Tony Stark had no illusions about the military's firepower. He knew their strength all too well.
But this was different.
Normally, in a situation like this, the army would never unleash such overwhelming firepower. It wasn't standard procedure. Yet the rhythm of the gunfire outside told a different story. The configuration of shots, the tempo of volleys, the precision something about it was off.
Whoever was attacking the rebel camp wasn't using the usual combination of light infantry and heavy support. Instead, their firepower seemed oddly specialized strong, coordinated, and efficient, but with a very narrow setup. And more unsettling still, their advance was happening far too quickly.
The two guards posted at the cave entrance noticed this as well. Swearing under their breath, they forgot all about Tony and Yinsen and rushed outside, weapons in hand.
Inside the dim cave, Tony Stark and Ho Yinsen wasted no time. They hurried to finish strapping Tony into the bulky Mark I suit of armor.
Tony's mind blazed with a single thought:
He was going to fight.
He wasn't about to let those military bastards think he owed them his life. No. He would walk out of this cave under his own power and prove to the world that he didn't need anyone to save him.
At last, with Yinsen's help, the crude armor locked into place around him. The chest plate sealed with a metallic hiss, the servos groaned to life, and a faint hum radiated from the arc reactor embedded in his chest.
Tony's voice rang with manic excitement.
"Showtime!"
The Mark series had long lived in his imagination. In his private lab back home, he already had sketches, blueprints, and even a half-built prototype sitting on a bench. But here in this hellhole, with nothing but scrap metal and desperation, he had turned fantasy into reality.
It wasn't sleek. It wasn't elegant. But it worked.
This Mark I was ugly, bulky, and crude yet to Tony, it was more meaningful than anything he had ever built.
With a roar of hydraulics, the heavy suit lumbered toward the iron gate.
Boom!
The Mark I slammed forward, its powerful thrusters driving the crude metal body like a battering ram. The reinforced gate crumpled and toppled outward in a thunderous crash.
Tony strode forward triumphantly, chest swelling with pride. He was ready to burst into the desert, ready to unleash his creation against anyone in his way.
And then he froze.
Standing before him in the sunlight was not a group of rebels, nor the ragtag militia he expected. It was a machine sleek, compact, lethal.
A SAR-1 combat robot.
Tony's face went pale.
"Fuck…"
Recognition hit him instantly. The SAR-1 wasn't supposed to be deployed yet. It wasn't even ready for mass production. There was only one explanation for why it stood there, its sensors trained directly on him.
Nolan Rock.
If the SAR-1 was here, then Nolan was here too.
Panic surged through him. He spun around and scrambled back into the cave.
"Yinsen! Help me out of this goddamn tin can, now!"
Yinsen blinked in confusion.
"What? But isn't this how we escape?"
"You don't get it!" Tony barked, his voice rising. "Nolan Rock is here. There is no way I'm letting him see me in this… this piece of junk! Do you understand? I'd rather die than let him know I climbed into this trash can."
Yinsen hesitated. He didn't understand Tony's pride, his rivalry, his obsession with Nolan. But he didn't argue. He bent down and helped Tony unfasten the cumbersome armor as quickly as possible.
Even without understanding the details, Yinsen could see the truth with his own eyes. The SAR-1 was no rebel creation. The rebels didn't have the technology or the resources to build something so advanced. Whoever these machines belonged to they were here to change the tide.
Meanwhile, outside, Nolan Rock had already received confirmation of Tony Stark's presence.
Through the live feed streaming from the SAR-1's onboard camera, Nolan saw the familiar figure inside the cave. For a moment, raw excitement lit his face.
James Rhodes, standing nearby, was struck dumb by the expression.
"I never realized you two were this close," Rhodes said slowly, astonishment in his voice.
Nolan chuckled, a sly grin tugging at his lips.
"Oh, we're very close. Which is why I'm going in to save my dear friend."
"Wait " Rhodes started.
But Nolan didn't wait. He bent his knees, activated the thrusters built into his Delta-6 tactical armor, and launched himself into the air. His body soared four, five meters in a single bound before landing with impossible grace.
