Chapter 124: Iron Will in the Cave
"This thing doesn't look like the Jericho missile."
In the Ten Rings cave, Yinsen studied the circular device emitting cold white light that Tony Stark had created.
"That's right. It's a miniature arc reactor. I have a much larger one at home. This should keep the shrapnel from reaching my heart."
Tony Stark explained to Yinsen:
"It can't match the massive output of the reactor beneath Stark Tower, but it's stable... and capable of powering a certain big guy for fifteen minutes."
Yinsen stared into Tony Stark's eyes. He knew this arrogant playboy had figured out a way to escape.
As blueprint after blueprint of the Jericho missile stacked together, what finally appeared before Yinsen was a hulking iron giant.
"Building this thing—we can't hide it from the Ten Rings." Yinsen subtly gestured toward the cave's surveillance cameras.
"That's unavoidable," Tony Stark also glanced at the cameras, speaking quietly. "Even if we fool them initially, once our creation takes shape, we'll be discovered anyway."
"Two days ago I hacked into the surveillance network and linked to a communications satellite. If my friend can detect the signal and respond, maybe we can buy ourselves more time."
Time passed. The armor Tony Stark constructed gradually took initial form.
Seven or eight cameras monitored the cave. Even though Tony tried conducting leg joint tests in corners, the Ten Rings members constantly watching the feeds spotted the anomaly.
---
CRASH!
The instant footsteps sounded outside, Tony Stark and Yinsen rapidly hid every component related to the armor.
In the next second, the cave's iron door burst open. Ten Rings members holding firearms aimed at Tony Stark and Yinsen.
"Search everything." Ten Rings leader Abu Bakaar waved his hand. Four members advanced, using gun barrels to force Tony Stark and Yinsen back against the wall.
Other members began searching the cave for the device they'd seen on Tony Stark's legs in the surveillance footage.
Yinsen glanced nervously at Tony Stark. If they found blueprints or any single armor component—shapes completely contrary to missile design—it would definitely arouse Ten Rings suspicion.
Both men would lose their lives.
Now they could only hope these men couldn't decipher Jericho missile blueprints and wouldn't find armor components hidden in corners behind dismantled missiles.
"You disappoint me greatly."
While other members searched the cave, Ten Rings leader Abu Bakaar approached the two men.
"I let you live. Made a fair trade with you. This is how you repay me?"
Yinsen kept his tone as calm as possible:
"We're working hard. This thing is extremely complex. It needs time."
Abu Bakaar regarded Yinsen with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"I haven't stationed anyone here monitoring your work, but I've been watching you through surveillance the entire time."
"What was that on Tony's legs just now?"
"It's, it's..." Yinsen couldn't fabricate an answer. He watched with mounting despair as Abu Bakaar used fire tongs to lift a red-hot iron block and move it toward his mouth.
"That's part of the Jericho missile—the cluster bomb separation component." Tony Stark suddenly spoke. "I discovered it's a critically important part."
Abu Bakaar's face turned toward Tony Stark. His mouth split into a grin. "You're lying to me."
GLUB GLUB!
Tony Stark was shoved into the water basin again, his head held underwater for over a full minute. Only when his body convulsed from oxygen deprivation was he yanked up by his hair.
Beside him, Yinsen's chest was brutally branded with the red-hot iron. The skin there immediately blistered and split. Yinsen couldn't suppress his agonized screaming.
"Answer me. What exactly are you making?" Abu Bakaar's voice was vicious and demanding.
"We're not lying. That is part of the Jericho missile..." Yinsen's voice was extremely weak, but he still didn't reveal his and Tony Stark's plan.
But Abu Bakaar clearly wasn't satisfied with this answer. He snatched a submachine gun from a subordinate and pressed it against Yinsen's head.
"Answer me!"
Seeing Abu Bakaar's finger already on the trigger, Tony Stark suddenly spoke:
"I need him. He's extremely helpful to my work."
"Kill him, and my delivery of the Jericho missile will be delayed significantly."
Abu Bakaar stared at Tony Stark. After a stretch of oppressive silence, he spoke slowly:
"Tomorrow at the latest. I want to see the Jericho missile delivered."
With that, he led the Ten Rings members in gradual retreat. Only Yinsen and Tony Stark remained in the cave.
One man curled on the ground, chest seared with agony from the branding iron. The other knelt on one knee, mouth, nose, and ears full of water, coughing incessantly.
After a long moment, the two men sat on the ground supporting each other.
"Tony, we should keep working." Yinsen didn't dare touch his wound. He endured the pain and addressed Tony Stark.
But Tony sat motionless, doubt threading through his voice.
"Yinsen, are we doing all this just to make them more decisive when they kill us?"
"Even if we escape this cave, the situation outside won't be optimistic."
"How many of these people are there? Are other terrorists nearby? Direction, maps, routes... we know nothing."
"Our most likely outcome is leaving this cave, then being thrown into another one. Or dying of thirst and exposure in this desert."
Yinsen watched Tony Stark's unfocused eyes. He knew that after the torture, Tony Stark's resolve had wavered.
Under relentless work and torment, Tony's body and spirit had reached their limits.
"Tony, think about the outside world. Think about your former life. Even if there's only the slightest hope, we have to seize it with everything we have." Yinsen said. "Your family—"
Tony Stark interrupted him.
"I have no family."
"Friends..." Yinsen persisted in his persuasion.
"...No friends either." Tony remained motionless.
"But you said before—you sent signals to your friend. He's definitely doing everything in his power right now to help you." Yinsen sighed.
Tony Stark started to argue, but a soft beep interrupted him.
The sound came from the cave's single computer—so low-spec it couldn't get any worse. After being imprisoned in the cave, Tony Stark had used it to hack the surveillance system and briefly connect to a communications satellite.
Until now, all transmitted signals had received no response. Tony Stark had almost forgotten about it.
But now the computer chimed. Yinsen and Tony exchanged glances, simultaneously rising despite their physical discomfort to gather around the screen.
"Detailed satellite map of surrounding area. Optimal evacuation routes. 48-hour weather forecast. Nearest allied outpost. Other terrorist organization distribution locations..."
Yinsen read the displayed information aloud softly. "Tony, this contains everything we need to escape. Oh, and several videos..."
Tony Stark stood frozen, letting Yinsen play the videos one by one.
Obadiah's secret emails. Stark weapons trafficking through Ajax Security. Obadiah proposing at the board meeting to strip Stark of his director position. Stark firearms being utilized by terrorists...
Tony watched the screen. His expression shifted from confusion to shock to uncontrollable rage—finally settling into a terrible, cold calm.
The betrayal by Obadiah, whom he'd viewed as a father figure. The suffering caused by weapons he'd manufactured. The company's corruption.
Everything in the videos completely shattered his life's beliefs from the past several decades.
"All this information was sent by someone named Peter Parker... Tony?" Yinsen read the received content. He looked at Tony Stark with some concern.
Tony Stark's face no longer showed confusion. Flames seemed to burn in his eyes.
Moving to the forge, Tony Stark grabbed the hammer and struck the armor's unfinished sections with heavy, resounding blows.
"Yinsen, I've decided."
"I'm going to survive. I'm going to correct every mistake."
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The sound of hammering metal echoed through the cave. With each heavy strike, Tony Stark's wavering will was forged into something increasingly unbreakable.
***
15+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces