MARVEL 2000 PRESENTS...

IRON-MAN # 41

Written by Ben Wolfert & Zach Crane

The penthouse of Rumiko Fujikawa

“You’ve got a lot of nerve just coming up here unannounced. Just who the hell do you think you are?” Rumiko Fujikawa said with an ice-cold tone to her voice. She was staring angrily at a tiny speaker besides the stainless steel doors that marked the entrance to her penthouse in the commercial district of city, Japan.

“I’m Tony Stark,” came the calm, simplified response.

“What the hell are you doing here? Didn’t I make it clear that I want nothing to do with you? And how did you get up to my penthouse?” Rumiko demanded, none of the edge diminished from her voice.

“I’m Tony Stark,” repeated over the speaker. “And unless you consider abruptly hanging up the phone, which constitutes rather poor manners I might add, as making things clear than I would argue you did no such thing,” came that smooth, polished response. Some would have wondered if the line was rehearsed, but Rumiko knew it was just Tony’s way with words.

“Don’t you dare lecture me on manners,” Rumiko seethed, clenching both her hands into tightly balled fists. “You shut down the Jakarta project and left me with the shit job of rushing home and trying to explain to our local investors what the hell we were doing. Now if you don’t mind, I need to get some sleep so I can be ready for tomorrow’s meeting!” she said with a tone of finality.

Tony grinned from his position on the other side of the door. This, this was why he wanted Rumiko Fujikawa. By this point in the conversation he could have talked almost any other woman into opening the door and letting him in. But Rumiko was different. She was a warrior of the commercial world, just as he was, and she refused to let the gender gap shortchange her at any negotiations table.

“You don’t need to rest, because there won’t be any meeting,” Tony said, a bit of the bravado dropping for his voice. But, like most things Tony did, it was a calculated maneuver. This was his wildcard; this was what he knew that Rumiko didn’t.

“What are you talking about?” she replied, trying to maintain the edge to her voice.

“I’ve reinstated the work in Jakarta. It was a mistake to ever shut it down,” Tony conceded. A long period of silence ensued before a soft clicking noise heralded the opening of the door. Rumiko stood in the entrance, clad in a long, discrete red robe that appeared to be made of the finest silk. A dragon circled the garment in golden embroidery.

“A mistake? You, Tony Stark, made a mistake?” she asked, arms crossed stubbornly over her chest.

“Yes, I made a mistake,” Tony admitted, breathing an internal sigh of relief once the door opened. To be completely honest, he wasn’t sure Rumiko was going to open the door for him. That’s why Bill and Jimmy were still in the car outside. But with the door open, allowing him to look Rumiko in the face, the confidence returned. The confidence that had driven to come here in the first place, the feeling of certainty that, no matter how angry she was, Rumiko would accept his apology.

“And that’s why you came here? What did you do, strap on the suit and fly all the way over? Or did you just hop in your jet and have Jocasta fly you over? I’m sure she was more than willing,” Rumiko said with a sardonic tone.

“No…I’m here on business.”

“Iron Man business or Tony Stark business?”

“A little bit of both actually. Listen, I know you’re angry, and you have every right to be. I’ve spent too much of my time recently focused on Iron Man…on the armor, on the future…on all of the people hell bent on destroying Iron…on destroying me. I became disconnected with the things that are really important…the people that are really important. Pepper, Happy…you. And I tried to grab back onto that part of my life by doing what I was always best at. Running the business, making the big decisions. Bill warned me against shutting down the Jakarta project, but you know me. It’s hard to say ‘no’ when I get on a roll. So I axed the project without looking at all the details. Sure, the Jakarta project wasn’t our most efficient, but things weren’t as bad as they appeared on the surface. I think it can still be salvaged,” Tony said, describing the situation as he would in front of the board.

“So what’s this? A courtesy call telling me to report back to work tomorrow?” Rumiko replied with another barb.

“You’re not making this easy,” Tony threw out there, the hurt beginning to manifest itself in his voice.

