Ch 35 The Clean Slate Protocol

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"Now the moron is about to get his." Logan said.

Killian injected Pepper with some more Extremis. She told him Tony would never help him. He said he hadn't taken her just to motivate Tony but as his trophy, humiliating her.

"Bastard." Tony snarled as Pepper looked at the screen with a pale face.

"Just die already." Bucky said to Aldrich.

That was when the Iron Patriot landed. Pepper was horrified at first, thinking Rhodes was working with Aldrich. But then the armor opened up and President Ellis fell down, horrifying Pepper even more as Aldrich welcomed him mockingly.

"I would die before working with these rats." Rhodes said.

"I know." Pepper told him, "I was too shocked at that moment though."

"I know." Rhodes told her.

Killian took Ellis to another room and reminded him of Roxxon Norco, which had spilled a million gallons of crude off Pensacola but because of him, no one had seen a day at court. Ellis asked what he wanted and Aldrich said he didn't want anything, except a reason to kill him that would play well on TV. He had found a new political patron who would have Ellis' job the next day. His men dragged Ellis away.

"He planned it out to the last detail." A disgusted Steve said, "What a madman."

"And the traitor Rodriguez is already poised to take his job too." Frank snarled.

Tony and Rhodes snuck into the area with guns in hand, avoiding detection. They eventually hid behind some barrels as Rhodes saw Ellis in the Iron Patriot armor strung up over the oil. Tony realized it was a Viking funeral.

"Insulting the Viking customs." Thor snarled angrily.

"This guy is getting worse every second." Loki sighed.

"I know." Odinson agreed.

As Aldrich and the broadcasters were about to start the rehearsal, Tony and Rhodes rushed up the stairs as Tony held his gun up on Rhodes' order who gave him some instructions.

Everyone chuckled at the instructions.

"I won't shoot you in the back." Tony said.

"Don't blame him for thinking that." Natasha said and he winced.

The two were fired at by a guard from above. Tony fired back but missed as they took cover. Tony said no one could hit a light bulb from this distance. Rhodes then did exactly that.

Everyone laughed as Clint said, "Nice shot."

"Thanks." Rhodes said.

Tony and Rhodes then argued about the guns before Tony looked up to see if anyone was coming. Rhodes asked if he had seen anything but Tony said he was too fast so he looked up again and saw 3 guys and 1 girl, all of whom were armed. As they were surrounded, Rhodes said he would kill for some armor and Tony agreed, saying they needed backup. "You know what?" Tony said. The two saw something flying in the distance. "Is that-" "Yup." "Are those-" "Yup."

"Now the real deal is here." Jessica said.

An entire army of Iron Man suits flew down to the area, stopping above it as they all assembled, surrounding the Extremis soldiers.

Everyone clapped and cheered at the scene.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Peter said.

"Merry Christmas, buddy." Tony said to Rhodes before saying to Jarvis, "Jarvis, target Extremis heat signatures. Disable with extreme prejudice." Jarvis complied as Tony walked further and doing a Christian gesture spread his hands and said, "What are you waiting for? It's Christmas. Take them to church."

"With pleasure." Matt smirked as everyone cheered again.

"I agree." Steve said.

One of the armors rammed into a thug before firing a repulsor at another and then elbowed another away while another armor dismantled into pieces and hit some thugs, sending them back before rejoining.

Everyone clapped as Benjamin said, "That looks like a useful armor."

"Only if used via remote control." Tony pointed out.

The previous armor was overpowered by three thugs as one of them ripped of its head but it flew off with the hanging soldier who screamed as Tony and Rhodes narrowly avoided. It crashed to the ground with the thug and an explosion happened, killing them both. But it made the entire structure unstable.

"One down." Bruce said.

Tony asked Jarvis to get Igor to steady the structure. The armor known as Igor rushed towards where the structure was falling and steadied it with its back. Its backbone protruded to help steady the structure.

"Is it just me or does that backbone look like Blonsky?" Bruce asked.

"It does look like Blonsky." Scott noted.

