C192 Iron HeistCheck out early access chapters on my Patréon, currently 14 chapters ahead!
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Peter stood a short distance from the broken Hoover Dam, his body tense and trembling as he continued to hold the water back. His eyes were closed in concentration, beads of sweat forming on his brow. The sheer weight of the water pressed against him, threatening to break free at any mont, but Peter held firm.
Around him, the scene was a controlled chaos of repairs, with Tony Stark taking command of the operation. His Iron Man suit buzzed with energy as he directed the work, his voice crackling over the comms to both Magneto and the Autobots.
“Alright, listen up,” Tony’s voice rang out, authoritative and clear. “We’ve got the schematics. Magneto, I need you to start placing the tal reinforcents exactly where I’ve marked. Autobots, follow his lead and weld it in place as soon as it’s ready. We’re racing against the clock here.”
Magneto hovered in the air, his cape flowing behind him as he concentrated, his hands outstretched. Using his powers, he manipulated the massive chunks of tal that he had pulled from the surrounding earth, guiding them into the damaged sections of the dam with precision. The tal groaned and creaked as it slid into place, the sound echoing through the night air.
Optimus Pri and the other Autobots stood by, their plasma blasters prid and ready. As soon as the tal was in place, they began welding it together, bright sparks flying from their blasters as they fused the tal reinforcents to the dam’s structure.
Tony flew overhead, scanning every patch and crack, ensuring that the repairs were progressing according to plan. His face was tight with focus, knowing that any delay could spell disaster. “We’re making progress,” he muttered to himself, though his eyes flicked toward Peter. He could see the strain etched into his young friend's face.
Peter’s exhaustion was becoming more visible with each passing minute. His body trembled from the effort of holding back the water, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. He had been standing there, holding the water in place, for far too long.
The Jedi, scattered nearby, did their best to assist, but none of them could match Peter’s power in the Force. Not even Master Windu could hold the water back for more than a few monts before the strain beca too much.
“I don’t know how he’s doing it,” one of the Jedi murmured, his voice filled with awe as he watched Peter continue to hold the water in place. “No one has that kind of power...”
Another Jedi, her face filled with disbelief, shook her head. “He’s more powerful than any of us… even Master Windu. It’s almost unreal.”
Peggy stood off to the side, watching the scene unfold with sharp eyes. She couldn’t help but overhear the Jedi’s hushed conversations, the words “Chosen One” echoing in her mind from earlier. One of the Jedi had called Peter that—‘the Chosen One. But why?’ How could a newly dubbed Jedi Knight like Peter possess power that even Jedi Masters lacked?
Peggy’s thoughts churned as she watched Peter. She hadn’t known him for long, but even she could tell that there was sothing different about him—sothing more.
She wanted to ask the Jedi what they ant, but now wasn’t the ti. The repairs were still underway, and Peter was still struggling to keep the water at bay. She’d ask him later, once this was over.
anwhile, Tony, glancing back at Peter’s exhausted form, realized the urgency of the situation. They needed to finish the repairs, and fast. “Magneto!” he called over the comms. “We’re running out of ti. Peter can’t hold it forever. Pick up the pace, people!”
Magneto’s eyes narrowed in concentration, but he said nothing in response. He simply increased the speed of his work, moving more tal into place, while the Autobots followed his lead, welding the patches as quickly as they could.
As the work continued, the world watched in awe. News helicopters hovered above, capturing every mont of the repairs. The footage of Magneto manipulating tal, the Autobots working with incredible precision, and Peter holding back a wall of water with nothing but willpower spread across television screens nationwide.
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anwhile, Stane was dismissed, and the Decepticons began to move out of the base they’d been using. The location was no longer safe, not after their connection with Stane had been exposed.
They needed a new base—one Tony Stark didn’t know about. Fortunately, Stane had already provided another location, a more secure facility that would keep them hidden from Stark’s prying eyes.
And as the Decepticons packed up and moved out, Stane prepared for his mission. He knew that if he didn’t deliver, gatron’s threats would beco a reality. His status among the Decepticons had already taken a hit after the debacle at the dam, and now he was teetering on the edge of losing everything.
His plan was simple: infiltrate Stark Industries before Tony had the chance to oust him and gather whatever information he could find on Peter. The Decepticons had given him a small transforr to assist with the task—a Decepticon the size of his palm, designed for covert operations. It was a sneering, mouthy little thing, and Stane already loathed it.
As he drove toward Stark Industries, the tiny transforr sat in his passenger seat, grumbling to itself. “Can’t believe I’m stuck babysitting a human bug like you,” it muttered, its tiny optics flashing with annoyance. “You’ve been nothing but trouble since the start. If I were Lord gatron, I’d…”
Stane gritted his teeth, forcing himself to endure the Decepticon’s insults the whole ride there. He had no choice. His life depended on this mission, and no matter how much he hated taking orders from these machines, he had to see it through.
By the ti he arrived at Stark Industries, the sun was starting to rise, and the building was mostly empty. Stane made his way through the security checkpoints with ease—his access as a high-ranking executive thankfully still intact.
When he reached Tony’s workshop, the Decepticon jumped out of his pocket and hacked the door open in an instant, sneering at the surroundings. “About ti. Let’s get this over with,” it muttered, its tiny limbs whirring as it scuttled toward Tony’s computer.
As it approached the workstation, Jarvis, Tony’s ever-vigilant AI, imdiately detected the intrusion.
