5:45 P.M.

"...and the price of Stark Solutions stock continues to tumble amid allegations of tax fraud, improper use of government issued equipment and rampant alcoholism from the company's founder and CEO, Tony Stark--" 

Pepper flipped off the television, preferring the silence to the incessant droning of the commentator's voice. Since word of Morgan Stark's book had hit the streets, the phone lines at Stark Solutions had been jammed with eager reporters, all seeing confirmation or denials of the many scathing attacks in the book. Morgan had thrown virtually every charge against his cousin that was conceivable... and the sad thing, most of them had a good bit of truth to them. Tony had used government contacts for his own advantage on numerous occasions, usually for the best of reasons, and his battles with the bottle were well-known amongst his friends. The only thing that Morgan had avoided in the book, surprisingly enough, was discussion about Tony's "bodyguard," Iron Man. Why he hadn't gone down that road was beyond her... but she was glad for it.

Pepper sat in the makeshift board room, actually a briefing area in one of the many branch offices located outside Seattle, nervously biting her nails. A few small bandages and bruises remained from the horrific attack she'd suffered at the hands of Firebrand, but those wounds were fading... it was the ones inside she didn't think she could get rid of fast enough.

The room was sparsely furnished, with only a few artificial plants along the walls. A large television screen hung suspended from the ceiling with a small remote control resting on the tabletop near Pepper's hand. 

Rumiko Fujikawa sat across from Pepper, looking exotic and beautiful. Tony's current girlfriend, Rumiko had recently joined the ever-dwindling ranks of those who knew about Tony's dual identity. 

At Rumiko's side sat a silver android, whose skin was lined here and there with black circuitry. Jocasta had served as Tony's chief aide in recent times, existing for quite awhile as nothing more than a holographic entity. Now operating once more in a physical form, she had developed a frosty attitude towards Rumiko, thanks in large part to Jocasta's own growing attraction towards Tony. Jocasta had been in pieces after aiding Iron Man against the Black Lama, but after being reconnected to the central computer system that ran Stark Solutions, she'd rebuilt herself bit by bit.

The final person in the room was Bill Foster, a handsome African-American scientist who had worked for Tony off and on for years. Most recently, he'd been associated with the superhero group known as the Champions, but the end of that organization had led him back into Stark's employment. It was Bill who finally broke the awkward silence, clearing his throat and asking "So... where is he?"

Rumiko ran a hand through her long dark hair and smiled wanly. "He's fifteen minutes late. Could be anything from Dr. Doom to a traffic delay."

Bill nodded, leaning across the table to catch Pepper's eye. "I'm really sorry about Happy. How's he doing?"

"Still comatose... but the doctors say he's improving. Heck if I know how they came to that opinion, though. He just keeps wasting away in that hospital bed."

"He'll pull through. He's a fighter."

"Thanks, Bill." Pepper swallowed hard, looking away. She'd thought about refusing Tony's invitation to come to this meeting. When she'd needed him the most, he'd abandoned her so he could play superhero. But with the Stark Solutions headquarters in ruins and so much else in Tony's life falling to pieces, she felt like she owed this to him. 

"What the hell?" Bill gasped, drawing Pepper's attention. 

Flickering into view at the head of the table was a holographic version of Tony Stark. He wore a dark suit and looked tired, but still handsome. "Sorry for keeping all of you waiting."

<Is everything all right?> Jocasta asked, her mechanized voice sounding surprisingly warm when she addressed him. Rumiko cast her a confused glance, wondering just how much she should worry about this robot who was seeking to replace her in Tony's heart.

"Actually, J... it's not. When I returned from Texas with Morgan, I was hit with the fact that our corporate headquarters had been destroyed -- with every eyewitness swearing it was done by a dragon. What's more, several people were pulled from the wreckage by someone wearing armor similar to Iron Man's. And now with Morgan's book hitting the shelves, full of lies and half-truths, our stock is taking a tumble. And then there's the fact that I'm suffering from a degenerative brain condition."

These last words were spoken so matter-of-factly that Rumiko thought she had misheard him at first. "Brain condition?" she repeated.