“I didn’t know it was supposed to be,” Rumiko shot back, her Japanese accent becoming heavier on her words.

“This is an apology. Not from a coworker, but from a friend…”

“A friend?”

“Is there anything else?” Tony asked, the bravado gone from his voice.

“I understand what it’s like to be caught up in work Tony. I guess I just haven’t come to grips with the fact that being Iron Man isn’t always a choice you get to make. Come inside, and we’ll talk. I’ll make some room on the couch for you,” Rumiko conceded with a comforting smile, stepping aside to allow entrance into her penthouse.

“The couch? How come?” Tony asked with a sly smile on his face.

“Because,” she replied, “you’re Tony Stark.”

Happy Hogan’s hospital room

It had been weeks since the day when Pepper Potts’ life started to crumble. Weeks since Morgan Stark, Tony’s deranged cousin, had published his expose on the skeleton’s hanging in the family’s closet. Surprisingly enough only skeletons were referred to as dwelling in the closet…not armor. It had been weeks since Morgan’s lackey, a villain named Firebrand, attacked Pepper and her husband, Happy. The attack had left Happy in a coma, one that he continued to lie in. And all of that turned out to be just the beginning. Were Happy simply in a coma, things might have been…easier. For a while after the attack the doctor’s reported improvement in Happy’s condition. But then, inexplicably, he seemed to fade a bit. And then, one day when Pepper was sitting by Happy’s side, a phone call came. Only one word was uttered through the receiver…

“Pepper…” the voice had said. It was Happy’s voice. And then it was gone. Pepper had fled to Rumiko’s apartment; desperate for some consolation and unable find it with her longtime friend and employer, Tony. It was in Rumiko’s apartment that hologram-like ghost of Happy appeared, attempting to communicate with Pepper. Pleading with her to find Tony. To warn him. The message was filled with static, but Happy insisted that someone was still alive. Tony had to be warned.

Nothing out of the ordinary had happened since that night. She had been here, at Feldmore Hospital, sitting right alongside her husband. Every day and every night, holding her vigil. The waiting game was beginning to take its toll on the quietly beautiful Pepper. She had lost weight, preferring not to dine on the food provided to her in the hospital. Her skin had shifted to a slightly paler shade than normal. Tony, while noticeably absent, had been understanding of Pepper’s need to be at Happy’s side. He had Jimmy and Bill assisting him with everyday tasks while assigning Jocasta to remain at Feldmore around the clock. Why her comatose husband required the protection of a former Avenger she didn’t know, but Pepper was certainly appreciative.

But the vigil was also beginning to take its toll on Pepper’s state of mind. Spending days on end at the bedside of someone in a coma was one thing, especially when it’s the person you love. But knowing that it was some nut job in a costume that induced the coma, and that her husband…or someone pretending to be her husband, was out there trying to communicate with her? Well, that was enough to make a woman crazy. There were so many questions, and so few answers. And when one is left alone, left to think all day long, then the desire for answers becomes maddening. And in the absence of answers, Pepper was looking for someone to blame.

For a while it had been Tony. Morgan was lashing out at Tony, trying to harm Tony, and had used Happy and her to do it. Tony had endangered them by association, and wasn’t even there to protect them. Tony had been so consumed in his armor and himself that he had failed a number of the people closest to him, not the least of which was Happy. But that line of thought didn’t last long. Pepper and Happy had been a part of Tony Stark’s life for so long that they knew the risks. They knew the danger their lives would be put in, and they stayed by Tony’s side. No, it was certainly a Stark that Pepper blamed for Happy’s condition. It just wasn’t Tony. It was Morgan. And curiosity was beginning to get the best of her.

Pepper stood from her seat and her bones cracked in protest. A fleeting sense of lightheadedness washed over her before she was able to regain her bearings and walk to the other side of the room. She opened slid the heavy door open a crack after a considerable amount of effort. Just outside the entrance of the room stood a robotic woman comprised entirely of some silver alloy.

