Planetary Devastation

Army soldiers, Navy soldiers, Air Force soldiers, and Marines rose into view one after another.

Yake watched Hammer beam with pride and almost felt sorry for the fool. He had been sold out and was still helping count the money. What was wrong with sticking to cheap weapons? Stark was a hurdle he would never clear.

Yake sensed that magnetism could control every one of the soldiers, so he settled in to watch the show. At least he did not have to worry about Peter getting killed by some stray area-of-effect blast.

"While this technology is revolutionary, the battlefield still needs real soldiers. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce the first prototype of the All-Purpose Threat Response Combat Armor and its pilot, Air Force Colonel James Rhodes!"

Hammer stepped back as the center stage lit up. A silver Iron Man with a shoulder-mounted cannon slowly rose from beneath the floor and saluted the audience. The Iron Soldiers behind him and Hammer followed suit.

"Hammer Industries reporting for duty, America!"

A stir swept through the audience. The sound of thrusters filled the air, and everyone looked up to see Iron Man with a new power source. His reactor had changed from a circle to an inverted triangle, shining with incandescent light.

"Uncle Yake, I knew Iron Man would come! Teach him a lesson, Iron Man!"

Peter sprang out of his seat and gloated at Hammer as though he were Iron Man himself. Beside him, Pepper could not help smiling.

After Tony landed onstage, he spoke quietly with Rhodes. Yake figured Tony wanted the crowd evacuated. Hammer was not the one truly controlling the Iron Soldiers. He was just a clown.

Tony turned to demand Ivan Vanko's location from Hammer, who naturally pretended to know nothing. Otherwise, all his