Charlie opened a portal.
"Let's go. Time to head back," he said.
Tony glanced at the bodies. "What about these guys?"
Charlie waved it off. "Don't worry. Spider-Man's no good at cleaning up bodies, but his friends are."
"Your friends?"
As Tony looked puzzled, Charlie used his cloning technique. Clones appeared.
"Let's roll. They'll handle it."
Charlie led Tony through the portal, the clones waving goodbye.
"Miss us!"
As the portal closed, the clones scattered. Using their own cloning to multiply, they wrecked the cave entirely.
Meanwhile, at Stark Tower…
Buzz~
Sparks flickered as a battered Tony returned home. Not seeing Pepper, he asked JARVIS, "Where's Pepper?"
"Sir, Ms. Potts is on a date with you!"
Tony's face darkened. "Where are they?"
"The Empire Hotel."
"What?"
Tony snapped. "That bastard's gonna pay!"
He stormed into the armor lab. "JARVIS, activate the backup suit."
"Yes, sir."
As Tony suited up, Charlie opened his mouth but stayed silent.
The imposter was rubbing it in. Advising against revenge now would be cold.
"Need help?" he asked.
Tony gritted his teeth. "No, I'll handle it."
"Classic Iron Man. Real men settle their own scores."
Under Charlie's admiring gaze, the Mark suit smashed through the ceiling, heading for the Empire Hotel.
Cough cough… "Renovations are free, right?"
Charlie waved away the dust, then tapped his wrist device.
"Hey, Captain Carter, big show at the Empire Hotel. Lock it down."
"Hotel?"
In her office, Carter covered her phone, glancing at the door. "Keep it down. I'm busy. Come to me instead," she whispered.
Charlie: "…"
He explained briefly and cut the call.
After a moment, he contacted Gwen.
"Hey, Gwen, get to the Empire Hotel—"
"Hotel?"
Gwen's shout cut him off. "You're doing this to Mary Jane?"
Her voice burned with anger. "Room number. I'm coming to deal with you myself."
Charlie: "…"
"What is wrong with you people?"
He hung up, dialing Harry.
Brothers wouldn't misunderstand, right?
"Hey, Harry, Empire Hotel, now—"
"Hotel?"
Harry's tone turned odd. "Buddy, if you're in need, I'll spot you cash. Just leave me out of it."
Charlie's face darkened. "Go to hell!"
Hanging up, he opened a portal, reaching a rooftop near the Empire Hotel before Tony.
On the rooftop, Charlie munched popcorn, waiting for Tony.
Soon, armor flames cut through the night. Tony arrived.
At the same time, Carter's quinjets landed nearby.
As they disembarked, a massive explosion erupted from a hotel room. Flames burst through a window, and two identical Mark suits shot out.
Boom!
Bang!!
Amid roaring flames, the two Iron Men soared, trading palm cannon blasts, sparking brilliantly in the night.
"Tony!"
At the shattered window, Pepper, wrapped in a bathrobe, stared anxiously at the sky battle.
Across the street, Charlie winced, shielding his eyes.
"Ugh~ Old married couples get wild. Hotel instead of home? Look at the mess."
He shook his head as Carter's team found him.
"This is your 'big show'?" Carter glanced at the sky fight, embarrassed.
Charlie nodded. "Yup."
Harry patted his chest, relieved.
Gwen snorted, turning away. "I forgive you."
Charlie rolled his eyes, silent.
Harry, curious, asked Gwen, "Why forgive him?"
Gwen huffed. "Nothing. Spider-Man, you dragged us here for this?"
"Not just that."
As energy pulses shot wildly, some hitting skyscrapers, Charlie shrugged. "You should've brought more backup. I'm swamped."
He dove into a portal, appearing on the street.
Buzz~
An energy pulse hit. Charlie crossed his arms, tanking it with his enhanced body.
Bang!!
The pulse exploded, heat washing over him.
Behind him, a little girl blinked. "Mommy, it's Spider-Man!" she shouted, bouncing excitedly.
Charlie crouched, patting her head. "Why're you out so late?"
The girl picked up wilted roses from the ground, eyes dodging. "I'm waiting for Mommy. She's gone. I'm scared…" Her voice faded.
Seeing the dirty girl and her dying flowers, Charlie pictured a scene: a shivering girl in a snowy alley, begging passersby to buy her matches.
"Ah! So pitiful!"
"Why? Why's it so sad? Kill me now…"
His triangular eyes widened, clutching his chest in mock pain.
A well-dressed woman rushed up. "Annie, where were you? Mommy was so worried! Why're you so dirty? And those flowers—throw them out!"
The woman fussed, then gasped, seeing Charlie. "Oh, Spider-Man!"
Charlie glanced at the girl. "She's yours?"
"Yes, she got lost. Thank you for finding Annie."
"She's not a flower seller?"
"Of course not. We own a building—why would she sell flowers?"
Charlie: "…"
Bang!
Energy sparks lit the sky again. Charlie turned. "Gotta go. Bye~ Oh, if she needs a dad, call me. Not for your money—trust Spider-Man, I don't lie."
He dove into a portal.
Buzz~
Boom!!
In the blast's aftermath, a Mark suit plummeted, caught by strong arms.
"Oh, Spider-Man, thanks," Tony said. "That guy's fake. Help me take him out."
