Jax:

Night - Stark Expo

Everyone was at the Expo.

Justin Hammer was on the stage, dancing lamely.

Everyone applauded.

Natasha and Pepper were in the audience.

"That's what I'm talking about," Justin told them. "Thanks for coming. Ladies and gentlemen, for far too long, this country has had to place its brave men and women in harm's way. But then Gold Strike and Iron Man arrived, and we thought the days of losing lives were behind us. Sadly, that technology was kept out of reach. That's not fair. That's not right. And it's just too bad."

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Oh, Lord."

"Regardless, it was an impressive innovation, one that grabbed headlines the world over," Justin told them. Well, today, my friends, the press is faced with quite a different problem. They are about to run out of ink." Two women walked closer to take the podium away. "Get that out of here. Ladies and gentlemen, today, I present to you the new face of the United States military. The Hammer drone." Drones that Ivan had made were released from the floor, rising up above to stand tall. "Army. Navy. Air Force. Marines. Yeah! Yeah!" Everyone cheered aside from Natasha and Pepper. "That's a hell of a lot better than some cheerleaders. Let me tell you." Ivan was watching them from the Hammer Industries through cameras implanted in the drones. "But as revolutionary as this technology is, there will always be a need for man to be present in the theater of war. Ladies and gentlemen, today, I am proud to present to you the very first prototype in the Variable Threat Response Battle Suit, and its pilot, Air Force Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes."

"What?" Pepper asked.

Rhodey, in the silver suit Jax had let him take, rose from beneath the floor, weapons on his back. 

Everyone aside from Natasha and Pepper cheered and applauded.

Rhodey saluted the crowd.

All the drones saluted the crowd.

Justin saluted the crowd. 

They all lowered their arms.

Justin smiled. "For America and its allies, Hammer Industries is reporting for..."

They all heard something flying, looking up.

Tony and Jax were in their suits, flying closer, landing on the stage.

Everyone in the crowd stood, cheering and applauding.

Jax looked at Rhodey. "We got trouble."

"There are civilians present," Rhodey told them. "I'm here on orders. Let's not do this right now."

Tony and Jax walked toward Rhodey.

"Give them a wave," Jax told him, waving to the crowd.

Justin feigned enthusiasm. "Hey, all right. Yeah."

Tony looked at Rhodey. "All these people are in danger. We gotta get them out of here. You gotta trust us for the next five minutes."

"Yeah, I tried that," Rhodey told him. "I got tossed around your house, remember?"

"Yeah, and you also got that suit you're wearing," Jax replied. "Just listen. We think Justin Hammer's working with Ivan Vanko."

"Vanko's alive?" Rhodey asked.

Jax walked toward Justin. "Where is he?"

"What?" Justin asked.

"Where's Vanko?" Jax asked.

"Who?" Justin asked.

"Tell me," Jax told him.

"What are you doing here, man?" Justin asked.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Rhodey told them. 

Tony looked at Rhodey.

Ivan was at his computer, typing away, changing the drone status from offline to engage.

The gun on Rhodey's shoulder aimed at Tony and Jax.

"Is that you?" Tony asked.

"No, I'm not doing that," Rhodey answered. "That's not me. I can't move. I'm locked up. I'm locked up!" Every drone raised their arms. "Get out of here. Go! This whole system's been compromised."

Jax flew up from the stage. "Let's take it outside."

Tony flew up from the stage.

Tony and Jax flew away, into the sky.

Rhodey and the drones fired after Tony and Jax with their guns and weapons, shattering the sky light above.

The crowd started to scream and run away.

Ivan typed in deploy on his computer.

Rhodey started to fly unwillingly. "No. No!"

Rhodey and the drones flew after Tony and Jax.

    🚀 

Skies

Tony and Jax were flying.

 "Jarvis, break in," Tony told him. "We need to own him."

Jarvis: "Yes, sir."

Rhodey and the drones followed them.

"Tony, Jax, I'm locked on," Rhodey told them. "I have target lock."

"On what?" Jax asked.

"On you," Rhodey answered. The weapons on Rhodey and the drones fired toward Tony and Jax. Tony and Jax narrowly flew out of reach to stay alive. "On your six."

The bullets took out the windows the Expo building.

"Jax, lead them away from civvies," Tony told him.

Tony and Jax led Rhodey and the drones away from the buildings.

    🚀 

Stark Expo

Justin walked toward a tech guy at computers. "What's going on? What's happening?"

"The software's been overridden," the tech guy answered.

"What?" Justin asked. "What do you mean, it's been overridden?"

