One Earth: The Marvel/DC RPG

[Byrd Man]

​

Previously

Spoiler

Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, MD

In the geriatric ward of Johns Hopkins, Ben Grimm sat at a table with three old men, playing cards.

"Go fish," Ben said as he looked over his cards. "Finish your story, Morty."

"Huh? Oh yeah...," one of the men stammered. "Where was I? That's right! So it was me, Brooklyn Joe, Brooklyn Phil, and Joey Brooklyn on the deck of the battleship. Spring of '45 and in the Pacific. We were part of the ass-end of the fleet. So, the four of us were swabbing the deck when a kamikaze planes comes over the horizon--"

"Morty, got any threes?" One of the other men asked.

"What? No. Go fish. Uhh, where was I?"

"You and the Brooklyns saw a kamikaze plane."

"Right. So, we're in the Pacific. And that plane is barreling down towards us. That's when Joey Brooklyn starts to--"

"Major Grimm," Special Agent Cameron Chase said as she came up to the table. "What are you doing?"

"Playing cards," Ben said with a shrug. "They needed another one."

"We lost our fourth two days ago," Morty said. "Sal DeVecchio, God rest his soul."

"I thought we were supposed to look for anything out the ordinary," Chase said, placing her hands on her hips.

"Agent Chase, only thing I see out the ordinary here is how Freddie doesn't seem to have any cards. You holding out on me, Freddie? You got any sevens?"

One of the elderly men narrowed his eyes at Ben before he forked over two cards. "There you go. Happy?"

"Very happy," Ben said as he tapped the communicator on his waistband. "Reed, Ben here. Nothing out of the ordinary here with the old folks."

"Alright, Ben," Reed voice crackled through the comm. "I'm not getting any readings in neurology.

"Oncology seems normal," Sue said through the comm. "What exactly are we looking for, Reed?"

"I programed our suits to pick up trace amounts of that energy signature that I picked up outside. If we get close, the comms start to give off a noise like a Geiger counter."

"So I'm good to go? I can get back to the old folks?"

"Just come running if we need you, Ben. Reed out."

"Who are you calling old?" Morty asked Ben with an arched eyebrow. "I was in the Pacific, fighting the Japs before you were even born, sonny. That reminds me. So it was me, Brooklyn Joe, Brooklyn Phil, and Joey Brooklyn on the battleship..."

*****
​

Johnny Storm walked through the pediatric section of the hospital. Children in hospital beds were watching him as he walked down the ward. He smiled and nodded at them, even signing an autograph or two. Suddenly, his suit began to quietly tick.

"Johnny here," he said, activating his comm. "I'm getting something."

He followed the signal as it got stronger and stronger until...

"You," Eliza Newton said as she looked up at Johnny from her bed. "You're Johnny Storm!"

"That's me," Johnny said with a grin. "Reed," he said into his comm. "You might want to get up here."

Pediatrics Ward
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, MD


Johnny sat at the foot of the bed while the sickly Eliza Newton watched him. Behind them, the rest of the Fantastic Four were huddled together with Agent Chase, a doctor, and Eliza's parents.

"So, you've met Superman?" Eliza asked Johnny.

"Yeah. He was alright. Not too super."

"You went into space, too?"

"Been there, done that. Kicked this alien guy's as-- uhh, butt."

Johnny looked around at all the tubes and wires hooked up to the little girl. "So, why are you in the hospital?"

"They say I have brain cancer."

"Oh," Johnny said, a bit unsure of how to continue. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Why? You don't know me."

"I know, but you seem like a nice girl. It's never good when bad things happen to nice people."

Eliza's eyes darted over towards where the adults were huddled together. "I wish I knew what they were talking about. I've been in and out of hospitals for nearly two years. They never tell me what's going on."

"I can understand. That's how the rest of the team do me. Always the last to know about things. I'm always belittled because I like to have a good time and joke around."

"Well," Eliza said, reaching her tube covered hand out and touching Johnny's. "At least you have your health."

Johnny smiled at the girl and lowered his head. She yawned and started to close her eyes. "Sleepy? Let me tell you a story to put you to sleep..."

While Johnny and Eliza talked, a hospital doctor, Eliza's parents, Agent Chase, and the rest of the Four discussed what was going on.

"So she's the cause of it?" Ben asked, making sure to keep his voice down.

"The readings I'm getting off her," Reed said. "I believe so. I think something, some sort of energy has entwined itself with her brain. Doctor Hall?"

The doctor held up two different MRIs for the people to see. In both MRIs, there was a massive black spot in the center of the brain that was Eliza's tumor. "The one on the left was from two weeks ago. The one on the right is from two days ago. As you can see, the one from two days ago has more synaptic activity in the frontal lobe area, a particularly dormant section. It's suddenly active, and we don't know why."

"It's been theorized that that area of the brain can unlock certain psychic properties. We're seeing that now with mutants and metahumans."

"So what?" Eliza's father asked. "She's creating these illusions?"

"Not illusions," Reed said with a shake of his head. "Dreams. Dreams come to life. Think about it. The first incident was a girl falling from a great height, only to disappear feet before she hit the ground. Everyone has those falling dreams. The second incident, a little girl who looked like your daughter was being chased by a dinosaur. She has a toy dinosaur by her bed, other dinosaur things. I think her dreams are being manifested to life while she sleeps."

"She's always so tired from the treatments," Eliza's mother said with a worried glance over to her daughter.

"So we keep her awake?" Chase asked.

"It's not that simple. Her manifestations are getting more powerful. I believe that, as time goes on, she could very well alter reality while still awake. Doctor Hall, what's her current condition?"

"I believe it's only a matter of time," he said with a look towards the girl's parents. "I know that's cold and uncaring, but it's a miracle she's stayed alive this long."

"She's a fighter," Eliza's father said. "She's been so brave for us, for herself. She can keep it up."

"Well I ask because her health could be a problem. She gets a seizure and tenses up, she could very well bring the hospital down with her abilities."

The group looked at Reed with shocked looks. Eliza's mother held her hands up to her face while her husband tried to comfort her. "So," Doctor Hall said. "Doctor Richards, what's our next move?"

"Guys!" Johnny shouted from behind them. They all turned and looked. Eliza's eyes were closed, but her eyes were glowing purple under her eyelids. "I was telling her a story. She fell asleep... and then..."

Suddenly, the little girl's eyes snapped open, revealing the purple energy pouring out of them. All around the hospital ward, the walls began to swirl and melt like an ice cream on a warm summer's day.

"What's going on?" Sue asked as she looked around. Reed had his scanner out and was surveying the area.

"She's having another dream. She's warping reality..."

 

[Batman]

The Hulk picks up the Blue-man and hurls him down the street into the side of an apartment building. The impact cause the building to shake and rumble.

He looks around and towards the sky this time looking for the Blue-Man.

"Rrgh!"

It takes me nearly half a minute before I can finally break through the brick and rubble, unscathed. Most of what threw me off guard in the impact wasn't from the building. At least, in what I could feel. It was actually the strength of the creature that gave me considerable pause. Even with it being twelve feet tall and boasting an impressive physique, I still could have never imagined what that grip would feel like. It was as if my entire body were being crushed between two steel beams, being pushed by tanks thrown through the air at velocity. Still trying to shake off the strange feeling I'm getting in my head. I assume this is sort of what it's like for someone to be dazed.

"HULK SMASH BLUE-MAN!"

Hulk? So that's what it calls itself...

This, whatever it really is --- "Hulk" will do for the moment --- spots me in the midst of the rubble and charges, blindly stomping down the pavement without any effort. The ground literally crumbles beneath his feet, leaving trails of dust. He's massive and he's supremely powerful. This probably won't be as simple as fighting that other creature that was sent by the Moleman. Or Mongul, for that matter. Still, I don't have a choice but to face him, because as long as he's out and about in the city, rampaging like a mindless animal, he's going to be a danger irregardless of his intentions.

And his intentions, right now - frankly - look to be to squash me like a grape.

Alright, Clark...

Let's try a different approach.

Grabbing the support beam beneath my fingers, I lift it into the air and toss it head on into the Hulk's ribs. Even though he stumbles, it doesn't really seem to cause him much pain. Infact, he looks more annoyed than before. Kicking off of the ruins of the wall, I fly out and slam both of my knuckles into his chest, pushing him back with as much strength and speed as I can lash out in the spur of the moment. Then, to keep him from countering, I go to work with a few punches to his chest and jaw.

Glass shatters around us as the hits become increasingly more powerful, raining down upon us just as I can bring both fists together and swing them into the side of The Hulk's head. Yet even with these futile attempts at an attack, he simply stares back at me, baring his teeth and growling under his breath.

Nothing's working. He's not falling. It's like he's... getting stronger!

 

[Batman]

With a mere flick of my wrist, I send him flying through the air the way in which he came, driving him through the wall. With another flick, I drag him back into the room, make him stand, and cause his body to go completely rigid. Locking him into place.

"Honestly, Wolverine," I smile at him from underneath my helmet. "Is that any way to treat a guest?"

"RAAARGH!"

Logan's entire body felt as if it were in complete agony, suffering through every unnatural movement that his bones made while mended under Magneto's control. His claws kept sheathing and unsheathing from his knuckles, knocked back and unbalanced by the phenomena. True, it was his own doing for rushing in so blindly, but how was he to know what was waiting for him - all that he smelled were a group of unwelcome guests in the mansion, baring a similar scent to those he had encountered at the attempt on Senator Ross' life. What he expected was a rematch with Sabretooth, the man that taunted him with knowledge of his own past.

What he got, to his surprise, was Charles Xavier's long-feared enemy. This was the guy that the X-Men didn't want to talk about, for all they had to say about the Brotherhood that he was leading. Magneto was an infamous pro-mutant terrorist that had committed devastating acts of destruction all across the world. Even before he came to Westchester's doors, Logan had heard plenty about the man. He just never thought that he'd actually come into contact with him, given that his fight was with the X-Men.

Which, as of two weeks ago, Logan had promised himself he'd never be apart of.

