Chapter Summaries

Henry Brown joined Tony Stark, Katharine Hepburn, and James Rhodey at Stark’s home, where Rhodey and Tony traded stories about their MIT days. Rhodey revealed that Justin Hammer was the first person Tony had complained about, leaving Henry unsurprised.

• Virginia Potts helped Katharine Hepburn into the basement, where Tony Stark and James Rhodey greeted her.
• Tony introduced Rhodey as his best friend and described their shared time at MIT.
• Rhodey recalled stepping in when older students cornered the teenage Tony, and Hepburn praised him for protecting Tony.
• Henry Brown greeted Rhodey, who said Henry was the second person Tony had complained about.
• Rhodey named Justin Hammer as the first, and Tony angrily called Hammer shameless.

At Tony Stark's home, Henry learned why Hammer Industries remained in business despite its inferior weapons: the U.S. military needed a supplier for foreign aid that Stark Industries refused to serve. The group then watched a household robot pour whiskey, and Skye compared it to bb, prompting Tony to object.

• Henry teased Tony Stark about having to respect the military, and James Rhodey complained about repeatedly facing generals after Tony missed meetings.
• James Rhodey explained that Hammer Industries supplied weapons for U.S.-backed foreign groups because Tony Stark refused to sell Stark Industries' weapons to them.
• Henry realized Hammer Industries survived because the military needed its low-end products and suspected Obadiah Stane might already be exploiting that market.
• Tony Stark called for whiskey, and a small tracked robot brought a decanter and precisely poured three glasses.
• Skye compared the robot to bb, and Tony Stark sharply insisted that the two robots were not the same.

Tony Stark showed Skye how his household robots worked and explained why specialized machines were more efficient than humanoid robots. After Skye, Lorna Dane, and Katharine Hepburn left for the beach, Tony and Henry were left with a chance to discuss matters privately.

• Skye praised Tony Stark’s household robot over Henry’s bb and asked Tony why his robots were not humanoid.
• Tony explained that specialized robots were more stable and efficient, while machines could not replace people in every flexible task.
• Tony suggested that Pepper show Skye and Lorna Dane around, and Katharine Hepburn invited them to the beach.
• Tony offered the girls surfboards from his collection, and Virginia Potts led them away after Katharine Hepburn approved.
• Katharine Hepburn left for the beach with the girls, and Tony asked Happy Hogan to watch over them.

Tony Stark confronted Henry about C Mei’s exposure of Umbrella’s secrets and explained that his efforts to attack the company had driven him from New York to Los Angeles. Henry realized that powerful interests were protecting Umbrella, leaving Tony determined to find another way to dismantle it.

• Tony Stark accused Henry of involving C Mei in exposing Umbrella’s secrets, while Henry denied understanding how the leak had forced Tony to move to Los Angeles.
• Tony Stark described Umbrella’s dangerous bioweapon projects and said influential people had blocked his attempt to expose and attack the company.
• Henry suggested using the Continental Hotel to kill Umbrella’s executives, but Tony rejected the idea because removing leaders would not change the corporation.
• Henry explained that Umbrella’s structure and power had to be dismantled, not merely its executives eliminated.
• Tony Stark said he had planned to absorb Umbrella into Stark Industries and bury its research, but others had stopped him because they suspected he wanted to expand into bioweapons.