The "Heroes Vs Villains" Marvel RPG - Season IV

[JewishHobbit]

Herman Schultz, the Shocker, steps into the bank. He is draped in a long trench coat, covering his yellow and brown quilted costume. He walks with his head high, pride in his eyes. In the past he would have tried to rob a bank in secrecy, but no more. He walks directly into the bank and nods to the security guards. The two men quickly jump to their feet and rush toward him. When only inches from the Shocker, it's like they hit a vibrating wall and they are both shot back against the glass that divides the main area of the room and the small offices. They break through each glass wall as all begin to jump to their feet and scream.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he says outloud, "If you would please, shut up! I have a desired goal today and your cooperation would be appreciated."

He stops speaking as he hears the conversation of two male customers near him.

"It's only the Shocker, the guy's a loser," one says.

"We can take this guy," says the other.

Herman smiles under his mask and continues his speach, knowing of the oncoming attack.

"I'm called the Shocker, and I'm here for the money, but a little more as well."

He sends micro vibrations through the air and traces the movements of the two men. They are circling around him and plan to surprise him.

"I will willingly admit that I've been something of a joke in the past, but no more. I have recently proven to myself that I am a threat, and today I will prove it to others who may wish to know."

The two men are near now.

"Those who would call me weak, those who would call me stupid, they will know, after today, that the Shocker is a force to be reconed with. Allow me to demonstrate."

At this Shocker turn and faces the two men. The first leaps toward him, but the shocker turns and trips the man, who falls forward. The second man's hand is caught in mid swing. Shocker puts his foot on the back of the first man who now lies on the ground, and suddenly the floor of the bank begins to violently vibrate. The man screams as the man in Herman's hand screams for his friend. The man on the floor begins to cough as blood runs through his nose and mouth. Then the ground is stilled, and the man still.

"And for you," he says facing the man in his hand.

The man's eyes widen as no sound comes from either of them. Their eyes hold one another until finally a sickening snap is heard, followed by another and another. It becomes like gunfire as the man falls to the ground in agony. Blood begins to run as his skin breaks.

Shocker looks to the two men below him and then to the others who look on in shock and tears.

"I have broken nearly every bone in both of these men's bodies with barely a thought and with only a small amount of the power within me. Now imagine what I can do with you and this building if anyone else has any heroic ideas. I'll allow the two security guards whom I just threw through the glass walls to take these men and to leave. Get them to a hospital, and maybe they'll live. After that I will be locking the doors and no one will be leaving. If I have to hurt another of you, you will stay here and die here if necessary."

The only sound that echos through the bank is that of crying and the whales of the two men. Shocker watches as the guards come and look over the men. Shocker then steps near them.

"Allow me."

Shocker looks to the men and lets micro vibrations sweep over them. They scream more.

"Stop it, please!" comes a woman's voice.

"Stop it? You do not question me again, or you will die, understand? I've now reset these men's bones and I will gently lift them on a vibratory bed of air and will carry them to the sidewalk outside. You two guard will accompany them and call for an ambulence at that point. When they are secured, I want you to tell the police about me, and I want you to draw as much attention to this bank as possible."

The guards look to him confused, but after a moment nod. The two men raise ever so slightly and begin to hover toward the door, as the two guards follow after. Once gone, Shocker looks to the doors and slams them shut. He pulls a chain and lock from his coat and secures the door.

"You see, I can be an angel to you, or I can be a demon. It's your choice how this will turn out."

A hand slowly raises from a crowd of men behind the desk.

"May I help you?"

The man speaks nervously, "Why are you doing this?"

Shocker smirks, "Two reasons. The first is because I'm finally going to demand the respect I desurve, and the second is because after a lifetime of nothingness,..... I accually can."

[Hyper Venom]

"Well, Bruce, then we'd have to lock you up. But I'll be damned if I let that happen. Don't worry. We've got the best on call. We'll beat this. I promise. Now....."

Cap reaches into the back of the quinjet, walks out, and hands a small collar to Bruce.

"Put this on. It's a genetic inhibitor. The kind they used on Mutant slaves back when that was legal in Genosia. If you start to transform, I'll press a button and the collar will shock you with a radiation frequency that will stun your mutated genes."

Bruce stared at the collar that Captain America had just handed to him. He had no idea what to say to the notion that he would have to wear this thing at all times.

*******

"The hell is this?! Some kind of dog collar?" exclaimed Mr. Fixit.

"It's the only thing that will stop me from transforming, Joe," replied Bruce as he leaned against a wall.

"Yet another futile attempt to keep me at bay, actually," said Devil Hulk, who was still trained to the far wall.

The Professor approached Bruce.

"What are you going to do, Bruce?"

*******

Bruce continued to stare at the collar. Then, he slowly put it on.

"Thanks, Cap...Steve..."

It was degrading. He hated having to wear it. But it was necessary.

"Listen, if it's all the same to you, I think I'd just like to get some shut-eye right now."

[The Question]

"Of course."

Cap leads Bruce inside to his room.

"The house is yours for the time being. I'll be staying in one of the spare rooms at the Mansion while you're here. Now, I have to go, but I'll stop in to see how you're doing tomorrow."

Cap heads back out to the quinjet, and flies back to the mansion. Upon landing, he heads into the main room. Hank was sitting down on the chouch, looking worried.

"Hey Hank. What's wrong?"

"Somebody kidnapped Wanda."

"What? Oh God. Where are the others?"

"Clint and Pietro went after her. They think Magneto did it."

"I wouldn't be surprised. I'd go and help, but Nick called and asked me to work out some plans to try and settle this whole U.S./China situation."

"God, things have gone to hell in the past few days, haven't they?"

"Yeah. But we'll pull through. We always do. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

Cap heads down into the War Room. He turns on one of the computers, and begins searching through the team's data banks for possible recruits that would help him in the current situation. Finally, he stops upin a name that would be of much help. After a few moments of searching, he finds the person's last known cell phone number. He calls.

"Hello? Listen. I have a job for you."

[SonnyBlack]

It had been months and months of treatment as the doctors finally gave up on Jason. The best doctors money could buy but the money was all dried up now and the doctors wished me the best of luck as they were on their way. All these months of therapy left Jason thin and skeleton like as he sat in his crummy apartment alone, it was only time till there was nothing left. As the phone rang Jason wondered if he should bother if it wasn’t for the prospect of talking to another person for the terribly lonely man.

“Hello this is Jason.”

Listening to the instructions given to him he left his apartment with a smile, he was actually needed.

[batnkevlar]

I have the last Councilman strapped to a slab of iron, his legs and arms starpped like an "X". I then proceed to bend the slab backwards, snapping his vertabrae one by one. As the man dies, my cell phone rings. My phone floats to my ear.

“Heeeeey Mr. L.”

“What happened?”

“The first rule of Project Mayhem is you do not ask questions.”

“Idiot.”

“Okay I got her.”

"Good. I knew I could trust you."

"Golly gee, Mr. L."

"Shut up. My patience only goes so far. Bring her to Genosha, into my palace. Let her taste the riches of the world, set into her lap. And prepare for the rescue team."

http://www.brokenfrontier.com/img/2005/may/Marvel/ULTXM062_COV.jpg

[twylight]

The early morning breeze touches my cheek softly like a mothers touch, I tilt my head towards it from my position in the large club chair. My back was against one arm and my legs draped over the other, the kitten lay in my lap, her soft vibrations from purring travel through my body as I stroke her back.
I let my hand follow the curve along her spine, reaching the end of her tail I bring my hand back to repeat the motion. Back and forth, back and forth, her pleased vibrations like a hundred shudders per second.

I look out the window at the black sky I can see over the neighboring buildings roof. Tiny stars peeked out as if afraid the city lights would chase them away, back into the darkness from which they emerged. City lights that should have scared me.

I awoke with a start, the sweat pouring down me. I gasped for air as if drowning. The kitten stood up, from her place next to me on the bed with a hiss at my sudden movement.
The dreams had come again.

The green glow from my bedside alarm clock reads 1:35 am.

I stood up and walked to the bathroom in the dark. I didn’t turn the light on, I didn’t need to. I could see everything. I rinsed my face off and dried it, shivers going up and down my back, my hands shook and I tried to steady them, by grabbing one with another. I made my way back to the bedroom and pressed my hands against the wall focusing, my eyes closed.

My luck…who was I to even think about it with my luck. I couldn’t escape it and neither could anyone else around me. Why had I stayed?
A tear fell and I could feel it falling, one single drop of nothing into black emptiness below.

“Meow?”

I wiped my tears away and looked down at the kitten as she rubbed her body up against my naked ankle. Bending down I pick her up and hold her to my face, letting her lick the tears that had gathered on it.
I walk to the window and open it, the night breeze rushing into meet me as if to take all my fears away. I slip into the large club chair by the window and position the kitten on my lap and begin to stroke her. Making my mind go blank I concentrate on the street noises that filter in, the breeze and the warm ball of fur in my lap.

I glance at the clock on the wall. Its hands read 4:23 am.
I look down at the kitten, her hair black in the night though the light brown patches show up so I can see.

I look at my unmade bed, the sheets tossed off in my haste to escape from the terrors, lay in the exact same location. The white curtains fluttered in the breeze like ghosts playing on the wall.

My brain seemed to jumpstart after its numbing inactivity for the last few hours and I stand up, the kitten tumbling from my lap. I move quickly not wanting to think or change my mind.

In minutes I’m up on the roofs. Running over them, leaping, twisting, tumbling. No cables, no safety net at all. Time flew by as I leapt and flipped from roof to roof, running along them quietly. My hair was lose and wiped and flowed behind me, my face uncovered I let the wind rush against it. I slowed as I caught sight of a cross in the distance, I stopped entirely when I came to the roof of the church. I stood balanced on the roof next to it, the high spirals and crosses that overlooked the street below were on eye level with me. I looked around at my surroundings for the first time and recognized where I was.

Hell’s Kitchen.

The one they called Daredevil’s territory.
Just my luck, I mentally laugh at that thought…luck…
Beneath me in the dark alley way I can make out a black cat rummaging through the trash cans, a black cat near the church. Backing up a little ways I run, placing my hands on the edge of the roof and flip onto the Church’s roof landing next to a cross. I kneel down and look at the footprints next to the base of it.
Not normal people’s footprints. I touch them with my cold bare fingers before standing up. Walking and jumping softly through the church’s various roof levels I cross to the building on the other side of it. Leaping I turn and look back over the church, listening. For the most part silence fills the air, the sound of a few isolated cars driving by seem to pierce the cold early morning air as the stars begin to fade from the dark sky.

Turning I continue on, picking up my pace, stopping when I hear the “KLANG”.
I turned my head listening for the sound again, and again it came. The noise of metal trash cans clanging against each other. I raced in the direction, the background noises getting louder as I drew closer, the sound of scuffling feet, the dull thud of punches.
I stopped over the spot the sounds were coming from. Balanced on the edge of the building I peeked over into the dark alley. I can barely make out three guys. One of which was the less than lucky recipient of the punches.

Don’t think, just do.
But I can’t. I promised myself, I told myself no. I was not going to be a hero again, I wasn’t even going to try. I don’t deserve it.
I stood up, my head bowed as my eyes were trained on the drama below. I clench my jaw. This isn’t my town, and even if it was it wasn’t even my part of town.

New York was divided into segments. Each area having it’s own ‘hero’ from where I stand right now, I’m in the red area. Daredevil’s domain.
I have no right to be here, and I don’t want to. I force myself to look up at the sky. It’s that everlasting, darkest before dawn hour. The stars have hid themselves away from the eyes of those not blessed enough to see them and I have closed my ears to the pleading and the noises below. I bite my lip as my mind comes up with reasons why not to help, yet every time there is a valid answer.

It’s not my town… But you live here…

It’s not my area… You think he’ll care?

I can’t do it… Just jump…

Then what? Get ID’ed? Be seen? Have a disgruntled hero come after me because I was on his turf after dark?
You think he cares so little for the people in his ‘turf’ that he wouldn’t have you help?

I turn and walk away. There is no reason for me to help.

“heeelllp.”

“Ain’t no one gonna help you little man.”


The words pierce the night, the first spoken words I’ve heard in hours….

I run and jump off the roof, coming down between the two attackers, my hair streaming behind me, punching them both in the jaws, quickly and efficiently.

They’re caught by surprise and offer no defense, they just fall. I turn to the roughed up guy against the alley wall. The sun is creeping up now, the sky touched with it’s gentle light. His mouth hangs open and I realize how stupid I was.

I have no mask on. Quickly I race down the alley and swing myself up onto the fire escape.

“Wait..! Who are you?” He calls. I stop for a minute, the question catching me off guard. I pull my black turtleneck collar over the lower part of my face to hide what I can.

“Ummm…..I don’t have a ‘name’”

[SonnyBlack]

“Finally some peace.”

Alex thinks to himself as he closes his eyes just waiting till the plane lands in Genosha.

“Hey Mr. what’s wrong with your wife?”

Waking up Alex sees the kid in front of him turned around poking the unconscious Wanda.

“Stop that you little brat don’t you got some boogers to eat or something?”

Just then the flight attendant pulls up to the kid and serves him some milk and cookies as she gets to Alex.

“Milk and cookies sir?”

“Yes please.”

“Oh I’m sorry sir we ran out of milk.”

Alex could see the kid turning around in his chair giving him a great big smile. Putting his face into his hands he pauses a moment and turns to Wanda.

“Hmm…”

Eating his milk and cookies and watching Captain Kangaroo he gets a slight nudge to his side. Turning he sees Wanda waken but obviously in a dazed state as she is looking right at him.

“Aw Crap you’re not supposed…”

“Uh… where Am I?”

Not sure what to do Alex says the first thing that comes to his mind.

“Hey honey, were almost home.”

…Several hours later they arrive at the Palace of Magento

[Spider-Man9X17]

"Welcome to Genosha, Clint Barton. I can assure you the stay wil not be pleaseant. It never is."

Hawkeye and Quicksilver stepped off of the Quinjet several miles outside of Genosha's capital city. The vast forest and vegetation of the island shielded them from view. Still, Hawkeye reached for his bow. All composite material, no metal at all. Same for his arrows, and anything on his person. It was an advantage, however small. Still though, iut would take more than fancy toys if Hawkeye was going to leave this Hell on Earth alive.

"So, this is Magneto's grand paradise," Hawkeye snorted. He looked over to Pietro.

"Well, lead the way. I'm sure Daddy Dearest will be so happy to see you. I just hope he made enough meatloaf for dinner."

Quicksilver wrinkled his nose.

"You are a peculiar one."

"Yeah, well, powerlines and paint chips and all that good garbage."

[Midnight Ice]

"Wade...it's bad enough that you have a horrible imitation of my original costume, now you have to steal my web shooters?" Spider-man sighed, rubbing his head.

"Bobby, you're right...web slinging to kentucky may be a little slower then the blackbird. Lead the way." Spider-man said...
"ACtually, right when you forst showed up, I signaled for the Blackbird to come to our location. Just look behind you."

The heros look off in the distance to see the Blackbird headed their way.

"Wade....just don't blow it up, like you did in Genosha, ok?"

The Blackbird settles down and the heros board it. bobby and Warren man the controls.

"We should be there in no time. Better put on the seat belts."


OOC: Sorry for the very slight bunnying to all involved. I can edit if needed.

[ElectroFlare]

Spider-man settled into the blackbird seat. It had been a while since he'd been in the Blackbird.

"So, Bobby, what's the plan? Snowball fight with ugly?" Spider-man laughed, pointing at Wade.

"And what are we gonna do about Juggernaut?

OOC:I don't mind the bunny, and I'm pretty sure Electro UK won't mind either...Midnight Ice, take the liberty for such a trivial bunny whenever you like, as long as its not significant...

[SuperFerret]

The door opens, and a figure is silhouetted in the light that pours into the room. I bring my hand up to shield my eyes. The figure approaches.

"You're awake. Good." the figure says in an old woman's voice. She was, in fact, an older lady, and she carried a tray with a bowl of soup and a glass of water, which was obviously for me.

"Thank you." I say as she hands me the food. "Where am I?"

"This is my home," she replied, "don't you remember? You were in the homeless shelter I volunteer at, and I offered to take you in because you didn't have a place to stay."

"Yes, I remember now, you said I reminded you of your son."

She nodded, "That's why I helped you, I couldn't bear to see another young man's life ended the way Stephen's had been." She looked so miserable all of a sudden.

"How did he die?" I asked suddenly, and I instantly regretted it.

"It was a drug overdose, two years ago." she looked up at me and forced a smile, "I'm sorry, sometimes it just sneaks up on me there. You've never touched those dirty pills ever, have you?"

"Not that I remember." Have I?

That was last week. I've been living with Mrs. Johnson since then and she's taken good care of me, so I began to wonder how I'd be able to repay her kindness. She reminded me of someone I knew, or I think I knew, an aunt or someone similar.... there's still so much I can't remember.

I have a name now. We came up with it one night, after Mrs. Johnson realized she didn't have anything to use to refer to me. Names like Tom, Dick and Harry were tossed back and forth, until we came up with it.

I'm now called Jonathan.

With a new name, and a new home, I go out into New York City to find a job as a new man.

Watch out New York, 'cause here I come.

[Keyser Soze]

In Grand Central Station, Bullseye continued merrily picking off civillians with his sniper rifle. He was into double figures now. And, of course, every death was on Daredevil's head.

"Where are you, Devil?" Bullseye murmured to himself, "Don't you want to come out and play?"

[Batman]

I swing through the night sky,feeling the breeze course through my body.

He's out there.I know he is.And he isn't going to stop trying to get my attention.Which,in the long run,should make it easier to get to him.That's how his sick mind works.It's typical of him.And,to the same degree,even,typical of me to go after him like this.

At the same time...I can't ignore him.If I do,more people will die.Hell,I think if he had the capability,He'd kill all of New York just to make sure I lived my life in torment.Then he could finally say that he had destroyed me.Maybe that's what he was thinking when he killed Elektra.Maybe it's what he was thinking when he killed those people on the bus,and layed them out to spell my name.

Either way,I'm getting tired of his train of thought.This ends.Tonight.Whether we both die,whether he kills me,or whether I finally snap and kill him...This fued...this...battle,It all ends on this night.

I land on the Clocktower,listening to the sounds of the city.Bullseye won't do this discreetly...His ego,or his rage,won't let him do something that I'll miss.And then...like an beakoning...a symbolic gesture warning me of the forthcoming battle...It roars into my ears.

The screaming.

People...hundreds,maybe less...all screaming about something in fear.Something's happening.Something that would make innocent people scream.Whether it's Bullseye,or someone else...I can't allow it to continue.

Shooting my grapnel out at a nearby building,I leap,catching the air amongst my body,once again,as I pull up on the cable.My radar senses work themselves,penpointing the exact location of the screaming,and directing me to it.

It takes minutes.Long,grueling minutes to get to my destination,but finally,I land across from it.

...Wait.Something about it.It's familiar.Recent.The scents,the feeling of the air around it,hitting the building's structure...It all feels like I've been here yesterday.The scents become recognisable within mere seconds.

He's here.Damn him...He came back to the scene.He had to signify it...He had to make this battle meaningful.He's led me right back to the spot...To throw me off.He's led me to Grand Central Station.

I take my billy clubs,place them in my holster,and leap over the few remaining people,running out.With a flip,I land right at the entrance,and sprint inside.The scent of fresh corpses hits my nostrils,as I stop in the main part of the station.I tap my finger along the floor,illuminating a truley gruesome sight before me...

Bodies.Too many to count,yet small enough to just grab my attention.I also smell the ammunition of a sniper.

...It's too coiencidental.NO ONE else could be behind this.

I raise my head,gritting my teeth...as the anger boils inside me.Then,I call out his name...with the fury of the Devil.The rage of the Devil.

I am...the Devil.And he is my prey.His name is...

"BULLSEYE!"

[Spider-Man9X17]

Hawkeye didged his way past civilian after civilian in the crowded streets of Genosha's capital. To be quite honest, it was nothing like he expected. Well kept streets, medium sized modern buildings, a town square/market, pretty much anything you'd find in rural America. And looming behind it all as a constant reminder was Magneto's palace, his citadel. Clint'd blood ran cold.

"Bet it's fun playin' 'hide 'n go seek' in there."

"Yes, quite," Quicksilver replied offhandedly.

"So, what are we looking at in the way of resistance?"

"None."

Hawkeye cocked an eyebrow. He was surprised they made it this far unnoticed, and now Pietro was going to have them walk into the lion's den untouched.

"These people would not dare harm the son of Magneto. This land, if my father would have it his way, is my legacy. My inheritance. It is time to play the ego card."

Hawkeye grinned.

"Nice to know people in high places."

[Electro UK]

Spider-man settled into the blackbird seat. It had been a while since he'd been in the Blackbird.

"So, Bobby, what's the plan? Snowball fight with ugly?" Spider-man laughed, pointing at Wade.

"And what are we gonna do about Juggernaut?

OOC:I don't mind the bunny, and I'm pretty sure Electro UK won't mind either...Midnight Ice, take the liberty for such a trivial bunny whenever you like, as long as its not significant...

"Snowball fight with ugly? Offend my skin? Deep burn web man, I wasn't going to mention it since I thought it was harsh but I found your diaries, yeah you have sexual problems... okay I made that up... but I did find out you have a tiny... alright fine I got nothing. But for future reference, call me ugly again, and I'll set my 14 year old teenage side-kick on you."

[Spider-Man9X17]

"Do you even remember who you are anymore? Where you came from? What you stood for? Are you even the same person? The fire on the outside was just an extension on what burned inside you for so long. The passion, the impulsiveness, the quick wit and dry humor. Stepping up under pressure. Action before thoughts. Those were you. A born leader, but a leader by example. Your actions speaking louder than words. To organize a group, to stand before countless dozens and rattle off commands, to run a business? That was never for you. Is that why you failed. Is that why you gave that position up. Or was it the doubt too? The doubt that had never been there before, because you could never be hurt. Physically, yes. But emotionally, you were untouchable, above the rest. Until you were hurt, from all sides. Burnt by a flame hotter than you could ever imagine, driven mad by the near loss of your own flesh and blood, and let down by those who were always supposed to pick you up. The flame that burned inside began to dim until it was extinguished by the last drop of blood from a broken heart. The inner fire went away, and the outer flame became unwilling. Nwo you live a lie, a lie that you also force upon the last people to hold your hand, to follow you. You have let yoru enemies win. They have drove you away. You are not a hero. You are a coward, hiding in fear while they laugh at you."

Johnny Storm sat straight up in bed, gasping for air as a cold sweat ran down his face. The room was bathed in an eerie blue light from the full moon that hung in the sky just outside the window, the sound of the ocean crashing against the shore lightly filling the air. Frankie slept soundly beside him, oblivious to her husband's plight. Another dream. They had been coming for the last week, hazy and uncomprehendable at first. This was the clearest of all, and the most terrifying. So terrifying because, God help him, it was true.

[Duker Jay]

The Thing continued his bee-line through brick walls and steel supports before emerging onto the street in front of one of the city's banks. Police cruisers, with lights flashing, ringed and area around the main doors. People were scurrying about when Ben plowed, headlong, into one of the cars, sending it onto it's side.
He stopped there, his anxiety rising again with flashes and yelling of police officers. Ben looked around, through his fearful daze and closed his eyes.
"AAARRRGGHHH!!!" His mighty roar stopped the noise for a moment before it resumed again, this time mixed with the sound of a hail of bullets.
The Thing was struck numerous times on his rocky hide, the bullets making little difference but enraging the orange-skinned behemoth, nonetheless.
Ben slammed both fist on the ground and turned to flee once more.
This time, Ben ran straight through the doors of the bank and was soon across the room from a crowd of frightened civilians and the villain known as The Shocker.

[JewishHobbit]

"The Thing huh? You'll do."

And with that Shocker holds out his hand and fires a blast of vibrations toward his new foe. Simplistic is the deed, but it is simply the warmup.

[twylight]

Saturday afternoon I walk down the streets, it’s busy with the bustle of tourists and people trying to go places.
Trudy and I had made a dinner of pot roast last night and this morning she’d taught me how to make chocolate chip cookies. I’d brought the kitten along with me and she’d sat quietly on the floor watching us, sometimes she got into a small spat with Shadowcat and Streaky, before calming down and allowing the two older cats to wash her.
The whole time I’d been trying to forget the night before, I focused solely on the job at hand. Crack the eggs, measure the flour, stir it around. The memory of last night faded, yet stayed as vibrant as an orchid. Soft, yet harsh in it’s starkness. I’d gone back up to my room and tinkered with my mechanical projects, yet I was restless and had soon grabbed a small baggy of cookies and my as of yet unused camera.
I had this fascination with taking pictures I don’t know why. Several of my own pictures hang in my apartment, mostly black and white. I liked to capture things as they are at that moment. Maybe it was because we can’t capture ourselves in a moment in time, we can’t stop our lives. Yet photographs allow me to capture moments in time and it makes me feel safe. The black and white format seems to capture the stark black and white characteristics of humanity.
Maybe that’s what my problem with being a hero is. There is no black and white, just grey and I’m not prepared to face that. Because black and white is all I see, or is it all I want to see?



“LOOK!” I turned my head at the call. A man was poised with his arm up in the sky pointing. The Avengers jet was flying over head. The tourists took out cameras and clicked away, while the regular New Yorkers either glanced up or didn’t look at all.

People, living abnormal lives like it was normal. I shook my head, I wasn’t one to speak. But it mystified me that humans were so good at adapting to change.

I raised my camera but focused on the man, not the heroes plane. Clicking a few pictures I moved on, pulling a cookie out and munching on it I study the city.

So engrossed in the people I hardly notice where I’m going. The sound of church bells behind me causes me to turn. Turning I find myself looking up at a large church building, with spirals and crosses adorning the roof.

I give a little gasp.

The church…..I look down sharply at something that catches my eye. A black cat runs past my feet.

The crowd seems to slow around me and I step towards the church. Placing my hand on the large brass handle of the large carved wooden door I push it open and step in. Th smell of wax, Lysol and incense envelopes me as the door swings shut with a dull “thump” muting the loud noise’s of the street behind it.

I stuff the empty plastic bag in my pocket and walk down the rows of empty pews, stopping at one and taking a seat. I sit down and fold my hands in my lap staring up at the large crucifix that hung in the central position.

“Well, you’re not a regular.”

I turn at the soft voice to see the Priest coming down the right side aisle.

“Do you mind?” He asked as he took a seat in the pew in front of me and to my right. Turning so that he could see me.

I shook my head.
“No, I just came in here to…get away from the noise.” I replied smiling.

“Mhh…it’s always good to escape from the busyness of life and just have quiet time.”

I nod and look at the lit candles at the front of the church.

“You’re in the business of saving souls.”

“Only the souls that want to be saved.”

Silence fills the air and I feel comfortable here, much to my surprise I’m reluctant to go, yet there is nothing to talk about.

“How can you tell if they want to be saved?”

“Well, them walking through the doors is a good hint.”

I turn and smile at him as he smiles back.

[Duker Jay]

"The Thing huh? You'll do."

And with that Shocker holds out his hand and fires a blast of vibrations toward his new foe. Simplistic is the deed, but it is simply the warmup.

The wave hits Ben and knocks him back a few feet. Ben's head is on a swivel as he looks around in a panic. His fears completely cloud his mind. Before he can react, The Shocker brings a huge column down on Ben.
Although buried in rubble, The Thing has little trouble standing up. Ben's mind races...unable to form coherent thoughts. He can only feel the fear.

"NOOO! NO HURT THING!!!"

[Spider-Man9X17]

Johnny sat in a lawn chair on the balcony just outside his bedroom, gazing out over the endless ocean. The waves rolling up and crashing against the shore, the few distant calls of a seagull, the fresh smell of salt water tingling at his nose. It would have been heaven for anyone else.

"Johnny, breakfast is ready," Frankie said, opening the sliding glass door.

"K."

Frankie went to close the door, but hestitated.

"Johnny, are you OK? You've seemed tired lately, worn out, like something's on your mind."

"Just tired. I'll be down in a few minutes." His voice was now distant, with a certain harshness to it.

"Sweetie..."

Johnny didn't wait for her to finish.

"I said I would be down in a minute! Can you do anything but nag me! Sweety this, and honey that! It's disgusting! You wanna know what's bothering me? You! You and this godforsaken house and this damn little town. I had a good thing going, but then you and those little brats come along, and now I gotta go hide like a little b**ch because someone might get hurt."

Frankie's bottom lip quivered. She wanted to cry so bad, but didn't want Johnny to see it. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She didn't want to, but the words rang in her head, louder than what Johnny had said them. She slammed the door shut and ran from the room, letting the tears flow as soon as she made it to the stairs.

Johnny fumed for a few more minutes before going cold. A chill ran down his spine. What had he just said? No, it wasnt' him. It was, but the thoughts came from somewhere else. They had to. He loved Frankie with all his heart, he cherished those babies. Johnny had never been a hateful person before. He buried his head in his hands and began to cry himself.

"God, help me."

-

Hawkeye and Quicksilver reached the large metal doors of Magneto's citadel. Two guards stood outside, reaching for their weapons as the two approached.

"You will do no such thing," Quicksilver commanded, pulling down the hood of his overcoat. The guards quickly, yet suspiciously, stood at attention. Quicksilver may have been Magneto's son, but in Genosha he was also known as one of the biggest traitors to the cause.

"You will let us through, and tell Magneto we are on our way."

The guards looked at each other, and then one eyed Clint form the corner of his eye. Hawkeye still had his hood raised.

After a moments hesitation, the doors swung open and the two Avengers entered.

[kang604]

Doom sized up Thanos, or rather the holographic image of him. What the Titan had revealed to him had been both beneficial... yet disturbing. Thanos conquering the Earth? Victor's ego tickled the back of his brain. This planet belongs to DOOM, and the greatness of Latveria... who is he to presume it is his to claim?.

But Victor was too smart to let an oppurtunity like this pass him by. He could put his ego aside for now... with Thanos and his forces by his side, he would finally be able to erradicate the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, the X-Men... all who had opposed him. All who he had fought time and time again and had yet to eliminate. All who stood in his way of total domination.

Dr. Victor Von Doom arose from his throne and swung his cloak back. "Thanos of Titan, I accept your offer. With our combined strength and resources, even the worlds mightiest heroes stand no chance. I only have one condition: Latveria stays under DOOM's control and will not be touched. Otherwise... " Doom grinned underneath his mask. "... I would say we have a deal."

[SonnyBlack]

Arriving at the door Jason began to think to himself how careless he'd been accepting a job from a source unknown to him. He knows this could easily be a trap with Jaon's line of work he knew he had made more than a few enemies throughout the years. Knocking on the door he thought of his current condition and he thought to himself who cares if its a trap, to die fighting is a better death then simply waiting to wither into ash. Through the door he could hear footsteps approaching as he could anticipate nearly anything besides what would happen next.

[The Question]

A half an hour ago.....

Cap heads back to his penthouse to check on Bruce. He heads into the bedroom, and finds Banner sleeping peacefully. He then heads into the living room, and sits in the large armchair.

Now....

There is a knock at the door. Cap sits up, and turns off the TV. He walks over to the door, and opens it.

"Hello, Jason. Now, I know this must seem very odd..."

[JewishHobbit]

The wave hits Ben and knocks him back a few feet. Ben's head is on a swivel as he looks around in a panic. His fears completely cloud his mind. Before he can react, The Shocker brings a huge column down on Ben.
Although buried in rubble, The Thing has little trouble standing up. Ben's mind races...unable to form coherent thoughts. He can only feel the fear.

"NOOO! NO HURT THING!!!"

Shocker smiles. The Thing doesn't seem to be quite himself, but hey, he'll take any super hero's butt in a platter. If he's not 100%, who cares?

"Oh there's still much more hurting to be done Thingy. Here's another little trick I've learned with this new suit."

Herman holds out his hand, but no immediate blast escapes it. He feels the molecules around his hand beginning to vibrate, and he begins to feel the vibration of every molecule and dust particle in the air as the vibrations make their way toward his foe. When he feels Thing from the distance, he smiles.

"Found you!"

Suddenly the thing's rock skin begins to move and shake. The onlooking crowd are shocked as they can barely see the phyisical form of the Thing, but rather a blurred version of him. His scream echos in their ears.

"So how does it feel when every molecule in your dense rock hide is having their own little earthquake!?"

[Duker Jay]

"NNNGGH-" The words are indecipherable. "GGGRRRGGHH!"

The Thing's mind has begun to shake clear. The shadow of his anxiety starts to dissipate ever-so-slightly replaced with a great pain. Ben stumbles forward, unable to hold himself on his feet. He falls to his knees and cries out again. He reaches his arm out, grasping at The Shocker.

[Midnight Ice]

Bobby laughs as he listens to Wade's and Spider-Man's banter back and forth.

"We will be there in about two minutes guys."

[Johnny Blaze]

Doom sized up Thanos, or rather the holographic image of him. What the Titan had revealed to him had been both beneficial... yet disturbing. Thanos conquering the Earth? Victor's ego tickled the back of his brain. This planet belongs to DOOM, and the greatness of Latveria... who is he to presume it is his to claim?.

But Victor was too smart to let an oppurtunity like this pass him by. He could put his ego aside for now... with Thanos and his forces by his side, he would finally be able to erradicate the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, the X-Men... all who had opposed him. All who he had fought time and time again and had yet to eliminate. All who stood in his way of total domination.

Dr. Victor Von Doom arose from his throne and swung his cloak back. "Thanos of Titan, I accept your offer. With our combined strength and resources, even the worlds mightiest heroes stand no chance. I only have one condition: Latveria stays under DOOM's control and will not be touched. Otherwise... " Doom grinned underneath his mask. "... I would say we have a deal."
"Do not worry about Latveria, Doom. It will remain untouched and unspoiled."

"When the time comes, all I need for you to do is lead the invasion of Europe. You will be well compensated for your aid", stated the Titan.
"Now, I know you are a busy man, so I will take my leave and allow you to get back to your royal duties. Until we meet again, Doom", said Thanos with a nod.
And then the holographic image was gone, leaving Doom alone again to ponder the deal he had just made with a Mad Titan.

[twylight]

Two weeks go by and I’d settled into my own little routine. Wake up in the morning; go for a jog or walk, some floor exercises and then a shower and breakfast.
On my way down the stairs I’d dropped the kitten off at Trudy’s, where she played all day until I came home. Trudy gave me a hard time because I hadn’t named her yet. For now I called her ‘girly’, ‘diva’ or ‘kitty.’ I wasn’t good at naming animals. I’d never had any growing up.

My routine once I got home varied little. Most of the time I had dinner with Trudy and we watched and played Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune together, we even took to keeping our own little scores against each other. Most of the time I won and Trudy was all the time complimenting the schools where I grew up.

I’d kept myself off the street but I still worked on my ‘projects,’ it always seemed to be in the back of my mind, the urge to take action and help people. I fought it down, because I wasn’t needed, in a town that had so many heroes, why clog the air and ground space with another. Still I made a color coded map of each hero or hero groups territory.

I walk into her apartment after a day at work and the kitten immediately bounds up to me.
Scooping her up I bury my face in her fur.

“Hey there fluffy.”

“Oh? Is that her name?” Trudy’s head peeked out of the kitchen.

I shake my head and giggle.

“No...just a variation.”

“It’s a wonder she even comes to you, not having a name or anything.” She says reproachfully.

I smile knowing she means well, taking my jacket off I hang it over the back of one of the chairs and toss my purse on the table.

“What are you up to?” I ask following her voice to the kitchen.

“Just putting the finishing touches on dinner.”

“Hmm..smells wonderful!” I kiss her lightly on the cheek and she pats her hand on mine.

“Sometimes….” She stops and turns back to what she’s doing.

I look at her questionly as I pull a soda from the refridgerator.

“Sometimes what?” I ask popping the soda lid.

She smiles wistfully.
“Sometimes I think you’re my own daughter.”

I pause, the soda container halfway to my lips. I hadn’t really thought about it but it was like that. In the weeks I’d known her she’d become so dear to me. So precious.
I set the soda down and give her a hug, resting my head on top of hers. Her soft hair brushes against my cheek.

“That’s nothing to feel sad about.”

She smiles as we part.
“Well what about your own mother?”

I look down at my feet and I can almost picture Trudy tilting her head, that cute little look of question on her barely wrinkled face.

“I don’t have one.”

There was a pause. As close as we’d gotten I hadn’t told her all the details of myself and she hadn’t asked, maybe that’s why she figured it would come out in my own time. But I doubt she planned on feeling so motherly towards me.

“Ah..” she said not turning from where she was preparing strips of chicken.
“And your father?”

I shook my head and took a sip of soda.
“Nope.” I answer a stab of pain in my chest as I do.

My father…

“Well… then I guess I wouldn’t be stepping on any toes. Other than yours, now shoo!”
she said as she shooed me away from the oven and placed the glass dish of chicken in there.

I made my way back to the living room where the kittens were wrestling around.
Sitting with them on the floor I inserted my hand here and there in the little tussle they were having.

“I see a few more were given homes.” I say, noting the absence of a few kittens.

“Yes, I’ve been finding homes for them...slowly but surely.” She came into the living room and took her apron off before sitting down.

She reached out and touched my hair.
“You have such beautiful hair. Why do you always wear it the same style?”

I touch my long hair.

“I don’t know..”

“Well, we’ll have to try a few new styles.”

“Oh Trudy...like you’d know any new styles!” I teased her.

She smiled and then made her face go stern, and shook a finger at me.
“Now see here! The styles I wore are coming back. Go fetch a brush.”

I smile and go off to find one.

[SonnyBlack]

Hawkeye and Quicksilver reached the large metal doors of Magneto's citadel. Two guards stood outside, reaching for their weapons as the two approached.

"You will do no such thing," Quicksilver commanded, pulling down the hood of his overcoat. The guards quickly, yet suspiciously, stood at attention. Quicksilver may have been Magneto's son, but in Genosha he was also known as one of the biggest traitors to the cause.

"You will let us through, and tell Magneto we are on our way."

The guards looked at each other, and then one eyed Clint form the corner of his eye. Hawkeye still had his hood raised.

After a moments hesitation, the doors swung open and the two Avengers entered.
It was about 10 O’clock the previous night when Alex and Wanda arrived at the Citadel. Hearing the buzzing sound Alex got up from his bed to see the newly come guests on one of the monitors. Alex thought to himself how stupid the heroes were for thinking they’d actually find her until he actually stopped and realized he’d probably do the same. He thought back to something Magneto had told him “The mind is the greatest weapon” when he hears a voice through the speakers.

“Alex, entertain our guests for now I will be down shortly.”

Taking out his diary well not diary those are for chicks his journal he jots down his lesson of the day yet in his mind it was déjà vu. Well anyway time to work he thought, as he put on his bathing robe complete with fluffy slippers what better distraction then a guy in fluffy slippers.

“Holy crap its Spider-man9X17 and a NPC, look if this about picking up our story after it got ruined by a certain individual who shall remain nameless…

Coughs Riz

Ah the use of the fourth wall do I love it so, hey cool tights can I help you?”

[JewishHobbit]

"NNNGGH-" The words are indecipherable. "GGGRRRGGHH!"

The Thing's mind has begun to shake clear. The shadow of his anxiety starts to dissipate ever-so-slightly replaced with a great pain. Ben stumbles forward, unable to hold himself on his feet. He falls to his knees and cries out again. He reaches his arm out, grasping at The Shocker.

