Just as Tony was about to respond to Pepper on the phone, a sharp pulse of pressure struck his back.
Obadiah Stane stood behind him, holding a compact sonic paralysis device — a prototype derived from Stark sonic stabilization tech Tony himself had once designed.
A high-frequency vibration surged through Tony's nervous system.
His muscles locked instantly.
The phone slipped from his hand.
His breathing became shallow.
The arc reactor flickered erratically.
His skin began turning an unhealthy bluish-purple as oxygen levels dropped.
Seeing Tony immobilized, Obadiah calmly picked up the fallen phone.
"Tony? Tony, are you there? What's happening?" Pepper's voice came through.
Obadiah ended the call.
Silence returned.
He knelt beside Tony.
From a case, he removed a specialized extraction unit — industrial surgical hardware adapted for energy core removal.
"You know," Obadiah said quietly, almost conversationally, "I built this company from nothing alongside your father. I watched you waste it."
He activated the device.
Mechanical clamps locked onto Tony's chest plate.
Tony's eyes widened in helpless fury.
The extractor hummed.
With a sickening metallic click, the arc reactor was pulled free from Tony's chest housing.
The electromagnet lost power.
Obadiah severed the wiring leads.
Tony gasped soundlessly, unable to move.
Obadiah held the glowing reactor in his palm.
"This… this is the future."
He placed it into the case.
Then he stood.
Without a backward glance, he left Tony lying on the floor.
Pepper Takes Action
Pepper Potts burst out of Stark Tower and nearly collided with Agent Phil Coulson, who had been waiting for Tony.
Her face was pale.
"Obadiah had Tony kidnapped," she said breathlessly. "He's been selling weapons to terrorists. And he's building a massive armored suit."
Coulson's expression hardened instantly.
Pepper dialed Rhodey.
"Tony's in danger. Go to his house. Now."
Then she turned to Coulson.
"We need to get to the manufacturing plant."
Within minutes, they were en route.
Tony's Collapse
Minutes after Obadiah left, Tony's paralysis began to fade.
He collapsed onto his side, gasping.
Without the reactor powering the electromagnet in his chest, the shrapnel embedded near his heart began shifting with each heartbeat.
Pain exploded through his torso.
Every breath felt like drowning.
He dragged himself across the floor toward the workshop elevator.
He couldn't stand.
Couldn't breathe.
Couldn't stop the fragments inching toward his heart.
"Sir," Jarvis said urgently, his tone more severe than Tony had ever heard, "your vital signs are critically unstable. Shall I contact Ms. Potts, Colonel Rhodes, Mr. Zhang, Dr. Yinsen, or Mr. Hogan?"
Tony struggled to speak.
"…Karl…"
A breath.
"…call Karl…"
"Contacting Mr. Karl Zhang."
Karl Responds
At the farm, Karl had just gathered Wanda, Pietro, and Peter to head out when his phone rang.
He answered.
Jarvis spoke immediately.
"The boss is in critical condition and has requested your assistance."
Karl's expression hardened.
"I understand."
He ended the call.
Without another word, he vanished.
Peter exhaled helplessly.
"I guess… we wait?"
Pietro shrugged and sat down.
Wanda remained standing, silent, her thoughts darkening at the name she had heard: Stark.
Saving Tony
Karl appeared inside Tony's mansion.
Tony lay slumped near the workshop entrance, barely conscious.
Without hesitation, Karl teleported into the workshop and spotted the glass-encased prototype reactor Pepper had preserved:
PROOF THAT TONY STARK HAS A HEART
Karl crushed the glass with telekinesis.
The reactor flew into his hand.
He reappeared beside Tony.
Tony's pulse was fading.
Karl guided the wiring into place with precise telekinetic control.
He pressed the reactor into Tony's chest housing.
The electromagnet powered on.
Two seconds later —
Tony sucked in a ragged breath.
Color returned to his skin.
The deadly fragments stopped advancing.
Tony leaned against the wall, shaking.
"…Thank God," he breathed. "Karl… you just saved my life."
Karl tilted his head.
"What happened to the reactor in your chest?"
Tony clenched his jaw.
"Obadiah. He used my sonic device. Pepper confirmed it — he arranged my kidnapping. He built a suit. He needed the reactor."
Tony staggered toward the armor platform.
Mechanical arms descended.
Panels locked into place.
The Mark III assembled around him in seconds.
At that moment, Rhodey rushed into the workshop.
"Tony! Pepper said you were in trouble — what the hell is that? And what can I do?"
Tony sealed his helmet.
"Good timing, Rhodey. Clear the skies."
He blasted upward through the roof.
Rhodey stared upward.
Then looked around.
Karl was gone.
He blinked.
"…I need more sleep."
Rhodey sprinted for Tony's car and gave chase.
The Iron Monger Awakens
Inside Stark Industries' fabrication plant, Obadiah approached the massive armored frame suspended from industrial gantries.
He removed Tony's reactor from the case.
Locked it into the chest housing.
Power surged.
The giant armor's eyes ignited with blinding white light.
Systems came alive.
Servos roared.
Hydraulics screamed.
Obadiah smiled.
"The future belongs to those willing to take it."
Alarms sounded near the facility entrance.
Pepper, Coulson, and SHIELD agents had arrived.
Obadiah's smile vanished.
He climbed into the massive armor.
Metal sealed around him.
The Iron Monger powered to full life.
War had arrived.
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