Chapter 21
Scott and Logan began to search the area around the shore, looking for some way to cross the lake.
As they passed an abandoned building, they heard a voice calling out to them.
“Hi there, and welcome to East St. Louis, gateway to the royal palace of the Iron King!”
It was a young woman, looked about 20 years old.
“Unfortunately, today’s selection ceremony has already occurred. But our master is Tomorrow, and Tomorrow always comes” She said with a smile that gave the two the creeps. “so you can try again then…”
Her body began to shake, and her voice suddenly changed.
“If you wanted to speak to me that badly, you should have just made yourself known. I will make it so you can cross.”
The woman stumbled a bit and then started running around the room in glee that Stark had used her to speak.
“What do you say we amscray before anything else weird happens?” Scott asked
“Not going to hear any complaining from me…” Logan said as the two left.
They returned to the shore, and, true to his word, the structure of the water had sifted to become some form of solid.
Scott took a step and found nothing. No shock, no splash. What looked like water was suddenly solid.
“How is he doing that?”
“If I had to guess, the nanites.”
“Nanny’s?”
“Nanites… tiny robots. They’re rebuilding themselves and the molecules around them into a solid structure for us to walk on.”
“I don’t understand a single thing you just said…”
“Just… come on, the sooner we get this over with the better.”
The walked across the lake, arriving at the jet plane.
Scott climbed inside and looked around. Everything was disheveled, but his smart choice had paid off, as they handed found what he’d hidden.
“Let’s find our way inside.” Scott said
“No need, Agent Riley.” 827 said, standing near an outcropping in the rocks with a few of the Iron Legon. “I am here to escort you to my master.”
“Like Hell…” Logan said, charging at the robots.
“Seriously…” Scott said before running past then commotion.
He found himself in a dark tunnel, dug out of the rock. He ran down it as fast he could, eventually reaching a large, round chamber.
“The box…” Scott said. He started to creep towards it, until he heard a loud “CLUNK” and the box began to rise up out of his reach, locking into place in the ceiling.
“Agent Riley… It’s a pleasure to meet you in person at last. I’ve heard so much about you.”
The voice sounded nothing like Tony Stark. It was deep, raspy. It was coming from a figure near the wall.
“So…” Scott said “You’re the Iron King?”
“Not exactly what you were expecting, I know. But we must make do.”
The form staring him down looked more the Obadiah Stane’s copy of the suit Scott had seen in the archives database, instead of anything the Stark of his world wore.
“So, what exactly do you want… Evolt.”
Stark let out a chuckle.
“Oh? You know about Evolt, do you? Something about a TV show? Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I put that little snake in his place a long, long time ago.” Stark taunted back. “It’s just me here.”
“Oh really…”
“You know, son, I will give you a lot of credit for getting this far. Repurposing my armor, for example. Take it off please.”
“No.”
Stark raised his arm and a jolt of electricity raced through the floor.
Scott yelled in agony and dropped to his knees.
“Halfway there.”
“Shut up.” Scott said “I take it you were watching me before…”
“You do just love the sound of your own voice, don’t you?” Stark said, causing the electricity to return, jolting him again and causing him to fall face forward.
The last shock overloaded the armor. Scott was stuck.
“Good, now get out of it.”
Scott did as he was told, and two of the infected entered the room to remove the suit.
“Remember, it’s dry clean only…” Scott said as they walked away with it.
“Do you ever stop?” Stark asked him as Scott got back to his feet.
“It’s a coping mechanism, sue me…”
“I’ve got a better idea… If you get me a few things… I will not only let you and your friends leave, I will leave your world alone?”
“Alone? Alone from what?”
“Oh… You’re going to love this, Agent Riley….”