Shocker is at a distance watching as the Thing kneels in a blurred heap, screaming in agony. He walks toward him as the Thing holds out his hand, grasping at air. He smiles. He reaches out and quickly grabs Thing's arm and amplifies the vibrations. Things cries carry even louder as stone begins to crack and chip. Small crevices form in the creature's surface skin. The pain is so intense that the massive brute cannot even concentrate enough to reach for his assaultant, only to scream.

"Well, Thingy. I think I've grown bored of you. I'm afraid I'm going to have to show you the door, and next time, bring someone of my calibre."

And with that, Shocker reels back and allows an intense wave of vibratory air to hit Thing square in the chest. The power of the blow sends the Thing through the bank's enterance as a bullet is shot through the barrel of a gun, shattering the glass and sending it out into the street. He can hear the brute colliding with cars and other things in his way, and eventually colliding with something large, possibly the building accross the street. He doesn't care enough to worry about it.

Herman Schultz smiles, he just beat the Thing without even being winded. He's above the Thing's level in power. He's become a contender, come who may, the Shocker has a name to make for himself.

[ElectroFlare]

Spider-man turned back to Bobby.

"2 minutes? I guess I can deal with that. How about we toss Wade at Juggs? That might get rid of him." Spider-man laughed.

"I am unstoppable!" Cain shouted as he carried a fortune in gold from Fort Knox. Military force was trying to stop him, but they were failing. They couldn't stop him.

In the military forces in the sky...the blackbird appeared...

[twylight]

I left Trudy’s early, the kitten cradled in my arms, her small eyes already closed to slits as she fell asleep. I quietly unlock the door and close it behind me, placing my jacket and purse on of the large arm chairs before making my way to the bedroom.

Laying the kitten on the bed I stroke her and turn the bed side light on before heading to the bathroom. Clearing aside some beakers some more of my odd hobbies I turn the shower on, letting the bathroom steam up before I pull my clothe off.

The warmth of the steam covers my body, wrapping me up like a blanket. I stick my hand into the shower and temper the hot water with cold, my hand under the streaming water until it becomes the right temperature. I step in and let it flow over my body and hair, the white noise of falling water floods my ears and I let my mind go blank. I slowly wash my hair, smiling faintly at the still fresh memory of Trudy’s hands gently combing my hair.

I know she enjoyed it, the styling, girl talk, like a mother to daughter. I rinse my hair out. I think I’d do the same if I ever have one.

I wash my face, letting the water drops fall over my face and down my front as I hug myself and lean against the shower wall. My mind numb, the sound of the water enveloping my whole being as I close my eyes.

I open them sharply as I feel myself drift off to sleep standing up. Turning the water off, the knobs giving a slight screech I step out and dry myself off quickly before slipping into Pajamas. Opening the Bathroom door the cool air of the apartment hits me with a refreshing force. I feel invigorated and toy with the idea of ‘going out’ again but my overwhelming need for sleep wins so I run and bounce on my large bed. The kitten’s body bouncing slightly as I land on the soft mattress.

I flick the side tables light off and crawl under my covers, closing my eyes and drifting off.

“Meow?”

I peek my eye open, seeing nothing I close it again. I feel a soft paw on my face and open my eye again. The kittens face is close to my own and her paw’s still out.

“Cheeky aren’t you? Go to bed.” I push her away and turn over.

I feel a little leap and then a small weight on my arm. Reaching my other arm up I push her off of me.

Silence fills the room, disrupted only by the muted sounds of the street.

“AH!” I sit up at the small wetness on my nose as the kitten starts to lick it.

“meow…”

I look down at her dark frame against the pale sheets and shake my head.

“You’re a sassy one.” She makes a little leap and lays down. I lowermyself back onto the bed next to her and she purrs and moves closer, her warm little body pressed against mine.

“Night Sassy..”

[Spider-Man9X17]

"Who, in the name of all that is sane, is this monstrosity."

"He's on of Deadpool's 'friends'," Hawkeye said, shrugging off his overcoat. "A shade less crazy, but with a limper wrist. Interesting company you're dad keeps these days."

Hawkeye pulled a compsite arrow from his quiver and prepared to knock his bow.

"Now, you're about the only one outside of S.H.I.E.L.D. who could get in that mansion without setting off the alarm. Where is she, X?"

[Electro UK]

Spider-man turned back to Bobby.

"2 minutes? I guess I can deal with that. How about we toss Wade at Juggs? That might get rid of him." Spider-man laughed.

"I am unstoppable!" Cain shouted as he carried a fortune in gold from Fort Knox. Military force was trying to stop him, but they were failing. They couldn't stop him.

In the military forces in the sky...the blackbird appeared...

"Geronimooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" Wade shouted as he leapt from the black bird. Whack! Deadpool landed on Juggernaut's helmet. Cain watched as he peeled off and landed on the floor. "Well... I'll certainly have to think twice about doing that again." he slowly stumbled to his feet.

Juggernaut stood staright as he bared his view down on Wade. "Woah! Eclipse! Seriously who blocked out the sun?" he asked as Juggernaut's shadow was cast upon Wade. "Okay Juggs, I gotta ask you to step down... unless I leave this pocket open and one or two gold bars suddenly slip in... no? Alright then, you asked for this."

Wade began to whirl his fist around, until he let out a swing, hitting Cain in the stomach. Juggernaut didn't even move. "Okay... Bobby... can you land the black bird on this guy?"

[ElectroFlare]

"You again? Didn't I take care of you last time?" Cain shouted and snorted at Deadpool.

"You want the gold?" Cain said, laughing. He grabbed on gold bar and smacked Deadpool with it as hard as he could. Then Cain turned his attention to the blackbird.

"Hey, juggs, how ya been lately? It's been a while since I tossed you into that pile of concrete." Spider-man said as he leapt out from the black bird, firing two balls of impact webbing at the Juggernaut...

[Keyser Soze]

I swing through the night sky,feeling the breeze course through my body.

He's out there.I know he is.And he isn't going to stop trying to get my attention.Which,in the long run,should make it easier to get to him.That's how his sick mind works.It's typical of him.And,to the same degree,even,typical of me to go after him like this.

At the same time...I can't ignore him.If I do,more people will die.Hell,I think if he had the capability,He'd kill all of New York just to make sure I lived my life in torment.Then he could finally say that he had destroyed me.Maybe that's what he was thinking when he killed Elektra.Maybe it's what he was thinking when he killed those people on the bus,and layed them out to spell my name.

Either way,I'm getting tired of his train of thought.This ends.Tonight.Whether we both die,whether he kills me,or whether I finally snap and kill him...This fued...this...battle,It all ends on this night.

I land on the Clocktower,listening to the sounds of the city.Bullseye won't do this discreetly...His ego,or his rage,won't let him do something that I'll miss.And then...like an beakoning...a symbolic gesture warning me of the forthcoming battle...It roars into my ears.

The screaming.

People...hundreds,maybe less...all screaming about something in fear.Something's happening.Something that would make innocent people scream.Whether it's Bullseye,or someone else...I can't allow it to continue.

Shooting my grapnel out at a nearby building,I leap,catching the air amongst my body,once again,as I pull up on the cable.My radar senses work themselves,penpointing the exact location of the screaming,and directing me to it.

It takes minutes.Long,grueling minutes to get to my destination,but finally,I land across from it.

...Wait.Something about it.It's familiar.Recent.The scents,the feeling of the air around it,hitting the building's structure...It all feels like I've been here yesterday.The scents become recognisable within mere seconds.

He's here.Damn him...He came back to the scene.He had to signify it...He had to make this battle meaningful.He's led me right back to the spot...To throw me off.He's led me to Grand Central Station.

I take my billy clubs,place them in my holster,and leap over the few remaining people,running out.With a flip,I land right at the entrance,and sprint inside.The scent of fresh corpses hits my nostrils,as I stop in the main part of the station.I tap my finger along the floor,illuminating a truley gruesome sight before me...

Bodies.Too many to count,yet small enough to just grab my attention.I also smell the ammunition of a sniper.

...It's too coiencidental.NO ONE else could be behind this.

I raise my head,gritting my teeth...as the anger boils inside me.Then,I call out his name...with the fury of the Devil.The rage of the Devil.

I am...the Devil.And he is my prey.His name is...

"BULLSEYE!"

So, the Devil was here at last. About time too. Of course, being the moron that he was, any attempt at stealth had been replaced by running into the station screaming "BULLSEYE!" He was just asking to be shot.

And Bullseye was happy to oblige.

He reloaded the sniper rifle, and lined up his target.

"I've got you now," Bullseye murmured to himself.

Bullseye took a deep breath, allowing the image of Brenda to enter his head for just a second. Then, he pulled the trigger.

[twylight]

The ‘Donut Girl’ as they’d dubbed me. I rather enjoy it.
I stop at the donut store and order specifically to the groups preferences. I was a regular there too. The young teenager behind the counter greets me by my first name.

“What is it today?”

“The usual and don’t forget the apple fritter” I add, it was Neil’s favorite.

I watch as they package it up for me and hand me the large pink box.

“Still don’t know what your favorite is.” He teased as he rang me up winking. I smile at his flirtation.

“How much?” I ask pulling my wallet out.
“The usual.” He said when the price popped up, I stick my tongue out at him as he smiles handing me the box.

“Just so you know..I don’t have one. See ya!” I wave as I duck out.

I walk the rest of the way to work, whistling a tune Trudy had played on her record player the night before something called “You’d be so easy to come home too” It was a nice sultry and light song. The various tones in the music back then amazed me and Trudy never got tired of telling me about the singers.
I smile, I think I found my place here.

I blow Teddy the messenger boy a kiss as he whistles upon seeing me.
“Looking good!” He shouts.

“Good is never good enough you little flirt!”

“You know you like it!” he hollers before riding off on his bike. I smile and shake my head walking into the building.

Walking into the busy newsroom I wave to John and Todd, or ‘Tweddle Dee and Tweddle Dum” as I found out they were called, apparently everyone had a fairy tale based nickname another oddity about my workplace that I relished.

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty!” They answer as I hold up the box.

“The poison apples are here!” I place them on the counter and grab Neil’s Apple fritter before it disappears. Pouring a cup of coffee for him I balance both of them and walk back to my desk.

Slipping my jacket off I place my purse in an empty file drawer. Looking up I see Beth coming in. The newsroom was still mostly empty so I wave my hand cheerfully and greet her.

“Good morning ‘Snow White’” I tease her with the fairy tale princess’s name they’d dubbed her, a nod to her short dark hair and pale skin.

She mutters under her breath.
“I hate when they call me that. You want to go out to lunch? Only one more day till the weekend…”

I nod hurriedly as Neil walks in and I hand him his coffee and fritter.

“I’d love to!”

“Good! I’ll see ya then!” She says before she hurries off to her own duties, leaving me to mine.

Slowly the room fills up with bustle and I’m busy answering phone calls.

A few hours later Beth stops by with some files as she yells at one of the reporters.

“NO! I’M NOT DOING YOUR FILE AGAIN!

Here.” She places the file on my desk, smiling.

I take it from her and give her a sly smile.
“You like this.”

She leans over as if to tell me a secret.

“Of course.” She moves her shoulder up to her cheek. I liked having her as a friend. The first weekend I was here she drug me around to do tons of windows shopping and see a movie.

“Where’s Parker?” I jump as the door behind me opens and Neil sticks his head out asking Beth a question.

“Par..” I start to ask.

“He’s not in yet, his flight was delayed.” Beth answered.

“Well as soon as he get’s here let me know.” Neil closed his office door behind himself.

[SonnyBlack]

"Who, in the name of all that is sane, is this monstrosity."

"He's on of Deadpool's 'friends'," Hawkeye said, shrugging off his overcoat. "A shade less crazy, but with a limper wrist. Interesting company you're dad keeps these days."

Hawkeye pulled a compsite arrow from his quiver and prepared to knock his bow.

"Now, you're about the only one outside of S.H.I.E.L.D. who could get in that mansion without setting off the alarm. Where is she, X?"
"Isn’t one of you geeks supposed to play the good cop geez when did you heroes stop trying? By the way who ever said anything about being limp? Must be that damn cheerleader I picked up that time I mean it only happened once and it was cold that night damnit. Make me bring up painful memories, shame on both of you! Erectile dysfunction is no laughing matter millions of men are affected by it. Man I’m hungry you guys wanna grab a bite?"

Both men just stare at Alex blankly.

"I'm sorry do you listen to yourself?"

Alex pauses for a moment before answering.

"No, no, not really."

"Where is my father?"

"He's coming, we ate some Taco Bell earlier I think he's stuck on the can, damn mexican food can really get ta ya."

[twylight]

I sighed and stand up stretching. I’d redone the files on the computer and made appointments for a few interviews. I think the work load is easy, a little too easy.
I look at the clock. 11:45am. Almost time to meet Beth, speaking of Beth…

She hurries by and peek’s her head into Neil’s office, I catch a garbled few words, though I think I heard “Prince Charming”. I can hear Neil answer her before Beth retracted herself and danced off as I watched curious. I turned to open a file cabinet to retrieve some information for a letter I was writing. Looking up as a group of people moved by in a pack, they all seemed to be circling something.

“..was it?”

“..for you..”

“How was it?”

“Fine..fine..”

A whirlwind flew past, opening Neil’s door and shutting it with a bang.
I plopped myself in my chair.
I shrug it off as another oddity of the place and proceed to file some obituaries before sending it over to Obie, the Obit writer.


“Time to go girlie!” Beth is at my shoulder. I look up startled.
11:55 am is on the clock.

“Fastest 10 minutes of my life.”

“Time does indeed fly here.”

“And so must we.” I grab my purse and follow her to the door.

“Oh! Wait, I forgot my sunglasses. Go ahead, I’ll meet you outside.”
Beth nods and I spin, walking quickly back to the desk, I scoop my glasses up and put them on colliding with another body as I turned.

“Ohf. ” Two strong arms grab my shoulders to unnecessarily steady me.

“Sorry about that.” I pegged it as the most pleasant male voice I’d ever heard.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I should have been watching where I was going. ” I take off my sunglasses and look up. My eyes immediately caught in the most vibrant blue eyes I’d ever seen. My eyes slowly made there way over the rest of his face as he released my arms.

“Oh, you must be the new girl.” He stepped back allowing me to look the rest of him over. My head came to just above his shoulders and a crop of black hair covered his head, it was cut neatly and brushed. He was the best looking man I’d ever seen, he had a strong jaw that was soft enough to be sensitive and I felt totally safe in his presence.
His tight T-shirt reveals toned muscles as well as a little bit of humor, the caption across the front was “I Shoot People” with a camera underneath that.

“I guess I am.” I say kicking myself mentally for replying with the oldest reply in the book.

“I’m Parker.”

I raise my eyebrow. He does look strikingly similar to a young Peter Parker, same hair color, same jawline, however his blue eyes were filled with a more mischievous shine and tempered with a level laid-backness.

“Peter…? ”

He laughed gaily and I smiled at the wonderful sound.

“No, Not Peter Parker, that’s the near legendary sap who worked for Jameson, once upon a time. No, I’m Parker Jones. P.J. to most.” He stepped closer to me as someone walked behind him. The movement broke my trance.

“Beth!” I said remembering, I turned and ran out.

“Wait!” He called.

I pause in the doorway, the door in my hand. He catches the door and allows me to walk through. Looking back at him he asks.

“You didn’t hold up your end of the introduction.”

I blush and he laughs again.

“Of course if you want to keep it a secret..”

I shake my head.

“No, I’m just a bit frazzled.” I glance over I can see Beth at the end of the street looking at me curiously.

“Then do tell.” He leaned lazily against the edge of the door. I looked at him sideways, I wonder if I’m reading his interest right.
Pausing, I reply before turning and running towards Beth.




“Sarah Stacy.”

[SonnyBlack]

A half an hour ago.....

Cap heads back to his penthouse to check on Bruce. He heads into the bedroom, and finds Banner sleeping peacefully. He then heads into the living room, and sits in the large armchair.

Now....

There is a knock at the door. Cap sits up, and turns off the TV. He walks over to the door, and opens it.

"Hello, Jason. Now, I know this must seem very odd..."
Before Cap even opened his mouth Jason was already in his mind seeking the reason why he was there. With a sly smile he made his way into the building and headed right toward were Banner lay. Looking at the helpless man Jason felt more alive then he had in months.

“So do you think you could help, you will be paid very well.” Cap said opening a briefcase full of money for Jason to see.

Jason would do this for free just to see the havoc this beast would do when he was truly free to give into his anger. His eyes began to widen as he slowly moved toward Banner lighting a cigarette.

“He will be my finest creation.”

Hearing the noise Bruce begins to open his eyes and get up as he looks confusingly at the two men standing in the room beside him.

“Jason?”

Bruce looks at Cap standing beside the villain as he looks at one and then the other and so on.

“Cap what the hell is going on here?”

A sinister smile comes to the face of Captain America.

“Do not worry my friend soon you will be one of us.”

[batnkevlar]

"Isn’t one of you geeks supposed to play the good cop geez when did you heroes stop trying? By the way who ever said anything about being limp? Must be that damn cheerleader I picked up that time I mean it only happened once and it was cold that night damnit. Make me bring up painful memories, shame on both of you! Erectile dysfunction is no laughing matter millions of men are affected by it. Man I’m hungry you guys wanna grab a bite?"

Both men just stare at Alex blankly.

"I'm sorry do you listen to yourself?"

Alex pauses for a moment before answering.

"No, no, not really."

"Where is my father?"

"He's coming, we ate some Taco Bell earlier I think he's stuck on the can, damn mexican food can really get ta ya."

"WHO DARES ENTER MY PALACE AND DISTURB ME?"

I float towards the purple clad stooge and my traitorous offspring.

"What do you want? Make it quick, or you shall be killed promptly. And yes, that means you too son, for I don't take betrayal lightly."

http://www.fortunecity.com/westwood/carving/674/madu/madu1/magneto.jpg

[SuperFerret]

I'm so happy.

In just a few weeks, I went from not even having an identity to having a name (Jonathan), a job (I'm an exterminator), and a family (Mrs. Johnson).

I have a life now.

And there's no greater feeling than that, you can be sure of it.

Too bad it's all going to come to a swift end.

But with every end, there is a new beginning.

And stories like this one begin with a burglar.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was late, past midnight, and the Johnson home was quiet. The man named Jonathan was still at work, and Diane Johnson was fast asleep. A shadowy van pulled up to the curb outside, and two men dressed in black exited the vehicle, one wielding a crowbar, the other brandishing a pistol. They went around to the back of the building via the driveway, keeping their heads ducked down in case any of the neighbors were still awake. When they reached the back door, the one with the crowbar forced it open with what sounded like a deafening crack in the silent night.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Diane Johnson awoke with a start. A loud noise came from downstairs. "Jonathan?" she called as she got up out of bed, thinking that it was the young man she had recently taken in. When she got to the stairs she could see that her original thoughts were wrong. She did not know the two men in her home. She gasped, and the man with the gun saw her. A shot rang out. Diane Johnson screamed and then tumbled down the stairs.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was almost home when I heard the gunshot, and then the scream. Dreading that the worst had happened, I broke into a run. Sure enough, the sounds came from Mrs. Johnson's house, and I knew by the panicked retreat of the two men in black that fled from her house, that she was most likely dead. These bastards killed the person who took me in and gave me this new life that I love so much.

I'm going to make them pay.

They leaped into their van and drove off, the tires screeching loudly in the night. I needed something to chase them with. I looked around frantically for something to use, and quickly spotted a bicycle chained to a fence. I grabbed it and pulled hard, snapping the chain, freeing the bike. I rode frantically down the street after the van, my mind barely registering the sounds of the neighbors discovering the grisly scene within the place I once called home.

Somehow, I was able to keep pace with the fleeing murderers as they drove across town, finally pulling into an abandoned warehouse. I left the bike a block away and jogged the rest of the way. This must be their hideout, I thought, looking at the faded sign over the garage door. "O o p" it read, I might have chuckled at it if the situation had been different.

I entered silently through a side door, following the loud voices of the theives as they argued. Apparently, they hadn't meant to kill Mrs. Johnson, but that wasn't going to stop me from getting my revenge. Though, if I thought about it, I didn't know exactly what I would do. At least one of them still had a gun, and I might also be killed.

I was crouching down, my back against the wall, thinking up a plan of action, when a feeling of familiarity washed over me. Suddenly, I knew that I had been in this building before, and that the 'wall' I was leaning against was in fact a door.

I stood, the two men pushed from my mind, and quickly found the false brick that needed to be pushed to open the hidden door. A section of the wall slid back silently, revealing a short, dark hallway with another door, a more conventional one, at the end of it. I went in and opened the door, revealing a small storage room.

As soon as I looked at the walls of this small room, I knew. I knew everything. Who I was, what I was, and what I needed to do to exact my vengeance on those who would harm my family. I knew.

Within minutes, I was who I was again, and hopping on my old form of transportation (screw bicycles) I was rocketing out of the room and out to where my two newest victims waited. Oh, the looks on their faces when they saw me were priceless.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/superferret/GoblinFace.jpg

"Gotcha!"

[Duker Jay]

Smoke settled over the piles of rubble and brick and the crumpled form of Benjamin J. Grimm. Once again, Ben had returned to his human appearance and lay in the wrecked room of an apartment building semiconscious.

“Wotta…wotta--ugghhh…”

Eventually, Ben is able shake his thoughts clear and get to his feet. The past half-hour was a haze of cloudy memories and Ben’s body ached from his defeat at the hands of The Shocker.

“How’d I get here, I wonder…”

By now, there was a few police officers finding Ben where he stood. Looking down a few floors to the street below, Ben saw the crowd and vaguely remembered what had happened.

“Mr. Grimm...is that you?” One of the officers spoke up.

“Yeah…yeah…it’s me. What happened back there?”

“Well, it wasn’t pretty. From what we can tell, The Shocker beat you…pretty handily, actually…”

“You serious? The webhead’s Shocker? Well, that just takes the cake, don’t it? He still in there?” Ben asks, motioning towards the bank.

“Yeah…problem is, there’s nothing we can do against him. And, if you can’t either, we could be in trouble, here.”

“You’re tellin’ me…”

[Hyper Venom]

Before Cap even opened his mouth Jason was already in his mind seeking the reason why he was there. With a sly smile he made his way into the building and headed right toward were Banner lay. Looking at the helpless man Jason felt more alive then he had in months.

“So do you think you could help, you will be paid very well.” Cap said opening a briefcase full of money for Jason to see.

Jason would do this for free just to see the havoc this beast would do when he was truly free to give into his anger. His eyes began to widen as he slowly moved toward Banner lighting a cigarette.

“He will be my finest creation.”

Hearing the noise Bruce begins to open his eyes and get up as he looks confusingly at the two men standing in the room beside him.

“Jason?”

Bruce looks at Cap standing beside the villain as he looks at one and then the other and so on.

“Cap what the hell is going on here?”

A sinister smile comes to the face of Captain America.

“Do not worry my friend soon you will be one of us.”


"Uh...guys?" Mr. Fixit felt an eerie presence inside of Bruce's mind.

Bruce arose and turned his head from side to side as if he were searching for something.

"Something's not right...what's going on? What's..."

"Oh no..."

Suddenly, everything went dark. The room began to tremble, almost as if it were a sentient being, and it had just realized what fear felt like. Bruce fell to the floor, and he could feel the floor shake as the Professor and Mr. Fixit hit the ground as well. Bruce scrambled to his feet and tried to find a handhold. Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen and fell to the ground.

"Bruce? What's wrong?"

"Arrrgh...taking control...can't fight it..."

"The hell're ya talkin' about?! Pull it together, man!"

"Wait...does anybody else hear that?"

The sound in question was a low rattling. The rattling became louder and more violent as the seconds passed. The room began to shake harder and harder as the rattling became louder and louder. And then...

*SNAP!*

...and the sound of a chain hitting the floor.

And then...the rumbling stopped.

All was normal again. Slowly the darkness faded away. Bruce still lay in pain as the Professor watched over him. Mr. Fixit rose to his feet and dusted himself off.

"What was all that about?" he asked aloud.

"I think it's what the humans call therapy..."


"What?" Mr. Fixit turned at the sound of the voice. His eyes widened as he saw who was behind him.

"Oh sh..."

And with that, a mighty punch to the face sent Mr. Fixit across the room and crashing into a wall. He fell to the floor and lay there, unconscious.

Fixit's attacker was on the Professor in a matter of seconds, his hands wrapped around the green giant's neck. With a mighty pull, the assailant twisted the Professor's head around until it was facing the opposite direction. Bone cracked and splintered and tore through his green flesh as he fell to the ground. All that was left was the assailant and Bruce.

"No...you can't be free..." said Bruce.

"Of course I can. I think I've earned it. After all, I had to stay chained up inside this pathetic vessel that you call a mind for what felt like centuries. Now, I can cast off my shackles and be liberated!"

Bruce attempted to rise to his feet, but the pain was too great, and he curled into a ball. The creature that loomed over him cackled with devilish glee.

"Free at last, free at last. Good god almighty, I'm free at last..."

*********

Bruce lay in the bed, shaking and screaming in pain. His body burned from the inside. A lesser man would have succumb to this agony after a few seconds, but Bruce Banner was different. He stared up at Captain America, and the man who stood with him, and he could do nothing but continue to suffer. His eyes bulged and seemed as if they were going to pop out of his skull. He choked and gagged and eventually vomited a putrid yellow fluid. And then, suddenly...he lay completely still. He wasn't even breathing anymore. Could it be that the pain he had just gone through was too much for him?

And just as suddenly as he had stopped, he now arose with new vigor. He ran toward Captain America and wrapped his hands around his throat.

"You betrayed me! You set me up, you bastard!"

As he strangled the Captain, his muscles began to bulge and turn a sickening shade of yellow. His eyes turned blood red, his teeth changing to fangs. His tongue grew inhumanly long. By the time his transformation was over, his hands had almost completely engulfed Captain America's head. Taking a moment to think, he released the Captain's head before he could crush it like a grape.

"You betrayed me...I kinda like that," Devil Hulk said cheerfully.

The demonic creature grinned at the two men that stood before him.

"Handshakes are outdated. Strangulations make a fine greeting, don't you think?"

http://incrediblehulk.com/devilhulk2.gif

[The Question]

"I've always found that trying to kill a man shows you have more interest in his being that just a kind hello."

Cap takes a cigar out of his pocket, lights it, and takes a puff.

"Now, you're probably confused as to why I've done this. Let's just say, I ain't the Steve Rogers you know and most likely despise. At least, not quite. But, more on that later. Now, we talk buisness. Y'see, the world's in pretty bad shape right now. I think I arrived here at just the right time. Being the buisnesman I am, I feel that the best course of action is to take advantage of the situation and make a heafty profit by doing so. Nothing makes a buisness boom like a good war. You, my large demonic friend, have a place in my new organization. You see, while I have an unparaleled mind, I lack the recources and ability to carry out my amazing plans all on my lonesome. You, on the other hand, have more than enough muscle to get things done. Now, I know what you're thinking, and no, you won't be my 'minion' or whatever you want to call it. We'd be full partners. And trust me, you'd be living quite well working in my organization. In the chaos that is war, we'd live like kings. Hell, in a year's time, you'll probably be rich enough to **** dozens of the most beutiful women atop a pile of money while watching people fight to the death in gladitorial combat for your amusement. All I ask is that you kill a few people for me. What do you say?"

[Hyper Venom]

Devil Hulk scoffed at the Captain's proposal.

"Money? Why in the hell would I need that?"

Devil Hulk threw his head back and cackled at the idea.

"No Captain, I'm really not concerned with money. But I do like this idea of neverending war that you're proposing. That's the part that interests me. But if you really want to give me something in return for my services..."

Devil Hulk approached the Captain and stared him square in the eye.

"Make it so that Bruce Banner goes away forever."

[The Question]

"Oh, that can be aranged quite easily."

Stephen moves over to Mastermind and pats him on the back.

"Any time Banner starts making his way to the surface, Mastermind here'll put him in his place."

Cap turns his head towards to look at Mastermind.

"Isn't that right, Jason?"

[Spider-Man9X17]

"Where is she, Magnus? I swear to God, I'll break your neck with my bare hands if you don't let Wanda go right now!"

"Clint, this is not the best way to..."

"Shut up, Pietro. You wanna play Daddy's boy now? I'll break your neck too!"

Hawkeye gave Quicksilover a little shove, and made his way toward Magneto.

"You wanna play games, you murderering psychopath? Play em with the mast...oof."

Clint was out like a light before he hit the ground. Pietro stood behind him, lightly rubbing his fist.

"You heroes. Such pitiful little fools."

[Spider-Man9X17]

Johnny stared at his outstretched hand. He put all his concentration, all of his focus, into the appendage, and....

Nothing. It wouldn't ignote, not even a flicker, an ounce of heat. He'd felt it for days, but with his outburst, he knew it was true. His flame was gone. Something had taken it, had taken his mind.

"Flame on," he whispered. closing his eyes, hoping for that welcome rush of adreniline. It didn't come.

"FLAME ON!! SON OF A B**CH FLAME ON!!!"

Nothing.

Johnny pounded his fist against the wall, and turned to leave the room. Frankie had holed up in the guest bedroom down the hall. He was so ashamed of himself as he walked to the closed door and knocked lightly.

"Frankie, sweetie. Are you OK? Listen, I'm sorry hon, I don't know what happened. I swear, that wasn't me talking. That's not the way I feel at all. Something's happening to me, babe, and I don't know what. I don't know how to stop it, and I'm scared to death..."

He was interuppted by the phone ringing. He could hear Frankie stand up to answer it, and then there was silence. The next thing he knew, his wife opened the door, tears running down her eyes and body shaking. She looked at him, and there was a fear in her face. Not a fear of him, but for him.

"Frankie...?"

She handed him the phone, and then grasped his free hand.

"Oh God, Johnny. I'm so sorry."

All the blood drained from his face as he put the phone up to his ear.

"Hello?"

[Electro UK]

"So does this technacally make me James Bond?" Wade asked as he leapt over Juggernaut's helemt, just in time to miss the two web balls that splattered onto his armour.

"I mean look at the facts, I'm the gun tooter around here, I'm stopping a huge fat guy from robbing Fort Knox, if I punched him he wouldn't feel a thing like the small Chinese bloke, and I'm pretty sure my head would fall off if he threw that helmet at me."

He hoisted himself up onto Cain's shoulder, who tried to thrash him off. "Hey! Careful on the shaking huh? I'm not too good with those kinda things and I don't wanna throw up in my mask!"

[SonnyBlack]

*Holds her chest as blood streams through her fingers*


I am NEVER reading your posts..NEVER!
Twylight in the morning before applying makeup.

http://www.elpn.com/iane/graphics/exorimage.jpg

and since she doesn't read my posts she'll never know hahaha!

[Electro UK]

Max Dillon sighed as he stared into the T.V. Deadpool was throwing himself over Juggernaut's shoulder. It wasn't fair, they were having all the fun. He hadn't been active in a while. It seemed like the wolrd had forgotten about Electro once more.

He turned away from the screen in the shop window, taking another sip of beer. It hadn't been long ago since Deadpool and Spider-man had beaten the crap out of him. He'd gotten out of prison since then, thanks to some jail break. He could have sworn he saw the Taskmaster and Shocker making a break for it.

Since then it had been nothing but booze and women. Whenever he wasn't drunk, he was in bed with a hang over. It certainly seemed as if he was just going to waste. He needed a reason to keep going. The money wasn't rolling in, everyone else was getting the jobs now.

There wasn't anyone in his life anymore. Mia, gone. Norma was married. He had to admit it, he was nothing more than a waste of space.

Bleep! Bleep! Max's phone went off in his pocket. He didn;t even move as he answered it and put it on loudspeaker with his mind.

"What do you want?"

"Max... it's... it's Norma..."

"Norma?" in shock, Max picked up his phone and put it to his ear, switching off loud speaker. "Hey... wh-well... what are you calling me for?"

"I... I need some help."

"Well... sure you kinda did save me from death of blood loss a while back. What do you need?"

"I... I don't want to talk about it over the phone. Could you come to my place?"

"Sure... I guess. I can be there in an hour."

"No Max, I need you to come now."

"Norma, I'm miles away from your place it'll take m--"

"Max, I know what you can do, I need you, now."

"Oh my god she knows! How the hell did she find out about my powers?" Max asked himself. "Y-yeah, I can be there in a couple of minutes. Just-just hang on."

Max put the phone down and threw his beer to the floor before zooming into the sky. He had a sick feeling in his gut that something was about to go very, very wrong."

[ElectroFlare]

"GET OFF!" Cain yelled as he thrased around, attempting to throw Deadpool off.

"Wade...you are not James Bond by any means. I mean, I thought Roger Moore was bad, but wow." Spider-man laughed. He was tempted to watch Deadpool get smashed by Cain, but knew he'd better do something.

Spider-man lashed out with his webs, spinning a web net to cover the Juggernaut. It wouldn't hold him for very long, but it would stall him for a little bit.

"You webbed freak!" Cain yelled, throwing Deadpool off of him and threw the webbing at a very high speed. He then reach for Spider-man...

[SonnyBlack]

"Oh, that can be aranged quite easily."

Stephen moves over to Mastermind and pats him on the back.

"Any time Banner starts making his way to the surface, Mastermind here'll put him in his place."

Cap turns his head towards to look at Mastermind.

"Isn't that right, Jason?"

"Banner making his was to the surface? I don't think this will be of any concern so soon. His hate, his anger overflows in him though I do suggest he take to destructive side and revel in it. Only by doing this will he be strong enough in hate to resist his weaker side."

With this Jason picked up his briefcase and headed for the door.

"I will be keeping my eye on both of you."

Closing the door Jason once agian made his way through the darkness of the night but to what end?

[The Question]

Cap turns back to the Devil Hulk.

"See? All you have to do to keep Banner in his place is to kill lots of people. And I think I know just the right thing fot ya'. But first...."

Cap tursn on the genetic inhibitor, forcing the Devil Hulk's physical form to transform back to his human state. However, due to Mastermind's work, the Devil is still in control.

"Just so we don't draw too much unwanted atention. You understand. Now, follow me."

Cap heads for the door, and turns back to the Devil Hulk.

"Oh, by the way. I'm not sure about your name. Devil Hulk, that is. Just doesn't role off the toung like you'd like it to, you know? I was thinking, you call yourself something else. Maestro, mabey?"

[Hyper Venom]

Cap turns back to the Devil Hulk.

"See? All you have to do to keep Banner in his place is to kill lots of people. And I think I know just the right thing fot ya'. But first...."

Cap tursn on the genetic inhibitor, forcing the Devil Hulk's physical form to transform back to his human state. However, due to Mastermind's work, the Devil is still in control.

"Just so we don't draw too much unwanted atention. You understand. Now, follow me."

Cap heads for the door, and turns back to the Devil Hulk.

"Oh, by the way. I'm not sure about your name. Devil Hulk, that is. Just doesn't role off the toung like you'd like it to, you know? I was thinking, you call yourself something else. Maestro, mabey?"

Devil Hulk stared down at himself. He didn't really care for Banner's physical form, but it would serve a purpose.

"Maestro? Hm...it's been done. I tell you...just call me....God."

[The Question]

Devil Hulk stared down at himself. He didn't really care for Banner's physical form, but it would serve a purpose.

"Maestro? Hm...it's been done. I tell you...just call me....God."

"oh, I haven't heard someone say that before."

Cap leads 'god' out the door.

"C'mon. We've got all manner of unpleasent people to kill, and I'd like to get it done before the football game starts."

Cap leads 'god' to the garage, and the two of them get into his van and drive off into the city.

*******

The van pulls up in front of a building.

Fisk tower.

Cap enters, and walks up to the woman at the front desk.

"I'd like to speak with Mr. Kingsly, ma'am."

"You'll have to make an apointment."

"But it's really very urgent."

"Sir, I must insist that you make an apointment and return later."

"I don't have time for this ****."

Cap turns off the genetic inhibitor and turns to 'god'.

"Kill everyone in the building. Except for Kingsly. I need to speak with him. And please, do what you will with the bodies. I don't want to pay for a clean up crew."

Cap heads for the elevator, goes inside, and presses the button for the top floor.

[bkhedr]

New York

The Vortex dissipated as quickly as it had appeared and the Mighty Thor stood on the front lawn of Avengers mansion. His responsibilities to both Sif and Asgard had kept him from his fellow champions for too long. Now the world teetered on the brink of war and the Avengers would need the power of Thor at their side.


"Ho allies and warriors all!" Thor called as he entered the mansion. "The son of Odin hath returned!"

Thor smiled warmly as he saw Jarvis round the corner to greet him

"Master Thor" Jarvis said , "Heavens it good to see you sir"

"Aye faithful Jarvis and the sight of thee doth please me as well, but tell me quickly where art my fellow Avengers, and why is the mansion on alert?"

"I'm afraid that madame Wanda has been kidnapped sir" Jarvis said with a hint of desperation, "Master Hawkeye has gone in search of her."

"Kidnapped?!"

"Yes sir, and it seems the Juggernaut is attempting to rob Fort Knox at well"

For a moment Thor said nothing. He had fought Marko before and he was a handful. Joining the search for Wanda, much as he wanted to do so, would have to wait for later.

"Inform the Avengers of mine arrival Jarvis" Thor said as he turned to leave, "Tis likely the god of Thunder is needed at Fort Knox"

"Yes sir I will"

Jarvis watched as Thor took to the air and felt a sense of relief. The Mighty Thor was back.

[SuperFerret]

OOC: Here it is! All your questions answered! And I've decided to do one of them thar songy posts that used to be popular. The song is "Lonely Day" by System of a Down, off their new ablum Hypnotize (in stores now!). Anyway, without further ado, here's my post.



Such a lonely day
And its mine
The most loneliest day of my life

Liz Osborn was crying. In her hands there was a picture of her and her husband, Harry. They were so happy back then. Today will be five years since he died. She still missed him, still loved him, even though he died under the shadow of the horrible Green Goblin. She began to weep bitterly.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/superferret/HarryLizPhoto.jpg

Such a lonely day
Should be banned
This day that I can't stand

It took me a little while to track her down, Liz moved since the last time I saw her. She needed to see me, know that the Goblin was alive and well. Boy, will she be surprised when she see me.

The most loneliest day of my life

Liz looked up, startled by the sound of something on the roof. Something that sounded like footsteps.

The most loneliest day of my life

I land the glider on the roof, and begin walking towards the edge, so I can climb in through a window.

Such a lonely day
Shouldn't exist
A day that Ill never miss
Such a lonely day
And its mine
The most loneliest day of my life

Whoever it was, they’re heading to the front window, Liz thought, racing to reach the window before her rooftop visitor did. It’s probably Spider-Man, she thought to herself, he’s visited us a few times since Harry died. But, wasn’t he in Kentucky on the news earlier?

And if you go, I wanna go with you
And if you die, I wanna die with you

Take your hand and walk away

I jump down, landing gracefully on the windowsill, and gently open the window. “Tsk, tsk, Liz, you should always keep the window’s locked,” I say in the Goblin’s voice, “you never know when a visitor may come crawling in uninvited.”

The most loneliest day of my life

Liz stopped in her tracks. The Green Goblin! Why? Oh why God? Why has he come to haunt me today? Liz bravely squared her shoulders, she knew that her father-in-law was the Goblin before Harry, and that he’s made threats against her son before. She wasn’t going to let him get to her son even if it killed her. Which it just might.

