30. Anything can be a weapon when you have a brilliant mind.

While driving down the road.

"Can I access the A.I.M files I want from my watch?" - "No, Sir. We need something stronger." - "I was hoping you wouldn't say that."

I spun the car around and called Rhodey.

.

Rhodey: "Hello." - "You ever shoot someone and expect them to stay down but then they suddenly start glowing from the inside out, like a bright orange?" - "Yeah, I've had that. Who's this?" - "Who else.. now, last time I disappeared, if I remember right you looked for me nonstop. Do I remember that correctly? What are you doing?" - "A little Knock and talk, making friends in Pakistan. What are you doing?" - "Having a midlife, no I'm not that old. Never mind. Your redesign, the one I hate. That was AIM, right?" - "Yeah." - "Good. I'm heading to a heavy-duty comm sat right now, can I use your login?" - "Yeah. It's the same as it's always been. WarMachine68. Wait. Why are you talking like you know it." - "Because I do. Now to just make sure I have the password correct, care to say it out loud." I couldn't help but laugh at knowing the password. "I doubt you know it, I change it every time you hack in." - "Get with the times. No one says hack anymore. Password then, please. Since I don't know it." - "WAR MACHINE ROX. With an X, all caps."

I laughed and I could hear someone laugh behind Rhodey.

Rhodey: "Yeah, okay," - "See. So much better. Thanks, buddy, see you around."

I pulled into a school that was doing a pageant show. I blended in and made my way to a news van.

I sat down and momentarily looked at the woman on stage. "Not bad. I've seen better."

Jarvis: "Sir." - "Right."

I turned the screens on and pulled up the connection speed and is as expected, way too low.

A screen appeared above my watch. "Is there a way for me to have you adjust a satellite slightly to boost the signal so I don't?"

The doors opened. "Excuse me, sir. I don't know who." I spun to face him. "Mom, I need to call you back something magical happening.. Tony Stark is in my van." - "Shh." Tony Stark is in my van!" - "Keep it down." - "Tony." - "I'm not here. Not at all." - "I knew you were still alive!" - "If you're going to talk come in and close the door."

After struggling to enter his van, he looked at me with white eyes like a kid on Christmas morning. "Can I say, sir? I am your biggest fan." - "Good to hear. Is this your van? Do I have to worry about someone else?" - "No, No, No. just us." - "Perfect. Can I get your name?" - "Gary." - "Well Gary."

He shook my hand and then held on to it. "I get this a lot, I'm used to it. As long as. Yep, no hugging." - "Sorry. I just got excited. I mean if you can't tell, I've styled my whole look after you." He took off his hat to show me his hair. "I don't have product in my hair, but I." - "I can see, how." - "Wait a moment. I don't want to make things awkward, but I have to show you. Boom!"

He pulled up his sleeve and a horrible tattoo of my face is on his arm. "Look at that. It's me." - "I know it's a little off, I had them use a doll."

I grabbed his shoulder. "Gary. Look. I don't mean to stop the show, but I have a.. tiny problem. I'm chasing bad guys and I'm trying to grab a little something from hard Crypt data files. I don't have enough. Juice. So that's where you come in." - "Wait. Tony needs Gary." - "I do. I need you to jump in the roof and recalibrate the ISDs. Pump it up by about 40%. Can you do that?" - "Of course. This is a dream." - "It is for me to. Let's not wake up yet and keep this rolling. Sound good?" - "I hear you. Give me a few moments, and I'll get it." I tapped his back. "Good."

.

Once Gary knocked, I instantly was able to access the files I needed.

I scrolled through and found all the files I expected but one. One that pisses me off.

Video.

[Killian: "This is your punishment for keeping me from her. You better hope she's a lucky one."

The camera pans to a tied-down Maya, then to Mia stapled to a table with Extremis pumped into her.

Maya: "I'm sorry. It was my fault. Not hers. Punish me. Not her. She's innocent." - "But. She's not. She's Starks child, isn't she? I can see him in her eyes."

Mia started to scream before I stopped the video.]

"You piece of shit. You injected that bomb into a child. My child."

So Mia wasn't stupid. Instead, she's a victim. Don't worry. I'll fix you. I won't let anything harm you again.

.

.

When I got back to the car I started my trip to Miami.

