Tony acted quickly.
Sure enough, as John Koehler had expected, he used Stark Industries' military connections to uncover the true status of the Winter Soldier—Bucky Barnes.
But, due to the deliberate cover-up orchestrated by John Koehler and others, Stark Industries did not find the truth it was hoping for.
The official response was unified: the Winter Soldier had died in prison.
Tony's face was expressionless.
Naturally, he didn't believe it.
Bucky Barnes—the Winter Soldier—was more valuable alive than dead.
As a former comrade of Captain America, if a brainwashed Bucky could be reconditioned into a military asset, it would not only add an extraordinary operative to their forces but also serve as a way to reconnect with Steve Rogers, who had been drifting away from the military.
With that logic, Tony was certain: there was no way the military would allow Bucky to die.
And through this deception, Tony came to a grim realization—the military had known all along that the Winter Soldier was involved in the deaths of his parents, the Howards.
But for the sake of their own interests, they chose to keep that truth from him.
"Benefits are above everything…"
Tony took a deep breath, clenching his bandaged hand. Blood seeped through the fabric, but he didn't care. The rage and hatred burning in his eyes dulled the pain, even made him embrace it—as if pain could make things clearer.
"Captain…"
He thought of his current comrade-in-arms: Captain America, Steve Rogers.
Rogers and Bucky had always been close. That was obvious.
Their friendship went beyond ordinary bounds—from childhood through war, they had supported each other, rising to hero status side by side.
Although Captain America's fame now outshined Bucky's, it didn't erase Bucky's legacy.
Seventy years later… would Steve hide the truth about Bucky for the sake of their old bond?
Did Steve know what really happened?
Countless thoughts swirled in Tony's mind.
At this moment, he didn't want to trust anyone.
He looked at the table in front of him and spoke slowly:
"Jarvis, send a communication request to the Captain."
"Understood," Jarvis replied.
Moments later, Captain America, Steve Rogers, answered.
"Tony? What's going on?" Steve's voice was calm, but carried a trace of confusion.
Tony narrowed his eyes.
Now that he had seen the truth, he could read things more clearly.
There didn't seem to be any distance in Steve's tone.
Was it possible Steve really knew nothing?
"Captain… do you know the Winter Soldier?" Tony asked.
There was no point in vague questions now—he wanted to get straight to it.
"Of course," Steve said with a shake of his head. "Hydra's assassin. Very skilled. But didn't he get captured by the military after the Justice League defeated him? Why bring him up now?"
"It's connected," Tony replied slowly, trying to control his emotions. "There's another question. Captain… do you know Bucky Barnes?"
Steve paused, surprised. He frowned.
"Tony… what are you getting at? Of course I know Bucky."
"So here's my question—Is Bucky still alive?"
There was a long silence.
Then Steve asked, "…Tony, you're sounding strange today."
"No need to say anything else," Tony said, disappointment heavy in his voice.
"I already know the answer."
Click.
The call ended.
Back in Washington, Captain America stared at the silent phone in his hand.
Tony's tone had been unstable—like he was holding something back the entire call.
And Steve could feel it.
It wasn't just sadness.
It was rage.
Why is Tony angry? Because of what?
"Bucky?"
Rogers frowned.
He checked the time, grabbed his phone, and rushed out of the apartment building—heading straight to the Special Forces headquarters, which now occupied the original S.H.I.E.L.D. Bureau building.
Tony's call had been centered around Bucky and the Winter Soldier.
With Rogers' sharp instincts, he immediately linked the two identities together.
Could it be… Bucky is the Winter Soldier?
The idea made sense. Bucky's survival from the last century to now—without aging, just like Rogers—was likely thanks to Hydra's involvement.
But what Rogers still didn't understand was why Tony had suddenly brought up Bucky and the Winter Soldier.
Since Tony wasn't willing to explain, there was only one other way to find out—he needed answers from someone else.
He moved quickly.
