Deep beneath Stark Solutions sits the private workshop of Tony Stark. It is here that Stark works at developing and improving the technology that drives the Iron Man armor. As he works on repairing damage done to the armor by AIM’s latest attack, he wonders who could be pulling the strings.

“Any luck?”

The voice comes from Jim Rhodes. Formerly a superhero in his own right, first as Iron Man and later as War Machine. He’s since retired from both those positions.

“In what?” asks Tony. “Repairing the armor or figuring out who’s behind this?”

“How does both sound?” asks Rhodey with a smile.

“Repairs are fine,” replies Tony. “AIM’s weapons didn’t cause too much damage.”

“And the mastermind…?” asks Rhodey.

“That I’m no closer to figuring out,” replies Tony.

“In that case, I guess you’ve ruled out AIM.”

“It doesn’t add up,” says Tony. “Why would AIM work with the Scarecrow of all people? He’s too unpredictable. And that said, how is the Scarecrow even here? I thought he died.”

“Tone, how many times have you died?” asks Rhodey.

“None, actually,” replies Tony. “I’m an imposter Rhodey, remember? Maybe if I was the real Stark, I could figure this out. But being just a shadow of him… who knows?”

“Don’t turn this into a self-pity thing,” says Rhodey. “Doesn’t matter how you came here, you’re Tony Stark, understand?”

“I remember three different lives, Rhodey—three different pasts,” says Tony. “But as time goes on, they fade away more and more… as if they’re only dreams.”

“So what’s your solution?” asks Rhodey. “Give up? Hope that whoever’s behind this will just go away? No Tony Stark I know would do that, and I don’t care what universe you came from.”

“You’re right,” replies Tony. “Jocasta.”

On a computer screen, the image of a robotic woman with a white face and black markings on it appears.

<<Yes Tony?>>

“I want you to gather all the information you can on Ebenezer Laughton,” says Tony.

<<The Scarecrow?>>

“Yes,” replies Tony. He stands and walks over to a closed, metal door with a sensor by its side. He places his hand on the sensor. The scanner scans his hand and the pad turns green as the locks disengage and the door slides open.

“Have the information ready for me as soon as I get back,” he says. Inside the small chamber is the familiar red and gold armor, which has become a household name across the world.

“And where are you going?” asks Rhodey.

“We already know AIM is responsible for the break-in, the question is why,” replies Tony as he begins to don the components of the armor. “Their last known base of operations was in a factory in Canada. It seems as good a place as any to start looking for some sort of connection.”

Tony slides on the helmet and looks up as the air tunnel opens. A cybernetic command activates the thrusters in his boots, sending him flying out from Stark Solutions.

Rumiko Fujikawa. Granddaughter of Kenjiro Fujikawa and heiress to Stark-Fujikawa. Also, she is presently involved with Tony Stark. A relationship which bears the possibility of putting her between a rock and a hard place.

"Rumiko…”

She turns her head at the sound of her name.

“Who’s there?”

“Rumiko, it’s me, let me in.”

“Tony?” she asks. “Tony, is that you?”

She pulls the drapes away from her balcony door and sees the red and gold form of Iron Man standing there. She slides open the door and allows him to come inside.

“You scared me for a minute there,” she says. “The armor’s different, isn’t it?”

“You… might say that,” says Iron Man. He removes his helmet and Rumiko jumps back slightly.

“You’re not Tony…” she says. “Who are you?”

“Call me Arno,” he says.

“What’s this all about?” asks Rumiko.

“I’m sorry, Rumiko,” he says. He gently takes her hand in his own and lifts it. He kisses the hand lightly.

“Let go of me…” says Rumiko.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he says. He closes his grip on her hand, careful not to harm her. Rumiko tries to pull away, but the attempt is futile. Arno lifts his free hand and moves it behind her neck. At the base of her skull, he leaves a small, disc-shaped object and Rumiko stops protesting.“There we are now,” he says. “Isn’t that better?”

“Yes…” says Rumiko. “Much better…”

“Good,” says Arno. He leans in and places his lips against Rumiko’s.

Canada

Iron Man’s boot thrusters deactivate as he touches down outside the factory which once housed AIM. He activates his sensors, scanning the immediate area for any hostiles. The sensors pick up nothing.

Iron Man steps towards the factory’s entrance. He points his open palm at the door and fires off a repulsor blast which kicks it open. Slowly, he steps inside and continues to survey.

“Jo, you read me?”

<<Loud and clear, Tony.>>

“The factory looks abandoned, scanners aren’t picking anything up, either,” says Iron Man. “No sight of MODOK, the Scarecrow, or even a single AIM agent. Were you able to get the information I requested on the Scarecrow?”

<<Yes, I have it here.>>

“Good, let’s hear what you have to say.”

<<Like you said, he’s dead.>>

“Which means we’re either dealing with an imposter or he somehow came back to life,” says Iron Man. "But please tell me you have something beyond that."

<<Unfortunately not.>>

"Isn't that great..." mutters Iron Man.

<<You do have an incoming call, however.>>

"From who?" asks Iron Man.

<<Ms. Fujikawa.>>

"Rumiko?" asks Iron Man. "Okay, put her through."

<<"Tony?">>

"Hey Ru, something you need?"

<<"I... I want to see you.">>

"Now's not really a good time, Ru."

<<"Tony... please? It's important.">>

"Okay, where are you?"

<<"My apartment.">>

"I'll be there as soon as I can," says Iron Man.

