Crumbling {𝟞} | Marvel √

nine

Tony sighed while on the boat, with Emma and Rhodey behind him. "That came out of nowhere. Wow," Tony said before he turned from his controller, and to his daughter and friend.

"Give us some good news, man," Rhodey said.

"I think they all made it," Tony said.

"You think?" Emma asked.
"Thank God," Rhodey said.

The two looked at each other suddenly, then back at Tony. "Yeah, but I missed the President," Tony said, and Rhodey walked off annoyed.

"You couldn't save the President with the suit, how are we gonna save Pepper with nothing?" Rhodey asked in the distance and Emma looked concerned.

"Daddy," Emma said and Tony looked at her. "We have to save her."

"I know," Tony said before he sighed. "Uh...Say, Jarvis, is it that time?"

"The House Party Protocol, sir?"

"Correct," Tony said.

Off-Coast Docks

That night, in one of the warehouses, was Pepper, tied up. But when she came to, she gasped heavily to see that Killian was right in front of her, staring at her like a stalker. "Hi," he said with a smile and Pepper started to breathe heavily.

"You think he's going to help you? He won't," Pepper said.

"Having you here is not just to motivate Tony Stark. It's, um...Well, it's actually more embarrassing than that. You're here as my, um-" Killian explained.

"Trophy," Pepper said sternly and Killian chuckled before softly touching her perfectly straight blonde hair.

"Your daughter has your exact hair color, did you know that?" Killian asked and Pepper yanked herself towards him, but she couldn't do anything.

"Do not touch my daughter, Killian," Pepper threatened but Killian just smirked.

"She was wrong. She has your personality," Killian said and Pepper's heart raced, not sure what he had done with her baby girl. "Mmm."

The Iron Patriot then walked in, which Killian turned to him and Pepper gasped at the sight of her friend's suit. "Good evening, sir," Killian said then the armor opened, and the President fell out of it. "Welcome aboard, Mr. President. Ever hear of an elephant graveyard? Well, two years ago, the elephant in the room was this scow."

"This is the Roxxon Norco," President Ellis said.

"And, of course, you'll remember that when she spilled a million gallons of crude off Pensacola, thanks to you, not one fat cat saw a day in court," Killian said.

"What do you want from me?" President Ellis asked.

"Uh, nothing, sir. I just needed a reason to kill you that would play well on TV. You see, I've moved on. I found myself a new political patron, and this time tomorrow, he'll have your job," Killian explained as President Ellis stared at him sternly. "String him up."

———

On the other side of the site, Rhodey, Emma, and Tony sneaked off the boat and behind some large crates. "You're not gonna freak out on me, right?" Rhodey said.

"I hope not," Tony said, then Rhodey looked over to the side, to see President Ellis in the Iron Patriot hung up above boiling oil.

"Oh, my God," Rhodey muttered before he turned back to Tony and Emma. "He's strung up over the oil tanker. They're gonna light him up, man."