Iron Man Part Three
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Replay of the attack in the Hum-vee
INT. CRUDE OPERATING ROOM - CAVE - AFGHANISTAN - NIGHT
Nightmarish. GARBLED VOICES. Stabbing lights.
Toni thrashes against a restraining belt. Shows a red scalpel. Blood-spattered hands. Toni's heaving chest. A boilerplate.
YINSEN (60s), looks down; performing the "operation". He yells to someone in Arabic, and --
Toni is held down, a chloroform rag is pressed to her face.
"Oh my god, Toni," Bruce breathes out. "You were awake for that?"
Toni just hums and nods in response.
"Did they give you anything for pain?"
"Not at all," she responds quietly.
"What's happening?" Clint asks.
"Open heart surgery, essentially."
Gasps were heard around the room, as Peter and Harvey cuddled into Toni.
INT. LAB - CAVE - DAY
Toni flickers awake, disoriented. A tube protrudes from her nose. She sees -- Yinsen, humming a tune as he shaves by a broken mirror. But more importantly right now -- There is a jug of water on the table.
Toni tries to speak but can't. She can see she has a nasal tube. She pulls at it, gagging as two of feet of tubing slithers from her nose.
"You don't pull out something that's meant to be helping you," Bruce scolds and Toni just lets out a little giggle and shrugs her shoulders.
TONI (hoarse whisper)
...water...water.
Yinsen keeps humming as Toni yanks the IV from her arm and stretches for the water, but is stopped by A wire, under her chest bandages, snapping taut.
YINSEN
I wouldn't do that if I were you.
Toni follows the wire with her eyes and finds, to her horror, that it's hooked up to a car battery.
She starts clawing at his chest bandages. Yinsen turns. Toni sees her ugly chest wound. A circle in the middle of her chest, dried blood and scar tissue surrounding the circle. It's too much. She begins to swoon.
"Fuck," Natasha comments.
"Lady Toni, this is horrible," Thor booms and Toni just sends him a small smile.
"It's okay, point break. I'm okay."
INT. LAB - CAVE - HOURS LATER - DAY
Yinsen stirs a bubbling pot on the furnace. He flicks glances at Toni, waking up on the cot.
Toni eyes the bulky chest-piece protruding from her fresh bandages.
TONI
What have you done to me?
YINSEN
What did I do? I removed what I could, but there's a lot left headed for you atrial septum. Do you want a souvenir?
He tosses Toni a jar with scores of bloody Christmas tree- like barbs. Toni regards the 'shrapnel' she owns the patent to, and lets the jar drop.
YINSEN
I've seen many wounds like this in
my village. The walking dead we called them, because it took a week for the barbs to reach vital organs. I anchored a magnetic suspension system to the plate. It's holding the shrapnel in place...at least for now.
"So what he did is keeping you alive?"
"Yeah, basically part of the bomb went into my chest, and pieces were too close to my heart, if they tried to remove it I would've died before they could get it out. Basically the thing he put on my chest holds the shrapnel from moving any closer."
Toni struggles up, sits on the cot and notices something -- a surveillance camera on the cave wall.
YINSEN
That's right, smile.
There is a stagnant pause.
YINSEN
We met once -- at a technical conference in Bern.
TONI
I don't remember.
YINSEN
You wouldn't. If I'd been that drunk, I wouldn't have been able to stand, much less give a talk on integrated circuits.
"You did a seminar on integrated circuits drunk?"
"Of course you were drunk," Steve scoffed. "Also underage."
This caused many on Toni's side of the room to sneer.
"Cap, teenagers underage drink at college. You can't drink until you're 21, but people at college drink from 17-21. Toni didn't have any drinks until she was 15 at least and graduated college at 16. Of course she had some drinks. Teenagers these days drink at a young age. Get off your high horse," Carol said angrily.
"The shit we did at college," T'Challa chuckled.
"Stories?" Scott asked.
Hope let out a loud laugh that set off the MIT crew. "Rhodey, the amount of trouble you..."
"Time to be quiet, Hope," Rhodey interrupted.
TONYI
Where are we --?