But as he felt his wrist start to shift and his neck begin to crack, Logan cried out in pain and rage, realizing Magneto wouldn't distinguish him between the rest of the team. To the often dubbed "master of magnetism", he was just another hapless bystander to throw around.

Except he had something that any other hapless bystander didn't.

A body full of metal.

"W-What do you..."

Growling behind his teeth, an enraged Logan stared back at Magneto with nothing but contempt. This guy didn't scare him, no matter how dangerous he was. He'd seen a hell of alot worse in his own dreams. Which, incidentally, he could swear were faint memories trying to boil to the surface.

"What do you mean... guest? Y-You look more like some... half-assed burglar."

Just as he could finish his pained retort, Jean Grey was thrown to the ground beside him, gun held tightly to her temple. With the one called Mystique brandishing the weapon. Logan looked at her oddly, knowing that she was a powerful enough telekenetic to handle Magneto's lackey - but then again, she was still as much of a trainee in the field as some of the students, given the magnitude of her powers.

And with the Professor gone, she wasn't about to get anymore practice in.

"If it isn't the famous Erik Lehnsherr. It seems we meet again at last."

 

[MST3K 4ever]

"Rrgh!"

It takes me nearly half a minute before I can finally break through the brick and rubble, unscathed. Most of what threw me off guard in the impact wasn't from the building. At least, in what I could feel. It was actually the strength of the creature that gave me considerable pause. Even with it being twelve feet tall and boasting an impressive physique, I still could have never imagined what that grip would feel like. It was as if my entire body were being crushed between two steel beams, being pushed by tanks thrown through the air at velocity. Still trying to shake off the strange feeling I'm getting in my head. I assume this is sort of what it's like for someone to be dazed.

"HULK SMASH BLUE-MAN!"

Hulk? So that's what it calls itself...

This, whatever it really is --- "Hulk" will do for the moment --- spots me in the midst of the rubble and charges, blindly stomping down the pavement without any effort. The ground literally crumbles beneath his feet, leaving trails of dust. He's massive and he's supremely powerful. This probably won't be as simple as fighting that other creature that was sent by the Moleman. Or Mongul, for that matter. Still, I don't have a choice but to face him, because as long as he's out and about in the city, rampaging like a mindless animal, he's going to be a danger irregardless of his intentions.

And his intentions, right now - frankly - look to be to squash me like a grape.

Alright, Clark...

Let's try a different approach.

Grabbing the support beam beneath my fingers, I lift it into the air and toss it head on into the Hulk's ribs. Even though he stumbles, it doesn't really seem to cause him much pain. Infact, he looks more annoyed than before. Kicking off of the ruins of the wall, I fly out and slam both of my knuckles into his chest, pushing him back with as much strength and speed as I can lash out in the spur of the moment. Then, to keep him from countering, I go to work with a few punches to his chest and jaw.

Glass shatters around us as the hits become increasingly more powerful, raining down upon us just as I can bring both fists together and swing them into the side of The Hulk's head. Yet even with these futile attempts at an attack, he simply stares back at me, baring his teeth and growling under his breath.

Nothing's working. He's not falling. It's like he's... getting stronger!

The Hulk staggers from the blows from Superman, but he is not going down.

The Hulk repeats his battle-cry, ""HULK SMASH!!!""

He picks up a police car in each hand. The Hulk then puts each one on a hand as thought they were boxing gloves and begins pummeling Superman over and over.

Though Superman is absorbing the blows and movng backwards he doesn't seem to affectd by them.

The Hulk looks at his skin and sees were the various cuts are healing, but not a scratch on Superman.

Hulk starts to growl and says, "Why Blue Man not bleed? HULK MAKE YOU BLEED!"

The Hulk unleashes a barrage of punches and yells until the police cars on his hands are nothing more than scrap metal.

 

[Andy C.]

So, taking a quick appraisal of the situation......

I, Peter Parker, a scrawny sixteen-year-old who weighs about a hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet, just happened to get bitten by some sort of cosmically irradiated spider which has granted me superhuman powers. Naturally, I'm using said powers to my advantage, trying to win some easy money by winning a wrestling match. I'm main-eventing at Madison Square Garden, in front of a crowd of thousands, including Harry Osborn, one of my two best friends, and Flash Thompson, the jerkhole jock whose family is suing me for not letting him beat me up, and who is also dating Liz Allan, the girl of my dreams. So I get a chance to impress my friend, rub my awesomeness into my nemesis's face, and win a boat-load of money all at once.

That's the good news.

The bad news is standing across the ring from me, all five hundred and eighty pounds of him.

The guy's name is Killer Croc, and neither word in his name is hyperbole. He's covered from head to toe in thick green scales, some growing out into barb-like protrusions around his forearms and jawline. His mouth is lined with slavering fangs, whether he filed them into points or they just grew in naturally I'm not sure, and neither would surprise me. He looks every inch like a human crocodile.

And the 'killer' part? Just the look on the guy's face, that hungry gleam in his eyes, tells me he's out to hurt me as badly as he possibly can. He stares at me like a lion looking at a wounded gazelle.......and then he grins.

I'm not saying I did, mind you, but I am saying that in situations like this, it is perfectly understandable and even acceptable to pee your pants a little.

The bell rings, and Killer Croc cracks his knuckles eagerly, the joints cracking with the sound of someone casually snapping logs in half.

"Okay, ya little insect, I'm feelin' generous tonight," Croc says, "So I'll give ya one free hit, on the house."

He stands up straight, spreading his arms, making it clear he's got no intention of blocking. I look at him skeptically.

"Seriously?" I ask. "You're just going to let me get in a free shot?"

"You heard me, pipsqueak," he says mockingly. "And c'mon, gimme your best shot, too. What's the worst a scrawny little bug like you can do?"

I shrug.

"Only one way to find out, right?"

Okay, Parker, this might be the only shot you get on this guy. Better make it count.

I turn away and go into a dead run, easily crossing the span of the ring and make it to the ropes. I hop up, planting one foot on the middle rope, and spring backwards into the air back towards Croc. While I'm flying towards him, I turn, swinging a big wild haymaker that cracks the gigantic reptilian brute on the side of the head.

*POW!*

....oh my GOD, that hurt my hand. Seriously, I think I may have broken my wrist.

To my surprise, it actually takes Croc off his feet, the green monster toppling into the ropes and tumbling out of the ring. The crowd goes wild for me, and I take a minute to soak it all in.

"What we've got here, folks," I call out to the cheering audience, "is a prime example of the direct correlation between a person's size and the force of impact upon rapid descent."

The cheers quickly go quiet as the thousands of hardcore wrestling fans try to figure out what I just said.

*sigh*.....you know, the bigger they are, the harder they--oh crap!"

That last part isn't part of the old cliche, I know; it's me reacting to the fact that Killer Croc is bounding towards me, tearing through the ring ropes as he climbs back in and charges, his big clawed hands ripping at the air.

"Stay still, dammit!" he snarls as I duck and weave to avoid the slashing claws that would probably splatter me across the canvas if they hit me. "I'm gonna rip you in half!"

"Gee, you make it sound so tempting, Croc," I say, sliding between the monster's legs and delivering a mule kick to the back of his knee to take him off his feet again, "But I think I'm gonna have to pass. After all, I still need my legs to kick your butt."

Okay, what the heck am I doing? I'm in the ring with an actual legitimate monster, a vicious psychopath who I wouldn't be surprised if he has a criminal record in Gotham, who wants to tear me apart like tissue paper....and I'm intentionally getting on his nerves?! Shut up, Parker, before you get him really mad!

"Shut your mouth, you little freak!" Croc roars, confirming what my common sense is screaming at me.

My mouth, however, is fanatically determined to keep talking.

"I'm the freak?" I say, springing off of Croc's shoulders as he charges in at me again. "Hey, I'm not the one who looks like his siblings got flushed down the toilet."

Croc charges again, and this time, I flip through the air over him, planting both feet down hard on his head.

"Owww!" he growls, staggering. "I'm gonna kill you!"

"Y'know, you keep saying that," I say, perching on one of the turnbuckles. "But here I am, still pretty definitively not-killed. So how's about this:"

I stand up straight on the turnbuckle, and spread my arms out wide.

"I'll give you one free hit, on the house. C'mon, big guy, take your best shot."

"GRAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Croc roars, slinging spit and snot all over as he howls in animalistic rage, then charges headlong towards me.

Oh God oh God oh God, if this doesn't work, I'm very probably going to actually die here.

At the last possible second, I cartwheel to one side, landing on the ring apron, and Croc slams his head with full-force into the steel corner post. The massive brute slumps down, dizzy, but not out.

Time to finish him off.

Running along the apron, I build up speed, then jump feet-first towards him, becoming a human javelin as I connect with a hard dropkick, smashing his head between my feet and the corner post, knocking the big lug out cold.

I grab the unconscious Croc by the arm and drag him to the center of the ring, where the referee counts the pinfall.....


.....One......



.....Two......




......Three!


The bell rings, and the crowd goes absolutely wild. Even the ring announcer seems impressed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your winner," he shouts, "THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN!"

I soak up the deafening cheers, taking a sec to look into the crowd. Flash is utterly losing his mind cheering for me. Even Harry, who didn't seem into this whole thing at all, is on his feet. All of Madison Square Garden is chanting my name.

Well, they're chanting 'Spider-Man' anyway.

And I gotta admit, when fifty thousand people are screaming it out loud......the name sounds pretty freaking awesome.

 

[Carnage27]

"What do you mean... guest? Y-You look more like some... half-assed burglar."

"Charming to the last," I smile at the living weapon. The man was shaped and formed for years to be a living mutant hunter. It's good for our kind that he never became it, because it would have worked. His power is almost unrivaled in our people. I'm not even sure he can be killed. "I see your Charles's guard dog now?"

Luckily I have no desire to kill him. But pointed in the right direction he can be a valuable tool.

Just as he could finish his pained retort, Jean Grey was thrown to the ground beside him, gun held tightly to her temple. With the one called Mystique brandishing the weapon. Logan looked at her oddly, knowing that she was a powerful enough telekenetic to handle Magneto's lackey - but then again, she was still as much of a trainee in the field as some of the students, given the magnitude of her powers.