“Jocasta, could you come in here a moment?” Pepper asked of the silent sentinel. Jocasta took a passing glance up and down the hallway before proceeding to open the door the rest of the way and step inside. Pepper retreated a few more steps into the room as the door slid shut behind them.

“I really appreciate you looking after us Jocasta,” Pepper began. She was telling the truth; having Tony’s other personal assistant and part-time Avenger watching out for them put Pepper’s mind at ease a great deal. “I was wondering if you could help me out a little bit more though. There’s something I want to know…” Pepper continued, letting her voice trail off to ensure that she had the robot’s attention. Upon further inspection she found this to be rather pointless; of course Jocasta was paying attention, she wasn’t human. Well, not entirely, at least.

“Of course Pepper. What do you wish to know?” Jocasta replied, canting her head to the side and peering out at Pepper with yellow electronic eyes.

“Where are they holding Morgan Stark?” Pepper asked without hesitation.

“I’m sorry Pepper. That information is classified,” Jocasta replied in a flat, vaguely feminine robotic tone.

“Classified? From who? On who’s authority?” Pepper demanded, feeling her cheeks flush red with anger.

“I’m sorry Pepper. That information is classified,” came the exact same reply.

“Stop saying that!” Pepper shot back, and she now found herself screaming at their guardian.

Silence filled every empty space in the room, and Pepper looked angrily from Jocasta, to Happy, and back to Jocasta again. Pepper had been so caught up in her concern for Happy that she hadn’t paid much mind to the other emotions that had been nagging her, ebbing away at her strength and resolve. And now she was flooded with an overwhelming sense of helplessness. It was not something Pepper was accustomed to feeling, even in the employ of a millionaire superhero.

“Please Jocasta…I know you understand how much I love Happy. How far you’ll go because of that love,” Pepper said, now pleading. But it was more than pleading. It was, as some might call it, a low blow. Jocasta had previously encountered “feelings” for Tony Stark. Feelings that had not been reciprocated in kind. It was an uncomfortable period in an otherwise fruitful relationship. And now Pepper was, at least inadvertently, appealing to those emotions. It was the only card she had left.

Jocasta gave pause. A thoughtful expression flashed across the stainless-titanium features of her face. Jocasta hadn’t been “programmed” like other robots; she had originally been the shell for another woman’s consciousness. When that consciousness returned to its original form, a mental “residue” had been left behind upon which Jocasta eventually developed her own personality and moral compass. So while Jocasta had a program with specified directives and commands, her artificial intelligence was strikingly human. Pepper’s heartfelt pleas appealed to this aspect of her programming, and after several moments of “processing”, she knew the right thing to do.

“Morgan Stark is currently located in the room four-oh-three of the psychiatric ward at Feldmore Hospital,” she replied with a pang of worry in her voice. She had deduced the nature of Pepper’s inquiry, and knew full well the ramifications of what she had told her friend; that the man responsible for her husband’s coma was located two floors above in the very same building where they currently stood.

Inside the SHIELD Helicarrier, just off the coast of Japan

“So, does SHIELD require the aid of Iron Man, or Tony Stark?” Tony inquired, glancing casually across the table at Dum Dum Dugan. The veteran SHIELD officer, with trademark fiery red mustache and derby hat atop his head, stared back across the table with a slightly more serious look. He removed a stubby cigar from his mouth and shot the thick grey smoke off to the side before replying.

“I’m hoping the assistance of your armored bodyguard isn’t necessary Mr. Stark,” Dugan replied. Dugan was one of the few people outside of Tony’s immediate circle that knew Iron Man’s true identity. But their current conversation was being held inside of the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier, a flying fortress with enough military might to level several small countries. That meant their conversation was probably being monitored, as well it should have been.

“Would you mind explaining to me what the problem is then? I’d like the full breadth of the situation so that I can accurately assess my company’s ability to fill your demands,” Tony said, his tone shifting to a no-nonsense demeanor. There was a hidden meaning beneath his words though; Tony Stark was asking for an assessment of the situation, but it was really for Iron Man’s benefit. Despite Dum Dum’s hopes, Tony knew that they wouldn’t have contacted him if all they needed was some mechanical assessment. No, things would be far from that simple.

