What If??
Iron Man's sentient armor never died?

Chapter One. The discovery

      One day at Stark Solutions: Tony is doing  a system check on the main computers when," Mr. Stark?" "Yes Jocasta?" "The President of the United States wants to see you immediately." "Did he say why?" "No, but he did say it was urgent."

      One hour later: "Rhodey is my jet ready? "All ready boss." "Lets be on our way then." Two hours later the plane lands and Tony arrives at the White House. "Mr Stark?" a secretary says, "the president is ready to see you now." "Good luck!" "Thanks Rhodey; Why don't you go touring the sites, this could take a while." "Ok, page me when you are done."

      "Mr. Stark, the Pentagon has detected an anomaly which looks like the new Iron Man on the coast of Santa Carbonell." Santa Carbonell, That is where the armor sacrificed it's own life to save mine could it still be alive? thinks Tony. "Which brings up another question, what is with the disappearance of the new armor? And now the old Iron Man armor is being used? We don't want some lunatic running around the world with armor that powerful if your employee went AWOL. We need answers Stark."

      Tony, I don't know how you are going to get out of this one. I better think quick. "A test went wrong and the armor was thought to be inoperative, he had to leave it behind. I am not sure what activity could be there, but I will investigate, and file a detailed report. It is the same person in the old armor I can assure you Mr. President." "You had better, I want this cleared up by the end of the week or the government is going to take actions against Stark Solutions, and Iron Man." "I will Mr. President." "Good, you are free to leave then. "

       This does not sound good, If the armor is still alive it still may be after me. I'll have to call in the Avengers. But first I'd had better find Rhodey. I'll just call him on our two way radio. "Rhodey where are you?" "At the Washington Memorial." Stay there I'll be there to pick you up shortly." "Ok."

      "What did the president want?" "It's a long story. Remember when my sentient armor gave it's life to save mine? well, it's not dead; It is still active on Santa Carbonell." "You mean it still may be after you? How do we stop that thing?" "I don't know yet, but my old armor won't be enough. I'll have to use my Chameleon armor, and I don't think that will be enough. Unfortunately it would take months to build another armor capable of destroying that one, and I have a week. I'll need call on the Avengers."

      The next day at Avengers mansion: "I called this special Avengers meeting to discuss the re-surfacing of my new armor in Santa Carbonell after it supposedly killed its self last month." "But Iron Man why does it stay at Santa Carbonell and not come back to the States?" "I can't say Cap, maybe it does not have enough power to travel back here; although the solar plates I have installed should have given it adequate power by now, we will have to assume they were damaged during the fight." "But didn't have the ability to reproduce broken pieces?" "Yes it did Thor, but it was a slow process, and it was pretty damaged after our first fight. I have made detailed read outs on the armor for each of you to study. This will be a dangerous mission to accomplish, so we'd better have every advantage we can get." "It might have been expecting me, but probably not all of the Avengers so we have the element of surprise do you want to make the trip Cap?" "Tomorrow we will make the trip, today I want you to study the information Iron Man has provided us with." "Right Cap."

 Chapter Two. The fight

       The next day on the Avengers Stealth jet: "Ok Avengers, ETA. in 10 minutes." Just then: "Cap something hit our main engine, we won't be able to go much further." Says War Bird."I'll take care of this." Leaping out of the jet, Iron Man safely takes the jet to the Island without further interruption. "Ok Avengers spread out and search for the armor. If you find it contact the rest of us." "Right" Says the team.

      Five minutes later everything is quiet and suddenly a sharp scream of pain echo's over the Island as the armor fires at the Scarlet Witch. "That sounds like the Scarlet Witch from the west everybody! Move quickly." Says Captain America over the communicator. Iron Man, being the closest. gets there first to find the wounded Scarlet Witch. "Behind you, it is an ambush..."  "Giant Man, take her back to the jet" commands Captain America. "You monster how could I have created you?" screams Tony "Why do you act surprised Tony? Most of my thoughts and action processing come from you when I just came alive and read your memories." Over come with rage Tony fires at the armor with full intensity and merely dents the armor. "Why do you want to kill your child, your creation Tony? We could have been happy together if you just listened and stop trying to hurt me. We could have been one." "A real Avenger doesn't kill people even if they are out to hurt you." Yells Tony.

