“A recent Sentinel attack on Stark Enterprises’ Dallas division was thwarted by Tony Stark in his identity as the Avenger Iron Man. Also on the scene was the former West Coast Avenger known only as War Machine.”

Donnie Gill placed the inhaler between his lips and bit down on the surface. As the CNN reporter continued to drone on, Donnie pressed the dispenser. The neuron drug surged through his body like a rush of electricity, pushing his pleasure centers to the edge of ecstasy.

“After the Sentinels retreated, Iron Man pursued them. Stark Enterprises Chief Operations Officer James Rhodes has since confirmed that the Sentinel threat has been neutralized. Stark himself has reportedly suffered injuries in the wake of the battle, which will keep him incapacitated for a few days. However, Rhodes insisted that Stark is in good condition and needs only rest. Rumors indicate that Stark is currently residing at his home in Long Island.”

Donnie sat up from the mattress. He smiled, the light-headed feeling causing him to giggle slightly. He waved his hand in front of his face, watching the trail it left behind, or so his eyes believed.

“As far as the Sentinels themselves, their point of origin remains a mystery. The United States government, which maintains a small reserve of Sentinels for defensive purposes against mutant terrorists, insists that these were rogue Sentinels and not at all related to the models they possess. Other governments which maintain known Sentinel programs have pleaded ignorance and no organization has risen to claim responsibility for the attacks. COO Rhodes said Stark Enterprises agrees with the government’s conclusion that this was a rogue attack and not in any way connected to Stark’s recent clashes with Congress over potential conflict of interest between his position as CEO of Stark Enterprises and Chairman of the Avengers.”

“Stark…” muttered Donnie, now paying attention to the television. He squinted his eyes, trying to focus on the infoscroll at the bottom of the screen. It read, “STARK INCAPACITATED FOLLOWING SENTINEL ATTACK.”

Donnie rolled off the bed, falling on the floor. He lay there for a few moments, laughing, before he pulled himself to his feet. Donnie stumbled slightly, but managed somehow to maintain his balance. He opened the door to his quarters and entered the corridor of the Hydra base.

The man once known as Blizzard walked through the hall. He received a few stares from Hydra agents who walked by, probably because Donnie was dressed in nothing more than a pair of boxer shorts. He walked through the corridors, finding his way to the laboratory of Hydra’s resident technical engineer—Bentley Wittman, the Wizard.

“I NEED THE SUIT!” he said as he entered the door. The Wizard looked up in surprise. There was one other man in the laboratory. Andreas Von Strucker, the Swordsman and the man who also recently became the Supreme Hydra after he killed his own father.

“Shit, he’s off his rocks again…” muttered the Wizard.

“Quiet,” said the Swordsman. “Donald. Is there something I can help you with?”

“I—I need it, Andy,” said Donnie. “The suit.”

“Your new armor? Why?” asked the Swordsman.

“Go-gotta show ‘im who’s top dog now, that’s why,” said Donnie.

“Show who?” asked the Swordsman. “You’ve already proven your worth, Donald. You killed Jenkins with your own hands, remember?”

Donnie nodded. “But that’s not all, man. I gotta kill him. I-I gotta kill Stark.”

The Swordsman paused to consider Donnie’s idea. The helmet he wore completely concealed his face through opaque glass and his features were absolutely unreadable. Yet finally, he nodded in understanding.

“Mr. Wittman, please prepare the armor,” said the Swordsman.

“What?” asked the Wizard.

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

The Wizard sighed. “You’re the boss…” He went to a console and entered in a few commands. “Step on the platform, Donnie.”

Donnie did as he was told, moving onto a glowing platform. The Wizard performed several more keystrokes and panels of the platform slid open. Mechanical arms descended from the ceiling. Massive green and purple components of a suit of armor were slid over Donnie Gill’s body until he was encased in the armored shell of the Beetle.

“Good luck, Donald. Claim your destiny,” said the Swordsman.

The Beetle nodded. The Wizard opened the skylight and the Beetle’s thrusters activated, raising the massive suit of armor out of the Hydra base and into the outside world. Once the skylight closed, the Wizard couldn’t help but stare at his leader.

“You sure this is a good idea?” he asked. “I mean, we are talking about Gill here. The man’s a perpetual fuck-up.”

“Stark is in a weakened condition at the moment,” said the Swordsman. “If Gill can remove a potential threat from the board, all the better.”

