, devouring miles as they go.
"Not so fast Monger, you're not getting away from me that easily . Not when I
finally have a chance to get some answers to what the hell is going on here."
As he's flying Iron Mans shoulder ridges suddenly hinge upwards and glow, as they draw
in protonic energy, then suddenly release it in an explosive blast that blankets the air
around the Iron Monger, like a cloud of pure energy, that shatters the sky around the
retreating villain with an explosive...
Shaa-KOOOM!
"Uggghh!" Howls the villain, as once again he drops from the sky, but this time Iron Man streaks in, with a devastating right, that further shatters the Mongers suit!
POW!
With a loud crash the Iron Monger hits the ground, with Iron Man only a step behind !
"Now we talk Mr. No more fun and games, and believe me, up until now, I have been
playing. I really don't want to get tough here, but I will, and after this little episode,
it won't be pretty."
As he talks , Iron Man vents energy from his gauntlets, causing them to glow
dangerously with sparking , arcing power, with every step he takes towards his downed foe.
The man in the Iron Monger suit slowly gets to his knees, as he fights to raise himself
upwards to battle Iron Man once more, when suddenly a voice from behind startles them
both.
"You better do as the man says , Monger, I think his patience is shot. And if his
ain't, well mine surely is."
Both antagonists turn to the sound of the voice, behind his mask, Iron Man smiles ,
while the Iron Monger shivers.
"War Machine, good to see you. I was just about to start ripping this inferior
suit apart , and getting to the man beneath. Want to help?"
"Sure thing partner, let me hold him still while you tear that hunk a junk
apart."
"Nnnnooo! Do not hurt me, please! I will tell you everything I know, I
swear!" Howls the horrified Iron Monger.
"I thought you would." Answers the stoic voiced Iron Man.
Minutes later... Two gleaming knights cut an arc across the sunlit sky, en route back
to Stark Internationals HQ on Long Island.
"Boy , he talked up a storm didn't he?"
"Yes Jim, he did. Our "Bad Cop, Bad Cop" routine really loosened his
tongue. Like I had assumed, he was no rocket scientist. Just hired muscle who had a
rudimentary knowledge of that suits powers."
"What're we gonna do now, man?"
"We're going to find these lunatics, their "Yesterday Agenda" is one of
the most dangerous situations I've ever come across."
"That says a lot right there Tone."
"I know buddy. And believe me, I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a little
frightened about this."
Both men land at S I's headquarters, entering the underground hatch that automatically
opens at Iron Mans electronic beckoning.
Minutes later, and well beneath the ground, in Tony's private labs, both unsuited
heroes sit in front of twin computer monitors, both watching the same images as Tony
Starks fingers play across the keys, like a typist extraordiniare.
"So how'd you know where to find me , Rhodey?"
"I called looking for you, and Bambi* told me you were at work down here, and then she mentioned the attack on the Niagra branch that Iron Man went to investigate."
*"Bambi" Is Bambina Arbogast, Tony's executive secratary. Rhodeys taken to calling her "Bambi" recently, in a playful , annoying way.
"And the rest is history." Nods Stark, still staring at the monitor before
him, its light reflecting off of his face.
"How'd this guy in the Monger suit get the drop on you anyway?"
Stark involuntarily sighs, "When I saw him, all the bad memories of that period in
my life welled up, I half expected Obadiah Stane to be underneath that helmet.I froze up
when he attacked"
"That punks long dead and buried Tony, you saw it firsthand."
" I know Rhodey. Still, how many have come back from the supposed dead?"
"Yeah, but most don't have their heads blown to hell by their own repulser blast." *
*In the legendary Iron Man #200
"I know Rhodey." Tony nods , while staring intently at the screen before him.
What're we lookin' for Boss?"
"Something that will point us to the "Yesterday Coalitions" point of
origin. From everything I see here, they almost literally appeared , well yesterday."
"So you think this is some kinda cover for their real operations?"
"Yes Jim, I do."
"Well where do we go from here? We got everything we could'a outta that creep we
left bound up in the Adirondack woods for the State cops, but really it wasn't that
much."
"I know Jim. And I think I just found something that will be more of a help."
"What is it Tone?"