Tony nodded. "That's why I'm not with you in person today. I'm paying a visit to an old friend who specializes in this sort of thing, trying to find out what my options are. The injury dates back to when I was infected with a variant of the Legacy Virus*. It damaged my brain tissue, which was worsened by the Scarecrow's fear toxins**. The nanite solution I used against the Melter*** has actually reinforced the injury, making it nearly impossible to repair. So far."

(*See issue 9. **A storyline that wrapped up in issue 29. ***Check out issue 30.)

"That's terrible!" Pepper exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell us before now?"

"I wanted to run some tests of my own, to verify what Morgan told me. It's true. Every word of it."

<It is possible that I might find a cure in my database, Tony.> Jocasta leaned forward, her metallic face shifting slightly to convey her concern. Rumiko noticed this, wondering just what else Jocasta had incorporated into her new body.

"I agree, J, and I want you to get to work on that right away. In the meantime, I have a few ideas of my own... but the long and short of it is this: I've wasted too many years of my life by acting like a shallow, self-centered jerk." Tony took a deep breath before continuing. "I've taken advantage of everyone in this room on more than one occasion -- and a lot more people who couldn't be here today. I want that to change, whether I'm dead in a year or not. Pepper... if you're willing... I'd like you to work with our public relations people. We're going to fight Morgan's smear campaign with all our guns blazing. I want my face all over the Internet and on every cable station that will talk to me. I plan to increase our charity spending 200%. And I plan to make things up to the people -- like you and Happy -- who've been wronged because of your association with me."

Pepper blushed, feeling almost ashamed. She'd meant every word she'd said to him at the hospital, but she'd never thought he'd actually take it to heart. Then again, death had a way of making every man face his inner demons. "I'm going to be spending most of my time at the hospital... but of course I'll help you, Tony."

The smile he gave her was a sincere one. "Good. And Bill -- thanks for coming back onboard. I'll want you to oversee the day-to-day operations of Stark Solutions until I've resolved my dilemma."

Bill blinked in surprise. "Uh... I've never run a company before. I don't have the experience to--"

"I have faith in you. Ordinarily, I'd turn something like this over to Pepper or Rhodey*, but for obvious reasons, I can't ask that of either of them."

(*Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes is busy in the Vault series by David Golightly)

<I will be there to assist you, Mr. Foster,> Jocasta offered.

"Thanks," Bill mumbled, but the look on his face remained one of concern. "So when are you going to come back?" he asked Tony.

"Soon, I hope. I'll give you a call and let you know how it goes."

<What friend are you consulting with, Tony?> Jocasta asked.

Tony's image flickered again and it was obvious that he hadn't heard the question. Instead, he glanced at Rumiko one final time before his holographic transmitter blinked out. "I'll call you tonight, Rumiko. Sorry for breaking it to you this way."

Rumiko blinked away tears as he disappeared. "Be careful," she whispered.

Morgan Stark sat quietly in the corner of his cell, arms tightly constrained by the straitjacket he wore. A sliver of gold metal was lodged between his eyes, shimmering in the bright lights of the hospital. In the twenty minutes that Misty Summers had watched him, he hadn't blinked once.

"Mr. Stark? I would really like to help you... don't you want me to have the orderlies remove that jacket? I know it's not comfortable."

Morgan stared mutely, showing no sign that he'd even heard her words.

Misty sighed, reaching up to remove her glasses and rub the bridge of her nose. Thirty-two years old, blonde haired and green eyed, she looked more like a dancer than a psychiatrist... but she was one of the top experts in the field when it came to dealing with metahuman psychotics. When Tony Stark had dropped his cousin off at Feldmore Hospital, she'd been given the task of finding out whether or not Morgan still existed any more, or if his mind had really and truly shut down forever. Mr. Stark had given them some of the details, including the fact that Morgan had somehow become a supervillain known as the Black Lama (Note to self, Misty thought, it's one "L" in Lama. He's not named after the animal). Apparently, the Lama had been defeated by Stark's bodyguard, the invincible Iron Man, and the defeat had left Morgan in a vegetable-like state.

"You haven't gone home yet?"

Misty jumped, her heart skipping a beat. She put a hand to her chest, turning to face another young doctor at the hospital, David Goetz. He was cute in a frat boy kind of way and had asked her out twice so far. "You nearly scared me to death."