“The problem is a rather sizeable one, Mr. Stark. About the size of a large floating island just off the coast of Japan, actually. The Jade Empire, as I’m sure you’re aware, appeared two weeks ago at the summoning of the international terrorist known as the Mandarin. In addition to the obvious fact that an unidentified land mass looking like something out of an Indiana Jones movie was suddenly looming over the Pacific, we also had reports of dragon sightings throughout the area. I believe Iron Man actually encountered one such creature,” Dum Dum explained while sliding a portfolio of images across the table to Tony. The photos were an extensive collection displaying the Jade Empire from all angles. Tony continued with the charade, leafing through the images and carefully observing the details.

“Anyways, several associates of your organization assisted in the apprehension of the Mandarin. Since then we’ve been carefully monitoring the island, and I’m happy to say there’s been no activity. But we’ve grown concerned that the Jade Empire could become the target of other terrorist sects such as A.I.M. We’re taking measures to better understand the nature of the Jade Empire, but we want to move the island to a safer location and devise a safe way of destroying it, if need be.”

“I think you made the right decision, offering my company the contract for this work. And I certainly understand the precaution you’re taking with the Jade Empire. It’s important to understand how the Jade Empire is staying afloat before you attempt to move or destroy it. I believe contrary, but suppose the island was being propelled by some sort nuclear reactor. Attempting to destroy the island via implosion could trigger a chain reaction. And the last thing you want is nuclear fallout this close to Japan”

“Correct. So, do you think you can handle the task?” Dum Dum asked, folding his hands peaceably on the table.

“I believe so. I’d like to have Iron Man do some reconnaissance around the perimeter of the island. It might be possible to have the Helicarrier tow the island off, at least until it’s a safe distance from the mainland. After that I’d like to examine a bit of the island for myself. I’m trying to restore some of the faith in my company, and having some press shots of our aiding the dissolution of a potential international crisis certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing, if you know what I mean,” Tony said with a for-show knowing smile. The subtext of the entire conversation was that SHIELD would be getting both Tony Stark AND Iron Man.

“Of course. We have several teams going through the temples on the island right now, ensuring that there aren’t any nasty surprises waiting for us.”

Inside the Jade Empire…

“This place is giving me the creeps,” Benjamin Kintera said, eyes focused on the cobbled path in front of them. He gripped his field-issue combat rifle firmly, keeping the barrel-mounted flash-light firmly trained ahead. Darkness folded ominously around him from all sides, broken only by the light from his rifle and that of his partner, Adam Roth. The two were veteran SHIELD officers, clad in their standard blue uniform with the hawk crest on the right breast.

“No kidding. I don’t envy the rest of the squad, still heading deeper into this place. Then again, we have to try and find our way out of this funhouse and re-establish communications with base,” Adam replied gruffly, picking up his rifle a bit and adjusting his glasses with the back of his hand.

“We’ll be out before you know it. We just need to follow the tracers out. Our own personal trail of bread crumbs,” Ben said reassuringly. Ben was the shorter of the two agents, standing at about five feet, six inches. He was a little bit stockier as well, but the way he carried himself spoke of great confidence. Every few meters they would come upon a small module on the ground emitting a soft blue light. But after continuing further through the Jade Empire temple’s darkened tunnels, the tracers began to become further and further interspersed.

“Hold up a second Benny. I’m not picking up the next tracer…” Adam said, holding up a lanky arm and barring any further progress by his partner.

“It can’t be that much further…let’s just push ahead,” Ben said, pushing his way through. A wind howled past them on its way deeper into the temple. Adam took this as a sign that the exit couldn’t be too far away and followed his friend, holding his finger tentatively over the rifle’s trigger.

Several more minutes passed by in silence and near-darkness, and the temperature began to drop around the two SHIELD agents.