"I think he slaved the drones," the tech guy answered.

"That's impossible," Justin told him. "Call the guards."

"All the phones are down, sir," the tech guy told him.

"Well, then call their... call their cells," Justin told him.

"Their cell phones are not working, either, sir," the tech guy told him. "He's locked us out of the mainframe."

Natasha and Pepper walked closer. 

"Who's locked you out of the mainframe?" Pepper asked.

"Please, please, go away," Justin told them. "Go away. I've got this handled."

"Have you now?" Pepper asked skeptically.

"Yes, I do," Justin told her. "In fact, if your boys hadn't showed up, this wouldn't be happening. So, please, now, go away. Thank you." He turned to the tech guy. "Listen, we got to get these bitches out of here."

Natasha walked closer, grabbing Justin's arm, twisting it back, pushing him against the table. "You tell me who's behind this. Who's behind this?"

"Ivan," Justin answered. "Ivan Vanko."

"Where is he?" Natasha asked.

"He's at my facility," Justin answered.

Natasha walked away, leaving.

Pepper made a call. "I need NYPD, please."

Justin stood. "No, no, no! No, no, honey. Don't call the authorities."

Pepper ignored him, speaking into the phone. "Okay. Right away. Yeah, right away." She looked at Justin. "Step aside. Step aside." She walked toward the tech guy. "Tell me everything you know. Go."

    🚀    

Ana:

Tatiana:

Outside

Tony and Jax led Rhodey and the drones through the sky, trying to take their attention away from the people.

They were all firing at Tony and Jax.

"How are we doing, Jarvis?" Tony asked.

Jarvis: "Remote reboot unsuccessful."

Some of the drones were on the ground, creating explosions.

People were screaming, running away.

Natasha walked outside of the building, toward a car. 

Ana and Tatiana were waiting outside the car, in their suits.

"I got your message," Natasha told them. "Get in the car. Ana, drive to Hammer Industries."

"Then get suit up in the backseat," Ana told her, getting in the driver's seat.

Tatiana got into the passenger seat.

Natasha got into the backseat.

Ana drove away, leaving.

Drones on the ground and in the sky were firing at Tony and Jax.

Jax ducked a missile, making it hit a drone behind him, taking it out and destroying it.

A drone on the ground saw two little boys in the crowd of running and screaming people who were wearing Iron Man and Gold Strike masks, locking the target on them.

The little boys raised their hands toward the drone as if to shoot a light ray toward them.

Jax landed on the ground next to the little boys, raising his hand toward the done, shooting the drone with a light ray, destroying it. He looked at the two little boys. "Nice work, kids."

Jax flew away, into the sky.

Drones were still following Tony.

"You got multiples coming in on you," Rhodey told him. 

"I'm just trying to get this away from the Expo," Tony told him.

They continued to fly.

    🚀    

On the Road

Ana was driving Tatiana and Natasha toward Hammer Industries.

Natasha took down her hair.

"Phil is at the building now, watching the perimeter," Tatiana told them. "We're gonna enter the facility and take down the target and the guards inside."

"Decent plan," Natasha told them, unzipping her dress to pull on her suit, lying down.

Ana continued to drive.

    🚀    

Skies

Tony, Jax, Rhodey and the drones were still flying. They past a car park, setting off all of the car alarms.

Rhodey and the drones were firing at them.

Tony and Jax evaded behind shot, turning to shoot missiles into two of the drones, destroying them.

    🚀 

Hammer Industries

Ivan saw the two drones' statuses turn to offline. He typed away.   

    🚀    

Skies

Tony and Jax were still leading Rhodey and the drones away from everyone.

A group of the drones flew away from the others.

"Listen, listen," Rhodey told them. "A pack just peeled off. They're headed back to the Expo."

"Got it," Jax told them, firing missiles toward the pack.

Several of the missiles took out several of the drones.

"I'm closing on you," Rhodey told them. "Ordnance coming in hot, guys. Watch it."

Tony shot the cars to set off explosions to distract the drones.

Tony and Jax continued to fly as they continued to be followed.

    🚀    

Hammer Industries - Outside

Ana pulled the car up to Hammer Industries.

Tatiana, Ana and Natasha got out of the car, walking toward the building.

Agent Coulson was waiting outside.

"Hey, Phil," Natasha told him. "Watch the perimeter."

"Yes, ma'am," Phil told her, swiping a card to unlock the door for them.

The girls walked in.

    🚀    

Inside - Computer Room

Ivan saw that there was a security breach.

    🚀    

Hallway

Guards walked toward Ana, Tatiana and Natasha. 

