***Verde City, Diabloverde***
"This is Agent Shaw, patch me through to Director Queen Please."
"Mark?"
"Yeah, it's me Ollie . . . "
"How is the 'vacation' goin?"
"Well, let's see . . . the food is terrible, the water is worse, and the cockroaches are bigger than your dog."
"Great, I am so jealous . . . and our little friend?"
"The deposed General Hazda and nine of his finest arrived here four days ago.
Since then he has been flashing a lot of money around. He bought guides, local mercenaries, and pack animals. They have a lot of supplies and enough firepower to arm a small revolution."
"Any idea of what they have planned?"
"I plied some locals with 'cervezas' and a lot of tequila last night and one told me his brother had been contracted by some foreigners to take them into the jungle to search for 'Azul Sol'. When I asked them what is was they just laughed and called the General crazy and foolish."
"I'll have Jessica go down to Intel after I'm off this and check out computers for anything on this 'Azul Sol', until then, how do you want to play this? Want a troop?"
"Not just yet Ollie, I think as long as I'm just tracking them, it would be better if I did it solo. I have plenty of experience and don't need a bunch of rookies stomping through the forest and alerting Hazda. You have my Universal Locator hooked up to the satellite, so when I need ya, I'll call and you can come runnin'.
"Sounds good Mark, take care."
"Deal boss-man, I'll check back in a few days. Out."
Mark Shaw placed his SHIELD phone back into his left pocket as he quietly eyed the crowd of men assembling at Hazda's hotel. They look as though they are almost ready to leave, he thinks to himself, as he takes out the small headset from his right breast pocket and places it over his ear, and dials in the correct number sequence into the dialer.
"This is Agent 14, I have the information you requested . . . " "I have the information you have requested Lady."
Lady Dragon looked up from her sushi dinner. She had been dreading this particular moment, because she knows this information is going to be all bad. She placed her chopsticks upon the plate and picked up her glass of red wine. She had a feeling she would need it for courage.
"Proceed."
"Lady, Advanced Idea Mechanics has completely destroyed our bases in Honolulu, Brisbane, and Quezon City. 100% of staff and supplies have been lost in each of those facilities. The base in Kagoshima was also hit hard, with nearly 80% of the supplies and 50% of all staff killed. Because of the SHIELD intervention here in Tokyo, the damages to this base was less extreme, but severe none the less. Nearly 50% of all supplies and 30% of staff are gone . . . "
"DAMN!" Lady Dragon cries as a glass of red wine shatters into the wall, spraying its red content everywhere, "Those foul beasts! They had no honor! We are ruined!" She screams in an insane rant as she flings the table containing her dinner over and into the wall.
Feeling vented, Lady looks around at the hotel room in disgust. This will be a lovely cleaning bill she thinks to herself as she heads out onto the terrace, ignoring her stunned Dragons, for a moment of fresh air. She is angry still, unsure of what to do. As she stares out onto the bright lights of Tokyo she sighs, because it took her along time to build her Silicon Dragons, and now it was all rubble. Her organization had been crushed by AIM. She had now made herself a huge enemy in SHIELD after this little 'war' resulted in the destruction of the SHIELD Helibase, killing hundreds of their agents. Both organizations would be after her head now.
"Problems?"
Startled by the voice, Lady Dragon swiftly pulled her sword from her belt and swung it in the direction of the voice. To her shock, she saw a man, sitting calmly at her patio table, feet propped upon the table, wearing an expensive Armani suit and lighting a slender cigarette.
"You are either a very brave, or a very stupid man, you have 10 seconds to tell me why you are here."
With a wry smile the stranger speaks, "I am Sinobi Shaw, and I have an offer you can't refuse . . . "
"How does it feel, big mama, to know you are gonna rot in the world's nastiest prison for the rest of your worthless life?"
Jeremy Carson smiled a sadistic sneer as he looked around the armored car he had been assigned to escort. He and seven other soldiers had been given the special task to deliver some secret cargo. The destination was Hugo Maximum Security Prison. The cargo was convicted terrorist Amanda Waller. Carson had read about Waller in the paper. She use to be a high-ranking fed, ran her own agencies and everything. It seems she was using those agencies in a guest for personal gain and power. Guess it got so crazy, she even tried to assassinate President Kelly and everything. Corrupted a whole bunch of his security and everything. If it hadn't been for SHIELD and some spies they had in her organization, she would have pulled it off to. Crazy woman.
"So how does it feel, least you know you won't be somebody's woman, I think you'll be the butch . . . "
Carson stopped. Seemingly uncaring towards his insults, Waller just stared at him. It made him very uncomfortable. Those eyes of hers. It was like she knew something he didn't.
She did. Jeremy Carson, army private, age twenty-four, barely had time to open his mouth in awe as the soldier sitting next to Waller smiled and pulled the pistol from his holster, and fired one shot into Carson's head, killing him instantly. The silencer made the shot silent as the shock settled into the other five soldiers sitting in their positions. Those few seconds were all the assassin needed, before any of the men had even reached their holsters they were all lying dead from fatal gunshot wounds.
"About time Lawton, if I had to listen to that scumbag any longer I was gonna murder him myself."
"Whatever Wall.." Floyd Lawton, aka Deadshot, said nonchalantly as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it up. "Lets get out of here . . . " He replied coldly as he tapped on the glass and the driver pulled the armored vehicle to a stop, his face shifting features from a thirty-something african-american soldier into the albino features of the assassin known as Chiller.
Waller looked over and smiled "Looks like the Assassination Bureau is still in business. Hahahaha."
John Walker sat on his knees, staring at the tombstone sitting before him. He tried hard to force back the first tears he felt welling up in him since his parents' deaths. He clenched his fists in anger and beat the ground before him.
Lamar Hoskins had been Walker's best friend for many years now. They started in the army together when they were both just eighteen years old. They went throught the ranks together, and were chosen together to join Taskforce X. There they were given super-human enhancements and became part of the Freedom Fighters as USAgent and Battlestar. They fought alongside Uncle Sam, Silent Majority, and Lady Liberty. Then when the group disbanded after the deaths of Lady Liberty and Silent Majority at the hands of Kobra during the Janis Directive, both joined SHIELD in hopes of making a difference. They were both on distinguished agents, receiving numerous citations and rewards.
