Arc Eight. Chapter Two Hundred Twenty-Four. Bring The Hammer Down

While Tony was sat nursing a scotch, angry at being shown up by Peter again, and angry that once more Pepper had lectured him about using stolen tech to make himself famous, Justin was going over his mental exercises to psych himself up for the big finale.

He knew Hammertech didn't have the best reputation, but with his latest acquisition, it would blow both that little shit Parker and that arrogant jackass Stark out the water. Replacement limbs and mind control was small stuff compared to what he had. Nobody gave a shit about veterans or the sick, what they cared about was guns, and being free, and Justin was about to deliver the biggest dose of freedom the world had ever seen.

He had no idea who his benefactor was, but once his guys in R and D had set up everything it was amazing, and even Ivan was astounded, well he figured he was, he could never understand that crazy Russian bastard.

Unlike Stark Justin planned on doing his own entrance. Dancing girls were great but everyone was watching the jiggle, and not the star. Even Tony needed a cheap trick like that disappearing suit to make himself look good. Justin would rely on old fashioned razzle dazzle, and as the timer backstage hit zero he began.

Everyone expected Justin to put on a show, and as he moonwalked out and twirled in front of a fireworks display, glowing brightly as the Hammertech logo was lit up, they got one. As his moves finished he clicked on his head set,

"All right. All right. All Right!" he shouted and raised his arms, "They saved the best till last." and as a stage hand brought out some water, he took a sip and handed the glass back.

"So, today, we've seen Tony and Parker, both sobbing and complaining about those poor veterans right?" and the crowd slowly clapped, "Oh don't get me wrong, I love veterans and they are right. Coming home, wounded and forgotten, it sucks," and he shrugged, as the audience waited for the big pitch.

"But what Stark forgets is that Stark Industries produced over 48 percent of the world's weapons, from the guidance systems in the missiles that took out his convoy, to the machine guns that killed those men. Stark tech is a weapons manufacturer, 'oh sorry guy, sorry my own products got you killed, how about you buy more of my stuff to fix your problems, how about Stark Industries and Parker Industries sell you the solution to the problems that we both made."

Justin stood and clicked on the screen behind him.

"I say, why not eliminate the problem. We saw what Oscorp did with drones, and frankly, even I was embarrassed, but with new and improved technology, I present. The Hammer Drone."

As the stage split, behind him, five rows of five drones rose from the opening, and five rows of five landed from the skylight.

"Military class, suitable for air," and as he clicked the video changed to Hammer marked drones circling and taking out dummy targets,

"Suitable for land," and the video changed once more, and giant robotic drones, carrying backpacks fired wrist-mounted machine guns at more drones, obliterating them.

"Suitable for sea," and once more, raft shaped drones, with humanoid torsos, like a ship's figurehead raced through the water around a course, taking out targets with aft and fore mounted cannons.

"Suitable for rescue." and the final video showed a centaur drone, carrying a stretcher volunteer on a flatbed behind it, handing out supplies and other boxes from the cargo compartment on its back.

"Drones ladies and gentlemen. Not manned, no dangerous warzones, no hazardous spills. Unmanned and completely safe. A pilot can operate the drone for an hour, swap out to any trained individual and take the time needed to recover. Why build the technology to fix our brave men and women, when we don't have to risk them at all."

Justin waited for the thunderous applause to die down, oh yeah, suck it Tony.

"But that's not all. A drone is perfectly safe in a commercial environment as well. For kids," and the video wall clicked back on and a small child was walking with a smaller, more delicately designed drone behind it,

"For parents," and the video changed to a drone, standing over a baby, and the parents watching not just a live video but a monitor of the child vitals,

"At school," and a drone stood in a corridor, watching and stepping forwards to catch a child that had tripped,

"For shopping." and a young woman added a bag to the back of a centaur drone, clicking the cargo compartment closed and it followed her to the next shop.

"The possibilities are endless." and the crowd once more went wild.

Feeling pretty smug, he had one last big reveal.

"And not just that, but the drones themselves are safely monitored by a new program, created by myself, and fully customisable for all your needs."

As a single drone landed it was larger than the others, its chest more square with a large screen showing the Hammer logo.

"As an interface, you simply program the desired commands through the chest screen. In one simple package, the Master Operational Drone Overall Controller. I give you the MODOC!"

The crowd went wild, but both Peter and Liv sat up, "I heard that," and Liv nodded. "Find Gwen and pull whatever alarm you can find." and she nodded again,

"what about you?" and as he slipped on the harness, Clint looked over,

"Uh, want to explain?" he asked as he sipped his drink,

"Modoc is an Ultron project, we found out about him in Sokovia. Can you?" and Peter motioned to the bow and arrow that Clint had taken from backstage, a small souvenir of his part in the presentation.

"Ultron? Tony killed him, and sure. These arrows are trash though, so I can help Olivia and Gwen with the evacuation, what about you?"

"I'll get to Stark, he can help clean up his mess."

