Synopsis
Pepper Potts has recovered from the operation to give her a new Repulsor chest implant. James Rhodes comes to see her in hospital. Tony Stark and Maria Hill have come too, but they're too busy arguing in the waiting room. SHIELD Director Hill is still angry at Stark for going to the Tokyo incident last issue as Iron Man without checking with SHIELD first.
When Tony and Maria do come in, Pepper says she wants to try her new Rescue armour. The AI JARVIS has been transplanted from the old suit. Tony gets her suited up, and she takes the new Rescue for an extended test drive. She promises to be back in time for Stark's Gala in a few days time.
At Hammer Industries Justine Hammer shows Doug Johnson some drones that will back him up as Detroit Steel. Elsewhere Sasha Hammer is introducing a hand-picked group of young men to what she describes as a new mobile phone game. The object of the game is to accompany Detroit Steel on missions, piloting an armed drone. What they don't know is that they are guiding the real drones. But only on a practice course initially.
Tony and Carson Wyche take Mrs Arbogast, Len Pimacher, Tim Cababa and Walter Macken to Stark Resilient's new facilities in Carson's dormant Seattle car factory. Where they're going to build 2 prototypes for their high-speed Repulsor-powered electric car.
Along the way Tony reveals he's had his body upgraded when his new Iron Man armour was installed. For instance he now has telescopic eyesight.
Meanwhile Rhodey has gone to see Gen'l Babbage at the Pentagon. He and Stark want to persuade the military not to hire Detroit Steel. He offers to pilot War Machine for them instead. But Babbage wants Stark to resume making weapons, which he won't do.
Stark and the male members of Stark Resilient attend the Gala in the Space Needle. Pepper and Mrs Arbogast make a fashionably late entrance. Tony and Pepper prepare to share a friendly kiss, but their electromagnetic chest implants won't let them get close enough.
They don't have time to discuss this, as Justine and Sasha Hammer arrive at the party. To the shock of everyone, especially Pepper and Justine, Tony whisks Sasha out of the building, and they drive off in his car.