"Hey, hey, hey," Guard 1 told them. "You can't come in here."

Ana snapped out a gold-glowing electroshock baton, slamming it into the head of Guard 1, knocking him down and out as the baton shot out blasts of gold energy that electrocuted him into unconsciousness.

"Hey!" Guard 2 told her, trying to punch Tatiana.

Tatiana ducked, sliding past Guard 2 over the floor, turning back, throwing two electroshock disks into his legs that emitted blasts of red electricity, tasering him, making him fall to the floor.

Guard 3 tried to punch Natasha. Natasha ducked, punching him in the face twice.

Ana slammed Guard 1's head against the wall, making him fall unconscious.

Natasha jumped over a cart toward Guard 4, kicking him in the head, making him fall, landing on the floor.

Tatiana ran toward Guard 5, sliding between his legs, turning to face him, crouched to the floor with one knee on the floor, one foot on the floor, one hand on the floor, and one hand behind her.

Guard 6 ran closer.

Ana jumped over Guard 5 and Tatiana to kick Guard 6 in the head, wrapping her legs around his neck, flipping him to the floor, raising her electroshock baton over her head, slamming it down over Guard 6's head to shock him with the gold strikes of electricity, knocking him out.

Natasha punched Guard 5 down, tossing her electroshock disks into his arms, which shot out blue strikes of electricity, knocking him down and out.

They walked along down the hallway.

    🚀    

Computer Room

Ivan was watching them through the security footage.

    🚀    

Stark Expo - Outside

The drones went back to the Expo, firing at the building and the people around, flying into the sky.

    🚀 

Inside

The tech guy was still conferring with Justin and Pepper. "Each set of drones is communicating    in its own unique language."

"Well, choose one and focus on that," Pepper told him.

"Have you tried Russian?" Justin asked. "Why don't you try Russian?"

    🚀 

Hummer Industries - Hallway

More guards came to fight the Spiders.

Ana grabbed Guard 7, pushing him against the wall.

Tatiana punched Guard 8 in the face, kneeing him in the stomach, turning around, throwing him into the wall, making him fall to the floor.

Natasha grabbed Guard 9, slamming his head against a nearby cart, pushing him into Guard 10.

Ana slammed Guard 7 into the wall, throwing her electroshock disk into him, which emitted a strike of gold electricity, making him fall unconscious, taking out two light and smoke devices, throwing them toward Guards 9, 10 and 11, making them go off and temporarily blind them, sliding over the floor to kick Guard 9's legs out from underneath him, making him fall.

Tatiana stepped onto Guard 10's leg, jumping up to kick him in the face, making him fall unconscious.

Guard 11 tried to hit Natasha with a baton. Natasha used a garrote wire to catch the baton, kicking the guard in his leg, punching him in the face, wrapping the garrote around his neck, flipping him to the floor.

Guards 12 and 13 ran closer.

Guard 12 tried to hit Tatiana with a baton. Tatiana caught his arm, spinning underneath it to kick him in the face, making him fall, taking out her own baton, which glowed with electroshock red, slamming the baton over his head, making the baton emit strikes of red electricity that tasered the guard unconscious, before turning away.

Ana punched Guard 13 in the face, kicking him in the leg, making him fall to his knees, wrapping her legs around his neck, flipping him to the floor, punching him in the face, hitting him over the head with her gold electroshock baton to taser him with gold electricity, knocking him out. She spun to look behind her, still on the floor.

Guard 14 walked closer. Natasha ran toward him, jumping up to wrap her legs around his neck, flipping him to the ground, standing.

Guard 15 ran closer to Tatiana from behind, trying to taser her. Tatiana caught his arm without looking, turning to him, twisting his arm, elbowing him in the face, spinning to kick him in the head, making him fall.

The Spiders walked down the hallway, leaving the 15 unconscious guards in their wake.

Guard 16 stood to try and stop them, but Natasha held out her arm and pepper sprayed the guard in the face, making him fall down in pain, as she continued walking with Ana and Tatiana, none of them stopping.

    🚀    

Computer Room

Ivan knew that they were getting close, typing on his computer.

    🚀    

Skies

Tony and Jax were luring Rhodey and the drones through the sky.

"Rhodey, you still locked on?" Tony asked.

"Yeah," Rhodey answered.

"Drop your socks and grab your Crocs," Jax told him. "We're about to get wet on this ride."

They past over a river and a silver globe.

Jax and Tony flew out immediately.

The bullets from Rhodey and the drones exploded from within the silver globe, taking out a few of the drones.

