Chapter 44: The Terrible Power

Nick Fury stared at the red dot on the virtual panel, stress weighing on his mind. He hadn't expected the situation to escalate so quickly. He had only just uncovered a few clues, and now, all hell had broken loose. The president was in danger, surrounded by Extremis soldiers, and Iron Man was still nowhere to be found.

S.H.I.E.L.D. was stretched thin. Black Widow, Hawkeye, and a handful of agents wouldn't stand much of a chance against so many Pyro men. Captain America and Bruce Banner were guarding the prison, making sure none of the high-risk suspects were released. If any of them got out, the consequences would be catastrophic. Thor was busy with a crisis in Asgard.

As Fury reviewed his options, he wondered if bringing in Banner to rescue the president was worth the risk. Firearms were useless against these Extremis-enhanced enemies, and Fury couldn't afford for the leader to be blown up. His thoughts were interrupted by a commotion in the control room.

"Iron Man is back!" someone shouted, and Fury's heart lifted. He rushed to the monitors and saw a figure clad in red armor—Tony Stark had returned.

The news spread like wildfire across the city. People watching the chaos unfold on live broadcasts erupted in cheers.

"Iron Man is back!"

"I knew he wasn't dead!"

Even Black Widow and Hawkeye, who had been locked in battle with the Pyro men, heard the news. Hawkeye grinned between dodges, "Tony's back!"

Black Widow's eyes lit up with renewed hope. "We might actually win this," she said, twisting out of the way of a Pyro's blazing punch.

Iron Man landed amidst the chaos, his MK42 armor battered from previous battles. Standing atop a platform, Killian sneered at him. Gone was the fawning scientist—now, Killian stood tall in a pristine suit, the picture of arrogance and power. Flames flickered around him as though he controlled the very air.

"You're going to fight me like that?" Killian taunted, looking at Iron Man's damaged suit with disdain.

Iron Man's eyes burned with fury. "Doesn't matter how I look," Tony replied. "What matters is that I beat you."

"Beat me?" Killian laughed. "You? I have a gift for you." With a wave, Killian motioned to his Extremis soldiers, and they dragged out Pepper Potts, bound and gagged. Tony's breath caught in his throat as he saw her struggling, tied to a frame.

"You injected her with Extremis?" Tony growled, his voice trembling with rage.

Killian smiled wickedly. "I could make her perfect," he said, his voice dripping with malice, "but you? You couldn't. And when the drug fully kicks in, who knows what will happen to her?"

The words hit Tony like a sledgehammer. His rage boiled over, and for a moment, he trembled with the urge to charge at Killian recklessly. But he held back, his mind working faster than his emotions. He wasn't someone to be coerced.

Killian wasn't done. His face twisted in disgust as he spat, "Do you think you're some kind of god, hiding in your suit? You don't deserve Pepper! You don't deserve to be praised by the world! You think you can take all of us on? You're delusional!"

Tony's anger turned to cold resolve. He raised his head and smirked, a plan forming. In the distance, a roar filled the night sky. Everyone looked up as streaks of light cut through the darkness, revealing the arrival of Iron Man's army of suits.

"J.A.R.V.I.S," Tony said calmly, "target the high heat sources."

"Understood, sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. responded. "Engaging full force."

The suits swarmed down, firing on the Pyro men, sending them into disarray. Explosions and flames lit up the battlefield as Tony's army of armors unleashed their full arsenal.

Killian watched the suits descend with a sharp intake of breath. His body turned crimson as flames enveloped him, and with a roar, he leaped from the platform, charging straight at Iron Man. His fist, burning with extreme heat, slammed into Tony's suit, punching straight through it with terrifying force.

Gasps echoed through the city as onlookers saw Iron Man's armor torn apart by Killian's raw power.

"He just tore through Iron Man's suit with his bare hands?" someone exclaimed in disbelief.

For a moment, Tony lay on the ground, dazed by the sheer force of Killian's blow. But he reacted quickly, ejecting from the damaged suit before Killian could strike again. His heart pounded in his chest—Killian's power was far beyond what he had anticipated.

Killian stood above him, glaring. "Without your armor, you're nothing!"

Tony barely had time to call out to J.A.R.V.I.S. before Killian lunged at him again. "J.A.R.V.I.S, I need a new suit—now!"

One of Tony's armors swooped down, but before he could equip it, Killian tore it apart with his bare hands, splitting it in two like it was made of paper. The sight stunned Tony. This was no ordinary Extremis-enhanced enemy—Killian's power was on another level.

Black Widow and Hawkeye, still fighting off Pyro soldiers, were equally shocked. "This guy's a monster," Hawkeye muttered under his breath.

Killian, now ablaze with fiery intensity, cracked his knuckles, preparing for another round. Tony had no choice—he needed to outsmart him and fast. The battle was far from over, and Killian wasn't going to let him escape easily.