Then came the Silicon Dragon-AIM War. Walker had been on the ground fighting AIM troops. Lamar had been in the Helibase. Then came the explosions, and the Helibase was going down. Hundreds of good SHIELD agents dead. Lamar Hoskins, John Walker's best friend, dead.
John Walker stopped beating the ground and cried. The anger just wasn't there anymore. Now there is only heartache and despair.
When he was done crying John picked himself up and started walking. He had to start thinking now. Thinking about his future. Thinking about SHIELD, and if it still held a place in his life to come.
"Okay Jessica, give me the daily scoop."
Oliver Queen, newly appointed Director of Field Operations for SHIELD, looked sarcastically at his new assistant Jessica Woo. A nice girl, if somewhat overly technical girl, she is the daughter of legendary police detective Jimmy Woo, famous for his exploits versus The yellow Claw in the fifties. From what Ollie has heard of the man, she is a spitting image, tenacious, hard working, and very meticulous in detail.
"Okay, Mr. Queen here goes . . . Advanced Idea Mechanics has apparently gone into hiding to lick their wounds for awhile. Satellite scans of Boca Caliente reveal that nobody is currently home, and zero activity has occurred there since a mass hiatus three days after the Helibase fell in Tokyo."
" . . . and the Silicon Dragons"
"Apparently destroyed, all known bases have been crushed and they have suffered casulties in the hundreds. Although Lady Dragon has so far eluded us, we have agents in Tokyo searching for her right now."
Ollie sighed at the last comment, after the destruction of the Dragons, he had hoped that Lady Dragon would be easier to catch.
"President Marlo was on his television station again last night, preaching for a purification of the Middle East. He said that he is not afraid to strike against Asearia and is threathening war . . . "
Damn, Quarac has become a continuous thorn in SHIELD's side. Ollie knows that soon that problem is going to require serious intervention, because word is that Marlo has both biological and nuclear weapons in development, besides as growing super-human program. Luckily, SHIELD has successfully placed an operative amongst Marlo's Inner Circle.
" . . . and the United nations has requested our aid in stopping reported genocide on the Wakanda-Kenja border. Apparently it has gotten worse . . . "
Ollie had seen the news, and she was right, it had indeed gotten worse. Both the countries seemed unable to resolve their conflicts and innocents were being put in the middle. Ollie decided this situation was the one in most need of action. "Which Alpha Primary Ops are avaliable?"
"Sasha Martens, Ben Turner, Frank Castle, and that Duchess woman are all here . . . "
"Good, call them up . . . because it appears they are headed to Wakanda. Please inform The Prince that he will be receiving visitors soon."
***Tokyo, Japan***
***Twenty miles outside of Hugo Maximum Security Prison, Colorado***
***Battle Creek Cemetery, Michigan***
***SHIELD Headquarters, Paris Island, USA***
"I'll bet Ben is real sad he is missing this," whispers Agent Roy Harper to his companion, Agent Sasha Martens, who replies, "Oh yeah, it was this or a gambling and fine cuisine on a luxury liner, tough call."
T'Challa opens the large brash doors into his plush meeting room and instructs his guests to sit on the far end. Agent Frank Castle, Agent Martens, and Agent Harper all take their seats. The Agent known only as Duchess moves behind her fellows, propping herself against the wall. T'Challa, along with his bodyguard Zuri, move to the front of the room. Zuri pulls down a screen as the Price pushes grabs a remote control and begins a filming of horific proportions.
"This is what happened a week ago, in the border village of Musambia, where a small Vibranium mine is located" the Prince says as the group looks in shock and disgust. The scenes are ones of mass slaughter and total carnage. Men, women, and children filled with bullet holes and ripped to shreds. All of the homes burnt to the ground.
"My God…" replies Agent Martens in disgust. Being a SHIELD agent, she is use to both blood and death, but nothing as vile as the scene on the video before her.
"Prince…" Agent Castle chimes in, "I notice that while there is plenty of evidence of gun wounds and even knife wounds, some of those corpses appear to have been clawed, bitten, and/ or ripped to death. Dogs?"
"We don't think so. In fact, those deaths are part of why you agents are here. We found no evidence of dogs or other animals capable of this with the group. The intention is for us to find this group and bring them to justice. Intel sources say their trail leads to a village called Abaka across the border. With your assistance, a cadre of our finest soldiers will infiltrate this village and bring these savage killers to justice."
"These 'soldiers' gonna follow our orders?" asks Agent Harper, bored with all this conversation and eager for some action.
"They will follow mine. The Black Panther will be joining you!"
Whatever sources T'Challa had, they seemed to be correct. Abaka is full of fire and soldiers. There had been sentries posted outside the village, but they had been quickly and quietly dispensed of by Black Panther and Agent Castle. It appears as though the rest of the group is caught up in celebration of their 'victory'. They are singing and dancing around a large bonfire, drinking liquor and firing off their firearms. Sasha thinks to herself they are quite a foolish group, because their gunshots and loud, boisterous screams mark their locations for miles around. This group is either very confident of themselves or very, very stupid.
Sasha gives the signal as the Wakandan group and the SHIELD agents spread themselves out and prepare to attack. Once positioned, the group leaps from the shadows, hoping that the element of surprise will keep the gunfire and casualties to a minimum. One man near the center attempts to pull down his assault rifle but is met with a bullet between the eyes courtesy of Agent Castle. Another couple of men attempt to bring their weapons to bear as well, but they are shot down by members of the Wakandan forces.
Seeing the futile attempts of their comrades and slowed by the affects of liquor and partying, the remaining soldiers have no urge to lose their life in futility, and offer no resistance.
The Black Panther moves towards the nearest enemy: "You men are accused of genocide against the Wakandan people of the village of Musambia. Who is the leader of this group?"
As if almost on cue, an ear-piercing death scream turns everybody's attention to the outskirts of the skirmish. The sight is shocking. A Wakandan soldier, suspended several feet in the air. His heart lies outside his body, still beating and bloody, in the hand of his killer. Tall and scaly, his fangs dripping with saliva, his claws with blood. He is Death Adder. By his side his master. A tall man, his eyes filled with fire and evil. His back attached to a large pair of leathery batwings.
"That…" replies Solomon Prey, "would be me…."
