Chapter 31: Shadows of Extremis
Chapter 31: Shadows of Extremis
May 2010 – Flushing, Queens – Aftermath of the Stark Expo
The acrid scent of burning metal lingered in the air. Smoke curled from the shattered remains of Hammer's drones, their circuits sparking erratically in the ruins of what had once been a dazzling display of technological marvels.
The Stark Expo had promised a future of innovation.
Instead, it had become a battlefield.
Rescue teams wove between wreckage, guiding shaken civilians away from the chaos. Stark Industries personnel scrambled to recover what they could, dismantling what remained of Hammer's drones to prevent any potential reverse-engineering efforts from outside parties.
Amidst the destruction, Tony Stark sat on a broken chunk of concrete, helmet resting beside him. His Iron Man suit bore the scars of battle—scorch marks, dented plating, and jagged gashes revealing the complex circuitry underneath.
He flexed his fingers, the residual heat of repulsor blasts still tingling through the gloves.
To his right, James Rhodes stood, his War Machine armor showing just as much damage. The mini-gun mounted on his back let out a small whir as it retracted, its ammunition spent.
Tony exhaled, glancing at Rhodey. "Well... that was fun."
Rhodey rolled his shoulders, letting out a tired grunt. "Yeah, no. Not fun. You nearly got fried out there."
Before Tony could shoot back a witty response, a gust of wind kicked up dust as a figure appeared in a blur of blue lightning.
Dash.
The WHA speedster stood casually at Tony's side, brushing nonexistent dirt off his sleeves.
"Not bad, Stark," Dash quipped. "I mean, aside from the part where you almost got turned into extra crispy Iron Man."
Tony smirked, running a hand through his damp hair. "Yeah, well, keeps the heart rate up. Not that I need the help." He tapped his arc reactor, its glow slightly erratic.
Rhodey raised an eyebrow, arms crossed. "So, what? You guys just happen to show up when things go to hell?"
Before Dash could respond, another presence made itself known.
From the other side of the wreckage, Valeria Monroe approached, her silver combat suit reflecting the flickering neon lights of the ruined Expo. Her dark hair was tied into a no-nonsense braid, her eyes cold and calculating.
She didn't smile.
"This wasn't just about saving people, Stark," she said, arms crossed. "Tonight was just a preview."
Tony blinked. "And that's supposed to mean…?"
"It means," Dash cut in, "Hammer and Vanko weren't the only ones making moves while you were busy flexing your high-tech muscles."
Rhodey frowned. "Great. More bad guys. Just what we needed."
Tony exhaled dramatically, glancing between them. "Let me guess—another mad scientist with daddy issues?"
Valeria didn't answer right away. Instead, she exchanged a glance with Dash before stepping back. "Let's just say, the world isn't getting any safer. We'll be in touch, Stark."
Dash gave a two-fingered salute. "Try not to get yourself killed before then, yeah?"
Before Tony could pry further, both WHA operatives vanished into the night—as swiftly as they had arrived.
Tony watched them go, eyes narrowing slightly.
Something was brewing.
And for once… he wasn't sure what it was.
---
Far From the Aftermath – A Hidden Meeting
Manhattan, New York – Late Night
Miles away from the ruins of the Stark Expo, in a dimly lit penthouse atop a Manhattan high-rise, Edward Lin stood before a massive floor-to-ceiling window, his silhouette framed by the flickering city lights.
His golden eyes reflected the neon skyline, unreadable as he gazed at the vast expanse below.
Behind him, a hidden screen flickered to life. The encrypted WHA channel came online, displaying Evelyn Lin, her expression calm but serious.
"We have confirmation," Evelyn reported, her voice steady. "Killian's operations are expanding. Extremis is no longer just theoretical—it's being tested."
Edward turned, his fingers tapping against the wooden surface of his desk. "How many subjects?"
"Three confirmed so far," Evelyn replied. "But that's just what we know. WHA operatives intercepted partial data from a hidden server—someone's been funding AIM under the radar, feeding resources into something bigger than we initially expected."
Edward's gaze darkened slightly. "Hammer was a distraction. Killian has been moving pieces while everyone was focused on Stark."
"Precisely." Evelyn nodded. "And from what we've gathered, AIM is refining Extremis rapidly. If we let this continue unchecked, we may be dealing with an entirely new class of enhanced individuals before Stark even realizes what's happening."
Edward remained silent, his thoughts weaving through the delicate balance he had spent decades maintaining.
Every move he made, every choice, sent ripples through this world—subtle shifts in fate, in power, in history. He had been careful not to alter too much, to ensure the trajectory remained intact.
To act too soon was to risk derailing everything.
"Maintain surveillance," he ordered finally. "Do not interfere yet. Stark needs to face this himself. If we remove every obstacle, he won't be prepared for what's to come."
Evelyn hesitated, just for a fraction of a second. "And if Killian accelerates his timeline?"
Edward's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then we adjust accordingly."
The transmission ended. The screen darkened.
Edward exhaled slowly, the weight of unseen battles pressing against him.
The future was still on course—for now.
But the shadows of Extremis were beginning to stir.
---
Chapter 32: Shadows of Extremis (Part 2)
May 2010 – New York City, WHA Intelligence Division
A Looming Storm
The dimly lit command center of the World Heroes Association's Intelligence Division hummed with quiet efficiency. Multiple holographic displays projected data streams, intercepted communications, and security footage from across the globe. In the center of the room, Evelyn Lin stood, her sharp eyes scanning the rapidly shifting intelligence feeds.
A priority alert flashed across the main display.