Find Reed and the others, if he's a stupid as you say he'll probably get himself killed trying to take one of the drones apart

Gwen snorted, they never showed, he made excuses at the last minute, they aren't here.

Peter was actually relieved about that, having to find and protect Gwen's friends would be problematic enough with an overly inquisitive scientist getting in the way.

While he still had the harness, using it in the middle of the Expo could start a panic, and while he could use the Stone to keep everyone calm, it would mean being unable to fight. Making his way over to the V.I.P booth, he pushed past a complaining Happy and marched into Tony's booth,

"What the hell Tony?" and both Pepper and Tony stared at him,

"Oh look, come to spew more bullshit at me, I didn't take anything of yours-" he started,

"Not that. Modoc is an Ultron clone. You were supposed to have killed them all." and Tony looked confused at Pepper,

"I uh, what?"

"Modok was a creation of Ultron, we-" but he paused as he became aware of Betty writing what he was saying down, "Sorry Pepper, can you get her out of here?" and Pepper nodded and dragged a struggling Betty from the room,

"The press has a right to-" and Happy slammed the door behind them, standing imposingly in front of it.

"We encountered it in Sokovia. Modok delivered a stone to the Hydra base and vanished, didn't you make sure there were no survivors?" and Tony ran a hand over his hair,

"Of course, Jarvis. You forget something?" Tony spoke into the air.

"No Tony, Modok was not mentioned in any of the Ultron files. I will check again." there was a brief pause, "I am mistaken. Modok, machine organism designed only for killing. Originally housed at Camp Lehigh, created by Armin Zola, and Mr Parker is correct, corrupted and overridden by Ultron approximately one day after Ultron's creation."

"And you mention this now?" Tony asked angrily, "Come on Vis, how can I trust you when you forget things like that?"

"Vis?" Peter asked, and as he extended out his senses he became aware of a being in the next room. It was strange though, as it was invisible to his normal senses, even the telepathic ones, but it was lit up like a lightbulb to his technopathic ones.

"Oh you didn't, you asshole. How many?" and Tony frowned and shrugged, "How many, or I make sure the Stark line ends with you." and Tony raised both his hands,

"Vision, Jarvis co-opted and cleaned Ultrons programming from the suits. He's not Ultron, I swear."

"Well, one is bad enough but we need to stop Modoc, who knows what he'll do."

Tony snorted, "yeah, I can fix this by myself. Vision, contact the Legion and get them here. Those tin cans aren't a match for my Iron Legion," but as Vision tilted his head,

"I am afraid Sir, the Legion is unreachable. Modoc is jamming all communications."

As the quartet looked out, the screen behind Modoc and Justin changed,

The screen was now a digitised face, comically pudgy with thick rimmed circular glasses, made up of black and green pixels, as if it was a badly rendered eight-bit video game.

"I am afraid zis little presentation iz over. Thank you Mr Hammer for allowing me full control over your drone army. Ultron thanks you, and most importantly. Hydra thanks you."

As Justin stared at the towering figure it leant forwards and grabbed him by the chest. He shook as the massive hands squeezed and he let out an ear piercing scream as its fingers dug into his ribs. There was a sickening crunch as the massive hands wrapped around his chest and lifted him up, squeezing until his chest was crushed and then pulled, tearing his body in two.

Ivan, off to one side, collapsed in terror as the machine threw both peices of Justin at him, drenching him in blood and viscera. As he backpedalled away Modoc turned and raised his arms, "Rise mien army, Rise!"

As the drones interface lit up and changed from the Hammer colours into a deep green, the air drones took off and sped away, while the military drones marched from the stage into the now screaming crowd.

As the Expo descended into a panic, Peter extended his mind and calmed as many people as he could, guiding them to the exits. Drones were flying overhead, with no live ammo it was still a blood bath, as they lifted and dropped people from a great height. The Soldier drones were grabbing makeshift weapons and clubbing or grabbing at people.

"Pepper, do you have your suit?" and she shook her head, "then stay low and stay hidden. Vision, if you can fly, get clear of the interference and bring Tony's Legion here, and you." but Tony stood definitely,

"Hey, that's my team, my people. I know what to do," and the blue shimmer changed his suit back into his Iron Man armour,

"Oh yeah, what's your plan of attack?" Peter asked him,

"That's my plan, Attack." and as Iron Man smashed through the viewing window he started firing blasts at the Hammer drones,

"Stupid ass, he could hurt someone." and as he made sure Pepper was okay, "Head to my booth, Liv and Gwen are there, they can take you to safety. Happy, Go with her, and take Miss Brant, she's a reporter, don't let her wander off."

As he let his Dusk armour cover him. The last thing he needed was a panic as Venom,

stupid Stark, stupid Hydra, stupid Ultron. Ruining robots for me.

And as the harness connected to his symbskin he dived out the window and the arms of the harness darted out, grabbing and rending any drone careless enough to get too close, he started making his way to Modoc.