IC: Tony Stark / Iron Man
A huge crowd was gathered before the massive building known as Stark Tower in the heart of New York City. A mere four days ago, Tony Stark had made one of the biggest deals of his life, earning himself a half billion dollars.
Tony Stark now stood in front of his newly completed building, his hands behind his back. Spotlights mounted on the rooftop and side of his building were aimed directly at the old Stark Industries structure, its lights dimmed, stood muted on the horizon. The building was war-torn in most every sense of the word. It had withstood the elements, growing quietly like an infant since Anthony Edward Stark had first developed the idea for his company. Like all things, though, the building had come of age. Its paint was wearing thin, and the carpet had worn down to the seams. It was old. Stark realized that all old things had to die, and Stark Industries was no different.
As he stared at the building in the old district of New York, Stark felt himself smile shallowly. As the flashbulbs and reporters tried to get a word from the billionaire industrialist, he simply stood quietly, gathering his own thoughts. His heart felt pangs of remorse and guilt as he stared at his brainchild. He was, in every sense of the word, abandoning it. And it stood there, it's hollow eyes seemingly gazing into his heart, asking him why he was leaving it behind, throwing it to the wayside.
Stark didn't have an answer, really. Only a word. Development. Though he had dedicated himself to building Stark Industries from, literally, the ground up, it seemed to him that the company was, indeed, built. If he were to pass away, Stark Industries would be in the capable hands of his board of directors.
As a stand-up comedian brushed past him, patting him on the back, and heading for the podium to begin the festivities, Stark came to a realization. The guilt he was feeling about moving away from Stark Industries' Global Headquarters and into Stark Tower wasn't because he was leaving behind a collection of brick and mortar, it was because he was shedding a piece of his past, coming out of his shell as it were.
"...Which is exactly why, ladies and gentlemen, I'm here to introduce you to the man himself: Mr. Anthony Edward Stark!" The comedian said, approaching Tony.
Shaken from his daze, Tony shook his hand quietly and made his way to the podium. Stark regained his composure and stared out at the huge gathering of people.
"Thanks, Robin." he nodded.
"Ladies and gentlemen: since the dawn of time, it has been in the nature of man to explore."
Stark was reading from a prepared speech, displayed, somehow, inside his contact lenses. The members of the audience nodded and smiled quietly as he delivered his address to them.
"When we began, our first great goal was the sea. As a race, we saw this big... blue... wet body and didn't know how to use it, travel on it, or even drink it without making ourselves sick. So, what did we do? We experimented. Human begins have always relied on the great thinkers of their era to spearhead the daring movement towards understanding. Magellan circumnavigated the globe, Cortéz met the Incas, and Columbus visited the Americas. Granted, not many people knew what this meant, but as the waves crashed onto the decks of ships, and the clouds rolled over the starlit skies, humanity began to take shape."
Though night was still an hour or so away, somehow the sky above the audience grew black, with a few mere dots of light to illuminate the synthetic sky. The sound of waves filled the air, and the scent of seawater filled the group.
"In truth, ladies and gentlemen, since man first set sail on the seven seas, we have grown more and more intellectual."
Like something at a themepark, the stars gently drifted down and hovered amidst the spectators, the sound of waves dissipated, and an ice cold chill filled the air simulating space.
In this moment of calm, Tony Stark continued.
"After the waters, we set our hopes of understanding to new heights - literally. We used telescopes, cartography, and our vast exploration to form the first maps and compasses. Humanity gazed upwards and though "why not?" The Wright brothers made their plane and Ford made his automobiles, proving once more, that innovation can lead to truly remarkable things."
The platform upon which the guests were stood rattled and quaked violently and the air grew incredibly hot.
Above them, a space craft rocketed from the podium itself towards the back of the crowd, a mission control broadcast playing along.
Once the ship's roaring engines had vanished into the horizon, Stark Industries' old building stood quietly on the horizon.
This image, one of Stark being the pinnacle of the scientific revolution, was met with thunderous applause.
"Stark Industries will lead America, and the world, to a new technological frontier."
The applause still refused to let up.
"But, like all things, Stark must shed its old skin before it can move on. Ladies and gentlemen, it is with a heavy heart, but with open eyes, that I say farewell to Stark Industries."
In front of the landscape and picturesque view of Stark's building faded to a picture of him standing quietly in his office, gazing onto the construction site of Stark Tower.
The man in the photograph turned around, as if addressing the audience, and, as he spoke, the applause faded.