"Don't blame you for being jumpy," he replied with a grin. "Thunder and lightning outside, flickering lights inside and old Morgan Stark staring at you like the mad hatter. That's enough to creep out anyone."

Misty blinked. The lights were flickering. Why hadn't she noticed before now? "I'll be done in a bit. I want to finish this report before I break for dinner."

David's smile faltered and he looked at her with concern. "Dinner? Do you even know what time it is?"

"What do you mean?" Misty glanced down at the wrist watch she wore. What she saw made no sense whatsoever. She'd come in to see Mr. Stark just before five in the afternoon. But it was now almost ten p.m., which meant her shift would be ending soon. "I don't understand...."

"Listen, you're not looking too hot." David stepped in and took her arm, helping her up from the stool. Her muscles were all knotted up from the hours she'd spent in the same position. David cast a glance over at Morgan, who remained right where he was, eyes wide open. "How about I drive you home? Or at least buy you a cup of coffee?"

Misty swallowed, confusion making her pulse race. The report she'd read had indicated that Morgan had some kind of mental powers... had he done something to her? She didn't remember anything like that happening, but how could she be sure? 

"Misty?"

Misty looked up, realizing that she'd failed to answer Dave's question about the coffee. "No, but thanks for the offer. I'm just... stressed out. I think I will clock out a little early, though. See you tomorrow."

Misty almost ran from the room, trying to put everything into perspective. But all she could see in her mind's eye was Morgan Stark, silently rocking side to side.

There were few men in the world that Tony Stark regarded as intellectual equals, if not superiors. Reed Richards, known to most of the world as Mr. Fantastic, was one of those chosen few. They'd collaborated on many things over the years and each encounter had left Tony with a newfound respect for Richards' intelligence. "What do you think, Reed?" he asked, hoping against hope that Reed had found something that he'd missed.

Iron Man wore his armor, though his helmet was held under one arm. He'd called ahead before dropping in, well aware of the powerful security system that protected the FF and their family from unwanted visitors. He glanced around the lab, waiting for Reed to finish analyzing the test results. There were gadgets here that whetted his intellectual appetite, but he reminded himself that he was here on more important business than talking shop.

Mr. Fantastic leaned back from the microscope, pausing before responding. Tony didn't like the look on his friend's face. Reed wore a long white lab coat over his FF uniform, with a small pencil stuck behind one ear. "The damage to your brain is extensive... basically, it's like a furrow has been carved into the heart of the gray matter. The region where the wound is located controls your memory and ingrained emotional responses. If it worsens, you'll begin experiencing confusion which will mount into long-term dementia."

"The nanites I have in my system now," Tony said, coming over to look at the readouts Reed put up on the screen, "won't work because they've been tricked into believing the damage is 'right.' I can't reprogram them to think otherwise... but I was thinking about injecting another batch, more powerful than the first, with explicit orders to overpower any resistance they encounter and repair the damage."

Reed nodded, thinking over the implications. "You know the risks, however?"

"That my brain will end up more machine than man? Yeah, I know. But what choice do I have?"

"Have you considered calling upon our mutual friends in the field of sorcery?"

Tony frowned. "I'm surprised to hear you throwing that out there as a possibility. At least not before all avenues of science are exhausted."

Reed resisted the urge to smile. Tony's aversion to the supernatural was well-known in the superhero community -- and the frequent target of jokes. "We live in a world where Stephen Strange is oft times capable of far more than you or I could ever dream of. There's nothing wrong with turning to him for help."

With a sigh, Tony nodded his agreement. "You're right... and it's something I've definitely considered. But I want to pursue every avenue before--"

Both Reed and Tony glanced over at Iron Man's helmet. The red and gold face mask was buzzing, a tinny voice sounding from within. Tony moved over to pick it up, expecting to hear Jocasta's voice... but it was a man's. A young man's. "Who is this?" he asked, slipping the helmet on. "And how in the hell did you get on this frequency?"

There was a moment's hesitation before the youth responded. "Call me Iron Lad."

"No thanks. I've been hell and back making sure nobody used my tech without permission*. So give me a real name."

