Back in Metropolis, another explosion lit up the sky as Metallo unleashed power that threatened to tear him apart. "All units fall back!" Hill's voice carried barely controlled fear. "Those cores are going critical!"
Sam grabbed Lois's arm, trying to find words for the fear squeezing his chest. "You need to move. Now."
"Dad-"
"That's not a request, soldier." His voice cracked slightly. "I'm not losing you to this."
For a moment, she stood firm. Then Amy whimpered, the sound cutting through her resolve. She finally let him guide them toward the evacuation zone, though her eyes never left the battle above.
At Edwards, Chen watched his superiors exchange loaded looks as General Lane's voice filled their command center: "I don't care what Colonel Rhodes says is happening in Malibu. I've got a situation in Metropolis that's about to go nuclear. Literally. Superman's engaged with a hostile that's putting out enough radiation to light up half the eastern seaboard."
Rhodes stepped forward, expression tight. "General, with all due respect-"
"The alien saved my daughter tonight, Colonel." Sam's voice carried steel beneath the static. "He's up there right now trying to keep a walking reactor from going critical over a major population center. So unless you've got something in Malibu that tops that, I need those birds in the air."
Chen watched the radar signatures over California - two objects moving at speeds that shouldn't be possible. But the energy readings from Kansas made them look like firecrackers next to a nuclear bomb.
"Understood, sir," Major Allen said quietly. He turned to his personnel. "Scramble everything we've got. And somebody get me NORAD on the line. If those cores breach containment..."
The rest was lost as new alarms screamed across their boards. Whatever was happening in Metropolis, it was about to reshape more than just one night.
High above Kansas, Clark dodged another wild blast as Metallo's frame continued to deteriorate. Through his armor's sensors, he could feel the cores approaching terminal instability.
While chaos unfolded in Metropolis, the Malibu night was torn apart by its own battle of titans. Two armored figures shot skyward, their contrails painting harsh lines against dark clouds. Tony pushed his thrusters beyond safety limits, watching power levels drop with each passing second as he climbed higher.
"Thirteen percent power, sir," JARVIS reported with characteristic precision.
"Climb!" Tony ordered, forcing the suit upward despite systems screaming warnings at him. The Mark III wasn't designed for this kind of sustained ascent, especially not with the older reactor barely holding together.
"Eleven percent."
"Keep going!" The air was already getting thinner, ice beginning to form along the armor's joints. But he needed more altitude, needed Stane to follow him up where the laws of physics became deadly weapons.
"Seven percent power."
"Just leave it on the screen!" Tony snapped, his breath coming harder as they passed through cloud layers. "Stop telling me!"
The Iron Monger kept pace behind him, that massive frame somehow maintaining pursuit despite its bulk. Those rocket assemblies shouldn't have been possible on something that size, but Stane had always been good at breaking rules - both physical and ethical.
Metal fingers suddenly closed around Tony's ankle, yanking him down with crushing force. The Iron Monger's brilliant white eyes blazed as Stane brought their helmets level, his grip shifting to Tony's throat.
"You had a great idea, Tony," Stane's voice carried genuine appreciation beneath its mechanical distortion. "But my suit is more advanced in every way!"
He pulled Tony closer, that massive frame actually humming with contained power. Through the gaps in his armor, Tony could see the stolen reactor pulsing with energy that should have been used for something better than this.
"Yeah?" Tony managed despite the pressure on his throat. A smirk touched his lips beneath the faceplate as ice crystals continued forming across the Iron Monger's surface. "How'd you solve the icing problem?"
Confusion colored Stane's voice. "Icing problem?"
Inside that brutal helmet, warning lights began flashing red as temperature alarms screamed. The Iron Monger's movements became sluggish as frost spread across its joints, systems failing as physics reasserted its dominance. That perfect machine precision deteriorated into jerky motion that spoke of cascading failures.
"Might want to look into it." Tony pulled his right arm back, repulsor whining as it gathered remaining power. The punch connected with Stane's frozen faceplate, sending chunks of ice spinning away into the night.
The Iron Monger's grip finally failed completely. Tony watched his oldest friend, his betrayer, tumble through darkness toward the city below. The sight should have brought satisfaction, but all he felt was a bone-deep weariness that had nothing to do with physical exhaustion.
