Nick's voice was filled with resolve. Though the others said nothing, their faces were just as grim.
The only one who could still smile was Doctor Doom.
They had talked Tony up so much that even he could not help feeling wary.
But he had his own pride, too, and he was confident he was no worse than anyone else.
So, at that moment, he was the most relaxed of them all.
Soon, the group stepped out of the tent. Before they could go any farther, something happened.
A figure suddenly shot up from the canyon, appearing before them in an instant.
Tony stood in midair, his face perfectly calm.
The explosion had barely hurt him. There was not even the slightest sign of disarray about him.
Nick and the others stopped at the sight of him. Then Tony spoke. "You finally decided to come out."
"Nick, not to criticize, but you used to have the guts to fight me head-on. How did you turn into a sewer rat, skulking around and hiding at every turn?"
Nick's gaze sharpened at Tony's taunt. Rather than respond to the mockery, he considered its deeper implications.
"You knew we were targeting you?"
"More or less. I figured it out."
Nick's face darkened, and he instinctively glanced at Doctor Doom. The man had actually guessed right.
"Then why did you still go?" Nick asked, puzzled.
"Because I needed vibranium. I didn't expect you to actually leave it there. You saved me the trouble of looking."
"As thanks, I've decided to let you choose how you die. Go on, how would you like to die?"
Tony spoke with utter confidence, and he had every reason to.
As his words fell, a deadly tension filled the air. Everyone from S.H.I.E.L.D. stared hard at Tony, waiting for