The Merchant of Death
As the group of heroes marvelled at the food and drinks that had appeared in their hands, the screen lit up, pulling their attention.
In Kunar Province, Afghanistan, a convoy drove through the desert. After a moment, Back in Black by ACDC began to play as Tony Stark rode with three soldiers. They were all quiet, the soldiers stealing glances at the billionaire as he drank a scotch on the rocks.
“Oh, no,” Tony groaned, tempted to look away despite the Voice’s insistence that they watch.
“Oh god, Tones, is this…?” Rhodey looked nervous, looking between Tony and the screen as Tony nodded.
“What?” Sam questioned. “What is this?”
“Just watch,” Tony sighed, doing his best to ignore his heartbeat speeding up.
“I feel like you’re driving me to a court-martial,” Tony said finally. “This is crazy. What did I do? I feel like you’re going to pull over and snuff me. What, you’re not allowed to talk? Hey, Forest!”
While most of them laughed at Tony’s antics, Steve frowned. The disrespect towards an officer, calling him ‘forest’ because he wore camo, just didn’t sit right with him.
“Tony,” he began to chastise, but he was promptly shushed as the others wanted to see what would happen.
The soldier to his left looked nervous, but replied, “We can talk, sir.”
“Oh, I see. So it’s personal?”
“No, you intimidate them,” said the female soldier driving. Tony looked slightly shocked.
“Good god, you’re a woman.”
Pepper raised an eyebrow at Tony as he hunched in on himself, attempting to make himself smaller.
“Really, Tony?” She asked, exasperated.
Tony grimaced. “Yeah, I know,” he sighed, “not my finest.”
“I honestly… I couldn’t have called that. I mean, I’d apologize but isn’t that what we’re going for here? I thought of you as a soldier first.”
“I’m an airman,” the woman explained.
“Well you have, actually, excellent bone structure, there,” Tony continued. “I’m kind of having a hard time not looking at you now. Is that weird?”
“Really Tones?” Rhodey frowned.
“I was a different person back then, Honey Bear!” Tony tried defending himself, but the chastising looks he received showed it was not working. “Life changing event, remember? Something with a big metal suit?”
Rhodey simply shook his head, though he smiled as he did so. It had been too long since he’d spoken with his best friend, even if he had to admonish his past self’s actions.
At this, the soldiers all began to laugh, making Tony grin. “Come on, it’s okay, laugh.”
The soldier riding passenger turned around. “Sir, I have a question.”
“Yes, please,” Tony prompted.
“Is it true you went 12 for 12 with last year’s Maxim cover models?”
“That is an excellent question,” he replied, removing his sunglasses. “Yes and no. March and I had a scheduling conflict, but fortunately, the Christmas cover was twins.”
Once again, all eyes were on Tony. He expected to be chewed out, but he would never guess who actually stepped up to do it.
“Mr. Stark!” Peter yelled, glaring furiously at the man who simply stared with wide eyes, as the rest of the Avengers were doing. “How dare you! Ms. Potts is amazing, if you acted like this ,” he ranted, waving wildly at the screen, “how could you have possibly won her over? She deserves much better than that, and you know it. If you ever break her heart, I will give you a puppy, let you bond with said puppy, and then take the puppy away.” As he finished, he sat with his arms crossed, scowling.
“What would you do with the puppy?” Bucky asked curiously. “Kill it?” Before he could blink there was an angry 5’10” boy in his face.
“WHAT?! Of course not! What did the puppy do? No, I would take it home and love it and taunt Mr. Stark with how happy the puppy and I are.”
Bucky simply nodded, eyes wide as they followed the boy stomping back to his seat.
“Relax, Pete,” Tony laughed. “I love Pepper, I would never do anything to hurt her. Those days are behind me,” he promised. When Pepper smiled and nodded, Peter relented and resumed his place beside the man.
The soldiers smirked. “Anything else?” The soldier next to him raised his hand, to which Tony quickly said, “You’re kidding me with the hand up, right?”
The soldier ignored him, asking if it would be cool to take a picture with him, which Tony agreed to.
“I don’t want to see this on your MySpace page,” Tony quipped as they posed.
Peter groaned.
“Mr. Stark,” he whined, “you’re so old.”