"Two percent," JARVIS reported, pulling Tony back to his own rapidly deteriorating situation. "We are now running on emergency backup power."
The Mark III's thrusters cut out completely, leaving Tony in free fall for heart-stopping seconds before backup systems engaged. Each brief burst of power gave him moments of controlled descent before failing again, creating a jerky descent that threatened to tear the suit apart.
"Whoa!" Tony fought for stability as the Stark Industries complex grew rapidly larger below. He managed to guide his fall toward the Arc Reactor building, though his landing was anything but graceful. The impact drove him to his knees, armor scraping against concrete as he skidded to a stop.
Forcing himself upright, Tony activated his comms. "Potts?"
"Tony!" Pepper's voice carried equal parts relief and panic. "Oh my God, are you okay?"
"I'm almost out of power." He began stripping away damaged pieces of the suit, starting with the mangled left gauntlet. "I've got to get out of this thing. I'll be right there."
The helmet's faceplate had just retracted when a familiar mechanical roar shattered the night. Tony spun to see the Iron Monger landing behind him, ice still falling from its massive frame.
"Nice try!" Stane's laugh carried pure malice as he advanced.
Tony raised his right hand instinctively, repulsor humming to life - only to remember he'd already discarded the left gauntlet. The moment's hesitation cost him as Stane's backhand sent him sprawling. Only a desperate grab at the building's edge kept him from plummeting to the street below.
Rolling back to his feet, Tony launched himself at his former mentor. His remaining gauntlet connected with the Iron Monger's faceplate, the impact actually rocking Stane's head back. But massive metal fingers closed around Tony's arm before he could follow up, Stane's other hand wrapping around his torso with crushing force.
"Weapons status?" Tony gasped as pressure warnings flashed across his HUD.
"Repulsors offline," JARVIS reported with clinical detachment. "Missiles offline."
The Iron Monger's grip tightened further, armor plating beginning to buckle. Tony could feel his ribs creaking even through the suit's protection as Stane slowly crushed the life from him. With options running out, desperate inspiration struck.
"Flares!"
The Mark III's defensive countermeasures deployed at point-blank range, magnesium-bright explosions erupting between the armored combatants. Stane roared in surprise as his optical sensors overloaded, his grip finally loosening enough for Tony to break free.
"Very clever, Tony." The words carried grudging respect as Stane's systems recalibrated. But Tony was already moving, using the momentary advantage to find cover behind one of the building's massive air handlers.
His breath came in sharp gasps as he activated his comms again. "Potts?"
"Tony!" The relief in her voice made his chest tight in ways that had nothing to do with his injuries.
"This isn't working." Tony watched power levels continue dropping toward critical. "We're going to have to overload the reactor and blast the roof."
"Well, how are you going to do that?" The fear was back in her tone, but beneath it he heard that particular steel that had first drawn him to her.
"You're going to do it." The words came out calmer than he felt as he outlined the plan. "Go to the central console, open up all the circuits. When I get clear of the roof, I'll let you know." A pause as he heard Stane's heavy footsteps drawing closer. "You're going to hit the master bypass button. It's going to fry everything up here."
Through the comms, he heard Pepper moving with determined purpose. "Okay. I'm going in now."
"Make sure you wait till I clear the roof." Tony forced himself upright despite protests from both suit and body. "I'll buy you some time."
Tony lunged at Stane's massive frame, his enhanced mobility letting him get behind the Iron Monger before its targeting systems could track him. His armored fingers found crucial connection points, yanking out components with surgical precision.
"This looks important!" The wire sparked as he tore it free, disrupting Stane's optical systems.
Below them, the Arc Reactor's core was beginning to destabilize, energy building toward critical mass. Tony held on as Stane thrashed, the Iron Monger's movements becoming more erratic with each system he disabled. For a moment, he had the advantage.
Then metal fingers closed around him with crushing force. The world spun as Stane hurled him across the roof, his armor scraping against glass panels that cracked under the impact. By the time Tony regained his bearings, Stane had already discarded his own damaged helmet, holding Tony's faceplate like a trophy.
