Ivan Vanko stood before a row of gleaming robots, his heart pounding with excitement. Every servo hum and flicker of red light reflected the culmination of his ambition. For months, he had been shackled by hesitation and restraint. But now, with Justin Hammer giving him full control over the project, that long-buried desire stirred again the desire for vengeance.
If these machines could be fully armed and synchronized, killing Tony Stark would no longer be an impossible dream. Creating individual suits of armor would have been too costly, especially for remote control units. But mass-producing automated combat drones? That was within reach.
Fortunately, Justin Hammer was easy to deceive. The fool thought he was sponsoring the next generation of defense technology. In truth, he was financing Ivan's revenge. Everything was ready. Once the Hammer Expo began, Ivan would set his plan into motion.
He'd heard rumors that Tony Stark had his own "Iron Legion."
A cold smile curved Ivan's lips. "This time," he murmured, "I'll show him what a real legion looks like."
He hesitated for a moment when Nolan Locke's name crossed his mind. Nolan had spared his life once. For that alone, perhaps he'd let Locke live this time.
News of the Hammer Industries Expo spread quickly through the defense sector. Many mocked Justin Hammer's arrogance, calling it a desperate publicity stunt. Yet, curiosity grew. If Hammer dared to hold an international exhibition, did he truly have something groundbreaking to unveil?
When the day finally came, cameras flashed, music blared, and the stage lights bathed the enormous venue in silver and blue. And then, from the sky, descended Tony Stark.
Wearing his Mark-series armor, the billionaire playboy landed in a shower of sparks, striking a pose that drew roaring cheers from the crowd. Even at Hammer's own event, he was the center of attention.
Justin Hammer's jaw tightened. This was his stage, his company's show, and yet Tony Stark had effortlessly stolen the spotlight.
Nolan Locke stood beside Stark but carried himself differently. No grand entrance, no theatrics only a calm smile and quiet composure. His modest demeanor contrasted sharply with Tony's flamboyance. To the onlookers, the difference was stark one was spectacle, the other strength.
"Hey, Nolan," Tony said after waving to the fans. "What do you think Hammer's got up his sleeve this time?"
Nolan's eyes flickered thoughtfully. "Hammer Industries was never known for true innovation. If anything, their claim to fame is the FailBot project. Maybe he's rebranding it again."
He already had a rough idea of what was coming. The so-called "FailBots" were originally Ivan Vanko's designs. And if Nolan's memory of the original Stark Industries timeline was right, Vanko's involvement never ended well.
He glanced at Tony. "Be careful," he said quietly. "If Vanko's involved, this won't end smoothly."
Soon, the grand presentation began. Justin Hammer stepped up to the microphone, his smile wide and self-assured.
"Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues and partners! For years, Hammer Industries has been criticized for lacking breakthroughs in cutting-edge technology. But today," he said, spreading his arms dramatically, "that misconception ends here!"
Applause erupted, though a few skeptical murmurs rippled through the audience.
Tony crossed his arms, smirking. "Oh, this should be good."
Hammer caught the remark and shot him a pointed look. "Mr. Stark, I see you're as confident as ever. You must think Stark Industries holds a monopoly on innovation?"
Tony tilted his head and grinned. "Doesn't it?"
A few people chuckled. Hammer forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Maybe before," he said slowly, "but after today… everything changes."
At his signal, the massive curtain behind him began to rise. The stage lights dimmed, and gasps filled the hall.
Lined up in perfect formation stood dozens of humanoid robots, each over two meters tall, their polished metal exoskeletons gleaming under the light.
Hammer gestured proudly toward them. "Behold the future of modern warfare! Hammer Industries' next-generation automated combat units, designed for maximum performance and battlefield dominance!"
The crowd murmured in awe, journalists snapping photo after photo.
Even Tony's eyes narrowed with interest. But then, that trademark smirk returned. "Nice toys, Hammer. Let's just hope they actually work."
Unseen by the crowd, far above the stage, Ivan Vanko watched from the central control room, his cold gaze fixed on Tony Stark's image on the monitor. His lips curved into a grim smile.
"It begins."
With a flick of his wrist, he activated a secret protocol buried deep within the robots' systems. Every single unit froze for a fraction of a second then their eyes glowed blood-red.
Nolan felt it instantly. His instincts screamed a warning. "Tony! Something's wrong!"
Tony turned just as the first robot moved.
"Crap!" he swore, launching himself into the air.
In the next heartbeat, chaos erupted.
The entire army of Hammer drones came alive, weapons whirring and targeting systems locking on to Tony Stark. Explosions tore through the stage as energy blasts ripped across the floor. Guests screamed, diving for cover. Military officers shouted for evacuation while security scrambled to respond.
Justin Hammer stared in disbelief, his face drained of color. "They… they're not responding! Why aren't they oh no."
He realized too late that he'd been betrayed.
The robots ignored his override codes, focusing solely on one target: Iron Man.
Meanwhile, Nolan snapped open his portable core unit and summoned his powered armor. The sleek plates locked around his body, the faint hum of the fusion cells filling the air.
"Red Queen," he ordered, "deploy auxiliary support drones. Non-lethal mode for civilians. Let's clean this up."
"Yes, sir," came the AI's crisp reply.
Nolan launched into the fray, blue energy thrusters roaring to life. He intercepted two drones midair, his vibroblade slicing through their reinforced joints. Sparks and shrapnel rained down as he spun, deflecting a missile with his energy shield.
Tony joined the fight, blasting through the swarm. "You always know how to crash a party, Locke!" he shouted over the comms.
Nolan smirked inside his helmet. "You brought the fireworks. I'm just handling cleanup."
On the ground, terrified onlookers were being ushered out while military guards tried to reestablish order. The once-grand expo now looked like a war zone fire, smoke, and the metallic scent of ozone filled the air.
But amid the chaos, Nolan saw opportunity. This wasn't just a disaster. It was the perfect demonstration.
As he tore through another drone with a precise plasma strike, he muttered to himself, "Let's make this count. Time to show them what real engineering looks like."
Because while Ivan Vanko had his "legion," Nolan Locke was about to prove who truly commanded the future.
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