"Did we get him?"
Tony Stark coughed, choking on smoke as the aftermath of the explosion swirled around him. The force of the blast had sent both Tony and Rhodes flying, their armored forms crashing to the ground with a jarring impact.
Rhodes, ever the soldier, recovered first. His training kicked in, and he quickly scanned the battlefield, realizing something was off. "He's not here," Rhodes called out, his voice tense.
Tony, still shaking off the disorientation, turned just in time to see a burst of blue propulsion fire. Ivan's armored rocket rocketed across the field, slamming into Tony with a brutal punch that sent him skidding backward.
Rhodes responded instantly, unleashing a barrage of firepower from both arms. But Ivan's suit was a fortress—thicker, stronger, and more advanced than anything Hammer had ever dreamed of. The bullets and repulsor blasts glanced off, barely leaving a mark.
Ivan charged at Rhodes, and the two armored titans collided in a thunderous, hand-to-hand brawl. The sheer weight of their suits shook the ground. Rhodes grunted, "Farke, this guy's learned boxing!"
Despite being a scientist, Ivan fought with a ferocity and skill that belied his background. His armor was not only more powerful, but he wielded it like a seasoned brawler, every move calculated and brutal.
Grabbing Rhodes by the shoulders, Ivan hurled him aside. A blinding white flash erupted from Ivan's chest, striking Rhodes' armor and sending him flying through the air. Ivan used his thrusters to stabilize himself, his mask snapping open as he let out a wild, triumphant laugh.
"Tony, you have never known what it's like to be tortured by monsters in the freezing darkness. You cannot defeat me!" Ivan's voice was raw with pain and pride.
He cracked his neck, blue electric light dancing along the twin whips in his hands. "History will be rewritten, Stark. You are nothing but a thief."
Tony steadied himself, glaring at Ivan. "Ivan!"
Rhodes managed to get back on his feet, muttering, "What kind of trauma makes a man so obsessed with whips?"
Tony shook his head. "Whatever it is, we need to end this—fast."
He had thought the explosion would finish Ivan, but the Russian had survived, his armor barely scratched. It was not logical, but nothing about Ivan Vanko was logical.
Ivan's visor slid closed with a hiss. The whips arced through the air, crackling with lethal energy—a warning and a challenge. The sound alone made Tony's skin crawl.
Rhodes closed his own visor. "I don't want to get anywhere near those whips."
"Then let's knock them off first." Tony locked onto Ivan's left arm. "You take the right, I'll take the left!"
Their years of friendship showed in the way they moved—synchronized, without hesitation. Both raised their palms and fired their energy cannons at Ivan.
Ivan swung his whip, but Tony's blast struck his arm, damaging the whip's energy core. Sensing the advantage, Tony and Rhodes surged forward, closing in to fight with fists and feet.
But their energy was running low. Rhodes' War Machine suit, modified by the military, was heavy and loaded with weapons, but its core reactor was outdated and nearly drained. His earlier battles with the Iron Soldiers had burned through most of his ammunition.
The fight became a desperate, close-quarters struggle—one man against two. Ivan's armor was massive, but he moved with surprising speed, countering their attacks with a mix of raw power and uncanny skill.
"It's like fighting a heavyweight boxer," Tony muttered, dodging a punch that would have caved in a car.
"Jarvis, analysis?" Tony called out, ducking another blow.
"Boxing, with some advanced shielding techniques," Jarvis replied. "Recommend caution."
Ivan leapt, landing a punch squarely on Tony's helmet. Tony's head snapped back, his neck straining under the force. Only the superior materials of his latest suit saved him from a broken neck. Gritting his teeth, Tony grabbed Ivan's arm and yelled, "Rhodey, now!"
Rhodes lunged, grabbing Ivan's other arm. The two friends powered up their thrusters, lifting Ivan off his feet and slamming him into a rock formation at the edge of the ecological park. The impact was brutal—Ivan's armor shuddered, sparks flying from his damaged thrusters.
Ivan roared, kicking Rhodes away, then turned and landed a heavy blow on Tony. Tony, finally losing his patience, fought back with everything he had.
Rhodes rejoined the fray, and the three armored men became a blur of metal, fists, and sparks. Ivan fought like a man possessed, but the material difference was too great. Tony's new armor was built with the latest alloys, and Rhodes' War Machine, though battered, was still formidable.
Ivan's arm armor shattered first. Then Rhodes' shoulder-mounted machine gun was ripped off and sent spinning across the ground. Sparks erupted from Ivan's suit as the systems inside began to fail.