Rhodes could only stare. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"What the hell is that suit…? Why haven't I heard of this before?"
The black armor gleamed under the desert sun, every movement fluid and powerful. Rhodes knew instantly it had to be another of Rock Technologies' weapons. But this? This wasn't just armor. It turned its wearer into something superhuman.
His heart burned with envy. If the military had suits like that, soldiers would fight like gods.
He clenched his fists, muttering under his breath.
"Please tell me he's planning to sell it…"
By then, Nolan was already at the mouth of the cave. He didn't care that Rhodes had caught a glimpse of the suit's true potential. As a weapons dealer, the last thing he feared was drawing attention.
In fact, it was the opposite. Attention was currency. Attention meant value.
Weapons weren't meant to be hidden. They were meant to be shown off, to remind the world of their worth. Just as Tony Stark's life had flourished after the creation of the Mark armor, Nolan knew that displaying his own creations was the key to power.
The military wasn't his enemy. Quite the opposite they were his biggest customers. Show them your worth, give them a taste of what you could offer, and they'd come begging for more. That was the art of being an arms dealer.
Nolan strode deeper into the cave, two T-800 units flanking him like unshakable bodyguards.
The sound of shouting echoed from the shadows ahead.
"Damn it! Why is this thing so hard to take off?!"
Tony's voice.
Before Nolan could respond, a rebel leapt out from the darkness, knife in hand, screaming curses as he lunged forward.
Nolan didn't even flinch.
One of the T-800s moved. A single punch sent the man flying, his body erupting into a spray of blood and gore.
Nolan's expression didn't change. He had grown accustomed to this kind of scene.
Inside, the noises stopped. Silence fell.
Tony Stark's chest tightened. His instincts told him the truth.
"That bastard Nolan Rock… he's already here."
His face twisted in frustration. The Mark I hung half-unfastened on his body, clumsy and awkward. He was caught in the most humiliating position possible.
And then he heard it. A voice, dripping with mockery, echoing through the cavern.
"Well, well. Isn't this the great Tony Stark? What are you doing inside that oversized tin can?"
Tony's expression flickered rapidly panic, shame, anger. Then, in a heartbeat, he donned his trademark mask of arrogance.
"Nolan Rock," he sneered. "Use that seawater-soaked brain of yours and you'll figure it out. This is my weapon. If you hadn't shown up when you did, I would've already dealt with those bastards myself."
Nolan laughed softly, though his eyes glinted with admiration.
So he had done it. Even in this hell, Tony had managed to create his first suit. No wonder the man was considered a genius.
But admiration didn't stop him from ridiculing Tony.
"Really? With that big, clunky piece of junk? I have my doubts. Honestly, it looks less like a weapon and more like a barbecue grill. Careful, Stark. Don't roast yourself alive in there."
Tony's face turned crimson.
"Fuck you!"
In front of others, he could boast about the Mark I, spin it as a symbol of genius and resilience. But not in front of Nolan Rock. Never in front of him.
Nolan's smirk widened as he turned his gaze toward Yinsen.
"Dr. Yinsen!" he said warmly.
Yinsen blinked in surprise.
"I know you," Nolan continued. "Three years ago, we met briefly. Back then I was still a nobody, so you probably don't remember me. But I certainly remember you. You're one of the finest physicists of our time. If you'd be willing, I'd like to invite you to join Rock Technologies. I promise, you'd have the best treatment possible."
Yinsen hesitated, visibly conflicted.
Tony's face darkened instantly.
"Nolan Rock, I've already invited Yinsen to work at Stark Industries."
Nolan shot him a glance, his smile razor-sharp.
"If I'm not mistaken, Stark Industries only has room for one Tony Stark. Everyone else is just there to hold your tools. Don't you think Dr. Yinsen deserves better than that?
And besides shouldn't the choice be his?"
He flashed a grin, teeth gleaming in the dim light.
Not convinced?
Go ahead. Bite me.
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