"Damn Killian, he deserves to die!" Tony couldn't help but feel furious when he saw Pepper tied there helplessly. If Killian hadn't been reduced to ashes, Tony would have wanted to drag out his corpse and whip it.
Rhodes said calmly, "We've already sent that guy to the afterlife. I hope he's enjoying his death."
"Yeah! Give him my regards!" Tony nodded involuntarily. Tony now believed that ghosts and deities existed in this world, but ordinary people weren't qualified to interact with such supernatural entities.
There truly was an afterlife in this universe, though the living had no concrete knowledge of what that realm was like. However, Tony didn't wish to discover it prematurely, so he was determined not to perish in the coming war.
Others who didn't know Killian was already dead couldn't help but worry for Pepper when they saw her captured and injected with the Extremis virus.
[After deactivating the projection, Killian approached Tony, grabbed him by the neck and said, "We haven't discussed compensation yet! What additional incentives would you like?"]
[At this moment, Maya suddenly intervened: "Let him go!"]
[Killian closed his eyes in frustration and said, "Hold on! Just wait!"]
[He turned to face Maya, saying, "Maya..."]
[But she had already raised an Extremis syringe to her own neck. "I said let him go!"]
[Killian stared at her in disbelief. "What are you doing?"]
[Maya met his gaze unflinchingly. "1200 cc's—just half this dose would be lethal!"]
[Killian glanced at Tony with exasperation. "There's always someone determined to test my patience!"]
[He extended his hand toward Maya. "Maya, give me the syringe!"]
[Maya remained resolute, threatening him further. "Killian, what happens to your soldiers if I die? What happens to your product?"]
[Killian tried to deescalate the situation. "We don't need to do this! Okay?"]
[Maya pressed on. "What happens to you? What if you overheat?"]
[Killian's patience finally snapped at Maya's words. He took a deep breath and exchanged a brief glance with Tony.]
[Without even turning his head, he fired a shot directly at Maya. She collapsed to her knees, staring at Killian in utter disbelief.]
[She had fatally overestimated her value to Killian and underestimated his confidence that Tony would ultimately cooperate to save Pepper.]
[Tony looked at Maya, blinking rapidly as his eyes grew unexpectedly moist.]
[Killian regarded Tony with cold calculation. "The good news is, there's now a vacancy in upper management!" He implied that Tony could join them to perfect the Extremis virus.]
[Maya clutched her wound, gazing at Tony with profound sadness. Tony watched helplessly, his lips trembling, as she collapsed to the floor and died.]
[Despite whatever moral compromises Maya had made in pursuit of her research, in the end, she'd tried to do the right thing. Tony lowered his head in sorrow and sighed.]
["You're a maniac!"]
[As Killian prepared to leave, he replied, "No! I'm a visionary! But I do have a madman under my command! Let's see his performance tonight!"]
[Tony remained behind, staring at Maya's lifeless body.]
"Oh! Maya!" Pepper couldn't help covering her mouth in shock. When she had first seen herself being injected with the Extremis virus, she'd been terrified. But then she remembered her appearance in the Spider-Man footage and her engagement to Tony, which meant she must have survived.
That knowledge had somewhat calmed her fears, but Maya's death underscored a chilling reality—without the broadcast and their foreknowledge, Pepper would have truly been at Killian's mercy.
The present-day Maya lowered her head in silence. Although she and Killian no longer shared any romantic connection—only a professional relationship—she still felt a profound sadness watching her alternate self being murdered without hesitation.
Wanda stepped forward to comfort her. "It's okay. Killian is dead. He can't hurt you anymore."
"Yes, thank you," Maya replied, wiping her reddened eyes and offering Wanda a grateful smile.
"Maya, tell me everything about the Extremis virus," Banner interjected, deliberately giving her something productive to focus on rather than allowing her to dwell on the disturbing footage.
Maya immediately straightened, responding with newfound purpose. "Of course." She followed Banner out of the room that Tony had prepared for her—conveniently situated near Wanda and the others.
[Meanwhile, Eric Savin walked alongside Killian, discussing their plans. "Once we secure the Iron Patriot, it'll take me nine, maybe ten minutes to complete the mission."]
[Killian tilted his head thoughtfully. "That's excellent, but last I checked, there was someone inside it."]
[The scene shifted to show a technician futilely attempting to cut through the Iron Patriot armor with an electric saw, making virtually no progress despite sustained effort.]
["Good afternoon, gentlemen!" Killian greeted as he entered the facility. He removed his jacket and casually tossed it to a nearby security guard.]
[Approaching the suspended Iron Patriot suit, Killian addressed its occupant. "Hello, Colonel!"]
[He then dismissed the technicians. "Everyone, stand back!"]
[Killian raised his body temperature, causing his hands to glow orange-red as he pressed them against the Iron Patriot's midsection.]
[Rhodes' expression changed immediately. The temperature inside the armor rose rapidly, and he began to feel the searing heat. Even the exceptional materials of the War Machine armor couldn't indefinitely withstand temperatures approaching 3,000 degrees.]
[Killian observed the armor with satisfaction. "We'll help you out, don't worry!"]
[Eric Savin approached with concern. "This will damage the armor!"]
[Killian responded with indifference. "Yes, but you can repair it, right? I'm taking the suit to the base. Bring Potts with us."]
[Eric cautioned, "She's still in the second phase of treatment."]
[Irritated by this opposition, Killian closed his eyes momentarily, licked his lips, and fixed Savin with an intimidating stare. "Didn't you understand what I said?"]
[Savin twisted his mouth but dared not challenge him further.]
[As Killian continued applying heat, Rhodes grew increasingly uncomfortable inside the armor, reaching his limits of endurance.]
George Stacy immediately assessed Killian's character. "He clearly has control issues—can't tolerate anyone contradicting him."
"That's definitely true," the second-generation Spider-Man nodded emphatically, respecting George's insight. As police chief, George had developed an accurate eye for reading people, a skill Peter never doubted.
"Can Rhodes hold out?" Gwen asked worriedly, concerned for the colonel's safety.
The second-generation Spider-Man, familiar with the armor's specifications and the properties of gold-titanium alloy, explained, "His armor can withstand extreme temperatures, but 3,000 degrees is pushing its limits. If exposed for too long, he'll definitely be in trouble."
"He won't die, will he?" Gwen's brothers asked anxiously. They had grown quite fond of Rhodes.
The second-generation Spider-Man could only shrug uncertainly. Without knowing the precise timeline relative to the Civil War, he couldn't be sure. "I don't know for certain... but he should survive."
"Rhodes is tough," Tony remarked, his eyes fixed on the screen. "And that armor, while not as advanced as mine, has significant heat resistance. But Killian's playing a dangerous game."
"It's not just about the armor," Bruce added. "Even if the suit protects him from direct burns, the secondary effects of extreme heat—dehydration, heat stroke—those can be just as deadly."
Captain Marvel frowned. "They need the armor intact enough to carry out whatever plan they have. They'll stop before it's completely compromised."
"Killian's already shown he has no regard for human life," Steve noted grimly. "Maya tried to stand up to him, and he eliminated her without a second thought."
"She died trying to do the right thing," Natasha observed quietly. "After crossing so many lines, she finally found one she wouldn't cross."
Uncle Ben nodded solemnly. "Sometimes people lose their way before they find it again. Unfortunately for Maya, that realization came too late."
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