The next day, A.I.M. Advanced Idea Mechanics' stock price continued to plummet, with its market value shrinking to less than 10% of its original worth.
The company was teetering on the edge of collapse.
To make matters worse, CEO Aldrich Killian had mysteriously disappeared, along with the company's core research team.
Investors, assuming Killian had abandoned ship, continued dumping A.I.M. stock, accelerating the company's downfall.
As the mastermind behind all this, Kagura methodically initiated a complete acquisition of A.I.M., hoping to uncover records and samples of the Extremis virus within its database.
Meanwhile, Tony Stark had publicly declared war on the Mandarin, signaling the beginning of his direct confrontation with Aldrich Killian.
The first battle in this conflict? The "Battle for Stark Mansion."
Malibu – Tony Stark's Mansion
"You have to leave. No room for discussion."
Wearing his Mark 42 Iron Man suit, Tony Stark sat on the couch, debating with Kagura.
"I just gave my address to a rogue terrorist leader. This place is a war zone now. You can't stay here, Hitomi. It's too dangerous."
"Relax, Mr. Stark. I can take care of myself."
Kagura wasn't particularly concerned.
So what if Tony had just broadcasted his address to the Mandarin? If anything, it saved her the trouble of tracking them down herself.
Besides, did Tony Stark really need to personally announce his address? His massive seaside mansion was practically a landmark.
He might as well have engraved his name on the front gate.
Not to mention, the true mastermind behind the Mandarin was Aldrich Killian.
If Killian wanted to know where Stark lived, he could've found out anytime.
"No, you don't understand. We don't know when the attack will come or what kind of firepower they'll bring."
"For your safety, you should go back to New York for a while. We can have the Christmas party later."
"Sigh… Looks like I won't win this argument." Kagura let out a small sigh.
"Alright then, just promise me you'll be careful, Mr. Stark."
She figured there was no point in arguing further. If Tony insisted on her leaving, so be it. She'd pack her things and go.
Originally, she had planned to stay at Stark's place over the holidays, hoping to help him deal with his anxiety and insomnia.
Since his mental state had been deteriorating, she wanted to offer some support.
But if Tony was adamant about her leaving, then the task of comforting him would have to fall to Pepper Potts.
Although it was a bit disappointing to leave, this arrangement had its advantages.
It would make her upcoming operations much more convenient—no need to waste energy crafting an "alibi" or constantly relying on her energy-draining decoy technique.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
"Sir, we have a visitor," J.A.R.V.I.S. announced.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., what happened to our security protocols? I just threaten the Mandarin! How is someone still ringing my doorbell right now? This place is under maximum lockdown!"
"Sir, after you broadcasted your home address to the entire world, my options became… limited."
"Right. I really need to install a military-grade command module for you."
As they spoke, the main door opened automatically.
The security system confirmed the identity of the visitor—a woman who had the audacity to show up in the middle of a warzone.
Maya Hansen.
She was an old acquaintance of Tony's. The two had shared a "memorable" New Year's Eve back in 1999.
"Tony, who is it?" Pepper called out as she packed her bags. "We're about to leave. Who would come here now? This place isn't exactly safe."
"Relax, it's just an old friend. A botanist I haven't seen in ages," Tony replied. "And for the record, I only asked Hitomi to leave. We're staying."
"No, Tony. You broadcasted your home address to the entire world. We have to leave. This place is no longer safe."
"Pepper, I'm not some random guy. I'm Iron Man."
Tony crossed his arms. "If we leave, I can't protect you. Hitomi has all her weird high-tech gear to keep her safe, but you don't. I need to make sure you're secure, and this mansion is my fortress—my impenetrable base. We're staying. Got it?"
"Actually… I think you really should leave, Tony."
Maya Hansen, who had been standing quietly until now, finally spoke up. "I saw the news. That's why I'm here. You don't stand a chance. You need to get out of here."
"Really? So that Mandarin clown is suddenly a match for Iron Man? If he was that powerful, he would've taken over the country by now."
"Tony, listen to me. That's not what I mean. I came here to tell you… my boss might be working for the Mandarin. You have no intelligence advantage in this fight."
With that, Maya dropped a bombshell, and the room fell into stunned silence.
Wow, Hitomi thought to herself. If you had been this straightforward in the MCU, Iron Man 3 would've been over in an hour.
"You're saying… your boss is working with the Mandarin?" Tony finally asked.
"Yes. My boss is Aldrich Killian."
"You mean the guy whose company just got obliterated by Rhodey's team at Rhode Island Industries?" Tony smirked. "Then the Mandarin's already down bad."
"A.I.M. might be on the verge of collapse, but that doesn't mean they can't still attack you, Tony. In fact…"
Maya suddenly stopped mid-sentence.
"Wait… why did the sound of helicopters stop?"
"Helicopters?"
"Yes…" Maya turned toward the TV, pointing at the live feed. "Is this normal?"
After publicly challenging the Mandarin, Tony's mansion had been under 24/7 surveillance by government helicopters, keeping an eye on any suspicious activity.
"Relax. It's just the usual shift change," Tony dismissed her concerns with a wave of his hand. "The next patrol will be here soon."
"Wait… hold on."
Maya's expression grew even more anxious as she pointed at the screen again. "Is this normal too?"
On the live feed, a missile was speeding toward Stark's mansion.