(*Surely you recall the classic Armor Wars storylines (both of them)?)

"Nothing ever changes, does it?" Iron Lad replied. "In any era, you act like a jerk first and ask questions second."

"Give me a name." Iron Man ignored Reed's curious glare, instead using his armor's sensors to triangulate the source of the transmission. When he'd narrowed it down, he strode over to one of Reed's consoles and accessed the security feed. Sure enough, Iron Lad was right there, hovering above the FF's roof. When Reed gasped behind him, Iron Man held up a hand to signal that everything was under control.

"Call me Jimmy. Look, who I am isn't as important right now as fixing what's wrong with your head. Lex -- my robot -- says he's scanned you. Something happened to... someone I knew... and I think I can repair it."

Iron Man froze in place for a moment, shocked that this "Iron Lad" knew about his brain condition. Though he knew he should suspect a trap, he felt a strange certainty that this boy meant him no harm... perhaps it was the knowledge that Iron Lad had saved so many lives after the dragon had destroyed Stark Solutions. Or maybe it was something else that Tony couldn't quite put into words. "Don't move," he warned. "I'm coming out to meet you."

Rumiko walked through the brightly lit corridors, hearing her heels click on the metal surface of the floor with every step. Her ID card, given her by Tony himself, had allowed her entrance to the sub-levels beneath his current home, but she was still surprised that she hadn't yet run into--

"Jocasta." Rumiko stopped in place as she entered a small laboratory. Jocasta stood there, arms folded. But it was the figure behind her that caught Rumiko's eye. At first, she thought it might be Tony himself in a new suit of armor but the yellow and black-clad figure made no move of recognition. "What is that?"

<I have begun work on something created by Tony. He forwarded me the files for something he calls Project: Mainframe. A robotic intelligence based upon his own personality scans. Someone to carry on for him in the case that he dies.> This last word was spoken more quietly than the rest. <What are you doing here?>

"We need to talk."

<About what?>

"The fact that you're in love with my man."

<'Your' man? He does not belong to you. He is free to see whomever he wishes.>

"He likes his women to have a little more warmth to them," Rumiko replied testily. She shook her head, holding her hands up. "No. Let's start over. I didn't come to fight with you."

<Then what did you want?>

"I don't understand how this works... but it's obvious that you have feelings for Tony. So do I. So why don't we come to some sort of understanding?"

<In the end, he will leave you. That's the way all his relationships have ended. Because none of you understand him. Not really. But I do... I've been linked to him via a neural net in his helmet. I know how he thinks and why. And I'll never grow old, never lose my beauty.>

"Tony wants more than a pretty face," Rumiko replied, growing hot once again. 

<I agree. But you're not the answer to what he's looking for.>

"Look, I came here to try and reason with you."

<Then let's be reasonable,> Jocasta answered, her voice growing more cold by the second. <You might entertain him for now, but when your breasts sag and you develop crow's feet around your eyes, you'll become another in a long line of broken hearted sluts who couldn't maintain a relationship with Tony.>

Rumiko snatched up a notebook and hurled it at Jocasta. The android blasted it away with an eyebeam, moving forward so quickly that Rumiko couldn't avoid being snatched up in a metal fist. Jocasta lifted Rumiko off the floor, leaving her feet kicking in the air. "Let me go," Rumiko hissed, gasping for breath. "I'll tell Tony...."

For a moment, Jocasta did nothing and Rumiko feared that she was going to die here, in the basement beneath Tony's home. But then the former Avenger dropped her to the floor, averting her gaze. <I... am sorry. I have not been myself as of late.>

Rumiko scrambled away on the floor, clutching her throat. She fled the room, leaving Jocasta behind. 

Jocasta put a hand to the side of her head. <What is wrong with me?> she wondered aloud. <Will I eventually be a threat to Tony?>

Perhaps I can help you.

<Who are you?> Jocasta asked, looking around. The voice seemed to echo inside her own head like a transmission of some kind. She attempted to locate the source of the signal but could not.

Someone who understands you, Jocasta... perhaps better than you understand yourself. But you will have to trust me if you want to find the source of your madness... and carve it out.

