Tony and Peter watched the footages of the alien attack on New York 2 years ago. The jewel on the scepter had opened up a portal to a distant universe. The Duo carefully observed how the jewel worked.
"Do you think it’s some sort of wave that's resonating with the jewel?" Peter asked as he watched the machine that powered the scepter vibrate hard with every pulse of the jewel.
"I’m not sure we should be really focusing on the Jewel itself. After all we know where that jewel is." Tony replied as he inspected the machine. "But I looked over the design of the machine 2 years ago from Selvig. The machine amplified the radiation of the Jewel and it vibrated upward to make the portal in the sky. But without the Jewel… It’s pretty much useless." Tony sighed as he slumped on his chair. So this was no go…
Peter watched as Mr. Stark sigh and rubbed his eyes. They were both inside the lab the last 24 hours looking for ways the King of Wakanda could have traveled thousands of miles in an instant. So far… they couldn’t find an answer. Even trying to think of new and improved technology brought by aliens didn’t seem to provide any new answers.
"Mr. Stark. What if Colonel Rhodes was right? Maybe they are two different people?" Peter stated as he too decided to slump on his chair and spin around.
"That’s what I wanted to believe also… But his fighting technique is too similar and way too dangerous to not be the Black Panther himself." Tony replied. He knew that there were chances that the mystery man not being T’Challa. He knew maybe he was being stubborn in thinking that it had to be him. But even Hank had told him that T’Challa had special interest in the research.
"Maybe T’Challa has a clone! Like Star Wars! Maybe that’s why they are so similar." Peter exclaimed.
"Peter Peter. Why must you keep brining up Tech I haven’t invented yet! Come on! All those new tech, I should be the first one to invent them!" He joked as he playfully kicked at the young teens chair. Tony watched as Peter awkwardly balance himself so that the chair wouldn’t fall over. He always wondered about that. The teen’s Spider sense was quite interesting. It seemed to only ‘tingle’ when there was ill intent. But how did Peter’s subconscious determine what was and wasn’t an ill intent?
"Hey Peter. Have you ever wondered how your powers work?" He asked.
Peter looked at him for a moment before he answered. "Of course I did. But I always just assumed the radiation Oscorp was working on affected my body when the spider bit me. I really had no fancy instruments to see how my body changed… But now that I have access to this lab… Maybe I can finally know how I changed?"
Tony remained silent for a moment before he laughed. Peter watched in confusion. "Do you know what I believe? I vaguely remember a speech from a professor at Oxford. Maybe you already had the gene in your body for the mutation? Do you really think with that many spiders Oscorp was working on that nobody was bitten by any one of them? All these super soldier serums different nations are working on… I think it had nothing to do with how perfect the formula is. The human body is a mystery… Sometimes it evolves… sometimes it doesn’t. Which is one reason why I never enjoyed studying it. Machines on the other hand you can break it apart, fix it, and break it again."
Peter listened to Mr. Stark’s musing carefully. He had also searched up human mutations when he had first received his powers. He had read a thesis on human genome from a Professor names Charles Xavier but it had seemed like Sci-fi but now… maybe not...?
"Wait… wait… could it be possible for the King of Wakanda to have a genetic mutation that might allow him to teleport everywhere?" The teen saw Mr. Stark think carefully.
"I wouldn’t know if there is a way for a genetic mutation to allow teleportation. I mean what mutation in your gene can possibly help you teleport?" The older scientist pondered. But… What genetic mutation allowed Peter to have almost precognition? The human body really was a mystery.
Peter was about to ask more about what Mr. Stark thought of mutations when the alarm rang. Both men went on instant alert.
"Peter do you have your suit?" Tony asked quickly as he himself put on his gauntlet.
"Yup I do! What’s the alarm for?"
"There’s an intruder. FRIDAY give me eyes on them!"
Both men’s jaw dropped when they saw the men barging in to the tower.
"FRIDAY how man men are there?" Tony asked as he himself tried to quickly assess the situation.
"Boss there are seventy men inside the building and about another sixty men outside the premise."
"Shit… Is it the Wakandan army?" Tony didn’t want to be quick to judge… but…
"Sorry Boss there is not enough information as of yet to confirm your hypothesis. The people are indeed from Wakanda but I need more information to decide if they are indeed from the army."
"FRIDAY do you see many many people with guns around them?" Peter heard Mr. Stark voice filled with sarcasm.
"Yes Boss."
"Then it’s the F-ing army!"
XXX
Rhodey and Vision were outside the tower looking for the mystery man when they were alerted of the intrusion.