“I think it’s time to stop and double back,” Adam said. Ben paused, starting to think that his partner and long time friend was right. He swung his rifle from side to side, letting that spotlight arc across the shadows. The same old worn down stone surrounded them, with several branching paths appearing behind them.

“I think you’re right…but which way is back?” Ben asked. Adam turned around and followed the beam of light from Adam’s rifle. That was when something shrouded in dark green cloth flew through the light before passing back into the darkness. Adam swung his rifle up with a flick of his wrist and managed to catch the tail end of the shroud before losing it again in the darkness. Ben, without any direction, swung his rifle wide, hoping to catch whatever was moving in a pincer between the two spotlights. But when the two converged, there was nothing there.

Adam heard Ben let loose a blood-curdling scream of pain. He brought his rifle to bear as quickly as possible, but by the time he reached the spot where Ben had stood, the tunnel had gone silent, and nothing remained save for the darkness. As abruptly as the scream stopped though, the darkness vanished, replaced by a momentarily blinding flood of light, cast on the corridor by a series of green flames along wall-mounted torches. When the shock subsided Adam could see what had happened to his partner; Ben lay on the ground, in a pool of his own blood. Before he could call out Adam felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. Glancing down, he saw a crimson coated blade protruding through his stomach. And then everything went dark.

“The Jade Empire does not suffer intruders…” came the deep tone from ninja standing over Adam’s fallen form, shrouded in a deep emerald gi and holding a wicked looking blade. Its facial features were lost in a cloak of shadows. A soft “SHRAP” filled the corridor though, and the ninja fell forward in silent death upon the man he himself had just slain, the back of his gi scorched.

“Indeed. Isn’t convenient than that this island will soon belong…to Doom,” echoed the powerful voice of another armored man. Victor Von Doom surveyed his handiwork for only a moment before disappearing into the darkness of a neighboring corridor…

Happy Hogan’s hotel room, Feldmore Hospital

“Here?!? You’re telling me that Morgan Stark, the man truly responsible for my husband’s coma, is being kept HERE, at Feldmore Hospital?” Pepper demanded, rage flushing into what had just previously been a dull, expressionless face. She was on her feet a split second later. Pepper’s body had seemed to shrink during the vigil she had held at the hospital, but all of that was gone with the blink of an eye. Her body quaked with anger, her lips quivered with rage, making her appear like a woman bordering on the edge of insanity, ready to lash out.

“Pepper, please calm down,” Jocasta urged, reaching her hand out through the air, hoping to soothe her friend’s nearly-tangible rage.

“Calm down? How…I…how could Tony keep this from me? Jocasta…how…how could you not tell me? Just standing there in the hall all this time…while that murdering son of a bitch just…lays there, a floor away!” Pepper shouted, yanking her arm away from Jocasta’s out-stretched hand. Her breathing began to even out, and it no longer appeared as if her body would shake itself to pieces.

“I’m sorry Pepper. I can assure you that Tony and I considered the logistics and permutations. This is the most logical avenue,” Jocasta said, bringing the formerly outstretched arm back to her side.

“Listen, it doesn’t matter. I don’t care. Hell, just makes this all a little bit easier. You can even help me” Pepper said, taking a deep breath. And after that she did something truly out of character. She laughed, the chuckle rumbling in her chest before sliding past her lips.

“Help you with what?” Jocasta asked.

“Kill Morgan Stark. Help me kill Morgan Stark,” Pepper uttered with a steely look on her face. She took a one last, significant look at her comatose before turning to leave the room. Jocasta briskly moved in between her and the door.

“I can’t allow you to do that. Please reconsider this decision Pepper. Murdering Morgan Stark will not alleviate the pain you feel in Happy’s absence, nor will it bring your husband back,” Jocasta offered, lightening the tone of her voice in the hopes of calming Pepper.

