2012-10-15 A Life Worth Living

An entire floor of Force Works Facility 1 has been cleared to make room for Rhodey's proving ground. There are so many layers of steel, asbestos, titanium, soundproofing, and other protective materials lining the walls that the area is actually much smaller than it originally was. It's still more than large enough for his needs, though. Targets for small arms are secured in a sturdy case along one wall. Another corner holds blast cases of various sizes and shapes for testing explosives. All of this has been cleared away to make room for a centerpiece. It's a missile launcher mounted on a self-propelled carriage. The word 'JERICHO' is stenciled on the side of the missile in bold, white lettering.

"PATTON, start up a fresh audio log. This is Jericho test run... eleven, I think. James Rhodes recording. The dummy warheads aren't separating properly in mid-flight. I either end up with a shotgun blast after two meters, or they don't split at all. Not sure which is more of a problem. I've added a charge inside the casing that should break them apart at the proper distance. So. Fire in the hole."

Without further ado, he flips the mask down on his armored suit, cups a protective hand over his genitals, and triggers the mounted missile. It takes off properly, but rather than separating into individual warheads, the entire assembly plows against the far wall. The impact makes a dent in the titanium wall that's similar in size and shape to several others near his target zone.

"Shit..." Jim mutters, crossing the room to inspect the now-crumpled dummy missile. Then, of course, the secondary charge goes off, turning the weapon's casing into a dangerous field of shrapnel that peppers his suit and scratches the paint in several spots. "Oh, great. That's just fantastic. Not only did the charge not go off when it was supposed to, it was waaaaay too big. PATTON, end the audio log."

"It's unfortunate that Stark got the brains and you got the looks." The smooth voice comes from somewhere up near the ceiling. Loki is lounging there, as though sprawled across a chair, wearing nothing but a dressing gown by the look of it. He swings one bare foot carelessly and slowly turns in midair to give Rhodey a sly grin. "Or was it the other way around? No... wait. He got both, didn't he?"

That's an attention-grabber. Rhodey swivels around and fixes his glowing red eyes on the intruder. "You're in a restricted area. Identify yourself. Authorization: James Rhodes, ten-break-alpha-strike."

His minigun is already spinning up as it slides over his shoulder and locks into place. "Code in, son. Now."

"Charming. I'm anonymous! It's because I'm not wearing the fancy hat, isn't it? You mortals love the helm." Loki swings around as though righting himself in his chair and then hops down to the ground. He kicks aside a twisted piece of metal. "I was in the news. You might have missed it, maybe you were busy changing batteries." He pauses a few feet from Rhodey and gestures gracefully at himself from head to toe. "Loki. God of Mischief. Sometimes. God of Evil the rest of the time. Or so they tell me. And you are the War Machine. I see why they call you that. You're just... one. big. gun." Loki waggles his brows suggestively.

A bulky automatic grenade launcher WHIRRs along its track and snaps into position over Rhodey's other shoulder. "Not -just- one," he says. "Hey, can you hang on for a second? Thanks."

Then, as if he puts a god on the back burner every other Sunday, he speaks directly to PATTON. "Give me a full sweep on this one. Feed it right into the HUD."

"Sorry," he says, turning his attention back to Loki. His minigun spools back down, but he leaves his weapons deployed and ready. "So. God of Mischief and Evil. That'd make you the bad guy, right?"

"It would." Loki disappears from sight but his voice sounds behind Rhodey and, sure enough, it looks like he's there. "Well, it depends," he says, looking thoughtful. "Bethany doesn't think so. She was quite fond of me for a time. I think she still is... but I got busy." He waves a hand dismissively. "I heard she had another caller, though, so I wanted to see if she'd upgraded. I'm slightly disappointed in her."

"Oh, I'd leave her out of this if I were you," Rhodey replies. Even coming through his vocalizer, the words are cold and clipped. He turns to face Loki again and triggers his faceplate so he can look the god directly in the eye. "You got past my security. You're apparently sensor-proof, which is pretty neat. But kid, all the tricks in the world aren't going to save you if you piss me off. I stopped beliving in gods a long time ago."

"Denial. One of the many traits your kind share with my brother." Loki steps up several invisible stairs and sprawls in his chair again. "What makes you angry, little machine?" He looks down at Rhodey with a crooked smile. "That Bethany can do better than you? Don't waste your time being angry about the truth. She has an odd sense of compassion and a fierce heart. We were friends, you know. I don't usually have those but she insisted. Charming. Did someone ever kill off that husband of hers? I'll go do it now if no one's gotten around to it. Ridiculous."

"PATTON, find this asshole," Rhodey rumbles. "I don't care what you have to do. Hijack every satellite in orbit if you think you can pull it off, but get me a location. Now." He pauses for a deep, steadying breath before he responds. "I know she could do better. That's why I haven't said anything to her. She could have Tony. Like you said, he's the brains and the looks. Me, I'm just the muscle. Then again, she could have just about any man she wanted. I get the impression that she could've had you." Another pause, this time for a small smile. "Is that what this is about? Is the godling angry because Bethy likes me better? That'd be precious."

Loki laughs and shakes his head. "She could have had me. She could have had eternity, too. I offered her eternal life with me and she never took me up on it. That wretched husband of hers, she took all that so seriously. I supposed that's why she bored me. So *faithful*. Even with his handprint on the side of her face. Like a dog going back for another kick. What about you? You're an angry man. Maybe that's what she sees in you." He leans forward, one elbow on his knee, and whispers. "What she saw in him. All that anger... eventually she's going to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe that's just what she knows now."

