After a romantic interlude with Madame Masque at Stark House, Iron Man tries to exorcise his frustration over Midas with a nighttime flight. Meanwhile, Midas fires all Stark employees and converts Stark International into a fully automated factory, while Detective Michael O'Brien, aka Guardsman, discovers Harry Key's discarded corpse. Returning home, Iron Man finds Madame Masque held at gunpoint by a spurned Jasper Sitwell. Despite Iron Man's armor, Sitwell puts up a good fight, but he ultimately realizes the situation's futility and withdraws. Elsewhere, Jack of Hearts ponders how to help Iron Man, and Marianne Rodgers, en route to Tony Stark, telepathically renders a passerby insane.

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