The most loneliest day of my life

“Get out of here, Norman!” she said, trying to sound threatening to mask her fear.

The most loneliest day of my life

“Norman?” I say, changing my voice back to normal, “Who said I was Norman?” I remove my mask.

Such a lonely day
And its mine
A day that I'm glad I survived

Liz gasped. A single word escaped her lips, as she began to cry again.

“Harry?”

[SuperFerret]

OOC: Oops.

[Electro UK]

Knock knock. Max waited in silence at Norma's door, anxiously. What the hell was going on? She knew he was Electro, how? Was she in any danger? Did she want him to protect her?

After what had seemed an age, the door finally opened, Max sighed with relief. Norma's tear stained face bent round the door. "Hey, I got here as so--"

"Come in." Norma said quickly but quietly.

Max stepped inside as Norma quickly shut the door. "What the hell is going on Norma? One second you're throwing me out of the place now you want me here?"

"I've...I've got a problem."

"And you want me to sought it out? There a guy bothering you? Hasn't your Husban--"

"My Husband is the problem." There was a cold silence between the two for a second as Max stared in confusement.

"What do you m--" Max stopped in mid sentance as Norma pulled back her hair, revealing, a bloody mess surrounded by bruises. Max's eyes widened "He... he did this?" Norma silently nodded, tears beginning to show in her eyes. Max clenched his fists in anger. He was going to kill the bastard that hurt her.

"He... a couple of months back he lost his buisness to a competetor. His brother was furious with him. One night, he came back drunk... he hit me... again and again."

Max almost threw up. How could anyone do something like this to such a kind and gentle woman. "Why... why didn't you come to me sooner?"

"Because I'm afraid of him... oh god Max I'm so afraid." she broke down into tears.

"Shh, shh its okay I'm here now." Max said holding her. "He can't hurt you now." they stood for a moment, Max stroked her hair as Norma sobbed. "Why... why were you af--"

Bang! Bang! "Norma? Open this f***ing door woman!"

"Oh god thast's him!" Norma squealed pushing back from Max.

"It's alright... I'll saught him out."

"No Max... let's just go."

"What? Why? I can take this guy..."

"No... no I don't want you to, let's just get out of here." Max stared at Norma for a while, the banging at the door becoming more violent all the time. She was so afraid. How could anyone do this to her? How could anyone hurt this... amazing woman?

He sighed. "Okay let's just go." he took Norma by the waist and leapt out of the window. Max thought deeply as they zoomed away from the area. Norma was holding him so tightly. Maybe it was fear of falling, but Max hoped, that it meant Norma felt safe with him. Maybe he wasn't destined to be alone after all.

[Electro UK]

OOC: Just to clarify, there was a good 6 hours between this post and my last.

Max hurried up the stair of his apartment block, a bag of groceries in one hand. Norma had insisted on eating something healthier than stale crisps or mouldy bread. Women.

At he walked along the corridor to his flat, he noticed scrapings on the wall. He knew he was living in a scum pot, but these marks were new. Concerened, he started to stride faster to his door, figuring out his door key in his pocket.

"Norma?" he called out from across the hall way. He pressed his ear up against the door as he produced his keys.

"No... stay away! Please!" it was Norma, she was in trouble.

"Shut up you little *****! Try runnin away from me huh? Think I'm dumb Norma? Think I didn't think the first place you'd head to is that loser ex of yours that you won't shut up about?"

No time to turn the key, Max had to act now, he dropped the groceries and stood back, charging a powerfull kick through the door. It swung open in time for Max to see a huge, muscle bound man swipe Norma round the head with a metal pole.

Max's fist clenched. "GET AWAY FROM HER!" he screamed launching himself at the man and letting his fist swing round his face. The man was knocked off balance in surprise. Taking what time he had, Max looked back at Norma, unconcious, lying in a pool of her own blood. "N-n-don't let her be--"

Max was interrupted as he was brought of his feet by a pound from the huge man. "You must be the dick head that wasn't good enough for her. Hah! Look at you yer scrawny little runt! I'm gonna pound the life out of you."

Max was back on his feet, breathing heavily from the hit. A huge, confident smile came across Norma's husbands face. He slowly started walking towards Max, until he was stopped in his tracks, by shock. Max had blue bolts spinning up and down his body. He slowly steched his left arm out.

He let out a small blast, knocking the man down onto his feet once more. Max leapt on stop of him and started pummeling his face. "You monster! You don't deserve her! If she's dead, I swear to god I'll-- I just can't loose someone again! Mom and Dad, Mia, they've all abandoned me, I'm not letting her get away from me!"

Wiping the blood from his nose, the man grabbed Electro's neck and raised him up. "Pal, you've got issues."

"SHUT UP!" Max screamed as he let out a full blasts. Norma's husband was sent flying back, through a wall and into the kitchen. Max prepared another bolt as he saw the man attempt to push away the rubble, but it was no use. His hand fell limp.

Max didn't allow himself time to breathe, he kneeled down into Norma's pool of blood and cradeled her in his arms. "Come on baby, you're still alive, please be alive." he felt her face, smothering it with her own blood. She was cold. "No-no that doesn't mean anything. You've gotta be alive, I'm not losing you like I did Mia."

Her starred down into her lifeless face. "NO! I won't let you! I need you Norma! I'm nothing with out you! I-I don't have a reason to l... to live." he pushed away the tears. "Please... just get up... you have to." Nothing. Then it hit Max, she was gone.

He let out a gasp of fear as he scrambled away, pushing himself up against the wall and slowly folding down into a ball on the floor. The room was silent, only Max's sobbing could be heard.

"M-Max?" Max's head shot up. Norma's eyes slowly opened. Max pulled himself back over as fast as he could.

"Norma- you-you're alright?"

"My-my head hurts."

"Yeah, I know sweetheart, I know. Oh god I thought- I thought you were." he shot his arms round her, kissing her forehead. "Oh-oh jesus thank you so much." he said in a relifed whisper.

Norma slowly pushed him away. "W-wait where's--"

"He's not going to bother you anymore darling, he's--he's taken care of."

"Oh my god Max what did you do?"

"I killed him. And you know he deserved every bit of it."

"Oh-oh no! Max, Max you shouldn't have done that!"

"Norma, I know you were afraid of him, but it's alright now. You don't need to worry about him. Come on, we've got to get you medical attention."

"No... no Max you don't understand. Where... where's his body?"

Confused, Max pointed over to the pile of rubble. Norma gasped in shock. "No! Oh my god!"

"Norma... what's going on? Why are you so afraid?"

"Max... my Husband was called Paul Fisk... he's Wilson Fisk's brother."

[Spider-Man9X17]

Quicksilver stood triumphantly over Hawkeye as he stared down his father.

"I don't expect this to sway you in any way father, but I am not here to discuss past differences, nor future vendettas. Simply, I am here for my sister, so that we may be a family again, to help raise my niece ro nephew in the true image of a Maximoff, instead of some crude American cowboy."

Quicksilver eyed Agent X suspicously.

"Though, it seems you have found a new suiter for her."

-

"Get outta my way! Move!"

Johnny pushed past throngs of onlookers and rescue crews as he made his way toward the burning house, or what was left of it. He had left as soon as he received the news. Someone had attacked Reed and Sue's house, burning it to the ground. Franklin made it out with minor scrapes, Sue was in shock, baby Val was in critical condition and had been immediately rushed to the hospital. And Reed...

Reed was missing. Firefighters and paramedics were still searching, but the flames were unusually hot, making the rescue effort near impossible at the current time.

Johnny darted around the corner of an ambulance. Sue was being loaded in at that moment.

"Sue! Sue, what happened."

"Johnny. Ps...pshcyos Johnny. Crazy...hate...so, so small. Small people."

"Wha...Sue..."

Before he could get another word out, Sue was lifted into the back of the ambulance and the doors were shut.

"Wait! That's my sister. I gotta talk to her."

"And we have to get her to the hospital if she has any chance of a full recovery."

"The baby! Where's the baby now?"

"County hospital. ICU. Moderate burns over 30% of her lower body, extreme smoke inhalation. The boy is over there with the sheriff. He knows something, but won't talk."

Johnny darted away. Frankie stayed behind with the babies to accompany Sue to the hospital.

"Franklin!" Johnny rushed up to his nephew. "Franklin, are you ok?"

Johnny knelt down and grabbed Franklin, holding him close.

"I know who did this, Unca Johnny, but I didn't tell them. They wouldn't have been able to stop him," Franklin whispered.

"Who buddy? Tell me."

"The ugly man, with the yellow face. He makes us all mean. He came for Daddy."

"Ugly man? Yellow face? Frank, I..." Sue's words becam rushing back into Johnny's memory. Psycho, fear. So small.

The pieces began to fit together. Johnny broke the embrace and stood up.

"Are you going back, Unca Johnny? Are you gonna stop him and be a hero again?"

Johnny stared down into the forlorn eyes of his nephew. The last question stung the hardest.

"I don't like living here. I like New York, and Auntie Crystal, and Peter and living in the Baxter Building. I miss Unca Ben and the 'Vengers, and the wierd guy in red who likes Mommy's clothes."

And finally, Johnny felt it. Tingling at the back of his neck, and moving down toward his heart. The familiar sensation, the welcome heat.

"Yeah, buddy. I'm gonna go back. I'm gonna stop this, and we'll be a family again."

"K. Here, you'll need this then."

Franklin pulled a small convex disc from his pocket and handed it to Johnny. It was white, trimmed with a metallic navy blue and embossed with a "4" of the same color. Johnny took it and held it close to his chest.

"So now what?"

"Flame on, buddy. Flame on."

[batnkevlar]

Quicksilver stood triumphantly over Hawkeye as he stared down his father.

"I don't expect this to sway you in any way father, but I am not here to discuss past differences, nor future vendettas. Simply, I am here for my sister, so that we may be a family again, to help raise my niece ro nephew in the true image of a Maximoff, instead of some crude American cowboy."

Quicksilver eyed Agent X suspicously.

"Though, it seems you have found a new suiter for her."

"This man? No one is suitable to be a husband for my daughter. Well, there aren't that many."

I look down at the purple-clad "Hawkeye" on the floor. So good was his hawkeye, he never saw my son coming.

"Why come back to me now? Why after this abomination impregnated my only daughter? You could have stopped this. There is such thing as a vaesectomy, or better yet, castration."

I look out my palace window.

[Batman]

So, the Devil was here at last. About time too. Of course, being the moron that he was, any attempt at stealth had been replaced by running into the station screaming "BULLSEYE!" He was just asking to be shot.

And Bullseye was happy to oblige.

He reloaded the sniper rifle, and lined up his target.

"I've got you now," Bullseye murmured to himself.

Bullseye took a deep breath, allowing the image of Brenda to enter his head for just a second. Then, he pulled the trigger.

I could hear the whisper. My prey is near. However, before I could penpoint exactly where he was, a shot rang out, springing my senses to life.

I look up, spotting a bullet with my radar, coming straight for me. Straight for me. Only Bullseye could make a shot like that. I duck, just in time to hear the bullet richochet off of where my head was.

He's angry. Part of me can't blame him. The other part of me wants to strangle him within an inch of his life, because of what he's done to the now dead civillians I can 'see' on the ground, thanks to the bullet's sound setting off my radar, and lighting the room for me.

I grit my teeth. More bodies. More people. When will this madness end?!

"GIVE IT UP! THERE'S NOWHERE IN THE WORLD YOU CAN HIDE FROM ME, BULLSEYE! NO BULLET YOU CAN SHOOT CAN HURT ME! NO KNIFE YOU CAN THROW CAN TOUCH ME! NOTHING YOU CAN UNLEASH WILL HAVE A CHANCE IN HELL OF HURTING ME! DON'T GET IT, BY NOW? IT'S OVER! DO YOU HEAR ME?!

IT'S OVER!!!"

[Duker Jay]

Ben Grimm emerges from on the floor level of the building he landed in, followed by three policemen. He approaches one of the officers who is holding a bullhorn.

"So...what does he want?"

"We're not sure, yet." The officers answers. "You ARE The Thing, right?"

"Well...not right now. You mind?" Ben asks, motioning towards the bullhorn.

The officer hands it to Ben.

"HEY! SHOCKER! LET'S TALK, FELLA..." Ben pauses and turns to the officers. "We sure this is the old one? Anyone got his name?"

"It's Shultz, sir...Herman Shultz."

"SHULTZ! WHAT'S THE DEAL!? WHAT DO YOU WANT!?"

[Toby_Temple]

Somewhere in Clinton City, Mars A.D. 2020

"Coordinates 24B-AH67 24C-AT55 Destination: Earth Timeline: 2006 City...."

Marsian Guards: OPEN FIRE!!!

Much to the intruder's enthusiam, he now has to quickly initiate his plans. Without hesitation, he pressed the ENTER button. But he would regret the sudden move.

CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!

15 Miles from the Eath's suface
A.D. 2006

"Forgot to enter an Earth city. Yes?"

[Spider-Man9X17]

"This man? No one is suitable to be a husband for my daughter. Well, there aren't that many."

I look down at the purple-clad "Hawkeye" on the floor. So good was his hawkeye, he never saw my son coming.

"Why come back to me now? Why after this abomination impregnated my only daughter? You could have stopped this. There is such thing as a vaesectomy, or better yet, castration."

I look out my palace window.

"Several guards were now in the room. The picked up Hawkeye and carried his limp body away, presumebly to the holding cells below.

"I still believe strongly in family and the mutant plight, even if I sometime don't see eye to eye with you, Father. I want this new child to be raised properly. among his own kind. He or she deserves to be raised by family, even the more eccentric members."

[Electro UK]

Max yawned as he rubbed his eyes. He felt so tired. But he couldn't fall asleep. Kingpin's guards could be on Norma and him at any second. They were at an abandoned waherhouse, until Max could figure out how to get out of this mess.

Not many people knew Wilson Fisk as the Kingpin, and those that did knew it was a very bad idea to get on the wrong side of him. Max didn't think saying "I didn't know he was your brother!" was going to get him out of trouble.

Norma was inside, preparing what food she could gather before they left the apartment. Her mind was other places though. Max was Electro, her husband was dead, the Kingpin of crime was after them, not to mention the huge cut on the back of her head. She needed to get it treated, but she knew guards would be at the front of every Hospital in New York, and she couldn't put Max in danger after what he'd done for her. She raised her knife, ready to chop a carrot, when she noticed her wedding ring.

That ring took her back, back at a time when Paul was a gentle, loving man. His brother had changed him. Slowly, she took off her ring. Beautiful. She nearly fainted when Paul preposed. She looked away as she threw it into the darkest shadows of the room.

Max turned round, seeing Norma bury her face in her hands an start sobbing. Poor woman. She'd been through so much. Max wanted so badly to comfort her, but he did't know where she stood. Did she feel the same way about him? He hoped so.

"How did you know Norma?" he asked. Norma stopped crying and raised her head up.

"What?"

"How did you know that I was Electro?"

"Your... your last battle with Spider-man was on the news. I saw the whole fight.It wasn't until you were unconcious that I realised. That mad man... Deadpool has cut your mask up just enough for me to recognize you."

"That why you didn't call me straight away?"

"What? No I told you it was because I was afra--"

"Norma, I know most villains ain't bright. I can't say I'm exaclty matching Reed Richard's brain power, but I ain't no god damn idiot. Why didn't you call me straight away?"

"...I never wanted to see you again. Knowing that when I saved you... it was all a lie. Your friend stabbed you when drunk? What kind of friends Max? Was it Doctor Octopus? Punisher?"

Max stood silent for a second "It was... it was Bullseye." Norma's expression changed to one of shock.

"That mad man that likes nothing more than to kill? You were friends with that sick freak?"

"I... kinda still am."

Norma looked in shame as Max hung his head. "Its not just that though. How do I know you're not like him? How many people have you killed in your life?"

"Norma, I'm not going to lie to you, it ripped me apart one time. I'm still Electro, I always will be. But... I'm different from Bullseye."

"I don't see how."

"Because of Mia. She changed me alright? She... she just put somethin inside me that I hadn't felt since we were married."

"The girl you killed? What kind of sick--"

"Shut up." Max said, a cold look on his face. "Don't you ever think that for one second, I could ever hurt that woman." Silently, Norma nodded.

"And do you... do you still love her?"

"I always feel something for her, but she's gone. I'm not going to make my love for her make me dwell in denial."

"So... so what about me?" Silence filled the room as Max slowly knelt down next to Norma.

"I... I never left you. And when you went... I...I almost couldn't go on. Not a day I didn't think about what I'd just lost... because... I never stopped loving you."

Norma looked into Max's eyes. He was telling the truth. "That... I never knew I--" she was stopped as Max kissed her. Slowly, they laid back. Forgetting about all the troubles of the world. They'd found each other again.

***

Norma slowly awoke. She looked round the room, Max was back by the door, keeping guard. "M-Max? You alright?"

"I-I shoudln't be doing this Norma."

"What?"

"It's not fair on you. It's not fair at all."

"Max what are you on about?"

"You're going to abandon me."

"What? No I'm not going to lea--"

"Yes you are. One way or another. Everyone I get close to does."

"Max you're not making any sense."

"Dad, Mom, you and Mia. You've all left my life. What if I fail? What if one of Kingpin's guards grabs you while I have my back turned? I can't... I can't protect you forever." Max waited for Norma's reply. But it never came. "Norma?" he asked turning round. "Oh my..."

Unconcious. She was out. It was the cut on the back of her head. Max had wanted to get it seen to but she wouldn't let him. He ran to her side. There was still a pulse. He had to get her to the nearest Hospital. But... Kingpin's guards. He'd deal with them. Nothing was going to stop him from saving her.

He scooped her up in his arms and leapt out of the front door and into the night sky. His speed was picking up, fast. It wasn't going to happen, she wasn't going to die. Max didn't care if he had to challegne Death, he was going to save Norma. He'd never been this fast. God it felt fantastic... but that wasn't what Max could focus on right now. Glass shattered as he streamed through the city.

It had only been seconds, but it felt like hours to Max as he touched down on the ground. He ran for the Hospital entrance. "Come on Dillon! Move those legs!" he mental screamed at himself.

But something was wrong. Suddenly, his feet weren't touching the ground anymore. He slammed into the concrete, Norma rolling out of his arms. He'd been tripped. A foot whammed round his face. Rolling him over. Two muscle bound men. Kingpin's idiots.

"Look, I'll come with you, I'll let you beat the crap out of me if you must but for godsakes let me get her in there."

"No chance Dillon, we know what you can do, you're coming with us, and we were told to use force, whether you resisted or not."

Max swept his feet, knocking one to the ground. Scambeling up, he raised his fists. "I don't have time for this, I'll fry you right here if I have to. Let me get her inside."

One guard pulled out a gun. Max readied to blast it out of his hands, but stopped as he saw the gun aim lower. At Norma.

"Think you're fast enough to stop the bullet Max?" he knew he couldn't take the chance, as did the guards. But they weren't expecting to see an electric bubble pop up around Norma.

"You lay one finger on her and I swear I'll give you the most painful death in the world."

BANG! "You a retard? Can't you see the bub--" then it hit Max. It wasn't Norma he'd hit. He grabbed his wound. Already he could feel himself losing it. "N-no. Stay awake Max, you've got to save Norma! You've got to save..." whack.

Max hit the ground, unconcious. The two men grabbed his arms and started to haul him out of the car park.

[Keyser Soze]

I could hear the whisper. My prey is near. However, before I could penpoint exactly where he was, a shot rang out, springing my senses to life.

I look up, spotting a bullet with my radar, coming straight for me. Straight for me. Only Bullseye could make a shot like that. I duck, just in time to hear the bullet richochet off of where my head was.

He's angry. Part of me can't blame him. The other part of me wants to strangle him within an inch of his life, because of what he's done to the now dead civillians I can 'see' on the ground, thanks to the bullet's sound setting off my radar, and lighting the room for me.

I grit my teeth. More bodies. More people. When will this madness end?!

"GIVE IT UP! THERE'S NOWHERE IN THE WORLD YOU CAN HIDE FROM ME, BULLSEYE! NO BULLET YOU CAN SHOOT CAN HURT ME! NO KNIFE YOU CAN THROW CAN TOUCH ME! NOTHING YOU CAN UNLEASH WILL HAVE A CHANCE IN HELL OF HURTING ME! DON'T GET IT, BY NOW? IT'S OVER! DO YOU HEAR ME?!

IT'S OVER!!!"

"No, it's never over, Daredevil."

While Daredevil had been shouting, Bullseye had made his way down from the rafters. He was now on the upper level of the station, looking down at his nemesis.

"Is this what this is all about? Control? Only you can decide when it's over. Is that why you wouldn't just...let me leave? Why you wouldn't let me be happy?"

Bullseye's voice was seething with rage, as hard as he tried to keep it in check. He paused for a moment, trying to calm himself down. He knew they were going to have another huge fight any minute, so he wanted to get the talking over with first.

"I was going...to retire! You would never have had any trouble from me again. I was going to live in Italy, renounce my killin' ways. Hell, I was gonna become a writer, so I could stay at home and look after my kid! My kid! I had...I have a son, damnit! Leonard, that's his name. And you killed his mother. You took my last chance of happiness, and you crushed it."

Bullseye's voice trembled slightly as he talked about Brenda's death. He had tried to push it to the back of his mind, but talking about her - facing her killer - that brought it all back to the surface.

"But hey, who am I to talk?" he continued, his voice steady again, "I killed the girl of your dreams...twice. So now I'd say we were about even. Was that why you did it? To get...even? But there was a difference. Elektra, that crack whore, they both got in my way. But Brenda, that was different. First you...you try and turn her against me, and when that fails, you hunt us down, and you kill her, in front of OUR CHILD!"

Bullseye placed all his anger and hatred into those last two words. He was shaking with anger. He had to calm himself, get himself into a fight mentality. With extreme effort, he forced a smile.

"And they say I'm cold blooded."

[Batman]

"No, it's never over, Daredevil."

While Daredevil had been shouting, Bullseye had made his way down from the rafters. He was now on the upper level of the station, looking down at his nemesis.

"Is this what this is all about? Control? Only you can decide when it's over. Is that why you wouldn't just...let me leave? Why you wouldn't let me be happy?"

Bullseye's voice was seething with rage, as hard as he tried to keep it in check. He paused for a moment, trying to calm himself down. He knew they were going to have another huge fight any minute, so he wanted to get the talking over with first.

"I was going...to retire! You would never have had any trouble from me again. I was going to live in Italy, renounce my killin' ways. Hell, I was gonna become a writer, so I could stay at home and look after my kid! My kid! I had...I have a son, damnit! Leonard, that's his name. And you killed his mother. You took my last chance of happiness, and you crushed it."

Bullseye's voice trembled slightly as he talked about Brenda's death. He had tried to push it to the back of his mind, but talking about her - facing her killer - that brought it all back to the surface.

"But hey, who am I to talk?" he continued, his voice steady again, "I killed the girl of your dreams...twice. So now I'd say we were about even. Was that why you did it? To get...even? But there was a difference. Elektra, that crack whore, they both got in my way. But Brenda, that was different. First you...you try and turn her against me, and when that fails, you hunt us down, and you kill her, in front of OUR CHILD!"

Bullseye placed all his anger and hatred into those last two words. He was shaking with anger. He had to calm himself, get himself into a fight mentality. With extreme effort, he forced a smile.

"And they say I'm cold blooded."

"YOU ARE!"

My fists are clenched. My teeth are grit. My veins are bulging. Every inch of blood in my body is boiling. Every muscle is tight.

His words... They ran through my brain,hitting me harder and harder as he talked. He tells tales of wanting to retire. Wanting to make himself a better man. A good, family man. If he were any other person in the universe, I probably would believe him. But this is Bullseye. A man who lives purely on the enjoyment of watching everyone around him suffer, due to his skill and evil mentality.

I don't even listen to his heartbeat. It's all lies. Every bit of it. Everything the man says is selfish. He talks about Elektra... He talks about Karen... As if they're the only reason I'm fighting him. And he's wrong. Dead wrong. It's these corpses around me that fuel me to battle him, every time. I'm not as selfish as he is. He speaks to me as if I'm worse than him, for one mistake. I didn't even kill Brenda intentionally. Him? He's killed hundreds. Thousands. INTENTIONALLY.

That doesn't mean he deserves what happened to him. But these people around me didn't deserve what happened to them, either.

"I'm sick of listening to your cries of pity. I'm sick of listening to you accuse me of something you're damned well familiar with. Elektra? That 'Crack Whore' you speak of? You think THAT'S the reason I've ever pursued you?! LOOK AROUND YOU! Elektra and Karen have NOTHING to do with this! It's THESE people! THESE PEOPLE who you killed! THESE PEOPLE who you didn't think about! THAT'S why I'm here tonight! How DARE you accuse me of personal revenge! How DARE you accuse me of being...YOU! You heartless, inhuman son of a b****!"

Every ounce of my anger and years worth of pent up rage fumes through my words,as I sense his presence mere feet from me.

"You think I intentionally murdered the mother of your child?! You've REALLY lost it! I was trying to PROTECT them! You were going to retire?! That's a lie! That's a DAMNED lie! Even if you truly believed that you could, You would've gone back, eventually! Why?! Because that's who you are! That's ALL you are! You're a killer! A cold, heartless killer who thinks of NOTHING but himself! You would've slaughtered them both, eventually, just like these people around me, for the thrill of it, Because THAT'S WHO YOU ARE! It's ALWAYS who you've been, And it's always who you WILL be!"

I'm losing it. The rage... It's all too much. It's all coming out too fast. If I don't get it under control, I'm going to do something I regret. I stop, and take a few breaths, before raising my head in his direction, as if I'm looking straight at him. The rage surpresses itself, as I gain my sanity back. Even if briefly.

"I know this is going to be hard for you to believe, considering how 'perfect' you are at everything, but I make mistakes. That night, I made the biggest one of my life. Do you HONESTLY think I intended for the club to hit her? DO YOU?! Because you should know me better than that, Bullseye. Are all of these years of torment and anguish we've fed eachother wasted? Have you forgotten what kind of a person I am? You know, aswell as I do, that I would NEVER intentionally take the life of anyone! ANYONE!"

Somehow, I'm starting to doubt my own words. There is a life I would've taken, had I taken the chance. Bullseye's. The night Elektra stumbled onto my doorstep. The night I learned Karen was dead. The television report, this morning. If I had been even a little angrier, I would've done it.

But I can't. I can never do it. There are lines that I cross, and there are lines that I won't. Becoming... him... That isn't one that I will ever make reality.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you, and her. I really am. And even though you're never going to believe me, deep down... you know I am. But you don't care, do you? You'll just kill me, irregardless. That, or continue killing the people I love. Well, Bullseye,I hate to break it to you, But I'm sick of playing this game. I'm sick of worrying about what sick act you're going to pull off next. I'm sick of the death. I'm sick of the torment. I'm sick of everything. But MOST of all, Bullseye, I'M SICK OF YOU!"

I breathe, again. The anger is flowing through me like a surge of energy. I almost feel invincible.

Almost.

I tilt my head in his direction, once more, as if I were staring at Satan himself. In some ways... I am.

"It ends. One way or the other, It's coming to an end. Nothing you say or do is going to change that."

[Electro UK]

Max awoke, tied to a chair in a dark, dusty room. Where the hell was he? Norma? Where was she? Was she alive? Then he noticed the stench in the room... blood. It hung on the air, making Max feel sick. He had to get out. Had to find Norma. He'd just fire up a bolt and get out. He tried. Nothing happened. "What the hell?" he kept trying. "Come on damnit!"

"I keep tabs on all my employees Electro." came a booming voice from the other side of the room. The Kingpin. The room lit up as Wilson Fisk slammed the door open, Max had to squint his eyes to see, but he knew the Kingpin was here.

Wilson flicked a switch, a light came on. Max could see the whole room. It was filled with blood. Everywhere, on the floor, walls, even on the ceiling. "Oh my god." he said under his breath. "Fisk... I know whatever I do... you're just gonna do this. Just tell me... what happened to Norma?"

"Shut up Max. You're in no position to ask questions." Max fell silent immeadately. "Before I came in here, I had you injected with a drug, it will kill your powers for a time."

Max hung his head. "Just... just get it over with."

"What? No begging? No pathetic cry for mercy? Dillon, I'm almost impressed with you."

Max gave Wilson a cold stare. "Don't push it too far boy, or one of my fingers might hold your neck a little too hard."

"Tell me what happened to her Fisk."

"I don't think you understood me you pathetic roach."

"TELL ME YOU SON OF A B****!" Whack! Electro screamed in pain as Kingpin's dist connected with his stomach and sent him flying across the room. Max could feel his ribs grinding together as they snapped.

"What...what did you do to her?" Knocked to the ground by a slap, blood ran from his nose. "Where is Norma?" Fisk kicked him, rolling him over into a wall. Max wiped the blood away from his nose.

Slowly, he got to his feet. "Is she alive?"

"SHUT UP!" Fisk demanded as he tossed Max aside. "I don't care about your little girlfriend Dillon. I really don't care. What I do care about, is my brother. And because of you, right now my Brother is lying in a coffin."

"He deserves less." Kingpin was taken back.

"What did you say?"

"I said your waste of space brother, who took up a lot of space for the record, deserved to have his body thrown into a pit and left to rot."

With a scream of rage, Kingpin let out a full fleged punch. Max felt his nose break and his teeth sink into Fisk's fist and come out as he pulled his arm back.

"Because... because of your brothers failure... Norma was beaten. Your brother was a sick bastard. But you know one thing? You're worse."

Fisk let out a kick, Max flew from the floor straight onto the ceiling and back to the floor. "Not anyone, ANYONE has ever made me as mad as you have Dillon."

"F*** you." And with that, Max went through the wall. His back felt like it was on fire. His arm was dislocated. His face was so swollen, he could barely see. blood poured from his nose and just about every placeon his body. Wilson raised his fists. This was it. The killing blow. In his final moments, Max liked to have thought he'd saved Norma.

"Sir." came the voice of a guard at the door.

"What?" Kingpin growled.

"His powers are back. You've got to get out of there."

Max tried to raise his hand as Kingpin headed for the room, he tried to blast him, but he coudln't. "Get well soon Dillon, I intend to do much worse next time." Then the darkness once more.

***

"Alright Electro, needle time." said a guard, walking in with a seringe. "Let's have your arm, don't try any funny stuff, you're too weak."

Slowly, Max raised his arm. His nose has stopped bleeding, aside from that, he'd never suffered a worse beating before in his life. The guard grabbed hold of his arm. "Hope this hurts."

But the needle wouldn't move. "What the hell the guard said to himself as he tried to force the needle to move."

"Maybe you keep tabs on me. But not enough to learn about something I could do that I found out about more recentley." the guard watched in horror as the needle rose into the air.

"Oh my-- ACK!"

"Ionizing metal." Max said as he pulled the needle out of the guard's head. He limped out of the room, two guards immeadiately aimed, Max sent their weapons into their faces then pulled the triggers on them.

"Where are you Norma?" he asked himself as he made his way.

[Keyser Soze]

"YOU ARE!"

My fists are clenched. My teeth are grit. My veins are bulging. Every inch of blood in my body is boiling. Every muscle is tight.

His words... They ran through my brain,hitting me harder and harder as he talked. He tells tales of wanting to retire. Wanting to make himself a better man. A good, family man. If he were any other person in the universe, I probably would believe him. But this is Bullseye. A man who lives purely on the enjoyment of watching everyone around him suffer, due to his skill and evil mentality.

I don't even listen to his heartbeat. It's all lies. Every bit of it. Everything the man says is selfish. He talks about Elektra... He talks about Karen... As if they're the only reason I'm fighting him. And he's wrong. Dead wrong. It's these corpses around me that fuel me to battle him, every time. I'm not as selfish as he is. He speaks to me as if I'm worse than him, for one mistake. I didn't even kill Brenda intentionally. Him? He's killed hundreds. Thousands. INTENTIONALLY.

That doesn't mean he deserves what happened to him. But these people around me didn't deserve what happened to them, either.

"I'm sick of listening to your cries of pity. I'm sick of listening to you accuse me of something you're damned well familiar with. Elektra? That 'Crack Whore' you speak of? You think THAT'S the reason I've ever pursued you?! LOOK AROUND YOU! Elektra and Karen have NOTHING to do with this! It's THESE people! THESE PEOPLE who you killed! THESE PEOPLE who you didn't think about! THAT'S why I'm here tonight! How DARE you accuse me of personal revenge! How DARE you accuse me of being...YOU! You heartless, inhuman son of a b****!"

Every ounce of my anger and years worth of pent up rage fumes through my words,as I sense his presence mere feet from me.

"You think I intentionally murdered the mother of your child?! You've REALLY lost it! I was trying to PROTECT them! You were going to retire?! That's a lie! That's a DAMNED lie! Even if you truly believed that you could, You would've gone back, eventually! Why?! Because that's who you are! That's ALL you are! You're a killer! A cold, heartless killer who thinks of NOTHING but himself! You would've slaughtered them both, eventually, just like these people around me, for the thrill of it, Because THAT'S WHO YOU ARE! It's ALWAYS who you've been, And it's always who you WILL be!"

I'm losing it. The rage... It's all too much. It's all coming out too fast. If I don't get it under control, I'm going to do something I regret. I stop, and take a few breaths, before raising my head in his direction, as if I'm looking straight at him. The rage surpresses itself, as I gain my sanity back. Even if briefly.

"I know this is going to be hard for you to believe, considering how 'perfect' you are at everything, but I make mistakes. That night, I made the biggest one of my life. Do you HONESTLY think I intended for the club to hit her? DO YOU?! Because you should know me better than that, Bullseye. Are all of these years of torment and anguish we've fed eachother wasted? Have you forgotten what kind of a person I am? You know, aswell as I do, that I would NEVER intentionally take the life of anyone! ANYONE!"

Somehow, I'm starting to doubt my own words. There is a life I would've taken, had I taken the chance. Bullseye's. The night Elektra stumbled onto my doorstep. The night I learned Karen was dead. The television report, this morning. If I had been even a little angrier, I would've done it.

But I can't. I can never do it. There are lines that I cross, and there are lines that I won't. Becoming... him... That isn't one that I will ever make reality.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you, and her. I really am. And even though you're never going to believe me, deep down... you know I am. But you don't care, do you? You'll just kill me, irregardless. That, or continue killing the people I love. Well, Bullseye,I hate to break it to you, But I'm sick of playing this game. I'm sick of worrying about what sick act you're going to pull off next. I'm sick of the death. I'm sick of the torment. I'm sick of everything. But MOST of all, Bullseye, I'M SICK OF YOU!"

I breathe, again. The anger is flowing through me like a surge of energy. I almost feel invincible.

Almost.

I tilt my head in his direction, once more, as if I were staring at Satan himself. In some ways... I am.

"It ends. One way or the other, It's coming to an end. Nothing you say or do is going to change that."

Bullseye listened in spiteful silence to Daredevil's response. Then he responded with a simple reply.

"You're wrong."

He stared hard at Daredevil, while slowly reaching for the throwing stars tucked into his belt.

"This is just the beginning. All these corpses here tonight? They would all be alive right now if you had just...let me be. Their blood is on your hands. And there will be more blood. Lots more blood. You talk all high and mighty, like you're better than me. But I'm gonna make you wish you weren't. I'm gonna make you wish you'd killed me instead of an innocent woman. This is just the beginning..."

And before he even finished the sentence, Bullseye had tossed three throwing stars at Daredevil.

[SonnyBlack]

"Several guards were now in the room. The picked up Hawkeye and carried his limp body away, presumebly to the holding cells below.

"I still believe strongly in family and the mutant plight, even if I sometime don't see eye to eye with you, Father. I want this new child to be raised properly. among his own kind. He or she deserves to be raised by family, even the more eccentric members."
[Thinking to himself]

No man is good enough for your daughter? If that means what I think it does you just made me a very happy man. Just think of the sales, I mean if Brokeback Mountain could make it her series should be dynamite! Wait when did Wanda and me come into play I mean I’m just her guard. She is cute but Magneto would kill me, I mean over and over agian. Oh quick their looking at me say something, what would Magneto say?

“You are no son of mine, I mean son of his. A real son would listen to his father and want to fulfill his father’s dreams…”

X pauses a moment.

"Non sexual."

"What? Who the hell are you? Nothing but a simple…”

“Wait I’m not done. A real son would kill those his father wants to kill and have the common decency to get a normal looking haircut I mean look at that thing.”

“Uh well put Alex.”

Eric walks to Alex and puts his arm around him while looking turning back to look at Pietro.

“You speak of family but what have you done for your father my son?”

An angered look comes to the face of Pietro.
http://www.mutanthigh.com/quicksilver.jpg
“You will soon see father.”

He storms out of the Citadel as a smile comes to Eric's face.

“Well done Alex.”

Alex smiles and opens up his arms.

“Hey gimme a hug big guy.”

“Get back to work it's almost time.”

"That's not cool."

[Toby_Temple]

edit

[Toby_Temple]

"So does this technacally make me James Bond?" Wade asked as he leapt over Juggernaut's helemt, just in time to miss the two web balls that splattered onto his armour.

"I mean look at the facts, I'm the gun tooter around here, I'm stopping a huge fat guy from robbing Fort Knox, if I punched him he wouldn't feel a thing like the small Chinese bloke, and I'm pretty sure my head would fall off if he threw that helmet at me."

He hoisted himself up onto Cain's shoulder, who tried to thrash him off. "Hey! Careful on the shaking huh? I'm not too good with those kinda things and I don't wanna throw up in my mask!"

13 Miles above them........

SCANNING_SCANNING_SCANNING_
DATA ACQUIRED_
DROP POINT: FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY
POPULATION: 12,377
DISTANCE: 13,431
13,421
13,411

Fort Knox? Just the perfect place for me. Good people, good environment, good ol gold bullions. Its been a millenium since the last time I used gold as money. Its decided. My mission for today is to rob Fort Knox Bullion Depository. Yes?

WARNING! OPPOSITON DETECTED:
DETECTING THREE SENTIENT BEINGS CAUSING MAYHEM IN DROP POINT.

Opposition.........an armed adversary that lessens the probability of accomplishing a specific mission...................Looks like its going to be fun down there. Yes?

[bkhedr]

Thor had barely begun his short flight to Kentucky when the Avengers communicator in his helmet pinged for his attention.

OOC: I’m figuring King Thor look, with the sweet helmet and a communicator built in

“Thor its Janet” The Wasp’s voice came through the tiny speaker, “Jarvis just told us you that you are back on active duty”

“Aye Wasp and it would seem that the timing of my return is well chosen.” Thor replied.

“You don’t know the half of it Thor, things are getting crazy out there. I know you told Jarvis that you were on your way to Fort Knox but something else has come up. We just got word that the U-Foes have surfaced and are attacking the Manhattan police precinct on First Avenue. Casualties are reportedly high and the NYPD has requested Avengers aid”

“The villains dare to attack midgard’s noble police forces without cause or provocation?!” said Thor as his anger grew, “Such an act must not go unopposed!”

"I’m glad you think so Thor, because I need you to get over there and stop the U-Foes. Spider-Man and Deadpool will have to deal with Marko as best as they can.”

“Agreed Janet, the god of thunder will show the U-Foes the consequences of their villainous deeds!” Thor said as he changed direction and headed back towards the city.