Charlie realized this wasn't Tony.
Then the real Tony dove down. "I don't need your help. I'll crush him myself!"
An iron fist swung. Charlie dodged.
Bang!!
The two fists collided, sparks flying, cracking the pavement.
Air surged. Charlie stepped back. "You saw that—I didn't do it," he shouted to the crowd.
The two Tonys tangled, soaring and crashing into the skyway.
Boom~
Debris rained. Charlie ducked under an awning.
Shimmering fragments formed starlight. The Iron Men kept fighting.
Reporters swarmed. "It's Iron Man—two Iron Men!"
"What's happening?"
"Look, Spider-Man's there!"
Spotting Charlie, they rushed him.
"Spider-Man, about the two Iron Men—what can you tell us?"
"Can you tell who's Stark?"
"We're curious about your personal life. Is Spider-Woman your girlfriend?"
"Honest Spider-Man, can you grow giant for us?"
"Hey, don't leave—"
Under their disappointed gazes, Charlie swung to the skyway.
"Enough. Keep fighting, and it'll be a mess," he shouted.
"I got it," Tony said, blasting a red beam to push back his foe. "JARVIS, full power."
"Yes, sir."
"JARVIS, cut full power," the Skrull ordered.
"Yes, sir."
Tony: "…"
His reactor dimmed. "JARVIS, listen to me," he growled.
"Yes, sir."
The Skrull sneered. "No, JARVIS, me."
"Yes, sir."
"JARVIS, I'm real."
"No, I'm real."
"Sirs, I can't tell. I really can't…"
JARVIS short-circuited. The Skrull smirked. "Fake, your time's up."
Tony gritted his teeth. "Bastard, let's duel!"
"I'm not scared!"
They shed their suits, brawling hand-to-hand.
Charlie was impressed.
Carter's team arrived, shaking their heads.
"Now what?" Harry asked.
Charlie shrugged. "What else? Lock 'em both up."
Carter nodded. "Good call."
…
Half an hour later, in a glass cell, the two Tonys kept at it.
Exhausted from brawling, they each claimed a bed and passed out.
Outside, Carter's team studied the identical pair, stumped.
"DNA results are in," Helen Cho said, holding a report. "Their genes are identical. No way to tell who's Tony."
"Identical?" Carter rubbed her forehead. "This is bad."
She looked at Charlie. "Can you tell?"
"Nope. Can't tell at all," Charlie said, shaking his head.
He was lying.
If no one could tell, his plan worked.
Carter sighed, defeated. "Let Pepper try."
She left. Charlie glanced at Tony's back, following her.
In the hallway, they walked side by side.
"They're Skrulls, aliens who mimic other beings," Charlie explained.
Carter frowned. "Skrulls?"
"Yup. Skrulls are total garbage."
Carter: "…"
"Why the sudden trash talk?"
Charlie eyed her. "I call them garbage, and you don't react. Guess you're the real Captain Carter."
She rolled her eyes. "If they can mimic me and my abilities, you wouldn't be so chill."
Charlie nodded. "True. Regular Skrulls can't copy powers… Skrulls are garbage."
Carter's face darkened. "You done?"
Charlie grinned. "Just making sure you're the real deal."
She shook her head. "When in doubt, ask the Supreme Sorcerer. Your words."
"She'd probably say no."
"Try."
"Fine."
Ten minutes later, they stepped out of a portal.
"Guessed right. She refused," Charlie said.
Carter flopped onto her office couch, staring at the ceiling. "This is too much. First mutants, now Skrulls. I want to quit."
Charlie grabbed his special juice from the fridge, taking a sip. "This is good. It shifts focus from mutant-human conflicts."
Carter sat up, exhaling. "Yeah, best outcome we could hope for. But will Apocalypse really team up with us?"
Her eyes held worry. "He hates humans, and he's strong. He might not do what you predict."
Charlie turned, smiling. "Even if he doesn't, I've got a backup plan. No worries."
"How's the research on Karn's red trident?" he asked.
Carter shook her head. "Unique material, but not quite vibranium."
She tapped her virtual computer, displaying a red-and-blue Spider-Suit. "We found vibranium in a Hydra base. We can use nanotech for a vibranium suit."
"Vibranium suit?" Charlie's eyes lit up. "For me?"
"My personal gift," Carter smiled.
"Thanks, Commander Carter."
"Hah, gifts get you calling me commander? Smooth."
"It's respect."
Charlie grinned. "But skip the suit. Just get me nanotech vibranium. My suit can swap it in."
"No problem. Simpler. Dr. Cho's ready—you can head to her lab."
"Cool, dinner's on me."
"You've pre-spent two years' salary. You're broke."
"No biggie. Harry's paying."
Soon, Charlie reached Helen Cho's lab.
"Dr. Hottie, I'm here for—"
"I know. Nanotech vibranium. It's ready."
Helen tapped her tablet. A metal wall rose, revealing a glass case with flowing blue nanotech metal.
Charlie's eyes gleamed, but Helen's face fell.
"Wait, a lot's missing."
"Missing?" Charlie blinked. "You mean…?"
A thought hit him, and he groaned.
Marvel Rule One: Never store treasures at S.H.I.E.L.D. They'll get stolen.
Marvel Rule Two: Never steal Spider-Man's stuff. Getting caught means a bad end.
"Who did it?!"