The door-slat flies opens and a pair of dark eyes stare in. Yinsen drops his spoon, puts his hands on his head.
YINSEN
Stand up! Do as I do. Now!
Toni gets to her feet, can't gets her hands up. Yinsen helps her.
YINSEN
Listen to me, whatever they ask you, refuse. You understand? You must refuse.
"He knew something was going to happen," Fury grunted angrily.
The door opens and ABU BAKAR enters with two armed Henchmen (Ahmed and Omar). On Ahmed's wrist, Toni notices -- Jimmy's bright orange METS watch (from the convoy earlier).
"That fucking asshole," Loki growled. "The disrespect."
Toni just leaned against them and nodded. "I could've punched him if I wasn't weak and had ten guns pointed at my head."
ABU (in Arabic - YINSEN translating)
Welcome Toni Stark, the greatest mass murderer in the history of America. It's a great honor.
"Accurate statement," Wanda scowled.
"Wanda, she sold to the army. The army would get the weapons regardless," Maria sighed.
Abu looks Toni up and down like a prize horse, then --
ABU (in Arabic - YINSEN translating)
I want you to build this for me -- the Jericho missile you were demonstrating.
Abu holds out a photo: a surveillance image of the Jericho Missile launch.
TONI
...I refuse.
"Toni," Natasha sighed. "You're a civilian."
"Natasha, given Toni's experience, she actually knows a bit about hostage situations," Fury commented.
"What do you mean?" Clint asked.
"Toni was kidnapped and held ransom at least 7 times by the time she was 6 years old. After Howard decided to stop paying her ransom fees, myself and Agent Carter decided to start training her, and she started being able to get out of kidnappings by herself," Fury told them.
"Howard wouldn't do that," Steve defended and Bucky just shook his head exasperated.
"Actually, Rogers," Rhodey stepped in. "You wouldn't know how Howard was as a father. He spent more time looking for you and his shield and the tesseract than he did parenting Toni. She was shipped to boarding school at the age of 8. Never saw him and when he did he was an angry drunk. He didn't care for Toni because she was a woman."
"He wouldn't..."
"Steve, shut the fuck up," Toni interrupted. "As I said earlier, you knew him for a few years. I knew him for 16. I have more of an idea of who he was than you do. So fuck off."
Toni is then shown with her head getting held down in a large container of water. She is pulled up and before she can take a proper breath she is forcefully pushed down. This time the water trails down to the electromagnet in her chest, and her body starts convulsing as she is electrocuted.
Bucky's breath was caught. It reminded him too much of the constant electrocution and torture he was put through. He looked over at Toni sadly. Upon feeling eyes, she turned to see him and gave him a brief pained smile. He smiled back and nodded. They had an understanding. They knew each other.
PETER
MUM, HOLD ON
"You heard me?" Peter said awed.
"You were the one thing that kept me going," she said back before pulling him in for a hug and dropping a kiss on his head.
INT. LAB - CAVE - DAY
Toni is jostled awake by Abu's Henchmen, wrestling a hood over her head. She struggles as she's pulled to her feet.
EXT. CAVE COMPLEX - DAY
The hood is yanked off her head. She squints into the stinging daylight, her expression turning to shock.
In a bowl of tall mountains, camouflaged tarps are furled, revealing skids upon skids of Stark Industries weapons dating back to 80s Afghanistan.
"They have so many of your weapons," Carol said defeated.
The others had mixed reactions of fear, wonder and anger. Fury was scowling at the screen alongside Carol and Rhodey. Natasha and Clint looked perplexed and others looked either giddy (Wanda and Steve) or frustrated.
Toni, stunned, staggers along the crates. Yinsen follows.
YINSEN
Quite a collection, isn't it?
TONI
How did they get all this?
ABU (in Arabic - YINSEN translates)
As you see, we have everything you need to build the Jericho. You will make a list of materials and start work right away. When we are done we will set you free.
Toni sees a heavily armed and imposing men surrounding by several men who act as pilot fish around her. This is Warlord RAZA, a man you don't mess with.
TONY
No he won't
YINSEN
...no he won't.
"Of course he won't," said Natasha. "She's much to valuable to just let leave afterwards."