Tony gasped, feigning offence as the scene continued.
The soldier put up a peace sign. “Please, no gang signs.” He put his hand down. “No, throw it up, I’m kidding. Yeah, peace. I love peace. I’d be out of a job without peace.”
Again, Steve frowned at his teammates actions. He knew Stark had grown a lot since whenever this was, but the fact that he used to build and sell weapons didn’t sit right with him. Peace was always the goal, weapons should not be the only solution, but clearly the old Tony hadn’t thought the same way. Thankfully, the Tony he’d grown to love no longer held the same values as in his youth.
The soldier next to him tried to hurry the soldier taking the picture, telling him not to change anything. Before the picture was taken, the vehicle in front of them was blown up and gunshots fired, hitting their vehicle.
The group sucked in a breath at the same time, the joking tone abruptly vanishing as they watched. Suddenly Tony could feel twelve sets of eyes on him, but he was fully immersed in the scene. The sights and sounds brought him right back as he struggled to suck air into his lungs.
Tony looked around in confusion as the female soldier exited the vehicle only to be shot down. The passenger instructed the man on Tony’s left to stay with him, exiting the vehicle and making a few shots before he was hit, too. The last soldier swore, leaving the vehicle and instructing Stark to stay there. Not a second later he fell, the vehicle behind him littered with holes.
Tony forcefully shut his eyes. The young man had died to protect him, they all had, and he’d done nothing. He might as well have killed them himself.
As he sat there, eyes clenched shut and shaking, he could hear the scene repeating itself, showing the young man’s death over and over. A gentle hand rubbed his shoulder.
“Tony,” Pepper spoke softly, “you have to keep watching. It won’t stop until you do.” She sounded devastated, wishing she could protect him from the pain but knowing it wasn’t possible. “Please,” she begged.
Tony just nodded, taking a deep breath before refocusing on the screen, watching the man fall one more time.
Tony’s ears rang as he got out of the vehicle, stumbling and diving for cover behind a rock. He pulled his phone out to call for help when a bomb landed next to him, reading: Stark Industries.
Wanda quietly gasped, a hand going to cover her mouth as tears pricked her eyes. The scene reminded her of the day her parents were killed. Her and Pietro cowering in fear under the bed as a bomb, that bomb, blinked menacingly for hours. She knew now it wasn’t Stark’s fault, that he hadn’t supplied the bomb, but knowing he went through something even remotely similar to what she had made her feel a swell of pity for the man. The main difference in the stories, unfortunately, was that Wanda’s bomb had never detonated.
His eyes widened as he tried to stand but he wasn't fast enough. The bomb exploded, flying him backward where he landed, once again disoriented.
Everyone released a breath, seeing that, while disoriented, he appeared to be unharmed.
His white shirt turned red as he scrambled to remove it, revealing a bullet-proof vest that had been pierced.
They watched in horror as the blood seeped from his chest. Despite the man sitting there with them, the sight was too awful for them to care that he’d survived. All they could see was the red blood soaking his white button up.
The screen showed a white light, then a bag was removed from Stark’s bloodied face. He was tied to a chair with a man carrying guns all around him. One man spoke to a camera that recorded him, though his words were not in English.
Many heads turned in confusion, but Tony simply shook his head.
IRON MAN
The screen cut to a casino, the words ‘Las Vegas, 36 Hours Earlier’ appeared at the bottom.
The abrupt change in tone had many blinking or shaking their heads, trying to keep up.
A convention centre was full of nicely dressed people, clapping as a voice over started speaking, images of Tony appearing on the screens beside the stage.
“Tony Stark. Visionary. Genius. American patriot.”
Rhodey snorted, remembering this day.
“Even from an early age, the son of legendary weapons developer Howard Stark quickly stole the spotlight with his brilliant and unique mind. At age four, he built his first circuit board.”
Eyes bored into Tony’s skull, but he kept watching.
“At age six, his first engine."
More stares, but he ignored these, too.
“And at 17, he graduated summa cum laude from MIT. Then, the passing of a titan.”
Now Tony snorted, causing Steve to frown in confusion.
“Howard Stark’s lifelong friend and ally, Obadiah Stane,” the voice over said as images of Stane appeared.