Iron Man stared at the red and silver armor that Iron Lad wore and shook his head in amazement. He recognized the handiwork anywhere. That suit was based on his own designs... but in some ways, it was far superior to anything he'd ever invented. The two armored men stood on the rooftop of the Daily Bugle, having moved away from the FF's headquarters so they would have more privacy. The story that Iron Lad had laid out for him still boggled Tony's mind:

Iron Lad was James "Jimmy" Stark, Tony's own son from a future in which Tony himself occupied the White House and the Mandarin, Tony's deadliest foe, controlled the entire Orient thanks to an army of dragons and sorcerers. Jimmy was part of a heroic organization, the Force Guard, who occupied a position in society similar to that of the Avengers. Jimmy had come back in time to prevent the Mandarin's rise to power, only to find that things were moving more quickly than he'd anticipated -- and that the Mandarin was already in possession of at least one dragon, who had destroyed the Stark Solutions headquarters building*.

(*A brief summary of events revealed in our last two issues!)

"So... do you believe me?" Iron Lad asked.

"Let me see your face," Tony replied. He knew this could all be a pack of lies, but he'd done a fair bit of time travel himself and was inclined to believe this story. There was a ring of sincerity in Jimmy's voice when he spoke that moved him.

Iron Lad did as his father asked, revealing a visage that could have passed for Tony in his own youth. He was clean-shaven, with nose and lips that looked slightly different from his father's, but which were vaguely familiar to Tony. 

"Who's your mother?" Tony asked, unable to avoid the obvious question.

"I'd... rather not say."

"Have I met her yet?"

"Yes." Jimmy smiled softly. "Aren't you even going to ask about the cure I have for your condition?"

Iron Man laughed. "Sorry. Got distracted. What do you have?"

Iron Lad opened a compartment on his belt and removed a small vial filled with crystalline formations. "Empty this into your mouth. This is a liquid metal concoction that will seek out and neutralize the nanites in your bloodstream. Then it'll repair the damage to your brain, filling in the furrow with a small neural gel computer. You'll never even notice it's there and its got a battery that should last for 10,000 years."

"Brilliant. Did you invent it?"

"No... you did. In my timeline, you developed the same injury after exposure to the Legacy Virus, but it took years to come to light. I guess whatever incident sped it along here didn't occur in my time."

"I bet I know why. Arno Stark, another time traveler, came to this time and worked with Obadiah Stane and the Scarecrow to infect me with some fear toxins. The toxins made the brain damage much worse. I guess Arno never visited your timeline... at least not until much later."

"Once you're healed," Jimmy said, "We can get to work on stopping the Mandarin before he gains too much control in Asia."

"Sounds like a plan. Any side-effects from this?"

"You'll feel a little woozy, but that's all."

"Then bottom's up." Tony pushed his helmet up enough so that he sip the crystalline solution, grimacing as it touched his tongue. It tasted like battery acid, burning and hissing its way down his throat and into his bloodstream. He staggered a bit, his vision blurring. "Nasty."

"Sorry. Should have warned you that--"

Jimmy's words were lost in the harsh static of electricity. A burst of energy slammed into Iron Man, sending him hurtling towards the side of the rooftop. Iron Lad dropped his helmet back into place, wishing that he hadn't left Lex behind at their hotel room. The robot was excellent when it came to battle strategy.

"Sorry to interrupt, boys, but you have to understand -- we're on a schedule." The woman who spoke was one of three colorfully garbed individuals who were dropping from a hovering helicopter. They landed on the rooftop, each seeming very confident of victory. Iron Lad wondered who had built the 'copter, because neither he nor Iron Man had heard its silent approach. "Name's Joust," the woman continued. "And I've just pumped him full of 60,000 volts. Want to join him?" she asked, pointing her pistols at Iron Lad. Her blue-tinted costume and goggles hid much of her body, but her short spiky hair was familiar enough to Jimmy. He'd seen her in his father's files.

"Aren't you going to introduce the rest of the Stockpile?" another woman asked. Her face was hidden by flames, but Jimmy could hear the taunting in her words. "My name's Sunstreak, boy -- want to feel my solar lance?"