“And if he can’t?”

“If he fails, he’ll be given more incentive to push himself harder. He’s been getting overconfident since he stepped into the Beetle armor,” said the Swordsman. “It’s important that he knows his place.”

REBOOT

By Dino Pollard

Gold Coast
Long Island, NY

The Gold Coast home of Tony Stark was a sprawling mansion that would have rivaled his former family residence that served as Avengers Mansion for some time. Currently, Tony was held in an apparatus located in the basement as electronic scanning lights passed over his body. He wore a black bodysuit lined with diodes that monitored his vital signs.

A hologram of a beautiful young woman appeared in front of Tony. This was his personal artificial intelligence, named Maria. Also in the room were his three closest friends and confidants—Jim Rhodes, Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan.

[The tests look good so far, Tony,] said Maria. [The arc reactor and the Extremis system seem to be integrating well.]

“Good,” said Tony. “That means we can get to work on a new armor that effectively interfaces with the Extremis.”

“Whoa, hold up,” said Rhodey. “There’s still too much we don’t know about Extremis. We need more tests before you even think about building a new armor for it. Hansen said twenty-five per cent of cases reject the Extremis. Last thing we need is that new system conking out on you in the middle of a firefight.”

Tony’s gaze passed from Rhodey to Pepper and Happy. He had a smug grin on his face. “And you both agree with Rhodey?”

“He’s got a really good point, there’s too much we don’t know right now. What harm is a little caution?” asked Pepper.

Happy just whistled innocently. “I know that look, Tony.”

Tony’s grin persisted. “What look?”

“The look that says, ‘I already got this all figured out, but I’ll let y’ chime in before I set ya straight.’ Seen it enough times t’ know better.”

Tony chuckled. “As a matter of fact, Mr. Hogan, you’re right on the money. Maria, show my friends just what I’ve been doing these past few days.”

[Very well.]

Holographic projections of new armor schematics appeared in front of the three employees. Tony just grinned as his friends viewed the specifications flashing before them. “As you can see, I’ve already been hard at work.”

“You did all this while you were supposed to be recovering?” asked Pepper.

“Actually no, these are just the finishing touches,” said Tony. “You see, there’s a reason I brought Maya’s project into Stark Enterprises. I saw the potential capabilities for the Extremis Project as a way to help solve my own heart problems as well as provide a more effective delivery system for the Iron Man armor.”

“Are you listening to yourself?” asked Pepper. “This was supposed to be a cure for diseases, not a way for you to upgrade your personal toys.”

Tony frowned. “Do you honestly believe I did this for selfish reasons?”

Pepper glared at him as she folded her arms. “Do you honestly want me to answer that question?”

“Well, it’s not the only reason, let’s leave it at that,” said Tony. “Maria, if you would be so kind…”

Simulations of the Extremis Project experiments appeared on holographic monitors. “As Rhodey said, there’s a high ratio of rejection with the Extremis Project. There’s also the questions raised about unpredictability with techno-organic compounds. As we’ve seen from Bastion’s Prime Sentinels, this could cause several problems. Integrating the Extremis system with arc reactor technology inside my own body provides us with a perfect test subject.”

“You turned yourself into a lab rat?” asked Happy.

“Essentially, yes,” said Tony. “Granted, I hadn’t expected on surging ahead so soon, but Bastion forced me to accelerate my plans.”

“Okay, so level with us—what’s the deal with this new armor?” asked Rhodey. He stared at the streamlined look which appeared before him. “And how come it looks so sleek?”

“The inner layers of the armor will be stored in the hollows of my bones, giving me a more efficient means of controlling it. Additional components are necessary to make it fully-functional, but these are compact enough to be carried. Maria’s AI will now be directly linked to my nervous system.”

“So you’ve turned yourself into a cyborg?” asked Rhodey.

“I suppose that’s one way of putting it,” said Tony.

Rhodey just shook his head. “Just when I thought I’ve seen it all…”

“If this works, maybe you should consider an Extremis injection,” said Tony.

Rhodey laughed at this. “Yeah right! The VTR suit may be bulky, but I like being able to get away from it when I want. Something like this…that suit’s gonna be with you everywhere.”

“Jimbo’s right, you really wanna leave behind your humanity like that?” asked Happy.

“…what?” asked Pepper. “Is that what you think this is?”

