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Chapter 57 – Falling Dominoes
Stark Industries – Morning
The glass walls of Pepper's office caught the morning light. She was buried in reports, trying to keep her hands from shaking. Every headline still screamed about Tony's disappearance — every board member demanded answers she didn't have.
A knock at the door.
Her assistant stepped in, pale and uneasy. "Ma'am… Mr. Stark is back. He's in critical condition. He asked for you."
For a heartbeat, everything else stopped.
Pepper's breath caught. "What? Where?"
"He's being moved by a private medical team. I can take you there."
She didn't think twice. The moment she stepped into the waiting car, the door clicked shut. Before she could turn, a sharp sting bit into her neck — a syringe pressed through skin. Her vision blurred.
The man beside her caught her before she slumped.
He spoke into his earpiece, calm. "Target secured."
A voice replied, cool and collected: "Bring her to Miami. The show's about to begin."
The driver chuckled softly. "Easier than I thought."
"It usually is," the man beside him said. "Let's move."
The car rolled out of the Stark Industries lot, vanishing into the morning traffic.
---
Tennessee – Highway
Tony's car tore down the cracked highway, tires screeching on every turn. His phone buzzed uselessly in his hand — no is picking up, no Jarvis. The silence from Harley's line was eating him alive.
"Come on, kid," he muttered, gripping the wheel tighter. "Pick up."
Nothing.
That feeling — that sick, cold twist in his gut — wouldn't go away. He spun the car around and floored it, back toward Harley's home.
Hours later, the engine wheezed into the boy's driveway. The door to the workshop hung open.
Tony jumped out, running inside.
"Harley?"
The place was wrecked — scorch marks along the walls, tools scattered, the faint smell of smoke and burnt ozone. His heart sank when he saw Harley lying on the floor, motionless. He dropped to his knees, checked the boy's pulse.
Still alive — weak, but alive. A few ribs were broken, maybe a concussion. Tony let out a slow breath, forcing down the rage boiling inside.
Then he saw it.
The Mark 42 armor — chest cavity ripped open, arc reactor torn clean out.
Tony's jaw clenched. "You bastards…"
He looked around. The helmet lay half-buried under debris. He grabbed it, brushed it clean, then hoisted Harley carefully into his arms.
Then drove to the hospital
The automatic doors burst open as Tony carried Harley in. "This kid needs help now!" he shouted.
A nurse rushed forward. "Sir, please—"
"Broken ribs, possible internal bleeding. He's breathing but fading fast," Tony said quickly. "No, I'm not his dad. Just—help him."
The staff took over, guiding Harley onto a stretcher, wheeling him down the hall. A nurse paused long enough to tell Tony, "He'll be fine. You did the right thing."
Tony just nodded, eyes distant. "Yeah… I'm trying."
He turned, still clutching the Mark 42's helmet.
He turned and went out then he saw a news van.
Tony stood beside a small news van parked off the highway. The reporter — a nervous guy with a camera slung over his shoulder — stared at him in disbelief.
"You're… Tony Stark."
"Yeah," Tony muttered, crouching by the van's control panel. "You mind if I borrow your equipment?"
The man blinked. "Sir, you're supposed to be dead how are you here.? "
Tony shot him a look." Second time if I count,do you mind. "
Within minutes, he had the helmet hooked up to the van's broadcast rig. The HUD flickered to life, Jarvis's voice faint but functional.
> "Welcome back, sir. Signal strength is at maximum."
Tony exhaled. "Yeah, well, then Give me everything."
> "Miss Potts has been abducted. The vehicle she left in diverted to an unregistered airstrip near Florida. The signal vanished soon after."
Tony froze. "Pepper's been—?"
> "Kidnapped, sir."
He swallowed hard. "Call in a suit."
> "Already en route. Estimated arrival, 23 min."
sometime later, the wind roared overhead. The sky split open as the Mark 45 armor descended in pieces, snapping onto him one plate at a time.
Tony's voice came out low, controlled. "Jarvis… find her."
---
Miami – Underground A.I.M. Facility
Metal doors slid open with a hiss. Aldrich Killian stepped through, flanked by armed guards. Zhang — the Mandarin — stood near a table where the President of the United States was restrained, wrists bound, face bruised but defiant.
"Everything is ready," Zhang said coldly. "When do we begin?"
Killian checked his watch. "Soon. First, I need to deal with some interruptions."
He tapped the earpiece in his ear.
A faint blue hologram flickered to life before him, showing the chaos at the trap site— fire, smoke, and the silhouettes of the Avengers fighting through his security.
He smiled. "Right on schedule."
---
Miami Docks – Night
A wave of it shimmered down the place, distorting the cracked asphalt as guardian landed from above, his staff clattering once before extending to full length. The alley stank of smoke and scorched metal. Four figures stood at the far end, their arms already glowing orange.
Guardian ducked under a blast of fire, feeling the air sizzle above his head. He rolled forward, struck out with a chi-infused palm, and sent one of the soldiers sprawling.Then his plam start burning "Closed quarter not good"
The man hit the ground — and got up again, his eyes glowing white-hot.
He extended his staff and launched all four of them away.
He turned, catching a glimpse of Mayura fending off another two soldiers at once.
Steve using his shield to defend Natasha who is useless here.
Everything was chaos, smoke, and noise.
"I knew you people would be the biggest obstacle to my plan," he said smoothly. "So… I prepared a gift."
Mayura frowned. "That's not a good sign."
Before anyone could react, the Extremis soldiers began to tremble. The red glow in their veins pulsed brighter, spreading across their skin like cracks in glass.
"Steve!" Natasha shouted. "They're overheating!"
Killian's voice echoed through the static. "Let's see you survive this."
Every Extremis soldier screamed — and exploded.
Mayura barely had time to react. She reached out, her eyes glowing, ripping open a portal as the first explosion hit. "Everyone—get in!"
Guardian grabbed Steve by the arm and shoved Natasha through the light. The shockwave hit just as they disappeared.
The world went white.
---
Guardian's Decoy Base – Unknown Time
Guardian's eyes opened to smoke and static. The base lights flickered. His whole body ached, his ears ringing.
He groaned, pushing himself up. "Still alive… barely."
Natasha was nearby, unconscious but waking. Steve sat against a wall, his shield scorched. Mayura lay beside a console, her breathing shallow but steady.
Guardian crawled over. "Hey. You pulled it off."
Mayura's voice came weak. "Half a sec late and the portal would have collapsed. But yeah we'd make it."
"You did good," he said quietly. "We're safe… for now."
Steve was already checking the monitors. "What the hell just happened? And where are we."
"We are at my base" Guardian said
"So, you have a base. " Natasha who just woke up said.
Before he could reply The main screen flickered to life, static clearing.
The Mandarin stood before a camera, his robes pristine, two rings glowing faintly. Behind him, the President knelt, bound and bruised. Pepper Potts stood beside him, terrified but silent.
> "America has hidden its corruption under false gods," the Mandarin said. "But today, the illusion ends."
Natasha froze, breath catching in his throat. "Pepper…"
Mayura whispered, "Is He's going to execute the President. Live broadcast."
Steve's voice hardened. "Then we move. Now."
Mayura tried to stand. "I can open a portal… if I have coordinates."
"Where is this happening " Guardian asked the ai . "Miami."
He turned toward the door, chi flickering faintly around his fists.
Somewhere above the clouds, thunder rumbled — and far away, a streak of red and gold cut through the sky, heading for Miami.
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End of Chapter 57 – Falling Dominoes