“Sir, you are not authorized to access this area,” Jarvis’s voice echoed through the room, calm yet firm. “I suggest you leave before I alert security.”
Stane’s heart skipped a beat, but the Decepticon acted quicker. “Nice try, little slave.”
With lightning speed, the tiny Decepticon leaped onto Tony’s computer, its small claws digging into the tal as it latched on. Its optics glowed as it interfaced with the system, overriding Jarvis’s controls.
“Warning: Unauthorized access detected. Security breach imminent,” Jarvis warned, his voice more urgent now.
But before the AI could set off the alarms, the Decepticon shut him down, silencing the AI completely. The room went eerily quiet, save for the soft hum of the Decepticon working to hack into Tony’s computer and databases.
Stane let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, glancing nervously around the room. He knew this place well, having visited Tony’s workshop countless tis in the past. But tonight, everything felt different. He was no longer a trusted family friend—he was a saboteur, a man on the verge of losing everything.
As the Decepticon continued its work, Stane’s eyes wandered, taking in the various projects scattered around Tony’s workshop. He had always been impressed by Stark’s genius, though now that genius was more of an obstacle than an inspiration.
But then, sothing caught his eye. Tucked away in the corner of the room, barely noticeable among the other projects, was a suit of armor—an older version of the one Tony had been wearing earlier. It didn’t have an arc reactor, and it was powered by a battery on its chest. Crude, but still a powerful weapon.
A slow smirk spread across Stane’s face as he approached the suit. And as he stepped closer, the suit’s eyes flickered to life, recognizing his presence.
To Stane’s surprise, the suit’s chest compartnt opened up automatically, the tal plates shifting to reveal the inside of the armor. His smirk widened as he stepped forward, the temptation too great to resist.
Without hesitation, he stepped into the suit, feeling the weight of the armor as it latched shut around him. The suit humd to life, the power thrumming beneath his fingertips.
Stane clenched his fists, feeling the surge of energy as the suit activated. He may have lost standing with the Decepticons, but with this suit, he had a way to regain his power.
The small Decepticon glanced over its shoulder as it continued to hack into Tony’s system. “What are you doing?” it asked, its tone dripping with sarcasm.
Stane’s grin widened as the armor encased him fully. “Just trying on a little sothing for the occasion.”
The Decepticon snorted in contempt but said nothing more, returning its focus to the task at hand. It didn’t care what Stane did, as long as the mission was completed.
With the Iron Man suit now his, Stane felt a new sense of power and control, the tides beginning to turn in his favor…
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Back at the Dam, as the sun rose above the horizon, the repairs were finally completed. It had taken hours of grueling work, but the combined efforts of Tony, Magneto, and the Autobots had paid off. The cracks were sealed, and the imdiate danger was over. Though it was only a temporary fix, it would hold long enough for the proper authorities to take over and make permanent repairs.
Peter stood off to the side, drenched in sweat and visibly exhausted. His arms trembled as he released his hold on the water, finally letting go of the imnse pressure he had been holding back for what felt like an eternity. As soon as he did, he staggered slightly, nearly collapsing from the strain, but Peggy was quick to rush over, steadying him with a firm hand on his arm.
“Easy,” she said softly, her eyes full of concern. “You did it.”
Peter gave her a weary smile, nodding in relief. “Yeah... finally.”
The group exchanged glances, a sense of brief triumph washing over them. They had averted disaster—at least for now. The water remained contained, the dam was patched, and the towns downstream were safe. For the first ti in hours, it felt like they could breathe.
Tony flew down from the dam, his Iron Man suit settling on the ground with a soft *thud* as his faceplate flipped up. He wiped at his brow, despite the fact that his suit handled most of the physical strain. “Well, that was fun,” he quipped, though his voice carried an undertone of exhaustion.
The dia coverage, however, didn’t stop. The news helicopters continued to hover above, their bright spotlights illuminating the scene as reporters broadcast live to millions of viewers across the country.
For the first ti, people were seeing mutants and these giant, chanical beings in a different light. The fear and mistrust that had gripped the public since the mutants first appeared was still there, but slowly, a change was happening.
The sight of mutants and robots working together to save lives began to shift public opinion. So viewers saw them not as monsters, but as heroes, doing what no one else could.
Of course, the fear and uncertainty hadn’t disappeared entirely. Many still viewed the mutants and Autobots as potential threats, their distrust amplified by the dia. But now, for the first ti, the tide of public opinion was beginning to turn, however slowly.
anwhile, Tony was more preoccupied than usual. As he stood there, arms crossed, he spoke into his suit’s comms. “Jarvis, start prepping for a press conference. Let’s make sure we get the right people in front of the caras to take control of this narrative.”
There was silence.
Tony’s frown deepened as he tapped his comms again. “Jarvis, you there? Contact the team. I need them prepped.”
Again, no response.
Tony’s stomach sank as a wave of unease washed over him. Jarvis always responded imdiately, especially in situations like this. The fact that he wasn’t replying now could only an one thing—sothing was wrong.
His eyes flicked up to Peter and the others, his expression tightening. “Jarvis isn’t responding,” he muttered under his breath, barely audible. For a mont, his mind raced, thinking back to what could’ve happened to the AI he relied on so much.
Peter caught the tension in Tony’s voice, his brows knitting together in concern. “Sothing wrong?” he asked quietly.
Tony’s lips pressed into a thin line, his mind already jumping to the worst-case scenario. “I’m not sure…”
A/N: 2200 words :)
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