At high noon, atop the Gobi Desert.
A suit of armor came from the west, an immortal soaring in steel.
A clash at the pinnacle of modern technology.
Led by Tony Stark and Ivan Vanko.
New Jersey.
Since this was an arranged duel, Tony stubbornly refused to let anyone else help.
He had JARVIS check the nearby networks.
After confirming no one was around, they chose this spot.
It was a stretch of desert where they could cut loose without worrying.
It had actually been Ivan who suggested finding somewhere deserted, which surprised Tony.
After all, in his mind, Ivan had practically become synonymous with villain.
If Tony was a Superhero, then Ivan could be called the first supervillain.
Tony arrived in his Mark Series Armor and touched down in a superhero landing.
Ivan had already taken off his armor and was lying on a nearby rock, sunbathing.
The desert sun was just right for bronzing his skin, all the better to charm that female employee at the Coffee Shop that had been bought out.
Seeing Ivan out of his armor, Tony disengaged his own and stepped out as well.
"Long time no see, Stark," Ivan said, a seemingly permanent toothpick between his lips. "Not since you nearly got me killed."
"You did that to yourself, Ivan," Tony said flippantly. "You were the one who modified the Iron Soldiers."
"You've changed enough to make me reconsider." Tony glanced around. "You didn't plant any bombs to blow me sky-high."
As soon as he arrived, he had asked JARVIS to scan for an ambush. He had scarcely believed the answer about the bombs.
At Tony's teasing, Ivan snorted, stood up, and stretched.
"Do you know what I've learned over these years?" Ivan said. "Power comes first."
"I admit, before, whenever I saw