And with the Professor gone, she wasn't about to get anymore practice in.

"If it isn't the famous Erik Lehnsherr. It seems we meet again at last."

"Mystique, dear, please let Dr. Grey up," I say shaking my head. "We're not here to fight."

"Tell that to Logan," Jean Grey responds, looking at her X-Men partner.

"Jean, is that how you greet me after all these years?" I sarcastically shake my head. "I'm disappointed. As for the Wolverine, I'll let him go as long as he agrees to behave himself."

 

[Byrd Man]

​

Spoiler

Blüdhaven
3:15 PM

Carmine Falcone scowled as he stepped out the back of his limo and headd inside the hotel lobby. As bad as Gotham was, Blüdhaven was a real ****-hole. It'd always been in Gotham's shadow, and it was easy to guess why. The town wasn't even a third the size of Gotham, but the city's crime was almost on par with Gotham's. He had a few business associates here, but nothing too serious. You could make money, but it was just chump-change and this place was like the goddamn wild west with all the hits and drive-by shootings that went on. It wasn't civilized here. **** Russo, he though. Sending him out all the way here for this meeting.

Falcone headed through the lobby with two of his bodyguards flanking him. They headed to the conference room where Falcone and his men were the last to arrive. The ugly son of a ***** with the square head was already waiting. Hammerhead was sitting at the table with three of his men behind him. They looked impassively at Falcone and his men, sizing the three mobsters up and assessing them.

"Here he is," a voice from the head of the table said with a smile. Billy "The Beaut" Russo, acting boss of the Gnucci Family, walked towards Falcone and warmly embraced him. Falcone managed a strained style as he patted the younger man on the back. "You look good, Carmine. Come, have a seat."

Billy was all of thirty-one when he was handed the reigns of the Gnucci Family while Ma Gnucci was sent up for life at the women's state pen. Since that time, Billy had been turning the sinking mob family around. He'd gotten a good deal when the families had split up Maroni's territory. With confidence, ambition, youth, and now prime territory, Billy Russo was becoming a threat to Falcone.

After swapping pleasantries with Falcone, Hammerhead finally asked the question. "Out with it, kid," he grunted. "The hell are we doing here?"

"Exactly," Falcone said as he lit up a cigar. "What's so goddamn important we had to come to the state's ***hole to discuss it?"

"Batman," Russo said with a glint in his eyes. "It's time to get rid of him."

"Great plan," Hammerhead said sarcastically. "Why the hell haven't we thought of that before?! We kill Batman, and that's the end of it. Wow, you're a ****ing genius."

"Funny," Russo said. "But here's the thing, you've sent killers after him, and they've all failed. I finally got the right guy for the job."

Falcone exhaled a swirling plum of smoke from his mouth and looked at Russo. "Hammerhead said the same thing six months ago. That weird **** with the target on his head."

"That was the problem," Russo said. "You sent killers. The man I have for is so much more."

"That explains it," Hammerhead said with a sigh. "I figure that's why you called us here. Afraid the big, bad bat is listening."

"You can never be too careful," Russo said with a nod.

"How much," Falcone asked, stubbing his cigar in the ashtray beside him.

"Pretty cheap. Only a half mil from all of us."

"A half mil?" Hammerhead asked with a raised eyebrow. "Just a mil and a half for this job? It cost us five mil for Bullseye. Why's this guy cheap?"

"He gets off on it," Russo said. "Thrill of the chase and all that. He's here, let me bring him out."

Both Hammerhead and Falcone stared at the man as he came in. His outlandish outfit threw both mobsters for a loop.

"This guy?" Falcone asked with a laugh. "He looks like a goddamn acrobat, not a killer."

"Killer is not what you need," the man said with a slight Russian accent. "Killer is what you used before. Killer will not work. You have animal problem in your city, you do not call killer..."

"You call hunter."
​

Cameroon
Then

The jeep bounced up and down the dirt road as it cut a dusty swath through the countryside. The driver of the jeep chattered away in French, the young, dark-haired man in the passenger seat barely listened to him. Instead, the passenger's eyes were focused on what was up the road.

"Nous sommes arrivés, Monsieur Wayne," the driver said as the jeep skidded to a stop outside a grass hut.

"Oui, je vous remercie," the young man replied in flawless French. Two years "studying" in Paris had left him with a fluent understanding of the language. He handed the driver a handful of African Francs. Then, the young grabbed the canvas bag behind his seat and stepped out of the jeep. "Ce sera tout. Je peux le prendre à partir d'ici," he told the driver.

"Très bien. Ce vieil homme est fou. Vous avez besoin d'aide, tu m'appelles," the driver said with a nod.

"Oui. Je vais le faire, George."

The driver of the jeep reversed the vehicle and began back down the dirt road. The young man watched the jeep disappear down the road before turning to the hut. While he had his back turned, a man had appeared out of nowhere, a rifle in his hands.

"Explain yourself," the man said in a slight Russian accent. He slid the rifle's bolt action and cycled a round into his rifle. "Two seconds before I shoot you dead."

"My name," the young man said in English, "is Bruce Wayne. I came to speak to Sergi Kravinoff."

The older man looked at Wayne with narrowed eyes before he pulled his rifle back. "You want Kraven, richboy? You have found him. What do you want?"

"I seek knowledge. Training."


Now
Old Gotham
8:04 PM


I was crouched in the shadows, watching the lone gunman from a safe distance. Shortly before five this afternoon, he had walked into a daycare and proceeded the daycare's staff and a dozen toddlers hostage. The cops have been involved in a standoff for a little over three hours. Major Gordon was outside supervising the scene, but word from Gotham Central is that new commissioner Peter Pauling is getting antsy. In an hour, SWAT is banging down the doors. The only way that ends is with dead bodies and bullets.

There's a better way. Twenty minutes ago, I infiltrated the daycare and have been stalking the hostage taker ever since. The fourteen hostages, twelve of them scared and frightened children, were huddled together in an adjacent room.

"Attention!" Gordon's voice boomed through a megaphone outside. While his voice carried, his tone was hesitant. "This is Major James Gordon with the GCPD... You have forty-five minutes to come out with your hands up or we will... we will breech the doors."

The gunman began to pace and fidget nervously across the floor. I stayed still and watched as he wildly swung the pistol in his hands. A child in the following room started to cry, prompting an angry outburst from the gunman.

"Can you shut that goddamn kid u--," he stopped short as my forearm came out the shadows and struck him in the diaphragm. The gunman gagged and grasped for breath. I quickly disarmed him and drove him to the ground with a forceful thump.

"Run!" I shouted to the workers in the room next door. "Take the children and get out of here, but be careful!"

As the hostages and children began to leave the daycare, I had the gunman on the floor, pinned by the throat. "Please --gaak -- lemme go. Just following orders."

I relented my grip and leered at the hostage taker. "What?"

"Russian guy," he said weakly. "Told me he'd kill my family if I didn't come in here and take people hostage."

"Why?!"

"I... I don't know!"

Heavy footsteps were coming in the next room. I let go of the kidnapper and disappeared just as a cop came into the room, her gun out. "I found him," she cried out. "He's in here!"

While the members of the GCPD began to fill in the room, I was already out the daycare and on the roof of the building across the street. Someone threatened that man to take hostages. Why?

****
​

As Batman headed into the night, a pair of eyes watched him from a hidden vantage point. The man he had forced into service was adequate at doing his job. It had given him a chance to stake out the Batman and watch him in action. He was good. Patient, methodical, and ruthless when he needed to be. He needed more chances to watch his quarry, but for now Kraven the Hunter was convinced that the Batman would be a most worthy prey.

 

[Batman]

He picks up a police car in each hand. The Hulk then puts each one on a hand as thought they were boxing gloves and begins pummeling Superman over and over.

Though Superman is absorbing the blows and movng backwards he doesn't seem to affectd by them. The Hulk looks at his skin and sees were the various cuts are healing, but not a scratch on Superman.

Hulk starts to growl and says, "Why Blue Man not bleed? HULK MAKE YOU BLEED!"

The Hulk unleashes a barrage of punches and yells until the police cars on his hands are nothing more than scrap metal.

I was borderline whenever the fight started, but now I can actually begin to feel it. Actual pain, coursing throughout my entire body. Not enough to leave me incapacitated, but it certainly gives me pause. Nothing - no one - has ever been strong enough to give me so much of the relatively foreign feeling until now. I always knew it existed, that it was possible. But for me, it was always hard. I've suffered glimpses of true pain in the past. Even recently, ever since becoming Superman. Going even father back, after I started manifesting my abilities, I would often try and test my limits. Throw myself into the path of Pa's tractor. Roll around in open flame. Leap off of the cliff at Cedar Heights, the canyons overlooking Shuster Creek near the farm.

Nothing ever worked. Except The Hulk.

And if I can be hurt by him, everyone in Metropolis is at serious risk. No matter what happens today, I have to move him out of the city by whatever means nessecary. People could die if this continues any longer within the confines of the city itself. The only problem is that at every turn so far, he's proven relatively indestructible. Cosmetically damaged, yes, but he heals very rapidly. That alone gives me alot to be concerned about.

Fortunately, though, I'm not out of tricks yet. I've only shown Hulk the capabilities of my strength and heat vision. That gives me at least three different other abilities to use in offense. And one of them happens to be ideal for relocating a twelve-foot growling behemoth out of the city.

"You'll make me bleed, huh? Hate to be the bearer of bad news, Hulk..."

I take off at mach-speeds and fly directly into his body, forcefully directing him further and further in a vertical motion that seems ineffective at first. Even he seems annoyed, rather than taken by surprise. But eventually, that registers on his face as we both ascend upward, my work finally paying off into a momentary flight into the air.

"But 'Blue Man' might object to that!"

Scooping my arms under his massive forearms, I muster as much strength availible to me as possible and - with enough effort - manage to toss him straight through the old abandoned Metropolis Radio tower. He goes flying into it effortlessly, nearly bringing the building down in his wake, and emerges from the other side while still in flight.