Happy realized his mistake. Pepper had been infected by the Prime Sentinel virus by Bastion. Although he halted the process, Pepper was now partly artificial herself as a result. “Baby, I didn’t mean it like that…”

He reached out for her, but Pepper pulled away. “I-I’ve gotta go…” She ran from the lab, dashing up the steps.

“Pep, c’mon!” said Happy. He was about to chase after her, but Rhodey laid a hand on his shoulder.

“Hold on, maybe I should go have a chat with her,” he said.

“Yeah, but I—”

“Happy, I don’t think you’re gonna help your odds if you go after her now.”

Happy looked dejected but he allowed it. “You watch out for her, okay?”

“You know it,” said Rhodey. He went to follow his friend, leaving Happy and Tony alone in the lab.

“Say Tony…looks like I may need a place to crash…”

“You don’t even have to ask,” said Tony.

“Thanks, buddy. I—”

[Tony, I hate to interrupt, but I’ve got an incoming proximity warning.]

“Proximity warning?” asked Tony. “Surveillance cameras have anything yet?”

Maria’s response was a projection of an armored figure descending towards the mansion. A man clad in a bulky green and purple suit of armor, complete with golden wings. Happy stared at the image in curiosity. “What the hell’s that?”

[It appears to be a variation of the Beetle armor first designed and piloted by Abner Jenkins, now deceased. A later version, also designed by Jenkins, was piloted by Leila Davis, also deceased.]

“You kiddin’ me, the friggin’ Beetle has a damn legacy?”

[Tony, it appears he is making some demands.]

“Audio.”

“Come on out, Stark! Come out an’ face me before I blow up your pretty little house!”

“Can you identify the pilot with voice recognition?” asked Tony.

[The suit’s vocal modulation is quite adept, but I will try.]

“Before you do that, let me out of this harness and get me into a suit of armor.”

Maria released Tony from the harness and he walked over to a door on one end of the lab. Happy followed him, standing behind Tony as he entered in a series of passwords as well as underwent a retinal scan. The chamber door opened, revealing a narrow walkway with a platform at the end.

“You’re not up for this, buddy. Let me call Rhodey or some of the Avengers,” said Happy.

“Hap, do you really think I’m just going to sit on the sidelines?” asked Tony.

“Yeah, but this new armor of yours isn’t even finished yet, right?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got something in mind.”

Tony and Happy entered the chamber. It was quite large, with various armors Tony wore over the years lining the walls. Tony stepped over to the platform and Maria’s holographic figure appeared before him.

“Prepare the Mark XI suit,” said Tony. “With the ultimate modular component.”

“STARK!” shouted the Beetle, firing concussive energy blasts at the mansion’s roof. His attacks punched various holes into the house, but he seemed to be little more than just throwing a tantrum.

A repulsor blast struck the Beetle from behind. He turned and saw Iron Man flying towards him, clad in the Modular Armor with the Hulkbuster module equipped over it. “Abner Jenkins and Leila Davis are both dead,” he said. “So who are you and why are you causing me property damage?”

“I’m the Beetle!” He held out his arm and fired a series of concussive blasts. Iron Man hovered in place, raising the massive arms of his suit to deflect them.

“Yes, I can see that,” said Iron Man. “But who are you really?”

“You’ll find out once I tear your head off!” said the Beetle. “All those years of humiliation, it’s all comin’ back on you, Stark!”

The Beetle charged into Iron Man and the two mammoth armors connected in the air. The Hulkbuster module was named for its express purpose—to take on the Incredible Hulk himself. So while equipped, Iron Man could both take and deal out a fair bit of punishment. But the Beetle’s tank-like carapace was no slouch itself. Using a combination of specifications from the Crimson Dynamo and Jenkins’ Beetle armor, it was a master of engineering courtesy of the Wizard.

Iron Man struck the Beetle in his helmet, the two armors clanging as they connected. Sparks flew when metal scraped against metal. Iron Man’s blows were repeated over and over.

[Tony, I’ve managed to compile a voice recognition profile on this Beetle.]

“Anyone I know?” asked Tony.

The Beetle slammed his palm against Iron Man’s faceplate. He gripped it as well as he could and a burst of intense cold came from the Beetle’s gauntlet. Iron Man’s helmet was coated in a thick cloud of ice, temporarily disrupting his connection to Maria.

“That’s right, Stark! You know who I am now?” The Beetle struck with an uppercut and followed by another strike. “Donnie Gill! The guy you used to think of as a nobody! An’ now I’m gonna do what no one else could ever do! I’m gonna kill Iron Man!”