Moments later, he entered the Special Forces headquarters.
Far away in New York, Tony locked onto Rogers' position.
The small red dot on the holographic map hovered steadily over the Special Forces headquarters.
And in that moment, Tony understood everything.
"Sure enough… the military knew the truth all along."
His gaze locked onto the red dot, his expression unreadable.
In the next instant, the Nano Battle Armor embedded within his body surged out, rapidly assembling over him.
Boom!
Without hesitation, Tony blasted out of the Stark Industries building like a streak of fire across the night sky—racing straight toward Washington.
Whoosh!
His sudden appearance caught the attention of many.
In the city that never sleeps, New York's nighttime charm was always paired with an edge of danger.
Some shady figures lurking in the tunnels looked up at the glowing figure and muttered:
"Iron Man's back?"
They almost thought Tony was on another mission—defending the weak and delivering justice like the knight he once was.
Fortunately for them, the red-and-gold figure didn't stop or turn back. It soared straight into the sky.
Only then did they breathe a sigh of relief.
But a thought lingered in their minds:
Why now?
Tony Stark, who hadn't worn the Iron Man suit in so long, had suddenly suited up again… and was heading somewhere fast.
Could it be… some kind of danger?
That same suspicion spread through the city.
After all, since the disbandment of the Avengers, Tony had seemingly abandoned the role of superhero.
In recent times, the armored figure most associated with public heroism wasn't Tony Stark—it was War Machine, military icon and Brigadier General James Rhodes.
Tony's return to action didn't just stir New York—it sent ripples across all interested parties.
Some, like Anton and his circle, watched the unfolding drama with the excitement of spectators at a show.
But the U.S. military? They panicked.
John Koehler, who had just finished drafting a strategic plan, instantly realized that Tony's sudden movement wasn't just a personal outburst—it had deeper implications.
And worse, analyzing the flight path confirmed it:
Tony was headed straight for Washington.
Bucky was in Washington.
Had Tony already uncovered Bucky's real status?
Impossible…
It had only been a few hours since they implemented their plan, reached out to Tony, and started the military-based investigation through Stark Industries.
Could Tony have really discovered Bucky's location that fast?
Shouldn't this have been an unusually secret message?
Is there a leak in the military?
If Tony managed to uncover something so quickly, John Koehler could only think of one possibility: someone inside the military was feeding him information.
As he considered it, one name came to mind—someone who might raise such suspicion.
Without hesitation, he made a call.
"Mr. John Koehler? It's late—what's the matter?"
A low voice answered on the other end.
"Rhodey, Tony is out of control," Koehler said bluntly. "He's flying from New York to Washington. I need to know—did you tell him anything?"
"What? What could I have told him?"
Rhodey sounded genuinely baffled. "Yeah, he asked me a few things earlier today, and I answered honestly… but I didn't think it was anything major. I know it was a little off-protocol, but the info wasn't classified. I didn't think it'd be a problem."
"…So, it wasn't you."
Koehler could tell the difference between lies and truth—and from Rhodey's reaction, it was clear he wasn't lying.
"All right," John said. "Get in touch with Tony Stark immediately. Try to calm him down. I'll handle the rest."
"Wait—"
Click.
The call ended abruptly.
Rhodey stood there, phone in hand, utterly confused. He hadn't even figured out what was happening.
Why had Tony lost control?
Then he remembered what Tony had asked him about earlier that day.
"The Winter Soldier…"
More questions filled his head. Confusion clouded his mind.
"Why is Tony going after someone who's already dead?"
Still trying to piece it together, Rhodey quickly dialed Tony's number.
Meanwhile, high above the East Coast, Jarvis's voice echoed in Tony's helmet.
"Sir, incoming call from Brigadier General Rhodes."
After a few seconds of silence, Tony replied, "Connect."
The line opened.
"Tony, what are you doing?" Rhodey's voice came through, clearly anxious. "You've triggered military alarms. Whatever you're planning, I think you should slow down—at least for today."