    🚀 

Hammer Industries

The Spiders walked into the computer room, guns drawn.

Ivan wasn't there.

"He's gone," Tatiana told them.

They put their guns away.

    🚀    

Skies

Tony, Jax, Rhodey and the drones were still flying.

"Sorry, Rhodey," Jax told him. "Had to thin out the herd."

Rhodey tackled Jax and Tony from the sky, making them fall into the woods. 

    🚀    

Hammer Industries - Computer Room

Natasha was typing away on the computer.

"What are you doing?" Ana asked.

"I'm rebooting Rhodey's suit," Natasha answered.

Tatiana nodded.

    🚀    

Woods

Rhodey picked Tony up, slamming him onto the ground, trying to shoot him unwillingly.

Jax tackled Rhodey to the ground.

    🚀    

Hammer Industries - Computer Room

Natasha was able to get access to the suit to reboot.

    🚀    

Woods

Rhodey was able to stop fighting.

Tony and Jax stood.

    🚀    

Hammer Industries - Computer Room

Natasha pulled up an app to talk to Tony, Jax, Rhodey and Pepper through the suits and through Pepper's phone. "Reboot complete. You got your best friend back."

"Thank you very much, Spiders," Jax told them.

"Tony, well done with the new chest piece," Tatiana told him. "I am reading significantly higher output, an your vitals all look promising."

"Yes, for the moment, I'm not dying," Tony told them.

"You're welcome," Ana told him.

"What do you mean, you're not dying?" Pepper asked. "Did you just say you're dying?"

"Is that you?" Tony asked. "No, I'm not. Not any more."

Ana smirked.

"What's going on?" Pepper asked.

"I was going to tell you," Tony told her. "I didn't want to alarm you."

"You were gonna tell me?" Pepper repeated. "You really were dying?" 

"You didn't let me," Tony told her.

"Why didn't you tell me that?" Pepper asked.

"I was gonna make you an omelet and tell you," Tony told her.

"Hey, hey," Ana told them. "Save it for the honeymoon. You got incoming, boys. Looks like the fight's coming to you."

"Great," Jax told them sarcastically.

"Pepper?" Tony asked.

"Are you okay now?" Pepper asked. 

"I am fine," Tony answered. "Don't be mad. I will formally apologize--"

"I am mad!" Pepper told him. 

"Can you guys save this for when we're not fending off a Hammeroid attack?" Jax asked.

"Fine," Pepper told them.

"We could have been in Venice," Tony told them.

"Shut up," Jax told him.

Tatiana sighed. "Good luck."

    🚀    

Woods

Rhodey's suit was powering up.

Tony and Jax were waiting for him to move.

"They're coming," Jax told him. "Come on, let's roll. Get up."

The mask opened on Rhodey's suit.

"Oh, man, you can have your suit back," Rhodey told them.

Tony and Jax smiled, helping him up.

"You okay?" Tony asked.

"Yeah," Rhodey answered. "Thanks. Guys, look. I'm sorry. Okay?"

"Don't be," Jax told him. 

"No, I should've trusted you more," Rhodey told them.

"I'm the one who put you in this position," Tony told him.

"Just forget it," Jax told him.

"No, it's your fault," Rhodey told them. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Thank you," Jax told him. "That's all I wanted to hear. Partner. They're coming in hot, any second. What's the play?"

"Well, we want to take the high ground, okay?" Rhodey asked. "So, let's put the biggest gun up on that ridge."

"Got you," Tony told them.

They walked toward the ridge.

"Where do you want to be?" Jax asked.

"Where are you going?" Rhodey asked.

"What're you talking about?" Tony asked.

"I meant me," Rhodey told them.

"You have a big gun," Jax told him. "You are not the big gun."

"Jax, don't be jealous," Rhodey told him.

"No, it's subtle, all the bells and whistles," Jax told him sarcastically.

Tony chuckled. "Yeah."

"It's called being a badass," Rhodey told them.

"Fine," Tony told him. "You go up top. We'll draw them in."

"Don't stay down here," Rhodey told them. "This is the worst place to be."

"Okay, you got a spot," Jax told him. "Where's ours?"

"It's the kill box, guys," Rhodey told them. "Okay? This is where you go to die."

The drones landed on the ground all around them.

The masks on the suits closed around the boys' faces.

All the drones walked closer, firing.

Tony, Jax and Rhodey fired at them all.

Drone 1 tried to punch Jax. Jax ducked, jumping up to kick it back in the chest with enough force to destroy it, turning to punch Drone 2.

Tony grabbed Drone 3, tossing it aside.