"You have decided to join our festivities. How delightful..," Solomon Grey replies casually, a nasty sneer on his face as he looks with contempt from the SHIELD agents to the Black Panther. "…I leave the party for scant minutes and little T'Challa and some annoying little global policemen decide to crash. Did you think the slaughter of Musambia was your personal invitation to our little gathering.
The mention of Musambia greatly hightened the already tense feelings surrounding the occupants of this gathering. Agent Sasha Martens watch as Black Panther tightened up as if ready to pounce. Apparently she isn't the only one to notice because Death Adder lets out a long hiss and Solomon Grey's wings flap as though he is ready to shoot off into the night.
"Do you really think you can reach me T'Challa before I can fly away and blow you away from the skies? Then there is my little 'pet' here. Do you like my Death Adder? He was a gift from President Marlo of Quarac, quite the handy piece of genetic mutation, if I do say so myself. Amazing what a little money can buy between terrorists these days, isn't it"
At the mention of its name, the creature known as Death Adder drops it's bloodied corpse and hisses loudly. The heart that now lies beatless in it's hand is crushed to a mushy pulp and left to drip from the large claws. An immense creature, easily over seven feet tall, it is covered into orange-yellow scales, with large claws and two vicious fangs protruding from it's mouth.
On a silent hand motion from Agent Martens, the agent known as Duchess levels her massive cannon, declares "The big reptile is mine!" and fires a blast on concussion energy. The blast was more than enough to incapacitate, if not kill any normal man. As the air crackles with energy, the blast squarely strikes Death Adder in the chest, knocking him to the ground.
Much to the group's dismay, the creature, with chest smoldering and burnt, picks itself up off the ground and with lightning speed launches itself at Duchess. Instead of fear, Agent Martens notices, the eyes of Duchess seem to fill with joy as she quickly throws the huge weapon top the side and prepares to receive the weight of the creature, eager to test it's skills in hand-to-hand battle.
The sight of the battle between Duchess and Death Adder seems to have quite the effect on the morale of Grey's forces, as they forget their previous surrender and grab for the nearest available weapons. Suddenly all forces are engaged in both gunfights and hand-to-hand combat.
The Black Panther makes his leap at Solomon Grey, but the agile villian uses his wings to fly quickly into the air and make a, arrow-like shot high into the sky, out of the view of Panther's night-vision.
Meanwhile Agent Martens surveys the scene. She watches Agent Frank Castle with sheer amazement as he methodically fires a bullet into the head of an enemy, then turns in one fluid motion and heaves a dagger from his belt into the gut of another. He kills so easily and remorselessly, she thinks to herself. She has grown to almost hate Agent Castle, who she finds cold and creepy, but she also believes that she would rather have him here on her side, than to face him as an enemy.
"Yaaaa-Hoooo, come on boys, let's dance…."
Agent Martens turns to see Agent Roy Harper, firing shots at his foes. She watches as his shots go to incapacitate, not kill, his foes. Some would think that he was mearly just missing the killing blows because of poor shot selection, but Sasha knew better. She knew that when Roy wanted, Roy never missed a shot. With any weapon. At any time. He was that good. Of all the members of SHIELD, she had grown closest to Roy, and now she moved closer to him in the battle in order to protect someone who she considered, at least, a valuable friend.
The air is heavy with bullets, swords and spears. The ground is thick with bodies and blood. Both sides continue to battle on, though it does seem that the advantage lies with the Wakandan forces, mostly because of the aid of the SHIELD agents, who seem like they were born for battle. Also while Grey's men fight with liquor in their veins and because they have to, the Wakandan forces fight because they have passion in their hearts. Passion for revenge for the children, the women, and the men of Musambia.
Duchess evades a sharp claw that would have surely crushed her skull, as it lands harmlessly into the dirt beside her head. With lightning-speed she grabs the arm with one hand, shoving her other elbow into the creature's ribs. As he bucks back in annoyance and pain, she shifts to the side and punches the creature squarely in the snout, this time causing a great deal of pain, and spewing it's blood all over the both of them. "You may be strong and your claws may be sharp creature…" she says as the rises to her feet and grabs it by it's tail, "…but you are also stupid, and a lousy fighter.". Duchess then swings the creature into the nearest brick wall, slamming it's skull against the wall with a thud. And again. And again. Soon the creature moves no more.
Prince T'Challa is shocked as he feels a rush of wind and, too late to prevent it, is slammed from the side by the flying form of Solomon Grey. "Why are you doing this?" he asks, feeling the burning pain from broken ribs pounding into his side.
"Because I hate you, T'Challa…" Grey replies with malicious honesty, "…you and your people sit in you arrogance and prosper, while the rest of us starve and beg for aid. We want our share, and if we have to kill you and your people to get it, then by Hell we will do just that!" Grey's fist flies almost into the face of the Black Panther, but Price T'Challa summons up his strength to twist away. Despite his obvious training, Solomon is a fool to enter hand-to-hand with Black Panther, who is a much greater fighter. Grey twists in pain as a claw of the Panther rips into his side, and blood begins to ooze out. Unwillingly to risk his life for this endeavor, and seeing the anger in T'Challa eyes, Grey makes a desperate sprint to the sky in hopes of escaping.
Agent Harper, having aided Sasha and taken care of all their own opponents, witnesses the attempted escape and grabs a rifle from the ground. With unnerving accuracy, he fires a shot, which directly hits one of Grey's wings, sending him falling to the ground, just feet from The Black Panther.
T'Challa walks up to him, hatred still burning in his eyes, he prepares to strike the man in his won heart and kill him, when his wrist is grabbed by Agent Martens.
"What are you doing woman?"
"Look at him Prince, just look at him…" T'Challa looks at his fallen foe. Nearly unconscious, blood poring from the wound on his side and his mouth, one of his wings bent in an awkward position, the other one with a hole through it. "He is no longer a threat to you or anybody. So, what would you do now, kill him in cold blood. That would make him no better than you, and that I will not allow. He will be taken into custody and will face the law for the crimes he has committed. THAT is why we are here."
His bloodlust partially sated by Agents Martens speech, T'Challa relents his position and puts his claws down. He turns to see the few remaining members of Grey's forces surrendering, having seen both their leader and his powerful ally brought down. The victory has been achieved, but the price is very heavy, and many on both sides lie dead.
