Synopsis / Summary / Plot
After the explosions last issue iron Man goes to the lab where psychiatrist Maggie Dillon was trying to bring Living Laser out of his state trapped in an advanced laser weapon. She succeeded. Laser has escaped. But Maggie is broken and dying.
IM cradles her as she slips away. He accedes to her last wish and unmasks. She laughs as it is confirmed that it's still Tony Stark in the armour. And then she dies.
Tony attends the funeral. And then a reception for Governor Pataki. Sinclair and Greta Abbott are there too, and use another opportunity to needle him.
Tony is distracted, at work, in Avengers Tower (with Luke Cage and Spider-Man), and on a date. He nips into space and fails to find any trace of Living Laser. Doc Samson, Maggie Dillon's tutor, comes to see him to tell him to stop blaming himself for Maggie's death. And to stop pretending not to be Iron Man. Tony claims to be fed up fighting the same old villains. And shows Leonard that under the armour is the Extremis covering that is part of his body.
Stark searches through signals that were picked up on the night of Maggie's death, when Ghost invaded the factory. He finds the last message exchange between Ghost and Spymaster, and tracks Spymaster's signal to it's source. Iron Man goes there. But Spymaster/Sinclair Abbott is waiting for him. His electronic defences bring the Armoured Avenger to his knees.