Manhunt, Part 2

Things are going very badly for Tony Stark, aka Iron Man. Someone has used one of his old weapons to blow up the Chinese embassy in Washington, DC. Facing a Congressional hearing to answer for this, Tony is more concerned about his friend. Happy Hogan has been turning to drinking in response to his rapidly disintegrating romance with Pepper Potts. Confronting Hap at a bar, Tony told him the reason Pepper has been cold toward him is because she lost the baby they were so despirately trying to have.[1]

That’s when a sniper tried to take a shot at Tony. The first shot hit Happy in the chest. Tony then uses his body to shield Happy from the next volley of shots. Stark then drags himself and Hap into a nearby alley, buying him time before to put on his armor. Although he is wounded, Tony makes short work of his would be assassins. However, before Iron Man can get the authorities, someone activates a kill switch that eliminates the assassins. It’s only then that Tony realizes how badly Happy was injured and races him to nearby Founder’s University Hospital.

Surgeons take Happy and rush him into surgery prompting a nurse to ask Iron Man to leave the OR. However, after his injuries, Tony can’t move and he soon collapses from blood loss. Pepper Potts is called in and informed that Happy is in critical condition because one of the bullets nicked an aorta. However, that’s not the only reason they called her in. They need her help with Iron Man. Rumiko Fujikawa also shows up but she’s not allowed in to see Tony because only immediate family is allowed in to see him. Pepper gets a pass because she is one of the only people with the proper retinal and voice command to open up Iron Man’s armor so the doctors can operate on him.

As Rumiko and Pepper wait for Tony and Happy to get out of surgery, the world continues to turn. The truth about the embassy collapse has become public knowledge. Chinese officials are now blame the United States for the attack as the weapon used was created by Tony Stark. Soon, news about Iron Man being the hospital reaches the media and protestors and supporters begin picketing outside. Pundits begin commentating on the matter and opinion is equally divided. While all this is going on, Pepper goes down to the local hospital chappel to pray.

Meanwhile, in Chinatown, a man named Yu meets with Po — the right hand man to Temugin, the son of the Mandarin — he hopes that after everything he has done for the cause he will be allowed to finally meet the master. Yu’s father served the Mandarin faithfully, but was never graced with the presence of the master, so Yu hopes to achieve what his father could not. Po, however, refuses to grant an audience until they know for sure that Tony Stark is dead. Yu insists that he has already put the final works in motion and pleads for just a moment with Temguin. At that moment, an operative for Yu has infiltrated the hospital disguised as a nurse. In the medical supply room she fills a syringe.

By this time, Pepper has left the chapel and waits for word on Happy and Tony. Rumiko tries to make peace with her by offering to hug and talk. Pepper — who never really liked Rumiko to being with — tells her not to bother, since there is nothing anyone can do, and storms out.

Back at the scene of the crime, the FBI is combing the area for clues as to who was responsible for the hit on Tony Stark. With the suspects dead, this is difficult, but they soon become aware of an unmarked van that they might have had for a getaway vehicle.

By this time, Tony Stark has woken up after surgery and is told the extent of his injuries. While he can get up and move around, his doctor doesn’t think it’s a good idea because he could open up his wounds. Tony is then visited by Nick Fury, the Director of SHIELD. Their investigation into who got the plans for the weapon used against the Chinese embassy. The van found at the crime scene was registered to one Kang-ho Seok. Tony finds the name familiar, recalling an energy deal. That’s when FBI agent Neil Streitch barges into the room. He tells Tony that Soek has ties to North Korea. Stark is well aware of this, and said that Soek brokered the deal and that Stark Enterprises was asked by the previous administration. His company was to build a power plant in North Korea in order to convince Pyongyang to close its plutonium producing nuclear plants. Streitch then asks Tony what he knows that would make the North Koreans want him dead. Meanwhile, the FBI are turning over Kang-ho Soek’s mansion for evidence. Soek is furious, pointing out to the agents that North Korea would never attack their Chinese neighbors.

A few hours later, Tony is well enough to visit Happy Hogan in his hospital room. Happy is out of surgery but is still in a coma. His recovery will be touch and go. When Pepper tells Tony he should be in bed, Stark blames himself for what happened to Happy. He also tells Pep that he told Happy the truth about their baby. This deeply upsets Pepper who storms out of the room. When Tony tries to go after her, his injuries cause him to collapse to the floor just as Rumiko is coming in to see him. When Tony wakes up, hours have passed and he is back in his own hospital room. After the doctor reminds him he needs to stay in bed and heal,[2] Rumiko gets him up to speed on the investigations. His mind addled by painkillers, Tony begins putting together the facts of the plot. He remembers that his old foe the Mandarin was hell bent on destabilizing Asia in order to restore the dynasties of old. Since the Mandarin is dead,[3] Tony concludes that this is the work of his son Temugin.[4]

Unable to do anything, Tony decides to get some rest. As he sleeps, Yu’s assassin does her rounds. She kills the two police officers stationed outside Tony Stark’s bedroom. Inside, she injects poison into his IV bag. The effect of the drug is instant, causing Tony to convulse.

Recurring Characters

Iron Man, Pepper Potts, Happy Hogan, Rumiko Fujikawa, Neil Streitch, SHIELD (Nick Fury), Po

Continuity Notes

1. Pepper and Happy have been having troubles conceiving. When Pepper finally got pregnant, she was attacked by one of Tony’s foes in Iron Man (vol. 3) #54. Due to her injuries, Pepper suffered a miscarriage. She wanted to keep it a secret from Happy, but seeing how Hogan was spiraling into alcoholism, Tony told him the truth last issue.

2. The doctor is concerned about Tony getting hooked on pain killers given his past addiction issues. The doctor is referring to Tony’s life long struggle with alcoholism, something that was first explored in Iron Man #128.

3. At the time of this story, Tony believes that the Mandarin died during their last battle in Iron Man (vol. 3) #9-10. He actually survived and will turn up again in Iron Man Director of SHIELD #16.

4. Temugin was enlisted to carry on his father’s legacy in Iron Man (vol. 3) #53-55.

Topical References

• When the FBI find the assassin’s van, they liken it to the arrest of Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City Bomber. McVeigh was busted when he was caught speeding in a car with no license plate. This should be considered topical reference as the reference could be substituted to a more contemporary example.

• The leader of North Korea is identified as Kim Jong-Il. Jong-Il ran North Korea until his death in 2011. References to him being the leader here should be considered topical.

• Tony states that he did the North Korean job on behalf of the Clinton administration. At the time of this story, Bill Clinton had just recently finished two terms in office in 2001, he was succeeded by George W. Bush who became President until 2009. References to these two administrations should be considered topical as they were relative to the date of publication.