Chapter 6

### Afghanistan, Baghlan Air Force Base

"General, hello."

"Hello, Mr. Stark," the general replied, shaking Tony's hand. "I'm looking forward to your weapon demonstration today."

"Thank you."

On a deserted testing field, Tony wore the silver-gray suit Mark had customized for him, paired with brown gold-framed sunglasses. He began his presentation with seriousness.

"Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both? So, I present to you the flagship of the Stark Industries Freedom line: the Jericho missile system, incorporating our patented impact technology.

People often say the best weapon is one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only need to fire once. That's how Dad did it, how America does it, and it's worked out pretty well so far.

Make no mistake, this will only have to be used once. I guarantee that the bad guys will never want to come out of their holes again."

As soon as he finished speaking, Tony signaled for the missile to be launched.

With a whoosh, a missile shot into the sky toward the target in the distance. As it neared, the missile disintegrated, splitting into dozens of smaller missiles.

"For reference only, this is our Jericho missile!" Tony announced.

The ensuing explosion devastated the target area, with the shockwave blowing off the soldiers' hats.

The demonstration was a success. Tony walked over to a metal case, pulled out a glass and some champagne, and said, "For every weapons deal over $500 million, I'll throw in one of these: peace." He raised his glass and drank.

Tony had no idea a conspiracy was brewing against him. Elated from the successful demonstration, he opted to ride in an ordinary military vehicle instead of the armored one prepared for him. His friend Colonel Rhodey decided to let him have his fun.

"I'll follow to protect you. See you at our base," Rhodey said.

"Okay, see you at the base. Let's head to our destination!" Tony called out.

In the vehicle, Tony felt the thrill of the journey, the engine roaring and the rugged road testing the limits of the suspension.

"Hey, soldier, do you have a girlfriend?" Tony asked a young, armed soldier next to him.

"Not yet, sir!" the young soldier replied loudly.

"Relax, buddy. I'm just chatting to pass the time," Tony said, loosening his tie. "It's really hot out here!"

"Mr. Stark," another soldier chimed in, "is it true you dated the cover girl from last year's 'Maxim' magazine for a whole year?"

Before Tony could answer, a shell hit the convoy, flipping the vehicle.

Tony, shielded by the protective suit Mark made, crawled out of the wreckage. He reached for his phone to call for help, but another missile exploded nearby, blasting him away. Although the suit protected his torso, unbuttoning it earlier left his heart vulnerable, and shrapnel lodged in his chest. Just before losing consciousness, he saw the [Stark] logo on the missile casing.

When Tony woke up, he was in a dark, dry cave, lying on a folding bed. A stranger with a beard was adjusting something under dim light.

Feeling a strange sensation in his chest, Tony looked down and saw a device attached to him, connected by wires to a car battery. He reached to remove it.

"If I were you, I wouldn't do that," the stranger warned.

"What did you do to me?" Tony asked, trying to stay calm.

"I saved your life. I removed some shrapnel, but some pieces were too small. They're still in your body, moving toward your heart," the stranger explained, showing Tony a vial with the shrapnel. "We call people with these injuries 'walking dead,' because the shrapnel reaches vital organs within a week."

Tony then asked about the device on his chest.

"That's an electromagnet, powered by the car battery, to keep the shrapnel from reaching your heart."

Tony regretted not fastening his suit properly.

"Did you see the suit I was wearing?" Tony asked.

"It's over there, but don't expect to find much. Everything on it has been taken."

"No, the suit itself is what's important. It was a gift from my son," Tony said, feeling a pang of guilt thinking about Mark and Pepper back home. He resolved to mend his relationships once he returned.