Iron Man is now drained of power and at the mercy of the deadly Maggia enforcer Whiplash. He has but one recourse: his emergency booster supply, designed to keep his heart beating in the event of a systems failure. He diverts the power to his repulsor rays and lets loose a blast knocking out his foe. The hero then collapses to the floor….
Jasper Sitwell is on the trail of Morgan Stark, though he finds himself thinking of the dark-haired mystery woman from the plant. Nick Fury interrupts his monologue (yes, Jasper was talking out loud the whole time) with the report that Morgan Stark and some Maggia hoods have been spotted at Kennedy Airport, preparing to leave the country. Jasper speeds to the scene, and, racing into the terminal, he quickly dispatches the thugs with SHIELD martial arts tactics and forces Morgan Stark to reveal where he took the helpless Iron Man. In a short while, Jasper is boarding the luxurious gambling ship which serves as the cover for the Maggia’s submarine headquarters. Down blow, Whiplash has awakened and is eager to destroy Iron Man once and for all—but he is stopped by the Big M, who would rather learn the secrets of the hero’s armor and orders the enforcer to deliver him to the lab. There, the Golden Avenger is affixed to a magnetic table and a laser is activated to cut through Iron Man’s helmet. Tony awakens—just as a massive explosion rocks the ship. A.I.M. agents, seeking refuge from Captain America, have discovered Iron Man’s presence aboard the Maggia sub and are attacking in their own vessel. They fire again, splitting the hull. The Big M and henchmen flee, leaving the powerless Iron Man held fast to the magnetic table, as the waters rush in, filling the lab….
This story continues in IRON MAN & SUB-MARINER #1.