"Thank you Agents of SHIELD…" Proclaims Prince T'Challa, "Your help was greatly appreciated. Our enemies have been stopped and are paying for their crimes. Please know that you all are always welcome here in my homelands."
As the Prince and agents walk through a corridor to his private helipad, where Briscoe and Sheba await, the Prince turns to Sasha "You are a wise and skilled leader, and I hope that we will meet again."
As Sasha smiles and walks away with Agent Harper, and Duchess, The Prince grabs Agent Castle by the arm and pulls him to the side. "Here is all the information you requested on Kraven the Hunter, good hunting my friend." And with that he hands him a computer disk and walks away. Agent Castle laughs quietly to himself as he tucks the disk in a pocket and joins his team to return home.
Forge made a straight line for his intricate security system. Created by him in order to protect the many sophisticated weapons and technological wonders he had invented, there was probably no greater security in a private home in the entire country. Motion detectors, bio-heat detectors, and metal detectors, combined with a super-intelligence computer system, to make sure that nothing not indigenous to this New Mexico soil toiled within a mile of his home. Forge began to press buttons, checking for any activity during the three days he had been absent, but the computer yielded no information. Still, his uneasy feelings would not abate, something in the air just didn’t feel right to him. This was the native, spiritual-side intuition telling him to beware, and he knew to heed the call.
Satisfied momentarily that the problem was neither burglars or unwanted guests, Forge made his way across the house to hie video-phone and hit the button to receive messages left for him during the past three days. As the machine began to tally the messages, Forge pulled the water bottle from his pocket and looked out the giant glass windows which covered the eastern wall of his living room. The scenery was simply magnificent. Just rising dawn, the sky was awash with deep purples and reds. Panning down, he looked at the vast expanse of cacti and scrubs which covered the miles of desert between him and his closest neighbor.
Forge turned as the machine bleeped, announcing the first message, and was unpleasantly surprised to see the red hair and glasses of one Henry Gyrich.
“Forge, it is me, Henry. The President is considering reorganizing Checkmate and he want…”
Forge quickly hit the delete button and erased that message. Whatever Henry was selling, right now Forge wanted no part of. He watched the screen as the next face elicited a much warmer feeling within him.
“Hi darling, it is me Carol. The donation you made to the Danvers Foundation was way to generous…but we’ll take it. There is a dinner here to honor all our patrons next Friday here in Los Angeles, and a certain someone promised they would be my date. The dinner is at seven, so I’ll expect you here in town by four. The guest quarters is already set-up, so don’t even think about renting a hotel room or jetting back home immediately after the dinner. No excuses! Call me. Bye darling.”
Forge smiled for the first time since he had entered his home, and almost forgot his uneasy feeling. He stared at Carol Danver’s face, admiring the beauty of it, despite all the hardships she had endured. Years as a super-heroine, followed by raising a son by herself, breast cancer, and now the running of a huge charity organization. It was hardly a wonder why she had been known as ‘Ms. Marvel’ in the olden days. She was one of Forge’s closest friends, and had been for nearly to two decades now.
Forge hit the save button and reminded himself mentally to call Carol later and tell her how beautiful she was. Then he was shocked to see his next message contained his second beautiful blonde caller in a row.
“Hello Forge, Valerie Cooper here. The boys have been going over your modifications to the new Vault designs and have a slew on questions they want to grill you with. I assume you are out communing with the coyotes so as soon as you return would you PLEASE call me so we can set up a meeting.
Oh, and I saw Ollie on Friday and he told me to tell you hello and to offer you a job at SHIELD whenever you get tired of playing your ‘lone indian game’. Hahahaha. Anyways, I have got to go, please call me SOON. Bye.”
Forge made another mental note to call Val as soon as he took a shower and changed into some clean clothes. He then pressed the machine for his final message. As the last face graced the screen, the color left his face and his heart jumped to his throat. Trouble had arrived, and it’s name was Raven Darkholme. Worse still, her face appeared to be a combination of exhaustion and worry, and that alone was another to send fear into his heart.
“Forge, honey, I hope you show up at home soon. Listen to me carefully please. Irene has become very ill as of late. I have taken her to a barrage of doctors, and none seem to know what the cause is. She is unconscious most of the time, but when she wakes she speaks nonstop of prophecies and of merging worlds and changing pathways. This morning, she awoke with a start, and began talking about you.
She said you are in great danger. She said unseen enemies plot your destruction from the shadows. She said they fear your knowledge and ability and that you must be stopped before you can expose their agenda. She said you need to go to Las Vegas and ally yourself with friends, only then will you survive the coming war with those who would hunt you.
You know I trust Irene, but please call me ASAP. Come here to New York for awhile please. Val saiys SHIELD wants you and…”
As if on cue, like a bad action movie, the home security seems suddenly starts to sound.
“Four unidentified intruders have appeared outside. Due east, fifty feet from this structure.”
Forge reacted swiftly and switched the video-phone to security visuals. He also grabbed the pistol from beneath the table. ‘Appeared’ was always a bad side, denoted teleportation or some other power, which announced trouble. As soon as the visual arose he knew he was right. The fourth person Forge didn’t know, a tall ‘man’, dressed in all white, with nothing but a black circle on his chest. The other three intruders Forge recognized from SHIELD criminal files. The one with the cracked skull mask and cybernetic arms was Skullbuster. The one that looked all handsome was Pretty Boy. The one with a tank as the lower portion of the body and carrying a missile launcher was Bonebreaker. Together, they were known as the Reavers, cyborg thieves and mercenaries of the worst type.
To make matters worse, Skullbuster was pointing towards the direction where Forge was standing, and Bonebreaker was raising his launcher, preparing to fire.
BOOOOM!!!!
Forge quickly leaped behind a nearby wall as his living room exploded into a fiery mass, searing him with heat as it crawled around the corners. Forge started to make a run down the corridor as the amplified voice of Pretty Boy filled the sickly warm area.
“Hello? Hello? Bio-reader says you’re still alive mate. Why don’t ya make it easy an jus’ give ya’self up? This ain’t nuthin personal ya understand, but we owe our benefactors a debt for these fine gadgets they gave us, and that debt turned out to be you. Some be a luv and die quickly, k?”