Finally, Ivan missed a crucial move. He stumbled, and both Tony and Rhodes crashed down beside him.
"Jarvis," Tony panted, "remind me to take boxing lessons."
All three men flicked open their visors, gasping for breath. Ivan's injuries were severe—his power system was destroyed, and he could barely move. The heavy armor that had protected him now became a prison.
Tony and Rhodes were battered, but their suits still functioned. They looked at Ivan, who was trapped, a defeated animal.
"It looks like we have to fight to the death to finish this," a new voice called out.
Tony's head snapped up. He knew that voice.
"John? When did you get here?"
John stood calmly at the edge of the battlefield, wand in hand, looking as if he had just stepped out for a stroll. "Probably when you two were shooting at each other," he replied with a shrug. "I have to say, you guys are very passionate."
Rhodes blinked. "Why does this guy talk like me?"
Ivan's eyes widened in fear when he saw John, as if he were seeing a ghost from his past.
Tony caught the look and turned to John. "Wait, you know him? I knew it—your family sent him to assassinate me, didn't they?"
John rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. I don't know him."
But Ivan's reaction was telling. Was it possible John's father had sent Ivan after Tony? Or was there something else at play?
John raised his wand, pointing it at the three of them. "Gentlemen, do not move. I need to clarify something."
He looked at Ivan. "Are you really connected to my father?"
Ivan stared at John's face, a strange look in his eyes. "You look more like your mother, both in appearance and hair."
John hesitated. That was not what he expected to hear. Now, even he was unsure. Did his father really order a hit on Tony? Should he take the opportunity to finish the job or erase all evidence?
If Tony Stark became an enemy, he might one day invent anti-John armor. John weighed his options, wand still raised.
Rhodes leaned toward Tony and muttered, "Is that really a magic wand?"
Tony nodded. "Trust me, that stick is magic."
Ivan struggled to his feet, looking at John with a mix of pain and nostalgia. "You should leave, Jovonovich. This place will soon be rubble."
John frowned. "You know me?"
Ivan's eyes softened. "Your mother once knocked out one of my back molars. She was the strongest woman I ever met."
John was stunned. Ivan Vanko had once lived in the same country as his family. Natasha Jovonovich, John's mother, had been a powerful and beautiful woman. Her family had supported Ivan's father, even when the elder Jovonovich was furious at Vanko for betraying the motherland. Despite that, he had helped Ivan through many hardships.
Ivan looked at John with genuine warmth. "Your uncle and I were friends. He was always proud to have you as his nephew."
John felt a surge of unexpected emotion. Ivan was not his enemy. In fact, he was almost family.
"In that case, let's call a truce for now," John said, lowering his wand.
But Ivan shook his head. "It's too late. I already set everything in motion."
The red light on Ivan's chest pulsed ominously.
Tony's face went pale. "Pepper!" he shouted, remembering that Pepper was near the remains of an Iron Soldier.
Rhodes realized what was happening. "John, grab my hand—we need to get out of here!"
John smiled. "You're a good man, Rhodes. But you should go first."
Rhodes hesitated, then took off, his suit's thrusters blazing.
Ivan, unable to fly, could only watch them leave. He hated that he could not drag Stark down with him.
He turned to John, his voice raw. "Get out, Jovonovich! The bombs are armed. You will die here."
John looked into Ivan's eyes, using Legilimency. He saw no malice, only resignation and regret.
"Then let's leave together," John said.
Ivan shook his head. "The armor's power system is destroyed. I cannot get out without special equipment."
John's eyes gleamed with determination. "I have better ideas than you."
He raised his wand. "Expelliarmus!"
A flash of red light struck Ivan, and the locks on his armor snapped open. John grabbed Ivan and Apparated away just as the bombs detonated.
All across the park, the Iron Soldiers' chests glowed red. The explosions came in a devastating wave, fire and debris engulfing the New York Ecological Park.
Smoke and dust filled the air. Tony and Rhodes, battered but alive, staggered to their feet, coughing and gasping. The impact had thrown them clear, but Ivan was nowhere to be seen.
"He's not here," Rhodes said, scanning the wreckage.
Tony turned just as a blue propulsion flare lit up the sky. Ivan's armor, empty and battered, crashed down nearby.
Rhodes fired a few last shots, but it was over. The battle was done.
Tony looked up at the burning sky, exhausted. "Jarvis, remind me—never fight a Russian scientist in winter."
Rhodes just laughed, shaking his head. "Let's get out of here before someone else shows up."
And somewhere nearby, John Wick vanished into the night, a silent witness to the chaos, his wand still warm in his hand.