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Chapter 55 – Lines Converge
"When you said your sister had a watch," Tony said, tugging back his sleeve to reveal a bright pink children's watch on his wrist, "I was kinda hoping for something with… less glitter."
Harley laughed. "She's six! Anyway, it's limited edition."
Tony smirked faintly. "Sure it is. "
"Alright, when can we talk about New York?Maybe now?" Harley asked, almost too eagerly.
"Maybe never. Relax about it."
Harley kicked at the dirt as they walked toward the scorched crater site that still smelled faintly of ash and metal. "What about the Avengers,guardian then? You gonna tell me about them?"
"Later," Tony muttered. "Give me a little space here."
He crouched down, scanning the crater. Shattered glass glimmered among the debris. "What's the official story?"
"Guy named Chad Davis," Harley replied. "Army vet. Folks say he went crazy, made a bomb, and blew himself up. Six dead."
Tony frowned. "Including him?"
"Yeah."
Tony crouched lower, tracing the outline of a scorch mark on the ground. "That doesn't make sense."
Harley looked at him curiously. "Why?"
Tony pointed at the blackened imprints. "Six people dead, but only five shadows burned into the wall. So where's the sixth?"
"People say it's the mark of souls going to Heaven," Harley said softly. "Except the bomber — he didn't get one. Guess that means he went the other way."
Tony gave him a sidelong look. "You buy that?"
"I don't know," the boy admitted. "But, uh… this crater kinda looks like that thing in New York, human bombing,i heard someone you know got hurt is he okay. "
Tony froze. His jaw tightened. "kid. Don't."
"Is he ok?"
"Don't know." He exhaled slowly. "Can you stop?"
"are you anxious?" Harley asked. "Like, real in anxiety?"
Tony groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. "Yeah. Can I just catch my breath for a second?"
Harley didn't. "Do you need a bag or something? Medication?"
"Nope."
"Do you need to be on it?"
"Probably."
"You going mental?"
"Kid—"
"I can stop talking if—"
Tony shot to his feet. "You happy now? You freaked me out!"
Harley blinked, startled. "What'd I do?!"
Tony exhaled, calming down. Then, with a sudden smirk, he scooped up a handful of snow from the ground and threw it at the kid. "Your fault."
"Hey!"
"Okay," Tony said, brushing off his hands. "Back to business. Where's the bomber's mom?"
"Where she always is," Harley muttered.
"See? Now you're being helpful."
A few minutes later, Tony found her — Mrs. Davis — sitting alone in a quiet bar. She didn't even look up as he approached.
"Mrs. Davis," he said, pulling out a chair. "Mind if I join you?"
"Free country."
He sat. "I just want to say I'm sorry about your loss."
She looked at him, tired eyes and a near-empty glass. "I brought the file. You take it and go."
The folder hit the table. Tony flipped it open — photos, medals, medical reports, everything neat and official. Too neat. "You're waiting for someone?"
"Yeah."
Tony's eyes drifted over a photo — another soldier, someone named Taggart, smiling beside Chad. He looked up. "Mrs. Davis, your son didn't kill himself. Someone used him."
She froze. "What?"
"As a weapon."
Before she could respond, a phone slammed onto the table beside them. A woman stood there — sharp eyes, calm face, faint burn scars on her neck.
"Actually," she said, "I'm the one she was waiting for."
Tony's muscles tensed. "And you are?"
"Homeland Security." She flashed a badge. "We're good here."
The local sheriff frowned from across the room. "No, ma'am. I'll need a little more than that."
She smiled, thin and practiced. "It's above your pay grade."
"Yeah?" he said. "Then maybe you should call Nashville and—"
Before he could finish, the woman's hand flared red-hot. The badge melted, and in one smooth motion, she pressed it against the sheriff's face. He screamed as she drew his gun and fired.
Tony ducked, shouting, "Hey, hot wings! You wanna party?"
He ran for the door. She followed — fast, unnaturally so. Outside, another man was waiting, eyes glowing faintly under the streetlight.
Savin.
He raised his weapon, but something small and metal flew from the shadows — Harley's doing. The shot went wide, and Tony dove behind a car.
"Crazy, huh?" muttered a man hiding beside him.
Tony didn't answer. He smashed through the nearest restaurant window and poured gasoline on the floor.
Brandt — the burning woman — followed, face unreadable. As soon as she entered fire flowed on her body Heat rippled off her skin as Tony scrambled behind a shelf.
"You walked right into this one," Tony said, pulling out the gas line,hitting a switch on and dashing out of there . "I've dated hotter women."
"Cheap trick," she said, hand glowing. "And a cheesy one-liner?"
Tony grinned. "That's my autobiography."
The explosion lit up the block. The store erupted in fire, glass raining down as Tony stumbled into the street, coughing. A water tank collapsed, pinning his leg.
Through the smoke, Savin appeared — dragging Harley by the collar.
"Hey, kid," Savin said, voice mocking. "What'd you ask Santa for?"
"Mr. Stark! I'm sorry!"
Tony gritted his teeth. "Not your fault, kid. Remember what I told you about bullies."
Harley twisted the gadget Tony had given him earlier, pressing a button. It sparked — bright and loud. Savin flinched, and Harley slipped free.
Tony raised his arm — a single repulsor gauntlet gleaming under the soot. "You like that, Westworld?"
The blast sent Savin crashing into a wall.
Tony pried his leg loose, limping toward Harley. "You okay?"
"Yeah," Harley said, breathless. "You're welcome."
Tony smirked. "For what?"
"For saving your life."
"Please. A, I saved you first. B, thanks, sort of. C, play it cool — otherwise, you come off grandiose."
Harley grinned. "Unlike you?"
Tony pointed at him. "Exactly."
He turned toward his car. "Go home, stay with your mom, and guard the suit. If I call, you answer. Got it?"
The kid nodded slowly.
Tony got in the car. "You did good, kid. I mean it."
"So you're just gonna leave me? Like my dad?"
"Yep." A pause. Then he glanced over. "Wait — are you guilt-tripping me?"
"I'm cold."
"I can tell," Tony said, mock-serious. "You know how I can tell? 'Cause we're connected."
He drove off into the distance. Harley watched the taillights fade — then smiled faintly.
"It was worth a shot," he muttered.
Behind him, Savin stirred among the rubble, flesh glowing red-hot as his body knit itself back together.
Far away, every television screen in America flickered —
and the Mandarin's face appeared, calm, composed, and terrifying.
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Miami – A.I.M. Research Compound
The coastline gleamed under the morning light. Heat shimmered off the sea. Inside the sprawling concrete structure near the docks, soldiers in yellow armor moved with mechanical precision.
At the center, Aldrich Killian stood before a glowing hologram of an arc reactor.
"The new element stark discover is special" he murmured. "Not only it can be used for Cold fusion but also have regenerative potential… it just perfection, if one knows where to push."
"Sir," an assistant said nervously, "Mandarin's readings from Hong Kong—"
"—are irrelevant," Killian interrupted. "Let him burn out.We only need his image not him ."
Static hissed across the comms.
> "Sir, we failed to capture Stark. He's alive."
Killian's jaw tensed. "Then bring me Pepper Potts. If you can't even do that—"
He leaned closer, voice turning to a whisper. "—you're no longer useful."
He cut the transmission and exhaled. "Incompetence everywhere," he muttered.
"Status on our diversion?"
"The leak reached S.H.I.E.L.D., sir," another agent confirmed. "The Avengers will take the bait."
Killian smiled. "Perfect."
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End of Chapter 55 – Lines Converge
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