        "You killed Mark Scarlotti when you last fought. Didn't you realize when you read my mind that I never killed a person purposely for revenge. And you expect me to sit by in the side lines and watch you kill people regardless if they have evil intentions?" The armor fires with full pulse blasts out of rage and fuses all of the Chameleon armors functions and badly injures Stark. My heart...the pain, need a charge...not now. Just when it looks like Iron Man is at the mercy of the sentient armor the rest of Avengers assemble to the battle ground.

"ATTACK!" Yells Captain America. The Vision de-materializes his left arm and reaches to  the armors newly formed heart and slightly materializes it causing major damage to the armor, but it puts up a force shield and damages the Visions arm. Thor throws the mighty Mjolinor at the armor and takes its legs out, while Cap throws his shield and tears its right shoulder apart.

      Meanwhile Warbird attends to Tony Starks Injuries. "Tony are you ok?" "My...heart." "Don't you die on me Tony, we still have to beat your nightmare. I won't let you die." "My armor is dysfunctional, back up medical equipment is still working but it is not enough. It is a matter of time before my heart fails." "No Tony, I'll get you to the jet, I'll get you to a hospital." " You can't, the rest of the Avengers need you." "You need help Tony!" says Carol.

      The armor is back up on it's feet and still putting on one hell of a fight. The armor shoots at the Vision, but he quickly turns diamond hard and some of the blast is deflected back at the armor. Cap goes to throw his shield again and the armor falls down, but quickly regains composure, and blasts Cap, knocking him into a tree. Just as the armor was about to finish Captain America, Thor summons great power from Mjolinor and throws the armor a clean 100 yards out.

      "Warbird" Whispers Tony. "In jet is a Negator patch. it is the only way to destroy the armor. Bring me back a battery pack also." While Warbird flies off to the jet, Tony uses the remaining power in his armor to charge his artificial heart left by the sentient armor.  A while later: "Here you go Iron Man." "Thanks Warbird. Now tell the Avengers to clear out, this battle is between the two us. I don't want any more Avengers injured." Iron Man used the battery pack for a quick charge for his final assault, while War Bird clears the field.

Chapter Three.  End game

"Avengers, Iron Man ordered all of us to clear the area, this battle is between those two. "But we can't just leave them, Tony is injured he won't last a minute." argues Thor. "Just do it! Iron Man calls." "You heard the man, everybody clear out!" says Captain America."He only wants me, and I have the device to destroy it." says Tony, barely able to stand. After everybody clears out the two armored forms just stare at each other for a minute, which seems like an eternity to the remaining Avengers.

Suddenly Iron Man dives right at the armor full force with the negator pack. At the same moment the Armor activates it's Uni-beam. Tony successfully attaches the device on the armor before falling. "Nooo...I won't let this happen again!" screams the armor, before collapsing and shutting down. The rest of the Avengers quickly attend to the badly injured Iron Man, and return back to the states to get both Tony and Wanda to the hospital for further treatment.

Chapter 4.  The final mission

A month later. "Hey boss, your looking well." "Thanks Rhodey, Is everything cleared up with the government?" "All taken care of." "Thanks, and the armor?" "It has been completely dismantled." "Great, another thing; The world needs Iron Man, and I am afraid I am to beat to don that title for a while. I was hoping you would consider taking the job up again." "I don't know about that. You know I am done with that stuff." "Come on, you are the only one I can trust with that responsibility. I'll be back on my feet in no time." "Well, if the call must be heeded, I guess I am the only one who can answer." "Thanks, I knew I could count on you."

THE END