Rhodey took off Drone 4's head.

Tony fired at the drones.

Jax punched two drones with enough force to take them out.

A miniature missile shot toward Tony. Tony leaned back to make it miss, making it hit the tree and explode, firing three missiles into three drones, making them explode.

"See that?" Jax asked.

"Yeah, yeah, nice," Rhodey told them.

They continued to fire at the drones.

"Get down," Jax told them.

Rhodey and Tony ducked.

Jax turned on two lasers on his wrists, circulating them around at all of the drones, destroying them and making a few trees fall over in the process.

Rhodey nodded, impressed. "Wow. I think you should lead with that next time."

"Yeah, sorry, boss," Jax told him sarcastically. "I can only use it once. It's a one-off."

They looked around the destroyed drones.

    🚀    

Stark Expo

Justin and Pepper were still standing next to the tech guy.

Justin looked at the tech guy. "I told you that five minutes ago."

Three officers walked closer.

Pepper pointed at Justin. "That's your guy here."

"Excuse me?" Justin asked.

"You're being placed under arrest," an officer told him.

"Are you kidding me?" Justin asked.

"Hands behind your back, sir," the officer told him.

"I'm trying to help here," Justin told them. The officers turned Justin around, handcuffing him. Justin looked at Pepper, chuckling. "I get it. I see what you're doing. You're trying to pin this on me, huh? That's good. That's good. You're starting to think like a CEO, taking out the competition. I like that. You think you're making a problem for me? I'm gonna make a problem for you." The officers started to lead Justin away. Justin turned to Pepper. Pepper turned to watch. "I'm gonna be seeing you again real soon."

The officers took Justin away.

Pepper watched them go.

    🚀    

Outside

Three officers led Pepper outside.

"When they get here, I think you should station them at the south, east and both west exits," Pepper told them.

"We shut down the 7 train in and out of Willets Point already," an officer told her.

Pepper looked over the destroyed drones on the street. "Well, have city buses there to ferry people to operating lines."

"Okay," the officer told her. "Are you coming with us?"

"No," Pepper answered. "I'm gonna stay till the park is clear."

"Okay," the officer told her.

The officers walked away, leaving.

    🚀    

Hammer Industries - Computer Room

The Spiders were watching the computer.

"Heads up, boys," Ana told them. "You got one more drone incoming."

"This one looks different," Tatiana told them. "The repulsor signature is significantly higher."

Natasha shook her head. "I don't think that's a drone."

    🚀    

Woods

The so-called drone flew toward Tony, Jax and Rhodey, landing on the ground in front of them. The helmet opened and revealed Ivan inside.

"Good to be back," Ivan told them.

"This ain't gonna be good," Jax told them.

Ivan whipped out the electrified cords powered by the arc reactor in his suit.

"I got something special for this guy," Rhodey told them. "I'm gonna bust his bunker with the Ex-Wife."

"With the what?" Tony asked.

Rhodey shot Ivan with the "Ex-Wife", but nothing happened.

"Hammer tech?" Jax asked.

"Yeah," Rhodey answered.

"I got this," Tony told them, aiming for a head shot to kill Ivan.

Ivan's helmet closed before the bullets could reach him. He spun the cables, slashing them toward them, making them fall back.

Tony, Jax and Rhodey started to fire their weapons.

Ivan used his cable to disconnect the gun from Rhodey's right shoulder. He tried to hit Tony and Jax.

Tony and Jax flew a little bit into the air.

Ivan wrapped the cables around them, pulling them to the ground, making them fall.

Rhodey continued to fire at Ivan.

Jax flew toward Ivan head on. 

Ivan used the cables to throw Jax away. He used one cable to wrap around Tony's suit's throat, pulling him closer, punching him in the head, making him fall. Jax tackled Ivan from behind, making him fall. They stood. Jax punched Ivan repeatedly.  Ivan headbutted Jax, whipping the cables into him. He wrapped both cables around Tony and Jax's throats, kicking Rhodey down, stepping onto his chest to keep him down.

"Guys," Jax told them. "I got an idea. Rhodey, you want to be a hero?"

"What?" Rhodey asked.

"Put your hands up," Jax told them.

"This is your idea?" Tony asked.

"Yep," Jax answered.

They raised their hands.

"I'm ready," Tony told them.

"I'm ready," Rhodey told them.

"Go, go, go!" Jax told them.

Rhodey fired a light ray into the sky above. Tony and Jax fired light rays into Rhodey's light ray. They met right in front of Ivan, blowing them all back, leaving them in darkness.