Flying over to meet him as he falls, I use some short bursts of laser vision to lessen the debris reigning down on the streets below. Even if he's the bigger priority, the safety of the people come first. I won't allow lives to be lost because of my reckless actions.

Hope he doesn't mind an abrupt landing.

 

[Batman]

"Mystique, dear, please let Dr. Grey up," I say shaking my head. "We're not here to fight."

"Tell that to Logan," Jean Grey responds, looking at her X-Men partner.

"Jean, is that how you greet me after all these years?" I sarcastically shake my head. "I'm disappointed. As for the Wolverine, I'll let him go as long as he agrees to behave himself."

Logan growled under his breath, still in agony at the mercy of the mutant terrorist. If he didn't have the damned metal running through his body, he'd gladly rip the skull off of Magneto's spine with his bare hands and shove it in the only place that it might actually be of some use. But like all of these theatrical types, Magneto didn't just want to come in and kill everyone in sight, like any good psychopath. He had to draw everything out and make his victims listen to his every whim like they were poetry.

He'd honestly prefer the torture he was already enduring. But Jean looked back at him, desperate not to make an ugly situation even uglier than it currently was. Deep down, all that she wanted was to get the missing members of the team back. And deep down, so did he.

"A-Alright,", He finally submitted, closing his eyes. "You got my word. I ain't harmin' no hair on your damned head."

Seemingly content with his surrender, Magneto waved his hand and allowed Logan to fall to the floor like a lifeless ragdoll. Sweating from the strain of the attack on his body, he fought to catch his breath as he sneered up at the Master of Magnetism.

"Wasn't enough to kidnap the Professor with those damn machines, was it? You just had to come back and screw with us even further. What's next, bub? Gonna decapitate a couple'a infants?"

 

[Andy C.]

"What the heck is this crap?!" I say, trying (and failing) to keep my voice from getting too high as I wave the wad of cash in front of the wrestling promoter indignantly.

"Looks like about a grand and a half," the slimeball says with annoyance. "That's an awfully big payday for a kid that probably doesn't even have his driver's license."

"The prize for winning the match is supposed to be twenty thousand!" I say.

"Correction: the prize for winning the match is up to twenty thousand," he says coolly. "Shoulda double-checked the program. And that's before expenses-- material and labor for your fancy new costume, fees for use of our ring and our equipment, and most importantly, your opponent's hospital bills. You put our star attraction in an ambulance, kiddo. That's what really cost you."

I narrow my eyes--not that he can see that since I'm actually still wearing the Spider-Man outfit, but I do it anyway--and lean in close.

"If you don't give me what you advertised," I growl, "then Killer Croc might not be the only one leaving this building in an ambulance."

It's a bluff, but considering how mad I am and how much of an attitude this sleaze has, I'm kind of hoping he calls me on it.

"Are you seriously threatening me?" he asks incredulously. "Maybe if you put a finger on me, I'll have you locked up on assault charges. On top of lying about your age--don't think for a second that we didn't know about your crappy little fake ID. That's a federal offense these days, y'know."

That.....that takes the wind out of my sails a good bit.

"C'mon, I........I really need that money," I hear myself beg. "Things are tough at home, we don't have enough to pay the bills....."

"Yeah, yeah, it's tough all over, pal," he says impatiently, "Unfortunately for you, I must've missed the part where that's my problem."

I stare at him angrily, unable to give him the punch in the jaw that he's got coming to him, then storm out of his office.

Changing back into my regular clothes in the backstage locker room (keeping the Spider-Man mask on in the extremely unlikely event that someone might recognize my face), I mutter angrily to myself and mumble curses that would probably give Aunt May a heart attack if she heard them.

Seriously, who does this guy think he is? I give this guy the show of a lifetime--against a ten-foot-tall monster who was actually honestly trying to kill me, no less-- and he just rips me off like that?! Not even ten percent of what I was promised?! Unbelievable! And what's worse, there isn't even anything I can do about it.

Right now, more than anything, I really wish someone would just--

"Hey! You! Get back here! STOP!"

I hear the promoter yelling urgently as a man runs through the locker room towards me--or rather, towards the elevator behind me. He's got bad two-day stubble and badly-dyed blonde hair. Tucked under his left arm is the promoter's cash box. In his right hand is a revolver. And on his face is an expression of hungry, desperate fear.

"Stop him!" the promoter barks at me.

Oh........oh-ho-ho-hohhhhh, this is just too good.

I mean, I'm normally a strictly scientifically-thinking person, not really prone to believing in stuff like Fate or Karma, but.......if there's some divine hand at work in the universe, it's working fast tonight.

I step in front of the terrified burglar.....

.....and open the elevator door for him.

"Go right ahead, my good sir," I say with a butler-like flourish and a slight bow as he runs into the elevator and presses the button to the ground floor.

"Thanks," he says with a filthy smile as the doors begin to close.

The promoter reaches the elevator just in time to see the doors shut, the burglar leaving with all of his money.

"What the hell's wrong with you?!" he shouts at me, shaking with anger.

"Sorry," I say sarcastically, "but if you want heroics, you oughta think twice before ripping off the hired help. What goes around comes around, buddy."

"You coulda flattened that guy without breaking a sweat!" he says. "Now the whole show's a bust! I'll go bankrupt because of this!"

"Yeah, yeah, it's tough all over, pal," I say, giving him a good heaping spoonful of his own medicine. "Unfortunately for you, I must've missed the part where that was my problem."

He stares at me in utter disbelief as I call for the elevator and calmly step inside, whistling a happy little rendition of "Itsy Bitsy Spider" as I go.

I know, I know, it was pretty awful of me to just sit back and watch this guy get robbed. And I know that Uncle Ben would probably tear me a new one if he was there to see it.

Fortunately, Uncle Ben isn't here to see it. And that guy was a jerk anyway. So y'know what? Screw him. My conscience is gonna have to try a lot harder than that to override the joy of pure Schadenfreude I got from seeing the look on his face.

I finally slip the mask off before getting off of the elevator, thus officially ending the wrestling career of the Amazing Spider-Man. As far as the rest of New York goes, now it's just plain old boring geeky Peter Parker making his way down the streets of Manhattan, back to the library where his uncle will take him home, still unable to stop grinning with immense satisfaction.

 

[wiegeabo]

In the judge's chambers, Foggy Nelson and the District Attorney await her judgement. Finally, she leans back in her chair, closing the file and putting down Foggy's motion.

"In light of this evidence...I am overturning the conviction of Mr. Varnall. Assuming the District Attorney has no objections."

The DA shakes his head. "None, your Honor. This was a miscarriage of justice."

"I'm surprised to hear that from your side of the courtroom, Councilor."

"I felt the evidence presented to me was solid, your Honor. I'd press charges again, given the same situation. But Mr. Varnall was denied a fiar trial, and I suspect the veracity of what I was given to work with."

"Going to continue your crusade against police corruption, Harvey?"

"That's why I was elected, Foggy. And I believe the system only works whe everyone works within it."

"Noble words. But save them for the next election." The judge signs the paperwork, and just like that, an innocent man will be sent free.

***

I couldn't get back to New York in time to be with Foggy for the hearing. But I do get to be at the prison with him for the best part. Our client walking free.

And suddenly I find myself in a bear hug.

"I hope that's you, Jacob."

"You did it. You both did it." I can breath again, and hear an 'oof' from Foggy next to me. I can guess why.

"Thank you," a woman's voice says. Varnall's mother. "Thank you so much!" And once more I find myself in a tight hug.

"It's what we do."

***

"Pies?"

"Really good pies."

"Real-I mean, pies?!"

I swallow my bite of pecan pie and wave my hand in the direction of all the smell on the table. "Take your pick. She baked six. And she said she'd bake us a set every month for life."

Foggy sits down heavily in his chair across from my desk. "Matt, we really need to find some clients that pay with actual, you know, money. Cash. Legally transferable tender."

"Not everyone who's innocent has the money to pay for a good defense."

"Which means we need to be more selective with our clients."

"Foggy, we have this argument every month when the bills come due."

"That's because we have to pay them to stay in business, Matt. That's why it's sort of a big deal we get paid. So we can stay in business and keep defending people who need it. It's called a virtuous circle...or something."

"And what do we tell the people that come to us for help? How do we turn them away?"

"Well, at this rate, we won't have to worry about that. Can't pay the landlord with pies."

"Why not? Barter is a perfectly acceptable and legal method of payment. Federal government still taxes bartered income."

"No they dont'...do they?...they do?"

"Yep."

"I'm going to look that up."

I hear the clacking of keystrokes and walk over to Foggy's side, dropping a plate in his desk.

"...Is that cherry?"

"Yep."

"I love cherry pie."

"Yep."

I hear chewing and a satisfied 'mmmm'. "This is really good. I hate you, Matt."

"Yep."

 

[MST3K 4ever]

I was borderline whenever the fight started, but now I can actually begin to feel it. Actual pain, coursing throughout my entire body. Not enough to leave me incapacitated, but it certainly gives me pause. Nothing - no one - has ever been strong enough to give me so much of the relatively foreign feeling until now. I always knew it existed, that it was possible. But for me, it was always hard. I've suffered glimpses of true pain in the past. Even recently, ever since becoming Superman. Going even father back, after I started manifesting my abilities, I would often try and test my limits. Throw myself into the path of Pa's tractor. Roll around in open flame. Leap off of the cliff at Cedar Heights, the canyons overlooking Shuster Creek near the farm.

Nothing ever worked. Except The Hulk.

And if I can be hurt by him, everyone in Metropolis is at serious risk. No matter what happens today, I have to move him out of the city by whatever means nessecary. People could die if this continues any longer within the confines of the city itself. The only problem is that at every turn so far, he's proven relatively indestructible. Cosmetically damaged, yes, but he heals very rapidly. That alone gives me alot to be concerned about.