“How the hell do you know that?” Pepper started breathing fire again, the anger rushing back as quickly as it had left. She took another step towards Jocasta, leaning forward in an antagonizing matter. “What if Morgan’s trapped Happy’s mind in some alternate dimension? Or another time…like in the future? Is that so strange? We work for a guy who flies around in a suit of armor…you’re a robot with the leftovers of a woman’s mind! Now you tell me why killing Morgan Stark can’t bring Happy back!” By the time Pepper was done she was screaming at Jocasta. It was unnerving that Happy continued to lay there motionless, despite the raised voice in his presence.

And Jocasta remained silent. She had no answer for Pepper, or for the questions she posed to herself. And so she stepped aside, deciding to let Pepper through and follow her out the door.

Psychiatric ward, Feldmore Hospital, third floor

David Goetz poured over a dossier’s worth of notes at the nurse’s station, hunched over the counter. He would occasionally glance up from the pages in the folder to look at a neighboring computer monitor, examining what appeared to be a set of time records. The psych ward at Feldmore consisted of one long, lonely hallway lined with sickly green colored linoleum floor. The nurse’s station stood abandoned at the moment save for David Goetz, a young doctor with the chiseled looks and dazzling smile normally associated with the star football player or all American fraternity brother. To the naked eye it appeared as if this hall was just like any other in the hospital. But several orderlies and civilians wandered up and down the hall, peeking into a random room every so often.

“Hell of a lot of good these armed guards have done,” David thought, peering over the manila folder as a rather imposing male nurse walked by. The young doctor scoffed under his breath, angered at the amount of money he figured someone was paying to have his ward under constant watch. “Misty’s been missing for days now and all these guys do is walk up and down the hallway…who the hell would want anything to do with that veggie in 304 anyways?” David sighed. Despite his surface refusal, David suspected that the patient in room 304 was at the center of all the odd activity.

Room 304 was the padded room of Morgan Stark, the super villain who also went by the alias “The Black Lama.” Just one “L”, Misty Summers had always said. Lama, not llama. It just wouldn’t do to be a villainous monster named after a mammal known for its humped back. Misty had been the young doctor assigned to observe Morgan when he first arrived on the wing. Much to David’s dismay, Misty began to act disoriented and confused whenever she had her sessions with Morgan. The evil Stark gave no outward signs of activity though, remaining huddled in the corner of his cell.

David clenched his fist in frustration. Nothing. He had found nothing in Misty’s notes or time records that would possibly explain her absence. He took a long, hard look down the hall at room 304. Morgan Stark had something to do with this, he just knew it. But hunch was all he had, and with that wasn’t much for the guards now patrolling the hallway to work off of. David didn’t even know it was Tony Stark funding the whole operation.

The sound of a swinging door drew David’s attention the end of the hallway. He caught the tail end of Pepper Hogan’s dress fluttering into a neighboring pantry. Finding this odd he moved from behind the nurse’s station and prepared to investigate when he saw something even more unusual. Standing there, staring listlessly through the glass window into room 304, was Misty Summers, the beautiful doctor that had been missing for several days now. She had her white lab coat wrapped snugly around her dancer’s body, her blonde hair wrapped up in a tight bun above her head. It was as if she had appeared out of thin air.

“Misty?” David asked in a hopeful tone. The young woman turned hesitantly, her arms crossed over her chest.

“Stop right there!” yelled the hulking nurse who had passed by David earlier. He had emerged at the other end of the hallway along with another physically intimidating man dressed in civilian attire. Both were reaching into their jackets, clearly moving to brandish weapons of some sort. A horizontal column of flame engulfed both men before they could draw though, leaving behind only charred remains and a woman with flames surrounding her body.

“Misty…” David muttered, the shock of the situation freezing him where he stood.

Misty continued turning, looking David dead in the eyes with a cold, unfeeling gaze.

“My name is Calico now, and I serve Morgan Stark and the Stockpile,” Misty replied coolly, producing a firearm from her coat and aiming at the David’s head. Before the doctor could beg for his life the woman he had admired pulled the trigger.

TO BE CONTINUED...