As Forge ran towards the stairs, leading to the basement where both his weapon’s lab and skyjet are located, he suddenly wished he had come home early from his journey, instead of late this time. Having hiked home several miles, despite the fact that he was in peak shape, he was quickly becoming tired in the repressive heat that surrounded him. As he turned to hit the stairs, a laser blast hit the wall next to him, narrowly missing his head. From the corner of his eye he saw the form of Skullbuster standing at the end of the hallway behind him.
“Don’t listen to Pretty Boy, I enjoy the hunt. Run, rabbit, run.”
Forge fired several shots from the pistol and quickly made his way down the stairs. He knew the bullets in this gun, even it they hit the target, would be little more than an annoyance, and some stronger firepower would be needed.
Forge quickly made his way down the corridor and into his ‘red room’, where he housed most of his military and high-tech invention. First he grabbed a set of infra-red goggles and quickly stammered “voice ID: Forge. Total blackout.” Suddenly, the entire basement, without the benefit of natural lighting, was bathed in complete darkness. Next, as he quickly moved amongst his gadgets, he found a belt, which would shield his personal self from any machines, which detect motion or ‘living’ heat. As he scrambled to find the weapon he was thinking would be most effective against his enemies, he heard something small roll down the stairs and settle before the door to the lab.
BOOOOM!!!
The doors to the lab were melted to piles of goo as the vicious heat grenade stuck them, leaving the room exposed. As Forge found the weapon he was looking for amidst the chaos, a familiar voice immerged in the hallway.
“Be a good man and let me…”
Skullbuster never finished his message as Forge fired his weapon. Instinctively dodging behind the wall, Skullbuster was surprised to see the fist-sized profectile fly around the corner and firmly attach itself to one of his metallic arms. Suddenly a massive surge of electricity surged through his body and ‘buster fell to the ground, unconscious and smoking.
Seeing this as his best chance to escape, Forge made his way into the hallway and attempted to make his way to the launching room which contained his personal skyjet. Almost there, he was rocked by an explosion, as a laser blast tore most of his robotic arm from his body, burying shrapnel into his abdomen and nearly ending his flight right there.
Moving on pure adrenaline, Forge didn’t wait for whichever Reaver was behind him to fire another shot. Quickly, he leaped into the launching room and sealed the thick metal doors behind him. Knowing he only had seconds to spare, he quickly leaped upon his skyjet and opened the doors to the outside, hoping that none of his enemies were standing outside.
As the jet took off to the sky, Forge became aware that his home contained too many gadgets that the reavers could exploit in their evil ways, and sadly, made the following decree to his remote computers.
“Voice ID; Forge. Total Destruction. Code 8375309”
BBBOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!
Forge’s home was suddenly nothing but a giant fiery ball in the middle of the New Mexico desert. He hoped that the Reavers were trapped inside, but considering that the fourth member of their team was probably some sort-of teleporter, he doubted he had such good fortune today.
As the mind-numbing pain began to throb on the side of his body Forge had several thought come to his head. First, he needed to build an even better security system next time. Second, this was sure gonna put a crimp in some pretty ladies’ plans for him. Third, after he got some medical attention, it looked like he would be making a trip the the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas.
Ben was tired, and it was beginning to show. His boss, and close friend, Oliver Queen, could see it. They had been close friends for years, and nobody knew him better than Ollie did. So when he walked through the door for his mission to Wakanda, it took Ollie little more than a glance and the sound of his voice, and Ben was off the mission and one his way to a two week vacation. Ollie had even arranged for this little trip, a two week cruise aboard the Star Princess, touring Jamaica and several other tropical destinations.
“Here is your drink tiger.”
Ben smiled as his cruise partner, Karin Grace, walked up to their chairs with tropical drinks in hand. Ben smiled as he made a careful analysis of Karin’s beautiful body. She was slender, with stunning blue eyes and short blonde hair. Her ample curves were accentuated by the small, blue bikini which covered on a fraction of her glistening, well-tanned skin.
Karin had been the team psychologist for Suicide Squad while Ben was a member. Karin had been spurned by her lover, Mark Shaw. Ben had been in love with Mari McCabe, the woman known as Vixen, and she had left Ben to pursue her interests elsewhere. Both wounded and rejected, Ben and Karin had found solace in each other’s arms. First they had been friends. Then they became lovers. Now there was nobody that Ben trusted and cared for more than her.
“Come back to me Mr. Turner…where are you?”
“Sorry Karin, lost in thought I guess.”
“Thoughts of relaxation and rest I hope. This whole trip is about getting you away kung-fu fighting and super-villains bent on world conquest. You need to realize that the world will survive without Ben Turner watching guard for a couple of weeks. So sit back, drink your margarita, and relax. Later we will go have a nice dinner, then go make a fortune at the casino.”
Ben smiled as he listened the doctor’s orders. He quickly snatched the drink from her hands, and twisted his other arm around her waist, pulling her down atop him. He kissed her passionately. He agreed with her assessment. He was going to relax and enjoy this trip, escaping his overly exciting life for a while.
“Hit me.”
The dealer handed Ben another card, a seven of hearts, and made his move to the next player at the blackjack table. When everybody had been dealt, the dealer revealed his hand, an eighteen, and checked for winners. Ben was one of them, with a twenty. Ben smiled because lady luck was with him this evening. A quick glance of his chips revealed profits of over two thousand dollars. A very good night, it seemed, and one he attributed to beginner’s luck. While he had played cards occasionally, and had even sat in on several of Ollie’s poker games, his only other time inside a casino had been chasing Angi of Jihad inside the Golden Veil in Atlantic City. It was a little hard to play the slots when you are trying to stop a religious fanatic from burning the place to the ground.
Ben tensed suddenly as he felt someone watching him. Then, noticing the combined scents of White Diamonds perfume and tropical tanning lotion wafting up behind him, he let himself relax and smile.
“Won your fortune yet Ms. Grace?”
“No, I am ahead, but no retiring yet. Looks like you are doing quite well for yourself tiger. I guess I know he is paying for dinner when we reach port tomorrow evening.”
“Deal, are you about ready to leave? I think I have about reached my fun quota for the day.”
Karin grace rapped her arm around his and pulled close to his ear to whisper. “I am ready to leave this casino and go to our room, but don’t give up on the fun just yet, cause I still have plans for you.”
