I stared at my fuzzy image I saw on a mirror mounted onto a pillar. The once pristine object had shattered and got covered in dust. This was some fitting analogy for my current mindset.

The man in front of me was incomplete. Always incomplete. I tilted my head, allowing my eyes to reflect on a single shard.

Stark did not scare me. Not in the superhuman, intelligent side. No, I knew a lot about Stark. My other memories, useless as they were, showed me his potential. Of what he could do when he put his total focus on something.

What I did fear was his pettiness. Stark wasn’t a god, but he was a human demigod. A demigod that could erase me because he didn’t like me. I needed to focus on diplomacy and not revenge.

In a cave, with a box of scraps. Those memories whispered at me.

I took in a breath and let it out. This lobby was like a cave, and I turned around to see my most loyal. Candice and Fenris.

We were scrappy, were we not?

“You doing alright, Johnny?” Candice asked as she held her helmet in her hands. When did she take off her helmet again?

Fenris stared at me as I smiled at them both.

“Yes Candice, I am doing alright,” I answered and my confident tone had them grimacing.

They shared a look and knew my bullshit when they saw it. They put their helmets back on and followed me as I stepped back into the sunlight.

I watched as the Avengers demolish the Type-3. Their power and their teamwork were beautiful. Experienced soldiers that moved like gears in a Swiss watch. Each motion was deadly and locked down the Type-3.

By the time they finished the fight, I was debating if I could somehow avoid greeting them… No.

I needed to move beyond this. I spied Kara and Kori drifting down. My stomach dropped as I saw Kori’s hands.

Was she ok? She looked coherent, and the two were giggling as they talked. That was a good sign, right?

My feet moved, and I was going to check in on them when I saw the red and gold hero fly down. I felt my chest clenched as the man landed and his visor hissed and opened.

“Well, if it isn’t the Supreme Leader,” Stark greeted as he looked me over.

“Mr. Stark,” I dipped my head in greeting. “I seem to have you, and your team, to thank for saving us.”

I locked eyes with Vision and Scarlet Witch. I dipped my head towards them in thanks. They returned my nod.

Hero work was rarely easy. It had dangers and problems that overlapped with their daily life, making life hard. It took a toll that many did not consider, even after all this time.

You worked long and hard, but the pay was alright. You sacrificed time and relationship to maintain a semblance of order on a global scale.

I respected heroes, but I also didn’t wish to repeat the most common trap they fall into. Solo works or small groups were good, but they all needed better support structures.

Val Verde would learn from these mistakes. The full might of the system would support my hero teams. They would not have to ensure everyday stability. They would train for things beyond the capabilities of the average person.

Which meant getting my projects back on track. Project Canary needed to be reset ASAP. Off-world, deep space mining in the Kuiper belt. This would ensure that we could break free from the reliance on other nations.

“Seems you were in trouble,” Stark smiled as he turned to look at the lump of a Type-3.

“Oh yes, we could fight off one, but two is beyond us,” I agreed. No reason to be rude. I needed to focus on treating this like a diplomatic meeting. Another public relation stunt.

“Well, maybe you didn’t try hard enough?” Stark asked as he turned back to me. “Maybe you should have brought more cannon fodder?”

I smiled as I met his eyes. The man’s smile was pleasant enough if you didn’t see his cold and hard eyes.

The rumors didn’t do the man justice. He was as frustrating as the many rumors and memories stated.

“Your toys didn’t seem very effective either,” the hero said as he eyed the ravaged framed of my Red Guard.

“Mister Stark, if you think about it… I don’t have you on the payroll. Thus our technology takes time to develop,” I replied and remained pleasant. This is one frustrating public event.

A hint of annoyance flashed across Stark’s face, and my cheer increased. Suck on a dozen lemons you asshole!

“Technology? Develop? Funny ways to say stolen tech,” Stark said as he tapped at his glowing chest piece. The Repulsor Tech Node, or Arc Reactor if followed modern trends. A miracle of what technology was capable of.

“We derive impulse tech from Repulsor tech,” I said as I gave Stark a look reserved for naïve children. “Why reinvent the wheel? It's not like your earlier designs are not floating in every corner of the Internet.”