"Friends, family, and guests of honor," The projection of Stark said,
"I'd first like to thank you for standing by me for these thirty or so years as I've developed my company. Each and every one of you had a hand in creating Stark Industries. But, the future is as uncertain as ever, and we need to stand together as one city. And, at the heart of this city, is Stark Tower. A beacon unto others that we as a nation are strong and, no matter what the hardships, shall prevail."
The screen disappeared, once again revealing Stark Industries. Cheers erupted as the audience clapped once more.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Tony Stark said at his podium,
"Say goodbye to Stark Industries."
He pressed a large, red button he held in his hand, and a controlled demolition ripped through each level of the old complex. Smoke rose, and Stark smiled softly to himself, as he watched his humble building collapse in on itself, making way for the new Goliath behind him.
Somewhat disillusioned, Tony Stark mumbled into the microphone, his eyes still fixated on the cloud of smoke ahead of him.
"From the ashes of Stark Industries comes Stark Enterprises, and a new home. Stark Tower."
The doors to the massive complex opened automatically, and people shoved past each other, eager to catch a glimpse of the multi-billion dollar building.
As people funneled into the building, Stark was left alone on the red carpet, gazing longingly at his business' old building, now nothing more than ash and smoke.
The lower level of the new Stark Enterprises building had been converted to a Casino to accommodate the festive atmosphere that the evening had.
For hours, Tony Stark gambled his money away until a voice breathed in his ear.
"Mr. Stark."
Stark pivoted on his back foot, his head swirling slightly from his drinks, to see a Black soldier behind him.
"What can I do for you?"
Stark asked, turning around once more to face the craps table. The soldier opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Stark, holding the dice in his hand up to a woman's lips.
"Blow on these for me, sweetheart."
She obeyed and he threw the dice. He, Hogan, and the Soldier all watched as the dice landed, winning Stark his bet.
The soldier nodded politely at Stark, who, gaining his composure, turned his head back to the man.
"Yes?" He asked impatiently.
"Mr. Stark, my name is Jim Rhodes. I need you to come with me."
Stark nodded and waved a hand, signaling that Happy Hogan could take a break for a few moments.
Following Rhodes through a series of elaborate corridors, Stark raised an eyebrow.
"What's this about exactly, Jimbo?" He asked, sliding his sunglasses off.
As they approached a deserted corridor, Rhodes removed a PDA from his jacket pocket.
"About four days ago, you met with a group of Chinese government officials, correct?"
Stark nodded.
"Did you send them this message two days prior to your meeting?"
Rhodes passed the PDA to Stark.
"Meeting area changed.
Stark Tower up and running.
Please meet in conference room 7D.
-T. Stark"
He looked up.
"I didn't send this."
Rhodes nodded.
"We know you didn't."
He led Stark down the corridor and eased a conference room door open.
Inside, six Chinese men were lying face down on the ground, their bodies strewn carelessly about the room, each shot in the back of the head.
Stark stared at the one closest to him.
"I never met with these men." He said, quietly.
"We know that, too." Rhodes muttered.
"Well then who'd I sell my device to?"
"A group of Chinese nationalists. As far as we can tell, they sent the counterfeit message to the group of men you were supposed to meet, killed them, and assumed their identities."
Stark nodded quietly. Dealing with psychopaths was nothing new to him. He had had hundreds of cargo vessels seized by freedom-fighters, or members of Al Qaeda. Warlords did their best to steal his technology, yet, somehow, he managed to get it back.
"How do we deal with this now?"
"Well, first, we need to know exactly what you sold them, how it works, and where it is. Then you need to just go back to your party. Maybe head upstairs and change your clothes. Nothing too extraordinary."
Stark took a seat in the conference room, casually stepping over a pair of bodies.
"The device they purchased from me was a mutagenic initiator."
Rhodes shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.
Stark slid a stylus from his pocket and held it in the air. His contact lens began to glow, and a mechanical voice rang through the silent conference room.
"Welcome to EyeDraw 2.0. A Stark Enterprises Tool."
After a quick start-up sound, Stark began drawing in mid-air, a microscopic holographic emitter keeping pace with him easily.
He sketched a cube, with a stick figure of a man inside of it.
"It's really just a chamber. There's a computer terminal outside of the door. When the user inputs a code sequence and pressed a button, voilá. Mutant powers."
"Is it activated?"
"Hell no. That thing isn't turning on on American soil."
"Good, good." Rhodes said, nodding quietly. "I'd suggest you head back to your party now, Mr. Stark."
Stark nodded and headed for his private elevator.
