[In another life, Iron Man - Tony Stark - falling to his knees and begging for mercy would have been the sweetest music Gene had ever heard. Now he's disgusted that there had ever been a version of himself so blind, so cruel. And yet it's a part of him, as much a part of him as the one that still hungers for the ring encased in the shielded pocket in Tony's armor. He's borne full witness to the ugliness in his soul, and let it run rampant. And now he doesn't fully know how to rein it back in. Gene laughs, and it's as bitter as Tony's ever had the chance to hear from him.] Yeah. I want it to stop, too. But it won't stop. Not for me. This is what I have to live with. This is my life.

[He doesn't even try to stand up. He knows he'll fall.]

Now you know, [he says, his breathing harsh.] Our friendship was - was the one thing I had in my life that was mine. Inviolate. And when you put on that armor...it was all over. I didn't have anything left. I didn't have anyone left. I thought you had betrayed me. So I betrayed you right back.

[He laughs again, and this one sounds almost unhinged. It's the laughter of someone who's been put through a crucible of his life's devising, the sound of a man at the end of his rope.] It's like we were fated to hurt each other. That's destiny.