Fortunately, though, I'm not out of tricks yet. I've only shown Hulk the capabilities of my strength and heat vision. That gives me at least three different other abilities to use in offense. And one of them happens to be ideal for relocating a twelve-foot growling behemoth out of the city.

"You'll make me bleed, huh? Hate to be the bearer of bad news, Hulk..."

I take off at mach-speeds and fly directly into his body, forcefully directing him further and further in a vertical motion that seems ineffective at first. Even he seems annoyed, rather than taken by surprise. But eventually, that registers on his face as we both ascend upward, my work finally paying off into a momentary flight into the air.

"But 'Blue Man' might object to that!"

Scooping my arms under his massive forearms, I muster as much strength availible to me as possible and - with enough effort - manage to toss him straight through the old abandoned Metropolis Radio tower. He goes flying into it effortlessly, nearly bringing the building down in his wake, and emerges from the other side while still in flight.

Flying over to meet him as he falls, I use some short bursts of laser vision to lessen the debris reigning down on the streets below. Even if he's the bigger priority, the safety of the people come first. I won't allow lives to be lost because of my reckless actions.

Hope he doesn't mind an abrupt landing.

The Hulk slams into the streets below.

KATHOOOM!!!!!!!!!

Buildings shake and windows shatter. Under the rubble The Hulk is still for the moment.

In his short life he has survived beign gased by Luthor, being shot at, and taking a pounding from Superman but this seems to have stunned him for the moment.

Blue Man put Hulk in ground. Blue Man think he better than Hulk. No one is better than Hulk! Puny small Blue Man not stop The Hulk.

A large green hand smashes through the road and upward and The Hulk emerges.

He yells, "Blue Man will not beat Hulk!"

The Hulk looks around at the crowd and for the first time notices the people. Some of them are covered in dust and dirt from the battle, some are wounded from the falling stone among other injuries but they all have the same exact look on their faces..."Please stop. We've seen enough."

The Hulk looks around and shakes his head slowly and says, "Not here. Time to stop"

The Hulk turns to Superman and says, "This not over!"

The Hulk hurls himself skyward and away from the city.

 

[Carnage27]

"So now what do we do? Can we build a clubhouse!? If we do, no guys allowed. Except for me of course," Tony Stark says as he twirls a glass of scotch in his hand. We're back in Checkmate headquarters after the battle, talking about the next step for our group of heroes.

I don't really know what to do next, to be honest. HYDRA is apparently out there, but I have no idea where to look for them. Or who could possibly be leading them at this point in time.

"I say we find the next evil doer and take care of him," Thor is still enjoying our earlier victory. "At this rate we'll have Earth taken care of in a few days and we can drink our fill."

"I'd rather not," Wildcat cracks his neck. "I can't fight for as long as I used to. I am almost a century old after all."

"Yea, don't remind me, old man. I've had to bail your butt out more than once," Dinah Lance, known as Black Canary laughs from next to him. I've been able to talk to her for a short time, and she's agreed to join the team. Which of course brought Ted on as well. He says he wants to be a combat instructor.

"I can go all night, sweetheart," Tony smiles at Dinah.

"You know I can make you go deaf, right?" she smiles sarcastically back at him. She's got a super powered scream that's more powerful than a sonic boom, so she tells us. "Get any closer and that's the best you can hope for."

"Feisty," Stark mocks.

"Okay, enough," I finally speak up, silencing the group. "We had a hard go of it the past few hours. We worked well as a team. We compliment each other well, and we obviously have the same goal. We know we can trust each other, and we know we have each others backs."

I pause, "And we definitely have more fights coming our way. Kobra said something from my past is coming back." Looking over at Ted, "HYDRA is active again, and he said they were behind all of this. If HYDRA is in fact back, no one is safe. We all need to be ready."

"Great speech, fearless leader."

"I'm serious, Stark. We've got to be on our toes. Keep in touch, and keep vigilant."

I toss them all some communicators, "Fury left them for us. Anything you guys find out, you contact me first."

"Oh, so you are fearless leader."

"I dunno, Iron Man. Maybe I am. Does it matter?" The man knows how to get under your skin. You can't just talk to him. He's always looking to poke and prod you into getting angry. "I'm just trying to think of a plan of action to protect people."

"Yea, sure. That works."

"I look forward to fighting with you all again," Thor says as he turns to leave. "You would all make good Asgardians."

"Captain, I will be in touch soon. This HYDRA will not catch us off guard. Take care, Captain."

Before long, the others are gone...save for Iron Man. Ted and Dinah have gone to heal up some wounds and check on Alan, who was beat pretty brutally by Lord's men.

"What do you want, Tony?" I ask, slightly annoyed despite my best efforts to not let him get to me.

"What's your problem with me, Cap?" he asks with a cocky smile.

Sighing, I respond, "You really want to know? You're attitude. You're cocky, you don't seem to be a team player, and I'm not sure if you're out for glory or to help people. I served with the bravest men in history. And none of them did it to be famous."

"You think I do this to be famous?" he responds, his face turning serious. "I dunno how long you've been frozen or what they told you about me, but I was famous enough before Iron Man. I was nearly killed by a bomb. There's still shrapnel in my chest. It's why I'm part machine. And I made the Iron Man suit to protect others from the same fate. Don't act like you know who I am Captain. The world's passed you by. Try to keep up."

With that he leaves, and I'm left to my thoughts."
​

 

[Carnage27]

"A-Alright,", He finally submitted, closing his eyes. "You got my word. I ain't harmin' no hair on your damned head."

Seemingly content with his surrender, Magneto waved his hand and allowed Logan to fall to the floor like a lifeless ragdoll. Sweating from the strain of the attack on his body, he fought to catch his breath as he sneered up at the Master of Magnetism.

"Wasn't enough to kidnap the Professor with those damn machines, was it? You just had to come back and screw with us even further. What's next, bub? Gonna decapitate a couple'a infants?"

So they were attacked by the same machines that attacked us. I had my suspicions, but it's nice to finally have some proof. But the fact that this animal thinks I've kidnapped one of the only men I've ever respected. He's as much of a fool as he is a weapon.

"Logan, in the future, I'd like to ask that you never imply that I'd do anything to Charles Xavier," I snarl at him. I was here to make allies, but I will tolerate none of this insolence from this man. "He's done more to advance mutant kind than any one on this planet. If whoever has taken him has harmed him they better hope they kill me before I reach them."

I stand and walk towards the window of the study and look out, "I did not send the machine after you. In fact, they attacked the Brotherhood and I as well. They've taken all but three of us."

Arthur Light joins us, "[BLACKOUT]I didn't see any others.[/BLACKOUT]"

"Thank you, Arthur," I nod to him. "You see Wolverine, we're in the exact same position as you. Defeated by an unknown enemy and in the dark. Wat has been declared against mutant kind by this enemy, and I intend on finding them. And killing them. But I can't do that on my own. So I'm here to ask for your help. I'm not here to fight. I'm not here to steal your children. I'm here to save Charles Xavier. Nothing more, nothing less."

 

[Batman]

Buildings shake and windows shatter. Under the rubble The Hulk is still for the moment. In his short life he has survived beign gased by Luthor, being shot at, and taking a pounding from Superman but this seems to have stunned him for the moment.

Blue Man put Hulk in ground. Blue Man think he better than Hulk. No one is better than Hulk! Puny small Blue Man not stop The Hulk.

A large green hand smashes through the road and upward and The Hulk emerges.

He yells, "Blue Man will not beat Hulk!"

The Hulk looks around at the crowd and for the first time notices the people. Some of them are covered in dust and dirt from the battle, some are wounded from the falling stone among other injuries but they all have the same exact look on their faces..."Please stop. We've seen enough."

The Hulk looks around and shakes his head slowly and says, "Not here. Time to stop"

The Hulk turns to Superman and says, "This not over!"

The Hulk hurls himself skyward and away from the city.

What in...

He's left. Just like that, without any sort of warning, the struggle's over and The Hulk's decided to seperate himself from the chaos. I can hardly believe my eyes as he leaps away, transformed from a massive giant to little more than a mere dot in the clouds. My fists tighten as the realization dawns on me that he's getting away, but I'm still too shocked to even move. Something about the way he was when he left was... different. Almost like a child, or a frightened animal, realizing he had gotten too deep and over his head in something. Infact, thinking about it, most of The Hulk's actions here today can be described like that.

What was he? Where did he come from? Why did he attack Metropolis? An assault of questions keep barraging my mind, playing out over and over as I fly into the air, scanning the nearby skies for any trace of him to be found. There's a faint trail of some kind of radiation that I noticed his skin emitting, but it stops just outside of the city. Other than that, he's vanished without a trace. Leaving nothing but signs of his rampage in the torn pavement below.

Unbelieveable.

Wherever you've disappeared to, Hulk, you were right about one thing.

This isn't over.

 

[Byrd Man]

​

Previously

Spoiler

Pediatrics Ward
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, MD


Johnny sat at the foot of the bed while the sickly Eliza Newton watched him. Behind them, the rest of the Fantastic Four were huddled together with Agent Chase, a doctor, and Eliza's parents.

"So, you've met Superman?" Eliza asked Johnny.

"Yeah. He was alright. Not too super."

"You went into space, too?"

"Been there, done that. Kicked this alien guy's as-- uhh, butt."

Johnny looked around at all the tubes and wires hooked up to the little girl. "So, why are you in the hospital?"

"They say I have brain cancer."

"Oh," Johnny said, a bit unsure of how to continue. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Why? You don't know me."

"I know, but you seem like a nice girl. It's never good when bad things happen to nice people."

Eliza's eyes darted over towards where the adults were huddled together. "I wish I knew what they were talking about. I've been in and out of hospitals for nearly two years. They never tell me what's going on."

"I can understand. That's how the rest of the team do me. Always the last to know about things. I'm always belittled because I like to have a good time and joke around."

"Well," Eliza said, reaching her tube covered hand out and touching Johnny's. "At least you have your health."

Johnny smiled at the girl and lowered his head. She yawned and started to close her eyes. "Sleepy? Let me tell you a story to put you to sleep..."