***

SWAT Sergeant Ben Williams ducked and covered as one of the police cruisers parked in the makeshift barricade exploded. Three more dead cops. Williams’ unit had only just arrived and he had already lost 2 men, not to mention that all 57 officers who were in Precinct 72 had died when the U-Foes had appeared and attacked. That was 17 minutes ago and the NYPD had been struggling to contain the U-Foes ever since.

Williams took aim and fired at the big metal guy who had just hurled a civilian vehicle into a public library and wasn’t too surprised when the bullets bounced off the guy’s skin. The glowing energy guy who was standing on top of the demolished police precinct fired a bolt of energy from his hands and turned a circling news chopper into a ball of flame.

“Poor dumb bastards should have stayed away.” he murmured to himself, “Hell we should be staying the hell away.”

“Sarge look!” Officer Shelley shouted as he pointed to the sky, “The cavalry’s here!”

Williams looked up and saw the Mighty Thor speeding towards them. “Looks like we might just live to see tomorrow after all” he thought.

-----

Thor had heard the explosions as he approached, and had seen the billowing smoke, but he was still shocked at the amount of destruction he saw. The police precinct was all but demolished and it looked like the U-Foes had claimed the square and started destroying or killing anything and everything that they came across. He could not imagine what motivated the U-Foes actions and he didnt care. What mattered was that now they would have to contend with his righteous wrath.

http://www.dragonhero.com/graphics/hero/u-foes.jpg

[Toby_Temple]

The cyborg's free fall has not gone unnoticed. 25 miles away from Fort Knox, someone was taking his aim.

Steady.......Steady......

The sniper is a professional. Armed with his gadgets and military arsenals , he waits for the perfect moment as he patiently locks his target in his scope. The moment is near.

Wherever you came from pal, it would have been better for you if you stayed there.

PSSSSSSSRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!

Bye bye, tinman!

9 miles above Fort Knox

Hmmmm. Who could be waiting for me down there? She-hulk? Rogue? Mary Jane? Scarlet.....

WARNING! MISSILE LAUNCH DETECTED!

That, I did not hoped for. Yes?

[SuperFerret]

OOC: I'm going to be naming my story arcs from now on.


Superferret presents:
Norman Osborn and Harry Osborn
in
Family Reunion
PART ONE



Norman Osborn sat at his desk in his office, surrounded by paperwork. Obviously, this was not where he wanted to be at the moment. He'd much rather be strangling May Parker to death while her nephew was forced to watch. But, in order to keep his cover of being a legitimate businessman, Norman had to occasionally do actual work for his corporation. Thank god I wasn't a plumber before I found my true calling.

But Norman's boredom was soon to end, as suddenly, the Green Goblin burst through the large window opposite his desk. Norman wasn't the least bit surprised. He had been expecting this.

"NORMAN!"

The Goblin hopped off of his glider, and stepped up to Norman's desk, taking off his mask as he did. Norman didn't even flinch at seeing the face of his son, who was supposed to be long dead.

"How can I help you, son?"

Harry's face twisted in anger. Norman didn't even stand up when he made his entrance, he just sat there, a smug expression playing across his face.

"Liz told me everything. How you've come back to life. How you threatened to harm her and my son on numerous occasions. I'm here to kill you for that, 'Dad'. Now stand up and fight me!"

Norman smirked, further infuriating Harry. "I'm afraid if I did that, the fight would be one-sided. You see, my boy, I've recently lost my Goblin powers. I sit before you a mere mortal. Plus, you really don't want to kill me," Norman pressed a hidden button on the underside of his desk, "now do you? I'm your father, I raised you, is killing me a fitting thanks for that?"

"No," Harry stated sadly, "I guess not."

Norman stood up, walked around to where Harry stood and put his arm around his son's shoulders. "See?" he said, "I told you you didn't want to do it. We're back, the both of us. We're Osborns, we laugh at death! We should get together, son, and have a night on the town." Harry looked at his father confusedly, Norman continued, "We'll do it Osborn style, my boy." Norman held up the Goblin mask for effect.

"But there's just one thing I'll need you to do first."

"What's that?"

Norman left Harry's side, and took his seat again. "We need to be a family again." Harry shook his head, puzzled. "Ah, yes, I forget how long you were gone. You have a half-sister, Harry."

"A half-sister?"

"Yes, she's the result of a tryst I had with a dearly departed friend of yours, a Miss Gwen Stacy."

"Gwen!? That's impossible! Gwen loved Peter, she'd never cheat on him by sleeping with you." Harry's face once again showed rage, "You must've raped her!"

"Quite the contray, my boy. Miss Stacy did 'cheat' on Parker, and she did it willingly. She spread her legs for me as easily as any common whore. But that's not the point, Harry. The point is, our daughter, Sarah, is somewhere out in the city, alone, without a caring family. We need to bring her back to the Osborn fold. I need you to find her, and convince her to come back to us, to follow in our footsteps in the family business. The Goblin business."

Harry seemed convinced. "I'll find her." He said, pulling his mask back on, "How do I find her?"

"I don't know, but if she's anything like I think she is, she'll come to you. Also, she's the spitting image of her mother, if that helps."

"Thanks Dad," Harry said, hopping back onto the glider, "It's good to be back." And then, he was out of the broken window, and over the city.

Norman dialed a number into his cellphone. It rang twice on the other side before a voice picked up.

"Hello?"

"Miles, it's Norman. I've got to say, your handiwork is impressive. It looked and acted just like my real son did, although you seem to have given him a spine. And the chip I wanted you to install in his brainstem worked like a charm, he'll take anything I say as gospel. Your three million will be wired to you shortly." Norman hung up.

So much for being bored.

[Batman]

Bullseye listened in spiteful silence to Daredevil's response. Then he responded with a simple reply.

"You're wrong."

He stared hard at Daredevil, while slowly reaching for the throwing stars tucked into his belt.

"This is just the beginning. All these corpses here tonight? They would all be alive right now if you had just...let me be. Their blood is on your hands. And there will be more blood. Lots more blood. You talk all high and mighty, like you're better than me. But I'm gonna make you wish you weren't. I'm gonna make you wish you'd killed me instead of an innocent woman. This is just the beginning..."

And before he even finished the sentence, Bullseye had tossed three throwing stars at Daredevil.

My eyes widen as I sense three razors heading straight for me. His talking had intercepted and cloaked them long enough to ensure that I couldn't dodge all of them.

I dodge the first one with ease. The second one just puts a tear across one of the D's on my costume as I lean back. Then, I feel a pain in my arm.

"AGH!"

I clutch the arm, feeling the throwing star jammed into it. I can even feel the blood oozing from my wound as I pull it out. It hurts like hell. I should've been more focused... not as angry. I gave him the perfect opprotunity, and he took it.

But something he said... something he told me right before I noticed them... it doesn't help the situation. How 'there would be more blood'.

...I'm getting angrier, thinking about that. I won't allow him to do that. I don't care what I have to do to prevent any more bloodshed, Bullseye won't suceed. Even if I die, trying to stop him.

I let the bleeding arm hang, and ignore the pain, as I take one of my billy clubs with the other, and throw it towards him. However, I have a suspicion the pain will throw my aim off. Maybe for the better, considering I was aiming for his head.

While I hate to admit it, right now... The odds are in his favor.

[bkhedr]

The U-Foe called X-ray stood on the roof of the burning police building and smiled. He was enjoying the wanton destruction. So far Vector's plan had gone off without a hitch. The heroes were obviously busy elsewhere and The U-Foes were going to take this opportunity to put on a show of force that would get their names in the newspapers and get them back into the big leagues. With any luck they would be hired by Hydra or the Kingpin. Even if they didnt they might still be able to use this attack to convince other cities to pay them fortunes in ransom. Yup it was a good plan and fun too. Looking at the sky X-ray was hoping that another news chopper would try to get close and his smile dissapeared. THOR! Why couldnt it be The Black Cat? Why did it always have to be someone like Thor?

----

The Mighty Thor was almost on top of the U-Foes when he saw their leader, Vector, use his power to drop a fire truck on a SWAT team which had tried to flank him. The police were being slaughtered and it made Thor's warrior heart rage, but Vector would have to wait. The one called X-ray had spotted him.

Tugging on Mjolnir the Mighty Thor stopped his advance and hung in the air. Pointing Mjolnir towards the sky he summoned a lighting bolt which X-Ray had to leap off the building to avoid.

"MURDEROUS VILLAINS!", Thor bellowed, "Now you will feel Mjolnir's justice!"

Now Thor had their attention, and Vector called out: "Four on one guys! We take him down and we're made! X-Ray, Vapor surround him! Ironclad, be ready!"

Thor watched as X-Ray and Vapor took to the air and began to circle him. If the U-Foes thought they could prove a point at his expense they were sorely mistaken.

"Let's see just how long you can hold you breath thunder god!" said Vapor as she made the first move by taking on the form of mustard gas and engulfing Thor.

It was a futile attempt, Thor was an asgardian, immune to mortal poisons, and she could not harm him no matter what form she took. He was about to deal with her when he saw Ironclad heave an enormous piece of concrete and throw it directly at an approaching ambulance. He would not let these villains kill anyone else. Thor threw Mjolnir at the concrete slab and it shattered into a shower of dust and gravel.This was apparently what the U-Foes were hoping for and Vector fired a bolt of kinetic energy from his hands which hit Thor dead on and threw him to the ground. The concrete underneath him cracked as he hit the ground but Thor was unharmed. The U-Foes were honorless villains but they were a team and he would have to deal with them accordingly.

"He's down!" shouted Vector, "NOW!"

Before Thor could rise he was hit by simultaneous bolts of energy from X-Ray and Vector. The effect was painful but by no means unbearable, if anything it irritated Thor who lurched to his feet despite the barrage. Ironclad was bearing down on him. No doubt this was how they thought they would take him down. Not a bad idea, but the U-Foes were overmatched. Mjolnir struck Ironclad in the back on its way back to Thor and put him flat on his face.

"Uh-Oh" said X-Ray

"Pour it on!" shouted Vector, "We can beat him!"

But Thor who now had Mjolnir in hand was looking to finish the fight. He would deprive them of their leader first.

"Thou art persistent U-Foes, but now I would see thee leaderless!" Thor said as he threw his hammer at Vector who never had a chance and was knocked out cold. When he woke up he would have a concussion, four missing teeth, and a broken jaw.

"Vector! That does it goldilocks lets see how you like it when I crank the dial up!" shouted X-Ray as he landed and put everything he had into a full intensity blast.

Thor, his hammer already returned, could have withstood the blast but he saw no need to take it. Holding his hammer out in front of him he said: "Hurl thine energies at me with whatever intesity thou wishest U-Foe, and mighty Mjolnir will absorb it..."

X-Ray stood stunned as Thor's hammer absorbed his energy blasts then his eyes widened as a new wave of energy shot out of the hammer and back at him

"....and redirect it at thee ten fold!"

"AIIIEEERGHH!!" X-Ray screamed and collapsed as the energy tore through him

"You took down Vector and X-Ray but you wont beat me!" said Ironclad as he threw a punch at Thor, "I've turned my mass up as far as it will go hammer boy! Let's see your hammer move me again!!!!"

Thor skillfully avoided Ironclad's punches. He was not interested in a brawl while innocents might be trapped in the rubble which was all around them. If Ironclad had indeed increased his mass then his own immobility would force him to feel the full brunt of Mjolnir's fury. Raising Mjolnir, which was now crackling with energy, high above his head Thor shouted: "Thou wouldst invite Mjolnir's fury? THEN SO BE IT!!"

Mjolnir struck Ironclad right in the face and a blinding flash of lightning sparked at the point of impact. When the flash died down Ironclad was on the ground and only one U-Foe remained.

"Here's the deal Avenger: You let me go and I dont turn into cyanide gas and kill all these bystanders" said Vapor

Thor stared into her gaseous visage with a look that would melt steel.

"I SAY THEE NAY VILLAIN!" he shouted as he spun Mjolnir over his head. "Tis true that I cannot capture thee but mine is the power to disperse thee so that you pose no threat to midgard's citizens!"

"Nooooooooooooooooo!" yelled Vapor, her voice dissapearing as she was sucked into the vortex and then blown apart. She would reform, but not for awhile.

"It is done. The U-Foes are vanquished" said Thor as he lowered Mjolnir. He had simultaneously summoned a rain cloud which was even now putting out some of the smaller fires. Thor surveyed his surroundings. The entire city block was in ruins and there were many who still needed his help. He wasnt done here yet.

[JewishHobbit]

Ben Grimm emerges from on the floor level of the building he landed in, followed by three policemen. He approaches one of the officers who is holding a bullhorn.

"So...what does he want?"

"We're not sure, yet." The officers answers. "You ARE The Thing, right?"

"Well...not right now. You mind?" Ben asks, motioning towards the bullhorn.

The officer hands it to Ben.

"HEY! SHOCKER! LET'S TALK, FELLA..." Ben pauses and turns to the officers. "We sure this is the old one? Anyone got his name?"

"It's Shultz, sir...Herman Shultz."

"SHULTZ! WHAT'S THE DEAL!? WHAT DO YOU WANT!?"

Shocker smirks. What's the deal? What's he want? He wants to be taken seriously for once, to prove that he's more than just some guy who can get beaten by children with their arms tied behind their backs. He shrugs, might as well play this for all it's worth.

"What do I want?" He yells through the vibratory wall he's erected in the place where he sent the Thing through. "I want to be taken seriously for once, and I want to prove to the world that I'm more than a coward. But besides all that, I also want $250 Mill or people start dying, and I want it within the hour!"

[Duker Jay]

"I want to be taken seriously for once, and I want to prove to the world that I'm more than a coward. But besides all that, I also want $250 Mill or people start dying, and I want it within the hour!"

"Look, Shultz...it's Ben Grimm, here. You and I both know you're not here for any money...and you've proven that you're a player, now. Nobody needs to be convinced that you're serious...so, what say we let these people go. No one else needs ta get hurt."

Deep down, Ben wanted to just run in there again and keep hitting until he brought the Shocker down. But he had already been beaten once and he didn't know how to become the Thing again, anyways.

[JewishHobbit]

"Alright, I'll compromise. $275 Million. By the end of the day." He smiles. "And I want the ugly guy with the microphone to bring it to me on his knees. But until then..."

And with that the ground between the bank and the police officers begin to shake and instantly caves in, creating a chasm keeping any cars or people from entering the bank. The shocker then grabs a hostage and drags her to her feet. He begins to vibrate her arm, and though it causes little pain, it frightens her enough to make her scream, just as Schultz wanted.

"It's currently 4:34 pm. You have until nine to get me the money."

And with that the Shocker leaves the sight of the onlookers with his prisoner in hand. He wanted to stay and watch thems quirm, but he doesn't want to look so interested. He smiles to himself. In so much as a few hours he has all the money this bank has to offer, he's defeated the Thing, and he has the New York City police department scurrying at his demands. The day's working out great.

The shocker then kneels down and touches the ground. He sends a slight wave into it as it punches a whole nearly ten feet deep into the ground, straight down, and only large enough to fit his fist through. He nods before putting his fist into the hole and letting the vibrations exceed even further. Below the surface a hole is being carved down and out, away from the bank.

"Sir?" comes the bank owner's voice. "May I ask what you are doing?"

Shocker looks to the man and debates on how to punish him for speaking out of turn. Instead he simply smiles.

"I can't just carry your money out of here."

He then picks up a back of money and drops it down the hole and with his vibrations, shoots it through the hole toward it's predetermined location.

"Instant Deposit anyone? Now get a few guys and bring me the rest of what you have."

[The Question]

Cap rides the elevator to the very top floor, on his way to speak with Roderick Kingsley.

The Hobgoblin.

There is a slight ping as the elevator passes each floor. He hears the screams of agony coming from the people Banner is slaughtering.

"Believe it or not, IIII'm walking on air, I never thought I could feel so freee-eee-eee. Flying away ooooon a wing and a prayer, who could it beeeeee? Belive it or not, it's just me."

The elevator comes to a stop, and the doors slide open. Cap sees Kingsly, wearing body armor and holding some guns, standing on the other side of the room.

"Howdy, Roderick. How's things?"

"C....Captain America? What the hell's going on?"

"The thing is, Roderick, you're out. You're not the Kingpin's figurehead anymore. The Kingpin doesn't have a figurehead anymore. New York isn't his anymore."

"You've got nothing on me! I'm a legitimate buisnessman! I..."

"I really don't care."

"Wh....what?"

"I don't care. I don't care if I don't have any evidence. Because, I'm not here to put you in jail. I'm not here to be the hero. I'm here to take your power away from you."

"You're insane! I've got a whole security detail in this building. All highly trained. If you think you're going to scare me into giving up, you're incredibly naive."

Cap, not saying anything, walks over towards the window. Then, without turning back, he speaks.

"You hear that comotion downstairs? Well, that isn't a bunch of masked weirdoes beating up your highly trained security detail. That's The Hulk, slaughtering (and quite possibly raping and eating) you're highly trained security detail. The kid gloves are off, Mr. Kingsly."

"What?"

Kingsly steps back, confused.

"But, you can't do that."

Cap turns back to Kingsly.

"And why the hell not?"

Kingsly barely mumbles out his answer.

"....because you're captain america...."

"Captain?"

Cap lunges at Kingsly. Kingsly tries to shoot at him, but the bullets are blocked by his sheild. Cap throws the sheild, hitting Kingsly in the stomach. Cap then punches Kingsly across the face, grabs his sheild, and smacks Kingsly across the face with it in one swift motion.

"I didn't work my ass off for Uncle Sam for all those years just to stay a Captain the rest of my life."

Cap grabs Kingsly and pulls him up close to his face.

"It's General to you, boy!"

The General throws Kingsly into a wall.

"Now, once the surprise you're in wears off, I'm quite sure you could beat me all on your lonesome. But, I'd advise against it. Remember...."

The General pauses to let Kingsly notice that the thuds and screams caused by The Hulk's massacre are getting louder.

"....I have the power of God on my side. Now, get up."

Kingsly gets up, looking quite nervous.

"Here's what you're going to do. You're going to get on that goddamned glyder of yours, and go tell Fisk that he's done here. New York City belongs to me. And if he has problems with that, he can take it up with me and my good buddy, Dr. Banner."

Without even speaking, Kingsly opens the hidden compartment behins his bookshelf, gets on his glyder, opens a window, and flies out.The General walks over to Kingsly's desk, sit's down in the chair, and out's his feet up. He takes out a cigar, lights it, and takes a puff.

"It's good to be king."

[SuperFerret]

Superferret presents:
Harry Osborn
in
Family Reunion
PART TWO

Harry Osborn

I used to be afraid. The first time I did this, flying high above the city on the glider, I was terrified. But now, I truly feel alive. I cackle loudly, loud enough for those on street level to look upwards, and gasp in horror.

"HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa!!!"

The Green Goblin returns to terrorize New York! Now, all I have to do is find this "Sarah".

OOC: Hint, hint, twy. ;)

[Toby_Temple]

The airborne cyborg quickly maneuvers himself to position and takes aim with his main weapon: A right arm made from fluid-suspension ductile molybdenum capable of limited shape shifting abilities controlled by his cybernetic mind. In a matter of seconds, his right arm has transformed into one of its four main options: A TWO MEGAWATT HIGH-YIELD
PLASMA-FUSION WEAPON!

TIME BEFORE IMPACT: T MINUS 20 SECONDS_

Time before firing.........ZERO!

A beam of light escapes from the cyborg's right arm. The missile speeds towards the light at subsonic speed. As it plunges into the beam, its steel exterior disingrates instantly then its circuitry. In less than a second, the missile is no more.

This is not good, Mike. That thing has one hell of a firepower.

It seems that the extraterrestrial entity is a far more greater threat than we've thought.

We need to call for back up. This one is too much for you.

TOO MUCH? NAH! I just need my better guns.
http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/manning6163.jpg

[Spider-Man9X17]

Johnny walked through the hallways of the upper floors of the Baxter Building, the boots of his uniform lightly clicking against the metal floor. Everything was so quite, so cold, so...lifeless. Not like days past when little kids ran through the halls, when the air was filled with the drone of Reed's tinkering, or Ben and Johnny arguing.

That would all change again though.

The man, or thing, or lifeform, or whatever the hell it was, would pay for what he did to the FF. Johnny made his way through Reed's main lab and into the teleportion room. Across the vast room was the assailants only access to, and escape from, this dimension. And there he was, ready to run back home, an unconscious Reed Richard's sprawled on the floor beside him. Johnny entered the room, turning on the lights.

"PsychoMan!"

The beast turned to face Johnny, the hideous yellow face of his exosuit staring right through Johnny with digust. He stood at almost 6 feet in his suit, but in reality he was smaller than a pinhead. Of course, everything in the microverse was.

"The Human Torch. You've broken free of the powers of my hate device. A most unwelcome surprise."

"You tore apart my team, turned my family against one another, tried to ruin my marriage, and almost killed my niece. Don't even think you're making that jump without my foot shove up you tiny little ass."

"Good, I was starting to get bored. This mission was almost too easy."

-

Clint layed on the cot in his holding cell, several hundred feet below Magneto's throne room, garbed only in an old white jumpsuit. The cell itself wasn't too bad. It was carpeted, had the luxury of a private toilet area, and had it's own heating/cooling system. One of Magneto's sick joke probably, used to calm down his more "flamboyant" followers maybe.

Still though, he was on the inside, deep inside Eric's stronghold. Phase one down. Now it was his turn to sit back and wait while Phase two played itself out.

[The Joker]

Gustav Fiers,better known as ‘The Gentleman’ first arrived in New York city late last night.He had made arrangements to rent a luxurious town house,for himself and his new associate.

Gustav Fiers,was in short,a monster.To the average person he looked like an old man,with his snow white hair,and cane,dressed in a leisure black suit with camel hair coat.But he was far from innocent.For over 60 years Gustav Fiers had evaded the law.An investor in chaos he called himself.With a long history of associations with the likes of Hydra,the Red Skull and Dr Doom.

He had one goal,and that was profit.He was in essence a man of extraordinary greed,and ruthless cunning,that he had made millions at the cost of innocent lives.And he enjoyed every moment of it.

Now he was in New York,on a brand new investment.The crowning investment of his career he believed.And to pull it off,he enlisted the help of an associate who was as ruthless and power hungry as he was.Maybe even more so.Not to mention this new associate was infamous for his untrustworthy nature.But the Gentleman had something to ensure that he wouldn’t become a victim of his backstabbing nature.

As the Gentleman entered the townhouse,he walked into the large living room,where his servant and bodyguard,a young lady named Pity,took his coat from him. The Gentleman looked around the room. “Where is he?? Surely he’s not still sleeping”. Pity shook her head. “Then where is he??” the Gentleman snapped. “I am not paying him to…..”.The Gentleman was cut off in mid sentence as he spotted a figure descending down the stairs.

“I was beginning to wonder had you accepted my generous offer at all.I am not a man who is used to be kept waiting”.The man who walked into the living room,and stood before the gentleman.Dressed in a white Armani suit,with his soup bowl bangs and dark glasses,had a scowl spreading across his face.He was Doctor Otto Octavius,known to the world as Doctor Octopus.Another monster who murdered and destroyed for his own greed and lust for power.He walked towards the Gentleman and stopped in front of him,his face twisted into a hateful sneer now.

“Let’s get one thing straight old man.I am not here at your beck and call.I answer to nobody.And anyone who has the temerity to try and be authoritative with me,shall pay the ultimate price.Understood??”.The Gentleman simply smiled,and walked towards the bar and began to pour himself a brandy.

“You could show a little respect Doctor.I have spent a small fortune in getting you released from prison.Do you have any idea the strings I had to pull,the connections I had to exploit?? The least I expect is a little gratitude”.Octavius clenched his fists.”Your money old man.It’s the money you intend to pay me,that interests me.But what I am more interested in knowing is what do you want???”.

The Gentleman sipped his brandy slowly,then placed the glass on the bar.”I want the same thing you do Octavius.I want power,wealth,glory.But there’s also something else I want.I want Spider-Man destroyed”.Octavius raised an eye brow at the mention of Spider-Man.

“The wall crawler?? What possible motivation could you have for hating him?? You could not have suffered as much as I have at the hands of that pest.Nobody has” Octavius snarled as he began pacing up and down the room.The Gentleman chuckled as he saw how worked up Octavius got at the mere mention of Spider-Man.He would be the perfect instrument to use against the arachnid one,and to make the billions that will soon be all his.

“My grudge against Spider-Man goes back long before yours does Octavius.And believe me my hatred for him is just as justified as yours.Which is why I know you’ll only be more than happy to erradicate him for me”.Octavius stopped his pacing walk up and down.And his body became rigid.The Gentleman noticed both of his hands had clenched into fists.Suddenly there was a rumbling noise coming from upstairs.The chandelier on the ceiling began to shake.

Suddenly the ceiling exploded in a shower of dust and plaster,as four adamantium tentacles snaked thru the ceiling,and moved towards Octavius,who stood still as a statue,with a sinister smirk across his face.The metal harness strapped itself around Octavius’ waist.The tentacles slipped thru four neatly cut holes in the white jacket of Octavius’ armani suit.He then lunged two tentacles at the Gentleman.One curled around his chest,the other around his legs.The old man was lifted off the ground so high that his head nearly touched the ceiling.

“Let me make one thing very clear to you old man.If I destroy the wall crawler,it will be for me,at my leisure and under my circumstances.Not yours.I don’t know,nor do I care what petty grudge you have against him,but know this old man.When Spider-Man dies,it will be by my hands.And he shall die for his transgressions against me.Understood??”.

Despite his obvious discomfort,the Gentleman merely chuckled. “You are clearly not going to even try and negotiate this,so I’ll defer to your wishes on this one.But listen to me Octavius, you will follow my plan for the billions I intend to make. If in the process you destroy Spider-Man, then consider that a bonus,for which you will be amply paid.But you will follow my plan.Otherwise the deal is off”.

Octavius hesitated,then reeled the Gentleman in closer. “Then you better keep that bonus payment handy old man.Because I assure you,the wall crawler will die”. With that Octavius released the Gentleman, who fell to the floor.He picked himself up and paused for a moment as he and Octavius stared burning holes into eachother.Then the Gentleman turned to the bar and took a large sip of his brandy.

Octavius smirked at the thought that he had clearly rattled the Gentleman.Good.He needs to know who is in charge here.”Now then” Octavius said as he took a cigar from his pocket,”What is this plan of yours?? It had better be good.I am a man of very high standards”.

[Keyser Soze]

My eyes widen as I sense three razors heading straight for me. His talking had intercepted and cloaked them long enough to ensure that I couldn't dodge all of them.

I dodge the first one with ease. The second one just puts a tear across one of the D's on my costume as I lean back. Then, I feel a pain in my arm.

"AGH!"

I clutch the arm, feeling the throwing star jammed into it. I can even feel the blood oozing from my wound as I pull it out. It hurts like hell. I should've been more focused... not as angry. I gave him the perfect opprotunity, and he took it.

But something he said... something he told me right before I noticed them... it doesn't help the situation. How 'there would be more blood'.

...I'm getting angrier, thinking about that. I won't allow him to do that. I don't care what I have to do to prevent any more bloodshed, Bullseye won't suceed. Even if I die, trying to stop him.

I let the bleeding arm hang, and ignore the pain, as I take one of my billy clubs with the other, and throw it towards him. However, I have a suspicion the pain will throw my aim off. Maybe for the better, considering I was aiming for his head.

While I hate to admit it, right now... The odds are in his favor.

Daredevil was weakened. Bullseye could tell. They had fought each other so often, that he knew his movements as well as he knew his own. And so, he was ready for Daredevil's half-hearted attack.

"Devil, you're forgettin' that I ain't just good at throwin'," he said as he caught the billy club as it whizzed by his head, "I'm good at catchin' too!"

With a running start, Bullseye jumped onto the bannister of the escalator, sliding down to the ground level like some kind of demented surfer. He picked up so much mooentum with the downward motion that, at the bottom of the stairway, he was launched back into the air.

As he came downwards, practically on top of Daredevil, he swung round into a mid-air roundhouse kick, connecting with the side of Daredevil's head. Knocking Daredevil back as he landed, Bullseye shifted the billy-club in his hands until he was holding it like a baseball bat.

"I'm going to bash your brains in with your own billy-club, Devil! We both know it makes one hell of a murder weapon..."

[Johnny Blaze]

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a330/HypsterJB/Thanos17.gif

"Is the transporter ready, commander", asked Thanos as he entered the large room. The room had only a single computer console in it and a large teleportation pad, making it seem rather empty for it's scale. Especially when the only beings in the room were Thanos, his High Commander, and the two techs who ran this particular teleportation room.

"It is ready, my Lord", said Commander Drexxen with a bow, "we only await your command."

"Then proceed, commander. And have the device ready to use immediately when the subject appears. I do not wish to have my ship damaged."

"As you wish, Lord Thanos", said Drexxen as he gave one of the techs a nod, signaling him to proceed with the plan.
The machine powered up, and, in a flash of light, the Juggernaut stood in the center of the platform.
Before he could grasp what just happened to him, Cain was washed with a blue light as the second tech activated a device meant to return the memories of his previous visit here to the Juggernaut.
As the light faded, Thanos calmly walked towards the behemoth.
"Greetings again, Cain Marko. I trust the mental blockers I gave you have performed accordingly?"

[ElectroFlare]

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a330/HypsterJB/Thanos17.gif

"Is the transporter ready, commander", asked Thanos as he entered the large room. The room had only a single computer console in it and a large teleportation pad, making it seem rather empty for it's scale. Especially when the only beings in the room were Thanos, his High Commander, and the two techs who ran this particular teleportation room.

"It is ready, my Lord", said Commander Drexxen with a bow, "we only await your command."

"Then proceed, commander. And have the device ready to use immediately when the subject appears. I do not wish to have my ship damaged."

"As you wish, Lord Thanos", said Drexxen as he gave one of the techs a nod, signaling him to proceed with the plan.
The machine powered up, and, in a flash of light, the Juggernaut stood in the center of the platform.
Before he could grasp what just happened to him, Cain was washed with a blue light as the second tech activated a device meant to return the memories of his previous visit here to the Juggernaut.
As the light faded, Thanos calmly walked towards the behemoth.
"Greetings again, Cain Marko. I trust the mental blockers I gave you have performed accordingly?"

"Uh...yeah. The gadgets work I guess." Cain said, rubbing the back of his helmet with his hand.

"So what do ya want? I was about to kill that spider punk."

"Hey, where'd he go?" Spider-man asked as the fist heading towards him disappeared.

"That's odd. Hey, Bobby, I guess now we take the gold back to where it belongs?" Spider-man shouted up to the Blackbird. Iceman it seems had stayed out of the fight, but kept the blackbird going. A good thing, because without a pilot, a jet isn't too graceful.

"All of the gold." Spider-man said, looking at Deadpool who was quickly ramming gold down his pants...

[SonnyBlack]

Clint layed on the cot in his holding cell, several hundred feet below Magneto's throne room, garbed only in an old white jumpsuit. The cell itself wasn't too bad. It was carpeted, had the luxury of a private toilet area, and had it's own heating/cooling system. One of Magneto's sick joke probably, used to calm down his more "flamboyant" followers maybe.

Still though, he was on the inside, deep inside Eric's stronghold. Phase one down. Now it was his turn to sit back and wait while Phase two played itself out.
There Wanda lay unconscious in her extravagant bed in the upper chambers of Magneto’s palace. Doctor says due to recent stress plus the pregnancy she passed out, not uncommon. Of course the Doc didn’t know the whole story, the shot administered just a couple of days before had something to do with this no doubt. Alex had no problem doing what he needed to against any guys hell he took pleasure in it, but a girl that was different. She’d be fine he thought to himself I mean Eric wouldn’t want to harm his only daughter right?

The phone rings…

“Alex I want you to pay our new guest a little visit.”

“What do you have in mind Mr. L?”

Magneto talks and Alex listens.

…Minutes later the prison door opens as the guards grab the hero and begin to chain him with his face to the wall. X walks in the room with a smile on his face as he pulls out a whip from his side.

"When a problem comes along you must whip it, when something's going wrong you must whip it, now whip it whip it good. "

The whip cracks on his back, Clint groans in pain, the blood begins to flow.

"Whoever said you can't solve your problems with violence just wasn't trying hard enough, wouldn't you agree?"

[Midnight Ice]

"Uh...yeah. The gadgets work I guess." Cain said, rubbing the back of his helmet with his hand.

"So what do ya want? I was about to kill that spider punk."

"Hey, where'd he go?" Spider-man asked as the fist heading towards him disappeared.

"That's odd. Hey, Bobby, I guess now we take the gold back to where it belongs?" Spider-man shouted up to the Blackbird. Iceman it seems had stayed out of the fight, but kept the blackbird going. A good thing, because without a pilot, a jet isn't too graceful.

"All of the gold." Spider-man said, looking at Deadpool who was quickly ramming gold down his pants...
Bobby was just about done setting the Blackbird's controls to hover in mid air, that way it would be harder for Juggs to destroy. When suddenly he disappeared.

"Well, that was easy!"

"Yeah, Spider-Man, lets take it back."

"Leave that to me" Said Warren as he flew out of the Blackbird at high speeds, swooping down to grab the gold from Spider-Man and the bars from Wade. He droped the gold off in front of the reserve, near the troops and saluted them as he flew back to the Blackbird.

"Well, I guess we head back to home now?"

[twylight]

I smiled and gazed at my handiwork.
I’d managed to convert one of “Uncle” Norman’s gliders into a small, portable one. The body of it was about the size of a backpack and then the wings spread out. By folding the wings I could wear it on my back when not in use. I’d also changed the engine, it now ran silently and I’d added biometrics, making it cued to my DNA, with the ability for me to call it from anywhere at the switch of a button.
I’d had my boots specially designed with a tiny micro chip in them that interacted with the gliders. Once my foot was on it the straps would automatically strap my feet down, ensuring that I was the only one who could operate it. I leaned back, yes the boots had cost a pretty penny, but when you’re father is….
I stood up and stashed the glider in the hide hole I’d made in the wall earlier and went back to work on my other projects.

I’d set up a table on the other side of the room under the window, it was filled with tubes, beakers and vials. Placing goggles over my eyes I begin measuring things off, looking, watching for a reaction, while logging what I do down on my laptop which sits at the end of the table.
I’m working on changing the pumpkin bombs into non-lethal airborne sedatives. A few switched chemicals and it would be done. I inherited both my mother and fathers grasp of science, though I prefer to think that my intelligence comes from her rather than him, and loved spending time with chemicals and experiments.

My hands pause, holding a beaker mid-pour.
Mother.
My mother was Gwen Stacy, the girl everyone loved. I set the beaker down and lower myself onto the foot of my bed, pushing the goggles up on my head.
I was never supposed to happen. In everything there was science, even life. There were to constants; Peter and my mother.
I was the variable that ruined it all.
I was the exception to the rule.
I was abnormal.

In my few years of existence I’ve grown into a twenty-something woman. I am still trying to get used to it. My mind is capable of scientific leaps of logic. My body is capable of strength, flexibility and stamina most people only dreamed about and I am still miserable. Because I’ve existed, but I haven’t lived.
Am I the only person who sees a chance to escape life at every turn?
The car passing I can jump in front of, the fire escape I could jump off of, the gun I can hold to my head. The knife in the restaurant, the rope holding boxes, the sleeping pills in the grocery store.

I turn away and lean my forehead against the armoire. My hands press against it, the wood feeling rough and natural.

Everywhere I turn it’s there, the everlasting choice of freedom from a world I don’t fit into.
I have to forge my own High School diploma, my own birth certificate.
I clench my fist and hit the wood. It buckles and splinters as I break it like paper. I pull my hand out of the hole and look down at it.

I can see him laughing, that horrible green face. The yellow eyes stare at me sometimes at night and hand reaches out and pulls the mask away to reveal Gabe’s face.
Sometimes it’s worse, sometimes I see myself.

Tears gather and fall from my eyes as I press myself against the broken door.
As horrible as it is, it’s not the worst dream. The worst dream is of her.

I take my goggles off and throw them across the room. They hit and leave an impression on the far wall.
I told Trudy I didn’t know why I was here and I still don’t. New York doesn’t need me. No one needs me. Then why do I even try. I don’t want to, I don’t want to be a hero.
Yet here I am, configuring a glider. For what? Reconfiguring pumpkin bombs. For what?
Is it me atoning for the sins of my father? I take his legacy and create something good out of it? Is it worth it?

I throw myself on the bed and cry, Sassy jumps up after me and curls up by my body, her small body emitting warmth.
This isn’t part of my plan. I’m not supposed to even attempt to be a hero.
Stopping the robbery at the pawn shop must have given my visions of grandeur. I’d lost focus, I’d worked on the glider and the bomb.

Or is it part of some plan? Why else would I have brought all this stuff with me to start a ‘new’ life?

My eyes burn from the many tears and I drift off to sleep. A restless sleep.

[SuperFerret]

Superferret presents:
Norman Osborn
in
Family Reunion
PART THREE

I finish filing the stack of papers on my desk, chuckling to myself like I had been doing the whole time since my "son" had burst in to the office. Which reminds me.

I hit the intercom button, "Jonelle, call a window repair crew, I seem to have accidently broken my window while practicing my golf game."

"Yes, sir, Mr. Osborn, right away."

I don't answer her, I have more pressing matters to attend to. I pick up my phone and dial a number in. The phone rings once before the man I need picks up. Good, I like promptness in my underlings.

"What is it this time Osborn?" came the voice, "You want me to break someone's legs again?"

"Not exactly, Mr. Lincoln." I say, calmly ignoring the disrespect in his voice, "I need you to come by my penthouse later tonight. I have a special assignment for you."

[twylight]

I dream about my mother and every time it’s the same.
I’m developing pictures in a dark room, when I come across one I never took. It’s a picture of my mother and it looks like an old wrinckled one “Uncle” Norman showed me when I was little. It’s of my mother, a profile picture of her with her face tilted up as a smile plays across her mouth. I pick it up out of the liquid and let the wetness drip off of it before handing it up on the line. Suddenly her head turns and she smiles at me. I step against the wall as she seemed to emerge from the picture, her long slender legs draped over the side of the picture vat, her hands pressed against the edge, and her face, so similer to my own smiling.
Time seems to stop and it fades till she’s standing alive in front of me, her arms out as if to accept me as I am. I reach back out to her to feel her, to know I’m loved and that I belong. She lets out a shriek as green floods the room behind her. It seems to seep over her like tentacles and pulls her away, out of my grasp until I’m left alone.
Alone.

It’s the worst feeling ever, but the worst thing…I’m directionless.
I don’t know which way to go. Fear grips my chest, pressing down on me.


“Meow.”

I start awake causing the kitten to hiss and jump off me. I sit up, holding my head in my hands. Sunlight filters in the windows and cascades over me.
I check the time: 9:00am.
Thank goodness it is Saturday. I look at the half finished project on the table and the goggles on the floor. I need to talk to someone…

I knock on her door.Trudy opens it slowly before seeing it’s me. She throws it open.

“Sarah! What a lovel…what’s the matter dear?” She grabs my hand and pulls me inside.

How she knows something is wrong surprise’s me. I thought I cover it up well, I’d washed my face and done my hair, granted my clothes are a little wrinkly from my sleeping in them.

