War Machine and Century, apparently disintegrated by the Mandarin (at the end of FORCE WORKS #6) instead find themselves in a rural area of China. Century speculates that the villain's blast interacted with his staff Parallax and teleported them instead of killing them. Mandarin has magically created a zone around his castle wherein technology does not work so they hide Rhodey's useless armor and try to find help for the wounded hero....
Back at the castle, Mandarin is torturing the captive Iron Man, who quietly vows to avenge the apparent murders of War Machine and Century....
Rhodey and Century come upon a woman being attacked by a pair of soldiers with rape on their minds; the alien hero swiftly takes care of them and Rhodey recognizes the woman as neurosurgeon Su Yin, who had earlier treated Tony Stark. At her hut, she tries to whip up some ancient herbal remedies to treat Rhodey's injuries while explaining that the sudden disappearance of all technology led to her invalid husband's death. As Century has a moment of disorientation, she also tells of the politician who has taken advantage of the crisis to set himself up as a warlord with an army and how they will attack this village any day now. Rhodey wishes he could help and Century has an idea....
In Hong Kong, the Avatars have retreated and Force Works (Scarlet Witch, Spider-Woman, U.S. Agent) have captured Lich who tells them Iron Man is a prisoner of the Mandarin and gives them directions to his castle....
In the village, Century has the local blacksmith enhance the War Machine armor with bamboo and other coverings so that when the ravagers arrives, the two heroes are ready for them. Century has another psychotic episode leaving Rhodey to face a small army on his own....
Force Works flies their plane Pegasus to the Mandarin's castle lair but when they enter the anti-technology zone, all power cuts out, sending them plummeting....
Story continues in IRON MAN #311.