AIM OPERATIONS CONFIRMED – UNAUTHORIZED EXPERIMENTATION DETECTED
Evelyn tapped the console, enlarging the data feed. The intercepted transmission detailed a classified project under Advanced Idea Mechanics—one that pointed toward the next stage of human enhancement.
Behind her, Valeria Monroe and Dash entered, their expressions serious.
"Tell me that's not what I think it is," Dash said, eyeing the projected schematics.
"It's worse," Evelyn replied. "Extremis is no longer just an experiment. Killian has begun active trials."
Valeria folded her arms. "How many subjects?"
"At least six confirmed, but there could be more. WHA intelligence intercepted chatter from an AIM sub-network. Killian has taken full control of AIM's enhancements division. He's bypassing ethical restrictions entirely."
Dash let out a low whistle. "And I thought Vanko was a problem. Now we've got people who can literally blow up like walking bombs?"
"That's exactly what they are," Evelyn said, shifting the projection to recent incidents that WHA had flagged as anomalies—reports of sudden, unexplained explosions, always with no trace of traditional explosives.
Valeria narrowed her eyes. "And Stark has no idea?"
Evelyn shook her head. "Not yet. He's still dealing with the aftermath of the Expo. SHIELD is keeping him occupied. Fury hasn't even briefed him on AIM."
"That's a problem," Dash muttered. "If we wait too long, we'll have another ticking time bomb on our hands—literally."
Valeria turned to Evelyn. "What does Edward want us to do?"
Evelyn exhaled. "Surveillance only. We're not to interfere unless AIM crosses a critical threshold. He wants Stark to handle this in his own way."
"And if Stark fails?"
Evelyn's voice was calm but firm. "Then we step in."
The room fell into a tense silence, the implications clear.
Killian was no longer just a scientist.
AIM was evolving into something much more dangerous.
---
AIM's Next Move – The Miami Experiment
Location: AIM Research Facility, Miami – Secret Underground Lab
The sterile white corridors of AIM's hidden facility pulsed with the hum of high-tech machinery. Aldrich Killian, clad in a sleek white suit, moved through the corridors with a quiet confidence.
At his side, Dr. Maya Hansen, the original mind behind Extremis, walked briskly, her concern barely masked.
"This is moving too fast," she said, keeping her voice low. "The formula isn't stable yet. We're seeing too many failures."
Killian barely glanced at her, eyes fixed ahead. "Failures are necessary sacrifices for progress, Dr. Hansen. We are on the verge of rewriting human evolution. Stark had his arc reactor—I have Extremis."
Maya clenched her jaw but remained silent as they entered a secure observation room. Through the reinforced glass, a test chamber was visible. Inside, three test subjects stood, connected to intravenous injectors filled with a glowing, molten-like serum.
The lead scientist turned to Killian. "Sir, the new batch is ready for activation."
Killian nodded. "Proceed."
The command was given.
The Extremis formula was injected into the subjects.
At first, there was silence.
Then, the screaming started.
One of the subjects convulsed violently, his body temperature spiking. His veins glowed an unnatural red, his skin superheating until steam began rising from his pores. The next moment, he burst into flames—his body literally combusting from the inside.
Maya flinched, turning away. Another failure.
But the second subject? He didn't combust.
He breathed through the heat, his body adapting—strengthening. His pupils shifted to an inhuman orange glow, his muscles visibly restructuring as the serum took hold.
The lead scientist turned to Killian, a mixture of awe and fear in his voice. "Subject Two is stable."
Killian smiled. "Now we're getting somewhere."
From a concealed WHA surveillance drone, hidden in the air vents above, a small red light blinked.
Everything had been recorded.
And WHA was watching.
---
SHIELD Moves First – The Fury Decision
Location: SHIELD Safehouse – New York
Nick Fury stood with arms crossed as Phil Coulson finished his debrief. The dim lighting of the SHIELD safehouse made Fury's presence seem even larger, his single eye locked on the intelligence report.
"And you're certain Killian's been accelerating human trials?" Fury asked.
Coulson nodded. "Confirmed. He's bypassing legal oversight entirely. If WHA has flagged it, you can bet Lin is already monitoring it."
Fury let out a slow breath. "I don't like it."
"Neither do I," Coulson admitted. "But we have a bigger problem—if Stark doesn't know what's happening, he's walking blind into another arms race. Killian isn't Hammer. He's smart. He's planning something."
Fury tapped his fingers against the table.
"Get Romanoff on it," he said finally. "We'll let WHA do their silent shadow games, but SHIELD isn't standing down on this. I want Stark prepped before Killian makes his next move."
Coulson nodded and left.
Fury exhaled.
Tony Stark had barely survived the Stark Expo.
And now, another storm was coming.
---
Edward Lin's Decision
From his Manhattan penthouse, Edward Lin observed the incoming reports.
The Extremis program was escalating faster than anticipated.
AIM was no longer just experimenting.
They were preparing for deployment.
Edward exhaled slowly, his fingers clasped together in thought.
Letting Stark handle this was the intended course.
But…
He had spent decades navigating this world's chaos, ensuring that events followed their destined course without derailing entirely.
Killian was a wild card.
If Extremis fell into the wrong hands before Stark was ready, the entire future could shift unpredictably.
Edward reached for his private comm.
"Evelyn," he said.
"Yes?"
"Increase surveillance on AIM's key research hubs. If we detect any signs of mass production or military contracts, we intervene."
"Understood. And if SHIELD moves in first?"
Edward's golden eyes gleamed. "Then we make sure they don't fail."
The transmission ended.
Edward leaned back, eyes drifting to the New York skyline.
The game was still unfolding.
But now?
The stakes had just risen.
---
To Be Continued…