Tony nearly growled at the man, but Pepper placed a calming hand on his arm, silently supporting him as she sent her own glare towards the man.
“Steps in to help fill the gap left by the legendary founder, until, at age 21, the prodigal son returns and is anointed the new CEO of Stark Industries. With the keys to the kingdom, Tony ushers in a new era for his father’s legacy, creating smarter weapons, advanced robotics, satellite targeting. Today, Tony Stark has changed the face of the weapons industry by ensuring freedom and protecting America and her interests around the globe.”
Sam outright laughed at the American flag made up of weapons.
“A bit too on the nose, in my opinion,” he chuckled, causing a few of them to join him. It was pretty ironic.
The voiceover ended while people clapped, Rhodey taking to the stage.
“Mr. Colonel Rhodes, sir, it’s you!” Peter shouted, excited.
Rhodey rolled his eyes. “It’s just Rhodey, kid. How many times do I have to tell you?”
Peter pouted.
“Rhodey, why do you look so different?” Steve asked.
Rhodey looked at the screen then back at Steve.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Steve raised an eyebrow but let the topic drop, wondering if he was the only one bothered by this sudden change.
“As liaison to Stark Industries,” he started, “I’ve had the unique privilege of serving with a real patriot. He is my friend, and he is my great mentor.”
“Not a word, Tony,” Rhodey groaned, head in his hands as Tony jumped up and down.
“Platypus,” Tony said, suddenly serious, “that is no way to talk to your great mentor. ” The rest of them had the decency to pretend they weren’t laughing.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour to present this year’s Apogee Award to Mr. Tony Stark!”
More clapping as award show music played, but Tony was nowhere in sight.
“Tony?” Rhodey repeated, agitated and pursing his lips as Stane stood to take the award.
“Oh, Tony, you didn’t,” Bruce sighed.
“Oh, but I did,” Tony replied, wincing under Rhodey’s glare.
“Thank you, Colonel,” he laughed, thanking the crowd. “Well, I’m not Tony Stark,” he said, earning laughs from the crowd.
“Damn right,” Pepper muttered, but those who heard her thought it best not to mention it.
“But if I were Tony, I would tell you how honoured I feel and what a joy it is to receive this very prestigious award. Tony, you know… The best thing about Tony is also the worst thing. He’s always working.”
Immediately the scene cut to Tony gambling in the casino, a large crowd around him including Happy with his hair slicked back.
“Happy,” Peter wheezed, falling fully out of his chair, “what is up with your hair?”
Happy made an indignant noise. “I’ll have you know, that was very stylish back then.”
Tony sniggered. “Sure buddy,” he laughed, patting him on the back.
Multiple women tried to gain his attention as Rhodey walked up behind him.
“You are unbelievable,” the man said, exasperated.
“Oh, no! Did they rope you into this?” Tony asked.
“Nobody roped me into anything,” Rhodey denied, “But they told me that if I presented you with an award, you’d be deeply honoured.”
“Of course I’d be deeply honoured. And it’s you, that’s great. So, when do we do it?”
“It’s right here, here you go,” Rhodey said, handing Tony the award.
“There it is, that was easy.” Rhodey simply stared at him. “I’m so sorry.”
“Damn, Stark, you really dropped the ball on that one,” Sam commented.
Tony sighed. “Unfortunately, that was a common occurrence for me at the time.” Pepper, Happy, and Rhodey nodded in agreement, while the rest of them were shocked that Tony Stark admitted to something less than flattering.
Rhodey brushed him off as Tony handed the award to a woman, turning back to his game.
“You barely even looked at it,” Peter said, to which Tony merely shrugged.
“Give me a hand, will you?” Tony prompted the woman to blow on the dice in his hand. “Okay, you too,” he said to Rhodey.
“I don’t blow on a man’s dice.”
“Come on, Honey Bear,” Tony whined. Rhodey knocked the dice from his hand, leading to a poor roll.
“That’s what happens,” Rhodey shrugged.
“He warned you,” Thor stated.
“Worse things have happened,” Tony said, “I think we’re gonna be fine.”
Tony, Rhodey, and Happy exited the casino, Rhodey reminded Tony not to be late, which Tony insists he won’t, handing his new award off to one of the workers of Caeser’s Palace.