"That I'd hurt her? Now you're really reaching. I'd self-destruct before I laid a hand on her." Rhodey mirrors Loki, shaking his head and letting out a derisive chuckle. "Yeah, her husband was a shit. You'll get no argument from me on that one. Kinda funny that she'd rather get smacked around by him than spend eternity in peace with you."

Rhodey's servo-motors hiss and chirr as he paces a circle around the god. "Anyway, she's a big girl. She can already take care of herself, and she's about to get some new toys. But keep talking. Sooner or later, PATTON's going to nail down your location. When he does, I'm coming for you. I could use some exercise."

"Do you really think I'm here?" Loki gestures around them as he turns slightly to keep an eye on Rhodey. "Child, I'm not on your planet. I'm not even in your realm. I could be, if you'd like to try to shoot me." He looks thoughtful. "Would that make you feel better, shooting me? You like to solve your problems that way, don't you?"

A blink of the eye later and Beth is the one sitting there in that dense, black dressing gown. Her. She looks like herself, smells right, the way her hair falls is exactly right. "But why end things that way when we could be happy instead, you and I? When we could be together and no one would look at us and say that I could do better? Isn't that what you'd really like?" She steps down and walks toward Rhodey, smiling impishly. "Why, when you could have everything that you deserve, without hurting anyone, and you could make me happy at the same time? Every day."

Now Rhodey's entire helmet retracts, exposing his metal skull and the plates that surround his prosthetic eye. His half-machine visage is bared, and proudly. His smile is calm and confident. "Because you're not the one I'm in love with," he replies. "And I don't feel like playing house. No, I think I'd rather solve this one the old-fashioned way. By dumping -cases- of bullets into you. So, let's meet. We can try and kill each other. See who the real monster is. It'll be fun."

. ..

''"Jim!" Bethany laughs and shakes her head. "Who else do you think is here?" And, sure enough, there's no one else there. The workshop is bright and shiny, that project Rhodey'd been working on is looking great. Rhodey himself is still the War Machine he was, just perfected and streamlined and better than human.''

''"Are you arguing with PATTON again? You two." Bethany puts her arms around Rhodey's neck and kisses him. "Sometimes I feel guilty for using such a complex AI as a babysitter but he is family, isn't he?" Everything is perfect. This is Jim's building, he can see Stark Industries out the window. Tony's plastered the windows on the fifty-nineth floor with white and coloured printer paper again. It reads YOU SUCK, JIM. Man has to learn to lose a bet some time.''

''"I came to ask if you wanted to go swimming with me before we test the new suits," Bethany says. "You did leave out the part where you had to change the specs on mine because my ass got fat? That is at least half your fault."''

''"Your ass isn't fat," Rhodey replies, his good eye lighting up as he gives her a playful swat on the rump. "It's round. And I like it. Being a mom... that's a pretty sexy look for you."''

''Everything is exactly as it should be. Every loose end has been tied. The machine shop is actually neat and organized for once. And Bethany. Bethany's here.''

''"Crap. I'd love to, but I promised to make pancakes for the kiddo before school. I'm getting pretty good with the Mickey Mouse ears." Grinning, he leans forward to steal a kiss. "See you in an hour?"''

''"If you were turning down me in a bikini for anyone but your baby, Jim Rhodes, I'd be offended," Bethany says with a mock pout. "As it is, I'm just turned on." She laughs and kisses him again. "I'll save it for naptime, though." She lets him go and waltzes off toward the elevators, blowing him a kiss as she goes. "Save me some pancakes, baby."''

. ..

Bethany turns around to smile at Rhodey as the doors slide open and then, there's no one there. The light is gone, the workshop is grim and full of broken things, and there's no one here, no one alive, but Rhodey.

"It could be perfect." The man sitting in what is now clearly some kind of throne isn't the lithe scoundrel in the dressing gown. He's a pensive king, one believable as a god, with a heavy crown and fitted armour and the skin of a wild animal over his shoulders. His expression is solemn. Nine glowing stones circle him like planets.

"Not just for you, of course," Loki says with a wave of his hand. "She really is that happy. Everything she never dreamed she'd have is hers. Just as it is for you. It could happen, you know."

When the illusion dissipates, Rhodey is lost. Adrift. Mournfully, he looks around at his now-familiar surroundings. A scene that, a moment ago, made him feel human and alive and joyful. Whole. Now it's empty. Dusty. The happiness has been torn from it by force, leaving him standing in a very grim, very lonely place. A single tear wells up in his eye, but it doesn't fall. He blinks it away and fixes his gaze on Loki.

"I'm going to kill you," he says, letting raw, ugly hatred bleed out into his voice. "But before I do, I'm going to hurt you. A lot. And that... that'll be perfect. That'll make me happy."

"Really." Loki smiles slowly. When he holds out a hand, the stones circle it instead. "I look forward to your attempts. Each time you try to kill me, I promise that you will live one more minute in the life I could make for you and her. Eventually, you will remember that you are not only denying yourself." He flicks his fingers and the stones disappear.

"But enough for now. I wanted your measure and I have it." Loki rises and then descends one invisible step at a time. "If you ever wish to take me up on my offer, Beth knows how to find me."

Rhodey can't hold it in any longer. His training forgotten, he roars and rushes toward Loki. En route, chainsaws deploys from his wrists and rev up, growling angrily. He rushes through the illusion and emerges on the other side. Air. There's nothing there but air. And he knew that. After a few seconds, the blades draw back up into the arms of his suit and he hangs his head.

"Get out," he says, suddenly very quiet. "You've won. Just go."

"Do say hello to Beth for me." Loki laughs quietly as he passes through pieces of equipment on his way out. "And my brother if you see him." With that, he disappears through the wall, laughing. His voice trails behind. "So was that mischief? Or evil? I never can tell..."