Not far from a large metropolis there is a large and prestigious village, where only very rich people can live, who pay good money to ensure that paparazzi or other people who could disturb the peace of these people could not enter this territory. To start living here, it is not enough to have money, you need to have a sufficient number of connections, acquaintance with which will allow you to not have neighbors with whom conflicts may arise. Usually, local residents here do not allow themselves to be seen on the street in any inappropriate clothing, and all strangers who end up here are quickly twisted by security, but now there was an exception. Two men who were defiantly poorly dressed for this place calmly walked and talked. One in a red T-shirt and shorts, and the second in light pants and a hoodie several sizes larger now calmly moved along the street and behind them was a security car that did not bother the uninvited guests.
- Tell me, what actually happened when the attack on us began? Do you have your own network of hackers who were able to get past Jarvis? - for Tony Stark, this was a very important question, because very few people can bypass his assistant's updated systems, which means such personnel cannot be wasted.
- You didn't guess, but I'll give you another try. -
- Hmmm, are these Russian secret services that work for you? -
- What a platitude, Tony. Think about it carefully. -
They were both unfazed by the car of armed men who had been following them since they had arrived here. If the guards could, they would have driven them around and shown them everything.
- Are you creating a semblance of artificial intelligence because you envy me?
- Pfff no, you will never believe me - Alex made a short theatrical pause - but she's just a teenage girl.
What do you mean? - obvious disbelief was written on his face - you mean to say that one teenage girl was able to do something that no one else can do?
Alex himself looked at his interlocutor without believing it. After all, he himself can do what no one else can, but he himself cannot believe in something similar.
Actually sir - the voice from the billionaire's watch distracted them both a little - I am constantly fending off her attacks now, if it were possible I would ask her to stop.
At that moment they came to the door of the right house and knocked. The whole house was decorated, because today was a holiday here. Of course, the house already knew about their imminent arrival, so the two heroes just stood and waited.
Yumiko, leave Jarvis alone, be a good girl - Alex said this phrase into the clock.
Thank you sir….. – Tony watched all this action silently, but the look he cast demanded answers.
Alex had no choice but to tell a short story. Yumiko was a genius hacker who was able to hack many systems that were considered safe even before finishing school. Everything was fine and fun for her until a power surge sent her body into a coma and her consciousness into the network. This is how her mutant gene was awakened. Everything was fun for her until she discovered that she could not return to her body, and her father, being the only living relative, had a heart attack when he found his daughter unconscious. She tried to help her father, with her ability to find money and buy the necessary medicine was not difficult, but without living relatives, he was not given proper help, and the medicine did not give the desired effect. Yumiko desperately looked for a way out of the situation until she came across several large transfers for doctor's services online. After checking, she contacted This mysterious doctor and then made a deal with him.
- That's why now she is my guardian angel in the digital world, there is no hacker that she cannot track and no system that she cannot bypass.
Tony was about to say something sarcastic, but the door of the private house opened, and a man who looked like a typical CIA agent in a suit led them both behind him. There was a lot of noise in the other rooms, where a party was taking place. The agent led them to the office where the current US Vice President Jonathan Rodriguez was already sitting at an expensive desk.
-I didn't expect to see you here, how can I help you? - The vice president tried to be friendly, but his whole body screamed that he was nervous.
Mr. Vice President, my friend and I are here to figure out what's going on? - Tony began as he comfortably sat down in the seat opposite the owner of the office. The second chair was occupied by Alex. - As you should know, I was attacked and we need to figure it out.
What do you want from me?
The truth is, Alex turned the water from the carafe into an icy blade that approached the man's neck. - and we don't have much time or desire for unnecessary conversations.
Are you threatening me? - The vice president pressed the button after which two agents who had been knocked out by the water whip burst into the office and introduced them to the wall.
Rodriguez looked at Tony hoping that he would help, but he did not see in his compatriot's eyes the desire to stop all this.
- We found out that several fighters took off on your order and that thanks to you terrorists appeared in the CIA - the blade at the throat forced him to press his head to the back of the chair - these same people kidnapped the director of Stark Industries whose life is very important and if something happens to her then my friend - Tony's look after mentioning Pepper would have already killed if he could - will be very unhappy and may do something stupid. For example, an uncontrollable suit will drop a bomb on your house where you, your wife and your daughter are.