"No."
Tony's voice was steady and cold. "Rhodey, the only reason I answered your call is because I trust you—not because of any warning from the military."
He paused, then added,
"Actually, the military sent their warning to my phone a minute ago. And right now, they're calling me insane."
"What?!"
Rhodey's eyes widened. This was getting worse by the second.
"What happened to make you this reckless?"
"If you found out your parents' deaths weren't an accident, you'd be just as crazy as I am," Tony said flatly.
"…" Rhodey went silent.
The shock hit him like a wave.
"Your parents… weren't in a car accident? They were murdered?"
His voice trembled slightly. Then the pieces started clicking together.
"Wait… are you saying the Winter Soldier killed your parents?"
"The Winter Soldier isn't dead?"
"But—I saw the report. He was confirmed dead! And identified as Captain America's former comrade—Bucky Barnes—after his death…"
Rhodey's thoughts spun into chaos.
Too much was hitting him at once. He couldn't even tell what was true anymore.
But he had known Tony Stark for years.
And though Tony could be reckless, unpredictable, even immature—when it came to his parents, he would never joke. Never lie.
"The information was fake…"
Rhodey muttered to himself.
"And you're flying to Washington…" he added, realization sinking in.
"…That must mean the Winter Soldier is in Washington."
In addition to all this, there was something even more terrifying.
Tony hadn't said it out loud—but he knew it deep down.
Captain America, Steve Rogers, and the Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes,
Friends and comrades since the last century…
And right now, Captain America was in Washington.
As far as Rhodey knew, the relationship between the military and Captain America had recently grown much closer.
Steve had even become an instructor for the Special Forces, teaching battlefield tactics and essential combat skills.
Rhodey had always assumed this was simply a gesture of good faith from the military—an attempt to show sincerity.
But now, it seemed that wasn't the reason at all.
It wasn't sincerity.
It was strategy.
The military had pardoned the Winter Soldier—Bucky Barnes, the man Tony saw as a murderer.
"I'm very happy."
Tony's voice suddenly came through, snapping Rhodey out of his thoughts.
"What's there to be happy about?"
Rhodey sighed helplessly. "You're seriously happy right now?"
"At least now I know you didn't lie to me."
Tony didn't wait for a reply. He ended the call.
Click.
On the other end of the line, Rhodey's face darkened.
He understood Tony's resolve all too well.
This wasn't going to end peacefully.
Tony was clearly determined to use force—
And that would mean a direct confrontation with the military.
If that happened...
What would Tony do if the world turned against him?
If he became a public enemy?
Gulp.
Rhodey swallowed hard, a sense of dread creeping in.
He didn't waste another second.
He dialed John Koehler to get an update—then set out immediately for the Special Forces headquarters.
Fortunately, he was already in Washington, so the distance wasn't an issue.
On the way, he stopped by a nearby army base and retrieved his suit:
War Machine.
Though the suit was originally built by Tony, it had become part of Rhodey's identity—his duty and honor.
This time, War Machine's mission was clear:
Stop Tony.
It felt like betrayal—slowing Tony down, maybe even fighting him.
But Rhodey knew that if he didn't stop Tony now, he might lose him forever.
He couldn't let Tony fall into the abyss—
Couldn't let him become a criminal.
As he moved toward the Special Forces headquarters, a sudden flash lit up the night sky over Washington.
A meteor?
No.
A streak of red and gold tore through the clouds like lightning.
BOOM!!
A powerful sonic boom echoed across the city.
RUMBLE!!
The noise rattled windows and turned heads.
People looked up.
All eyes were drawn to the sky—where a brilliant figure blazed across the stars.
"Iron Man?"
"Why is Iron Man in Washington?"
"Did something happen?!"
Whispers rippled through the crowds as the figure pierced through the atmosphere.
A storm was coming.
…
patreon.com/Vks_sh