Before Iron Lad could respond, a burst of flame slammed into him. His armor absorbed most of the attack and he returned it in the form of a repulsor burst that knocked Sunstreak off her feet. 

"Watch out," Iron Man warned, staggering back to his feet. His mind was cloudy from the solution he'd ingested and the damage he'd received, but he knew the danger facing them. The Stockpile had once been a larger group, including a thief named Calico and an armored giant named Brass. The latter had actually been Morgan Stark in disguise... and Tony couldn't help but wonder if the group was connected to him still*.

(*The Stockpile fought Iron Man and War Machine in Iron Man v.1  #330-331)

Iron Lad tried to take the battle to the air, but his father's word of caution made him hesitate. That cost him dearly, because something hard slammed into him, sending painful energy cascading through him. He looked over to see that it was the third member of the team: the Unicorn. A horn on his helmet glowed with power and before Iron Lad could throw up a force field, Joust was back on him, firing her electrical guns at him. He screamed, writhing on the ground.

Tony grabbed hold of Unicorn, backhanding him so hard that a tooth flew from the villain's mouth.

"Tough bastard, aren't you?" the Unicorn hissed, blood dripping from his lower lip. "Looks like you've had one too many, though."

Iron Man staggered, the world swimming around him. He couldn't fail... not with his son -- his son! -- in pain... not when he was trying so hard to be a better man. How could he hope to do that if he couldn't save a boy who came through time just to help him?

And then Sunstreak's solar lance ended all Tony's concerns for the moment.

Two Hours Later

In the Nevada desert, some miles outside Las Vegas, lay what appeared to be another butte, just one among hundreds. But deep beneath this facade lay a Maggia base that was home to hundreds of men and women, all of whom swore unswerving loyalty to one mistress.

That woman now gazed down at the prone forms of Tony Stark and a youth that was unknown to her. Her face was hidden beneath a golden mask, but she could not help making some sign of emotion as she reached out to touch Tony's cheek.

She was Whitney Frost, known to some as Madame Masque.... and once upon a time she and Tony Stark had been lovers. "I hope you forgive me for what's to come," she whispered.

TO BE CONTINUED

NEXT ISSUE: Whitney Frost is back! Why has she kidnapped Tony Stark and what secret does she hold that will turn Tony's life upside down? Be here for "Better Man" part two!

Author's Notes

We have a letter from Steve Crosby this time around, who reviews issues 31-34:

Thanks very much for taking the time to comment, Steve. I'll try to address your points as they came:

Continuity is a "bad word" at Marvel these days but I think that continuity is essential to the construct of a fictional universe. We shouldn't be slaves to it at the expense of good storytelling, but as characters evolve, more and more stories become possible and a richer tapestry develops -- by ignoring continuity in favor of constant reboots, that richness is lost. The new Firebrand (and Melter and Enforcer and Man-Bull!) are the equivalent of Star Trek "red-shirts." Yeah, we saw them in actual stories -- whichever story you want to imagine they were a part of, lol. "That's the new Melter under the A.I.M. helmet in panel four!" or something to that effect.

Yes, I assume that the LMD Morgan had "forgotten" what he really was and the similarities to the Extremis stuff were definitely intentional.

Your statement about there being other criminals created by the Black Lama is dead-on. When I first came to Marvel 2000, I was taken by the large number of villains who'd been killed off. I had a few villains I wanted to restore for this title, but I also wanted to leave something behind that other writers could pick up on and use to bring back new versions of some of the villains who'd been killed off.

Black Lama will return, rest assured. As you saw in this issue, that shard of the globe that's been embedded in Morgan's forehead means that he'll remain a viable threat to Iron Man in the future. The fallout from the tell-all book that Morgan's LMD wrote will linger for quite some time.

As for the supporting cast, I have big plans for Rumiko and all the supporting cast members... including Iron Lad and Whitney Frost. Part of what makes Tony's life so rich is that his friends are often just as interesting as he is -- and I plan to play that up as we go along.

The current storyline -- "Better Man" -- wraps up next issue, after which Tony will spend some time helping out a few of his friends. And looming on the horizon, as warned by Iron Lad, lies the Mandarin....

Keep in touch,

Barry Reese