"I never had a taste for this sort of thing," Stane's voice carried that particular blend of pride and cruelty that had defined their relationship since Afghanistan. "But I must admit, I'm deeply enjoying the suit!" The metal crumpled in his grip before he tossed it aside. "You finally outdid yourself, Tony. Your father would have been proud."
He stalked forward, each step making the roof tremble. "Though I have to say, your new friends are proving quite troublesome. That little display in Gulmira cost us a very expensive prototype. Luthor's quite upset - though I suppose he has bigger problems right now." Stane's laugh carried genuine amusement. "Have you seen the news? His pet project is tearing up Metropolis while Superman and your bat friend try to stop him. Quite the show."
"That's what this was all about?" Tony's mind raced through implications - the stolen designs, the mineral research, the carefully orchestrated betrayals. "You and Luthor were planning for this?"
"Planning? Oh Tony." Stane's smile was all teeth as his shoulder-mounted weapons deployed. "We were building the future. A future where humanity doesn't need alien saviors or men dressed as bats. Though I suppose you've chosen your side now, haven't you?"
The machine gun opened up, forcing Tony to activate his wrist shield. Bullets sparked off the energy barrier as he scrambled for better position. The glass beneath his feet was already compromised from their earlier impacts.
"How ironic, Tony!" Stane called over the gunfire. "Trying to rid the world of weapons, you gave it its best one ever!"
A stray round finally shattered the glass panel. Tony felt it give way beneath him, his stomach lurching as he started to fall. Pure reflex got his hand up in time to catch the roof's edge, leaving him dangling above the Arc Reactor's pulsing core.
"And now," Stane's targeting laser painted a red dot on Tony's chest, "I'm going to kill you with it! Just like Luthor's going to kill his alien problem!"
The missile launch gave Tony a split second of warning. He swung to the side as the projectile screamed past, exploding against the building's support structure. "You ripped out my targeting system!" Stane's rage made the words shake.
"Tony!" Pepper's voice cut through the chaos from below. She stood at the reactor controls, hand hovering over the master bypass. Her eyes were wide with fear but her stance was steady.
"Time to hit the button!" Tony called down, already calculating blast radius and survival odds.
"You told me not to!"
Another missile detonated too close, nearly making Tony lose his grip. Stane was compensating for his damaged targeting, walking his fire closer with each shot. "Hold still, you little prick!"
"Just do it!"
"You'll die!" The tremor in Pepper's voice made his chest tight.
Tony watched Stane's massive frame loom over him, weapons charging for a final barrage. Somewhere in Metropolis, Clark and Bruce were facing their own battle against another product of human ambition twisted by fear. He'd wanted to help them - had even started designing suits that could handle kryptonite radiation. But first he had to survive his own monster.
"PUSH IT!"
Pepper's hand slammed down on the bypass button. For a split second, nothing happened. Then the Arc Reactor's core erupted.
Pure energy shot skyward in a column of blinding light, catching the Iron Monger in its path. Electricity arced across Stane's suit, finding every gap, every joint, every weakness in the armor. His scream echoed across the rooftop - something between rage and disbelief as his own technology betrayed him.
The power surge raced through Malibu's grid like a tidal wave. Block by block, the city went dark. Office buildings, traffic lights, homes - everything connected to the main reactor surrendered to the cascade. In the sudden darkness, Stane's electrified suit blazed like a second sun against the night sky.
Something inside the Iron Monger gave way with a sound like tearing metal. The suit's reactor couldn't handle the feedback, components melting and fusing as too much power coursed through circuits that were never meant to contain it. Stane's massive frame pitched forward, sparks spraying from every joint as the armor crashed through support beams and walls.
Tony watched through dying sensors as his mentor fell. The Iron Monger struck the reactor core like a meteor, metal screaming against metal. In that moment of impact, everything went perfectly still - a heartbeat of silence before catastrophe.
The explosion started deep in the reactor's heart. A sphere of pure energy erupted outward, consuming everything in its path. The blast wave caught Tony full force, sending him tumbling across the roof as his suit's systems finally surrendered to darkness.