Rhodey stared at Tony, eyes wide in shock.
“You didn’t even keep it?!”
Tony looked around for support but found similar expressions on most of his friends' faces.
“Okay, once again, different person back then. Also, I already had three of those, Rhodey, I was running out of shelf space.”
Pepper huffed out a laugh but no one had a good enough counterargument so they returned their attention to the screen.
Before getting into his car, Tony was stopped by a woman named Christine Everhart who said she was with Vanity Fair magazine and wanted to ask a couple of questions.
“She’s cute,” Happy whispered discreetly.
“She’s alright?” Tony repeated, then turned to Christine. “HI!”
Peter sighed in disappointment, which more than anything else made Tony ashamed at his behaviour.
“Really, Pete,” he whispered to the boy, “I know it was wrong. But lucky for me, Pepper was able to forgive my mistakes and allowed me to change for the better.”
“I know, Mr. Stark,” Peter admitted, “It’s just… I looked up to you back then, too. What does that say about me?” He looked to his mentor for the answers he couldn’t figure out on his own, as he’d done in his lab, only this time Tony’s answer seemed much more important.
“Well, it says you have amazing taste,” he said, causing Peter to laugh, “and that you see the good in people. You believe people can be good, even if they aren’t.” Peter thought his answer over before nodding, accepting it as fact. Tony smiled at his protege, returning to the screen.
“You’ve been called the da Vinci of our time. What do you say to that?”
“Absolutely ridiculous, I don’t paint,” Tony replied quickly.
“And what do you say to your other nickname?” Suddenly she was serious. “‘The Merchant of Death?’”
“That’s not bad,” Tony conceded.
Eyerolls from the crowd, but they let the scene continue.
“Let me guess, Berkeley?” He asked.
“Brown, actually.”
“Well, Ms. Brown. It’s an imperfect world, but it’s the only one we’ve got. I guarantee you, the day weapons are no longer needed to keep the peace, I’ll start making bricks and beams for baby hospitals.”
Steve had almost been pleasantly surprised by his answer, but the second half torpedoed his hope.
“Damn it, Tony, I’m trying to root for you,” he complained.
“Language!” Several voices called back, laughing.
“That was one time!”
“You rehearse that much?”
“Every night in front of the mirror before bedtime,” he said seriously.
“I can see that,” Christine nodded.
“I’d like to show you first hand,” Tony proposed.
“Tony, the woman clearly doesn’t like you, what makes you think she’ll have sex with you?” Clint asked.
Tony dramatically gasped and covered Peter’s ears. “Barton! There are children present!”
“Mr. Stark,” Peter grumbled, embarrassed.
“Hush, child, let the grown ups talk,” Tony replied, petting his head. Peter frowned, but leaned into the touch regardless.
“All I want is a serious answer.”
“Okay, here’s serious. My old man had a philosophy: ‘Peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy.’”
“Howard said that?” Steve was surprised. Howard may not have been the most honourable man, but he was certainly no warmonger. He turned to find Bucky as shocked as he was.
“Yup,” Tony answered, popping the ‘p’. “Howard Stark’s A+ parenting does it again,” he added sarcastically.
“That’s a great line coming from the guy selling the sticks.”
“My father helped defeat the Nazis. He worked on the Manhattan Project. A lot of people, including your professors at Brown, would call that being a hero.”
“Do you really believe that?” Wanda asked quietly. Instead of answering ingenuously, Tony considered what she’d asked.
“I believe that good people can do bad things, and bad people can do good things. No one is 100% hero or 100% villain. My father did a lot of good things, but his methods were not always the best.” Wanda thought for a moment before nodding, satisfied.
“And a lot of people would also call that war profiteering,” Christine countered.
“Tell me,” Tony began, “do you plan to report on the millions we’ve saved by advancing medical technology or kept from starvation with our intelli-crops? All those breakthroughs, military funding, honey.” He smirked.
“Jackass,” Pepper muttered.
“I know, what a jerk,” Tony responded.
“Wow,” Christine mouthed. “You ever lose an hour of sleep your whole life?”
“I’d be prepared to lose a few with you,” Tony said as the screen cut to the two of them having sex.
Tony rushed to cover Peter's eyes.