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"In that case, you don't need to waste your time, Aldrich Killian. Jack will never compromise because of me. There is no relationship between us. It's impossible for him to work for you because of me. Besides..." Pepper looked at him coldly. "You have no idea how terrifying he truly is. He won't negotiate with you. He'll only kill you."
Inside a reinforced steel chamber, Pepper Potts was tightly restrained to a giant X-shaped iron frame. Thick steel cuffs locked both her wrists and ankles, leaving her unable to move. Standing calmly beside her was a man dressed in an expensive suit—Aldrich Killian.
Killian smiled faintly.
"Actually, bringing you here wasn't only to threaten Jack."
Pepper frowned.
"You want to use me as a bargaining chip?"
Killian nodded with a satisfied smile.
"You're very intelligent."
"Jack won't let you go." Pepper's voice was icy.
Killian chuckled.
"A moment ago you said Jack had nothing to do with you. Now you're saying he won't let me go. Isn't that a contradiction?"
Pepper merely snorted and remained silent.
Killian slowly circled around her, carefully observing her expression.
"The entire world knows how frightening Jack is," he said calmly. "But I've always enjoyed doing things other people consider impossible. The crazier the challenge, the more interesting it becomes."
He smiled confidently.
"And I believe... the final victor will be me."
Pepper looked at him with open disdain.
"Only an ignorant fool would think that."
"You've never witnessed Jack's true strength."
"If you had..."
"...you'd realize just how stupid your confidence really is."
"Oh?"
Killian shrugged indifferently.
"Then I'll see for myself who the real fool is."
Pepper suddenly remembered the unbearable pain she had experienced earlier.
"What exactly did you inject into my body?"
"After you injected me, my entire body felt like it was burning..."
"The pain was unbearable."
Killian's smile widened.
"I gave you something wonderful."
"Something that can make a human... become like a god."
"It can repair every defect your body has."
"It will make you... perfect."
Pepper immediately shook her head.
"Impossible."
"Nothing like that exists."
Killian laughed softly.
"Well..."
"It does have one tiny flaw."
"If your body can't withstand the heat..."
"...it might explode."
"But don't worry."
"I won't let that happen to you."
Pepper's fists tightened instinctively.
"Explode from overheating?"
"What exactly has AIM been researching?"
Killian's eyes were filled with pride.
"A virus."
"A virus capable of creating gods."
"Its name..."
"...is Extremis."
His expression gradually became nostalgic.
"Thirteen years ago..."
"...I was nothing more than a crippled scientist."
"No one cared about me."
"No one respected me."
"No one believed in me."
"But now..."
Killian slowly spread both arms.
"I'll take control of the entire Earth."
Pepper laughed mockingly.
"Keep dreaming."
Killian wasn't angry.
"You'll know very soon whether it's a dream."
"Oh, right."
"I've also invited your former boss."
"Tony Stark should already be on his way."
Pepper's eyes widened.
"You called Tony here?"
Killian nodded.
"That's right."
"I intend to make him die in the most painful way imaginable."
"In front of the entire world."
A trace of hatred flashed through his eyes.
Pepper stared at him.
"Why?"
"What grudge do you have against Tony?"
Killian laughed loudly.
"You want to know?"
"What exactly happened between Tony Stark and me?"
"That's actually quite amusing."
"Since you're Pepper..."
"...I'll tell you."
His gaze gradually drifted into the distance.
"It happened thirteen years ago."
"There was once a crippled researcher."
"A pathetic scientist everyone looked down upon."
"He admired Tony Stark more than anyone."
"He met Tony during a high-level scientific conference in Switzerland."
"But Tony Stark..."
"...the rich second-generation genius..."
"...never even took him seriously."
"He casually told that foolish researcher..."
"'Meet me on the rooftop.'"
Killian smiled bitterly.
"The fool believed him."
"He stood alone on that freezing rooftop."
"He waited..."
"One hour."
"He kept believing Tony would come."
"But Tony never appeared."
"Only then did that fool finally understand..."
"...Tony Stark had never intended to meet him."
Killian slowly clenched his fist.
"From that day onward..."
"...he understood one truth."
"Only those standing at the very top..."
"...deserve respect."
Pepper looked directly into his eyes.
"The foolish researcher you mentioned..."
"...was you."
"But because Tony broke a promise..."
"...you chose to take revenge on the entire world?"
Killian shook his head.
"No."
"Tony wasn't wrong."
"He was the one who awakened me completely."
"And I'm not taking revenge against society."
"I'm creating..."
"...a brand-new era."
"A perfect era."
He spread both arms proudly.
"Tell me, Pepper."
"Don't you think that's magnificent?"
Pepper slowly shook her head.
"No."
"I think you're insane."
"You're no longer the Aldrich Killian I once knew."
After all, the two of them had once worked together at Stark Industries.
Killian smiled calmly.
"You're right."
"I'm no longer that Killian."
"The current me..."
"...is perfect."
Pepper answered firmly.
"There has never been a perfect human."
Killian was about to reply—
Clang!
A deafening metallic crash echoed across the chamber.
Something enormous landed heavily on the steel roof.
Everyone instinctively looked upward.
The familiar red, white, and blue armored suit descended through the opening.
It was the Iron Patriot Armor.
After being upgraded by the U.S. military, Rhodey's War Machine armor had officially become Iron Patriot, normally piloted by Colonel James Rhodes.
But...
Why was Iron Patriot here?
Where was Rhodey?
The armor slowly opened.
Instead of Rhodey...
...an elderly man tumbled out helplessly onto the steel platform.
Pepper stared in disbelief.
Her eyes widened instantly.
"Mr. President?!"
Killian smiled politely.
"Welcome, Mr. President."
"Welcome aboard."
The entire facility was built inside a gigantic cargo ship anchored far out at sea.
Massive steel support pillars rose from the deck like the skeleton of an industrial fortress. The reinforced chamber where Pepper was imprisoned hung high above the ship, suspended by thick steel beams and heavy machinery.
The President slowly raised his head.
He looked directly at Killian.
"I never expected..."
"...it would be you."
Killian nodded with a smile.
"Yes."
"It's me."
"I hope you're happy to see me, Mr. President."
The President remained calm despite his situation.
"What exactly are you trying to accomplish?"
Killian smiled faintly.
"Nothing complicated."
"I simply need a convincing reason..."
"...to execute you on live television."
"I've already found someone."
"A political puppet."
"By this time tomorrow..."
"...he'll be sitting in the Oval Office."
"He'll replace you."
The President frowned.
"You can't do this."
Killian looked completely unconcerned.
"Why not?"
He casually waved his hand.
"Tie him up."
Several Extremis soldiers immediately stepped forward and restrained the President before locking him onto another steel frame.
Pepper stared coldly at Killian.
"You actually kidnapped the President of the United States."
Killian laughed.
"No."
"Kidnapping is only the beginning."
"I'm going to kill him."
"And this..."
"...is merely the first step."
His smile slowly widened.
"What I'm truly looking forward to..."
"...is Jack's arrival."
"When he finally comes..."
"...something far more interesting will happen."
Pepper snorted coldly.
"No."
"That..."
"...will be the beginning of your nightmare."