c34: Hank and Ivan join forces, Russell and the Ancient One make plans
"Ivan Vanko, son of Anton Vanko, do you still wish to take revenge on Tony Stark?" Dr. Pym's voice echoed in Ivan Vanko's mind.
Ivan Vanko is not an ordinary prisoner. Compared to the vast opportunities he could seize, his past actions were minor.
Ark Reactor and its miniaturization technology—these are the keys to his future. As long as Ivan Vanko is willing to part with these technologies, or accept the various forces eager to employ him, he will instantly transition from prisoner to honored guest.
There's only one voice in the cell, yet no visible speaker. Where does the sound come from?
Ivan Vanko, startled but calm, heard Dr. Pym's voice. He only nodded nonchalantly, remaining composed. Dr. Pym's question revealed the true reason why Ivan remained confined.
Though many sought him and his tech, none were willing to support his quest for revenge against Stark. The revenge he yearned for—the real kind.
"We share a common enemy—Tony Stark," Dr. Pym continued.
"Unfortunately, none of us are his match."
Ivan Vanko raised an eyebrow, lips parted as if to speak, but his anger flared as he clenched his fists. His skills are not inferior to Stark's—it's Stark's underhanded tactics, his use of sneak attacks and technology, that set them apart.
"But together, we could defeat him," Dr. Pym suggested.
Ivan Vanko, resting against the cell wall, whispered, "What do you have to offer?"
"Pym particles," Dr. Pym responded, pride evident in his voice.
"What are those, and what use are they?" Ivan Vanko inquired.
"They can alter the size of objects, including armor and weapons," Dr. Pym explained.
Ivan Vanko scoffed, "So why not just build a bigger suit?"
"Just how big would you build it?" Dr. Pym asked. "Five meters? Twenty? One hundred meters?"
He then inquired, "What material would you use?"
Ivan Vanko fell silent. Making armor was not as simple as enlarging a statue—creating functional, movable battle armor required complex designs, intricate circuitry, motors, and precise control systems.
Seeing Ivan's silence, Dr. Pym smiled, satisfied with his reaction. "Pym particles don't merely resize objects. They induce a host of unknown, mysterious reactions."
"Can I see them?" Ivan Vanko asked, curiosity piqued.
"Not here," Dr. Pym replied cryptically, "First, you must prove your worth. Only then will you see their power."
Ivan Vanko stood up, muttering, "Your Pym particles must be as magical as you say."
He approached the cell door.
"Mr. Ivan Vanko, is something wrong?" A guard's voice called from outside.
"Tell Justin Hammer that I agree to his terms."
In a different dimension, the Ancient One and Russell observed the entire exchange through the mirror space. They had perfect clarity, even hearing the private thoughts of both men via telepathy.
Russell mused, "Pym particles plus armor equals a mecha."
He'd dreamed of mechas, especially after witnessing Penny Parker's SP//dr—a giant robot piloted by her—during the Spider-Verse event. However, that mecha was far too small. He envisioned something far grander.
"Russell," the Ancient One interrupted his thoughts, "Focus. It's time to work."
After using the Time Gem to spy on the past, the Ancient One and Russell discovered that Mephisto's plan was to pull both Tony and Russell into the Quantum Realm. The two decided to manipulate the situation.
The Ancient One prepared the battlefield within the Quantum Realm and arranged a magic circle. Meanwhile, Russell would target Dr. Pym, placing a portal spell on the shrinking particles.
The idea was simple: When Pym's particles were used to shrink Tony to the subatomic level, the portal spell would activate, sending Tony to the designated coordinates.
But this depended on one thing: Dr. Pym and Ivan Vanko must first defeat Tony Stark.
Dr. Pym's plan was to conquer Tony, send him to the Quantum Realm, and then bargain with Mephisto to bring back his daughter, Hope van Dyne.
The real question loomed: If Mephisto could resurrect Hope, could he also retrieve Janet van Dyne from the Quantum Realm?
Suddenly, Dr. Pym shuddered, shook his head, and returned to the present, clearing his unsettling thoughts.
Soon, a tall figure, dressed like Ivan Vanko, was ushered into the cell. Ivan had escaped and was now under the control of Justin Hammer's men.
A few days passed.
Tony Stark had been exceptionally busy. Though he had overcome his palladium poisoning and no longer urgently needed new elements for his Arc Reactor, SHIELD had returned the relics of his father, Howard Stark, and Tony made a groundbreaking discovery—new elements to greatly enhance the reactor's energy efficiency.
Work on testing and deploying the new armor began.
Meanwhile, in Queens, New York, at Hammer Industries' facility, Dr. Pym met with Ivan Vanko to discuss their progress.
"How's the unmanned armor you built with Justin Hammer's resources coming along?" Dr. Pym asked.
For the past several days, Dr. Pym had been working closely with Vanko at the Hammer facility, focused on their collaborative research.
"I've gained control of the Hammer Industries suit," Ivan Vanko replied, "And the mecha that utilizes the Pym particle's giantization ability is ready for testing."
Dr. Pym's impatience was evident. "Then let's act! We need to defeat Tony Stark and send him to the Quantum Realm."
Ivan Vanko shook his head. "It's one thing to defeat Tony, but how do we prevent him from escaping?"
"Escape? How could he escape?" Dr. Pym asked, confused.
"Don't you know?" Ivan Vanko replied, "He can use portal spells—he can teleport through space."
"If he didn't know magic, I wouldn't need your help to defeat him," Ivan added with a smirk.
Dr. Pym fell silent. He had no knowledge of Tony's magical capabilities.
Ivan Vanko's grin widened. "Don't worry. Tomorrow, the opportunity will come."
"Iron Man... you want to protect everyone, don't you?" he mused. "So, will you fight to the death or flee?"
Tony Stark had to make a choice. Whatever he decided, Ivan Vanko had a plan to make sure escape would be impossible.
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