Ben smiled wider as he gathered his chips and readied himself to be off. He looked around cautiously as he left, as the little voice in the back of his head told him that it hadn’t been only Karin that had been watching him.
Ben turned from Karin’s beautiful face and looked at the clock. It was four a.m. in the morning. Ben was a very light and restless sleeper, part of his training. It was not unusual for him to be awake and doing Tai Chi exercises in the pre-dawn. Today looked to be no different. Ben lightly kissed his sleeping companion on the forehead and reached for a pair of black shorts, figuring to find an open spot on the above deck to exercise on. He didn’t figure to find many other passengers there, and that was fine with him, hoping that those that weren’t addicts to the casino were all comfortably nestled in their beds.
Ben locked the room door behind him and made his way to the main deck on this level. Empty except for rows of lounge chair and an unoccupied swimming pool, Ben found an open spot and looked out at the starry sky before him. It was very picturesque and very tranquil. Ben liked it a lot, and placed this moment in his memory as one of his happiest. He then closed his eyes and slowly began the movements of his morning Tai Chi exercises. His arms and legs gracefully twisted into prescribed positions.
His senses honed far beyond those of a normal human, he still barely turned in time to avoid the blade, which was meant for his belly, barely graced his lower arm. Someone was here with him, although he hadn’t heard him approach because of his distraction by the sky’s beauty and his inner thoughts. Worse still , the attacker appeared to be invisible, because although he saw the blood from the wound which now existed on his arm, he had not seen the blade nor the wielder.
“Hello luv, long time no see. Big Mama Waller sends her love, you filthy bastard.”
Ben recognized the voice. This was the assassin Manslaughter. He is a mutant with the ability to make himself invisible to anybody who hasn’t made direct eye contact with him. A master of knives and garrote wire who likes to kill his targets before they even know he is present. He is an unrepentant killer who Ben served with briefly in Suicide Squad and later discovered was part of Waller’s Assassination Bureau. Ben had fought him before, when Waller had corrupted Checkmate and attempted to assassinate the President of the United States. He was a formidable foe.
“Why are you here Manslaughter?” Ben asked as he prepared himself for attack. Ben briefly caught a glimpse of him off his left flank as the assassin quickly moved, seeming to circle him.
“I have been waiting for my chance to bugger you off. Ever since you bested me in Washington D.C. Now I’ve found you, and you’re gonna die!”
Ben felt the rush of air move against he right side. Had it been a normal person, Manslaughter would surely have buried the blade deep into their ribs. Ben was no ordinary man. He was a skilled martial artist who had been taught blind fighting from one of the world’s greatest fighters. He had senses that were honed far beyond even a well-trained fighter, and he had fought his opponent before, and knew his style and tricks.
Ben quickly twisted to the left and turned his head to the right, catching a glimpse of where his opponent was when eye contact was made. Almost without conscious thought, Ben grabbed the arm of Manslaughter and threw him. He flew through the air, making a large splash as he hit the surface of the pool. Ben gave him no time to recover as he quickly leapt in after him. Thanks to the impressions left in the water, he noticed that the knife was still in his wet hand. Ben quickly grabbed for the arm to disarm him. As he did manslaughter recovered and gave him a vicious head butt. Momentarily stunned, Ben lashed out with a vicious punch to the ribs, which sent his assailant splashing into the water. Ben was lucky that this battle was taking place in the pool, because the constant disruption in the water and the outline of water on Manslaughter’s body made him much easier to battle.
Manslaughter knew that he was at a disadvantage in the pool also, and attempted to escape, lashing wildly back at Ben as he made his way away from him. He made in halfway out before his dripping body felt the sting of a vicious blow to the back of his left knee. Falling backward in pain, he literally fell into the arms of Ben, and instantly felt two arms wrapped around his throat, choking the life out of him.
“Alright luv, you’ve got me, I surrender.”
Ben returned to the room at around 7 a.m. to find Karin sitting up in the bed waiting for him.
“Out exercising tiger?” Karin smiled and said until she noticed the bandaged cut on his arm and the large bruise forming on his forehead. “What happened honey?” She said rather cautiously, “Are you okay?”
“I am fine Karin. I was walking with my orange juice when a group of young children swept by me. I lost my balance and fell, hitting me head, and breaking my glass, cutting me.” Ben lied. He had decided not to tell Karin about the Manslaughter incident, fearing it would just upset her and put a damper on their vacation plan. Manslaughter had been held safely, until a SHIELD covert team had discretely came and wisked him off to his new home in prison.
Karin eyed him suspiciously, then quickly jumped up and pulled him down onto the bed with him. She began cooing softly and rubbing his hair above the swollen, growing knot.
“You poor dear, I will take care of you. Of course, don’t think for one moment that this will get you out of dinner and shopping in port today.”
Ben managed a fake groan, then wrapped his arms around his companion, kissing her deeply, determined to make the rest of this vacation the time of their lives.
“Damn!” Amanda Waller wailed as she slammed her fist down hard on the table, spilling its content across its surface and onto the floor. “Manslaughter is a pure idiot. How could he be so stupid? I didn’t authorize any hits, much less one on Ben Turner. Where is that idiot now anyway?”
Chiller took the cigarette out of his mouth and rolled his eyes as he considered how he answered the question. He could see the fire growing in Big Mama Waller’s eyes, a sign that saying the wrong thing could land him in her foul graces as well. He didn’t want to be there. “Einstein was taken into SHIELD custody and they are transporting him to the new Belle Reve prison complex I believe. You still have a couple people on the inside and it shouldn’t be too terribly hard to get him out before they attempt to transfer him to Hugo or some other place out of your reach. Mabye, you should just let the little worm rot, serve him right, he coulda jeopardized our entire operation.”
Waller frowned in dismay, “See what we can do about getting him out of there, so I can kill him myself, and make sure for future reference, nobody decides to have grudge-match battles with any of our former team members. As a matter of fact, let’s just stay away from any SHIELD agents for the time being, because I have my own plans for them.” Waller wrinkled her nose and cast her gaze away, as if in deep thought, and reached for the cigar she had sitting in her pocket. As she lit it up, and took her first puff, she got up and headed for the nearest window. As she looked out at the stars, she sighed in annoyance. She didn’t like this. Not being the master manipulator. Not having the control she had when she was inside the government. She needed to get back into the game somehow, and quickly, before she drove herself crazy.
