Chapter 14 – Bill Messes with Rhodes

Bill would always exaggerate things whenever Rhodes open the idea of giving the technology to the military. Bill even said that a bank robbery using an iron man suit worth a hundred million dollars would be the new future. They might get one or two million, which would only be enough for repairs. Seeing Bill intent on failing his every attempt, Rhodes can only give up.

He did give one last try and asked Tony to trust in him, trust in their friendship. To which, Bill presented a document giving Tony Stark all of Rhodes properties and making him pay billions of dollars if he hands the Iron Man suit to the military. Rhodes was swearing on his life that he will not let the military touch the Iron Man armor but he was unable to sign the document. He was on orders to procure an Iron Man suit and completing this will ensure his promotion to the next rank. As for his friendship with Tony? He is confident that in a few years Tony will eventually forgive him.

Justin Hammer gave Ivan all authority just to rush the development of his own Iron Man army. His request will never be fulfilled because Rhodes was unable to steal an Iron Man suit from Tony. Instead they settled with drones powered with arc reactors. The arc reactor can provide enough power to keep the drone flying for dozens of years. Although they do not have the jet propulsion system. They cannot hover in the air or control the speed. What they made are drones as big as jet fighters that can carry an armory.

That is why Rhodes tried many, many times to take an Iron Man suit. During military meetings, Rhodes assured them that he can get an Iron Man suit and allow the military to stand shoulder to shoulder to Stark Industries technology. He did not expect to get blocked by Bill every single day. When he tried to call Tony on his cell to convince him. Bill would be heard in the background speaking of how the military would send the Iron Man into secret missions and the legacy of Iron Man is drenched in blood.

Fury, Natasha, Clint, Coulson and Melinda May are in a meeting inside a building that is "absolutely NOT A SECRET military base".

"Ivan finally started producing the arc reactors. Were you able to get the blueprints?" Fury asked Coulson as they watch a big screen showing Justin Hammer giving orders to Ivan and Ivan ignoring Hammer.

"Yes sir. Although we had to do it old school and copy the blueprint through a long-range camera. The first thing Ivan did was take over the security system and upgrade it. Im afraid that it's impossible to sneak in and take one arc reactor." Coulson answered. When Natasha called Fury, everything was put in place.

The meeting lasted for a few minutes. Natasha went back to Stark Industries to continue her monitoring of Tony and Bill. Phil Coulson, Melinda May and Hawkeye with an army of SHIELD agents, would storm Hammer Industries and take Ivan and all the drones he created. Hammer industries may have connections with the military but they are harboring an escaped criminal who is supposed to be dead.

Ivan finished testing his army. Although the end product isn't anything like an Iron Man suit. In fact, all he had was another power source. He wanted to steal an Iron Man suit and use the army modeled after it to torture Tony Stark. That would be his Ideal revenge. Its just that the military liaison was a total moron and failed such a simple task. His task was to take advantage of his friendship with Tony Stark and get one Iron Man suit. Despite his boasting that he will not fail. He failed.

The product that Ivan made was not very maneuverable but reliable flying armory. A flying fortress the size of a soccer field. It is powered by twenty arc reactors. It uses dozens of jet engines as thrusters. Not very maneuverable but it allows the fortress some movement in the air. He armed the fortress with hundreds of drones. The fortress was designed to repair drones, restock their missiles and ammunition as well as recharge their battery.

Justin Hammer and Ivan thought that if they combine their talent and resources, they can match Tony Stark. What they didn't know is that they cannot match the level of Tony Stark's intellect and they do not have an assistant as powerful as JARVIS. Ivan always believed that he is a match for Tony if he has enough resources but when he was given full authority in Hammer Industries, he has no clue on how to proceed in making an Iron Man suit. He can only result to stealing which also failed. His last resort is to pack as many drones as possible into a flying fortress. Something that is only possible due to the arc reactors.

He was about to enter into the fortress and leave Hammer Industries so that he can kill Tony Stark. But a middle-aged man wearing sunglasses appeared. He pressed a button in a gadget that he is holding and Ivan experienced shock as if he is being tased. The middle-aged man smoothly injected him with a sedative and everything went dark.

SHIELD got themselves a powerful weapon and all the technical know-how in building it together with the knowledge of arc reactors which Ivan was not able to delete. They made sure that Hammer Industries take the hit for working with Ivan. The stocks of Hammer Industries dived and that's the end of Coulson's report to Fury.

If Coulson checked later, he would have discovered that a company owned by the Black family purchased Hammer Industries at a very low price. Arthur wanted all the factories and weapons research department of Hammer Industries. He has tasked a few people into preparing everything. Soon they would have a blueprint of spaceships. Arthur plans to create a fleet of spaceships to defend earth. When Hulk falls to earth, the spaceship would never be able to enter earth's atmosphere. Thanos would have to bring his army if he wants to take a piece of stone from earth.

In the Hammer Industries Expo, Justin hammer was eagerly promoting his next big product for the military. They waited for a few minutes and nothing came out. Instead, fbi approached and arrested Justin Hammer.

Tony Stark received a video of the meeting in the military where Rhodes assured everyone that he will bring an Iron Man suit and make sure that Tony never raise his head again whenever he meets the military. That is why when Justin Hammer was arrested, Tony Stark arrived in full Iron Man armor and stopped in front of Rhodes. He gave him a copy of the video.

Rhodes played the video and knew why Tony appeared. He feels regret but he can only continue with the path that he has taken. Right or wrong, he preferred his allegiance to the military than friendship. Although he could have remained loyal to the military and not volunteer to backstab anybody. But who cares?