Tony Stark stared at me and walked closer. Was my demeanor irritating him? Good.

“You talk well for a Nazi sympathizer,” Tony fake whispered as he stopped a foot away.

“Your words lack bite. You're far from anything involving paragons and virtue,” I said as I clenched my teeth. My smile strained, but I had to focus on Stark. The man was very annoying.

I was sure that the Iron Man suit was picking up on all my tells. Increased temperature, increased breathing rate, increased heart rate.

“Oh, a mercenary is going to belittle me?” Tony asked as he egged me on. He backed the words up with his cheerful smile.

I blinked and took a step back. Stark was aggressive about insulting me and this was our first official meeting.

“You seem hostile, Mister Stark. Is there something bothering you?” I asked as I took a deep breath to calm myself.

I could try to whip out my pistol and shoot the man. I would fail, as he and his robot AI could move faster than I could. The moment I touched my gun, I would get subdued or get dead.

I looked at his companions. Scarlet Witch was currently striding away, and Vision had his hands against his face. Ah, the facepalm, an elegant tool for the mortified.

Wonder Man and Thor watched. Though their expressions were less than enthralled at our conversations. They instead kept drinking.

“Yeah. There is. That I have to help you Hydra loving scum is making me irritated. We always have to clean up after shit like you,” Stark growled. Now the man was being honest. Took him long enough.

“Mister Stark, should I remind you that a country reflects its leadership? While Val Verde is a dictatorship, we do not judge others like you do,” I smiled. I channeled that frustrating political side I found exasperating.

Stark stared at me and said nothing. He was probably waiting for me to say something stupid.

“Take for example yourself. Billionaire, philanthropist, and playboy. You have designed technology that is miraculous. Yet you have killed more men and woman than my mercenary legion ever has,” I said as I looked into his eyes.

Stark’s face didn’t change as this was an old and worn jab. He had long since accepted his responsibility for it.

“At least I can defend myself, and my country,” Stark smiled as he jabbed me his knife and twisted. Cute.

“You are correct. Val Verde lost when the US government, the G.I. Joes, and the Avengers invaded. I saw Thor, Hulk, and your robots that day,” I said as my eyes focused on that old memory.

Blood. Tears. Screaming. Death.

I refocused on Stark. “We died following a despotic sociopath. A villain that murdered his way into the position of Supreme Leader. This we suffered for.” I sighed as this memory would be nothing more than depressing.

“I lost my parents and sister in that offensive. It was the worst day of my life, and yet there is one silver lining…” I stared at him and he waited for me to finish.

How he would feel about my next few words. “You murdered school children, Mister Stark. You and your micro-missile barrage on the artillery. That mountain that held batteries of cannons and missiles?”

Stark clenched his jaw, and he looked away. I guess he knew. Though it would have been hard to ignore considering Zemo had done a global PR smear campaign. Footage of Iron Man shooting those missiles. Correlating footage from internal cameras had shown students dying en mass.

It took months before I saw it. My last sight of Carmen was her pushing in a trolley of food when everything exploded. In many ways I was thankful I never found her body. My final sigh was of her smile as she presented sandwiches and water bottles.

“Of course, the blame is at the hands of Baron Zemo, who ordered them there. That and the people who allowed it,” I said as I looked up and into the blue sky. It had taken time, but I had it finished and it sickened me at how I enjoyed it. I would never be a 'super' hero, and I didn’t pine for that title.

“I killed them, you know. Every ranking official who allowed that order to pass through. We have standards and morals, and they allowed Baron Zemo to ignore it. Now only two left. Baron Zemo, and yourself,” I smiled as I stared at the man who ruined my life.

They found my parents on the main radar and communication station. Suffocation from when Black Widow had planted explosives to destroy the tower. That, or a look-alike. The security footage was fuzzy but the black suit and red hair did narrow down the list.

The resulting explosions trapped the two in a room on fire. The resulting carbon dioxide and fire had killed them.

“Mister Anthony Stark,” I said, and the man looked up to see my wintry smile. “Am I correct to understand that you are immune to all forms of normal handgun ammunition?”

Stark nodded.

“Please lower your visor and humor me,” I said as my smile did not leave my face.

Stark frowned as he lowered his visor.

