A steady beep was the only thing that could be heard.

A hologram hovered next to each of the unconscious politician. Tony adjusted one of the pads stuck to the President's forehead and adjusted another dial before leaving the room to finish off Phase I. He headed down to the workshop, avoiding Bruce the whole way. Tony was certain Jolly Green would come around in time. He could keep working until then.

He reached his personal lab and JARVIS had already pulled up the schematics he needed. Tony strode past the files hovering in the air and towards a closet. He typed the key-code into the pad to the left of the knob less door. Once it slid open Tony began sorting through the many glass cases lining the walls, swiping a hand across the frosted glass so it would clear for a moment. He found the ones he needed rather quickly; going through a mental checklist to make sure he had the right set. He adjusted the controls and sent the chosen equipment out to the main part of the lab.

"JARVIS? Connect these guys, we'll run a quick check up on their system before taking them upstairs."

"Progress screen to your left, sir."

"Thank you. Man, I really should have used these things before. I forgot how amazing we did on these things." Tony noted, poking the President's secretary in the cheek.

"Tony." Bruce sounded hesitantly from the doorway. "Why did I just leave the President and Co. in a secure medical room only to find them down here?"

"Three words for you, Banner ole pal: Live. Model. Decoy." He said, poking each robot in the chest as he walked by. "Each one with a chip programed to copy their real life counter part. JARVIS controls them, they run the country."

"And…. What? You just plan on leaving them in office until the next staff gets elected or hired?"

"Of course not. I told you I would put things back when I was done."

"Do I even want to know what that means?" Bruce asked warily.

"Probably not. If you stick with me though, you'll figure it out. I want you to take a look at these nanobots. Tell me what you think." The engineer flicked a holographic folder in his friend's direction. Bruce opened it, staring at the vast amount of information floating in a blue haze before him.

"Um. This is a lot. It's gonna take me a while to work through it all. What's it for?"

"Just a little something that's going to be running in the background while I set up the big stuff in the forefront. You don't have to finish it anytime soon. I just thought it'd be easier so that you could understand when the time comes." He shrugged. "JARVIS, progress of the thing in Detroit."

"Iron Man is talking down the angered masses. Minimal damage to the suit. Further information is streaming to your Starkpad."

"Thank you, J. Get these things ready to go. Send 'em upstairs when they're ready." Tony turned to tablet on his favorite work table. Iron Man had the riot under control, it seemed. So that was good. "Don't wrap things up too fast with the suit, Jay."

"Sir, you have shared your plans with me many times. I know what to do." The AI stated drily.

"I know you do, bud. I'm just overseeing. I have to get in the habit for when my plan is complete and I'm in charge of the world." Tony teased as he poked at his own hologram of the nanobots.

"Very well, sir. The Decoys all seem to be in working order."

"Well, send them on home then. I want daily reports from each of them to be sent to my phone written in the code we planned out at 7pm."

"Understood sir."

"Bruce, I feel like I need to explain part of this, as a bit of it will affect you directly."

"Okay." The doctor stated hesitantly, looking away from the nanobots. The blue holograms reflected a ghostly film over his glasses.

"In order for this thing to play out the way I want it to, I have to turn the whole public against the Avengers. This includes you." Tony took a seat on one of his rolling chairs.

"The public already doesn't like me." Bruce deadpanned.

"I'm going to have to imply some nasty things about all you guys, and I want you to know when the time comes that I don't mean it." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I- you're one of the only friends I've got… but I have to do this."

"If you want to go supervillain, who am I to stop you?"

"I'm not going supervillain… I'm simply proving a point." He flapped his hands ambiguously.

"Okay. Just… don't forget the world you're playing with is full of real people. They aren't just numbers."

"I know. But some of their human rights are going to have to be collateral."

"I- I'm not really comfortable with that." Bruce stuttered at his friends seeming indifference to his own words.

"I know. Which is why I'm not asking you to help. Whenever we're together we can pretend nothing's changed. I won't even bring it up if that's what you want." He sounded sincere. Bruce wondered if overwhelming care shown to a select group of people made up for everything else Tony was doing. He wondered what that said about him when he thought it did.

"I… I just don't understand why you decide to take over the world now."

"I'm tired of being walked all over by SHIELD. I'm tired of being treated like I'm not worthy of this team. It's time I stood up for myself."

"By taking over an entire planet?"

"Go big or go home, Jolly Green." Tony grinned, throwing his arms out wide. "I've always had a bit of a dramatic flair." He looked a bit more like the eccentric everyone was used to.

"That you have, Tony. That you have."