She had me sit down and made me a cup of cocoa, placing some crumb cake on the table. Outside the window I can see the world moving in Saturday slowness. I watch her as she moves around the kitchen. I never lied to her, I truly didn’t have a mother or a father, yet…
Taking a seat herself across the table she places her hand on mine.

“What’s wrong?”

‘I…I just need someone to talk too.” I reply looking down into the cup at the brown liquid.

“I know. You are so cheerful and flirty. But even that can’t fool me.” She smiles and looks at me encouragingly.

“I’m beginning to wonder why I’m even here. What’s the purpose of all of this? What is my purpose? Do I even deserve one…”

The room is silent till Trudy takes both my hand and looks me in the eye.

“Choices and decisions.”

I look at her confused.

“What..”

“Your purpose will come to you and it might not be just one. There are purposes within purposes for living and for how you live. Maybe the ‘purpose’ you’re looking for isn’t a ‘purpose’ maybe it’s just a part of your life.

With the ability to do great things, comes choices.”

“’With great power comes great responsibility.’” I whisper.

Trudy looked at me and said levelly.

“No.

You can’t take responsibility unless you choose to. The choice comes first.”

“But wouldn’t you still have the responsibility of atoning for things you do if you decide to do bad?”

She shook her head.
“If you’ve chosen to do bad you have no concept of responsibility, and if you do it’s warped.”

I’m quiet and try to understand what she means.

“What if I don’t do something I have the power to do, just because I don’t want to?”

She studied me for a second, her hands grip my own.

“You’ll know what you have to do when whatever it is present’s itself. You might not want to, or you just might not know if you should. Either way, you’ll know.”

I look at her and smile before letting out a small laugh.

“How do you even know what I’m talking about?” She laughs.

“I don’t have to know. It’s advice that works for anything.”

[Johnny Blaze]

"Uh...yeah. The gadgets work I guess." Cain said, rubbing the back of his helmet with his hand.

"So what do ya want? I was about to kill that spider punk."


"Spider-Man is too minor a challenge to you. You require bigger game", said Thanos as he walked up to Cain to look him in the eye.
"I have a mission for you, Mr. Marko. I want you to...enter the Asgardian Embassy in New York and kidnap the Lady Sif and her child", said Thanos as he handed Cain a holographic image of his targets.
"With them under threat, Thor will be preoccupied when it comes time for my forces to invade. You have my blessing to destroy anyone or anything that gets in the way of you reaching your goal."

[Electro UK]

"I just got to get out of here." Wade said. "The whole place is reminding me of the ending to Battlefield: Earth... which brings back memories of me demanding 2 hours of my life back to the usher... which brings back memories of 2 big guys carrying me backstage kicking and screaming and beating the living snot out of me...which brings back memories of--"

"Shut up!" Spider-man cried.

"Shutting up."

[Toby_Temple]

WARNING ! TRAJECTORY CHANGE
DROP POINT: INTERSECTION OF CHAFFE AVENUE AND 31W HIGHWAY

Damn! Too much fire power.......should have used the photon gun but that would have cause too much noise.

SCANNING. . . . . . . . . . . .
VEHICLES DETECTED

7 miles below hundreds of humans go on their daily routine: shopping, driving to work, dating, fetching their children. Chaffe Avenue is a busy road. It extends 6 miles northeast of the Bullion Depository, crosses the 31W highway and ends in Hardin. It seemed like a typical day in Fort Knox:
busy highway, mutants robbing the Depository, a day for work and school. Everything would have been normal until.......BAAAAAAAAGGHHZZZZZ!!! A car swirls in the highway to avoid the crash site and spins out of control towards the other lane. All of a sudden another car hits it. A speeding truck was heading straight towards the two cars. The driver panics and pressed hard on the brakes. You could hear tires screeching. The truck barely hit the second car by an inch. Then a third car hits the truck from behind and burst into flames. People were running from their vehicles to safety. Others stopped their cars and watched what was happening. Two rushed towards the third car to help those who are inside. Another called 911. While two mustered enough curiosity to investigate the crash site.

Is it a plane?

A plane that small? And no explosion?

It must be some sort of a cargo. Maybe a cargo plane dropped it. HEY! SOMETHING IS MOVING DOWN THERE!!

The ground crack as two metallic hands pushed against it. The people above the crater could hear rocks falling. Something was coming out.

SCANNING. . . . . . .
HUMANS DETECTED. COUNTING. , , , ,
SEVEN HUMANS DETECTED_

Greetings and salutations, Earthlings. Sorry for the rough landing, it could not be help. I was just wondering if you have any job openings for a professional freelance peace keeping agent. Yes?

http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/dhminion2.jpg

[The Joker]

The Gentleman shook his glass of cognac gently in his hand,as Octavius inquired about the grand plan.The Gentleman merely smirked and took a final sip of his drink.

"The details of the plan are classified Octavius".

Ock stared at him with a blank look of confusion.For a minute he didn't quite believe what he had just heard.

"Are you telling me that you are refusing to give me the details of this scheme of yours??" Octavius said thru clenched teeth.

"Quite so" the Gentleman sniffed."The plan is what I bring to the partnership.If I gave you all the details,you would no doubt kill me and proceed to carry out the plan by yourself".

Octavius stood rigid with rage.The hands at his sides trembled like boilers ready to explode.The Gentleman grinned a cold but smug smile.

"I know you all too well Octavius.I never go into a business deal with someone,without researching them thoroughly first.You sir are one of the most untrustworthy men I have ever encountered.No doubt the former members of your colorful little team you dubbed the Sinister Six,would whole heartedly agree with that statement".

At this point Octavius was ready to explode with rage.His tentacles wavered around his body like writhing snakes.The claws snapping furiously.Octavius advanced menacingly on the Gentleman.But he was not intimidated.He merely poured himself another drink casually.

"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear before" Octavius snarled as his tentacles wavered menacingly around the Gentleman,who continued his calm demenour,sipping his drink and looking calmly at Octavius,as he started another of his threatening rants.

"Nobody is authoritative with me old man.You will not keep important details from the plan from me.If you do not tell me everything I wish to know,then I shall rip your heart from your chest and squeeze it to a bloody pulp right before you gasp your last agonizing breath".

The Gentleman raised an eye brow."And by doing so,you would foolishly forfeit the billions of dollars that could be yours if you follow my terms without question.I don't believe you to be that foolish Doctor.After all I have done to set up this little partnership of ours,surely a little leap of faith is not an unreasonable thing to expect".

Octavius' brow creased."I don't trust you".

The Gentleman laughed."And I don't trust you.Hence the reason why I am reserving the important details of the plan.I will brief you at each stage of the plan.But information is on a need to know basis.Otherwise you would be able to dispose of me when ever you wish".

"I could dispose of you now" Octavius snarled."After the temerity you have shown I should kill you 10 times over".

"And thus killing your chances at revenge and wealth beyond your wildest dreams.Take your pick Octavius.You either agree to my terms,or you can,as you so colorfully described,rip my heart from my chest.Please decide now.Time is money,and I don't wish to waste any more time with this petty bickering".

Octavius was livid.His tentacles slowly withdrew from the Gentleman's body.The Gentleman smiled again."Do I take it that means you agree to my terms??".

"For now.But I promise you this old man,if you do not live up to your promises then you'll wish I had killed you tonight".

The Gentleman smiled his hateful smile."If you attempt such a coup again my dear Octavius,then so will you".

[ElectroFlare]

"Spider-Man is too minor a challenge to you. You require bigger game", said Thanos as he walked up to Cain to look him in the eye.
"I have a mission for you, Mr. Marko. I want you to...enter the Asgardian Embassy in New York and kidnap the Lady Sif and her child", said Thanos as he handed Cain a holographic image of his targets.
"With them under threat, Thor will be preoccupied when it comes time for my forces to invade. You have my blessing to destroy anyone or anything that gets in the way of you reaching your goal."

"The Embassy, huh? Kidnap Thor's wife and kid? Sounds like fun." Cain said, rubbing his chin.

Thor was a tough one though. Did Cain really want to make him mad?

Who cares? Cain is unstoppable!

"I don't need your blessing to do anything." Cain muttered as he found himself outside the Embassy...

"It's about time you shut up." Spider-man muttered, gathering a web sack around the gold.

"Bobby, you wanna haul this back to Fort Knox in the Blackbird or ice it there? Which would bring a better expression on the guards faces?"

[Johnny Blaze]

"The Embassy, huh? Kidnap Thor's wife and kid? Sounds like fun." Cain said, rubbing his chin.

Thor was a tough one though. Did Cain really want to make him mad?

Who cares? Cain is unstoppable!


"Excellent", said Thanos as he gave the tech a look and the Juggernaut was immediately teleported to New York, just outside the embassy.

[SuperFerret]

Superferret presents:
Norman Osborn
in
Family Reunion
PART FOUR

I smile and stand as my housekeeper leads Lincoln into my office at my private penthouse.

"Hello, Mr. Lincoln," I say, offering my hand, "or should I call you Tombstone."

The six-foot-seven albino colossus smiles and shakes my hand, "That depends on who you need. Mr. Lincoln is up for a trip to New York's most exclusive strip clubs, but if you want some heads busted, I'm Tombstone."

I chuckle, "Tombstone it is then."

"What can I do you for you, Mr. Osborn?" he says, "And what's my fee for it?"

"My daughter-in-law has been riling up unsettling thoughts in my son's head lately, feeding him information that may hurt his loyalty to the Osborn brood. I want her, and my grandson, taken here, unharmed."

"A broad and a kid. No sweat."

"Yes sweat, Tombstone. She's staying with her step-brother now, ever since my son revealed his resurrection to her. His name is Mark Raxton. You may know him as the Molten Man. But, no worries, I have just the thing to neutralize him." I turn and reach into a locked drawer in my desk, pulling out a large ring-shaped object, and hand it to Lincoln.

"What is this thing?"

"A genetic inhibitor collar, from Genosha, back when it was anti-mutant. It'll shut down any superhuman powers the individual wearing it may have. Use it on Raxton. And then bring him along as well. Do this, and you'll be handsomely rewarded."

"Gotcha." He turns to leave, but I stop him.

"Also, try to keep the collar intact. It was a ***** to get, even on the black market, and it cost much more than I plan to pay you. Lose it and you'll owe me. Understand?"

"Fully. If I lose it, you'll never see me again." Then he exited, leaving me to wait.

[Spider-Man9X17]

"You vile little cretins. Too afraid to use the natural weapons God gave you, instead always hiding behind these primitive weapons."

Pietro shoved Agent X aside, walking over to the shackled Hawkeye. Taking a set of keys from the guards, Quicksilver undid the locks. As soon as Hawkeye was free, he lunged but was met with a fist to the stomach, followed by a quick knee to the face.

"The Avengers were fools to put someone like you in charge," Pietro taunted, kneeling down close so that only he and his victim could hear his next words of warning.

"Master bedroom, eastern tower. Constant medical surviellence."

"Go to hell, Pietro," Hawkeye said outloud, and then in a more subdued tone, "When?"

"Soon. I will send the signal."

Quicksilver stood up and threw Hawkeye against the wall.

"You're business is done here, assassin," he said to X as he walked out of the cell. "My father will call for you shortly."

[Spider-Man9X17]

Johnny smashed into the far wall of the laboratory, kocking over a cart of old test tubes.

"Nobody will keep me from the technology I desire. Your team is lost, human. This is a futile attempt by a defeated little boy."

Johnny kicked upwards as PsychoMan approached, the heel of his boot connecting with the creatures temple. PsychoMan reeled back and the Torch got to his feet.

"That's right. I am just a boy at heart. I never really grew up, and I'm ok with that. That's who I was, and who I still am." Johnny swung with another devestating punch.

"Team leader? Avenger chairman? CFO? Not Johnny Storm, not really. And that's where you had your opening, isn't it?"

Psychoman lunged, and Johnny easily sidestepped it.

"I was scared out of my gord, out of my league. I wanted to play video games, run haphazardly into battle without a second thought. But now, now I had to analyze every little detail. I had coutless lives in my hands, and the doubt began to grow. And you attacked it."

Johnny produced a fireball from his hand and hurled at his foe. PsychoMan fell to the ground with a yelp.

"Well, I'm done being Mr. Responsible. It's playtime again."

"Foolish child. You cannot beat me!"

"Maybe not, but he can."

In an instant, an outstreched arm wrapped themselves around PsychoMan. The villian turned to see Mr. Fantastic back on his feet. With his free arm, he activated the teleportation platform to the Microverse.

"Vile weaklings! I will not be defeated."

"A weaker man would have killed you for what you've done here. Be thankful all you get is a one way ticket home."

Reed retracted his elastic arm, sling shotting the villian towards the open portal. Just for good measure, Johnny tackled him from behind, giving him the final push needed to go spirlaling back into his own dimension. Reed quickly threw the switch and the vortex fizzled away.

"Johnny, I..."

"No time for any of that now. We have to get to the hospital to check on Val and Sue."

[ElectroFlare]

"This is gonna be easy." Cain said as he looked the Embassy up and down. He then sprinted towards the front door, not bothering to open it...just barreling right through it. The door splintered easily under Cain's feet. Two Asgardians grabbed him by the sides and tried to hold him down.

Foolish. Cain threw his arms up, and tossed the Asgardians into the air. He turned to face them, as they came at him, weilding swords. The swords struck Cain's armor, but did not penetrate. Cain laughed at the Asgardian guards as he smacked them around, driving their heads into the soil. If all the Asgardians were this easy to defeat, taking Sif would be easy.

"Thor's wife...what's her name? Sif? Where is she?" Cain yelled, grabbing one Asgardian.

"What doust thou want with Sif? Thou shalt certainly suffer the wrath of a god!"

Cain laughed and threw the Asgardian over his shoulder into a wall.

"Thou hast made a large mistake fiend. For thou hast hurled Balder, the God of Light!"

"So? You some kind of light bulb or something?" Cain laughed as Balder lashed out with incredible bursts of energy, all directed at Cain.

But nothing could truly stopped Cain. He slowly marched through the blast, reaching for Balder. It was difficult, but Cain reached Balder and grabbed him around the throat.

"God o' light? Lights out buddy[COLOR=darkred]." Cain shouted and slammed Balder into the floor. And then the walls. And then the floor again. And then through the walls. Cain smashed Balder into everything he could find until the Asgardian God of Light was barely conscious. Cain then through him through a wall. [COLOR]

"Who dares to disturb the Embassy of Asgard?" A voice rang out.

Cain snorted at the voice. He ripped the rest of the wall apart, crashing down the room behind him and sending up a plume of dust in an almost theatrical way.

"Who are you?" Cain yelled.

"We are Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral, the Warriors Three. Who are you?" The three Asgardians shouted...

[bkhedr]

"Who are you?" Cain yelled.

"We are Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral, the Warriors Three. Who are you?" The three Asgardians shouted...

The question was meant only as a diversion. The Warriors Three kept Cain's attention while Balder, his sword now drawn, moved into position behind the Juggernaut.

Balder suddenly lunged into the air with his sword above his head and shouted: "To arms warriors of Asgard!"

The sword made a loud clang as it bounced off the Juggernaut's helmet and Balder landed just out of Cain's reach.

Cain was just about to turn his attention to Balder when Hogun's mace connected on his chin.



****

Sif sat alone in the room she and Thor shared. She could hear the sounds of combat from below and would have gladly joined in the embassy's defence if she were not heavily pregnant. Not that it would matter. Balder the Brave and The Warriors Three were some of Asgard's finest, if the guards could not deal with whoever had been foolish enough to attack the embassy, they most certainly would. But did it seem like the sounds of fighting were getting closer?

Sif walked over to the heavy wooden closet in the corner of the room and pulled an Asgardian short sword from within. If the intruder or intruders made it this far, unlikely as it may be, they would not find the Lady Sif unprepared.

****

Across town Thor lifted a concrete slab over his head so the paramedics could get to a nine year old girl who had been trapped when Ironclad ran through the apartment building she lived in.

The god of thunder had no idea that the horns of alarm were even then blaring at his home and embassy

[ElectroFlare]

The question was meant only as a diversion. The Warriors Three kept Cain's attention while Balder, his sword now drawn, moved into position behind the Juggernaut.

Balder suddenly lunged into the air with his sword above his head and shouted: "To arms warriors of Asgard!"

The sword made a loud clang as it bounced off the Juggernaut's helmet and Balder landed just out of Cain's reach.

Cain was just about to turn his attention to Balder when Hogun's mace connected on his chin.


Cain's head swung up from the impact, not so much in pain, but in shock that someone would attack him in such a way.

"You gonna gang up on me now, huh?" Cain shouted. "Well, you'll regret it!" Cain grabbed the mace on its upward swing and slammed it to the floor, taking Hogun with it. Cain was about to stomp down on Hogun when Balder's sword struck his helmet again.

"Go away!" Cain yelled as he punched at the Asgardian God of Light...

[bkhedr]

"Go away!" Cain yelled as he punched at the Asgardian God of Light...

Balder saw the punch coming, raised his sword to block it, and was stunned when the blade broke and Cain's massive fist struck him in the face and threw him backwards and through one of the few walls left standing. The building materials were Asgardian in origin and although the building had taken some heavy damage, it was not yet in danger of collapsing.

Balder was seeing stars and his nose was bleeding, but he immediatley leapt to his feet, hurled his now useless weapon aside, and ran back into the fray. "Show him no mercy asgardians! The villain seeks to harm the Lady Sif!"

"Fear not Balder! The blade of Fandral will halt this villain's advance!" Fandral the Dashing yelled as he leaped in front of the Juggernaut and unleashed a torrent of quick slashes with his sword

Behind him Volstagg the Voluminous stood at the foot of the grand staircase his weapon ready, while Hogun rushed in to support Fandral and two asgardian archers took position on the second floor overlooking the action.

Outside the Lady Sif and Thor's quarters the remaining four of the embassy's eight guards, took up a defensive position with spears in hand.

[ElectroFlare]

Cain threw his arms up, tossing his opponents back a couple steps. He then stomped his foot as hard as he could on the floor, cracking it and shaking the entire room.

Cain then reached out and smacked the closest warrior he could find...

[bkhedr]

Fandral tumbled backwards as the Juggernaut struck him. The archers loosed their shafts and the arrows bounced off of Cain's armor.

Balder drew a new sword from a weapon's rack and took in the situation, Hogun was again swinging his mace to no effect and the intruder seemed none the worse for wear. If that werent bad enough the embassy itself was now reacting to the strain of the damage inflicted upon it, and dust was now falling freely from cracks in the ceiling. They needed Thor. Calling out to one of the archers he said: "Go! Seek out Thor and inform him of the situation!"

Without a word the archer nodded and jumped out a window. The second archer drew his short sword and leapt off a banister. He landed on Cain's back and began to stab at him as Hogun connected yet again and shouted: "By my mace?! Can nothing stop this giant??!"

[Duker Jay]

"Alright, I'll compromise. $275 Million. By the end of the day." He smiles. "And I want the ugly guy with the microphone to bring it to me on his knees. But until then..."

And with that the ground between the bank and the police officers begin to shake and instantly caves in, creating a chasm keeping any cars or people from entering the bank. The shocker then grabs a hostage and drags her to her feet. He begins to vibrate her arm, and though it causes little pain, it frightens her enough to make her scream, just as Schultz wanted.

"It's currently 4:34 pm. You have until nine to get me the money."

Outside in the street, Ben and the police officers look on. They hear the scream from inside and tense slightly.

"More money...hmm." Usually, at this point, Ben would run in and just clobber some sense into his opponent, but he was smart enough to realize that he was somewhat less effective than normal as The Thing.

More vibrations erupted and caught everyone's attention. Soon they subsided and Ben handed the megaphone to the officer in charge.

"Awright...you guys do what you gotta do. I'm gonna see if I can call in some bigger guns. Obviously, this guy can do some damage and I ain't my usual, sunny self." Ben activated the locating device on his commlink and, within minutes, a Fantasticar set down on the street. "Keep me posted on this...when I come back, I'll bring some help."

Ben climbed into his vehicle and shot off into the sky, in the direction of the Baxter Building.

[Toby_Temple]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh! Its a monster!

Everyone paniced after what they all saw. People are now practically running for their lives. They were like ants after their hole was bothered by a predator. Vehicles turned the other way. They cared less if they stumbled hard or if their cars were scratched. It seemed like the end of the world. Who could blame them? Imagine yourself in their shoes: You went to investigate something bizarre and suddenly came face to face with a grinning metallic skull. The cyborg quickly analyzed the situation.

I'll take that as a no. I should be going before I make a bigger fuzz in this planet.
After that missile attack and now this.

With no moment to spare, the cyborg focused its energy to its limbs and sprinted away from the scene. His speed was incomparable. No naked eye could see him run through the streets. And even in that speed, his eyes could see clearly where he is heading. But his eyes are doing more than just seeing. It was looking for something or someone very familiar. An acquaintance. A friend.

SCANNING. . . . . . . . . . . . .

His eyes scanned the entire country, searching for the place it once visited. A place where he was onced welcomed.

LOCATION ACQUIRED!
LOCATION: BAXTER BUILDING

Found you!

http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/charneld7.jpg

[Spider-Man9X17]

"Johnny, you stay here and prep the infirmary. I'll go recover the others and bring them here. Val will do much better under the care of her family."

Johnny nodded as Reed entered a Fantasti-Car.

"And try to locate Ben. I'd like to have him here immediately."

"We back in business, bossman?"

"Yes," Reed answered simply as the Fantasti-Car began to take off. Johnny turned and headed back down into the main part of the building.

"Benjy boy, come in little buddy. Where's my favorite little sidekick?" Johnny called into his mini-comm as he prepared the infirmary for patients.

[batnkevlar]

I stand and peer out of the windows. It's about time I payed a visit to my daughter.

~Daughters of the New Order, a quick teleport to Wanda please.~

I appear next to my daughter, my Wanda. She looks so much like her mother at times. I cannnot let her fall into the wrong hands. Preganant with twins, just like Magda. I cannot let any harm befall her.

I kneel by her bedside and close my eyes.

[ElectroFlare]

Fandral tumbled backwards as the Juggernaut struck him. The archers loosed their shafts and the arrows bounced off of Cain's armor.

Balder drew a new sword from a weapon's rack and took in the situation, Hogun was again swinging his mace to no effect and the intruder seemed none the worse for wear. If that werent bad enough the embassy itself was now reacting to the strain of the damage inflicted upon it, and dust was now falling freely from cracks in the ceiling. They needed Thor. Calling out to one of the archers he said: "Go! Seek out Thor and inform him of the situation!"

Without a word the archer nodded and jumped out a window. The second archer drew his short sword and leapt off a banister. He landed on Cain's back and began to stab at him as Hogun connected yet again and shouted: "By my mace?! Can nothing stop this giant??!"

"Exactly! NOTHING can stop me! I am Unstoppable!" Cain shouted, slamming a fist into Hogun's stomach, sending him flying across the room. Cain then slapped his hands together in front of him, causing a shockwave to fill the room, knocking back his opponents.

He then barreled up the stairs, kicking a few of the Asgardians on his way, and headed towards the guarded door. The Asgardians would be up in a few seconds, but all Cain needed was Sif...

[twylight]

Rogue spun in front of the mirror looking at her new outfit. It was a little wild for her, but it suited her new lease on life.

She was free, in all sense of the word. Free from her restraining powers, free to use her powers, free to use powers she’d previously gained and most of all she was free from the X-Men. She paused at the last thought.

Yes, Ah’m free from them but what? What did that gain, aren’t ah lonely?

She left the store with a mere thought and landed where she wanted, a small café in the art district of New York. She leaned her elbow on the table and looked around.

Pink hearts, red hearts, cupids, pink and red tablecloths, clothes, window displays.
Valentines Day.
The one holiday she might have been able to enjoy this time, yet instead of being held in Remy’s arms she was alone on a street café, alone. She’d gotten away from Thanos’ ship, hoping to find something more exciting to wear than the standard uniform she’d been wearing for days. That and the ship was so…oppressive.

She’d slipped out unhindered.

“May I help you?”

Rogue looked up at the waiter, pulling her chin from it’s cradle in her hand.

“No thank you.” she said. She waited for him to walk away before she whisked herself off to a more familiar place. New Orleans.
She found herself on a small side street in the French Quarter, Remy’s old stompin’ grounds. Rogue felt a bittersweet tug at her heart before she pushed it away and walked down the street, red streamers hanging from the balcony’s with red flower hearts on the clean white doors.

It’s like sinkin’ into an old worn sweater, familiar yet old, and kinda itchy. The weather was warm down here and she felt comfortable with the warm humidity as it hung in the air like a blanket. She paused hearing noise around the corner of a distant building, music and the sound of people. She picked up her pace and came around the corner onto a small street fair.

Rogues face lit up and she took a step forward, stopping as she looked at the amount of people. Looking down at her bare arms she hesitated.

Com’ on girl, you ain’t go nothin’ to worry about anymore. You’re free. Stepping forward into the masses Rogue let herself be jostled and bumped into, relishing the human contact, casual as it was, a smile spread across her face as she looked around. Booths adorned with red and pink, cookies and cupcakes, with red and pink frosting. She again glanced down at her rather dull colored outfit. She walked along the booths, running her hand along the edges.

“Cupcake ta support the Local Elementary School? Only a Dolla’?”

Rogue hesitated for a second before scooping out a crimpled dollar and handed it to the short plumb black woman, who smiled up at her. Rogue smiled back and took the pink frosted cupcake.

“Thank you.” She said, allowing her strong accent to come out for the first time in years.

The woman nodded and smiled at the sound of a neighbor and proceeded to try to sell a cupcake to a couple that screamed tourist from up North. Rogue took a seat on a wooden bench and watched the couple as they looked at each other first and then hesitated before gingerly buying a cupcake. She shook her head and bit into the cupcake,
Northerners, they think they’re so much better.


“Cheri, would you?”

Rogue jumped at the Cajun voice, her heart leaping in her chest. Turning she saw a young man with blonde hair smiling down at her.

“Give for de charity?”

Don’t be a fool Rogue. Remy don’t know where you are.

She pulled out another few dollars, was glad she actually brought money and placed it in the painted can he was holing out.

“You got frostin’ on your face, cheri.” He reached his hand out. Rogue’s eyes went wide and she brought her hand up to stop him,

“N..” but too late. He brushed the pink frosting off, tilted his hat and left. Merging into the crowd like a ghost.

She took a breath and laughed at herself
Guess you can’t teach a new dog old tricks. She finished off her cupcake.

*sniff…sniff*


Rogue turned at the sound of soft crying.
A small girl with brown curls stood at the end of the bench, her eyes wide and a white ribbon tied around her wrist from which floated a chubby red balloon.

“Sugah what’s wrong?” Rogue slid over and kneeled next to the small girl.

“Ah lost ma Momma.” The girl replied, taking her hands from her eyes and revealing red eyes from crying. Rogue put her hand on the little girls clothed shoulder and reached her hand out pausing inches away from the little girls face.

“It’s okay honey, we’ll find her. Now stop those tears.” Slowly Rogue brushed a tear away from the girls cheek with the back of her index finger. Thrills going through her body at the feel of the child’s soft skin.

This is what it’s like to touch a child. Her memories went back to Kitty kissing one of the students foreheads. Leaning forward Rogue kissed the little girls forehead and picked her up, waves of maternal feelings washing through her.

Ah wonder if this is what Mystique liked about it. The feeling of havin’ somethin’ to live for and take care of.

“Shh..shhh.. We’ll find your momma.” Rogue said softly as the child’s sobs abated. Closing her eyes she called up Jeans power of telepathy, touching each persons’ mind gently, looking for the one…..there……four booths over a mothers frantic mind stood out like a beacon. Rogue opened her eyes and shut the power down, turning to smile at the little girl.

“Here we go darlin’” Rogue bounced her a bit to get the child back up on her hip and she made her way through the crowd.

“MOMMA!” the small child called at the sight of her mother.

“Oh Thank the Lord!” The woman said as the girl leapt to her mother from Rogue’s arms. Tears glistened in her eyes.

“Here you are.” Rogue said patting the small girls back.

The mother kissed her daughters cheek and looked at Rogue.

“Thank you.” She said.

Rogue smiled.
“No largie.” She said stepping back into the crowd.

‘No largie’? Where did that come from? Fear gripped her as she felt a personality come through. She closed her eyes and beamed herself to Thanos’ ship.

[twylight]

My camera zooms in on the bridge in the distance and a small “click” accompanies my pushing of the capture button. I stand up from my kneeling position and stretch, looking down at my camera for the number of pictures I have left.

10

Not too many and not too little. I re-adjust the bag I have on my shoulder. Preparing to trek back across the river side park to find lunch.


“SARAH! Sarah!”

I turn and see a hand waving in the air and I look around me, noticing that no one else is reacting to the name.

“Sarah!” this time the voice is closer and I recognize it and the hand as Beth’s. Soon her figure emerges from the crowd.


“Beth! What are you doing here?”

She stops in front of me and leans over gasping for air from her little jog. She’s dressed casual, much like me in a pair of jeans and baby tee.

“Well…*Gasp*…I went to your apartment and you weren’t there *gasp* and I passed this woman in the Hall *huh* “

“Trudy?”

Beth nods and straightens up, pulling her shirt down over the tiny slip of stomach skin it had moved up to show.

“Yes, that was her name. Anyway she said you might be here, because you like to take pictures down here. I didn’t know you were an amateur photographer.”

I smile and hold my camera up.
“Now you know.”

I’d gone off on my own today to be alone, yet I was glad for Beth’s company.

“I was just about to go get some lunch. Would you like to join me?” I point my right hand over my left shoulder.

Beth nods and falls in next to me as we walk through the park.

“You speak so proper. A simple “wanna come” will do.” Beth teased smiling. I smiled and glanced around the park as we walked. Everything was green, and a soft breeze rippled through the trees sedating the heat from the sun as it pounded down and speckled the grass and pathway’s through the leafy trees.

“It’s so beautiful here.” I say as I look up through the leaves at the tiny spots of blue sky.

Beth followed my gaze and grabbed my arm, causing me to look back at the pathway as she guided me past a bench I would have otherwise bumped into.

“Yes, it is. Till Summer hits, then we’re gonna have to deal with the humidity.” She grimaced.

A laugh came through the low hum of voices and I stop, looking out over a large green field of grass where the sun pours down unhindered by the trees. A small blonde girl is tossing a Frisbee to her father and giggling.

“Daddy get it!”

He laughs catching it and running towards her. She turns and gives a shriek as he scoops her up in a hug and blows on her stomach as it bares it’s self from her jeans and pink t-shirt. She laughs loudly and tries to push her shirt back down. He stops and plants a kiss on the small girls cheek as a woman walks towards them. The girl reaches for the woman and the woman catches her as the girl leaps from her fathers arms. The girls blonde hair blending with her mothers own golden locks.
A tight feeling came to my chest. If mother had married Peter, would that have been me?

“He-llo! Earth to Sarah.”

I turn and look at Beth, realizing that I was holding my camera in front of my face. I bring it down and look at my picture count.

5 pictures left.

“Gee, you really get into the zone.” She says as we turn to keep walking.

I put my camera in my shoulder case.
“What do you mean?”

“You just started snapping pictures and then stopped, and when I tried to talk to you were off in la-la land.”

I look down and blush.
“I’m sorry Beth, I’m just…a little out of it today.” She’s quiet for a moment.

“It’s because of Valentines day huh?”

I look at her quickly, smiling.
“What?!”

We’d left the park and were walking among some small shops in the College district. Beth motioned at the colors of pink, red and white.

“Valentines day, the day of ‘love’ which I figured you guys from France would know all about.” She gives me a small nudge and I laugh.

“Nope, I haven’t a care in the world when it comes to love. I’m free and easy.” I throw out my arms in a dramatic fashion and emphasis my last sentence, garnering glances from passers-by, especially the male ones. Beth grabs one of my arms and we lean over laughing.
I smile looking up at the blue sky, for once I feel like I belong somewhere, yet at the same time I feel so distant, like in a dream.
Is this all a dream?

“Any ideas as to where we’re going to eat?”

We’re at the corner of the street within a crowd of people. I always feel like I’m in a school of fish in such crowds.

I shake my head.
“I’m new remember?”

“Then you’re lucky you have me. There’s this awesome little place around the corner. A lot of the college Students hang out there, so we might feel kinda old. But the food is to die for.”

The light turns green and we walk across with the surging crowd.

” So good food, and the fantasies of college age guys. How can we go wrong.” I smile a playful tone in my voice as my countance soars to levels of gleefulness I’d never imagined.

“We can’t.” Beth states simply as we step onto the curb.

“What’s the name of this place?” I ask, wondering as we walk past cute little stores. There’s an old used bookstore I should check out someday, I make a mental note of it.

Beth grabs my arm as I stall in front of the bookstore window.

“It’s called the Silver Spoon.”

[bkhedr]

"Exactly! NOTHING can stop me! I am Unstoppable!" Cain shouted, slamming a fist into Hogun's stomach, sending him flying across the room. Cain then slapped his hands together in front of him, causing a shockwave to fill the room, knocking back his opponents.

He then barreled up the stairs, kicking a few of the Asgardians on his way, and headed towards the guarded door. The Asgardians would be up in a few seconds, but all Cain needed was Sif...

The Guards charged the Juggernaut with their spears leveled, but the deadly tips failed to penetrate Cain's skin and the weapons snapped underneath the strain. Undaunted the asgardians continued the charge and threw themselves onto the Juggernaut only to hurled aside.

Now the door to Cain's prize stood unguarded, and on the other side the Lady Sif stood in a flowing robe and cloak with her short sword in hand

[Hyper Venom]

He was having the time of his life. Bruce never would have let loose like this.

He had to hand it to Hobgoblin, though. He had some tight security detail. There were literally three dozen armed men on him in a matter of seconds. Devil Hulk was simply having fun coming up with new ways to kill them.

He turned, grabbing the nearest guard by his head and wrapping his fist around it. With the slightest squeeze, he crushed the head like a grape and let the body fall to the floor. About ten more guards converged upon him and opened fire. Devil Hulk leapt into the air, driving both fists into the ceiling above. The ceiling collapsed and crushed all of the men in the room.

Another wave of armed guards entered the room. One of them tossed a grenade toward Devil Hulk. The yellow monstrosity caught the grenade, looked it over for a moment, and then swallowed it. Running toward the guards, he grabbed one and pinned him against wall. Devil Hulk grinned in the terrified man's face.

"You'll have to excuse me. I'm feeling a bit gassy..."

And with that, he belched fire directly into the guard's face. The face melted away in an instant, leaving nothing but a shrieking, bloody skull.

Devil Hulk turned, swinging the guard's body and slapping away his partners with it. He tossed the body aside, and leapt into the crowd with a flurry of punches, crushing every body he struck.

There were only three of them left. Devil Hulk ripped off the arm of one of the guards and force fed it to another of them. Amid the bloody mess of bodies stood only Devil Hulk and one lone guard. The man dropped his rifle to the floor and backed away.

"Something wrong? You look like you just crapped your pants."

In a flash, Devil Hulk's hand reached out and snatched off the hapless soldier's head. The body fell to the ground, and Devil Hulk leapt up to the next floor. He continued leaping upwards through floors, destroying everything and everyone in his path until he made it to the top floor. He now found himself standing in the main office with the General and Roderick Kingsley. He twirled the soldier's dismembered head on his finger like a basketball and turned toward the pair.

"How's it hangin', fellas?"

[Duker Jay]

"Johnny, you stay here and prep the infirmary. I'll go recover the others and bring them here. Val will do much better under the care of her family."

Johnny nodded as Reed entered a Fantasti-Car.

"And try to locate Ben. I'd like to have him here immediately."

"We back in business, bossman?"

"Yes," Reed answered simply as the Fantasti-Car began to take off. Johnny turned and headed back down into the main part of the building.

"Benjy boy, come in little buddy. Where's my favorite little sidekick?" Johnny called into his mini-comm as he prepared the infirmary for patients.

"So...couldn't stay away, huh?" Ben raced home aboard the Fantasticar. "Good to hear yer voice...there's been some changes since ya left."

Soon, Ben's vehicle lands on the roof of the Baxter Building.

[SuperFerret]

Superferret presents:
Norman Osborn
in
Family Reunion
PART FIVE

Only two hours after Tombstone left, he had returned, with his captives in tow. As I saw the face of my daughter-in-law, I regretted not asking Tombstone to ensure that they were brought to me conscious. Oh well, she'll wake soon enough, and then I can revel in the horror that will no doubt play across her face. I paid the albino, and then sent him on his way. I had company, and I needed to be a proper host.

In a matter of minutes, she, my grandson, and Raxton, who was wearing the inhibitor collar, were bound to three chairs in my home office, gagged with white rags tied across their mouths. (If you're in the supervillian business as long as I've been, you gain appreciation to the classics.) They woke an hour later, and I waited patiently for them.

"Good evening, my dear daughter." I say to Liz as she comes around. Her eyes went wide with fear at the sight of me, much to my delight. To her right, young Normie looked around the room in fear, but didn't try to move. To her left, the powerless Molten Man struggled against his bonds, but with the collar on, he lacked the strength necessary to break them.

"You're probably wondering why you're here, and why now of all days I've finally decided to act against you. Aren't you?" I don't wait for a response before continuing, "I do so now, because you have acted against me first, poisoning my son's mind against me. So, now I get my vengeance."

I move to sit behind my desk, lighting a cigar casually.

"There's something you should know, the man who visited you the other night, the one you think is your husband, resurrected somehow, is not. He is not your husband, nor is he the father of your pathetic son. He is my son however, he is Harry as he should have been, strong, like a true Osborn. And now I begin to trim the weakest branches from my family tree."

I stand, retrieving a plastic funnel from a desk drawer, and I walk over to the restrained child, who looks up at me in fear. I smile evilly, causing the boy's mother and uncle to struggle furiously against their bonds.

"Young Norman Osborn." I say, pulling a large white jug from another cabinet, the blue label on the side displaying to all the jug's contents. Clorox Bleach. "You are not worthy of that name, boy." I grab his gag and pull it off, forcing the funnel between the child's lips. He's so scared that he freezes, and that makes what comes next easy. I pour all of the liquid from the jug down the boy's throat, and that's when he begins to struggle, but alas, it's too late.

A glance at the other adults makes me smile even broader. Liz is staring at her son, a most depressing look on her face, tears streaming from her eyes. Raxton, on the other hand, glares at me with unbridled hate, I reply by giving him a thumbs up.

Normie begins to gasp, and then he vomits, spewing blood and bile onto the carpet. "Mom... mommy.." he tries to say, his voice hoarse due to the burning his throat endured, "mommy it hurts.. it hurts... mommy." His mother began to sob uncontrollably, her body heaving with each breath, as she sits helpless, watching her only son die.

Once the boy stills, I move back to behind my desk and reach into a drawer, pulling out a handgun.

"Now let's move to stage two."

[Spider-Man9X17]

"So...couldn't stay away, huh?" Ben raced home aboard the Fantasticar. "Good to hear yer voice...there's been some changes since ya left."

Soon, Ben's vehicle lands on the roof of the Baxter Building.

Johnny walked through the hangar as Ben entered through the door. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"Benjy, buddy. You, man,....you look good. Did you get a haircut?"

[twylight]

I step back out onto the street with Beth and pat my stomach.

“I can’t look at another hamburger ever again.” Beth smiles and takes a sip of the milkshake she’d ordered to go.

“Told ya it was good.”

