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March Year 2 |
We all know that the old saying "the shortest distance between two points is a straight line" is a lie, at least when you're traveling by air. However, as Tony Stark, the invincible Iron Man, comes to the top of his suborbital arc that will take him to China, he does not think about such matters.
Instead, he is focused on the events he heard about on television only a few minutes ago. It has been reported that a giant dragon is battling Iron Man and another armored person in China, clearly an impossibility. Iron Man increases his thrust, determined to solve this mystery as soon as possible.
In China, the Mandarin calmly but slighly curiously watches the battle. The great dragon, Fin Fang Foom, is seeking revenge upon the Mandarin after their last encounter (Iron Man #275- Matt) and now battles Titanium Man, who wishes to ally himself with the Mandarin, and someone who appears to be Iron Man, although the Mandarin knows it is not his old foe. The Mandarin is pondering whether or not to let Fin Fang Foom destroy these two, when the Titanium Man shouts, "Mandarin! Aid your comrade! Our foe has arrived, and this dragon threatens us all!" The Mandarin stands silently.
The Titanium Man grows frustrated. As he continues to dodge Fin Fang Foom's attacks while launching his own, he thinks, "The Mandarin is clearly a fool! I made a mistake seeking his aid in my plans. Perhaps I'm better off leaving this confrontation as soon as possible, especially since Iron Man has arrived. But, if anything, Iron Man is acting even stranger than the Mandarin - he continues to blast our foe, but he hasn't spoken a word since his arrival. Something about this is very disturbing."
Meanwhile, this faux Iron Man continues to pelt Fin Fang Foom with laser blasts. He flits about, avoiding Fin Fang Foom's counterattacks. "I don't recall Iron Man being that maneuverable," thinks the Titanium Man.
The Mandarin continues to watch.
Iron Man streaks through the night sky, approaching his destination with increasing speed. Noting his altitude and velocity, he depresses a button on the harness holding his thruster pack in place. The thruster automatically jettisons. As soon as the thruster clears Iron Man's streaking metallic form, a parachute opens that will lower the thruster gently to the ground. "The thruster should land safely, without harming anything," Iron Man notes to himself. "Then the cleansing mechanism will activate, destroying all essential components beyond recognition, insuring my technology won't be copied. But enough about my handiwork, it's time to focus on what's going on ahead of me. I'm coming into visual range of the battle...
It's true! Someone is impersonating me and in battle with Fin Fang Foom! And there's the Titanium Man! But what's he doing here?"
But Iron Man's questions will have to wait for the moment. We shift our scene back to the Sillicon Valley headquarters of Stark Enterprises, where it's still normal business hours. Unfortunately, Jen McAllister is finding it difficult to focus on business. "When I took this job, Rhodey asked me to keep an eye on Tony Stark to try to determine if he is an impostor. I haven't had any time to really be around Tony since I came aboard, but it doesn't make sense why someone pretending to be Tony would act the way he has - he's been brilliant as far as running this company goes. Why would Rhodey possibly suspect the man who is supposed to be his best friend?"
And so now we turn to Rhodes Air, charter flight company owned by James Rhodes. Rhodey prepares to head to the runway for his latest flight.
"Y'know, it wasn't that long ago that I did all my flyin' for Tony Stark," reflects the pilot. "I wish things could go back to the way it was in the old days. But life has a way of changing things. Maybe the last couple of years have made me too cynical. My heart tells me to trust Tony, but my head says I should wait. Did I do the wrong thing when I told Jen to watch Tony for me? Enough of that. I've got a plane to fly today. I don't need any distractions."
Iron Man zooms into view as the Titanium Man barely avoids a blast of flame from Fin Fang Foom. Upon seeing the approaching figure, Titanium Man shouts, "Two Iron Men? How can this be?" Unfortunately for him, this distraction allows Fin Fang Foom to swat him to the ground. The Mandarin recognizes his old foe, and begins to formulate a plan.