I dragged out my handgun. The simple snub-nose revolver. Carmen’s Taurus Model 85 Ultra-Lite. With custom red-colored grip, and my last gift to her, a custom red cylinder.

I opened the cylinder to check that the bullets were still there. The .38 Special rounds were common. If this killed Stark, I would be sure he would die again from embarrassment. I assumed he would get revived in some outlandish fashion.

I closed the cylinder with a flick and raised my gun. Carmen’s gun.

[Bang!] the small boom got followed by a [Tink!] as the round bounced off the odd alloy that Stark used. Titanium-Gold-Bullshit magic metal. Sue never did duplicate it though we did find close enough compositions.

I adjusted my stance and held the gun with two hands.

[Bang!] [Tink!]

[Bang!] [Tink!]

[Bang!] [Tink!]

I heard yelling, and it took a moment for me to realize it was me. Tisk tisk. How cliche.

[Bang!] [Tink!]

[Bang!] [Tink!]

[Click]

[Click]

[Click]

I growled as I ran out of ammo. I had a spare speed loader on me and I pulled out a handful of ammo.

Somehow it had gotten loose during my wonderful day. My guess was when I got into the warthog with Candice and the ensuing car ride. That was the very definition of wild.

I stared at Stark, who had not moved from his position a foot away. I stared at the bullets in my hands and made a fist. How childish I still was. God I hated having to act like an adult.

I threw the batch at him. Two bullets bounced off his chest and the speed loader sailed over his shoulder.

“Candice, please record that I, the Supreme Leader, tried to kill Iron Man. We had no success,” I drawled out as I holstered my gun back into my jacket. A tear slid down my cheek as I felt something lift away.

Candice nodded but didn’t move.

“War never changes Tony. Good people die for many reasons. They died when we hunted in tribes. They died in the World Wars. They die today. More will die tomorrow,” I said as I stared into those eye sockets on his helmet.

“We cannot avoid it, but we can try to prevent unnecessary deaths. If you ever find out where Baron Zemo is, I will be happy to send thousands of such soldiers. To show him that Val Verde is not as weak as he had assumed,” I turned away as I finished.

Stark would never be my friend, but I wouldn’t waste my energy hating him any longer. Only Zemo left. One could say that you should save the best for last.

“Alright Fenris, give the return orders. I am sure that our illustrious Mister Stark wouldn’t be stupid enough to open his mask if the virus was still a danger. Have our men stand down and return to the Mansion,” I ordered as I stared at the girls.

Kara smiled at me before she flew away with Kori. They immediately returned to the Mansion to get checked over.

Fenris saluted and relayed my orders. The sound of soldiers moving filled the silent square as everyone burst into actions.

Pelicans came back and dropped off XM211 trucks, and the injured were a priority. They loaded onto the plane and got transported back with the pelicans.

Doctors and other medical staff would be ready to receive them.

I walked past the still form of Stark and met the eyes of the others. They were tense, but not hostile. I would bet money that they were still ready to smash us.

I made my way over and gave them a much warmer thanks.

“Do you not wish to shoot me as well?” Thor asked as he finished his beer. The man crushed the can against his armor and tossed the lump into the Quinn Jet.

I scoffed and patted my gun. Tragedy struck as I had thrown away all my… wait.

I pulled out my gun and reached into my pocket. There was a single bullet.

Thor smiled and closed his eyes as he straightened his shoulders.

I laughed as I chambered the round and closed the cylinder. The resulting shot flattened against his forehead.

“Thank you for this closure, Thor. The people of Val Verde will feel peace at my attempts to kill you,” I smiled as I holstered my gun. The man was straight forward. A warrior and a son of royalty.

“They were very brave as they charged me. Despite my show of might, many stood their ground as they laid down their lives. On their feet and I pray you spread tales of their valor,” Thor said as he recalled that day ten years ago.

I smiled, shook hands with Wonder Man, Scarlet Witch, and the Vision.

I had no quarrels with them, and they seemed unsure of how to treat me. I had attacked two of them, but they had not retaliated.

“Supreme Leader, it is time for us to leave,” Candice said as she gestured to a waiting pelican.

I nodded and followed her.

Finally, this day was over.

————

Chapter 42: Special 0.38 therapy rounds.