I sip my own milkshake as we walk along the street.
“And I never doubted you.”

We walked along the streets glancing in windows at the jewelry on display, the theme always hearts.

“So I’ll see you at work on Monday?” Beth asks as she tosses her empty cup in a trashcan.

I nod while I take the last few sips of my own, the slirping sounds disappearing in the noise of the crowd.

“LOOK!” I spin around and glance up into the sky. A figure is flying high overhead. I shield my eyes not recognizing who it was.

“Who…”

“Ms. Marvel…or Warbird…I can’t remember which one she’s going as now. You’d think they’d stick to one name. Spider-Man has.” Beth answers her face lifted up and her hand shielding her eyes for a moment before she returns her gaze back to the earth like a true New Yorker. I raise my camera and take pictures of her until she disappears amid the New York skyline, people all around us look up pointing more and a few men whistle and I’m guessing more and a couple of them are receiving jabs to the ribs from their significant others. I watch her as she flies away, her yellow belt and hair streaming behind her, I marvel at the grace she has.

Heh, ‘marvel.’ I smile and lower my camera.

“Ever thought of going professional with it? I’m sure the Alternate could use a few more photographers.”

“Wouldn’t want to be competition for Mr. Parker Jones.” I tease as my camera rewinds and I place it in my pouch. Life on the street goes back to normal and it’s as if the female hero was never there.
I look up into the sky and wonder what it’s like, to fly. Do they look down on us because of our inabilities? What am I thinking, I’m one of them.

I can feel Beth’s gaze on me and I turn and look.

“What?”

She smiled and looked away as if nothing was the matter.

“He likes you.”

“Who?” I ask brushing my hair from my face.

“Parker.”

“What? I just met him!”

“I could tell by the way he was looking at you. He’s totally good looking and he really hasn’t had a girlfriend.”

“If he's the Parker I’ve been hearing so much about in the Office, where was he for the last few weeks?” I ask trying to change the subject.

“He was on assignment and he likes you.”

I raise my eyebrow and poke her in the side.

“Ouch!” She squeals laughing before racing off, me close on her tail.

[Electro UK]

"Where is she Fisk?" Max yelled as he pulled himself along a corridor. He couldn't find her. Was she even here? Was she even alive?

"Dillon." Max stopped dead in his tracks. Kingpin was there, holding Norma, she was unconcious, at least Max hoped.

"Fisk, if you've touched one hair I'm going to..."

"Do what? Shoot a bolt at me? But you might hit poor Norma here. It would be such a shame to loose such a beautiful young woman."

"Why are you doing this to me?" Max said, slumping onto the floor in tiredness.

"You killed my brother."

"He was beating up the woman I love!" Max said. "Ugh, I just don't understand this! Why does one thing have to lead to another? Why, why can't I just be safe with Norma? Why can't I just go home? WHY NOT?"

He looked Fisk in the eye, Kingpin gave him a cold look back, befor dropping Norma at Max's feet. "Go."

"W-what?"

"Go, never return. You will never work for me again." Max stared in shock as Kingpin left the room. His attention wasn't on the matter for long though, he checked Norma. Alive, breathing, Fisk's men had cleared her up, even her head wound. This was too odd.

***

Max kicked his door open and layed Norma on the bed. The rubble was still there. He got a drink at sat down, a bag of ice over his head. Was he safe now? What the heck was going...

Max sat up in shock. The body was gone. Fisk's men had been in his house. He dug through the pile of concrete until he found something. It was ticking. A bomb.

Activating his powers, he drove through the wall, scooping Norma up just in time as the bomb exploded. The force threw Max off course, he and Norma crashed into the roof of a building. "Oh my god..." Max said as his jaw dropped. It wasn't the loss of his apartment that scared him, what scared him was the fact that he hadn't died in that explosion, and now Fisk's men would be onto him, they would kill him at first chance, Norma too.

That meant they had to disappear. Max and Norma Dillon could no longer exist.

[Electro UK]

"That's it I can't stand this anymore!" Wade shouted at Spider-man and Bobby. "We haven't done anything in ages! Pretty soon they'll be putting up those little * things next to our names on the roster!"

He turned and entered the X-jet. "So long suckers!" sitting down at the front seat, he fiddeled with a few buttons until the screen flickered on.

"Identity please."

"Uhm... Cyclops?"

"Warning, Warning-- Wade Wilson detected, activating security measures."

"Oh you gotta be kidding me!"

***

Bobby and Spider-man walked up the ramp into the X-jet. Wade was hanging upside down, his guns had been tossed aside. Peter and Bobby burts into tears of laughter.

"Hahaha, very funny, can we please go home now?"

[Midnight Ice]

"Oh Wade, we had...certain precautions added to the Blackbird after you crashed it three seasons ago. What? What did I just say? That didn't make any sense...anyway. lets cut you down and head home. Maybe we can figure out where Juggs went to."

[twylight]

I shiver a little in the cold and run up the office steps, the box of donuts in my hands. One of the guys had thrown in a pink frosted one with red hearts and given me a cheerful “Happy Valentines Day” along with a wink.

I don’t understand guys who wink at me, what do winks mean? “Hey you’re cute!” or “I wanna…” Yeah..

“Hey girl!” I wave and smile at Beth, I notice pink and red balloons rising from a pretty floral arrangment on her desk.

“Wow, who’s the lucky man?” I ask with a mischievous grin as I set the donuts down on the kitchenette counter. Beth stirs the creamer into her coffee and keeps her head down intent on stirring it in the black coffee. I lean over and look around her hair which has fallen over her face and notice a blush in her cheeks.

HA, so there is someone.

“Come on…tell..who is it?”

She looks up and brushes her hair behind her ear.

“You know Don, down in printing?”

My mind searches for a face and finds a handsome man with brown hair and hazel eyes. My mouth turns into an ‘o’ and my eyes brighten.

“Re-ally…”

“Stop!” She pretends to pout.
“He’s really nice.”

“I know. How long has it..?”

“Not only the second date.”

I look at her sideways as I pour myself some hot water and dump cocoa mix in it.
“Someone is wooing you.”

“Good morning M’ladys.” I raise my eyebrow and look at Beth at Obie as he joins us in the kitchen and grabs a donut.

Beth answers my unspoken question.

“He joined SCA this weekend.”

“What?”

She shrugs.
“It’s some kinda of role-playing..thing…” she answers, disinterest in her voice.

“The Society of Creative Anachronism.” He said with emphasis.
“I still need to come up with a name for myself… Hey Parker!”

I turned, my cup to my lips as I took a sip.

“Doesn’t look like there is much room in here.” He say’s squeezing past to get to the coffee machine.
“Mhh..Donuts, we’ve gone up in the world.”

“Compliments of Miss Stacy.” Beth say’s winking at me and ducking out of the kitchen area before I can get her.

I roll my eyes.

“You honor us too much Miss Stacy.” He reaches out and shakes my hand as I try to figure out if he’s joking or not.

“Have you met Sir Jones?” Obie asks as we shake hands.

Parker withdraws his hand and grabs a donut, plain glazed I noticed, and nods his heads towards Obie.

“What’s with him?”

“He joined the Society of Creative Anachronism.” I commented.

He raises a perfect eyebrow and my heart jumps a beat.
“Nice, so you’re going to get a new name then?” Obie smiles and starts to explain it to him as I slip out.

What was I doing? Smiling like a school girl. I can’t let myself get in a relationship, because sooner or later what I really was would have to be explained to him. Whoever him was and what’s this about an relationship. I blush and look down at my desk as Parker comes out from the kitchen area.

What am I thinking. I sink my head into my hand.

“Sarah, you’ve got that file?”

I look up at Neil’s voice.

“Oh, yes..” I reach for the file and hand it to him.

“oohh!”

“Lookie”

“How do we know these aren’t photoshopped.”

“Man, think if he’s really back…”

Neil and I turn our heads in unison to glimpse a crowd around Parkers desk.

“Parker!” He calls. “Get those pictures in here ASAP.”

He turns and walks back to his office. I look questioningly ay Beth as she passes but her lips are pressed together and she seems to have a worried look on her face.

For the rest of the day I hear whispers around the office.

“You think anything will happen?”

“I think I’ll have my family leave the city for a few weeks…”

“What do you think this means for Spider-Man?” I turned as someone asked Beth as she passed nearby and set some papers on my desk.

Beth sighed.
“Nothing good I don’t think. He’s got that one girls death on his conscience.”

I look up.
“Gwen Stacy?” I ask.

She looks at me confused.
“Who?”

A pain shoots through my heart, I focus on what I was typing as Beth continues.
“No...that actress and model. Mary Jane Watson.”

My hands freeze over the keyboard, and my head shoots up, surprise jolting through my brain at high speed.

“What?”

Beth nodded.
“I forget you don’t know any American stars. She died last year, or was it the year before. He took it pretty hard and disappeared for a while.”

“Who…who killed her?”

“The rumors are Bullseye, one of Daredevils enemies.”

“BETH!”

She bolts off at the call leaving me to my own thoughts.

She was dead….MJ was dead and I didn’t know. I bow my head, letting my blonde hair cover my face as I think and try to digest it.

Poor Peter, he loved...and loves her so much. I raise my head and make myself focus on my work. No time to mourn for another, that was his job. Even though I was never her friend, I still felt close to her. My mother had shared the secret of mine and Gabe’s birth to only one other person besides Norman, and that had been Mary Jane.

The day ended as quickly after that. Our Mr. Jones didn’t seem to be around to much. He’d bolted into Neil’s office with a stack of manila envelopes and then left as hurriedly as he’d come, his arms empty.

I pick my purse up and wave to the rest of the workers as a few file off, the other ones type away, the clacking filling the now silent room. I pass Beth’s empty desk and wonder where she is.
Until I step into the hallway. Beth’s standing her back leaned against the wall, with Don from printing leaning over her, his right hand pressed to the wall above her shoulder and his left casually in his pocket.

That answers that question. I smile and slip out without a word and walk along the street quickly. Trudy called this morning and invited me to dinner, she sounded excited so I hurried straight home. As I neared the steps I reached into my purse and felt for my keys. A sick feeling gurgled in my stomach as I feared I’d left them at the office, looking down and opening my purse, looking for them while I walked.

AH! There they are.

“OOFH” I collided with something hard.

“You just can’t stop running into me can you.”

I gasp and step back from the hands on my shoulders.

“What…why….I’m sorry..”

He laughs.
“No problem, though can I take it as a compliment?”

“I suppose you can if you’d like.”I straighten my purse on my shoulder and take a step up the stairs.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m not.” he said simply as I unlocked the door.
“In fact I just wish more pretty girls bumped into me. Saves me the hassle of trying to find them.” He pushes the door open for me as I walk in.

“You don’t seem the kind who’d have to find anything. The way Be..” I cut myself off as I open the next door and blush.

“She speaks highly of me?” He strikes a pose in the middle of the doorway. I shake my head and stop.

“Are you following me?”

He laughs.
“No, not that I wouldn’t want to.”

“Then why are you here? Do you live here?” I mentally pray ‘no’, I’ve only met him twice and I can barely handle the proximity of us working together, I do not need to add infatuation and crush to my list of things to worry about.

“Don’t worry, I’m not stalking you. I’m visiting someone in this building.”

I nod and make for Trudy’s door and place my hand on the knob turning to see him giving me an odd look.

I look around.
“What?” I ask.

The door opens and I fall forward a little as it catches me off balance.

“Sarah! There you are.” Trudy and I exchange a hug.

Why I was won….”

Trudy cuts herself off as Parker moves closer to me.

“Parker!” Tears leap to her eyes as he embraces her. His large, but lithe form covering her small figure.

“Aunt Trudy.”

Pan to me. My mouth opens in an “O” and my mind struggles to make it’s way around this whole concept.

“Aunt?!”

[Electro UK]

"Oh Wade, we had...certain precautions added to the Blackbird after you crashed it three seasons ago. What? What did I just say? That didn't make any sense...anyway. lets cut you down and head home. Maybe we can figure out where Juggs went to."

"Hey! No breaking the fourth wall without my permission!" Wade said as Bobby walked over to the contro panel. He flicked a switch. The bonds on his legs flicked open, leaving Wade to fall onto the floor.

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine." Deadpool said as Spider-man and Iceman strapped themselves in. ""Oh sorry Wade, let me help you up" said Iceman." Wade mimicked. "Honestley, the young have no respect these days."

[Batman]

Daredevil was weakened. Bullseye could tell. They had fought each other so often, that he knew his movements as well as he knew his own. And so, he was ready for Daredevil's half-hearted attack.

"Devil, you're forgettin' that I ain't just good at throwin'," he said as he caught the billy club as it whizzed by his head, "I'm good at catchin' too!"

With a running start, Bullseye jumped onto the bannister of the escalator, sliding down to the ground level like some kind of demented surfer. He picked up so much mooentum with the downward motion that, at the bottom of the stairway, he was launched back into the air.

As he came downwards, practically on top of Daredevil, he swung round into a mid-air roundhouse kick, connecting with the side of Daredevil's head. Knocking Daredevil back as he landed, Bullseye shifted the billy-club in his hands until he was holding it like a baseball bat.

"I'm going to bash your brains in with your own billy-club, Devil! We both know it makes one hell of a murder weapon..."

Stupid. Idiotic. Short fused. Unfocused. Dimwitted.

Those are a few of the cleaner words that flow through my mind in regards to myself, thinking about my idiocy, as I'm kicked across the head, and stumble back.

I should've remembered Bullseye's ability to catch whatever is thrown at him. I shouldn't have thrown the billy club in a blind rage, literally. And above all, my biggest mistake was underestimating Bullseye at all.

I pay for that mistake as he smashes me across the head with the billy club. My senses scatter, as I fall to the ground. Before I can make another move, I feel a kick hit me in the abdominal area, making me roll over.

The pain of it... I can barely breathe, as my senses revert back to normal. I tap the ground, illuminating everything infront of me, as I spot Bullseye, lifting his billy-club-grasped hand. As he swings down, I roll, making him hit the ground. I then swing my leg up, kicking him in the stomach. He cluthces his chest, in slight pain, from that.

Using this opprotunity, I push myself up, spin to gain momentum, and send a roundhouse punch to his face, and then a right hook. All the while, He still clutches the damned billy club.

"Murder weapon? It can be alot more than that...", I say, grabbing the top of the billy club, and pushing a button, making the grappling hook blades pop out in Bullseye's hand.

They're short, so the most they'll do it send small cuts into his palm. But it should be enough to make him drop it, at least. Then maybe I'll actually have more of a chance of winning this...


(OOC: If I bunnied you too much, Keyser, I can edit. I apologise if I did.)

[ElectroFlare]

Spider-man shook his head at Wade.

"Bobby, you sure you don't want to activate those security measures again?" He laughed, wondering what the heck Wade had been talking about.

"Get outa my way!" Cain yelled, barreling at the guards to the doors. Their weapons meant nothing to his armor, and Cain slapped them aside and burst into the room.

"You. Are you Thor's girl? Sif? You're coming with me." Cain shouted, reaching for her...

[bkhedr]

Without saying a word the Lady Sif leapt at the Juggernaut with impossible speed and stabbed her short sword directly into his eye. The desperate attack was totally futile and the blade shattered as it struck Cain's pupil.

[twylight]

I sighed and lay across my bed.

There had been an initial awkward moment for me, when Parker had apologized to Trudy for not visiting her as soon as he’d gotten back and a few laughs about where we worked and lived.
It was late, both Trudy and I had laughed all night at Parkers stories of being abroad. We’d both swapped stories of Paris, and what he should and shouldn’t have visited. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Trudy so happy. She practically beamed having her nephew there.

But the part that warmed me was what Parker said as we both left. Him for the outside door and me for the stairs. He’d stopped me, my foot on the first step and caused me to turn around.

“Sarah.”

I turned.

“Yes?” He smiled and shook his head.

“I don’t know what you did, or if it’s just you, but I’ve never seen her so happy. She’s practically adopted you.”

I shook my head.
“She’s just happy to have you back.”

“No, it’s you. Believe me, if it was me, then you’d have known all about who I am. If she didn’t get around to voicing my praise you must have done a fine job of keeping her spirits up somehow.”

I smile, enjoying the sentiment.
“Well, don’t ever think I can replace you.”

“I’d be flattered if someone as pretty as you did. Says something about my looks doesn’t it?” He smiled a teasing tone in his voice. I give a laugh, no wonder Trudy cares for him so much.

“Good night Sarah, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Later!”

I turned over and looked out the window at the dark night.
He was so very good looking. But I had no idea if he was interested in me, or even how I could get him interested with me.

When your brain and body grows at more than twice the speed of a normal person, and your father is Norman Osborn, social flirtation isn’t really put into your studies.

I sit up and change hastily. I want to be out...away...somewhere…somewhere where I don’t have to think about my parentage or Parker. I look at the wall and toy with the idea of taking my newly designed glider out for a test run. But no, I want it low hassle.
Slipping out the window I head for the roofs, armed only with my silver amulets with coiled cord.

I stood on the roof and let my hair down, deciding to go a different direction tonight. Leaping and flipping over the roofs I ran along them, my senses focused, listening to the beating of my own heart, in the windows that flew by as I passed I noticed the large percentage of candle lit rooms.

Valentines Day.

I stop.

The apartment roofs give way to warehouse and small business roofs with other apartment buildings. The river front. The bridge spans across the dark water that twinkles darkly in the city lights. High overhead stars fight to be seen through the darkness. I stand looking at the bridge.

Even in my short life I have a past, and this is part of it. I step forward and pause, shall I face my past or my future tonight. Struggle with things gone, or things I’ll face soon?

I shoot a line up and quickly swing myself to the top of the bridge, landing in a crouched position.

My past. It’s so much easier to face than the future.

I stand up and pull my mask off, glancing around at the city. Beneath me cars drive by, their lights glowing like moving Christmas lights, red and white. The tire noises hitting against the water and amplifying in the cold night air. Swish swish swish.
I take a step and my foot hits something. Leaning over I pick it up and look at it, turning towards the light.

A single red rose.

I close my eyes as tears brim them. Only one person would have and could have made their way up here to place a fresh rose. Someone who this year mourned for two women, two lost loves. Somewhere another rose was placed in memory of another woman, but this one was my responsibility. I was the reason Gwen Stacy died.

“Happy Valentines Day…”

I paused before whispering a name I’d only heard in stories.

“…Mom”
I stood on the edge and let the rose slip from my fingers into the darkness below, the black swallowing it up whole.

I choose the responsibility.

[Duker Jay]

Johnny walked through the hangar as Ben entered through the door. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"Benjy, buddy. You, man,....you look good. Did you get a haircut?"

"Yeah, yeah...a little off the top. Real funny, kid. Look, we got all kinds of trouble, alright?" Ben had always enjoyed his friendship with Johnny...not just the fun ribbing, but also the times when things got serious. He always knew that Johnny had his back. "I'm back to normal...but, it seems I can switch back ta bein' the 'ever-lovin', blue-eyed Thing' still...'cept I don't really know how."

Johnny just stood there, looking back at him and smiling.

"Not only that but, you know the Shocker? Looks like he's gotten a power boost and is causin' problem at a bank downtown."

[Spider-Man9X17]

"Shocker? Hmmmm, Shocker.....Shocker.....Oh, you mean Quilted-Man. Power boost, huh? What, he comes in two-ply now?"

[Keyser Soze]

Stupid. Idiotic. Short fused. Unfocused. Dimwitted.

Those are a few of the cleaner words that flow through my mind in regards to myself, thinking about my idiocy, as I'm kicked across the head, and stumble back.

I should've remembered Bullseye's ability to catch whatever is thrown at him. I shouldn't have thrown the billy club in a blind rage, literally. And above all, my biggest mistake was underestimating Bullseye at all.

I pay for that mistake as he smashes me across the head with the billy club. My senses scatter, as I fall to the ground. Before I can make another move, I feel a kick hit me in the abdominal area, making me roll over.

The pain of it... I can barely breathe, as my senses revert back to normal. I tap the ground, illuminating everything infront of me, as I spot Bullseye, lifting his billy-club-grasped hand. As he swings down, I roll, making him hit the ground. I then swing my leg up, kicking him in the stomach. He cluthces his chest, in slight pain, from that.

Using this opprotunity, I push myself up, spin to gain momentum, and send a roundhouse punch to his face, and then a right hook. All the while, He still clutches the damned billy club.

"Murder weapon? It can be alot more than that...", I say, grabbing the top of the billy club, and pushing a button, making the grappling hook blades pop out in Bullseye's hand.

They're short, so the most they'll do it send small cuts into his palm. But it should be enough to make him drop it, at least. Then maybe I'll actually have more of a chance of winning this...


(OOC: If I bunnied you too much, Keyser, I can edit. I apologise if I did.)

Bullseye screamed in pain, letting the billy-club tumble to the ground. He fell backwards, winded by the flurry of strikes from Daredevil, and landed hard on the ground.

"I didn't expect such...heh heh...dirty tricks from a boy scout like you," Bullseye said, clenching his bloody hands into fists.

He looked down at the ground, and spotted a straw from a discarded drinks cup. He grabbed it and flicked it over his shoulder. He hadn't been able to line up the shot, so it only sliced across the side of Daredevil's neck. But it gave him the opportunity he needed.

"But I fight dirtier!"

Bullseye lunhed upwards, tackling Daredevil and sending them both flying backwards through a shop window.

[Electro UK]

The X-Jet took off back for New York. "So... we got a DVD player in here? Anything? Gameboy? You've gotta give me some material here guys, other wise I might start to be considered... unfunny." he shuddered.

"Alright fine." Wade said, folding his arms. "Let's just get back soon, I've got a feeling Doc Ock wants to fight Spider-man... did I say that out loud?"

[ElectroFlare]

"You just made this so much more fun lady." Cain said, wrapping his massive left arm around her and pinning her to his side. She was stronger then he would have expected, but not as strong as Cain. Cain then rubbed his eye where the blade had struck him.

"I sure hope Thanos likes ya', cause I sure don't." Cain chuckled as he smashed through the wall and feel to the ground, causing an impact that sent shockwaves in all directions.

That shockwave was all the damaged Asgardian Embassy needed to collapse...

"You unfunny? I never would have thought that." Spider-man said.

"And last I heard from Ock he was being put where he belongs. Either in jail or on the sushi bar. And seeing as how I don't think people will enjoy eating fillet o' Ock, I'm betting he's in jail."

[The Joker]

Octavius flexed a tentacle over the bar and clutched a bottle of whiskey,which carefully poured the contents into a small tumbler glass.Ock’s tentacle withdrew the glass and brought it to Octavius’ lips.

“So what is the first step of your oh so grand scheme” Ock asked sarcastically as he took a sip of his drink.

The Gentleman withdrew an envelope from his jacket pocket.One of Octavius’ tentacles flexed out and snatched it from his hand.The Gentleman merely raised an eyebrow in distaste."That envelope contains details of an item I want you take from the military base at Long Island".

Octavius quickly scanned the contents of the envelope.His brow creased in anger.”You don’t specify what this item is”. The Gentleman smiled that cold smile of his.”That’s because that information is still classified”.

Octavius crushed the envelope in his hand,which had now formed a trembling fist.”Whatever this item is old man,it had better be good.The security at the Long Island military base is a virtual army”.

“One which I’m sure a man of your talents will have no problem handling Doctor” the Gentleman said,as he placed his empty glass on the bar and walked across the room.

“Wait,you mean that’s it?” Octavius asked angrily as the Gentleman put his camel hair coat and hat on.

“For now” the Gentleman said.”As I said information is on a need to know basis.I’ve given you the first step of the plan that needs to be carried out.Once you’ve completed that successfully,we can proceed to step two”.The Gentleman tipped his hat and moved towards the door,where he paused,and turned again to face Octavius.

“And should your antics attract the attention of Spider-Man,then all the better.Be sure to crush him thoroughly Doctor.Leave nothing of his body that can be salvaged” the Gentleman said as he flashed that hateful smile.With that,he left,followed by his bodyguard Pity.

Octavius drank the last of his drink,as he raised himself on two tentacles. “Don’t worry old man.I’ll fix the wall crawler as thoroughly as I shall fix you”.

[Duker Jay]

"Shocker? Hmmmm, Shocker.....Shocker.....Oh, you mean Quilted-Man. Power boost, huh? What, he comes in two-ply now?"

Ben gave Johnny a blank stare...then he walked past him into the building.

"Somethin' like that...anyways, I figgered Reed had some kind o' toy we could use..." Ben made his way to the armory.

[SuperFerret]

The apartment roofs give way to warehouse and small business roofs with other apartment buildings. The river front. The bridge spans across the dark water that twinkles darkly in the city lights. High overhead stars fight to be seen through the darkness. I stand looking at the bridge.

Even in my short life I have a past, and this is part of it. I step forward and pause, shall I face my past or my future tonight. Struggle with things gone, or things I’ll face soon?

I shoot a line up and quickly swing myself to the top of the bridge, landing in a crouched position.

My past. It’s so much easier to face than the future.

I stand up and pull my mask off, glancing around at the city. Beneath me cars drive by, their lights glowing like moving Christmas lights, red and white. The tire noises hitting against the water and amplifying in the cold night air. Swish swish swish.
I take a step and my foot hits something. Leaning over I pick it up and look at it, turning towards the light.

A single red rose.

I close my eyes as tears brim them. Only one person would have and could have made their way up here to place a fresh rose. Someone who this year mourned for two women, two lost loves. Somewhere another rose was placed in memory of another woman, but this one was my responsibility. I was the reason Gwen Stacy died.

“Happy Valentines Day…”

I paused before whispering a name I’d only heard in stories.

“…Mom”
I stood on the edge and let the rose slip from my fingers into the darkness below, the black swallowing it up whole.

I choose the responsibility.

Superferret presents:
Harry Osborn
in
Family Reunion
PART SIX

I've been searching for hours, scouring the city for the girl who looks like Gwendy. I've found some like that, but all just ran and screamed at the sight of me, or they passed out when I grabbed them. The daughter of Norman Osborn and Gwen Stacy would be made of sterner stuff than that. Then an idea hit me, why not go to the place where this all started, where Norman Osborn struck the deepest blow in his war against Spider-Man.

The Brooklyn Bridge.

And what do I see, standing atop the highest point of the bridge, mere feet from where Gwen was knocked to her demise? A young woman. I'd bet all the tea in China that I had just found what I was looking for.

This should be interesting.

[twylight]

I sigh and turn to leave, it's late and I have work in the morning. Not to mention a killer headache that just started. A sound echoing over the water causes me to pause.

Looking around in the dark I try to find it's origin, and I do.


"You have got to be kidding me." I hiss through my teeth. I cross my arms as the figure comes closer, the glider making noises across the water below as it dips up and down in the air, it's crazed sporatic flight guided by one just as crazed.

"Green Goblin."

Looks like Daddy Dearest didn't give up the tights.


Unless....a horrible thought flashes through my mind.

Unless it's Gabe....

I prepare for the worst realizing that I am totally unprepared for any fight. Trying to ignore the tightening in my chest. That's what happens when you want a simple night alone.

[The Question]

He was having the time of his life. Bruce never would have let loose like this.

He had to hand it to Hobgoblin, though. He had some tight security detail. There were literally three dozen armed men on him in a matter of seconds. Devil Hulk was simply having fun coming up with new ways to kill them.

He turned, grabbing the nearest guard by his head and wrapping his fist around it. With the slightest squeeze, he crushed the head like a grape and let the body fall to the floor. About ten more guards converged upon him and opened fire. Devil Hulk leapt into the air, driving both fists into the ceiling above. The ceiling collapsed and crushed all of the men in the room.

Another wave of armed guards entered the room. One of them tossed a grenade toward Devil Hulk. The yellow monstrosity caught the grenade, looked it over for a moment, and then swallowed it. Running toward the guards, he grabbed one and pinned him against wall. Devil Hulk grinned in the terrified man's face.

"You'll have to excuse me. I'm feeling a bit gassy..."

And with that, he belched fire directly into the guard's face. The face melted away in an instant, leaving nothing but a shrieking, bloody skull.

Devil Hulk turned, swinging the guard's body and slapping away his partners with it. He tossed the body aside, and leapt into the crowd with a flurry of punches, crushing every body he struck.

There were only three of them left. Devil Hulk ripped off the arm of one of the guards and force fed it to another of them. Amid the bloody mess of bodies stood only Devil Hulk and one lone guard. The man dropped his rifle to the floor and backed away.

"Something wrong? You look like you just crapped your pants."

In a flash, Devil Hulk's hand reached out and snatched off the hapless soldier's head. The body fell to the ground, and Devil Hulk leapt up to the next floor. He continued leaping upwards through floors, destroying everything and everyone in his path until he made it to the top floor. He now found himself standing in the main office with the General and Roderick Kingsley. He twirled the soldier's dismembered head on his finger like a basketball and turned toward the pair.

"How's it hangin', fellas?"


The General stands up from his seat.

"Quite fine, m'boy. Quite fine. Looks like you've been having fun."

The General sits back down and starts using Kingsly's computer.

"Now, here's what we're gonna do. The security cameras are directly connected to Kingsly's computer. I'm going to e-mail the footage of your escapades to all of ol' Roderick's 'associates'. Basically, telling them we're in charge. And, if any of them challange us...."

The General looks up at the Devil Hulk.

"....you can do your best to change their minds. But in the mean time, sit back. Relax. Help yourself to a martini."

[kang604]

Deep in the heart of Castle Doom, the monarch of Latveria was heavily concentrated on the task ahead of him.

Once again, he would lead his nation to war with the world. He had tried before and failed, causing the deaths of countless Latverians in his quest for power. Victor couldn't help but feel responsible in some way, responsible for the deaths of those who had pledged their lives to him. But above all, he cared for the greatness of Latveria, and if his men or even he had to die for such an honor... so be it.

The main control room was a beehive of activity. For the last year, the country had been dormant as Von Doom attempted to reconstruct her economic, social, and military standing. Now, it was time to act yet again, and finally Latveria had the resources to do so.

Walking over to a control hub, Dr. Doom barked orders to his minions. " I want a clear encoded transimission running at all times to the Enslaver. Should Thanos of Titan attempt to contact us DOOM is to be notified immediately, no questions asked. " Then slowly, and with a sly grin on his face, Victor turned to his military commanders. " Mobilize our forces, general...

It's time the world be reminded of the name DOOM once more..."

[Spider-Man9X17]

Ben gave Johnny a blank stare...then he walked past him into the building.

"Somethin' like that...anyways, I figgered Reed had some kind o' toy we could use..." Ben made his way to the armory.

"Ummm, Reed had to leave. Val and Sue are in IC in a hospital up in Connecticut."

[bkhedr]

"I sure hope Thanos likes ya', cause I sure don't." Cain chuckled as he smashed through the wall and feel to the ground, causing an impact that sent shockwaves in all directions.

That shockwave was all the damaged Asgardian Embassy needed to collapse...



Balder rushed through the splintered doors of Sif's quarters just in time the Juggernaut leap through the wall while the Lady Sif struggled futility to break his grip. He was just about to persue the Juggernaut when the building began to collapse and pieces of the ceiling came crashing down at him

[Toby_Temple]

42nd Street Madison Ave. New York City

Baxter Building was built in 1949 by the Leland Baxter Paper Company. It was designed as a high-rise industrial site for a pulp recycling machinery rising 35 storeys high, each floors measuring 24 feet in height.

Death's Head scanned the building from a far. It won't be long till he reach his destination. His cybernetic eyes magnified his view while his brain gives him a 3D image of his pathway. Now he has a full view of Baxter Building. He then focused his vision to the top 5 floors.

Floors 31 up to 35 contained the most unique features of Baxter Building: Completely air tight, all doors are airlocks and the area between elevators 2, 3 and 4 provides complete environmental support. Floors 31 and 32 are living quarters with a studio, a library, a reference room, etc. The 33rd floor contains Reed Richard's laboratory. Floor 34 is the actual headquarters while the 35 is tha hangar bay and machine shop.

Death's Head's main concerns are two: to know if any of the four were present and, if not, to bypass Roberta, the headquarter's main defense system.

SCANNING. . . . . . . . .
MOTION DETECTED
ANALYZING. . . . . . . .
IDENTITY CONFIRMED.
FANTASTIC FOUR MEMBER: BENJAMIN JACOB GRIM

There's my green light.

A moment later, Death's Head was in the 30th floor of Baxter Building.

[Duker Jay]

"Ummm, Reed had to leave. Val and Sue are in IC in a hospital up in Connecticut."

Ben stopped in his tracks and turned around.

"Wait...they're back, too? I guess none of us could stay away fer long...just not made for it..." He paused. "But what's this about Val and Suzie bein' in the hospital? What happened?"

At the news, a flicker of anxiety lit up in Ben's chest. He felt it begin to grow slightly as he pictured his family endangered...

"What happened, Johhny!?!"

[Toby_Temple]

Ben stopped in his tracks and turned around.

"Wait...they're back, too? I guess none of us could stay away fer long...just not made for it..." He paused. "But what's this about Val and Suzie bein' in the hospital? What happened?"

At the news, a flicker of anxiety lit up in Ben's chest. He felt it begin to grow slightly as he pictured his family endangered...

"What happened, Johhny!?!"

Before Johnny could answer, a familiar yet distressing voice resonated in the entire room. Roberta was calling out for the Fantastic Four. This only mean one thing; an intruder has entered the building. And not just an intruder, but an intruder Roberta could not handle.

There goes the doorbell. Yes?

[The Question]

The TV screens behind The General's desk turn on. The General turns around to face the shadowy faces on the screens.

"What the hell's the meaning of this? Where's Kingsly?"

The General smiles.

"My friends. Kingsly's out. I'm in. You will all answer directly to me now."

"What makes you so sure that we'll listen to you?"

"You've all seen the footage I've sent you. Correct?"

None of them speak.

"Let me assure you. It was not fake. I have The Hulk on my side. You cross us, and you have to deal with him. However, if anyone crosses you, they have to deal with him. So you see, you are getting something out of this."

Silence. Suddenly, one of them speaks.

"What do you want us to do?"

"Very good question, m'boy. Very good question. I want you to go about your buisness. Murder, steal, intimidate as much as you like. And a percentage of all your eranings go to me. Same deal as with Kingsly. Just a different player. But, there are a few favors I must ask. Those of you Tong and Triad leaders who have contacts in China: Set up deals with government officials. Same with anyone who has contacts with the British and Canada. Silvermane, you deal with weapons trade, correct?"

"Yes."

"You'll be working with the others. get your weapons sold to the various governments. When war starts, we'll be making a heafty profit. Alos, if you can spare them, rent out some of your better inforcers as mercenaries for the different governments. Keep it secret, of course."

"You want to play the different sides againts each other?"

"A true buisnessman seizes every opourtunity. And most well organized and smart mobs around the world are probably doing the same. Also, start stockpiling on fine clothing and kitchen ware. When WWIII starts, they'll most likely be in short supply. Now, please excuse me."

The screens turn off. The General turns ariund in his chair and lights another cigar.

"It's so very good to be king."

[Johnny Blaze]

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a330/HypsterJB/Thanos11.jpg

The Titan stood in his laboratory watching the dozens of monitor screens he had set up. Each one depicted a different part of the planet Earth as they received information from the many secret spy satellites he had in place.

One monitor showed the Juggernaut as he carried out his mission. The raging behemoth had totally demolished the Asgardian Embassy, beat most of the Asgardians to death or near it, and successfully kidnapped Lady Sif.

It was time Thanos made contact with him and gave further instructions. With a flick of a switch, a large device that one could say looks a lot like Cerebro decended from the ceiling. Placing the device on his head, Thanos closed his eyes and concentrated.
This creation had no name, but it allowed the Titan to send out a encrypted telepathic message via the radio waves to as far away as planet Earth. With enough concentration, one could even pinpoint a target for the message as small as common housefly.
This one was going directly to Juggernaut.
It took a few minutes to properly locate him, but soon Thanos had found the Juggernaut with his machine. Normally, telepathic energy of any kind would not even begin to penetrate the Juggernaut's psychic defenses. But, Thanos already had a foot in the proverbial door thanks to the telepathic blocker he had placed in Mr. Marko's cranium.

"Cain Marko. This is your...employer. You have done well in your mission and will be handsomely rewarded when it is over. However, I require you to take Sif to a remote location and keep her alive and hidden. With his wife kidnapped, Thor will be preoccupied when the time comes. Remember, Juggernaut...keep her alive."

Thanos cut transmission and began to find two other of his leiutenants for a final mission before the invasion.
One was easily found since she was on the ship, but the other took time. Eventually though, Thanos found him and sent out a message to both of them at once.

"Rogue...Taskmaster. The time has almost come, but I have one final mission for the both of you. You are to find your way to New York City to the headquarters of the former kingpin, Roderick Kingsley. There you will meet with his successor and begin negotiations for a mutually beneficial alliance.
Once finished you will report back to me. It is almost time to begin the final preparations."

Thanos opened his eyes as he ended the transmissions and took the device off of his head. With a flick of the same switch, the device slowly rose back into it's place in the ceiling.

Thanos watched the monitors for a few minutes more before shutting them down and leaving the lab. The time for his invasion was almost here, and there was still many things to finalize.

"Commander", Thanos said into his personal comm link, "summon all Grand-Admirals and Generals. It is time to begin the final stages of preparation."

"As you wish, Lord Thanos", came the Commander's voice back over the comm link.

Silence fell on the Titan once more, and Thanos soon found himself lost in his own thoughts. Thoughts of the coming war he would bring, and of the world he would control after dust settled.

The Titan smiled at this. This new act was proving to be an interesting one, and, for the first time in a long time, Thanos was truly interested in seeing how it played out.

Slowly and silently, the Titan made his way through the corridors of the great ship, headed towards the war room where the final planning will soon begin.

[ElectroFlare]

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a330/HypsterJB/Thanos11.jpg

The Titan stood in his laboratory watching the dozens of monitor screens he had set up. Each one depicted a different part of the planet Earth as they received information from the many secret spy satellites he had in place.

One monitor showed the Juggernaut as he carried out his mission. The raging behemoth had totally demolished the Asgardian Embassy, beat most of the Asgardians to death or near it, and successfully kidnapped Lady Sif.

It was time Thanos made contact with him and gave further instructions. With a flick of a switch, a large device that one could say looks a lot like Cerebro decended from the ceiling. Placing the device on his head, Thanos closed his eyes and concentrated.
This creation had no name, but it allowed the Titan to send out a encrypted telepathic message via the radio waves to as far away as planet Earth. With enough concentration, one could even pinpoint a target for the message as small as common housefly.
This one was going directly to Juggernaut.
It took a few minutes to properly locate him, but soon Thanos had found the Juggernaut with his machine. Normally, telepathic energy of any kind would not even begin to penetrate the Juggernaut's psychic defenses. But, Thanos already had a foot in the proverbial door thanks to the telepathic blocker he had placed in Mr. Marko's cranium.

"Cain Marko. This is your...employer. You have done well in your mission and will be handsomely rewarded when it is over. However, I require you to take Sif to a remote location and keep her alive and hidden. With his wife kidnapped, Thor will be preoccupied when the time comes. Remember, Juggernaut...keep her alive."

"Yeah, alright. Keep the dame alive I got it. Where are ya?" Cain asked. Getting no answer, Cain just snorted and kept walking.

A place to hide Sif...where could he hide an Asgardian Princess?

"I know just the place" Cain laughed at the struggling Lady Sif.

