Synopsis / Summary / Plot
After a press conference about the terrorist attacks in the previous 3 issues, Tony Stark plays 5 simultaneous games of chess with Reed Richards while they discuss things. Mr Fantastic confirms that the suicide bombers' technology was based on Stark's own. Stark tells him about Ezekiel Stane, and Reed opines that Zeke isn't inventing anything new, he's just applying Stark-tech in different ways.
Despite also working on circuit diagrams while they play, Stark wins all 5 games, ending them all at the same time.
Tony moves on to physical engineering in his lab on the SHIELD helicarrier. He is planting tracers in old pieces of Iron Man suits. He's going to let them out in the world and hope Stane picks them up, given that Zeke needs Stark stuff to build from.
He's visited by Pepper Potts recuperating from last issue's explosion and surgery. She is worried about having a Stark super-magnet in her chest, keeping shrapnel from her heart. She wants it taken out as soon as she's fit enough for more surgery.
Maria Hill, Stark's deputy Director of SHIELD, wants Iron Man armour provided for SHIELD troops. Stark counters that it's hideously expensive, but he's really worried about Iron Man tech getting loose from his control. Hill is angry that he was willing to spend Stark-tech on Pepper but not on soldiers in danger.
Stane and his girlfriend Sasha survey the mixed bag of terrorists they've assembled. He's improved his own internal tech, but he needs more bits of Iron Man armour to create weapons for his troops. Sasha sets out to acquire them.
Zeke plans to hit 4 crucial Stark sites simultaneously, which he reckons will fatally cripple Stark Industries. While Stane builds towards his apocalypse, Stark goes about his business.
He visits the Philippines base of the Triumph Division, where the children of the team killed in #2 are taking on their parents' mantle. He buys an international drinks firm so he can use their vending world-wide machines to distribute anti-virals. He holds a remote meeting at the Pentagon about a new anti-landmine technique, at the same time investigating evidence that an upgraded Melter is in action.
Pepper repeats her request to get rid of the magnetic device that is keeping her alive, because she knows it was based on weapons-tech. Tony admits that his original chest-device was modified from his weapons research. But he tells her that her version is derived from peaceful stuff invented by Rand Industries. This makes her accept the implant.
She is further impressed when Tony shows her how she can use the magnetism to float or possibly even fly.
Maria Hill calls to say the tracers in his bait have surfaced in Long Island, Valencia, Tokyo and Los Angeles. And Tony immediately realises Stane's intent.