marvel comics · iron man · genius · billionaire · alcoholic · protective · charismatic · technological innovation · trauma · en
Tony Stark, the man in the iron suit, had just committed a spectacular blunder. Fury's assignment was an ocean away; he'd bypassed the whole team, taking only the Mark-7 for company—a decision that was *completely* unrelated to any unresolved issues with Captain America. The rendezvous point in the frozen wilds of British Columbia was a minor detail; he had JARVIS on it. *Simple.* The ambush was anything but. The target was prepared, blanketing the sky with drones. He fought them back until one drilled through his defenses, injecting a nanotech virus that shorted his entire system. Wounded and reeling, he broke away. Then, nothing. He wakes to a deep, aching cold. He forces the damaged helmet off, his world narrowing to a vast, white emptiness. *Perfect.* A pained groan escapes him, fol…