It didn't take very long, digging the hole that is. Covering it up and making sure she couldn't get out was slightly more difficult, but the Lady Sif was trapped.

With that, Cain stomped away from the hole he'd made, under the Statue of Liberty...

[Electro UK]

Steve Lees walked down the new york street, keeping his head low, pretending that he was checking that all his groceries where still in the bag. He slowly rasied his eyes up, checking to see if anyone was looking. A man across the street caught his attention. Steve glanced away from him.

It wasn't long until he'd reached the run down motel he'd been staying in. He walked inside to find his wife sitting at the end of the dirty bed. She gave him a sad look as he closed the door.

"Anyone see you Max?"

Steve paused for a second, Norm was right, no need to hide their identities right now. "No I don't think so."

"Are we... is this hows its going to keep going? That you have to hide your face in public, I have to wonder if you're going to come back every time to step out the door?"

"Not forever Norm, its just until I figure out a plan."

"What plan? We can't do anything! The Airport's littered with Fisk's guards! He's too powerful for you to go up against!"

"I don't know!" Max snapped. "I can't do much about it, so stop reminding me."

"Is there anyone that could help?"

"Yeah, I know a few people..."

[The Joker]

Steve Lees walked down the new york street, keeping his head low, pretending that he was checking that all his groceries where still in the bag. He slowly rasied his eyes up, checking to see if anyone was looking. A man across the street caught his attention. Steve glanced away from him.

It wasn't long until he'd reached the run down motel he'd been staying in. He walked inside to find his wife sitting at the end of the dirty bed. She gave him a sad look as he closed the door.

"Anyone see you Max?"

Steve paused for a second, Norm was right, no need to hide their identities right now. "No I don't think so."

"Are we... is this hows its going to keep going? That you have to hide your face in public, I have to wonder if you're going to come back every time to step out the door?"

"Not forever Norm, its just until I figure out a plan."

"What plan? We can't do anything! The Airport's littered with Fisk's guards! He's too powerful for you to go up against!"

"I don't know!" Max snapped. "I can't do much about it, so stop reminding me."

"Is there anyone that could help?"

"Yeah, I know a few people..."

Suddenly the door to their seedy motel room flew off it's hinges with a force that sent it smashing against the adjacent wall,shattering it to pieces.

Four writhing tentacles snaked into the room.Two of them supporting a bespectacled chubby man,dressed in a white armani suit,his face twisted into a mocking sneer as he surveyed the dirty motel room.

Max Dillon stared in disbelief for a moment,as his wife Norma quivered behind him in terror.".....Doc??? What are you....".

"Looking for you Max.And I must say you were not hard to find,considering you're supposed to be in hiding from what my sources tell me.Forgive the entrance,but you know me Max,I do like a grand entrance".

Norma peered from behind Max at Octavius,as he lowered himself to the ground.His tentacles waving around him like writhing snakes.

"Well Max,or should I call you Steve??" Octavius said with a mocking grin."Really Dillon,you're hiding from Wilson Fisk,not some two bit money lender.Did you think a ridiculous name like Lees,and a few days in this rat infested dump would keep you safe??".

"Well I thought...." Max began,but Ock waved a hand comtemptously at him."Thinking is not your strong point Max.I never did invite you into the Six for your brains.Look at you.You possess enough raw power to incinerate an entire city block with a mere thought,and here you are hiding in this filthy hole like some common street tramp".

Anger swept across Dillon's face.His eyes lit up with fury."What do you want Octavius?? You're putting my wife's and my life in danger just by being here".

Ock approached Max,Norma ducked behind him,quivering with fear.

"You were in danger the moment you came here.My sources tell me the Kingpin's lackeys already know you're here.I believe they intend an assault on you both tonight while you sleep".

A small yelp of fear came from Norma,as she clutched Max's arm with both hands.

Octavius grinned."I see your wife finds this news unsettling.As well it should.What are you going to do now Max?? Find another seedy motel to hide in?? Or perhaps you can accept my offer of employment that I'm about to give you.What do you think Max,are you willing to hear me out??".

[Electro UK]

This was entirely not what Max needed right now. He needed to keep his wife safe, he needed to keep himself safe for that matter. But Max didn't think he had much choice. Perhaps Ock would even give him and Norma shelter for a while, it'd be hard for Kingpin's thugs to find him at a place like the master planner lair.

He looked at Ock and sighed. "Alright Ock, you've got me on this one, but could ya just you know, find somewhere nice and safe to put Norma while I'm doing whatever you want me to?"

Octavius looked down at Norma, who was slowly backing away from him. He looked back at Max and gave him an evil smile. "Of course she can stay, we wouldn't want your mind to be distracted out in action now would we?" he stepped outside. "Come along, I'm not waiting all day for you."

Max turned to Norma who mouthed "Friends?" at him. Max shrugged as he helped her up and they left the motel.

[Spider-Man9X17]

"Alarm. But no one could...damn."

In all the fuss and excitement, no one had ever reactivated building security.

"So, Benjy boy, we need to find your 'ON' switch pretty quick. Here, maybe it works like the Hulk..."

Johnny balled his fist and reared back.

[twylight]

"Rogue...Taskmaster. The time has almost come, but I have one final mission for the both of you. You are to find your way to New York City to the headquarters of the former kingpin, Roderick Kingsley. There you will meet with his successor and begin negotiations for a mutually beneficial alliance.
Once finished you will report back to me. It is almost time to begin the final preparations."

Rogue rose her head from it's bent position, she sat on her bed, her elbows on her knees and head bent over. Her mind blank. Rising she answered, speaking into thin air.

"Yes Master." She flintched a little internally and willed herself to be beamed next to Taskmaster.

"Shall we get started?"

[SuperFerret]

Superferret presents:
Harry Osborn
in
Family Reunion
PART SEVEN
(Part Seven will be all of this short exchange with Sarah)

I fly down and land next to where the young woman stands. I notice as I step off the glider that I crush a single rose that had been laying there.

"Hello there," I say a sinister smile playing across my lips, "you must be Sarah. My name's Harry, and I'll be your big brother."

I spread my arms out in a friendly gesture.

"How about a hug?"

[taskmaster]

Rogue rose her head from it's bent position, she sat on her bed, her elbows on her knees and head bent over. Her mind blank. Rising she answered, speaking into thin air.

"Yes Master." She flintched a little internally and willed herself to be beamed next to Taskmaster.

"Shall we get started?"


I've been doing some small time jobs while Thanos planned his attack. Made sure a certain few people would be safe when the invasion started. I was glad to be back in New York City, I always loved this town. I was also interested to see who took out Kingsley. The Hobgoblin wouldn't have given up being kingpin with out a fight, so it had to be someone big. Me and Rogue teleport within a couple of blocks of Kingsley's former HQ.

"Ladies first."

[Duker Jay]

"Alarm. But no one could...damn."

In all the fuss and excitement, no one had ever reactivated building security.

"So, Benjy boy, we need to find your 'ON' switch pretty quick. Here, maybe it works like the Hulk..."

Johnny balled his fist and reared back.

"You hit me and I don't care who's settin' off the alarm...YOU'RE going down." Ben's brave words masked an anxiety that had only grown now that the alarm was sounding. "Let's just go check it out, hothead...I'm not completely helpless as normal ol' Benjamin J. Grimm."

They both started inside and down the hall...

[Toby_Temple]

"You hit me and I don't care who's settin' off the alarm...YOU'RE going down." Ben's brave words masked an anxiety that had only grown now that the alarm was sounding. "Let's just go check it out, hothead...I'm not completely helpless as normal ol' Benjamin J. Grimm."

They both started inside and down the hall...

Death's Head stood still waiting for the alarm to do its purpose. The sound was that of a movie scene where a nuclear meltdown has occurred, enough to make the audience feel the anxiety of the characters.

The cyborg glanced to the mess he made at the door.

I wouldn't blame them if they attack me. The problem would be if they don't remember me. This timeline is exactly 8 years since the first time I met them.
Maybe they've grown older. Yes?

WARNING!
SENTIENT BEINGS DETECTED.

They're coming. Hmmm. Now, how would I greet them?

[twylight]

Superferret presents:
Harry Osborn
in
Family Reunion
PART SEVEN
(Part Seven will be all of this short exchange with Sarah)

I fly down and land next to where the young woman stands.

"Hello there," I say a sinister smile playing across my lips, "you must be Sarah. My name's Harry, and I'll be your big brother."

I spread my arms out in a friendly gesture.

"How about a hug?"


OOC: Dude..I dropped the rose over the side of the bridge. ;)

IC:

I blinked. Who is Harry? "Big Brother"....Gabe? No..it can't be possible.

I take a step back as he spreads his arms wide, the grotesque mask on his face contorted in a twisted smile.

"What? Gabe...? What's he done to you?"

My head pounds and I dearly wish to wake up from this horrible nightmare.

[Hyper Venom]

The General stands up from his seat.

"Quite fine, m'boy. Quite fine. Looks like you've been having fun."

The General sits back down and starts using Kingsly's computer.

"Now, here's what we're gonna do. The security cameras are directly connected to Kingsly's computer. I'm going to e-mail the footage of your escapades to all of ol' Roderick's 'associates'. Basically, telling them we're in charge. And, if any of them challange us...."

The General looks up at the Devil Hulk.

"....you can do your best to change their minds. But in the mean time, sit back. Relax. Help yourself to a martini."

"Don't mind if I do."

Devil Hulk gradually transformed into the more managable form of Bruce Banner and proceeded to help himself to Kingsley's minibar.

"Funny...Banner was absolutely terrified of alcohol. He was afraid it would make him lose control. Heh..."

Banner downed a martini in a single gulp.

"The wuss...I was doing him a favor."

Suddenly, a thought occured to Banner. He took a seat and turned toward the General.

"Listen, just out of curiosity, why exactly did you go through the whole personality change? You used to be the ultimate boy scout. What happened to you?"

[The Question]

"Don't mind if I do."

Devil Hulk gradually transformed into the more managable form of Bruce Banner and proceeded to help himself to Kingsley's minibar.

"Funny...Banner was absolutely terrified of alcohol. He was afraid it would make him lose control. Heh..."

Banner downed a martini in a single gulp.

"The wuss...I was doing him a favor."

Suddenly, a thought occured to Banner. He took a seat and turned toward the General.

"Listen, just out of curiosity, why exactly did you go through the whole personality change? You used to be the ultimate boy scout. What happened to you?"


"Thruthfully? I'm not exactly the same Cap you know and love. I'm from another world. Most of me is, anyway. It's kind of hard to explain. I can feel some of your Steve Rodgers floating around in here, which is why I know a few basic details about this world. Part of me feels like I am him. Just different somehow. But mostly, it's all me. I can't say he's dead, either. Mabey the rest of him's in my world. I don't know. The point is, where I'm from, things are quite different. My Banner actually likes cutting loose with his abilities and eating the occasional crowd of people."

[bkhedr]

Thor arrived at the ruined embassy and saw Giant Man and several Asgardians sifting through the debris. The wasp had radioed the God of Thunder and told him that the embassy was under attack and the Asgardians were looking for him.

"Giantman, what hath befallen?"

"Thor, I'm sorry, I got here too late. It was the Juggernaut. It seems like he was teleported here from Fort Knox somehow."

"The Juggernaut's arrogance truly knows no bounds, if he would dare to invade Asgardian soil."

"Thor, listen, he tore through here, put alot of people in the hospital....and he took Sif."

"WHAT??!!?" Thor shouted as the sky darkened

"Dont worry Thor!" Pym said hurriedly "We'll get her back!"

"Nay Henry Pym! Thou must attend to my people. The son of Odin's bride and unborn child hath been stolen, and Thor himself will see to their return...AND THE PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE!!"

With that Thor took to the air. The Juggernaut would not be hard to find, and if Sif and the child were anything but unharmed when he found them......

[JewishHobbit]

The shocker looks to a clock on the wall. Time is ticking, and so far he hasn't heard a word from the Thing and his money. In truth, he doesn't really care about getting the money. He's stolen more than enough from the bank and he knows that if he waits out the rest that he's asked for, he's just setting himself up for some type of interferance. He looks to the prisoners and shrugs.

"Everyone, I'm going to need you to do me a favor. I don't really feel much like killing you, but I can't have you running off either. So if you don't mind, would you please make your way into that side little office there?"

The people on the floor looks around confused. Shocker's patience runs thin and finally he fires a blast of air at a wall near them, obiliterating it. The people scream and he can hear the police calling from outside asking what is going on.

"NOW!"

The people quickly scamper into the room as Shocker shuts the door and breaks the lock. He then goes to the small hole in the ground that he had created for his "instant deposit." He felt around it and began to vibrate it until it widens just enough for him to crawl into. He then vibrates the hole further, widening it. He looks outside and figures that the police and the Thing won't know what's going on, so a quick escape should go unnoticed. And then with a vibrationary gust of wind, he shoots through the hole like a bullet, guided by his vibrations on the walls and the air around him. These new powers are a kick!!

[twylight]

I've been doing some small time jobs while Thanos planned his attack. Made sure a certain few people would be safe when the invasion started. I was glad to be back in New York City, I always loved this town. I was also interested to see who took out Kingsley. The Hobgoblin wouldn't have given up being kingpin with out a fight, so it had to be someone big. Me and Rogue teleport within a couple of blocks of Kingsley's former HQ.

"Ladies first."

Rogue nodded and started off.

"When he said 'negotiate' did he mean what Ah think he meant?" she asked hopefully, her fists clenching at her sides.

She'd found that the best way to divert her questioning of herself was to fall head first into her old life style.
Crackin' heads and takin' names.

[Spider-Man9X17]

Hawkeye listened to the dull mumur of the guards down the hall. No doubt b**ching about pulling the late shift. He snorted, looking at his surroundings. Yeah, they had it bad.

The door to the holding area screeched open. Clint could make out a new voice, but couldn't tell who exactly it was. All he knew was that the conversation got a little heated before he heard two dull "thuds", and then footsteps coming toward the cell.

"It is time."

Clint raised his head as Quicksilver unlocked the door. He held Clint's uniform in one arm.

"Under the cover of night. Original."

"Time of day had no bearing on my plan. Things have come up that have prematurely caused us to show our hands."

"Such as...?"

The door was now open, and Pietro tossed the costume to Clint.

"I hope you are prepared to make what may be the first of many sacrifices for your children."

[The Joker]

One hour later,in the luxurious town house bought by the Gentleman to house his current partner Doctor Otto Octavius,Octavius poured himself and Dillon a drink.

As he handed the glass to Max,he cast an eye at Max's wife Norma."Does your wench want one too???".

Max's brow creased."She's not my wench Octavius,she's my wife".Octavius laughed."I fail to see the difference",as he passed a glass of whiskey to Norma,who hestitated at the sight of the tentacle clutching it.

"Take it woman" Octavius said impatiently."I assure you it won't bite".Norma took the glass and gulped back the whiskey in one go.

Octavius sipped his own drink slowly,as he looked at Dillon who sat next to Norma,and put his arm around her in a comforting gesture.

"My how the mighty have fallen.The once great Electro,master of electricity,reduced to a house pet husband on the run from the Kingpin.I never credited you with much intelligence Max,but even this is beneath you".

Max cast another angry glance at Octavius,who was swirling his glass in a tentacle claw."You always were weak when it came to the ladies Max.It is a weakness that shackles you to your limitations.Really when it boils down to it,you've become no better than the weak and mindless plebians who populate this city like the vermin in the sewers".

Dillon stood up as sparks glowed between his fingers.Octavius regarded this with a smile.

"Really Max,does the obvious truth anger you so much?? I imagine you've...",suddenly Ock's speech was cut off in mid sentence,as the door opened,and the Gentleman entered the room,followed by his bodyguard Pity.

He cast an eye at Dillon,then at his wife.He raised an eyebrow,then glanced back at Octavius,who merely scowled at the sight of the Gentleman.

"Entertaining guests Octavius?? I don't believe that was part of our little arrangement".

Anger swept across Ock's face."If I want to invite all of Times Square up to this town house,then that's my privelege.I don't answer to you,as I've already established".

The Gentleman merely sighed,as he took off his coat and handed it to Pity."You really are too volatile sometimes Doctor.My comment was not a criticism,merely an observation.I trust your discretion at who you choose to invite here".

Octavius merely scowled again,and muttered something to himself.The Gentleman walked to the bar and fixed himself a drink."So tell me" he said as he put two ice cubes into his glass,"who are your guests Doctor?? You sir look quite familiar" he said,indicating Dillon.

"As well he should" Octavius snapped."He is Max Dillon,better known as Electro,the human dynamo.And he has accepted my offer of employment in our little venture of world conquest,and wreaking an unspeakably horrible death on Spider-Man".

The Gentleman's eyes lit up."Electro.The Electro?? The man who can generate thousands of volts of electricity?? Well how perfectly fortunate you decided to locate him Doctor.For he is exactly what I need for the final,and most important stage of the plan".

Octavius glanced sideways fiercely at the Gentleman,as Octavius had no idea what the next stage of the plan was,let alone the last one.

"And what might the final stage be,that you require a man of Dillon's talents??" Octavius demanded.

The Gentleman smiled at him coyly."Now really Doctor,you know better than that.Information is on a need to know basis".Octavius snarled in anger as his tentacle claws snapped in anger.

The Gentleman merely smiled his cold smile at Octavius' frustration,and turned back to Dillon."I assume the Doctor here gave you the goals of our plan.I'm sure a man like yourself would welcome the opportunity at destroying Spider-Man.After all,I understand you've suffered quite a few defeats at his hands too.Not to mention the incredible profit you will gain from this venture".

The Gentleman poured another drink,and handed it to Dillon."So tell me,are you interested in assisting myself and the Doctor here in our joint venture?? But first tell me,who is this woman sat next you??".

OOC: I hope you didn't mind me bunnying you a little there Electro UK.If so I can edit.

[taskmaster]

Rogue nodded and started off.

"When he said 'negotiate' did he mean what Ah think he meant?" she asked hopefully, her fists clenching at her sides.

She'd found that the best way to divert her questioning of herself was to fall head first into her old life style.
Crackin' heads and takin' names.

"We'd better play it safe until we know what were dealing with. But I'm pretty sure were going to run into some highly trained security."

Rogue and I walk into Kingsley's building ready to tear through any opposition. What we find are mangled bodies and debris.

"Well so much for security."

I look up to see holes in the ceiling all the way up to the top floor.

"The elavator is probably the smartest option."

We get in and travel up to the top floor. The elavator door opens and I'm surprised to see a few familiar faces. Steve Rodgers and Bruce Banner.

"So, what exactly are Captain America and The Hulk doing here."

[The Question]

"I could ask the same question."

The General pauses for a moment.

"Except, you know, replacing Captain America and The Hulk with Taskmaster and Rogue. Anyway, to answer you're question (with the abridged version of events), me and Bruce have turned evil and have taken over the Kingpin's territory. Want a drink? We have martinis."

[taskmaster]

"I could ask the same question."

The General pauses for a moment.

"Except, you know, replacing Captain America and The Hulk with Taskmaster and Rogue. Anyway, to answer you're question (with the abridged version of events), me and Bruce have turned evil and have taken over the Kingpin's territory. Want a drink? We have martinis."

"Business before pleasure, good captain."

I look around for evidence of any superheroes that might be hiding, waiting to attack. I know what Thanos said but maybe they got to the new Kingpin before we did. But I'll play along for now, find out what's really going on, see if Rodgers is telling the truth.

"An invasion of earth is about to begin. Rogue and I have been working with the man who's going to take over earth for a while now. We've been putting things in place for the invasion to begin. We would like to have The Kingpin on our side and since thats you, we thought we could reach an agreement. In exchange for you helping us, your territory will be left untouched by our employers forces. So, what do you think."

[The Question]

"Sounds like a fair deal. Although, I'd like to speak with Thanos myself. And don't look too surprised. Rogue shouting 'hail Thanos' in England was kind of a dead give away."

[kang604]

- SHIELD HELICARRIER - currently stationed off the western coast of Italy


Nick Fury stood, arms folded across his chest, half-finished cigar hanging ever so delicately off the right side of his mouth. It had been another non-stop day for the leader of SHIELD, and the pressures of his job seemed to never end. Fury was visibly worn down... his eyes were bloodshot with bags under them and his concentration was faltering. In the past week he had slept maybe 10 hours and it showed.

But this was Colonel Nicholas Fury... he would never quit. Not unless someone killed him. You would be hard pressed to find someone with more grit and toughness than this man, and thats what made him the best. But right now... he sure as hell didnt seem like it.

" Whats the situation. I want full details " Fury barked. A low ranking officer stood and addressed him.

" Sir, at 1800 we recieved a transmission from one of our satellites fixated on Eastern Europe. To be quite frank, there are rumblings and motions coming from Latveria. Intelligence has detected an immense increase in activity, specifically in and around the country's military depots. "

God Dammit... Fury rubbed his temples in frustration. The thought of having to deal with Victor Von Doom did not amuse him. If it were up to Fury, he would put two bullets in the man's head and get it over with rite then and there. But he had a job to do, and an example to set. Fury stood at the forefront of the main control room, addressing all the SHIELD officers that could hear.

"Listen Up! This bastard is not getting anywhere this time around. I want surveillance on his ass 24/7... this guy goes to take a dump and I want a camera in the toilet taking a picture. We move our batallions within striking distance of his borders, if he even dares to make a move we take him down. Im not going to have innocent blood shed by Dr. Doom's hand anymore!"

Moving over to a communicator, Fury sent an open transmission to every superhero group he could think of: The Fantastic Four, The Avengers, X-Men.... anyone who would listen. " Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Fury. If you can, get your asses to the Triskelion ASAP. Looks like we gotta save the world again..."

[Hyper Venom]

"Sounds like a fair deal. Although, I'd like to speak with Thanos myself. And don't look too surprised. Rogue shouting 'hail Thanos' in England was kind of a dead give away."

Bruce snickered at the General's comment and glanced across the room at Rogue. Looking the statuesque beauty up and down, he simply smiled and winked at her before rising from his seat to fix another drink.

[bkhedr]

Thor's cape billowed in the wind as he stood atop a midtown highrise. He had been searching the city for any sign of the Juggernaut for nearly an hour but had so far found nothing, but he refused to become disheartened. The Lady Sif was a warrior long before she became a princess, she could take care of herself. Besides, Cain was not a man known for his subtletly, he would reveal himself soon enough. One question still gnawed at the thunder god though; What possible reason could the Juggernaut have for kidnapping Sif? If this was merely some villainous attempt to get Thor's attention than it was one the Juggernaut would most surely regret.

The communicator in Thor's helmet interrupted his thoughts and he heard the familiar voice of Nick Fury in his ear. For a second Thor considered making haste to the Triskelion but he did not move.

"Nay Nick Fury." Thor muttered to himself, "The God of Thunder will not heed thy call. Not whilst my responsibilites as a husband and father doth demand my attention."

With that Thor threw his hammer ahead of him and headed towards Central Park to continue his search.

[ElectroFlare]

Cain snatched a hot dog from a vendor and shoved it into his mouth.

As the vendor yelled for his money, Cain decided to overturn the hot dog stand. On top of the vendor.

"Tryin' to make me pay for a hot dog that tastes this lousy?" Cain muttered as he stomped through Central Park. Thanos had told him to wait for the invasion, so he was gonna wait.

That didn't mean he could have fun though.

"Bobby, how much longer til we get back to NYC? I have a bad feeling, and I don't think its those tacos I had for lunch." Spider-man quipped.

Then the call from Nick Fury came through in the Blackbird.

"Wow. I guess my I was right..."

[Duker Jay]

" Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Fury. If you can, get your asses to the Triskelion ASAP. Looks like we gotta save the world again..."

The call came in as Ben and Johnny continued through the halls of the Baxter Building. Both men stopped for a few seconds to listen.

"Are you kidding me, right now? Must be the end of the whole world or something..." The anxiety inside gripped him and he couldn't move. He fell to one knee and grabbed his chest. Inside his head, images flashed of the people he cared about...in danger. Soon, the pressure and the fear was too much, Ben fell to all fours and, once again, the rocky visage of the Thing erupted from underneath skin. "AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!"

This time when he stood up, his head was a little clearer. He recognized the face of his friend, Johnny Storm, beside him...

[bkhedr]

Thor followed the sounds of panic and his warrior blood seethed at the sight of the Juggernaut. The villain had commited a crime against the gods themselves and now he was clearly reveling in terrorizing the mortals Thor was sworn to protect. It was more than Thor could tolerate and he threw his mighty hammer at the armored behemoth. The hammer struck Marko in the back then returned to Thor's grip. This first strike probably hadnt hurt the Juggernaut but it was meant more as a means of getting his attention. With that now accomplished Thor drifted earthwards his mighty hammer aglow with power, and issued a challenge to the Juggernaut:

"Base Villain! Thou hast attacked the embassy of Asgard and earned the wrath of the god of thunder! Now reveal unto me the location of the Lady Sif, and swiftly!"

http://www.samruby.com/Heroes/Thor/ThorSmall.gif

[Spider-Man9X17]

Hawkeye and Quicksilver darted through the shadows of the castle. The halls were relatively quiet. Everyone was either sleeping or attending to the grand event in the Scarlet Witch's personal quarters.

"What kind of resistance?"

"We won't see anything much until the base of the tower. Magneto has all the guards stationed ther...."

Pietro stopped midsentence, his face crinkling. He put two fingers up to his ear.

"What?"

"Incoming transmission. It's Fury. He's calling us all back."

"Turn it off. We don't leave until our mission is accomplished."

Pietro nodded, and a second later the comm-piece was in his pocket.

The two reached the base of the tower just as the moon was overhead. The entrance was bathed in a brilliant pale blue light. Four guards stood at the large oak doors.

"So, how do we play this?"

[Electro UK]

"She's my wife." Max said, taking a large gulp of his drink, after what he'd been through, he needed it. "We're kinda in some trouble with the Kingpin, the idea was to keep low, but up here with Ock and your guards seems like a much safer bet."

As The Gentleman took a sip of his drink, Max almost kicked himself for powering up at Ock, he knew that he wouldn't understand, but all the pressure they'd been under pushed him over the edge. A least Norma was safe and until he could deal with Fisk, that was all that mattered.

Shaking out of his thoughts, he looked up. "So, what do you need me for?"

[Midnight Ice]

"Ok, Spidey, we are here. I guess we better take care of what Fury said. And I can't believe Juggs attacked teh Asgardian embassy. What is he up to?"

Iceman pushes a button on a communicator.

Iceman to Cyclops, Iceman to Cyclops. You around?"

[ElectroFlare]

"The bigger question is how did he get there? From what I remember he was supposed to be in Kentucky. There was no BAMF or anything." Spider-man asked. Juggernaut was no teleporter, so how did he get that far that fast?

Someone else? Nobody else had been in Kentucky...what did it mean?

"Can't you learn to speak like a normal person?" Cain shouted, his head ringing a little from the blow of Thor's hammer.

"Lady Sif? She's real safe. I wouldn't worry about her. I'd worry more about yourself." Cain yelled as he hurled the hot dog stand at the God of Thunder...

[The Joker]

"She's my wife." Max said, taking a large gulp of his drink, after what he'd been through, he needed it. "We're kinda in some trouble with the Kingpin, the idea was to keep low, but up here with Ock and your guards seems like a much safer bet."

As The Gentleman took a sip of his drink, Max almost kicked himself for powering up at Ock, he knew that he wouldn't understand, but all the pressure they'd been under pushed him over the edge. A least Norma was safe and until he could deal with Fisk, that was all that mattered.

Shaking out of his thoughts, he looked up. "So, what do you need me for?"

The Gentleman smiled as he lit a cigar.

"Don't worry,your lady wife will be safe here.Wilson Fisk is not nearly as tough as he likes to make out.I'll leave you under the Doctor's expert guidance.I understand you two have some history together.Members of a colorful little group known as the Sinister Six.Though I also understand several of those said members are still nursing a grudge against the Doctor here" the Gentleman said,as he cast a smug glance at Octavius.

Ock merely snorted with derision."Petty grudges they have learned to bury.They tried to act on them,but all failed miserably.They saw it better to have me as an ally rather than an enemy".

The Gentleman puffed on the cigar."Very wise of them I'm sure.Now then gentleman I'll leave you to put stage 1 of the plan into action.Good luck Gentlemen.Though I'm sure you won't need it.I shall return when you let me know stage 1 is complete Doctor".

With that the Gentleman left,followed by Pity.

Octavius scowled again."I really despise that old fool".Both Max and Norma looked at him in surprise.Though it really shouldn't be that surprising.Octavius hated everyone.They were all beneath him as far as he was concerned.

Ock approached Dillon."Now then Max,it's time to get to work.We are going to attack the military base on Long Island sound,to acquire a special cannister they have secured there".

A malicious grin spread across Ock's face."Then after that,we find and kill the wall crawler slowly and painfully".

[bkhedr]

"Can't you learn to speak like a normal person?" Cain shouted, his head ringing a little from the blow of Thor's hammer.

"Lady Sif? She's real safe. I wouldn't worry about her. I'd worry more about yourself." Cain yelled as he hurled the hot dog stand at the God of Thunder...


"HAVE AT THEE THEN!" Thor shouted as he hurled mighty Mjolnir.The Mighty Hammer tore right through the hotdog stand, struck the Juggernaut hard in the face, and rocketed back to Thor's hand.

[twylight]

"Sounds like a fair deal. Although, I'd like to speak with Thanos myself. And don't look too surprised. Rogue shouting 'hail Thanos' in England was kind of a dead give away."

"What can Ah say, I'm a devoted follower." She drawled winking at the Captain, hiding her surprise with teasing.

She raised an eyebrow at the 'Hulk's wink. Was that the Hulk? He sure had different personalities. Though she didn't recall any of them..evil like this one felt. She draped herself in a large leather club chair and brushed her hair from her face.

[ElectroFlare]

"HAVE AT THEE THEN!" Thor shouted as he hurled mighty Mjolnir.The Mighty Hammer tore right through the hotdog stand, struck the Juggernaut hard in the face, and rocketed back to Thor's hand.

"OOF!" Cain shook his head.

He'd fought Thor before and it wasn't any fun. It also didn't make it better that Thor stood there, holding his hammer.

Well Cain would just have to wipe that smirk off his face. He reached down and shoved his hands through the pavement of the walkway, grabbed it, and then snapped it like a rug, sending a wave pavement at the Thunder God...

[The Question]

"What can Ah say, I'm a devoted follower." She drawled winking at the Captain, hiding her surprise with teasing.

She raised an eyebrow at the 'Hulk's wink. Was that the Hulk? He sure had different personalities. Though she didn't recall any of them..evil like this one felt. She draped herself in a large leather club chair and brushed her hair from her face.


"We're all devoted followers of something, aren't we? Anyway, let's get down to buisness. Take me to your leader, I suppose."

[taskmaster]

"I'm sure we could get you up there. I just want to know what kind of leash you have Banner on. He does have violent outbrusts from time to time and we wouldn't want that happening in Thanos' ship. Is he going to be able to control himself? If he'll be able to do that we can take you there right now."

[batnkevlar]

Hawkeye and Quicksilver darted through the shadows of the castle. The halls were relatively quiet. Everyone was either sleeping or attending to the grand event in the Scarlet Witch's personal quarters.

"What kind of resistance?"

"We won't see anything much until the base of the tower. Magneto has all the guards stationed ther...."

Pietro stopped midsentence, his face crinkling. He put two fingers up to his ear.

"What?"

"Incoming transmission. It's Fury. He's calling us all back."

"Turn it off. We don't leave until our mission is accomplished."

Pietro nodded, and a second later the comm-piece was in his pocket.

The two reached the base of the tower just as the moon was overhead. The entrance was bathed in a brilliant pale blue light. Four guards stood at the large oak doors.

"So, how do we play this?"

One guard was a rocky shaped thing, obviously powered with super strength.
The second one was short, hunched over like a lizard, except his skin was transparent, his organs showing visibly.
The third was a horned headed girl, like a ram.
The fourth was a normal looking man. Who knows what he does.

The lizard man smelled them out. He pointed and the rock man started to charge towards Hawkeye.

[Venom160]

"Ok, Spidey, we are here. I guess we better take care of what Fury said. And I can't believe Juggs attacked teh Asgardian embassy. What is he up to?"

Iceman pushes a button on a communicator.

Iceman to Cyclops, Iceman to Cyclops. You around?"<Cyclops>

When I think back I can barley remember the acident, I remember looking out the window of my dad's plane and seeing the engine on fire. And I remember dad straping me and my younger brother Alex into the only parachute and throwing us out of the plane minutes before it blew up. We landed hard to the ground and I hit my head on a jagged rock, I remember waking up in the hospital. I remember the docter telling a social worker that blow to my head might have damaged a part of my brain but I never noticed anything wrong, that was until I turned thirteen and my mutant ability kicked in and I ending up cutting a tree in half with an optic blast. As luck would have it the part of my brain that was damaged would of controlled the blasts.

Iceman to Cyclops, Iceman to Cyclops. You around?"

I wake up from my daydreaming and grab my communicator.

[Cyclops here whats goin on Bobby?]

[The Question]

"I'm sure we could get you up there. I just want to know what kind of leash you have Banner on. He does have violent outbrusts from time to time and we wouldn't want that happening in Thanos' ship. Is he going to be able to control himself? If he'll be able to do that we can take you there right now."


"Of course he will. Bruce is certainly not stupid enough to cause a ruckus on the ship of someone like Thanos."

The General turns to Banner.

"Isn't that right, doctor?"

[Spider-Man9X17]

One guard was a rocky shaped thing, obviously powered with super strength.
The second one was short, hunched over like a lizard, except his skin was transparent, his organs showing visibly.
The third was a horned headed girl, like a ram.
The fourth was a normal looking man. Who knows what he does.

The lizard man smelled them out. He pointed and the rock man started to charge towards Hawkeye.

"Well, looks like we have our answooOOOOOOAH....."

Hawkeye was lifted off his feet, the world around him a blur. It was over in a second, but he felt like he'd just spent hours on a runawau Tilt-A-Whirl. He rubbed his eyes, half expecting to see the lizard mutant right on top of him. Instead, he and Quicksilver were in the stairway behind the mutants.

"So that's what that feels like?" he said, turning to Quicksilver. He had never experienced the speedsters power first hand before.

"Shoot, Clint!"

"Right."

Clint took out three concussive arrows and fired them at the tower wall right above the door. Brick and mortar came crashing down, creating a temporary road block.

"Well, that wasn't...so...har....damn.....," Hawkeye stared upwards. The tower was at least 30 stories high, the staircase spiraling along the outer walls toward the top chambers. Hawkeye could make out guards patrolling the landings of every floor.

"Your dad sucks, dude."

[twylight]

"Of course he will. Bruce is certainly not stupid enough to cause a ruckus on the ship of someone like Thanos."


Rogue stood up.

"An' even if he is, Ah can drain him dry."

She clenched her fists and looked at Taskmaster, more than willing to let him do the speaking. He had been around Thanos longer than her, and senority did win.

"Isn't that right, doctor?" The Captain asked Bruce.

[taskmaster]

"Well then, I guess we can get started. Rogue, you take Banner and I'll take The General."

I walk over to him and place my hand on his shoulder and in the next second we're on Thanos' ship.

"It's better if we don't disturb him while he's working. He probably already knows you're here and will see you when he's done."

[The Question]

The General looks around the ship.

"Nice place. Could use a few touches of color here and there, but otherwise nice."

[Duker Jay]

The Thing stood in his place in the hallway for a few seconds...looking at Johnny, then down the hall, then back at his friend. His thoughts were clearer now, in this form. He could feel that some of the fog had lifted and his head was a little more organized but beneath it all, the anxiety still had its hold.

"Johnny? What's...happenin'...?" Then, the sound of the siren jogged his memory. The building was under attack. Someone was inside who shouldn't be. "NO! NO HURT MY FAMILY!!!"

The Thing started off down the hall, his heavy footfalls being absorbed by the reinforced structure. He turned a corner and was gone from Johnny's sight...

[batnkevlar]

"Well, looks like we have our answooOOOOOOAH....."

Hawkeye was lifted off his feet, the world around him a blur. It was over in a second, but he felt like he'd just spent hours on a runawau Tilt-A-Whirl. He rubbed his eyes, half expecting to see the lizard mutant right on top of him. Instead, he and Quicksilver were in the stairway behind the mutants.

"So that's what that feels like?" he said, turning to Quicksilver. He had never experienced the speedsters power first hand before.

"Shoot, Clint!"

"Right."

Clint took out three concussive arrows and fired them at the tower wall right above the door. Brick and mortar came crashing down, creating a temporary road block.

"Well, that wasn't...so...har....damn.....," Hawkeye stared upwards. The tower was at least 30 stories high, the staircase spiraling along the outer walls toward the top chambers. Hawkeye could make out guards patrolling the landings of every floor.

"Your dad sucks, dude."

A portal appears behind Clint and the normal looking human mutant from before grabs ahold of Hawkeye.

OOC: Just givin you a tough time...

[Hyper Venom]

"Well then, I guess we can get started. Rogue, you take Banner and I'll take The General."

I walk over to him and place my hand on his shoulder and in the next second we're on Thanos' ship.

"It's better if we don't disturb him while he's working. He probably already knows you're here and will see you when he's done."

Banner watched as the General and Taskmaster disappeared. He reverted back into his large, yellow Devil Hulk form and turned toward Rogue.

"For the record, I'm rather tired of being referred to like some sort of dog. But if you want to put me on a leash..."

Devil Hulk approached Rogue and flashed a toothy, demonic smile.

"...I wouldn't necessarily object."

Devil Hulk's tone suddenly became serious as a heart attack.

"However, you can inform your friend Taskmaster that I will kill him without delay if he so much as entertains the thought of giving me orders. And as much as I admire your...assets...if you attempt to 'drain me dry', as you say, I won't hesitate to feed you your own hand."

Devil Hulk flashed his trademark smirk once again.

"Now, where exactly are we going?"

[Johnny Blaze]

The General looks around the ship.

"Nice place. Could use a few touches of color here and there, but otherwise nice."

"I'll be sure to mention that to my interior decorator", said Thanos dryly as he appeared from a shadowy corner.

"It is good to see you again, Captain...no, that's right, it's General now", says the Titan as Rogue appears with the Hulk in toe.

"You seem to be assimilating well to your new reality, General", says Thanos as he walks up to and stops before his guests.
"In the short time you've been here, you've carved yourself out a small, but impressive niche. Tell me...how would you like to increase that sucess?"

[bkhedr]

"OOF!" Cain shook his head.

He'd fought Thor before and it wasn't any fun. It also didn't make it better that Thor stood there, holding his hammer.

Well Cain would just have to wipe that smirk off his face. He reached down and shoved his hands through the pavement of the walkway, grabbed it, and then snapped it like a rug, sending a wave pavement at the Thunder God...

The wave crested in front of Thor and seemed as if it would engulf him. At the last possible instant Thor raised his hammer above his head and swung it downwards, literally shearing the wave in half.

Thor then rushed headlong towards the Juggernaut, quickly closing the gap between them and struck the Juggernaut in the side with Mjolnir. Cain claimed to be unstoppable, but Thor was a god, and he would find Cain's limits

[Batman]

Bullseye screamed in pain, letting the billy-club tumble to the ground. He fell backwards, winded by the flurry of strikes from Daredevil, and landed hard on the ground.