While Johnny and Eliza talked, a hospital doctor, Eliza's parents, Agent Chase, and the rest of the Four discussed what was going on.

"So she's the cause of it?" Ben asked, making sure to keep his voice down.

"The readings I'm getting off her," Reed said. "I believe so. I think something, some sort of energy has entwined itself with her brain. Doctor Hall?"

The doctor held up two different MRIs for the people to see. In both MRIs, there was a massive black spot in the center of the brain that was Eliza's tumor. "The one on the left was from two weeks ago. The one on the right is from two days ago. As you can see, the one from two days ago has more synaptic activity in the frontal lobe area, a particularly dormant section. It's suddenly active, and we don't know why."

"It's been theorized that that area of the brain can unlock certain psychic properties. We're seeing that now with mutants and metahumans."

"So what?" Eliza's father asked. "She's creating these illusions?"

"Not illusions," Reed said with a shake of his head. "Dreams. Dreams come to life. Think about it. The first incident was a girl falling from a great height, only to disappear feet before she hit the ground. Everyone has those falling dreams. The second incident, a little girl who looked like your daughter was being chased by a dinosaur. She has a toy dinosaur by her bed, other dinosaur things. I think her dreams are being manifested to life while she sleeps."

"She's always so tired from the treatments," Eliza's mother said with a worried glance over to her daughter.

"So we keep her awake?" Chase asked.

"It's not that simple. Her manifestations are getting more powerful. I believe that, as time goes on, she could very well alter reality while still awake. Doctor Hall, what's her current condition?"

"I believe it's only a matter of time," he said with a look towards the girl's parents. "I know that's cold and uncaring, but it's a miracle she's stayed alive this long."

"She's a fighter," Eliza's father said. "She's been so brave for us, for herself. She can keep it up."

"Well I ask because her health could be a problem. She gets a seizure and tenses up, she could very well bring the hospital down with her abilities."

The group looked at Reed with shocked looks. Eliza's mother held her hands up to her face while her husband tried to comfort her. "So," Doctor Hall said. "Doctor Richards, what's our next move?"

"Guys!" Johnny shouted from behind them. They all turned and looked. Eliza's eyes were closed, but her eyes were glowing purple under her eyelids. "I was telling her a story. She fell asleep... and then..."

Suddenly, the little girl's eyes snapped open, revealing the purple energy pouring out of them. All around the hospital ward, the walls began to swirl and melt like an ice cream on a warm summer's day.

"What's going on?" Sue asked as she looked around. Reed had his scanner out and was surveying the area.

"She's having another dream. She's warping reality..."

The air inside the pediatric ward was thick and heavy, hazy with humidity. The walls and floors swirled and shifted. The sleeping girl in the nearby hospital bed had her eyes open, purple energy racing out of them and into the air.

"You got a plan, Reed?"

"Twelve plans to be precise," Reed said as he examined part of the unstable wall. "I'm in the process of strategically eliminating them down to one." He touched the wall and pulled a string of goo from it. "Okay, I'm down to ten."

"Doctor Richards," Special Agent Chase said from behind Reed. He swiveled his head and saw a pack of four giant, human-sized teddy bears walking down the hall.

"That's cute," Johnny said. He reached out to touch one, only to have it bare its razor sharp teeth and snap at Johnny's hand. He pulled it away milliseconds before the bear took his hand off. "Okay, maybe not!"

Before the bears could attack him, they were stopped by an invisible barrier. Sue was behind Johnny, her hand out and projecting the barrier between her brother and the monsters. "We need a plan, Reed."

Reed had his neck stretched up at the ceiling, looking at the ceiling tiles as they dripped down to the floor. "We need her to wake up, but gradually. A sharp shock to her system could collapse this building."

Reed suddenly snapped his neck back and looked at Doctor Hall. "Caffeine and sugar. Where's the closest source of these things?"

"The break room," the doctor said, pointing towards the hallway where Sue had the grizzly teddy bears pinned.

"Ben?"

"Love to," the Thing said, cracking his rocky knuckles. Sue dropped the barrier and the bears began to pounce. They were stopped in their tracks by a large and orange rocky body. Johnny joined the fight with a blast of flames.

While Ben and Johnny kept the bears busy, Reed stretched his upper body down the hallway to the break room. Once there, he took a pot of coffee in one hand, packets of sugar in the other. He retracted his upper body and rushed his items over to Eliza Newtwon's bedside. Reed opened and dumped the sugar packets into the coffee before he detached the end of Eliza's IV tube and stuck it into the coffee pot.

A minute later, Eliza's eyes faded back to normal, the bears disappeared, and reality stabilized. "What... what happened?" She asked feebly. "Don't worry," her mother said through tears. "Everything's going to be okay..."

Before Eliza girl could reply, blood started to pour down her nose and her whole body went rigid, seizures and convulsions coursing through it. As she shook, her eyes began to glow again. Suddenly, the entire hospital began to shake. From the top floor to the foundation, the building shook with the force of a powerful earthquake.

"Her seizure's bringing the entire building down!" Reed shouted over the noise. While everyone held on to the walls and floors for dear life, Johnny sprang into action. He wobbled across the room to Eliza, taking her shaking body in his hands and disconnecting her from her IVs and heart rate monitors.

"Johnny! What are you doing?!"

"I'm taking her out the equation. She's out the building, it won't shake! Flame... kinda on!"

Johnny's body, save for his arms where he held Eliza, burst into flames. He turned and jumped out the window beside the bed, taking off and scorching the sky as he flew with the little girl in his arms. As they flew away, the shaking in the building subsided until it was gone.

"Fascinating...," Reed said as he stood up. "Her manipulations did indeed have a range. Johnny was right."

"There's a first time for everything, I suppose..."

*****

Eliza's eyes fluttered open and she looked around. She was sitting on a bench in the park, looking at the pond. She was still clad in her hospital gown and the headwrap she used to hide her bald head.

"Are you okay?" A voice asked beside her. She turned and saw Johnny Storm sitting next to her and softly smiling.

"Why are we here?"

"The hospital was in danger."

"Because of me?" She asked, a bit of shame on her face.

"No. Because of what's inside of you."

"Your friend, Mister Fantastic, does he know what it is?"

"He says it's some type of cosmic radiation. How you got it, he's not sure. Whatever it is, it's given you the power to change things. It's powerful, but highly unstable."

"Change things," she said before patting her head. "But not this."

"You don't know that," Johnny said with a shake of his head. "Over the past few days... you've done some incredible things. What makes this any different?"

"Because for the past year, all I've done is wish I was healthy. I've wanted to go play with my friends, go to school, do homework, have fun. But I can't. There's a part of me that thinks it's unfair, so unfair. But then another part of me says that it could be so much worse. Mister Storm, I'm tired. Tired of being sick, tired of fighting, tired of being tired all the time."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because... I think I'm going to die soon. My sight's been blurry since that last seizure. My left side is numb."

"C'mon," Johnny said, jumping up. "We have to get you back to the hospital."

"No," Eliza said. "I'm going to die, sir. My parents have tried to hide that from me since my first doctor visit, but that's the truth. I've fought this as long as I can. Mr. Fantastic said that if my body seizes up again, I could hurt people. Just... please, let me do what I want to and die here where nobody can get hurt."

Johnny sat back down, fighting the growing lump in his throat. Eliza leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed. "Finish telling me that story."

"Alright," Johnny said, swallowing hard. "So the four of us had taken down Mongul's warriors when he sent out this massive monster. It was huge, bigger than a three story building. They called it the Monster of the Badoon..."

*****

Reed Sue, and Johnny were outside Johns Hopkins, gathered around the Four's flying car when Johnny landed and flamed-off, Eliza's limp body in his hands.

"Johnny...," Sue said, coming forward. She saw the tears running down her brother's cheek, vaporizing from the heat on his skin.

"She went peaceful," he croaked out. Doctor Hall and a few paramedics rushed out with a gurney. Johnny carefully placed Eliza's bod on the gurney and watched as they pushed her into the hospital.

"Do what you want," he told the rest of the group as he reignited his flames. "I'm going back to New York."

He blasted off into the sky and the rest of the group watched in silence as he rocketed off into the Balitmore skyline.
​

 

[Batman]

"Logan, in the future, I'd like to ask that you never imply that I'd do anything to Charles Xavier," I snarl at him. I was here to make allies, but I will tolerate none of this insolence from this man. "He's done more to advance mutant kind than any one on this planet. If whoever has taken him has harmed him they better hope they kill me before I reach them."

I stand and walk towards the window of the study and look out, "I did not send the machine after you. In fact, they attacked the Brotherhood and I as well. They've taken all but three of us."

Arthur Light joins us, "[BLACKOUT]I didn't see any others.[/BLACKOUT]"

"Thank you, Arthur," I nod to him. "You see Wolverine, we're in the exact same position as you. Defeated by an unknown enemy and in the dark. Wat has been declared against mutant kind by this enemy, and I intend on finding them. And killing them. But I can't do that on my own. So I'm here to ask for your help. I'm not here to fight. I'm not here to steal your children. I'm here to save Charles Xavier. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Forget it."

The words couldn't come more quickly out of Logan's mouth. Whether or not Magneto's claims were genuine were hardly in question - hell, this was probably all just a ruse anyway - but even if by some stretch of imagination he were telling the truth, the last thing that Logan or any of the others needed was to help the terrorist add to the growing pile of bodies that the Brotherhood had left in their wake. He talked about Charles Xavier like he was a mutant messiah. If that were true, then Magneto stood for the strict opposite. And at a time like this, Logan had no interest in dealing with the devil.

"You wanna come in here, givin' your fancy lectures and expect us to bow down to the crap you're sellin'? Get real. We might be desperate, bub, but it'll still be a cold day in hell when we roll out the red carpet for a---"

"We'll do it."

Logan's jaw dropped as Jean stepped infront of him, eyeing Magneto defiantly.

"I don't need telepathy to know that you're telling the truth. The Professor always said that no matter what you've become, you were never going to let another mutant suffer the way they have in the past. It was the one thing he still respects about you."