Rodriguez loved his family and could do a lot for them, especially for his little daughter, who was crippled and he had to make a deal that could heal her. A deal with Aldrich Killian that raised his corporation in a very short time and everything was fine, the technology of limb restoration developed until aliens appeared and Alex himself who could do a lot. In order to speed up research, reduce Alex's influence on the world stage and put shelves in the wheels of the Russians, Rodriguez was able to get additional funding and opportunities that turned Killian's head and he began to go beyond the limits. Also, under the pressure of the ice blade, it became known that the terrorist attacks were also his business and Tony did not like that American citizens paid taxes so that the government sponsored terrorism.
It was also revealed that there were future plans to remove the President by using the Patriot so that Rodriguez could take the vacant position. This explained why there was no contact with Rhodey , who was piloting the suit, and why Tony was unable to contact him.
If you care about your daughter, I advise you to send her to me, where I can help her in time, because in a couple of days you won't be able to do anything for her. - Alex's serious voice clearly implied that the vice president's political career had come to an end - it would be sad if because of you she lost the opportunity to live a normal life.
- And I don't advise you to do anything stupid, otherwise I might actually have faulty armor.
And so the two "heroes" left the residence of the future prisoner, who sat in his office and literally did not know what to do.
- Then we'll split up, you go get the president, and I'll go to Killian's mansion in Malibu that Rodriguez told me about. - Standing on the sidewalk, they both discussed their plans.
- Let me do it. Pepper might be there - Tony didn't like what was happening after hearing this, his body was seething with energy for action.
-Yeah, and I went and flew after the plane - the look that was thrown at Tony showed what a stupid idea it was.
-Okay, I'm going after the president, and you...
And I'll go to the mansion and figure out what's going on there that's so interesting. - and he added to the unspoken question - and if Pepper is there , I'll make sure she's safe.
Miami has always been famous for its warm weather, sandy beaches and beautiful girls who relax in beach outfits. All this has always worked well to attract people.
Today was not a special day for most people, but the armed guards who guarded the large and old mansion, which was more than a century old and stood far from the city, were in for a surprise.
The head appeared from the water near the mansion itself. Having assessed the situation, it was decided to act more quietly, so as not to attract much attention, otherwise the tsunami formed in a couple of seconds would immediately show that he was here.
Having emerged unscathed from the water, Alex was surrounded by a solid water sphere that was constantly moving and a small amount of water that flowed under him. This entire structure moved at his will, so from the outside it looked like he was floating. Until the cleanup of the object began, one thought came to him.
- Ehhh, it's a pity Natasha isn't here now, she's a super spy . - The first shots were fired by the guards on the roof who were inspecting the area with snipers. Watching how the bullet simply slows down in a layer of water and is carried away, the smile on the face became predatory.
- She could have quietly gotten inside. - Then other members of the guard began to join the snipers. Shots were heard from everywhere, grenades exploded somewhere nearby, but nothing could penetrate the thickness of the water.
- For her, getting past the guards without anyone finding out is a simple matter. - The first casualties of the defenders began when several people were pierced by many small frozen drops. Considering that all the guards were mostly unprepared for heavy clashes, only those who took cover behind strong shelters like walls were able to survive. One of the snipers who was lying on the roof saw a clot of water fly onto the roof. Having rolled several times, he dodged a direct hit, but was doused with splashing water, he only managed to exhale, as the water that caught on him pulled him off the roof.
- And even if he disturbs someone, he will be able to quietly get rid of him without raising a threat - people ran out of a small building that was allocated for barracks, but literally a second later a flurry of ice fragments stopped them running in position. The man who was lucky enough not to run to the exit saw how those with whom he drank beer a minute ago were simply torn to pieces as if from a minigun .
When the huge mass of water reached the main entrance, there was no one to stop it. Having assessed the result, Alex came to the conclusion - "in principle, everything turned out pretty well."
Since there was nothing else to do in the yard, the only way forward was inside. The first thing he saw when he entered was a large front hall with a staircase leading to the second floor right in the middle of a small estate. After taking a few steps inside, new problems appeared.
an extremis was waiting above the main entrance and it was worth taking a few steps inside as he, already fired up, rushed straight down. The instinctive action from a sudden attack was to simply send all the water to the attacker, which Alex did. All the water that was not used on the water shield went up and collided with the attacker. When the water collided with a person whose body temperature was above a thousand degrees, a small explosion occurred, forming a large cloud of steam that covered everything inside this hall.