Silence settled over the facility like a shroud. No hum of power, no whine of electronics - just the soft patter of debris falling through empty air. The reactor's glow was gone, leaving the complex in near-total darkness.
"Tony!" Pepper's voice echoed from somewhere far below, desperate and afraid. "Tony, please!"
Minutes passed, marked only by the distant wail of sirens. Then, almost imperceptibly, a flicker of blue light. The reactor sputtered once, fighting against damage that should have been fatal. A second pulse, stronger this time. Finally, with a low hum that vibrated through the building's bones, the familiar glow returned.
Consciousness returned slowly, accompanied by Pepper's voice calling his name. The reactor's glow had died, leaving only emergency lights and the distant wail of sirens. His suit was in tatters, power cells completely drained.
"I'm okay," he managed as she helped him sit up. The words came out rougher than intended. "Well, mostly okay. The suit's toast though."
"Mr. Stark." Agent Coulson materialized from the shadows, looking completely unruffled despite the destruction around them. "We need to discuss your cover story. And perhaps your choice of allies."
Tony let Pepper support him as he stood, his mind already racing ahead. The Mark III was beyond repair, but the Mark II... with some modifications... "First we need to get to Metropolis. Superman and Batman - they're dealing with something worse than Stane. Something Luthor created using the same kryptonite tech we encountered in Gulmira."
"Tony, no." Pepper's grip on his arm tightened. "You can barely stand. The suit is destroyed. You need medical attention and rest."
"They helped me when I needed it," Tony insisted, already calculating flight times and necessary equipment. "I can't just sit here while they face that thing alone. The radiation patterns we detected in Gulmira - if Luthor's enhanced them like Stane said..."
"They're not alone," Coulson cut in smoothly. "SHIELD has assets in position. The situation is being monitored."
"Monitored?" Tony's laugh held no humor. "Like you monitored Stane selling weapons to terrorists? Or Luthor turning a soldier into a walking reactor?" He pulled away from Pepper's support, forcing his legs steady. "I need to make some calls. The Mark II isn't combat ready, but maybe if I can get Rhodey to expedite some parts from Edwards..."
"Tony." Pepper's voice carried that particular steel that always got his attention. "You just saved the city. Saved me. Let others handle the next crisis."
But he was already shaking his head, remembering how Superman had taken that tank round in Gulmira, how Batman had adapted his tactics to counter enhanced enemies. "Sometimes the next crisis can't wait. Sometimes you have to trust that your friends will hold on until you can find a way to help."
"Then let us help you help them," Coulson suggested. His slight smile suggested this wasn't entirely unexpected. "SHIELD has resources that could get you there faster than a commercial flight. Though perhaps we should discuss certain mutual interests first?"
Tony met his eyes steadily. "After. Right now my friends need whatever backup I can provide, even if it's just technical support. The kryptonite's radiation signature, the way it affects both organic and mechanical systems - I might be able to help counter it."
"We'll talk about it later," Pepper said firmly, but her expression had softened. She recognized that particular determination in his voice - the same one that had driven him to build the suit in a cave. "But first, basic medical care. You're no good to anyone if you collapse from internal injuries."
He nodded, but his mind was already mapping signal pathways, calculating how to route through SHIELD's secure channels. "Get me to your facility. Basic patch-up, whatever your medics can do quickly. But I need a computer station, satellite access, and..." He managed a weak smirk. "Maybe some of the good painkillers. This is going to take some focus."
Coulson studied him for a long moment before touching his earpiece. "This is Coulson. I need an encrypted workstation set up in medical. Full network access, satellite uplink." He paused. "Yes, I understand the protocols. Consider this a direct override."
"You still want that line to Edwards?" Pepper asked softly, recognizing Tony wasn't going to be talked out of this.
"Later. Right now..." His screen filled with scrolling code as JARVIS began probing the Batwing's defenses. "Right now I need to let Batman know he's about to have some unexpected tech support. Assuming he doesn't lock me out completely."
"And if he does?"
Tony's grin turned slightly feral despite his injuries. "Then I guess I'll have to impress him with how quickly I can get back in. Sometimes the best way to help isn't with repulsors and armor. Sometimes you just need the right lines of code in the right systems."