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“Sir, Doom asking that you meet him in Latveria. Alone,” Maria Hill, the president’s head of security, walks in with a tablet.
President James Rhodes sighs, “That is what I was afraid of. I have no choice but to go.”
“Forgive me, Sir, but you need to think this through. There’s no way we can let you go to an enemy country alone. You need at least one agent.”
“Doom said alone,” Rhodes objects. “I know we say we don’t negotitate with terrorists, but I value human lives over this country’s power ranking. And Maria, he has my husband and kids. How the hell did he get through our Secret Service? Were not all the agents vetted and approved by you?”
Maria stares him in the eyes, “The two agents with him were left over from President Pierce’s term. I should have re-vetted but I did not. And that’s on me. I still can’t let you do this. Take Barnes with you. He used to be a sniper in the army. He can stay on the plane unless needed.”
“I am not risking anything. I know Doom all too well to know what he will do. Now, you are dismissed.” He waves her out of the office. When the door closes behind her, he puts his head in his hands and groans.
Agent Barnes steps out of the shadows, “What are you gonna do, boss?”
“I am going to go. What else can I do?” Rhodes asks.
“Well, pardon me for askin’,” Barnes’ Brooklyn drawl thickens, “but what are ya afraid of Doom doin’?”
“Tony and I have known Doom since MIT. He was always in love with Tones and would do whatever he could to get him. You see, Tony did sleep with him before we got together, and Victor… he has never crossed the line with consent, but I am afraid he might. I can’t let that happen. I’d rather he kill me.”
“Ya gotta realize where Hill is comin from though, right? It’s gonna look bad on us for not protectin you.” Barnes decides to play the devil’s advocate.
“If anything happens to me, Vice President Wilson will serve as a perfect replacement.”
Barnes grins, “Ah no. Don’t make me have to protect Wilson. He’s the worst. I mean, I will because it’s my job, but it will be hard.”
Sam Wilson, Rhodes’ vice president, and Barnes have a love/hate relationship. They will both insult each other until the day they die, but cursed be anyone else who tries to bring one or the other down. Rhodes remembers having this type of relationship with his sister Jeannie.
“I’m sure you'll be able to live with yourself, “ Rhodes deadpans.
To speak of the devil, Wilson bursts through the door, “Hill just caught me up. What are you going to do?”
“I’m not telling you so that you have plausible deniability,” Rhodes replies. He knows what he’s going to do. What a story it would be . The President commandeering Air Force 1 and flying to Latveria alone. “Just make sure Sharon is safe. You hear?” He hugs Wilson and leaves the room, Barnes following closely behind.
“Are ya leavin now?”
“That’s for me to know and you to find out. Now excuse me, I have to use the facilities.” Rhodes slips into the restroom and quickly climbs out the window.
After being chased and yelled at, President James Rhodes is finally flying Air Force 1 towards Latveria. “Rhodes!” Hill calls over the radio. “Get. Back. Here. Now.”
“No, and don’t follow me unless you want me and my family killed or worse,” Rhodes turns off the comms.
Two hours later, he touches down in Doom's country of Latveria. Victor von Doom himself is there to welcome him. “President Rhodes. I’m surprised you came… and alone.”
“Where is Tony?” James demands.
“Don’t worry. He is safe and quite pampered. Follow me.” Doom leads him through a procession of soldiers. James thinks of brainwashed Stormtroopers.
Doom makes him look inside a window. Tony and the boys are unbound, but James is sure they aren’t allowed to leave. “As you can see, your husband and sons are quite safe.”
“What do you want from me? And do not say my husband.”
“I need you convince Erik to trade with me once again,” Doom tells him.
Rhodes groans, “I don’t know what happened that caused the strain between you two. How can I help you amend that?”
“You should try. Tony is unharmed at the moment; you know how quickly that could change.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Fix it, now,” Doom says.
Rhodes takes out his phone and calls the prime minister of S____. Erik answers immediately, “Rhodes, if you are calling on behalf of Victor von Doom, you might as well stop.”
“What happened?”
“Never mind that. I can’t help you.”
“Erik,” Rhodes implores, “he has my husband… and my sons. What would you do if someone took Charles?”
“No one would take Charles because most people don’t know who he is. He’s not known for early days of promiscuity.” Erik retorts.
“Is there anything I can do to change your mind? Can we offer something?”
“I will confer with Charles and return your call.”
Thirty minutes later, Charles Xavier calls James. “President Rhodes, how are you?”
“Charles.”
“I was the one who pushed for the trade embargo on Latveria. I don’t agree with Victor’s methods so I thought we could just stop it, but I see he isn’t afraid to hurt others to get what he wants. I will lift the embargo excepting the dangerous materials that we rarely trade to anyone, but only on one condition.”
“Name it, Charles.”
“You, Tony, and the boys should visit S_____ to vacation every so often. Erik and I miss you all.”
Rhodey shakes his head. Really? Whatever. He needs the embargo lifted. “I will make sure we vacation with you more often.” What is my life?
“Then you may tell Victor that we will lift trade restrictions,” Charles replies. “Thank you James.”
James ends the call. “Erik will now trade with you. Please let me take my husband and children home.”
“When I get the official documents. How do I know you’re not lying to me?”
Rhodes sends off a text to Charles and Erik. Send over documents asap. He paces the road uneasily until a Doomtrooper hands Victor a document. Doom reads it. “Official seal. It is done. It is kind of a pity. I would have loved to have a trophy husband.” He pushes a button on his wrist. The doors behind him open. Tony and the boys are escorted out by Doombots. When he sees Rhodes, Tony falls into his arms.
“Let’s get out of here before he tries anything else,” Tony murmurs.
Rhodes scoops up the boys and hugs them tight. “Let’s go.”
Once they are safely flying home on Air Force 1, Tony assures Rhodes that Victor didn’t harm them. “How has your day been?” He asks.
Rhodey shakes his head. “Just your normal, run-of-the-mill day for a President. Remind me later to tell you why, but we have to vacation with Charles and Erik this summer.”