At this moment, the President was holding a small internal meeting, discussing strategies for capturing the terrorists. Just then, the Iron Patriot slowly walked into the room.
"Everything secure, Colonel Rhodes?" one of the congressmen asked, turning toward the Iron Patriot.
The Iron Patriot scanned the room, then casually picked up a nearby Statue of Liberty ornament and hurled it forward. The sharp end pierced straight through the congressman's heart.
The sudden attack stunned everyone for a split second. The bodyguards reacted immediately, opening fire—but their bullets were completely useless against the Iron Patriot.
Several repulsor blasts later, everyone in the room was dead. The President had crawled under the table, one bodyguard shielding him with his own body.
Bang!
The table above them was suddenly ripped away. The Iron Patriot seized the bodyguard, and at point-blank range fired a repulsor blast straight through his chest.
The President grabbed a pistol from the floor and tried to fight back, but he was effortlessly subdued. The Iron Patriot lifted him by the throat, holding him suspended in midair.
The faceplate opened, revealing a completely unfamiliar face—nothing like Rhodes at all.
"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. President."
This was Killian's subordinate, wearing the Iron Patriot armor and impersonating Rhodes to abduct the President.
"Do your worst!" the President snarled. "I won't beg!"
"Please don't rush things, Mr. President," the man replied calmly. "Killing you right now wouldn't be the Mandarin's style."
He struck the President at the back of the neck, knocking him unconscious. Then he stepped out of the armor and placed the President inside it.
"Mission complete. You may remote-control the Iron Patriot to return."
He spoke into the communicator while fastening a parachute, preparing to jump from Air Force One.
---
The scene shifted.
The Iron Patriot landed, and Killian was already in his laboratory, tinkering with the Extremis virus.
Boom!
The Iron Patriot descended from the sky and walked into the lab.
"Good evening, Mr. President. Welcome aboard."
The armor opened. The President, now awake, collapsed weakly onto the floor, staring at Killian in terror.
"This way, Mr. President."
Killian turned and walked off. Two guards hauled the President to his feet and followed.
They stopped in front of a large display screen. Killian pressed a remote, and footage appeared of a massive cargo ship sailing across a pitch-black ocean.
"Two years ago," Killian said calmly, "this ship dumped over one million gallons of crude oil into the waters near a Mexican port. The marine ecosystem there was completely destroyed. To this day, not a single fish or shrimp has returned. And yet, none of the wealthy individuals or corporations responsible were ever brought to justice. They remain free and untouched—thanks to you, Mr. President."
The footage shifted between images of the oil spill, news reports, and interviews showing the perpetrators walking free.
"What do you want?!" the President demanded, panic finally breaking through.
Killian thought for a moment.
"Well… nothing in particular. I just needed a convincing excuse to execute you on television and across the internet."
He turned to face the President.
"People have to move forward, don't they? I've already found a new political patron. By this time tomorrow, he'll be sitting in your chair, ruling the United States."
With a wave of his hand, the two guards stepped forward and bound the President.
---
"Carl, we've pinpointed the exact location of the ship."
Back at the office, the group had already returned from the villa. Carl and Tony were sitting on the couch, while Rhodes lay unconscious nearby.
Rhodes's condition dated back to their departure from the estate.
With the Iron Patriot stolen, Rhodes—now just an ordinary man—couldn't possibly keep up with Carl and Tony. Carl decided to summon Onion and have him carry Rhodes back.
Onion refused outright. When Rhodes tried to touch him, Onion immediately attacked. Carl had no choice but to calm him down.
Onion refused to carry Rhodes, and Carl's cloak—just as temperamental—completely ignored him as well. Rhodes was so embarrassed at the time that he wished he could vanish on the spot.
In the end, Carl had to bribe Onion with half a month of unlimited strawberry sundaes and cola before Onion reluctantly agreed to carry Rhodes.
Yes—Onion absolutely loved strawberry sundaes and cola.
It all started when Carl once brought a sundae and soda into the Chocobo space, enjoying them while soaking in the hot springs. Onion wandered over out of curiosity, took a bite—and that was it. From then on, whenever he saw Carl, he clung to him, demanding strawberry sundaes and cola without end.
Carl gestured for Rhodes to climb on. The moment Rhodes tried, Onion pecked him squarely on the head. Rhodes's legs twitched, and he immediately passed out.
Onion let out a call, as if to say: I only carry unconscious living things. No one rides me while awake. My reins aren't for just anyone.
Carl could only sigh helplessly. Onion truly wouldn't let anyone but him touch him—a completely ungrateful creature.
So they brought Rhodes back with him still unconscious. Onion was now sprawled inside the office, waiting patiently for his strawberry sundae.
"Wake Rhodes up," Tony said, glancing at the coordinates Skye had found. "Let's move."
The ship was deep in the Atlantic, far from New York.
"Skye, order some strawberry sundaes for Onion," Carl added. "If he doesn't get his dessert, he's not going back into the Chocobo space."
Carl rubbed Onion's massive head, and Onion happily leaned into him.
Skye nodded. Even she could only sneak a few pats in while Onion was eating. Touch him too much, and he'd dodge; keep going, and he'd attack.
Onion recognized only Carl. No matter who else it was—even close companions—he wouldn't allow them near. Cute as he was, only Carl could touch him.
Tony slapped Rhodes lightly on the face. No response.
He slapped him harder.
Rhodes shot upright. "What the hell—did you hit me?"
"Nope," Tony said, shaking his head.
"…You didn't?"
Rhodes touched his face, the pain unmistakable.
"Forget it," Tony said. "We've found Killian. We're moving now."
"Oh. Then let me grab some equipment first."
As he spoke, Rhodes reached for his phone, preparing to contact the military.
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