EXT. AMBUSH SITE - AFGHANISTAN - DAYS LATER - DAY
Cold charred wreckage. Rhodey, GENERAL GABRIEL (50s) and a team of SF men assess the remains of Toni's convoy.
RHODEY
Something's not right.
GABRIEL
Looks like a standard hit and run.
RHODEY
Sir, I'm telling you, this was a snatch and grab. A perfectly executed linear ambush. As soon as they got what they wanted, they melted away.
"If only they had listened to me," Rhodey sighed. "I tried, Toni."
GABRIEL
Intel's on it, we're in good hands. If she's out there, we'll get her.
It hangs there, then --
RHODEY
With your permission I'd like to stay in theater and head up the search and investigation.
GABRIEL
There's a PR firestorm brewing over this. Right now the best way to serve your country is to get back there and handle it.
"Yeah, let's stop looking for one of the most famous, influential, richest women alive and sort out PR," Maria commented sarcastically.
"Exactly," Loki sneered.
RHODEY
Toni Stark is the DOD's number one intellectual asset, and I can be of value in the field.
GABRIEL
Duly noted, but we need you back home.
(walks away, then)
Colonel, it's not lost on me that Stark is a lifelong friend.
Rhodey nods and heads for his Humvee as things are packed up.
"You didn't keep fighting?" Toni asked, a little hurt. Rhodey just hung his head as if ashamed of his actions.
INT. LAB - CAVE - DAYS LATER - DAY
It's dark and Toni sits in a wheelbarrow by the furnace, wrapped in an Army surplus blanket. Yinsen looms over her.
YINSEN
I'm sure they're looking for you, Stark, but they will never find you here. That car battery is running out...and they won't turn on the generator till you start to work.
Silence
YINSEN
You don't like what you saw out there, did you? I didn't like it either when those weapons destroyed my village. What you just saw, that's your legacy -- your life's work in the hands of these murderers. Is that how you want to go out? Is this the last act of defiance of the great Toni Stark? Or are you going to try to do something about it?
TONI
Why should I do anything, they're either going to kill me or I'm going to die in a week.
There was just silence. Nobody had seen Toni look so defeated and gone. Toni, the sarcastic, witty, narcissistic woman was reduced to this defeated shell of a human.
YINSEN
Then this is a very important week for you. Hmm?
"Shits about to go down," Bruce cheered and Toni sent him a wink.
INT. LAB - CAVE - DAY
The lights come on as the generator is started. Abu is flanked by Ahmed and several Guards. He watches as Omar refuels the generator, then walks the gas can to -- A 'cage', housing a fuel drum, and locks that down too.
TONI
Okay, here's what I need...
"Of course she's going to build it, she's a murderer," Wanda sneered again.
Toni just ignored her, exhausted from her commenting.
Toni paces, barking what she needs done while more of Abu's Guards carry in missiles and materials. Yinsen follows, translating as Toni assesses her work area.
TONI
I need S-Category missiles. Lot 7043. The S-30 explosive tritonal. And a dozen of the S-76. Mortars: M-Category #1,4,8,20,and60. M- 229's, I need eleven of these. Mines: the pre-90s AP 5s and AP 16s.
I need this area free of clutter, with good light. I want it at 12 o'clock to the door to avoid logjams. I need welding gear -- acetylene or propane, helmets, a soldering set-up with goggles, and smelting cups. Two full sets of precision tools.
Finally, I want clean clothes, a toothbrush, protein powder, food, somewhere to go to the toilet and for gods sake, I'm a woman, I need tampons, if you're going to keep me here the least you can do is remember I am a female.
"Look at you," cheered Natasha, Carol and Maria.
"Boss bitch," Harvey said excitedly. "Look at mum commanding a room like she owns the place."
"She has that affect on people."
"Did you really order for a bathroom and tampons," Fury chucked.
"Of course, Nick. They want me to do something, I get what I need."
Abu's eye bulge. He gets in Toni's face.
ABU (in Arabic - YINSEN translating)
A TOILET? TAMPON'S? WHAT DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?
TONI (to Abu)
Must have everything. Great Satan make big boom-kill for powerful Abu Bakar. Big boom-kill.