Rhodes commented on how Tony had been managing his downtime and Tony said everybody needed a hobby. Tony then asked an armor called Heartbreaker to help one called Red Snapper. Heartbreaker fired at two of the thugs on Red Snapper while the third one ripped out its visor but both of them crashed into some barrels, causing an explosion which killed them both but also sent Potts flying further while Killian was also sent down.

"Oops!" Tony said.

"It's not your fault." Pepper told him.

One of the suits assembled around Tony and Rhodes asked for one but Tony said they were only coded to him. He flew off as another armor flew down with Jarvis greeting Rhodes and asking if it could give him a lift. An annoyed Rhodes accepted as he was flown up.

Everyone chuckled as Rhodes said, "Show-off."

One of the thugs leapt on the armor as both of them struggled and Rhodes was thrown down. He looked up to see two thugs rushing him when a huge armor landed between them and punched the bridge with its giant, pointed hands, sending it up as the two thugs were sent flying into it and it punched them both away. A flying Tony blasted them both as Jarvis told him that he had located Potts.

"What would we do without you?" Pepper said to Vision.

"I wish I could tell." Vision said.

Tony flew to where Pepper was, lying unconscious under some debris. Tony lifted some up but it started sending some debris down on a startled Pepper so he put it down and joked with Pepper about what happened when she hung out with his ex-girlfriends.

"What a time to bring it up." Aunt May said dryly.

Pepper called him a jerk and he agreed. He tried to pull her out but Aldrich punched through the ground and touched the suit's reactor, disabling it temporarily as Tony was sent down. He mockingly asked Pepper if Tony was bothering her.

"No you are." Pepper snarled.

"What a timing." Elektra said dryly.

Aldrich then stood over Tony, mocking him as he started heating up the armor. He was about to punch Tony's face when a blade protruded from the armor and Tony used it to cut off his hand, sending him staggering back in pain as Tony told him to wait for a minute.

Everyone clapped as Trish, who found him almost as creepy as Kilgrave, said, "Take that!"

But Aldrich's hand burnt the ground underneath Pepper and sent her down. Outside, one of Tony's armors sent two thugs back with its repulsors and one of them crashed into a mechanism, activating it as the bridge on which Pepper was started being pulled away.

"Why does this always happen to us?" Wanda moaned.

"I wish I knew." Tony said.

Tony got out of his suit and ran out. One of the thugs rushed him and he jumped away. The thug tried to jump after him but an armor rammed into him and both were sent flying off. Tony saw Pepper being moved away and running towards her, asked Jarvis for a suit. One of the suits flew up to him and he jumped into it but a blast sent it flying off, annoying Tony who continued running.

"Why is this happening?" A shocked Sam said.

"The universe hates us." Benjamin said simply.

Rhodes told Ellis he was coming and saw two thugs rushing him. He jumped onto a hanging crate and they jumped after him. He fired, staggering them back. One of them tried to hit but he ducked and rolled off the crate, hanging on it for dear life. The two looked down on him when he fired at the rope supporting the crate, making it tumble as both the thugs fell down and Rhodes used it to swing towards Ellis and jumped at him, grabbing his armored hand as the crate fell on the ground and crashed, causing an explosion. Rhodes used the gauntlet to fire at the rope, freeing Ellis' one hand as they both swung away and Rhodes jumped down, firing at the other rope and breaking it. He told a relieved Ellis that he looked damn good in the suit but he needed it back.

Everyone clapped and cheered happily for Rhodes who smirked.

"You're awesome too you know." Hope told him.

"I have my moments." He said.

Tony ran and jumped to Pepper as Rhodes told him the President was safe and flew off with him. Tony was now directly under Pepper and reached out with his hand, telling her to let go and that he will catch her. The shaking structure eventually made her fall down. Tony tried to catch her but barely missed and watched in horror as she plummeted into the flames below.

"NO!" A horrified Bruce said as everyone watched the scene with gaping jaws while Tony and Pepper just paled, reminded of the horrible moment. They grasped each other's hands tightly to assure themselves that they were all right.

"What? How?" A horrified and confused Scott stammered.

"Just watch." Tony said.