[—skrkk—To—ksshh—an y—ead me?]

The last blow broke off some of the ice, but Tony was still having difficulty getting a clear connection. The Beetle was strong and faster than he looked. Tony needed a better advantage. He disabled the Hulkbuster module and it snapped off, leaving him in just the Modular Amor.

His systems came fully back online and he was able to make a connection with Maria once again. [Tony, I’ve determined that this Beetle is really—]

“Donnie Gill, I know,” said Tony. “Looks like whoever designed that tank he’s wearing also incorporated some of his old Blizzard technology into it. But there’s something off about him. Even on his worst day, Gill was never this bloodthirsty.”

The Beetle laughed as he saw Iron Man hovering in the slimmed-down armor. “You just tossed away your biggest advantage, Stark! You think you’re tough enough to take me on in that antique?”

[Tony, Gill has a point. While the Hulkbuster module put you on equal footing as far as strength, analysis shows that his armor is far more advanced than the Mark XI.]

“He’s also reckless. I can use that.”

Iron Man evaded the Beetle’s concussive bursts with ease. “You’re not exactly impressing me, Gill. Switching to some big, flashy suit? Seems like you’re overcompensating…”

“SHUT UP!” The Beetle charged him again, but Iron Man threw up a forcefield that managed to push him back again.

“What, you get a new toy and suddenly you think you’re worth my time?” asked Iron Man. “You’ve always been a loser, Donnie. You didn’t even create that Blizzard suit yourself—it was given to you. And you were incompetent with it.”

“SHUT! UP!”

“Even the original Beetle looked down on you. And you think taking on the name of a slightly-better loser is going to impress people?”

“I’LL KILL YOU!”

The Beetle fired a series of concussive, cold and electric blasts. Missiles fired from the shoulder units. Iron Man blasted the missiles with his repulsor beams while using his superior speed to evade the energy attacks.

Iron Man flew up into the clouds and the Beetle followed as closely as he could. But the Armored Avenger was too fast and the Beetle quickly lost sight of him. As he tried to scan the skies, he could pick up nothing. That’s when Iron Man suddenly grabbed him from behind. He drove his hand into the Beetle’s back. It disabled the gravitational unit that powered the Beetle’s wings, disrupting his control over his flight.

“You’re finished, Gill. You’re going to go back to the Vault where you belong,” said Iron Man.

“That’s what you think!” shouted the Beetle. “This ain’t over, Stark! I’ll be back!”

In a flash of light, the Beetle was gone, teleported away from the battle. “Maria, can you get any readings on him?”

[I’m sorry, but no. My scanners show no trace of the Beetle.]

“Someone who knows what they’re doing equipped him well. The question is why. And what drove him so far over the edge?” asked Iron Man.

Rhodey entered the apartment, closing the door behind him. He found Pepper standing at the kitchen counter, watching the coffee pot, patiently waiting for it to finish its work. “Got enough for two?”

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“You left in kind’ve a hurry. Thought you could use someone to talk to,” said Rhodey.

“Don’t wanna talk. Not to anyone.”

“Happy didn’t mean anything by it, you know that, right? He’s just worried about you. And he’s got a lot on his mind himself. After everything you guys have been through lately—”

Pepper shot Rhodey a smoldering glare. “What?”

“After everything that’s happened to you both, he’s ju—”

“Son of a bitch…” She shook her head and stared up at the ceiling. “He told you, didn’t he? About the baby?”

Rhodey cringed.

“I can’t believe him…”

Rhodey slowly approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Cut him a break, okay? He’s been through a lot.”

“I just can’t deal with this.” Pepper turned, pressing her back against the counter. “We got back together so fast and I guess…all the old problems, they’re still there.”

“Hey now, you just gotta take it easy. Just one day at a ti—”

Pepper broke the distance between them and pressed her lips against Rhodey’s. He was surprised for a moment, but then fell into the kiss himself. The gurgling of the coffee maker caused them to break apart.

“Coffee’s ready,” he said.

Pepper couldn’t help but chuckle. She pressed her hands against her face in embarrassment. “I’m sorry, that was a mistake.”

Rhodey smiled and rubbed her arm. “It’s okay. You’ve been through a lot. It’ll be our secret.”

She took a deep breath and let her hands fall. “So…coffee?”

Rhodey nodded.

NEXT: Whiplash