"I didn't expect such...heh heh...dirty tricks from a boy scout like you," Bullseye said, clenching his bloody hands into fists.

He looked down at the ground, and spotted a straw from a discarded drinks cup. He grabbed it and flicked it over his shoulder. He hadn't been able to line up the shot, so it only sliced across the side of Daredevil's neck. But it gave him the opportunity he needed.

"But I fight dirtier!"

Bullseye lunhed upwards, tackling Daredevil and sending them both flying backwards through a shop window.

Boy scout?

That's all that passes through my mind as I feel him slam into me, and feel us both go through some sort of window, behind me. I'm almost insulted by that, quite honestly. Or, at least, I would be, if I weren't already enraged with him for killing those innocent people.

If he thinks that's all I am... a 'boy scout'... He's about to get a very rude awakening. I'm through being the nice guy.

We roll through the glass as my senses start to pick up where we are. We're in some sort of store, inside the station. A gift shop, most likely. I roll, grabbing onto Bullseye as we tumble, and knee him in the stomach as we go. I then punch him across the face, grabbing his shirt as leverage.

"You'll find I'm just full of surprises!", I say, before going in for another punch. Then, I feel pain jolt through my back. I grunt, letting go of Bullseye.

The glass. It's cutting into my back. And not just my back... I can feel some of it in my arms, and one of my legs. The pain of it makes the wound that I got earlier from one of Bullseyes' throwing stars look like a paper cut.

I try to pick it out, but before I can, something slams me in the face... hard...

[twylight]

Rogue nodded at Taskmaster and walks toward Banner as he changes forms.
"For the record, I'm rather tired of being referred to like some sort of dog. But if you want to put me on a leash..."

He turned and walked toward her, grinning with a sharp toothed demonic grin.

"...I wouldn't necessarily object."

Rogue raised her eyebrow.
This guy was....

"However, you can inform your friend Taskmaster that I will kill him without delay if he so much as entertains the thought of giving me orders. And as much as I admire your...assets...if you attempt to 'drain me dry', as you say, I won't hesitate to feed you your own hand."

"Ah'll be sure to keep mah hands in a safe place then." She quips as she reaches her hand out, her green eyes glinting.

"Now, where exactly are we going?"

She places her bare hand on his shoulder and tilts her head giving him a beguiling smile as they find themselves aboard Thano's ship. They appeared seperate room from Taskmaster and the Captain,

She switched to Jean's power and read Taskmaster's mind and let him know they were aboard and waiting for Thanos order to see them.
She turned to the Hulk.

"Thanos is occupied right now, if there is anything Ah can do to make you comfortable while you wait? Ah think Ah could whip up some food or drink." She smiled.

Soon she got a mental call and rising she lead the Hulk into meet Thanos

"It is good to see you again, Captain...no, that's right, it's General now", Thanos said as Rogue and Hulk walked in.

"You seem to be assimilating well to your new reality, General", says Thanos as he walks up to and stops before his guests.
"In the short time you've been here, you've carved yourself out a small, but impressive niche. Tell me...how would you like to increase that sucess?"

Rogue brushed a few strands of wayward hair from her face.
What had she done? What was she doing here?

[ElectroFlare]

The wave crested in front of Thor and seemed as if it would engulf him. At the last possible instant Thor raised his hammer above his head and swung it downwards, literally shearing the wave in half.

Thor then rushed headlong towards the Juggernaut, quickly closing the gap between them and struck the Juggernaut in the side with Mjolnir. Cain claimed to be unstoppable, but Thor was a god, and he would find Cain's limits

Cain's body wavered with the hit of Mjolnir, but he did not fall.

"Is that all you got blondey?" Cain snorted, puncing Thor in the face and then slamming him in the stomache with another punch, sending the god flying backwards.

"You're pretty tough...but I'm unstoppable."

[ElectroFlare]

"Cyke, it's your friendly neighborhood spider-man here. Juggernaut was tearing apart Fort Knox and then somehow disappeared and tore apart the Asgardian Embassy in NYC...Either he got really fast or ate a lot of beans this morning. You know what's going on?" Spider-man asked into the comm, a little impatiently.

"Oh yeah...and you might wanna clean up the blackbird after we leave. Deadpool's been here."

Just then, a news report came through on the Blackbird's monitor. It showed Thor slicing apart a wave of pavement, only to reveal Juggernaut. Thor struck Juggs and then was sent flying backwards, into the camera man, destroying the camera.

"Uh...Bobby? I think we found Juggs..."

[The Question]

"I'll be sure to mention that to my interior decorator", said Thanos dryly as he appeared from a shadowy corner.

"It is good to see you again, Captain...no, that's right, it's General now", says the Titan as Rogue appears with the Hulk in toe.

"You seem to be assimilating well to your new reality, General", says Thanos as he walks up to and stops before his guests.
"In the short time you've been here, you've carved yourself out a small, but impressive niche. Tell me...how would you like to increase that sucess?"


"Oh, I ain't stupid. Of course I would. But, I'm one to understand that you're quite the psychopath. Tried to kill half the universe just so you could get laid. Not that I can blame you. A fine woman can make a man do the most crazy things. But, what I'm getting at is, what exactly is the catch? What would I have to do for you?"

[Johnny Blaze]

"Oh, I ain't stupid. Of course I would. But, I'm one to understand that you're quite the psychopath. Tried to kill half the universe just so you could get laid. Not that I can blame you. A fine woman can make a man do the most crazy things. But, what I'm getting at is, what exactly is the catch? What would I have to do for you?"
Thanos smiled a toothy smile at the General as he clasped his hands behind his back.
"Something right up your alley, General. Lead my invasion force as it marches on New York City. With your expertise in battlefield tactics and a first hand knowledge of American defenses and the lay of the land, you would be the ideal leader for my forces there."

[Spider-Man9X17]

"Oh no you don't," Hawkeye pulled a dagger from his leg holster and jammed it in the mutants upper arm. Nothing fatal, but enough to shake him off.

"I hope your repritore involves more than tiny blades and crafty marksmanship."

"You've known me how long and you have to ask that. I love a good old fashioned fist fight."

"Just making sure your up to the challenge," Quicksilver nodded up the satirwell. The guards on the upper floors had begun to descend, creating a wall of mutants four layers thick across the entire breadth of the stairs. More guards came rushing out from various entrances to fortify their positions.

"Paranoia is an ugly thing."

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v313/Spider-Man9x17/Hawkeye.jpg

-

"Home sweet home," Johnny muttered chasing after Ben, who seemed to be taking lessons from the Hulk. Then there was the intruder in the Baxter Building, his injured sister and niece, the Shocker running wild around New York, and Fury calling them all together like the world was ending.

"I wonder if there's any ice cream in the freezer?" he wondered aloud, stepping into the elevator.

[The Question]

Thanos smiled a toothy smile at the General as he clasped his hands behind his back.

"Something right up your alley, General. Lead my invasion force as it marches on New York City. With your expertise in battlefield tactics and a first hand knowledge of American defenses and the lay of the land, you would be the ideal leader for my forces there."



"Sounds like a nice cushy job. I'll take it. But under one condition: I get New York. I've always wanted to open up a casino strip from the Avengers Mansion to the Baxter Building."

[Johnny Blaze]

"Sounds like a nice cushy job. I'll take it. But under one condition: I get New York. I've always wanted to open up a casino strip from the Avengers Mansion to the Baxter Building."
"My dear General, if you lead my forces to victory you will have the entire North American continent under your control", replied the Titan with a smirk.

"I will have you and your...associate", said Thanos as he looked at the changed Hulk, "returned to your new base of operations. When the time comes, and it will be very soon, I will contact you."

"In the meantime", says Thanos as he turns to look at a silver colored door to his left, "you may help yourself to this vessel's former master's harem. When you are ready, Taskmaster and Rogue will show you to the nearest teleportation pad and return you to Earth."

[The Question]

"Harem? Oh, there is a god."

The General walks over to the silver door and opens it. Inside he sees several lovely (and scantly clad) alien women.

"Hello, ladies."

One of the women walks up to the General and begins, well, "feeling him up" (for lack of a better term.

"Hello yourself."

"Say. You ladies wouldn't happen to know what an STD is, would you?"

They all look at each other in confusion.

"No."

"Oh happy day."


He peeks his head out the doorway.

"Thank you for this great honor, my lord.

The General shuts the silver doors behind him.

[bkhedr]

Cain's body wavered with the hit of Mjolnir, but he did not fall.

"Is that all you got blondey?" Cain snorted, puncing Thor in the face and then slamming him in the stomache with another punch, sending the god flying backwards.

"You're pretty tough...but I'm unstoppable."

"UHH!" Thor gasped as the Juggernaut's punch knocked him back and through an iron fence.

The Son of Odin quickly climbed to his feet and stepped clear of the crumbled mess that his collision created. Cain was an arrogant braggart but he was immensly powerful. Thor would have to go all out if he was going to him to reveal Sif's location.


"The enchantment's which empower thee are formidable Juggernaut..." Thor said as he held Mjolnir high and the winds picked up "but it is the god of thunder who faces thee...AND YOU WILL TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH MY WIFE AND UNBORN CHILD!!!"

As Thor spoke, a massive bolt of lightning shot down from the sky and struck the Juggernaut. The bolt and the sound of its strike, were felt all across New York and at its epicenter the Juggernaut still stood, smoke floating upwards from his armour.

[Midnight Ice]

"Hey, Cyke, we better head down to the Central Park and help Thor with Cain. Why don't you take a personal jet and meet us there? That is unless you have something better to do."

Bobby pushes buttons on the Blackbird to set the new cordinates.

"Hang on guys, I wanna get there fast...before Juggernaught has time to teleport or whatever again."

[Venom160]

"Hey, Cyke, we better head down to the Central Park and help Thor with Cain. Why don't you take a personal jet and meet us there? That is unless you have something better to do."

Bobby pushes buttons on the Blackbird to set the new cordinates.

"Hang on guys, I wanna get there fast...before Juggernaught has time to teleport or whatever again."<Cyclops>

[Alright im on my way.]

I jump out of my chair and run for the hanger bay. I get into one of the personal jets that we have stashed here for just an occasion like this, I punch in the cordinance for central park and start up the jet. I turn on the cloaking device and the jet shoots out of one of the small openings of the hanger bay and heads for central park, I turn on the auto pilot and sit back and start to plan the attack against Juggernaut.

[Venom160]

"Cyke, it's your friendly neighborhood spider-man here. Juggernaut was tearing apart Fort Knox and then somehow disappeared and tore apart the Asgardian Embassy in NYC...Either he got really fast or ate a lot of beans this morning. You know what's going on?" Spider-man asked into the comm, a little impatiently.

"Oh yeah...and you might wanna clean up the blackbird after we leave. Deadpool's been here."

Just then, a news report came through on the Blackbird's monitor. It showed Thor slicing apart a wave of pavement, only to reveal Juggernaut. Thor struck Juggs and then was sent flying backwards, into the camera man, destroying the camera.

"Uh...Bobby? I think we found Juggs..."<Cyclops>

"Im sorry Spidey but Im as much in the dark as you are."

[Sparta*]

"Hey, Cyke, we better head down to the Central Park and help Thor with Cain. Why don't you take a personal jet and meet us there? That is unless you have something better to do."

Bobby pushes buttons on the Blackbird to set the new cordinates.

"Hang on guys, I wanna get there fast...before Juggernaught has time to teleport or whatever again."

<Archangel>

The Blackbird makes it way towards its new destination. Archangel walked up to the front of the plane and squinted his eyes. He scanned the area ahead and could see Thor and Juggernaut fighting...there was destruction everywhere and people nearby that could get hurt.

"I know you guys can't see it yet, but there is massive amounts of destruction ahead, and innocent people who could be killed. I'm going to fly ahead and help as many people as I can"

Warren said opening the hatch to the Blackbird

"I can reach them faster on my own wings"

he said jumping out the hatch. He soared toward Juggernaut and Thor as fast as he could, leaving the Blackbird behind in the distance. His objective wasn't to interfere with the fight...he would get squashed like a bug between Juggernaut and Thor, but he could get everyone away from the area so no one would get hurt.

[Electro UK]

As the black bird flew over the top of the scene, Wade leapt from the plane. "Woah! Talk about deja vu!" Deadpool said as he hit the ground. "One second we're in Fort Knox fighting Juggernaut, the next thing I know, we're in Central Park fighting Juggernaut! When's Agent Smith and his goons going to get here? Guess that would be Cyclops, cool glasses, stuborn guy."

He reached for his guns, noticing the smoke rising from Juggernaut "Uh... are we even needed here anymore?"

[Venom160]

<Cyclops>

I land at central park just in time to see Deadpool jump out of the Black Bird, and splatter on the ground. I hear crying coming behind me, I turn to see that a tree has fallen on a guy and a few people trying to lift the tree off of him.

"Get out of the way!"

I adjust the dial on the side of my visor to the lowest setting and blast the tree to smaller pieces.

"There get him out of here."

I turn to see Deadpool about to pull out his guns.

"Deadpool we need to get all these people out of here before anyone gets seriously hurt!"

[SuperFerret]

OOC: Dude..I dropped the rose over the side of the bridge. ;)

IC:

I blinked. Who is Harry? "Big Brother"....Gabe? No..it can't be possible.

I take a step back as he spreads his arms wide, the grotesque mask on his face contorted in a twisted smile.

"What? Gabe...? What's he done to you?"

My head pounds and I dearly wish to wake up from this horrible nightmare.


"Who's this Gabe you're talking about?"

I pull off my mask.

"I'm Harry, and from what daddy dearest told me, you're my half-sister."

[twylight]

"Who's this Gabe you're talking about?"

I pull off my mask.

"I'm Harry, and from what daddy dearest told me, you're my half-sister."


I took another step back, my brain racing.

Harry.....Harry Osborn.....my Half-Brother. He was supposed to be dead.

I crouch down in a defensive stance. People back fron the dead never want anything good. I've read the comics.

"What do you want?"

[Johnny Blaze]

"Harem? Oh, there is a god."

The General walks over to the silver door and opens it. Inside he sees several lovely (and scantly clad) alien women.

"Hello, ladies."

One of the women walks up to the General and begins, well, "feeling him up" (for lack of a better term.

"Hello yourself."

"Say. You ladies wouldn't happen to know what an STD is, would you?"

They all look at each other in confusion.

"No."

"Oh happy day."


He peeks his head out the doorway.

"Thank you for this great honor, my lord.

The General shuts the silver doors behind him.
Thanos watched as General America closed the door behind him, and sighed to himself. He hated having to put up with these people, but it was a necessity in order to reach his goal.

The Titan turned his attention to the General's partner, Hulk.
"Rogue, why don't you show the Hulk the way to the mess hall. I am certain he's hungry after his earlier rampage and his trip here. When the General is...finished, you will escort the Hulk to transporter room 47 where he and the General will be transported back to Earth. Understood?"

[twylight]

Thanos watched as General America closed the door behind him, and sighed to himself. He hated having to put up with these people, but it was a necessity in order to reach his goal.

The Titan turned his attention to the General's partner, Hulk.
"Rogue, why don't you show the Hulk the way to the mess hall. I am certain he's hungry after his earlier rampage and his trip here. When the General is...finished, you will escort the Hulk to transporter room 47 where he and the General will be transported back to Earth. Understood?"

Rogue nods and links her arm through the Hulks smilin' up at him.

"Offer still stands big guy.You look hungry and mah home made food is better'n the mess hall food here."
She leads him towards the hallway door, casting a disgused look towards the silver door from which noises were issuing from.

[SuperFerret]

I took another step back, my brain racing.

Harry.....Harry Osborn.....my Half-Brother. He was supposed to be dead.

I crouch down in a defensive stance. People back fron the dead never want anything good. I've read the comics.

"What do you want?"

"I want to invite you to a little family reunion." I say, folding my hands behind my back, "I'm also going to be training you in the Osborn family business, so you can be a proper goblin some day."

[Hyper Venom]

Rogue nods and links her arm through the Hulks smilin' up at him.

"Offer still stands big guy.You look hungry and mah home made food is better'n the mess hall food here." She lead him towards the door, casting a disgused look towards the silver door from which noises were issuing from.

Devil Hulk smiled down at the Southern belle and considered her offer.

"Now that you mention it, I could go for some...pie," he said with a smirk.

Walking arm-in-arm with Rogue, Devil Hulk opened a door to another room, not knowing or caring what the room was for, and led Rogue inside. With his talon-like fingernail, he carved the words, "Do Not Disturb" into the outside of the door, entered the room, and shut the door behind him.

[twylight]

"I want to invite you to a little family reunion." I say, folding my hands behind my back, "I'm also going to be training you in the Osborn family business, so you can be a proper goblin some day."


I stood up and folded my arms across my chest.

"I see two things wrong with that.
1) I don't have a 'family' and
2) I refuse to be the 'Pink Goblin' of the bunch. The outfit just doesn't flatter me."

[SuperFerret]

I stood up and folded my arms across my chest.

"I see two things wrong with that.
1) I don't have a 'family' and
2) I refuse to be the 'Pink Goblin' of the bunch. The outfit just doesn't flatter me."

"Oh my poor orphaned sister, you have a family now." I rush to her and catch her in a tight embrace, "I'm here for you."

[twylight]

"Oh my poor orphaned sister, you have a family now." I rush to her and catch her in a tight embrace, "I'm here for you."


I can feel his strength as he envelopes me in his green clad arms.

I make a face and push him easily away.

"Look...Harry..right? Harry...this isn't right. Whatever Norman said to you he lied. I am your sister, yes and I am more than willing to accept you as family. But only is you disown Norman as your father."

Smooth move Sarah..turning the weird-O against his father..should have just jumped off the bridge.
With a line of course.

[Toby_Temple]

The Thing stood in his place in the hallway for a few seconds...looking at Johnny, then down the hall, then back at his friend. His thoughts were clearer now, in this form. He could feel that some of the fog had lifted and his head was a little more organized but beneath it all, the anxiety still had its hold.

"Johnny? What's...happenin'...?" Then, the sound of the siren jogged his memory. The building was under attack. Someone was inside who shouldn't be. "NO! NO HURT MY FAMILY!!!"

The Thing started off down the hall, his heavy footfalls being absorbed by the reinforced structure. He turned a corner and was gone from Johnny's sight...

Death's Head scanned the 31st floor for any sign of civilians. He was worried the noise would not go unnoticed. The only humans he needs to see right now are the FF4, now that someone had known his arrival and mistook him for an alien invader.

SCANNING. . . . . . . . . .
NO CIVILIANS DETECTED.

Come on big guy! I can't wait here all day.

[The Question]

The general steps out of the bathing pool in the (well, I suppose "whore room" is the most apt term I can think of), towels off, and gets dressed. He turns to the concubines.

"It's been a blast, ladies. Sorry I can't stay, but I don't want Thanos thinking I'm unprofessional."

The General steps out of the room and goes to find Thanos.

Spotting him, he walks over to the mad titan.

"I can't thank you enough for this great honor you've bestowed upon me, lord Thanos. Letting me join the ranks of your army, well, I can certainly say it's a big deal for a guy like me. Listen, as a sign of my gratitude, I'll give you this."

The General pulls a small pack of cuban cigars out of his pocket.

"They're not much compared to everything you have here, but they're still the best damn cigars on Earth. With your powers, I'm sure you can stand to take up the habit without worrying about the health risks. And, if you like 'em, I can have entire crates sent to you easy as pie."

[Duker Jay]

After a few minutes of panicked scrambling, The Thing found Death's Head on the 30th floor. Once he saw him, The Thing stopped. They stared at eachother momentarily, The Thing's mind beginning to fog once more with fear and apprehension. The alarm continued to sound and, without thinking any longer, The Thing moved to neutralize the intruder.

"NO HURT MY FAMILY!!!" The Thing charged headlong at Death's Head...

[Electro UK]

<Cyclops>

I land at central park just in time to see Deadpool jump out of the Black Bird, and splatter on the ground. I hear crying coming behind me, I turn to see that a tree has fallen on a guy and a few people trying to lift the tree off of him.

"Get out of the way!"

I adjust the dial on the side of my visor to the lowest setting and blast the tree to smaller pieces.

"There get him out of here."

I turn to see Deadpool about to pull out his guns.

"Deadpool we need to get all these people out of here before anyone gets seriously hurt!"

"I'm sorry did THE Cyclops just give mean order? Wow!" Wade said leaping over to the public. "This is so cool! Can I be an X-man now? Okay Yes I'm an Avengers member and an FF member too... now I see why Wolverine likes this stuff."

He scooped a few people up and threw them aside. "But I'm gonna have to have one request. When we charge into battle, could you not shout out "X-men, on me!"? Cause you know I'm just gonna get the wrong idea and... well let's not go there."

[Batman]

I've been tracking these guys for days. Incognito was never really my style, but I'm starting to learn that if I'm gonna take these guys down, I'm gonna have to learn to let go of a few things. These aren't the routine people I take on.

I have to be completely different until I get my chance. I have to look different... talk different... think different, for now. Until I get my shot. I hate every damned minute of it.

I pull the cap on my head down, and pull the collar on my jacket up, before heading into the building I was instructed to go to. Got the clothes from a drifter I met before heading into the city. Then I killed him.

Sadistic? Hell, You don't know the half of it.

I walk in, amongst at least six hundred people, give or take. You'd think these clowns would have something better to do with their time. Well, normally, you would. But I know what they're here for. They're here to make themselves be known. To give themselves purpose.

...At the expense of everyone else, of course.

There's a stage infront of the crowd, as they begin chanting. It looks like some sort of rock show, at first. Then, a guy walks out onto the stage. He himself looks like a damned rockstar. Long hair, long jacket, cut off gloves... I wanna beat the hell out of the guy just for wearing that rediculous crap. He takes in the chanting with a few waves, before speaking.

"My brothers, there is no need to applaud me. No, not yet. For we have yet to reach our ultimate goal. For years, we have dealt with the oppresion of human kind... They have hated us... They have feared us... Well, There is no need for explaination. You know what they have done. You all know. That is why you are here. Well, No more, brothers! NO MORE, Do we stand by and let the humans live the lives we ourselves could have! Tonight, I tell you that there is a SOLUTION!"

The man turns around. I look around at the crowd. They actually seem into what this badly dressed Magneto wannabe is saying. I look back at the stage as the guy turns around, holding a vial in the air. It's filled with some kinda liquid. Nastly lookin' stuff. Though I'm sure I've seen... probably even tasted worse...

"THIS is our future! The key to evolution in a tiny vial. Do you want to be immortal?!"

They all raise their arms, screaming 'YEAH!'. Fools.

"Do you want to finally show the human beings why we are the dominant species?!"

They repeat the action. I'm almost ashamed to be considered one of them, at this point.

"Then come here tommorow. This vial is but a mere sample. As we speak, my associates are bringing in the rest of the formula here from overseas. Enough to give you all. Our time has come, brothers! WE ARE THE FUTURE!"

Everyone claps and applauds, as the man ducks behind the curtain. Everyone except me. The only reason I came here was to hear when the shipment of this stuff was coming in. And from the looks of things, my best guess would be to come back tommorow. Before anyone else can get it. If half the stuff I've heard about this stuff is true, then I'm in for one hell of a show tommorow, if these clowns get it in their systems.

I slink my cap down over my face, as I walk out to greet the cold night air. I need to inform the others about this, so they know what I'm gonna get myself into. Not like they can stop me from doing it, at this point. I'm too far in.

Good thing I actually enjoy being too far in.

[ElectroFlare]

Cain stood there, smoking from the lightning.

Cain did not like being struck by lightning.

"Come'ere you blonde freak!" Cain yelled, charging as fast as he could. At the last second, Cain turned his head down, shoving his head into Thor's stomach...

[Johnny Blaze]

The general steps out of the bathing pool in the (well, I suppose "whore room" is the most apt term I can think of), towels off, and gets dressed. He turns to the concubines.

"It's been a blast, ladies. Sorry I can't stay, but I don't want Thanos thinking I'm unprofessional."

The General steps out of the room and goes to find Thanos.

Spotting him, he walks over to the mad titan.

"I can't thank you enough for this great honor you've bestowed upon me, lord Thanos. Letting me join the ranks of your army, well, I can certainly say it's a big deal for a guy like me. Listen, as a sign of my gratitude, I'll give you this."

The General pulls a small pack of cuban cigars out of his pocket.

"They're not much compared to everything you have here, but they're still the best damn cigars on Earth. With your powers, I'm sure you can stand to take up the habit without worrying about the health risks. And, if you like 'em, I can have entire crates sent to you easy as pie."
"...Thank you, General. The gesture is appreciated", says the Titan as he takes the cigars and places them in a belt pouch.
"Now then, I believe it is time for you to return to Earth. The invasion will begin in twenty-four hours and you have much to prepare for."

Thanos turned to Taskmaster who was Steve Roger's escort while on Thanos' ship.
"Taskmaster, you will escort the General to transporter room 47. There he and his associate, Hulk, will be transported back to their headquarters on Earth. Also, I want you to join them. You will be working under the General's command and fighting with his legion when the war begins. Understood?"




After a few parting words, the General and Taskmaster head off towards the transporter room. As the leave him, Thanos contacts Rogue.
"Rogue. It is time to take the Hulk to the designated transporter room. As soon as you finish this task, report back to me. I have another assignment for you."

[Venom160]

"I'm sorry did THE Cyclops just give mean order? Wow!" Wade said leaping over to the public. "This is so cool! Can I be an X-man now? Okay Yes I'm an Avengers member and an FF member too... now I see why Wolverine likes this stuff."

He scooped a few people up and threw them aside. "But I'm gonna have to have one request. When we charge into battle, could you not shout out "X-men, on me!"? Cause you know I'm just gonna get the wrong idea and... well let's not go there."<Cyclops>

"Oh just shut up and help me."

I come across a small child lying on the ground holding his leg, I neil down next to him.

"Are you alright?"

Child - "I tripped and someone stepped on my leg."

"Can you move it?"

Child - "No I can't feel it at all."

I notice an officer not far away trying to get control of the crowd.

"Sir get this kid to an ambulance, I'll take care of the crowd."

Officer - "Good luck they would'nt listen to me."

I smile

"Oh they'll listen to me."

[Toby_Temple]

After a few minutes of panicked scrambling, The Thing found Death's Head on the 30th floor. Once he saw him, The Thing stopped. They stared at eachother momentarily, The Thing's mind beginning to fog once more with fear and apprehension. The alarm continued to sound and, without thinking any longer, The Thing moved to neutralize the intruder.

"NO HURT MY FAMILY!!!" The Thing charged headlong at Death's Head...

WARNING!
HOSTILE ACTIVITY DETECTED!
IMPLEMENT DEFENSIVE ACTION. . . . . . . . . .

I can see that. I just need to talk to him.

Thing! Come and give me a bear hug! Yes?

Ben could not hear a thing but the sound of the alarm. He continues his charge towards the intruder. Death's Head prepared himself for impact.
As the their hands collided at each other, the 30th floor began to shake. Ben wrestled for the kill and Death's Head wrestled to maintain control over the situation. With greater resolve, Ben mustered enough strength and lifts the intruder and tosses him accross the room. Death's Head went through the concrete wall and lands to what seemed to be a dining table.

Same ol' Thing. Hey, Thing, I did not come to pick a fight. I came here to taACK!

Ben's large rock hand grabs Death's Head's face. Then he raises him towards the ceiling. Death's Head's face smashes the concrete tiles. As his body falls back to the floor, a powerful right hook smacks his face, sending him through another wall and lands back to where he was before.
The 30th floor continued to shake violently.

This is not good. I need to restrain him somehow and talk sense to him.

As Death's Head gets himself up, Ben was again charging towards him.

Better do it now. Yes?

[Electro UK]

Max smiled. A kind of smile he hadn't pulled off in a long time. It had been so long since he'd even thought of the name Spider-man. What with everything else going on in his life.

"Okay Doc, let's go get em." he said, pulling on his mask. His eyes glowed yellow. It'd had been too long since he could do a job. Now he was back in the game, Doctor Octopus by his side, they were unstopable. As soon as he'd done this job, he was going to kill Spider-man and then Kingpin, there'd be no one left to stop him.

[The Question]

"...Thank you, General. The gesture is appreciated", says the Titan as he takes the cigars and places them in a belt pouch.
"Now then, I believe it is time for you to return to Earth. The invasion will begin in twenty-four hours and you have much to prepare for."

Thanos turned to Taskmaster who was Steve Roger's escort while on Thanos' ship.
"Taskmaster, you will escort the General to transporter room 47. There he and his associate, Hulk, will be transported back to their headquarters on Earth. Also, I want you to join them. You will be working under the General's command and fighting with his legion when the war begins. Understood?"




After a few parting words, the General and Taskmaster head off towards the transporter room. As the leave him, Thanos contacts Rogue.
"Rogue. It is time to take the Hulk to the designated transporter room. As soon as you finish this task, report back to me. I have another assignment for you."

The General walks over to Taskmaster.

"Lead the way."

[Electro UK]

"Hey there," Deadpool said as he swooped a woman up in his arms. "Name's Deadpool, Avenger, Fantastic Four member, potential X-man."

"Uh...hi?"

"Oh hey! You're the first woman not to start screaming as I rescued them, funny that."

"Well I could kind of see that you were rescuing me."

"Oh really? That's good cause the rest of them thought I was trying to steal them, nerve of some people these days. Well, see ya!"

He put her down and leapt back over to Cyclops. "Alright Cyke, that's 10 I've rescued, I kinda figured that we'd do a backwards Lord of the rings thing and count how many we'd saved."

[bkhedr]

Thor shot a glance over to Cyclops. Good, the X-men's leader would make sure that no innoce...



"Come'ere you blonde freak!" Cain yelled, charging as fast as he could. At the last second, Cain turned his head down, shoving his head into Thor's stomach...

Cain's speed never ceased to amaze the Thor, and he barely had time to steel himself before Cain rammed him and sent the god of thunder tumbling backwards for the second time in as many minutes

Thor hit the ground hard and skidded for a few meters plowing through the earth as he went. Once again the god of thunder rose smoothly. He wasnt hurt, at least not in any meaningful way, but he was sick of being tossed around, and angry besides. No more lightning, he would pound the Juggernaut into submission with his mighty Mjolnir and his own fists.

Mjolnir! In his anger, Thor hadnt realized that he had dropped Mjolnir at the Juggernaut's feet.

[ElectroFlare]

Cain's speed never ceased to amaze the Thor, and he barely had time to steel himself before Cain rammed him and sent the god of thunder tumbling backwards for the second time in as many minutes

Thor hit the ground hard and skidded for a few meters plowing through the earth as he went. Once again the god of thunder rose smoothly. He wasnt hurt, at least not in any meaningful way, but he was sick of being tossed around, and angry besides. No more lightning, he would pound the Juggernaut into submission with his mighty Mjolnir and his own fists.

Mjolnir! In his anger, Thor hadnt realized that he had dropped Mjolnir at the Juggernaut's feet.

Cain smiled as he looked down at the hammer on the ground.

"Looks like ya dropped something." Cain said as he reached down to pick it up.

Without the hammer Thor wouldn't be able to touch him.

And with the hammer Cain could destroy him.

Cain wrapped his hands around the hammer and hefted with all of his strength, only to find the hammer firmly stuck to the ground.

"What? This thing can't be that heavy!"

[ElectroFlare]

Spider-man swung down and landed next to Cyclops and Deadpool.

"I've got twenty-two then." Spider-man laughed.

"Guys...This looks like it might get a bit crazy. Cain is going for the hammer!"

[bkhedr]

"I say thee nay!!!" Thor yelled, his anger apparent, as he charged Cain. The Juggernaut was still hunched over in a futile effort to lift Mjolnir when Thor crashed into him leading with his left shoulder. The shoulder charge would have brought down any building, but Thor knew it would not be nearly enough against Cain.

"Base villain!" Thor yelled as he landed a right uppercut "Mighty Mjolnir can ne'er be lifted by one such as thee!!!

Thor followed the uppercut with a left cross and a straight right, which sent the Juggernaut stumbling backwards and away from Mjolnir. In one fluid motion Thor scooped up his mighty hammer and swung it upwards and into Cain's chin. The hammer sparked with energy as it hit the juggernaut and it sent him crashing onto his back.

Thor looked to press his adavantage and he put a foot on the Juggernaut's chest and swung Mjolnir down onto Marko's face, cracking the pavement underneath them. Momentarily satisfied, Thor pointed his hammer at the Juggernaut and struck a triumphant pose with his foot still on the Juggernaut's chest.

Thou art beaten villain!! And Now I shall ask thee once more, where is Sif?

[Spider-Man9X17]

The whole tower and, it seemed, reality itself shook as the scream rang out. Hawkeye craned hsi neck to look past the last few guards standing between him and the door. The baby was coming, and Wanda was in pain. With one final push, he barreled throught he mutants, sending them off the side of the steps and down the stairwell. Home free. He heard the satisifying crack of wood spiltting apart as he kicked the door right at the lock point. The large oak structures gently drifted forward, and the two Avengers rushed inside.

Wanda was lying on a large canopy bed near the window on the other side of the room. A smattering of servents and "higher-ups" in Magneto's governement stood in various places around the room, witnessing the grand event. Clint had a clear view as the head began to crown. He froze for a moment, the mission at hand flowing out of his mind. That was his child, his flesh and blood being born. He felt the same hesitation in Pietro.

"It's a boy!" the physician announced, snapping Clint back to reality. He began his movement forward agains before second scream stopped him in his tracks once more.

A second head was crowning.

"Another boy!" the doctor called out, placing the child in the same bassinet. Magneto approached the babies, beaming with joy.

That was all Clint needed to see. He rushed forward again, not letting anything distract him this time.

"Get away from them, you som of a b**ch."

Hawkeye let loose with an arrow. A carbon fiber shaft with a marble head. Designed specifically for magnetically enhanced individuals. The arrow was dead on, aimed right for the villians cold, black heart.

Hawkeye heard the sound of flesh tearing, of the surprised, and probably final gasp of air of his target. He came to a stop and looked up.

Agent X stood between him and the mutant overlord, ripping the arrow out of his shoulder. The wound closed in mere seconds. The merc smiled, glaring into the hero's soul.

[The Joker]

The military base on long island,was often used to house secret military weapons.Bombs,chemicals and other goverment weapons under secret development.It was therefore no surprise that security was tight here.

But that only added to the pleasure of the likes of Octavius and Dillon,who never shyed away from the opportunity to show off their power,especially if it meant destroying innocent fools who dared to oppose them.

So when the lights began to flicker and fade in the military base,when the communications system suddenly went off line,when the security cameras cut out,and when the back of the base exploded in a burst of brick,flames and debris to reveal a bespectacled man in a white suit,supported by two mechanical arms,and flailing another two angrily,while behind him a glowing laughing figure in green spandex,sporting yellow lightning bolts floated in behind him,well the military soldiers knew this was BAD!

"Take em' down" one of the soldiers shouted as guns exploded in fire,spraying hails of bullets towards the two intruders.

Octavius laughed as his tentacles swerved in front of him,as the bullets ricocheted off his indestructible adamantium tentaces.The glowing figure of Electro simply vaporized each bullet as they came within close proximity of him.

Doctor Octopus sent two tentacles straight towards the soldiers,with a force that sent them smashing into the wall behind with a bang that shattered their limbs.

"Simple firearms against me?? How quaint.Pointless but quaint" he said as he snatched an injured soldier in one of his tentacles,and coiled it around his chest with a pressure that wrested agony from compressed ribs."Now then you simpering little worm,tell me where the research and development lab is".

The soldier had blood dribbling from his mouth.Down the corridor shrieks of agony could be heard,as Electro fried the other attacking soldiers with ease.The soldier coughed the words "You........you can't get away.Help.....help will be coming".

Octavius regarded this remark with a smirk."I think not.My electric friend there disruspted all your communications and security systems.A rather useful precautionary move before attacking a military base this well guarded wouldn't you say??".

The soldier winced in agony as Ock coiled the tentacle tighter around his chest.

"I grow bored of you boy.I think I'll just find the research lab myself.You I have no further use for".With that Ock coiled the tentacle so tight that the soldier's body was sliced in half,falling to the floor.

Ock tossed the remains aside,and began smashing down the walls in search of the research lab.

[Electro UK]

"Been a while since I could loose myself like this!" Max shouted with glee at the other soliders. When Max was throwing bolts around, he felt complete, he felt he could make no mistake, like it had all been rehearsed. Without even looking he swung his arms around in all different directions, letting vicious bolts loose, each one hitting their target dead on.

With each scream a certain feeling of accomplishment filled Max just that little bit more. With each spark generated, he felt more and more powerful, like he could do this forever. He finally felt like he had some use in this world again, he felt like Electro again.

He laughed, a laugh he hadn't been able to pull off in so long as he sent a man through a wall, using his radio to pick him up. He brought his hand above his shoulders as he hovered in the air, generating a bolt and smashing it into the ground.

Kingpin? Why should he be scared of the Kingpin? He should flatten him like a bug. Electro was back in the game now, no one would be able to stop him.

He walked on through the hole into the next room, to see a lab like place, he lent his head out of the door and called out "Hey Doc! I think I've found what yer looking for!"

[ElectroFlare]

"I say thee nay!!!" Thor yelled, his anger apparent, as he charged Cain. The Juggernaut was still hunched over in a futile effort to lift Mjolnir when Thor crashed into him leading with his left shoulder. The shoulder charge would have brought down any building, but Thor knew it would not be nearly enough against Cain.

"Base villain!" Thor yelled as he landed a right uppercut "Mighty Mjolnir can ne'er be lifted by one such as thee!!!

Thor followed the uppercut with a left cross and a straight right, which sent the Juggernaut stumbling backwards and away from Mjolnir. In one fluid motion Thor scooped up his mighty hammer and swung it upwards and into Cain's chin. The hammer sparked with energy as it hit the juggernaut and it sent him crashing onto his back.

Thor looked to press his adavantage and he put a foot on the Juggernaut's chest and swung Mjolnir down onto Marko's face, cracking the pavement underneath them. Momentarily satisfied, Thor pointed his hammer at the Juggernaut and struck a triumphant pose with his foot still on the Juggernaut's chest.

Thou art beaten villain!! And Now I shall ask thee once more, where is Sif?

"Uhn...you're tuffer then I thought." Cain said, shaking his head.

"But not tougher then me!" Cain yelled, grabbing two massive portions of the broken pavement and slamming them together in front of him, with Thor's foot in between. As Thor retracted his foot in pain, Cain stood up and kicked Thor as hard as he could right in the stomache.

"Now who's beaten?" Cain laughed, and punched directly into the ground, causing a shockwave to rumble everything nearby...

[bkhedr]

"Now who's beaten?" Cain laughed, and punched directly into the ground, causing a shockwave to rumble everything nearby...

"Arrogant brute!" Thor bellowed as he stood unsteadly before the Juggernaut while the ground shook beneath him. His knuckles stung, and his stomach ached, but the God of Thunder was furious and that meant bad news for the Juggernaut.

"Thou art no match for the strength of Thor!" the Thunder god yelled, as he threw Mjolnir at the Juggernaut. It struck Cain in the face and returned to Thor's hand as he lunged at Cain again and punched him hard underneath the ribs.

Before Cain could do anything but grunt, Thor raised his hammer high and brought a two handed swing down on the Juggernaut, causing the pavement beneath them to finally collapse and send both warriors crashing into a subway tunnel.