An anguished Tony was about to cry when Aldrich walked up behind him. Tony climbed up to him and glared angrily. Aldrich mocked him and said how he would have caught Pepper.

"Please die a painful death." Natasha said.

"You will be satisfied." Pepper smirked.

The two rushed each other as Aldrich leapt at Tony but he slid to avoid and ran into his suit. He turned around and exchanged some blows with Aldrich, punching him and pinning his head down for a second before Aldrich freed himself and ripped off a piece of the gauntlet. Their fists clashed as a piece of the gauntlet broke and Aldrich's hand also hurt. Aldrich then pushed Tony down and leapt at him. Just before he could punch him, the armor ejected Tony as he destroyed the suit.

Everyone sighed in relief as Frank said, "Damn!"

"The guy packs a punch." Hope agreed.

Tony was falling when another suit assembled around him and he flew up, crashing into Aldrich as his shirt was burnt off, exposing some dragon tattoos.

"So he is an Iron Clad wannabe." Jessica said and everyone chuckled, though they stopped abruptly as Jessica realized she shouldn't have said that.

Tony and Aldrich faces each other again as Aldrich dodged some repulsors and hit him before being pushed away. He dodged another repulsor and grabbing Tony's hand, made him fire at himself, sending him back. Tony used a thruster on his back to fly back up and grabbing Aldrich, punched and kneed him and wincing, smacked him with a powered gauntlet. He tried to kick but Aldrich grabbed his foot and broke it, hitting him with it. Before he attacked again, Tony grabbed him but was flipped down. He tried to fire a repulsor but Aldrich grabbed is hand and joked how they were on the roof again. He destroyed the armor again but Tony ejected himself and fell down.

Everyone sighed in relief again as a concerned Steve asked, "How many more times is this gonna happen?"

"This was the last time." Tony said.

Jarvis told Tony Mark 42 was inbound and Tony and Aldrich both turned to see it. "I'll be damned. The prodigal son returns." He positioned himself and as the armor flew closer, its foot hit the structure and it crashed, breaking into pieces as Tony groaned.

"This is getting horrible." Thor said and everyone nodded.

Aldrich told Tony he didn't deserve Pepper and that he was close to having her perfect. He jumped down as Tony backed off and told him to slow down. "You're right. I don't deserve her." As Aldrich smirked, Tony said, "Here's where you're wrong. She was already perfect."

Pepper looked at Tony, touched by his gesture as he just smiled gently at her.

Tony then mentally lifted the pieces of the suit and pointed at Aldrich. The suit attached to him and restrained him.

"Punishment for his actions." T'Challa said.

"Jarvis. Do me a favor and blow Mark 42." Tony said. Aldrich screamed but was muffled by the visor coming on his face.

Everyone cheered as Natasha said, "Finally you shut him up!"

Tony slid and jumped away as the suit exploded with Aldrich inside it. He jumped off into another suit as the explosion hit him and he crashed to the ground along with the debris. The suit broke and Tony saw pieces of the Mark 42 lying around in the fire. The flames burnt the visor.

"Symbolic." Odinson commented.

Suddenly, the collapsed structure started shaking and Aldrich got up, his body covered in flames.

"Why won't you die?" Sam said.

"Terminator rip-off." Logan snarked and everyone chuckled.

His entire body badly burnt, he staggered up to Tony, saying no more false faces now and said he was looking right at the Mandarin. Spreading his arms, he roared, "I AM THE MANDARIN!"

"No you're not!" Matt snarled and everyone looked confused.

Suddenly, something hit Aldrich and he was sent flying off. Tony turned to see Pepper standing there, glowing with Extremis, a long bar in her hand. She dropped it as Tony looked happy, relieved and shocked at the same time.

"So that happened?" Scott asked as everyone sighed in relief.

"Yeah. That happened." Pepper said, shocked at her on-screen self.

A suit flew down as Tony told Jarvis Pepper was not a target but realized his earpiece had fallen off.

"What the shit?!" Jessica said.

"Damn it!" Frank said.

