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November
Year 1 |
Tony Stark, wearing a hospital gown, sits impatiently on an examining table in the infirmary at Avengers mansion. "I haven't got time to sit here all day. I've got to get back to California for the shareholder's meeting this afternoon. That's it, I'm sick of waiting. I'm leaving."
Tony gets up and begins putting on his pants when Dr. Keith Kincaid enters the room. "Where do you think you're going?"
"I've got to get back to SE. Do you have the test results? Have you been able to find out why the Titanium Man's weapon has left me feeling very nauseous?"
"We haven't finished analyzing the data we've gathered. I've asked Dr. Pym to take a look at it - there seems to be something unusual about your DNA."
"What do you mean, unusual?"
"It's difficult to say right now. It's nothing to be alarmed about - in fact, I would never have noticed it under a normal checkup. It only came to light under the intensive tests we've undertaken. Whatever it is, it won't affect your ability to go about your daily routine."
"Thanks, Doctor. I've really got to get back to the West Coast. Could you tell Dr. Pym I'd like to talk to him briefly before I leave?"
As Dr. Kincaid leaves, Tony continues to get dressed. Shortly, Henry Pym arrives. "What can I do for you, Tony?"
"Give it to me straight, Hank. Is there something wrong with me?"
"No, Tony. We've detected some sort of fading energy in your DNA. Whatever it is, there's no real effect on your body. We'll know everything in a few hours."
"Hank, I'm leaving New York in a few minutes. Do me a favor. Try to figure out exactly what the Titanium Man's weapon was supposed to do. I'll be back by tomorrow morning, and you can give me the low-down on my tests then."
"No problem, Tony."
"Thanks, Hank. I owe you one."
Tony Stark soon departs New York on one of his private Lear jets. A few hours later, at Stark Enterprises' corporate headquarters in Silicon Valley, the shareholders begin to arrive. Among them is James Rhodes. Some of SE's officers greet them. Rhodey finds his friend Jen McAllister, VP of Operations at SE.
"Hello, Jen. How's the new job goin'?"
"Rhodey! I didn't know you were a shareholder."
"Well, technically I'm not. Rhodes Air is. We had some surplus cash to invest, and SE seemed as good a place as any."
"Why don't you come into my office for a minute so we can talk?"
Shortly, in Jen's office....
"Tell me the truth Rhodey. Did you buy the stock in order to keep a closer eye on Tony yourself?"
"Honestly, I did buy the stock as an investment. But if it helps me figure out if that man is really my best friend, then that's just a fringe benefit. Have you seen anything unusual? Anything that might make you suspicious?"
"Not really. But I haven't had a chance to be around him that much. He's been in Germany the last few days. (That's issues 340-342 for you and me - Teutonic Turnage) You really think he might not be the real thing?"
"I think it's really him in my gut... but I've been wrong before. I'm not taking any chances."
"What do you mean, you've been wrong before?"
"I'm not sure I can really tell you, Jen. Let's wait until all this clears up, okay?"
Rhodey and Jen return to the other shareholders and officers. At that moment, another shareholder arrives. Upon seeing this gentlemen, Rhodey whispers to Jen, "Jen, that's Justin Hammer! What's he doing here?"
"He's a shareholder. In fact, he owns more shares than anyone aside from Tony. Do you know him?"
"Do I know him? For starters, he once framed Iron Man for murder!" (back in Iron Man 123-127 - Maniacal Matt)
Upon spotting Rhodey, Hammer approaches him, accompanied by a gentleman who seems rather incongrous in his Armani suit. "Mr. Rhodes, isn't it? Are you still Anthony's pilot?"
"No, I'm self-employed these days. I bought a handful of shares, so I'm here for the meeting."
"Splendid. Have you met my bodyguard, Mark Scarlotti?"
"I believe I have," Rhodey answers calmly. "I can't believe he brought Blacklash here! What's he up to?" Rhodey wonders.
"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen," announces Felix Alvarez. "Mr. Stark will be arriving momentarily. If you'll all follow me into the meeting room?"