Waller turned back to Chiller, “Any interesting offers come in the past couple of days?”
Chiller laughed as he flicked his cigarette ashes and poured himself a glass of whiskey from the variety of bottles at the bar, “Mostly just the same old stuff; dictators, presidents, blah, blah…did get one fairly interesting one though”
“And that would be…”
“The Secret Empire send a request. A lot of money attached to this one, must want this guy nixxed pretty bad.”
“The Secret Empire? We don’t normally get hits from those self-righteous bastards. Who do they want eliminated?”
“Some scientist-type. I guess he lives and teaches in Seattle. His name is Henry Pym. Use to be one of those super-types, called himself Ant-Man or Giant Dude or something….”
Waller picked up her laptop and began to search through her database for available assassins. Waller didn’t exactly like doing other’s dirty work, but she had the connections, and the money was too much to resist. She was suspicious though, because the Empire had never hired her out before, which meant they wanted this guy gone, but didn’t want their own hands bloodied. She made a mental note to do a little research later and see if she could dig up why.
“Okay Chiller, Fatale is available and in Tokyo. Send her an email and get her on it NOW.”
In the shadowy confines of the Secret Empire’s Primary Base lies the Inner Sanctum, where the members have gathered. Little more than a giant cave, the stone has been worked to a rounded shape, with rows of seats placed outside and around the center. Here the members meet for important information exchange and council in times of adversity. This is one of those times.
Dressed in their ceremonial hooded robes of crimson and blue, undistinguishable from one another except for the numbers displayed upon their foreheads. Some of the members have assembled for a conference.
Number Three moves from his spot in the outer rim and moves toward the room’s center to address the other members, “Status report: Project 3XE. Outside forces The Reavers have been contracted to eliminate possible threat Forge. Outside forces The Assassination Bureau has been contracted to eliminate possible threat Henry Pym. Agent 13 has assured me that the threat posed at Azule Sol will be removed. The Deathlok model has its orders and is on mission. Agents Five and Eleven are currently looking into other possible threats, including Advanced Idea Mechanics, Stark Corporation, and several of the worlds ‘super groups’. Analysis should be ready in several days. End of Status Report.”
It sits alone in the dark room of the cheap, shoddy motel. He glances momentarily, absentmindedly, with jerking, zombie-like movement. The blinking fluorescent light from the sign outside provided a brief distraction as a low hum began emulating from deep, inside the creature's cranium. It tilted its head briefly, as if to notice the sign, but then stared right through it, as if nothing was even there. Suddenly the light of the creature's robotic eyes lit a deep red, the color of fire and blood.
<< Systems online. Functioning at 20% and rising. >>
The creature looked down at its peculiar form, a strange amalgamation of both man and machine. Human flesh woven with wires of many colors and lengths. Pieces of metal fused into flesh and bone.
<< Life support systems functioning at maximum capacity. Weapons systems activated and charging. Memory chips functioning at maximum capacity. All motor systems at optimum physical levels. Deathlok Unit running at maximum efficiency and capacity. >>
<< Memory chip 6b running. >>
[ I remember now. I was once just plain, ordinary Michael Collins. Mild-mannered, shy, quiet Michael Collins was my identity. I spent my days analyzing, attempting to improving, and on a good day, maybe inventing robotic technology for the CyberAll Corporation. It was a good job. Six-figure salary, two weeks of vacation, company sedan, medical and dental, and all the perks that working on high technology could allow. Having no wife or kids, this lifestyle afforded the luxury of a nice home and plenty of money in the bank. ]
<< System Error 13: Cerebral functions operating at variant capacity. Attempting diagnostic on errant systems. Possible virus in animal tissues, attempting override. >>
[ Things all changed when Billy* brought IT in. Billy Mac said IT had been attempted to enter a computer research facility in Boulder, Colorado, and he had to "put it down". Billy said that he didn't recognize the technology and wanted IT analyzed by the best ‘puter brain he knew this side of the Rockies. He brought IT to me.]
*Billy Mac is William MacDonald, the hero known as Triumph
[When he first brought it to my lab I was very skeptical. I had studied
robotic designs at Gates Technology Institute and MIT. I had followed the works
of such geniuses as Henry Pym and Vladameir Putkin, but IT was something more.
Nothing I had studied could prepare me for the marvel I witnessed when I began
my investigation. ]
<< Diagnostic Error 78ex. Systems exhibiting unusually high levels of
cerebral activity and uncharacteristic emotions. Attempting to reroute internal
systems and realign inhibitors. System malfunctions evident in multiple areas.
Interference with primary objective possible, and this is unacceptable within
current mission statement. >>
[ I opened It and discovered an entire new world inside. The technology that
had created IT was like nothing that had been created on this earth. IT was far
too advanced for anything terran in origin. This was a truly amazing
discovery…robotics with an alien origin. I would be famous, a pioneer not only
in the discovery of something fabulous, but I would be the first to investigate,
and hopefully replicate this technology into something useful. Then it awoke.
Whatever damages IT had incurred in battle, while extensive, had not set in with
speed. With whatever energy it had conserved it lashed out in IT's final
minutes, and latched onto me, scientist Michael Collins. IT's hand exploded into
a hundred different wires, all attaching to my skin, pushing inside, combining
with my flesh. IT spoke to me inside my head. IT said "My mission must
continue. A Manhunter's primary goal is to survive. The Deathlok Unit must
survive. We will become one now human. Then the world went black.]
<< System Error Found. Systems Rerouted. Cerebral activity is now
within acceptable levels. >>
<< Accessing mission program: Infiltrator. Access complete. >>
The unit known as Deathlok the Demolisher walked from the corner, and the
shadows which it has been "sleeping" in. It pulled the suitcase from
under the bed and opened it. Pressing several buttons on the machine inside, he
shut the case and quietly made his way out the window and down the fire escape
to the desolate alley below. He had walked almost six blocks away when the motel
known as The Refuge Inn exploded in a fiery mass.