Growing increasingly angered, Logan grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Are you outta your goddamn mind? The man led a battalion of robots right to our doorstep, and you wanna help him?!"

"Logan,"

Strictly removing the hand from her shoulder, Jean gave him a sneer.

"He didn't do this. He's had every opportunity to attack us here before, and yet he's remained loyal to Charles at every turn. If not in ideology, than in the right to oppose him. Whatever Magneto may have done in the past, this isn't apart of his schemes. Besides,"

Turning back to Magneto, Jean made it clear that though their alliance was to be upheld, it didn't mean that she trusted him.

"The Professor would say the same. We have a duty to help every mutant, and that includes The Brotherhood."

Logan could hardly believe his ears. But when challenged to speak any further, he simply crossed his arms and murmured to himself.

This was a gigantic mistake. No good would come of it.

But what other choice did they have?

 

[MST3K 4ever]

Lex and Nick continue to monitor the battle between the Hulk and Superman.

Lex is somewhat baffled by The Hulk leaving and asks, "What just happened The Hulk was battling blow for blow with Superman and then disappeared. I don't get it."

Fury lights a cigar and replies, "Underneath all that rage and power we just saw a creature demonstrate great humanity and compassion. He saw that the people were tired of watching the battle and there had already been enough damage. He knew it was time to call it draw. In a strange way I respect him for that."

Lex scuffs at Fury and says, "That green behemoth has only begun to realize his true potential. A being capable of going toe to toe with Superman like that just unreal."

Just then Betty and her father enter the office and Fury asks, "What do you got?"

Betty says glaring at Lex, "You created the Hulk Lex! You did this!"


She drops a stack of forms on his desk and General Ross says, "You see Checkmate has a machine that is capable of re-constructing lost or defragmented data like deleted files."

Lex begins scanning some of the files and he realizes he is a lot of trouble.

Nick reads some of the others as well and says, "You know for a building that is touted as being so State of The Art power fluctuations and filter system failures terrible. May have to shut you down for this one for a full review."

General Ross pulls out a DVD and says, "The Checkmate device cannot only re-construct documents but also Video Files as well."

Betty cuts on a lap-top and begins playing the DVD which shows Banner transforming into The Hulk.

Fury looks at Lex and says, "You tried to cover your tracks and for good reason. Heaven only knows how many laws you broke. All it takes is one though and I'm betting we can have an arrest warrant drawn up and here within the next five minutes."

Lex sits behind his desk and Fury says, "Lex you're going down for this one. It wasn't enough to break the laws of our legal system now you've decided to start breaking the laws of creation."

Fury pushes the phone towards Lex and says, "Get your billion dollar an hour lawyers on the phone right now Lex you're gonna need them."

 

[MST3K 4ever]

The Hulk lands in the middle of the Wastelands between Metropolis and Gotham.

He retreats into a canyon and looks around.

No more Blue Man here....No people looking at Hulk....There is quiet here. Nice quiet no buildings no noise...just quiet.

He looks up at the night sky and sees the stars twinkling back and forth.

Very pretty here...Hulk like being here...it make Hulk sleepy...now......

Just then The Hulks leans against the canyon wall and closes his eyes. He then begins to transform back into Bruce Banner.

Bruce opens his eyes and looks around.

How in the world did I get out here?

he looks at his clothes and shakes his head.

What happened to my clothes? I....what's going on?

He begins to walk out of the canyon and heads towards what appears to be the highway. He sees a road sign that reads: Metropolis 60 Miles.

60 Miles I...just don't remember. Well looks like I'm walking

Bruce begins his trek back to Metropolis trying to remember what happened.

 

[bkhedr]

"Beautiful" The Gorgon uttered under his breath as he followed Ra's Al Ghul into the ancient chamber housing one of Al Ghul's many lazarus pits.​

"That it is Lord Gorgon." Al Ghul said as he folded his arms across his chest.​

The chamber was bare save for the two men and the pit and the Gorgon wasted no time unfastening his kimono and letting it drop off of his shoulders so that he was undressed from the waste up save for the crimson mask that covered his eyes and his black gauntlets.​

"Are you sure about this?" Ra's Al Ghul asked, eying the Grass Cutter sheathed on the Gorgon's hip as he took his first step towards the pit "That blade will definitely kill you but its properties are such that you can't be sure that the pit will be effective."​

"It doesn't matter." The Gorgon replied flatly "If I am to have the power I need, the knowledge I must have, then this is the only way to proceed, and if I do not survive, then I am unworthy in any case."​

"Hmm." Ras al ghul rubbed his chin "You'll understand then why I have to ask this again before you..."​

"I will not tell you the Batman's true identity ancient one." The Gorgon replied, cutting him off. "I have already given you plenty of information on him and that was not part of our deal and I may yet need to barter that information in the days to come."​

"Ever the cautious one eh Gorgon?"​

"Ever the prepared one Lord Ghul" The Gorgon replied and with that he waded into the Lazarus pit, not stopping until he was waste deep in the very center of the glowing pool.​

The Gorgon unsheathed the Grass Cutter and swung the blade around so that it pointed to his heart. Many men had tried to kill the Gorgon in his life, none had succeeded. In truth he was not sure if he could be killed, but death was a necessary part of his plan and if any weapon could do it the god slaying blade would be it.​

"I am coming Master." The Gorgon said, calling out to the Beast whom the Hand had served for centuries "Hear your servant."​

The Gorgon then plunged the Grass Cutter through his heart and felt the pain, the agony, of his life blood slipping away. He gasped for air, couldn't take any in and felt satisfaction wash over him as he fell face first, dead in the pool which immediately began to boil and smoke around him.​

​

After several moments the murky greenish waters of the pool begin to cool and become still.

Ra's Al Ghul watches the Gorgon's lifeless body intently, anxious to know if the dark lord's gamble has paid off or if he has consigned himself to oblivion.

He does not have to wait long before the Gorgon's dead fingers suddenly come to life and tighten their grip on his deadly blade. A second later and the now ressurected Gorgon lifts his face from the pool and rises from the water, the Grasscutter held tightly in one hand, his fatal wound, completely gone.

"Welcome back Lord Gorgon" Ra's al Ghul says "And congratulations."

"My thanks Lord Ghul" The Gorgon replies as he wades through the pool and steps out of it in front of Al Ghul.

Though he looked the same as he did only moments ago Ra's al Ghul could tell that he was not. He was darker, more menacing. This was not unexpected. The Lazarus Pits often changed those who made use of their gift, as Al Ghul knew first hand, but this was different. It was as if the Gorgon had dones something while on the other side, brought something back with him. Al Ghul was considering what this could mean when the Gorgon spoke again, his voice strong and insistent.

"And now, as our business is concluded." He says while sheathing his blade. He moves to walk past Al Ghul, towards the world outside the underground pit and his destiny but Al Ghul places a hand on his shoulder.

"One moment." The master assasin says as he gestures towards the top of the stairs, beckoning someone in the shadows to step forward.

"You already know my daughter Talia" He says as Talia comes into view. "Talia will be accompanying you for the time being." It was not a request.

"You want to keep an eye on me." The Gorgon growls, obviously unimpressed

"Of course." Al Ghul replies matter of factly "And you would do the same if you were in my place. Afterall, you are too resourceful to leave unchecked. Nonetheless I would have you consider Talia's services and companionship a gift, from me to you."

"Why would I accept such a gift?"

"Because I am one of the deadliest of my father's assassins." Talia says, speaking for the first time. There is a hint of disdain in her voice "And I will not be spoken of as if I am not here."

"Talia will serve you well, and yes she will report to me, but only to insure that you and I are not at odds. Afterall we should refrain from becoming..." he pauses, looking for the right word "...adverserial for as long as possible."

There is a long beat as the Gorgon silenty considers this.

"Very well." He finally says before stalking up the ancient stone steps towards the surface without another world.

Talia glances at her father, who nods, before she turns to follow. Wherever the Gorgon was headed, he was moving with purpose and something told her he wouldn't wait if she fell behind.​

 

[bkhedr]

"So now what do we do? Can we build a clubhouse!? If we do, no guys allowed. Except for me of course," Tony Stark says as he twirls a glass of scotch in his hand. We're back in Checkmate headquarters after the battle, talking about the next step for our group of heroes.​

I don't really know what to do next, to be honest. HYDRA is apparently out there, but I have no idea where to look for them. Or who could possibly be leading them at this point in time.​

"I say we find the next evil doer and take care of him," Thor is still enjoying our earlier victory. "At this rate we'll have Earth taken care of in a few days and we can drink our fill."​

"I'd rather not," Wildcat cracks his neck. "I can't fight for as long as I used to. I am almost a century old after all."​

"Yea, don't remind me, old man. I've had to bail your butt out more than once," Dinah Lance, known as Black Canary laughs from next to him. I've been able to talk to her for a short time, and she's agreed to join the team. Which of course brought Ted on as well. He says he wants to be a combat instructor.​

"I can go all night, sweetheart," Tony smiles at Dinah.​

"You know I can make you go deaf, right?" she smiles sarcastically back at him. She's got a super powered scream that's more powerful than a sonic boom, so she tells us. "Get any closer and that's the best you can hope for."​

"Feisty," Stark mocks.​

"Okay, enough," I finally speak up, silencing the group. "We had a hard go of it the past few hours. We worked well as a team. We compliment each other well, and we obviously have the same goal. We know we can trust each other, and we know we have each others backs."​

I pause, "And we definitely have more fights coming our way. Kobra said something from my past is coming back." Looking over at Ted, "HYDRA is active again, and he said they were behind all of this. If HYDRA is in fact back, no one is safe. We all need to be ready."​

"Great speech, fearless leader."​

"I'm serious, Stark. We've got to be on our toes. Keep in touch, and keep vigilant."​

I toss them all some communicators, "Fury left them for us. Anything you guys find out, you contact me first."​

"Oh, so you are fearless leader."​

"I dunno, Iron Man. Maybe I am. Does it matter?" The man knows how to get under your skin. You can't just talk to him. He's always looking to poke and prod you into getting angry. "I'm just trying to think of a plan of action to protect people."​