<<"Good... I'm looking forward to it.">>

The line goes dead after that.

"Jo, I want you to search through all the databases we have access to, locate any mention of AIM," says Iron Man. "Attacks, known bases of operation... anything. Basically, if it's connected to AIM in some fashion, I want to know about it."

<<I'll get right on it, Tony.>>

"Thanks, I appreciate it," says Iron Man. "By the way, did Rumiko sound a little... off to you?"

<<Off? I'm not sure what you mean.>>

"I dunno, there was just something odd about the way she spoke," says Iron Man. "You mean you didn't notice?"

<<Not particularly.>>

"Maybe I'm just overanalyzing then," says Iron Man. "Keep me posted on whatever information you find, okay?"

<<Of course.>>

Iron Man's boot jets lower him down to Rumiko Fujikawa's balcony. He places his hand on the glass door and gently slides it open. As soon as he steps inside the apartment, he disengages the encryption code on his helmet, and the locks for it to disengage. He removes it from his head and looks around.

"Ru?" he asks.

"In here," comes the reply.

Tony follows the sound of the voice, stepping inside the bedroom. Rumiko sits in the bed, the sheets covering her.

"Take it off," she says. "The armor."

"Ru, I thought this was serious," says Tony. "Look... as much as I would love to stay, I have work to do. I'm trying to figure out who was behind the attack on Stark Solutions."

"This is important," says Rumiko. "Tony, I need you. Please. Don't toy with me."

"I'm not, but now's not the time or the place," says Tony. "Ru really, I have to go. What's gotten into you?"

"I suppose you could say I have."

The closet doors open, and Arno Stark, the Iron Man of 2020, steps out in full armor. Tony immediately grits his teeth in rage once he sees the sight of his future nephew and pieces together the reason for his presence in Rumiko's bedroom.

"Rumiko, darling," says Arno. Tony looks over to Rumiko, who reaches beneath the covers and pulls out a gun.

"Ru..." says Tony. "Put the gun down."

"Aim for the head, Rumiko," says Arno. "Once Tony is out of the way, we can be together. And that's what you want, isn't it?"

"Yes..." says Rumiko. She takes aim with the gun and fires. Tony quickly brings his hand up and blocks the bullet with his armor. Tony makes the small leap across the room towards Rumiko and pulls the gun from her hand. He holds her body down and notices the small, disc-shaped object at the base of her skull. He pulls it free and faces Arno.

"You..." he says. "You're behind this."

"Tony...?" asks Rumiko. She looks around, and then says, "what's going on?"

"Come on, uncle," says Arno. "Grab your helmet. Come after me. I need a challenge. Killing different Tony Starks throughout the multiverse with no effort has worked up my appetite for a good fight."

Arno fires off his thrusters and crashes through the wall of Rumiko's bedroom. He flies off into the night sky, and Tony quickly grabs his helmet. He slides it on and the locks engage. The computer display begins flashing start-up information into his retina.

"Tony?" asks Rumiko.

"Get dressed and get to Stark Solutions," says Tony. He hands her the mind control device. "Rhodey's there right now, tell him everything you know and have him examine this."

"What are you doing?" asks Rumiko.

"I'm going after him," replies Tony. "He's going to pay for what he's done..."

Iron Man engages his thrusters and flies into the distance.

"Jocasta, can you get a lock on Arno's armor?" asks Tony.

<<I'm trying my best, but the technology of his armor is far more advanced than the technology we have access to.>>

"I know, advanced by almost twenty years..." mutters Tony. "Scrap the hunt for AIM, Arno's the one behind this, I'm sure of it."

<<Tony, behind you!>>

Tony doesn't have a chance to react as Arno slams into him at full-force. Tony begins to fall from the sky, but quickly recovers and engages his thrusters. The armor flashes a targeting speck into Tony's retina, and he tries to get a lock on Arno. Once the armor's CPU locks onto the target, Tony allows the armor to take over and unleash a barrage of repulsor blasts. A few of them hit their mark, but Arno recovers quickly by activating an energy shield. The shield protects him from the majority of the damage, and the shield reforms into a blade of some sort. Arno slashes at Tony, sparks fly as the energy blade finds its mark. Tony pulls back and runs a quick diagnostic on his armor to ensure that no vital components have been destroyed.

<<Tony, you have to pull back! You can't face him on your own! Let me call in the Avengers or...>>

"Not gonna happen, Jo," says Tony.

<<But Tony...>>

"I don't need the Avengers to take out this piece of shit!" exclaims Tony. "I can handle this just fine on my own!"

"Rumiko was also quite good at handling things on her own," says Arno.

<<Tony no, he's baiting you!>>

"And it's working..." mutters Tony. He fires off a unibeam, striking Arno directly in the chest.

<<Tony you're being irrational, let me call for help!>>

"No!" exclaims Tony. "I'm not afraid of him, I can handle this on my own!"

<<Who said anything about being afraid...?>>

"Enough!" exclaims Tony. He rockets towards Arno and slams into him. Arno clutches him and smiles beneath his helmet. Tony's eyes grow wide as the onboard computer begins flashing warnings into his retina, informing him that the power reserves are depleting. And then he realizes that Arno is absorbing his armor's energy.

Arno shoves Tony away from him, and the original Iron Man begins to tumble in freefall. Arno rockets below and catches him. Tony looks at him with curiosity, and Arno opens his palm in front of Tony's face.

"Goodbye, Tony," says Arno.

And then everything goes black.