Deathlok walked another four blocks, keeping to the shadows, until he arrived
at the Carter Business Complex. It was late night, almost 3 AM, and the rain had
begun to pour, but Deathlok paid it no heed. He walked up to the Identification
System and looked at it cautiously, then placed a special card into the slot and
the doors slid open, with a brief gust of cool air, for his entry. Waiting
inside for him was a short, balding man in his mid-thirties with a wet mop and a
frown.
"Wait a frickin' minute? Who the heck are you? I was told I was letting
a couple of the boys in to pull a birthday…"
The janitor known as Willy Luckins, age 37, didn't get to finish his sentence
as a pistol moved with lightning speed from Deathlok's holster and aimed its
laser sighting towards Willy's head. A bullet entered his head directly between
his eyes, exiting out the back of his head with a disgusting splatter and ended
his otherwise unmemorable life. The body slid quickly down the wall it had
crushed into, leaving a long , red streak sliding down the pristine, white
walls.
<< Building information accessed. Blueprints engaged. >>
Quickly the Deathlok unit made it's way to the security camera and with
almost uncanny speed, attached a small piece of hardware that would make it
appear as though the corridor was still completely empty, rather than containing
the bloody body of the former janitor. With any luck, the officers on duty had
been doing something other than watching that particular camera for the last
several minutes. Deathlok speedily made his way silently down the corridor to a
door marked ‘Observations'. There he proceeded to open the door, and much to
the brief shock of his victims, shot SHIELD Agent Vince Cassel, 26, dead before
he even knew what hit him. His accuracy was 100 percent, armed with both an
online-targeting system and smart-gun, the poor agents barely had time to widen
their eyes in disbelief before Deathlok had pumped two shots into the head of
Agent Miquel Peron, 29. Then, as Agent Annabella Kraine, 30, attempted to drop
her almond chicken and chopsticks, and make a play for her pistol, Deathlok
fired his final shot, splattering the contents of her head across the table
containing the Agents dinner and reading material. It had apparently been a
quiet evening. Up until now at least.
Deathlok then began to check the security of the small SHIELD bureau he had
infiltrated. Sure he had eliminated all known targets in the office, Deathlok
made his way out of the corpse-strewn room, and down the hall to a door mark
"Intelligence". There he opened the door, and walked in. Seeing the
vast array of computers and equipment, Deathlok made his way to a chair near the
largest console, sat himself down, and plugged himself into the largest computer
in the room.
<< Accessing primary mission function: Interface and integration into
SHIELD computer systems. Access successful. Downloading all memory functions and
abilities of Deathlok Unit into SHIELD primary computers. Integration success
rate appears to be 100%. Secondary safety protocols enacted. . . . >>
Part of the problem could be Irene's unusual physiology. Irene Adler, 52
years old, widowed mother of one, is a mutant. At age twelve, at her home in the
back woods of Mississippi, she began to see visions. Visions of the future.
Visions of what might come to pass in the future. Irene could look at people and
see the paths their life might take. Some might see such a gift as a blessing.
Irene did at first too, but then the more she used her powers, the more she
began to realize what a horror her life would become. She saw the death of her
late husband, Harold. She saw the tragedies that would befall her only child,
Douglas. She saw so much death and disaster that her eyes gave out, and at the
age of 34, Irene Adler had gone blind.
It was not long after that fate brought her into the company of Raven
Darkholme. Between shared mutant heritages, Raven is actually the mutant known
as Mystique, and their shared heartaches of loves and lives lost, they soon
became the best of friends. Raven took care of Irene, and vice versa. They had
become family.
Now Raven took care of Irene in her time of need. Irene had been fine,
sitting at home, several months ago, on a day like any other. Then the visions
began. She had had strong visions before, but nothing like this. Brothers of
great power, battling each other. A great war. Worlds apart merged into one.
Irene couldn't comprehend their meanings, and their clarity taxed her poor body
to the limit. Irene tried to close her eyes and block the visions, but they
wouldn't stop, they flowed like rain into her mind, pushing out reality until
only glimpses of the future remained.
The visions still haunt Irene. Each day she wakes to new horrors of the
future of her world. She sees men hiding in the shadows of the cities. When they
emerge from the shadows they smile as they rip the flesh from their faces,
revealing shiny steel and cold, robotic eyes. She sees the proud city of New
York drenched in total shadows, quiet until the fires begin to rage and screams
of terror begin. She sees friends and family turn on another as their secrets
threaten to rip the entire world apart.
Irene Adler tries to open her eyes, but it doesn't matter. The visions are
still there, and they refuse to leave her alone. She is afraid. Afraid for
herself. Afraid for Raven. Afraid for the entire world.
"This is Shelley Kern with KCBC News, and today's top story is fire and
explosions in downtown Denver. First, at around 3:15 AM this morning, the hotel
known as The Refuge Inn, famous for its seedy denizens, exploded in fire, and
quickly burned to the ground, killing a suspected 12 people. Then, at 3:45 AM,
just a half-hour later, The Carter Business Complex exploded in a very similar
fashion. The building, which contained Airtime Cellular, several lawyers'
offices, and the SHIELD bureau office of Denver exploded into a fiery mass that
leveled an entire city block. Although fireman have just now finally put out the
blaze, there are estimated of as many as thirty people killed in the blast.
Police and the fire chief refuse to comment, but arson seems to be a likely
possibility at this time. We will have further developments on this story as
they come in."
Irene Adler lay in her bed at Sacred Heart Hospital of New York, her sheets
soaked through with sweat. She tossed and turned non-stop. Doctors of every
known specialty have been through her room's doors, but none as yet have been
able to determine her actual aliment or a suitable treatment for her malady,
much less a cure. A woman, Raven Darkholme, claiming to be Irene's niece, has
spared no expense to provide her with the finest experts the world has to offer,
but so far her efforts have been in vain.
The End...For Now...
Originally published in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #½, #1, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Spotlight: Forge,
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Spotlight: Deathlok.
May not be republished without the permission of the author.
Characters used without permission, but without intent of harm or profit.
DC/Marvel: The Merging is a fanfiction site, and is not affiliated with nor
endorsed by DC Comics or Marvel Comics, nor any company that owns these
characters. All of the stories here are written for fun, and the authors are not
making any profit from them, and do not intend any harm to the original
creation. This site is for entertainment purposes only. DC/Marvel: The Merging
concept created by Chip Caroon, developed by Chip Caroon and Ritchie Filippi,
with other writers.