Pepper narrowly avoided a repulsor and rushed Tony, who joked if she was mad at him. Leaping on his kneecap, she jumped into the air and grabbing the armor between her legs, threw it down before ripping it. She put on the gauntlet and smacked a rushing Aldrich away before kicking a missile at him. She then fired a repulsor and it exploded on Aldrich's face, finally ending him.

Everybody clapped and cheered as Bucky said, "Finally!"

"You did great, Pepper." Natasha told her and she simply nodded.

Pepper then turned around as Tony called out to her, finally regaining her senses and said how her actions were violent.

"The Extremis affected you so don't blame yourself." Bruce assured her.

Tony said he thought she was dead and she dryly said how she had fallen over 200 feet and asked who was the hot mess now. Tony said it was still debatable as he got up and put the earpiece back and jokingly said she should dress like this at home.

Everyone chuckled.

Pepper said she understood why Tony didn't want to give up the suits and wondered what she would complain about now. Tony said they'd think of something and walked closer. She told him not to touch her as she would burn him but he still did and she wasn't glowing. She asked if she would be okay and he said she wouldn't as she was in a relationship with him.

Everyone chuckled as Clint said, "No kidding."

Tony said he could figure this out as he had it 20 years ago when he was drunk and could get her better as he fixed stuff.

"And because Maya gave me her research." Tony said sadly and everyone winced at remembering her death.

Pepper asked about the suits and he said he would shave them down. Tapping the earpiece, he said to Jarvis, "You know what to do." "The Clean Slate Protocol, sir?" Jarvis asked. "Screw it. It's Christmas." Tony said, "Yes, yes." He hugged Pepper and she looked up to see all the suits exploding. Tony kissed her cheek and asked, "Okay, so far? You like it?" With a smile, Pepper sighed, "It'll do." Tony smiled as the suits continued exploding.

Everyone simply smiled at the scene, happy that the nightmare was over for Tony and Pepper.

The screen went black as Tony was heard saying, "And so, as Christmas morning began, my journey had reached its end."

"Except it hadn't." Bruce said dryly.

"Who knew?" Tony said.

Flashbacks of Maya and Aldrich were shown as Tony said, "You start with something pure, something exciting." Vice-President Rodriguez was arrested and led away as everyone watched in shock while Rhodes watched in satisfaction. "Then, come the mistakes. The compromises."

"The traitor got what he deserved." Frank snarled.

"We create our own demons." Tony said as Trevor was arrested and led away. The reporters all clamored to talk to him and he waved happily but was led away.

"Got his fame after all." Steve said, "Just not in the way he wanted."

"Exactly the kind he deserved." Bucky said and Steve nodded.

"As promised, I got Pepper sorted out. It took some tinkering." Tony said as doctors were seen operating on Pepper. "But then I thought to myself, "Why stop there?"" Tony said and he was shown on the operating table. He showed a thumbs up to Rhodes who showed it to him too while Pepper smiled, "Of course, there are people who say progress is dangerous, but I'll bet none of those idiots ever had to live with a chestful of shrapnel."

"No we didn't." Steve said and everyone smirked as they all had some relief on their faces due to Tony's shrapnel finally being removed.

"And now, neither will I." Tony said, "Let me tell you..." The shrapnel was taken out and clinked to an electromagnet above, "that was the best sleep I'd had in years."

Everyone sighed in relief, knowing that Tony was no longer a dead man walking.

"And it was Dr. Wu of all people." Tony said.

"The guy you turned down in the beginning of this?" Steve asked and Tony nodded.

Tony put a necklace on Pepper and she turned around as the two gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. Happy's finger twitched and he woke up, startled. The female doctor tried to calm him down but he pointed at the TV. She turned to see an emotional scene in Downtown Abbey and both watched it as Happy also glanced at her.

"Finally!" Thor said as everyone released their breaths again.

Harley walked out of his school bus and opened up his workshop, only to see it completely changed, with a lot of advanced tech around, including monitors. There was a new potato gun too along with a new 'Dora the Explorer' watch as a sign said, "Potato Gun Mark II. Your pal- The Mechanic." Harley smiled happily.