The crowd begins to follow Felix. Rhodey turns to Jen. "Does Tony know about Hammer?"
"Not yet."
"Tell him before he goes into the meeting. I've got a bad feeling about this."
In an alleyway in New York, a young man slowly comes to consciousness. He hears the sound of rain.... He opens his eyes to see that the "rain" is actually a bum urinating near him. He leaps up.
"'Ey kid, wotsa matter?" the bum asks.
"Where am I? Who am I?"
"Yer in New York, buddy. Ya dunno who ya are?"
"No, I can't remember anything."
"Don' you worry 'bout a thing, kid. I'll take care a ya."
Tony's Lear arrives in Los Angeles. Tony quickly departs, and finds a secluded spot at the airport to change into Iron Man. He then zooms toward the SE headquarters. "I've got to hurry," he thinks. "I don't want to be late for the meeting. Wait a minute. I'm picking up something on radar. It's human sized, and it's coming right at me!" Iron Man whirls to see Raider-1 on an intercept course. "Raider-1? He should still be in jail after our last encounter (You haven't forgotten Iron Man 339 already, have you? - Matt). If he's here, chances are the other two are as well. I don't have time for this!"
"Iron Man!" Raider-1 yells as he approaches. "Give up! The other Raiders will be here shortly. We knew you would show up over the city today!"
"You're keeping me from an important appointment. Be thankful I don't have time to get rough with you."
Iron Man quickly opens a barrage of repulsor blasts, causing damage to selected areas of Raider-1's armor.
"My flight unit's damaged! I can't stay aloft!" Raider-1 yells. He fires his lasers as he sputters to the ground, but they too quickly malfunction.
"I'll alert the police to his location. Hopefully they'll be able to pick him up before he gets away. I'd love to track down the other Raiders, but I've got to get to SE right now. I'm convinced now more than ever that Hammer's behind my problems. The Raiders were obviously freed to delay Iron Man from the meeting - why?"
Shortly, Iron Man arrives at Stark Enterprises and changes into Tony Stark. He enters the foyer outside the meeting room and is greeted by Jen McAllister.
"I was afraid you were going to be late," she says.
"I got tied up in New York for a couple of hours, and was held up in traffic on the way from the airport. Are we ready for the meeting?"
"Yes, but before you go in, James Rhodes wanted me to tell you something."
"Rhodey's here? Did he buy some shares?"
"Yes, but he wanted to make sure you knew that a large portion of the stock had been purchased by Justin Hammer."
"Hammer! I knew it. Thanks, Jen. I'd better get that meeting started."
The meeting progresses as we would expect a shareholder's meeting to. Annual and Quarterly Reports are discussed, the plans for the upcoming year and revealed, and so on. After the meeting, however, is when things get interesting. All of the stockholders file out except for Justin Hammer. Rhodey hesitates before walking out, but realizes his days as Tony's right hand man are over. Once he leaves, Tony addresses Hammer. "Hammer, admit it. You've been behind all the problems I've had since I reacquired Stark Enterprises. The Spymaster, the Melter, the Raiders - they were all working for you weren't they? You even delayed my construction in Germany, and I'll bet you were tied in with Titanium Man and Unicorn. Why? What are you after? Why buy stock in my company if you're working to destroy it?"
"Anthony, I should think it obvious," Hammer replies in his silky voice. "My original intent was to destabilize your operations before you could get up to full speed. Your holdings have always been obstacles to my path. However, once you allowed your company to go public, my interest shifted to creating doubts in the marketplace. The fewer interested investors there were, the easier it would be for me to purchase a significant amount of stock, as I have done. In a matter of time, I'll be able to drive the price down, and purchase more stock. Then I'll have enough leverage to force you out. I'll soon have enough stock to elect three of the seven board members. I'll only have to bribe one of your four, and then the company will be mine."
"So you want to play hardball, eh? Alright, Hammer, you asked for it. You'll be lucky to own a lemonade stand when I'm through with you."
"May the best man win," smiles Hammer. The two men shake hands and leave the room.
Next: The Hammer Falls!
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