"Can you ever take anything seriously?" Steve sighed.
Peter and Harvey just flipped him off and sent him a glare.
INT. LAB - CAVE - NEXT DAY - DAY
Toni pulls open a missile-housing and removes from the inner workings of its guts. Then a glass ring.
She leads Yinsen up to a large missile crate. They remove the chip-rack cylinder from a larger warhead.
YINSEN
You do know they've removed all the explosives before they brought this to us.
TONI
I know, they're crazy not stupid.
"That's debatable," Fury scoffs.
"What do you mean?"
"They left a genius alone with multiple pieces of equipment that is in her wheelhouse. It's like leaving a kid in a candy shop."
Yinsen and Tony start taking apart the weapons.
TONI
How many languages do you speak?
YINSEN
A lot. But apparently, not enough for this place. They speak Arabic, Urdu, Dari, Pashto, Mongolian, Farsi, Russian.
"How many do you speak?" Loki asked Toni.
"At the time of the kidnapping, I spoke, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin and German. After the kidnapping I learnt Arabic, Urdo, Turkish, Dari and Japanese."
"Holy shit," Clint whistled.
"I have an eidetic memory, it's not hard for me to learn languages," she shrugged in response.
TONI
Who are these people?
YINSEN
They are your loyal customers, sir. They call themselves the Ten Rings.
The men of the Ten Rings are shown watching Tony and Yinsen work on a TV.
YINSEN
You know, we might be more productive if you include me in the planning process.
TONI
Uh-huh.
"Why didn't you tell him?" Sam wondered.
"I was taking apart weaponry, I had to focus."
Toni pulls apart a missile.
TONI
Okay, we don't need this.
YINSEN
What is that?
TONI
That's palladium, 0.15 grams. We need at least 1.6, so why don't you go break down the other 11?
"Toni," Bruce said, trying not to jump up and down in excitement. "Are you making what I think you're making?"
"I don't know Brucie Bear, am I?" She winked.
"Holy shit. You made it from scraps in a cave."
"What's she making?" Natasha asked.
"Just watch," Bruce said excited.
YINSEN
Eleven?
INT. LAB - CAVE - (LATER) - DAY
Yinsen removes chip-rack cylinders, bringing them to Toni. She extracts palladium strips.
TONI.
Heat the palladium to 1825 Kelvin.
YINSEN (at furnace)
How will I know when it reaches that temperature?
TONI
The palladium will melt.
Toni wraps a copper coil around the glass ring and drops palladium strips into a crucible on the ring. Toni sculpts a sand-mold for the palladium ring. Yinsen brings the crucible of melted palladium to Toni.
TONY
Careful, careful...
YINSEN
Relax. I always had steady hands.
It's why you're still alive.
TONI
Oh yeah, thanks. What do I call you?
"Had you not even asked his name?" Steve chastised.
"Well, Steve, I was too busy getting kidnapped, tortured and working with dangerous arsenal. On top of that, I was worried we would be killed and didn't want to get too close to him in case that happened. I thought at the time it was best I didn't know him personally."
YINSEN
My name is Yinsen.
TONI
Nice to meet you.
YINSEN
Nice to meet you too.
Toni puts together a device while Yinsen watches.
YINSEN
Whoa. That doesn't look like a Jericho missile.
TONI
That's because it's a miniaturized arc reactor. I got a big one powering my factory at home. It should keep the shrapnel out of my heart.
"So that thing keeps you alive?" Sam asked. "I thought it only powered your suit."
Toni pulled down her shirt slightly showing the blue arc reactor in her chest. "It does the same thing as the electromagnet and car battery. It draws the shrapnel away from my heart, without it I would die. The shrapnel starts moving back to my heart within seconds of it being removed."
Bucky all of a sudden felt sick to his stomach, and leapt off his feet and ran to the bathroom. Steve went to stand up and go after him but before he could, Toni jumped up and took off after him.
"Toni get back here, he doesn't need your negativity," Steve yelled and went to go after her but Sam and Natasha held him down.
"Leave them," Sam said. "They need to do this alone."
"Let's go on a break," Loki suggested and everyone nodded.
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