"Jarvis. How's the suit?" - "Well. It's charging. But without replacing the reactors, it's still not fully operational for a while." - "Shit. Any chance I can get a suit from the vault?" - "Unfortunately, no. The tunnel collapsed, and the entrance from the winery is still covered by rubble."

I let out a long annoyed sigh. "Keep me updated." - "Of course, Sir."

After a little trip to the hardware store, I made some custom gadgets that I didn't want to make. I did all that work to hopefully not even be put in this situation, but if I was I'd have a suit. But I digress. 

.

.

As I looked into the compound I spotted a guard with a dog and one with a gun. Let's not go through the front door. I did a little more searching and found the perfect spot over a wall.

Once I landed I had one guard coming to me down the stairs. I waited for Jim to get to me, then I hit him at his knees brought him to my level next to the ground, and covered his mouth till he passed out. 

One down, who knows how many to go.

I snuck up the stairs and hit the first one at the back of his neck then the other in his jugular while he was gasping for breath, I used the taser to finish him.

.

I pulled out a Christmas ornament and laughed. I had to make at least one. I rolled it between the last two in my way. The one to my left stupidly picked it up, shortly before it blew up in his face. Then I used the modified nail gun that's gotten no use yet and littered the other guard with nails, I grabbed his wrist with the gun in it then I pushed him back into the fountain while keeping the gun.

.

I walked into the mansion and immediately spotted two people. A drunk woman and a guard.

Woman: "Why is it so hot in here? I told you to put it at 68." - "My fault again. Let me tell you something, Sweetheart. I am not your Personal air con."

I put my gloved hand on his head and ran electricity through him. Then I sat his head on the desk.

A little modification and this watch can do it all.

I pulled out the gun and pointed it ahead and the very drunk lady made a gun jester while silently laughing.

I made my way through the mansion which quickly turned into an obvious set. But all the way at the end was a bedroom.

There are two bodies under the covers so I pulled the covers back to reveal two women, who might have gotten scared by the gun in their face.

I quickly went behind the bed, realizing Trevor would come out in a moment.

Then like clockwork, a toilet flushed.

Trevor: "Well. I wouldn't go in there for 20 minutes. Now, which one of you is Vanessa?" - "That's me." - "Nessie. Did you know that fortune cookies aren't even Chinese?" - "There's Some guy over here."

Thanks, Nessie.

Trevor: "They are made by Americans, Based on a Japanese recipe. A recipe."

I've had enough. I came out with the gun pointed at Trevor. "Hi." - "Bloody Hell. Bloody Hell." - "Don't move." - "I'm not moving. Do you want something? Take it. Although the guns are fake because those wankers wouldn't trust me with the real ones.

Hey, do you fancy either one of the birds?"

"No. I'm married. Okay. Let's get the birds out of here. Get out of the bed. Get into the bathroom." Once they went inside and I think one almost puked. I pulled the slide which scared Trevor. "I know you aren't him. So tell me where he is." - "Calm down. It's complicated." - "Well uncomplicated. I know you're a decoy. A double. Where's the real one." - "What, You mean like an understudy? No, Absolutely not." I put the gun closer to his face as I'm getting annoyed. I know this. I need to know if Killian is here. "Don't hurt the face. I'm an actor." - "Cool. I don't care. You have less than a minute to live. Fill it wisely with words." - "It's just a role. The Mandarin, see it's not real." - "But it is. You may not be him. There the Mandarin is real. I need him." - "No, you got it all wrong. It's all green screen. Nothing happened. You see they gave me things. Drugs, money, even a lovely speed boat. To play this role. That's all it is. I'm just here to take credit for some Accidental explanations." - "I see. You think just because Killian created you none of it happened." - "Yes! His think tank thought it up." In the Mandarin voice. "The pathology of a Serial killer. The manipulation of Western iconography. Ready for another lesson? Blah, Blah, Blah. Of my performance brought the performance." - "Where people die? This isn't an act. You're responsible for people's Deaths. and you'll pay for that." - "No they didn't. Look around. Costumes green screen. I wasn't even on set for most of it. And when I wasn't, it was movie magic for most of it." - "I have a best friend who is in a coma who would say differently."

I felt a new presence so I turned and smiled. "Oh, look you're still alive." - "Yeah. And I'm a little mad that you stole my ride." I smiled as I threw a weak punch so he'd knock me out. Like he did. I know at least I'll be brought to Killian this way.