"The Hunt"

Tony Stark, millionaire inventor, sits at his workbench in his private lab. He peers through a hyperwave energy scanner (of his own design, of course) at the object lying on his work table. The object is the weapon Titanium Man used on Stark's alter ego, Iron Man, during their last battle (in Iron Man #342- Titanium Turnage). The weapon is similar to a bazooka in shape, but highly technological in appearance. "It appears to be a Kirby-Tech design," thinks Tony, "but I've never known them to develop anything like this. I suspect the Titanium Man built it himself. It's an incredible piece of work. Based on what I've been able to obtain from the Fantastic Four and S.H.I.E.L.D., it duplicates the energy effect that was created when Onslaught was ripped open (in Marvel Universe: Onslaught - Mattslaught).

Apparently, it compensates for Franklin Richard's effect on the energy field. Although this weapon can't create a new reality, it should transport whomever it's used on to the same dimension I was in those months. Theoretically, anyway. Unlike everyone else, I wasn't present for the Onslaught effect. How I ended up in the Franklinverse is still a mystery, even to me. Maybe that's why it didn't work on me."

Tony leans back in his chair, pondering the problem that's been bothering him for months. Where was he during the period missing from his memory? How did he get in the Franklinverse? Does Kang have anything to do with it, as his dreams suggest? These questions are particularly irksome to Tony Stark. After all, problems are made to be solved. Questions are made to be answered. Why have these plagued him so long?

Tony glances at the clock on the wall. "One a.m. - it's later than I realized. I'd better get some sleep before I have to be at the office."

He stands staring at the door. Why hasn't he noticed it before? Where did it come from? Has the mansion been remodeled without his knowledge? Perhaps he should see what is on the other side. After all, doesn't a door exist to be opened? Or does it exist to be closed, and keep unwanteds out?

Enough philosophising - its his door, and he'll open it if he wants!

As the door swings open, the room is suddenly filled with light. Through the brightness he sees a smile, like some sort of homicidal cheshire cat. He throws up his arms. The whine of his repulsors coming online is still in his ears as the world goes black...

And then Tony Stark wakes up.

"Another dream! I'm so close to remembering - I know it! Why won't it come back to me? Why?" (it will in Avengers #416, on sale this month - Miss-it-not Matt)

It is the late afternoon in China. In a small rural village, the populace ends its daily work of toiling on the land. A small boy is returning to his home after playing with some of his friends when he feels it. The ground begins to vibrate, as though a low level earthquake were occuring. However, the vibrations come and go in a steady rhythm, and grow in force with each passing vibration. Then it appears. Were the little boy familiar with the work of the Bard, he might well recall the words, "Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus," for no words were more applicable than these are now. As the massive figure looms over the village the people begin to scream, to run, to pray. But the little boy stands in mute amazement. It is as he knew all along. Dragons are real! And then, with a voice that could shake the earth to it very foundations, the dragon asks in the villager's native tongue, "Where is the Mandarin?"

Fifty miles further north, the Titanium Man approaches an armored citadel as night begins to fall. He comes to the entrance, and a disembodied voice demands, "State your name and business."

"I am the Titanium Man. I have come to see the Mandarin."

"Yes, he's been expecting you." Slowly, the massive stone doors swing open. The Titanium Man confidently enters the citadel. Inside, it is ornately decorated with ancient Chinese artifacts and architecture. A servant leads the Titanium Man into the throne room. Upon a large elaborate throne sits the Mandarin, looking slightly different than before, thanks to his new body. The ten rings, as always, rest upon his ten fingers. Upon reaching the throne, the Titanium Man bows in respect.

"Yes, armored one? What do you wish to speak to me about?" the Mandarin asks.

"I have come to make you an offer," the booming metallic voice of the Titanium Man replies. "It is my intention to remake this world in a more suitable image. When I heard you had defied death once again, I hoped we could forge an alliance to attain our common goal."

"You are sure of yourself, stranger. Why should I ally myself with you, who attires himself similar to my most hated foe, when my dreams of conquest _must_ bear fruit, thanks to the virtual immortality the power of my rings give me?"

"Because, despite your great power, your most hated foe, Iron Man, has found a way to defeat you time and again. I believe we can crush him once and for all if we combine our resources."

"You intrigue me. But let me make myself clear. The Mandarin submits to no one. I -"

The Mandarin is interrupted by the sound of crumbling concrete and twisting steel. The Mandarin and Titanium Man both look up to see the roof of the Mandarin's fortress being peeled away. In the gaping hole peers the massive face of Fin Fang Foom! "Mandarin!" Foom shouts as the Mandarin's servants scatter like ants whose colony has been disturbed, "I have come to revenge myself upon you!"

Tony Stark sighs in frustration over the results of this morning's officers' meeting. His manufacturing interests have had raw materials shortages, research and development has hit another snag in their latest project, and the coffee machine is broken. Finally, he stands up and silences the various VPs, who are all talking simultaneously but seem to be saying nothing.

"All right, that's enough. Phillips, tell our suppliers if they can't come through on their contracts we'll cancel and I'll develop synthetic substitutes. Jones, tell R&D I'm on my way down to fix the design. Ms. Edwards, do something about that coffee machine!"

As Tony storms out of the conference room, he thinks, "That's the final straw! I'm going to convince Mrs. Arbogast to leave Oracle and work for me even if it kills me!"

Felix Alvarez sprints to catch up with him as Tony strides toward the elevator. "Tony, wait up!"

Tony holds the elevator long enough for Felix to enter. "Yes, Felix?"

"Tony, don't you think you're trying to handle too much by yourself? Can't you let someone else take care of some of these problems?"

"If someone else were handling these problems, they wouldn't be problems, would they?" Tony snaps. The elevator is silent for a moment. "I'm sorry,"

Tony apologizes. "I'm still dealing with the pressure of Hammer's takeover attempt, I guess, and my personal life's been kind of rough lately."

"Why don't you take a few days off, Tony?"

"Felix, as always, you're the voice of reason. I've been going nonstop since I came back. Maybe I do need a little break."

In China, the battle begins. Fin Fang Foom smashes his fist down on the Mandarin's throne. The Mandarin manages to leap to safety just in time.

"What is this creature?" asks the astonished Titanium Man.

"That is Fin Fang Foom, one of the great dragons. He wants revenge for his defeat at my hands (in Iron Man #275 - Min Mang Matt)."

"Whatever beast he may be, he cannot stop the Titanium Man!" The Titanium Man streaks into the sky, unleashing a barrage of pulse bolts and laser blasts. He succeeds in annoying Fin Fang Foom.

"Go away, little gnat! You interfere with me at your peril!"

As the Mandarin ponders whether to kill Fin Fang Foom before or after Titanium Man is killed, he senses a presence approaching. He turns and looks across the night sky. There he sees it, glimmering in the moonlight. A familiar armored form. The presence is familiar, but it is not his old foe.

Is it his replacement? (Mandarin encountered Rhodey in #181 and circa #272 - Matt) Why is he here?

This Iron Man swiftly begins firing lasers at Fin Fang Foom, who lets out a massive roar.

Tony returns to his home, deciding to take the rest of the day off. He turns on the television.

"-- reports of a giant dragon moving across China. This just in. Chinese officials report that a Chinese military helicopter has observed two armored beings in battle with the "dragon," one of whom has been identified as the Avenger Iron Man."

"WHAT?!" Tony leaps to his feet running down to his lab to don his armor and his booster rocket, already calculating the launch trajectory that will get him to China the fastest.

Next Issue: Be here for the story we had to call... "The Death of the Mandarin"! Miss it not, or you'll hurt Irving Forbush's feelings!