The mercenary who rushed to attack managed to hide in the resulting cloud of steam. Because of this, a small moment of silence arose. No one saw anyone, so there was no hurry to attack. Standing and watching the white canvas, Alex felt a strong change. He always honored all water as an extension of himself, so manipulations with it were simple. Ice that could be frozen from water was no longer so controllable, but no complex actions had ever been done with it. Steam or fog were a little different, there was not enough water there to control
The moving empty space in the large wall of steam caught him by surprise and, having lost a couple of seconds to comprehend what was happening, it was only worth realizing that the empty space was occupied by a person that an ice blade began to form.
Already aiming for the attack, he was distracted by a furious scream behind him. A red woman, almost burning in the sunlight, was running into the building where he was. Near Stark's house, such a shade of a person preparing for an explosion was already visible.
Sending even more water under his control to wash the woman away, and using the rest to block the passage from the explosion by erecting a wall there.
The explosion of an angry woman thundered a few seconds later and shook the nearby walls.
There was only one left and he immediately reminded of himself. Realizing that the enemy was distracted, the remaining mercenary ran towards the water lord and wanted to end this fight with one blow in a jump, but he failed - his blow was printed right into the wall, and Alex himself managed to lie down on the floor.
A powerful blow from the already burning blue hand burst out from the mercenary's chest.
The mercenary's red glowing eyes widened as he looked into the equally glowing, but blue eyes, and then his head simply sank.
A giant tentacle from the water grabbed his head and began to swing wildly throughout the hall, hitting him against the walls.
After watching his opponent choke and hit the walls, he separated his head from his body with a light squeeze of his hand.
Having looked around and realized that there was no longer any threat, more water from the ocean was called in as a precaution.
No one interfered with moving further around the building, the rare people who were encountered either ran or hid. Anyone who even slightly resembled a guard received a sharp blow from a water whip that knocked them out or killed them, depending on who was lucky.
After passing the building on the second floor, he entered a room that had many amenities and entertainment. A large bed behind which were hiding two women of easy virtue and a bald man very similar to the one who was in the videos and called himself "Mandarin".
After kicking the women out, Alex made an angry face and walked towards the only person left in the room and he began to sing like a bird. The so-called terrorist "Mandarin" was just an actor. Trevor Slattery lived the life of a failed actor who was addicted to drugs until he was hired by AIM and wanted to be responsible for many explosions, and in return they gave him money, drugs and entertainment.
Listening to the story of a drug addict-actor who, before his "death", decided to relax one last time and stuff himself with more white powder, he received several water treatments so as not to be distracted from the interesting story.
Having finished the conversation and learned everything I could from this actor, it was decided to move on; there was still a basement that was worth checking.
Under the building was more of a dungeon than a simple basement or cellar. Walking through the cells, Alex found the only prisoner, who turned out to be James Rhodes, Tony's friend and the Patriot pilot, but he didn't have his suit on him.
-Alive? - waking up the prisoner who had previously been hanging on chains, exhausted and set on fire in several places.
- Where's Tony? - panic was visible in the eyes of the Air Force colonel - they took my suit to kidnap the president.
- How did they take it? - Stark built the best exoskeleton the world had ever seen, and no one in the world could show anything even remotely good. - They just took it?
"They smoked me out," Rhodes tried to justify himself by telling how they started heating up his suit.
- What were you doing here anyway?
- Well, I was on an operation to capture ten rings in the Middle East...
- Wait, do you know where we are? - to which he received a negative nod - we are in Miami. So they captured you there, delivered you to the other end of the world and only here "opened" you? Although they used the same methods when they captured you. They have some strange logic.
Rhodes himself thought about this and nodded in agreement, accepting this oddity.
- Well, look. There's a very interesting person up there, talk to her, and then decide what to do.
- What about Tony?
- Tony is trying to save your president right now, so do what you can.
- Okay - even though the colonel agreed to do this, he was clearly unhappy that Alex ordered him what to do.
After going through the rest of the house, we discovered another small laboratory and a film studio where videos with the participation of "Mandarin" were filmed, but unfortunately there was nothing interesting there.
Already leaving the explored mansion, a thought flashed through Alex's mind: "Tony will clearly be in a bad mood that Pepper is not here."