Tony and Sean split up... the former went alone to the Mandarin's lair in Tennessee, while the latter headed to Air Force One to prevent the president from being kidnapped and to eliminate any unforeseen variables...
Sean had casually suggested that Tony inform S.H.I.E.L.D. about the situation, but Stark seemed deeply distrustful of Nick Fury and kept the information to himself.
Thinking of Tony's determination to be a lone hero, Sean, who sat aboard his private jet, allowed a faint smirk to curl his lips.
He dialed Francis Underwood's private line. The vice president had long been a steadfast ally of Umbrella, their interests deeply intertwined.
"Interested in discussing moving into the White House, Mr. Vice President?" The young man tossed out an offer that couldn't be refused.
Killian's plan was to purge the nation's upper echelons, leveraging HYDRA's internal infiltration to seize power.
It was a solid strategy. Controlling the most powerful leader in the Western world with one hand while commanding the most feared terrorist organization with the other. With Extremis, A.I.M. would grow into a monopolistic behemoth.
But to pull this off, the president and his cabinet had to be eliminated. Targeting Air Force One was the perfect opportunity. As for the vice president and Congress? HYDRA would handle them.
Unfortunately for Killian, he hadn't accounted for a player in this game who operated above the rules... Sean, whose very presence rendered his grand scheme to nothing more than a fleeting illusion.
After a half-hour discussion, the ambitious veteran politician eagerly accepted all the terms.
No one would pass up such an opportunity. To sit in the White House, becoming one of the most powerful figures in the nation...
In the dirty and complex game of politics, there was only one rule... interests first.
In his official residence, Underwood subtly adjusted his tone:
<...Allow me to once again express my excitement and sincere gratitude, Mr. Cyphers...>
The founder of Umbrella was no longer the small-time figure who once needed protection. Now, he could casually discuss replacing the president, and had the means to do it.
Always meticulous about details, Underwood was quick to adapt to the shifting power dynamic. He was a seasoned politician. Dignity and pride had no place in his world.
<...What do you need me to do?..>
The vice president asked quietly.
Even with his composure, the thought of stepping into the Oval Office and ascending to the pinnacle of power sent a thrill through him.
"Stay home and prepare a eulogy," Sean replied.
After a few more polite exchanges, he hung up...
According to Skynet's tracking, Colonel Rhodes in the Iron Patriot had arrived in Pakistan half an hour ago.
Given Killian's efficiency, the Trojan Horse plan was likely already in motion... He would steal the Iron Patriot suit, use it to infiltrate Air Force One, and successfully abduct the president.
Then, under the guise of the Mandarin, Killian would publicly execute President Ellis, plunging the world into chaos. That would be HYDRA's cue to make their grand entrance.
"Safe travels, Tony," Sean murmured with a faint smile.
Just as Killian had said, he was about to become the shadow ruler of this nation. Umbrella's grand expansion could now begin in earnest...
...
~Meanwhile, in Tennessee~
"I hope Sean can handle things on his end..."
Armed with a stack of his own inventions, Tony infiltrated the lightly guarded Ten Rings hideout.
Thanks to Killian taking most of the manpower, security at the compound had been reduced by two-thirds, leaving only a handful of burly mercenaries.
Even without his Iron Man suit, Tony made his way inside effortlessly using compact EMP devices, electric shock gloves, and homemade grenades.
"If only J.A.R.V.I.S. were here. I should've recorded my entrance and prove to everyone I've got the makings of an agent..." Tony didn't hesitate to praise himself as he cautiously pushed open the door to the main house.
The living room was a mess. It was like the aftermath of a wild party...
Empty liquor bottles, pizza boxes, women's clothing, and a half-naked stripper sprawled across a table greeted him.
After swiftly incapacitating a few guards, Tony stormed into a large hall set up like a broadcasting studio. The screens played the Mandarin's threat videos, the walls were covered in Ten Rings graffiti, and the tables were littered with prop weapons.
This looked less like a terrorist base and more like a movie set.
Venturing further into the bedroom, Tony found the man responsible for America's panic... a babbling old man.
This 'Mandarin' bore no resemblance to the sinister and imposing figure from the videos. Instead, he was grinning like a fool, slurring his words as if high on drugs. There was no trace of a feared terrorist leader here... just a washed-up third-rate comedian.
"Enough! You're not the Mandarin. Where's the real one?" Tony leveled his gun at the old man.
He refused to believe this was the leader of the Ten Rings. Sure, they looked alike, but the aura was completely off.
If this was an act, the Mandarin was one hell of an actor.
"He's here, but also not here. It's complicated– wait, don't shoot! My name is Trevor Slattery. I'm not a decoy or a body double. I'm just an actor." The old man raised his hands in surrender, spilling everything, "It's just a role. The Mandarin isn't real."
"You know how it is. Actors take drugs sometimes. I got a little carried away, did some bad things... Then they found me, offered me more drugs, and other perks..."
"Killian created you? The bombings were his doing?" Tony asked in a cold tone.
He had suspected Killian was the mastermind behind everything, that he was merely collaborating with the Mandarin and the Ten Rings.
But he never imagined the terrorist organization and its leader were entirely fictional...
"He needed someone to take the blame for the attacks. So he crafted this big scary villain... Though, honestly, it was my brilliant acting that really brought the Mandarin to life."
"Your acting? Murder is part of your performance?" Tony stared at him in disbelief.
The fact that this was the Mandarin made him cringe. The evil mastermind he'd been so determined to defeat was... this?
"Look around. Costumes, green screens, fake guns. I don't kill people. I'm just a dedicated actor." The old man popped open a can of soda casually.
"Where's Killian? And his super-soldiers?" Tony pressed.
He'd assumed the Mandarin's lair would be the most dangerous place, which was why he had sent Sean to rescue the president. But it seemed Killian's real target was Air Force One.
"They went to execute the final phase." The old man rolled his eyes, "Dunno the details."
"Damn it!" Tony immediately called J.A.R.V.I.S. "It's time. Activate the Iron Legion."