Stark Industries, the office building.
When Pepper nervously arrived at the entrance of the building, she coincidentally met the CEO's female secretary, who was just about to leave for home. Her heart skipped a beat, fearing that Stane might discover her whereabouts. However, to her surprise, she learned something astonishing from the CEO's secretary.
Tony's Godfather Kyle had just been to the Stark office building and had fired Stane from his position as the CEO.
Pepper couldn't help but feel amazed. This was indeed a bold and domineering move, fitting of Tony's godfather. She sighed inwardly, thinking, "No wonder he's Tony's godfather."
Without wasting any time, Pepper hastily entered the elevator, swiped her access card, and ascended to the 68th floor, where the CEO's office was located.
In the computer files that Stane hadn't had the chance to delete, Pepper found the list of clandestine weapon transactions, just as Tony had instructed. What was even more shocking was that she stumbled upon emails and videos detailing Stane's dealings with terrorists in the Middle East.
Without overthinking, Pepper immediately picked up her phone. When she tried to call Tony, she found that his phone couldn't be reached. So, she informed Colonel Rhodes, Tony's military contact, and Agent Coulson from SHIELD about this criminal revelation.
Rhodes was a close friend of Tony's, and he promptly said he would go to Tony's mansion to confirm his safety. Coulson, on the other hand, gathered a few agents and hurried to meet up with Pepper to pursue and apprehend Stane in person.
This all happened while Tony was lying in his home's hallway, waiting to die after losing the new energy core.
"Tony, are you okay?!"
Rhodes arrived at the mansion, driving recklessly and ignoring traffic rules. As he rushed into the brightly lit ground floor, he anxiously shouted.
Without a response from Tony, there was a calm and collected voice from the couch, saying, "Soldier, what's with all the commotion?"
"Huh?"
Rhodes was taken aback and instinctively placed his right hand on the holster at his waist. But as he cast his sharp gaze toward the couch, he saw a silver-haired young man, and his tense, dark-skinned face immediately relaxed into one of respect. He quickly snapped a salute and said, "Hello, General Kyle!"
"What's with the 'General'? I retired from the military over sixty years ago," Kyle said calmly, giving him a glance. He sat casually on the couch, with his legs crossed, held a glass of red wine, and took a sip.
"I know, but you've been my idol since I was a kid, so..." Rhodes paused midway through his sentence, realizing that this wasn't the time to meet his idol. He quickly changed his question, "Where's Tony now? What's going on with Tony?"
"He's in the basement right now, getting ready to leave," Kyle said calmly. At a time when everyone was anxious and tense, he remained relaxed.
It was as if everything that was about to happen didn't concern him, but it was also as if everything was under his control.
"I'll go down there now. I'll see you next time," Rhodes said, leaving a quick remark before rushing downstairs. As soon as he arrived in the basement, he heard the clinking sound of various mechanical movements.
Following his gaze, Rhodes saw Tony standing upright on a workbench. The energy core in his chest was glowing brightly, and mechanical arms were helping him put on the Mark II, a Mark II painted in golden red and coated with anti-ice materials.
The mechanical suit and the human body seamlessly merged, and the gradually forming humanoid battle armor looked incredibly cool. Rhodes was momentarily in awe and said, "Tony, I admit, this is the coolest thing I've ever seen."
"Rhodes, you're here. Where's Pepper?" Tony asked in a deep voice.
"She's with a few agents at Stark Industries, preparing to apprehend Stane," Rhodes quickly replied.
"They are not going to be enough. I'm going over there now," Tony said as his Iron Man suit was fully assembled. Bright white light emitted from the chest and the eye sockets of the mask.
"Do you need my help?" Rhodes asked, his eyes fixed on another unpainted original model suit beside the workbench.
"Clear the skies for me," Tony said. As he finished speaking, he dropped his hands, and the engines on his palms and under his feet roared to life, emitting a rapid white laser. He then broke through the basement's ceiling and walls, launching himself into the sky.
"It's about time," A voice echoed from the stairs.
Rhodes turned around and saw Kyle calmly descending the stairs with a wine glass in hand.
"Mr. Kyle, aren't you worried at all?" Rhodes couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Worried about what?" Kyle's counter-question left Rhodes momentarily stunned, and then he sighed with a bitter smile on his face.
In the grand scheme of things, dealing with Stane seemed like a minor issue for the Symbol of Peace, who had single-handedly ended World War II.
Suddenly, Rhodes remembered something. "By the way, Mr. Kyle, ever since you returned, there's a General who really wants to meet you. He says there's something he'd like to request your help with. He mentioned that the military is preparing to deal with a monster that only you might be able to handle."
"A monster?" Kyle pondered for a moment and then said indifferently, "While I'd rather not get involved with the U.S. military again, if there's any room for me to take action against the monster you're dealing with, I might consider it."
"That's settled then," Rhodes said, feeling relieved. He pointed to the sports car in the basement and asked, "I'm heading to Stark Industries now. Would you like to go there too?"
"For Iron Man's first battle, I wouldn't miss it. Although, I won't be needing your car," Kyle replied. He put down his wine glass and, in front of Rhodes's bewildered gaze, walked over to the hole in the ceiling, which led to the outdoors.
"A car is too slow."
With a hint of disdain in his tone, Kyle threw out this remark. He then opened his dark wings, and with a light flap, created a gust of wind that sent items in the basement scattering.
He soared into the sky like a black streak, making a 90-degree turn above the mansion, and then shot off like a bullet into the distance.
Rhodes stood in astonishment. While Tony's Iron Man suit could still be somewhat explained scientifically, there was no way to scientifically explain Kyle's supersonic flight with twin wings.
"This is a whole different world," Rhodes mumbled to himself. With one last reluctant glance at the prototype suit, he hurriedly left to drive his car.
Meanwhile, at Stark Industries' manufacturing facility...
Bullet casings littered the ground, and three or four agents in suits were either unconscious or lay lifeless on the floor. The equipment and floor were in shambles as if they had been struck by a violent storm.
Pepper sprinted frantically, with a massive Iron Monger Machine chasing close behind. This Iron Monger Armor, with its thick, rough armor and heavy weaponry, made the suit's texture look ugly and oversized.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
With every step it took, the machine left deep craters on the factory floor as it closed the gap with Pepper.
"Ah!" Pepper cried out, but her high-heeled shoe heel broke, causing her to stumble and fall.
"Ahahaha!"
The Iron Monger Armor came to a halt as it reached her, casting a shadow over Pepper's crouched form. Stane's maniacal laughter and chilling words echoed from within the suit. "Pepper, you'll meet Tony in heaven soon!"
The Iron Monger Armor raised its left arm, equipped with a Gatling gun, and aimed its hollowed barrel at her. Pepper, with both hands on the ground, closed her eyes in despair.
At that critical moment, an invisible force swept through the area. It passed through Pepper without harming her. When it landed on the Iron Monger Armor, the heavily armored body was violently thrown back, flying over ten meters before crashing through several walls and creating sparks as it landed on the main road.
Feeling confused, Pepper opened her eyes and saw a stunningly beautiful black-haired woman standing where the Iron Monger Armor had been.
Raina held her hands out, maintaining a defensive stance. As the silver glow in her eyes dissipated, she smiled faintly and said, "Boss said to make sure his nephew's woman stays safe."
(End of this chapter)