"An Internet web site, displayed by someone who's claiming to have been kidnaped
and abused at the coalitions hands."
James Rhodes keys into Tony's screen , and lets out a long sigh.
"Wow, looks like there're others who've had the same experience here."
"I know, and in every case, the Police could never find enough evidence to verify
what the supposed kidnapee had claimed. "
"So in other words there're never any charges pressed or any arrests made. Sweet.
What do we do Tony, go lookin' ourselves?"
"One thing that worries me though Jim, If the Yesterday Coalition appeared
seemingly from nowhere, how can they have a history already a mile long?"
Both men stare silently at the view screens in front of them, each not having an answer
to Starks question.
An hour and a half later...
Two metallic titans blast into the early evening sky from Stark internationals headquarters, one headed due South, the other southwest.
"Okay Jim, I'm going to interview the man who posted the web site, a Mr Krillee,
If you find anything, or need me, call immediately, I'll be there in a flash."
War Machine looks at Iron Mans departing form and smiles beneath his armor.
"Hey man, don't mother hen me to death, I can take care o' myself."
"I know Jim, just be careful."
War Machine salutes as he vectors off into the distance.
"Will do boss-man, you be careful too, and the same right back atcha."
Iron Man flies on in silence then, his mind racing. He's been attacked twice in a
matter of hours, and all his supposition about this "Yesterday Coalition" has
proven wrong. Originally he had figured them as being a group without much monetary
backing, perhaps mystics or renegade Mutants, judging by "Mr Stygs" powers*, but
after the attack by the "Iron Monger", well one doesn't find hi-tech suits
laying around in the desert, ready and waiting to be worn and used. There's obviously
money behind this contradictory group, and from what he's now seen, quite a bit.
* See last issue
Minutes later, Iron Man descends to a barren, run down farmhouse, in the middle of
seemingly nowhere. Empty land surrounds him in the Tennessee hills, as he sees several
rusted and rotting cars and pick-ups around the barn.
"Originally, I had assumed I'd be meeting this man as Tony Stark, but with the
obvious lack of places to change, and the fact that I appeared without a car , I think
Iron Man is more appropriate."
He approaches the run down farm house and lightly, but firmly raps on the door. A
moment later, a bedraggled man opens the door, his eyes going wide at the sight of the
gleaming titan before him.
"Mr Krillee? I'm Iron Man. I would like to ask you about your experience with the
"Yesterday Coalition."
"Well, ah-ah, sure, c'mon in Mr Iron Man. Make yerself at home. Ah'll be glad ta
help ya , at least someone wants ta finally hear mah story."
He ushers Iron Man past him. Pointing the way down the hall. As Shell head passes him,
the man grins evilly, and raises his right hand above his head, morphing it into a huge
obsidian claw, poised to descend, and tear through Iron Mans very skull!
Hundreds of miles away... War Machine lands at the "Yesterday Coalitions"
Headquarters in a swirl of dust, his GPS* uplink unerringly leading him to the multi acre,
ultra modern facility in the outskirts of Dallas, Texas.
*Global Positioning Sensor, For the electronically impaired.
"Man,. If Walker and Trivet appear, I'm outta here." He muses to
himself. " Supposedly these geeks are a non-profit organization, tryin' ta harken
things back to a simpler time. But from what I see ,they seem ta like their home turf
pretty damn modern. I don't like the way they're goin' about things. Besides, I
like my showers in the morning hot outta the faucet, not frigid like from a stream. And I
ain't got the time to heat everything up over a damn fool wood fire." He
continues.
Suddenly he hears a roaring sound , turning his head towards a fountain on the
Coalitions front walk, as impossibly, the water flows upwards and out of the fountain!
Towards War Machine in a raging torrent!
Sploosh!
War Machine is hammered by the wave unexpectedly, he's tossed to the ground, violently!
Then a voice from behind him surprises him once more. "Okay Bro', my turn."
A blast of heat and flame engulfs War Machine, sending all his warning signs to a
bright red!
Fighting back, to even right himself, Jim Rhodes sees his two attackers, and
involuntarily shudders. The Water Wizard and The Firebrand float above the ground, and
above him, ready to destroy him where he lay.
To be Concluded!
Armored Assaults