"James. It seems there is an intrusion inside the tower." They were in Queens searching for clues as where the man had disappeared to.
"How bad is the intrusion? Shouldn’t Tony and Pete be able to handle it?" Rhodey asked as he saw people pass by them in the streets gawking at Vision.
"FRIDAY has just notified me that Tony had mentioned it was the Wakandan Army."
"What?! How many people are there?"
"It is presumed to be around 130 people." Vision stated simply.
"Shoot! Let’s go Vision!" Rhodey grabbed Vision’s hands as he helped them fly quickly towards the tower.
As the two of them got closer to the Tower, Rhodey saw the people marching inside the building. Why wasn’t Tony brining out his suits? Why were there no one defending it? Rhodey cringed at the possibilities and brought down his head wear to access War Machine.
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"Vision this is good enough place let me down!" Rhodey yelled up and dropped lightly on the ground.
"War Machine I will go up ahead inside the building to help Tony and Peter."
"Yeah you go ahead and do that. I’ll take care of the ones out front!" Rhodey felt himself appear inside the Suit. He smiled as he made his way to where the intruders were waiting.
"Hey Boys and girls. Want to say hello to new and improved War Machine?" Rhodey smirked as he watched the army point their guns and shoot at him. Of course nothing affected his suit. He brought out his guns and was about to shoot the enemies when he heard from Tony finally.
"Rhodey wait! I heard they are being tricked from T’Challa! Don’t kill any of them. Well his exact words were don’t hurt them… So do your best!" Tony seemed frantic and out of breath. Rhodey could hear the faint noise of gunshots from the background.
"Tony you ok? What’s going on inside?" Rhodey asked "Vision should be there by now!"
"Yeah he’s here… But even he’s having a hard time fighting off the intrusion without causing too much harm on the other side." When Rhodey heard Peter’s voice he felt himself relax his shoulders just a bit.
"Good to hear from you also Pete!"
"You too Colonel!"
"Well I don’t want to gloat but… It seems I was right Tony! It was another man!" Rhodey laughed as he targeted the guns the army were holding.
"I’m not too sure about that. Because that man definitely looks like T’Challa. Cross that, He sounds exactly like T’Challa also." Tony was definitely out of breath as he tried his best dodging bullets.
"Yeah… Hey maybe my clone theory was right after all!" Peter said through his com.
Rhodey heard himself groan. "Really from teleportation device you went to Cloning? Have you guys ever thought of the most logical explanation? Like Twins?"
"Rhodey where’s the fun in that?" Tony laugh though was quickly cut off.
Rhodey felt himself grow cold as he heard Tony trying to catch his breath as he was hit and slammed into a wall. He could hear his best friend choke and also hear the perpetrator’s voice.
"If you had only given me the research I wouldn’t have to hurt you!"
XXX
"So your saying Stark helped create the device helping you?" Scott asked when Barnes retold the conversation he had with Hank.
Scott though for a bit and nodded. Yeah it made sense. Hank definitely did not have any neural device the last time he had saw him. And Hank did work with Stark for the last five month. That might have been enough time for the two geniuses to come up with new tech.
"So… What is it you wanted to ask me?" Scott asked uncertainly to Barnes.
"I wanted to know… How Pym feels about Tony Stark. From the way you always talked about him… I had thought that maybe Pym had a hatred fro him but… After talking with him. I felt as it Doctor Pym was protecting him" Barnes wanted to know. He needed to know if maybe this was all a false hope. Maybe Stark had set this all up as a revenge for him killing his parents. Maybe there were no devices that can help him. Maybe he was just a lost cause.
"Well I thought he did. But when I talked to him recently I got the sense that Hank, I can’t believe I’m saying this, likes Stark. I mean I heard him grumble about the Starks for hours before but now… I don’t know… He seems to enjoy working with Stark!" Scott sounded bewildered to Barnes’s ears. How can Scott not be bewildered. He literally heard Hank going on hours about Stark.
"Do you think there’s a chance… maybe even a little… for Doctor Pym to help Tony have his revenge against me?" Bucky weakly asked.
"What?! Hank would never do that! I mean yeah I find it strange that he’s working for Stark. But Hank has way too much pride to help Stark get his revenge."
"Revenge…? What are you two talking about?" Both men turned towards the newcomer in front of the kitchen doorframe.
"Hey Cap! Barnes here thought that Hank would help Stark get his revenge! I mean how silly! Hank would never do something like that." Scott smiled brightly for a second before it turned into a frown. Steve looked absolutely livid.