"Great thing you did for him." Frank said as everyone looked happy at Harley's happiness.

"He did great things for me first." Tony smiled.

Tony stood in front of the ocean near the wreckage of his home and taking the Arc Reactor, threw it into the ocean. He then started walking off and said, "So, if I were to wrap this up, tie it with a bow, or whatever...I guess I'd say my armor, it was never a distraction, or a hobby. It was a cocoon." He picked up a small piece of one of his bots.

"Is that-" Wanda started.

"Yup." He smiled.

"And now, I'm a changed man." Tony said as he sat in his car and also towed the wreckage of Dum-E and U behind him.

"Finally!" Wanda cheered and everyone was amused by her affection to the bots.

"You can take away my house, all my tricks and toys. One thing you can't take away..." Tony took off his glasses, "I am Iron Man." The screen went black.

Everyone cheered at the scene as Pepper said, "And no one ever can."

Tony was then seen sitting as he thanked someone for listening to him and said he was getting things off his chest, awed at how the person was such a great listener. It was Bruce Banner. But he had dozed off and his glasses fell down as he woke up and Tony turned to him, shocked that he was napping and Bruce said he had drifted. Tony asked where he had lost Bruce and Bruce remembered it was the elevator at Switzerland. Tony realized Bruce had heard none of it and he apologized, saying he was not that kind of doctor.

"I'm not." Bruce said.

"It's all right buddy." Tony said, "I should get help from a qualified person."

"I know one." Frank spoke up.

Bruce said it wasn't what he was trained to do and didn't have the temperament for it but Tony started talking about an incident in 1983 and Bruce fell asleep again as the screen went black.

"Poor you." Rhodes said to Bruce, "Having to listen to him like that."

"I can take it." Bruce sighed, "But the Other Guy can't probably."

"So this is over?" Tony asked.

"Yeah." Trish said, "Now next is Thor again."

"YES!" Thor cheered.

"Eh! It was the most boring of the lot." Jessica said and Thor, Odinson and Loki looked offended.

"Hey!" Odinson said.

"Truth is truth." Logan told him.

"And you cannot deny it." Benjamin said.

"I want to ask one thing though." Steve said as he turned to Matt, "When Aldrich said he was the Mandarin, you said he wasn't. What did you mean?"

"He is not the Mandarin either." Matt said, "There is a real Mandarin out there. And he is not to be messed with."

"So a lunatic like the one Trevor played actually exists?" A horrified Tony asked as everyone looked shocked.

"Much worse." Elektra said as they all winced.

"He is the descendant of Genghis Khan himself." Frank said and everyone was even more horrified.

"Damn!" Bucky said.

"His aunt obsessively trained him in combat and science but they became penniless so he was evicted from his house in China." Elektra said, "That embittered him and he entered the forbidden Valley of Spirits."

"There, he found some creepy skeleton of some dragon guy." Jessica said.

"He studied the science of the ship in which the skeleton was." Odinson said, "And also found Ten Rings that granted him dominion over all aspects of nature."

"He controlled the Ten Rings from behind the scenes." Benjamin said.

"Oh no!" Steve said in horror, "And he is still out there."

"Yes. He even killed some friends of ours." Trish said sadly.

"Danny Rand and Colleen Wing." Luke sighed and the atmosphere became tense as the people from the past realized how bad this real Mandarin was.

"Danny Rand? The billionaire who returned years after a plane crash?" Tony asked and they all nodded.

"He controlled his chi to fight people. But Mandarin was more powerful and he killed them both." Matt said as he shook his head sadly, "But that weakened him enough for Shang Chit to end him."

"Shang Chi?" Sam questioned.

"A friend of ours. A master martial artist." Benjamin said, "He ended Mandarin. But at the cost of Danny and Colleen."

"We won't let him kill them." Steve promised firmly and the ones from the future knew he intended to deliver.

"In that case", Logan said, "Let's get through the worst of these recordings."

"Hey!" Thor said.

"It's the truth, Goldilocks." Jessica shrugged and both Thor and Odinson looked offended as everyone laughed at them, the sour mood forgotten.