Iron Man keeps his distance from Fin Fang Foom, and activates his loudspeakers. "Armored person, this is Iron Man. Identify yourself!" The second Iron Man looks at the original, and then resumes his attack on Fin Fang Foom, who has ignored this latest arrival. Fin Fang Foom swats at the faux Iron Man, who swiftly dodges. Meanwhile, the Mandarin climbs the mountain behind his now ruined fortress.
In New York, a young man dreams. In his dreams, he is a great hero. He has the power to right the wrongs in the world. He does not always succeed, but he has the respect of his allies. And then there is a great battle. A blinding light. And then... pain. Despair. And now he wakes up.
"What can this mean?" he asks. "Who am I?"
"Who is he?" wonders Iron Man as he dodges another blast of flame while trying to maneuver closer to the other Iron Man. "My scanners are picking up some weird energy readings from him. This doesn't make sense."
"Enough! You will not keep me from my goal! The Mandarin must die!!" shouts Fin Fang Foom. Meanwhile, the Mandarin has reached a ledge on the mountain, and stands just below Fin Fang Foom's eyelevel.
"Mandarin!" thinks Tony. "So that's why Fin Fang Foom's been tearing apart the countryside. That still doesn't explain Titanium Man or this impostor, though."
"Here I am, beast! I have bested you before - you cannot defeat me! I am immortal now! Even if you destroy this shell, you can never best the Mandarin!!" replies the Mandarin. He stands defiantly, an expression of righteous anger on his face.
"Oh, you are so sure of yourself, little man. I say you are a coward. You defeated me and my fellow crewmen using our devices! (Don't tell me you didn't read Iron Man #275 - Chastising Matt) The power is ours, and I have come to reclaim it, and take your life. Prepare for your destiny."
"I am prepared," says the Mandarin matter-of-factly.
At this time the Titanium Man struggles to his feet. He hears the sound of an approaching helicopter. "Coming here was a mistake," he realizes. "I must leave and seek an ally elsewhere." The Titanium Man promptly takes to the air, flying to the northwest. Iron Man spots him and briefly wonders if he should attempt to keep him from fleeing, but before he can reach a decision, he is blasted from behind by the other Iron Man! The real Iron Man falls into a nearby grove of trees.
The approaching helicopter comes into view. It is a Chinese military helicopter. The crew is almost petrified at the sight of Fin Fang Foom. They have their orders, though. The helicopter keeps its distance, and a frightened young soldier trains a video camera on the scene, to provide his superiors with the information they want.
"Die, little one," Fin Fang Foom announces. As he reaches back to deliver the killing blow, the false Iron Man swoops in the way, screaming, "No! He is mine!" The false Iron Man unleashes a powerful laser blast, and the Mandarin is vaporized.
Fin Fang Foom looks at the pile of ashes that was the Mandarin, and then looks at Iron Man. "You have robbed me of my vengeance. But he will return, and I shall find him then. Leave now and you shall live. If our paths cross again, I shall revenge myself upon you, as well!" With that, Fin Fang Foom walks away, and the fake Iron Man flies in the opposite direction. The helicopter continues to follow Fin Fang Foom, and the soldiers do not notice the real Iron Man as he emerges from the trees.
"What happened? Fin Fang Foom is leaving like he's lost interest, and everyone else has disappeared. If Fin Fang Foom's not going to cause any more trouble, I guess I might as well leave him alone. Maybe I can track that other Iron Man, though."
Iron Man's search proves unfruitful, however, and he returns home. Upon arriving at his home, he removes his armor and falls fast asleep. When Tony Stark wakes up the next morning, he decides to turn on the morning news.
"Repeating this mornings top story. The Chinese government has released a videotape of Iron Man killing a man believed to be the Mandarin while battling a dragon last night. Here is the video."
Tony watches the video of the false Iron Man killing the Mandarin. "That must have happened while I was knocked away from the battle! This is unbelievable. I've got to get over to SE before there's a public relations disaster, and then I've got to find out who's trying to frame me!"
Next Issue: Iron Man's been accused of murder. What's the public reaction going to be? What's Tony going to do about it? What's Rhodey got to say about it? Plus, Jen makes a startling discovery and it's Iron Man versus Iron Man!