"Why do you think that?" Steve asked curtly while he glanced towards his friend.
"The machine… It was created with the help of Stark… I know I don’t know him as well as you but… Maybe I thought that He might use this as a revenge for his parent’s death." Bucky replied softly. He could tell Steve was debating himself.
"That’s why the name… It spells B.A.R.N.E.S." Steve stated. He closed his eyes. Would Tony really go this far? "What did Doctor Pym say?"
"He told me who made the machine made little difference to my therapy. And… I want to believe him. I really do. He seemed sincere enough… But… Can Stark forgive my sins that easily?"
Steve wondered about that too. Could Tony really forgive something so easily? From the beginning of their first meeting, Tony always had to be right. He would hold on to a grudge for days until he was able to get back at them. But could Tony really go this far for his revenge?
"I’m going to go talk with Doctor Pym." He said and he turned to leave.
"Wait Cap! I think maybe you guys are jumping into conclusions pretty fast. The Hank I know will never allow this to happen." Scott stopped him.
"Scott I don’t think Hank has anything to do with it. I don’t think Tony could do something like this either. But I just want to make sure. There is no harm in making sure right?" Steve asked.
Scott nodded solemnly "There’s no harm in asking but… You look outright murderous." Scott whispered.
Steve paused for a moment and schooled his features. "Scott I’m just going to ask. I just need to know." And before Scott could stop him again Steve left.
He quickly walked towards the Doctor Lab. He tried hard not to jump to conclusions like Scott stated. But the more he thought about it the dread in his stomach worsened. Tony would never go this far in his revenge with his teammates… But to Tony, Bucky wasn’t a teammate. No he was the murderer of his parents. How can anyone forgive someone who they believed killed their parents’ so easily? He knew Tony would be blinded by rage. He witnessed Tony be blinded by rage in Siberia.
As Steve walked quickly down the corridor he heard the doors of the lab slam open. It wasn’t until he turned the corner he saw T’Challa’s back as he ran. What was going on? Steve’s walk turned into a run as he made his way towards the Lab. Inside he noticed the Doctor watching the computer screen with wide eyes.
"Doctor?" Steve called out, but the Doctor didn’t seem to hear him and was too focused on what he was looking at.
Steve walked slowly towards the Doctor to not startle him too badly. But what he saw made him pause. Tony was in his lab fighting someone.
"Tony?"
Then the someone who looked like T’Challa began choking him.
"Tony!"
XXX
Tony tried hard to get his footing. But damn that was difficult when he was trying to catch his breath! He noticed the black spots covering his vision when the T’Challa look alike dropped him on the floor. Tony noticed Peter in his costume shoot more web from his shooter and pull as hard as he can. He was very happy to see the Look Alike jerk backwards on to the ground. As more and more web surrounded the intruder, Tony watched in glee as he struggle to get out. But that glee lasted way to short. Damn. Not only did the Look Alike have T’Challa’s strength he also had his Vibranium Claw! How the hell did T’Challa want them to catch this guy without hurting him?!
"New plan! Sorry T’Challa the non violent way really doesn’t seem to work at the moment!" Tony coughed out as he still rubbed his sore throat. "Vision knock him unconscious! Peter hold him down longer. FRIDAY where the heck is my suit!"
"Eta 30 seconds left Boss."
"Ugh! I really need to find a way for it to come faster!"
Tony watched as Peter continually shoot more webs as the Look Alike tried his best to claw himself out. He heard the satisfying crunch as Vision punched him on the head.
The intruder lost conscious and crumpled on the ground.
It was then, after everything was over Tony heard his suits flying towards him.
He really needed a quicker way to connect to his armor.
"Tony you ok?" He heard Rhodey and was about to nod before he realized he couldn’t see him
"I’m ok Rhodey. How is it going on that end?"
"Well without the guns the peeps here really can’t do anymore harm." Rhodey replied cheekily.
"Great and FRIDAY what’s the situation in other areas?"
"The Iron amours are taking care to not harm the intruders too badly. Otherwise it is under control." The female voice replied.
Tony sighed… great now he had to figure out what the heck was going on. Who the heck was this intruder and why the HELL did he look exactly like the King of Wakanda!
Ah right maybe Hank might have answers. Tony turned towards the communication screen and stopped.
"Tony? Tony are you alright? What’s going on? Is everything under control?" He saw Steve trying to get a better look at what occurred as much as the small screen allowed.
And before Tony himself knew what he was doing he turned off the communication.