"Yea, sure. That works."​

"I look forward to fighting with you all again," Thor says as he turns to leave. "You would all make good Asgardians."​

"Captain, I will be in touch soon. This HYDRA will not catch us off guard. Take care, Captain."​

Before long, the others are gone...save for Iron Man. Ted and Dinah have gone to heal up some wounds and check on Alan, who was beat pretty brutally by Lord's men.​

"What do you want, Tony?" I ask, slightly annoyed despite my best efforts to not let him get to me.​

"What's your problem with me, Cap?" he asks with a cocky smile.​

Sighing, I respond, "You really want to know? You're attitude. You're cocky, you don't seem to be a team player, and I'm not sure if you're out for glory or to help people. I served with the bravest men in history. And none of them did it to be famous."​

"You think I do this to be famous?" he responds, his face turning serious. "I dunno how long you've been frozen or what they told you about me, but I was famous enough before Iron Man. I was nearly killed by a bomb. There's still shrapnel in my chest. It's why I'm part machine. And I made the Iron Man suit to protect others from the same fate. Don't act like you know who I am Captain. The world's passed you by. Try to keep up."​

With that he leaves, and I'm left to my thoughts."​

"Damn boy scout." Tony mutters under his breath. Finally giving in to the feeling that had been dogging him through most of the afternoon.​

"Excuse me sir?" Jarvis' automated voice comes in over the speakers in the lab.​

"I said 'damn boy scout.' " Tony says with a huff as he leans back in his work chair and tosses aside the small welding tool he had been working on "I mean who the hell does he think he is questioning me? He doesn't know me."​

"Quite right sir." Jarvis' replies as Tony stalks over to one of the many bars in eye sight and starts pouring himself a drink.​

"Its not like I wasn't out there fighting, putting my ass on the line, just like he was." Tony knocks back a big gulp of brandy, emptying his glass, then immediately starts pouring another one.​

"Perhaps if you made more of an effort to-"​

"Uh-uh-uh..." Tony wags a finger, effectively silencing the AI midsentence, then downs his second drink. "Aaah. You don't get to take his side. In fact, why am I even talking to you?"​

Tony is already moving, not waiting for a response.​

"What I need is some good old fashioned human companionship." He declares as he steps onto the armoring platform and holds his arms out at his side. The platform goes to work immediately and in seconds Tony Stark is clad from head to toe in his invincible armor which still shows the marks and scars of the recent battle.​

"Sir." Jarvis says "I must remind you that the Mark 7 armor is still in need of repairs."​

"No worries Jarv." Tony replies "Won't be any aliens or monsters where I'm going."​

With that, Iron Man's boot jets kick in and propel him upward through a skylight in the ceiling that opens to admit him and automatically closes behind him.​

His HUD is suddenly filled with the night sky and the shining stars and he adjusts his flight path, abruptly halting his ascent and heading due West.​

"Vegas, here I come."​

 

[Byrd Man]

Mediterranean Sea
500 Miles West of Cyprus


The cargo plane bounced and shook as it flew just a few hundred feet above the water. The Fantastic Four were in the back of the plane, holding on for dear life. Major General William Lumpkin and Captain Frankie Raye, the Four's liaison with the US military, were seated near them.

"We're nearly there," Lumpkin said to the group. "Just a few more miles."

"What are we gonna to look at?" Ben asked.

"You'll see when we get there, Major Grimm."

A few minutes later, the cargo plane touched down on the USS Harry S. Truman and came to a stop atop the supercarrier. They exited the plane and were greeted by a small procession of naval officers.

"General Lumpkin," the lead naval officer said with a salute. "Captain James Pembroke, CO of the HST."

Lumpkin nodded and returned his salute. "This is my assistant, Air Force Captain Raye and my four associates... I believe you know them."

Pembroke went for handshakes with all of the Four, warmly greeting them. "Doctors Richards and Storm. Major Grimm, Mister Storm. Honor to meet you all. Welcome to the ship."

"Why exactly are we here, Captain?"

"Follow us, please."

The Four and their Air Force cohorts followed Captain Pembroke through the halls of the aircraft carrier to the bridge. "We were on our way to the Sinai Peninsula when we began to pick up strange readings on the sonar."

The captain handed Reed a copy of the sonar logs from that day. "Interesting. I seem to recall there was some minor seismic activity in this area. Very interesting."

"It gets even more odder. We sent down a few divers and they found this..."

Reed looked at the photographs Pembroke passed him. Reed's mouth slightly hung open as he saw what was in front of him.

"This is..."

"Yes. We think so."

"What is it?"

Reed handed Sue the photo and saw the shocked look on her face. The picture was of rotten and dilapidated buildings, wedged in the mud on the bottom of the sea.

"I believe we have found the ruins of Atlantis."
​

 

[wiegeabo]

"Who do you work for?!"

"No one!"

***

SLAM

"Who sent you? Why did you break in here?"

"No one sent us, man. It's a damned pawn shop! They've got gold and ****!"

***

"You're employer. Give him up and I let you go."

"What the **** you talkin' about?!"

***

I drop my mask on the floor and walk into the kitchen. I open the freezer door, and stick my head inside. The cold air feels good on my skin and in my lungs. It's hard to wear the costume during a wave of unseasonal New York heat.

And turning up empty handed over the last five days since getting back into the city isn't helping either.

I know I shouldn't be beating myself up over this. What did I really expect to find so quickly? Less than a week ago, I thought the Kingpin was just a myth. Now I'm dealing with every crime, no matter how petty, as if the Kingpin himself was behind each and every one. But there's nothing to back that up. I'm going about this all wrong.

I grab some ice and pop them in a glass, putting the glass to my face. Lucky punk got in a kick when he was trashing about. Last thing I need is Foggy grilling me over another bruise.

I plop down in a chair and turn the stereo on. I change the dial until I find a sweet spot between the stations. The static helps block out the noise from the streets. Let's me relax.

I pull off my gloves. Then strip off my top. I lean back, and let the ice do its work.

I need a new plan. This is getting nowhere fast. But what else can I do? Even if I'm not finding anything directly, I'm hoping that I'm getting the word on the street. The Devil is back in town and not taking prisoners.

Of course, keeping up this pace is going to kill all my nights. If it doesn't end up killing me. But...maybe...maybe...

"Maybe there's something I can do during the day..."

 

[bkhedr]

After several moments the murky greenish waters of the pool begin to cool and become still.​

Ra's Al Ghul watches the Gorgon's lifeless body intently, anxious to know if the dark lord's gamble has paid off or if he has consigned himself to oblivion.​

He does not have to wait long before the Gorgon's dead fingers suddenly come to life and tighten their grip on his deadly blade. A second later and the now ressurected Gorgon lifts his face from the pool and rises from the water, the Grasscutter held tightly in one hand, his fatal wound, completely gone.​

"Welcome back Lord Gorgon" Ra's al Ghul says "And congratulations."​

"My thanks Lord Ghul" The Gorgon replies as he wades through the pool and steps out of it in front of Al Ghul.​

Though he looked the same as he did only moments ago Ra's al Ghul could tell that he was not. He was darker, more menacing. This was not unexpected. The Lazarus Pits often changed those who made use of their gift, as Al Ghul knew first hand, but this was different. It was as if the Gorgon had dones something while on the other side, brought something back with him. Al Ghul was considering what this could mean when the Gorgon spoke again, his voice strong and insistent.​

"And now, as our business is concluded." He says while sheathing his blade. He moves to walk past Al Ghul, towards the world outside the underground pit and his destiny but Al Ghul places a hand on his shoulder.​

"One moment." The master assasin says as he gestures towards the top of the stairs, beckoning someone in the shadows to step forward.​

"You already know my daughter Talia" He says as Talia comes into view. "Talia will be accompanying you for the time being." It was not a request.​

"You want to keep an eye on me." The Gorgon growls, obviously unimpressed​

"Of course." Al Ghul replies matter of factly "And you would do the same if you were in my place. Afterall, you are too resourceful to leave unchecked. Nonetheless I would have you consider Talia's services and companionship a gift, from me to you."​

"Why would I accept such a gift?"​

"Because I am one of the deadliest of my father's assassins." Talia says, speaking for the first time. There is a hint of disdain in her voice "And I will not be spoken of as if I am not here."​

"Talia will serve you well, and yes she will report to me, but only to insure that you and I are not at odds. Afterall we should refrain from becoming..." he pauses, looking for the right word "...adverserial for as long as possible."​

There is a long beat as the Gorgon silenty considers this.​

"Very well." He finally says before stalking up the ancient stone steps towards the surface without another world.​

Talia glances at her father, who nods, before she turns to follow. Wherever the Gorgon was headed, he was moving with purpose and something told her he wouldn't wait if she fell behind.​

​

A subway train rumbles noisily overhead and the Gorgon waits for it to pass before speaking.

Gathered around him is a large group of Hand ninja. To his right stands Talia al Ghul, her hands resting on her ample hips.

"Our time has come my warriors." The Gorgon declares as the train passes and the noise begins to fade. "Now is the time for the true Hand to rise."

A few of the red clad ninja nod in agreement but most remain deathly still, silently hanging on their master's every gesture. This is no regular gathering of Hand warriors, for these men are the deadlies, the most merciless of the ancient cult's foot soldiers. They are the most dedicated of the Hand and they have been individually chosen by the Gorgon to serve him. They are his private army. They are the Hand of the Gorgon and they have come here, to a long abandoned subway station beneath Gotham city, to do his bidding.

"This forgotten place will serve as our headquarters on this continent." He continues, spreading his arms to encompass the space around them. "Treat it as you would our ancient city. Fortify it, keep it hidden," his voice hardens "And kill any unfortunate enough to stumple upon it."

"Hail Gorgon!" The Ninja announce their reply in unison.

"Hail the Beast." The Gorgon answers back before a wave of his hand puts them in motion.

"Most impressive Gorgon." Talia al Ghul comments dryly as the Ninja silently go about the business of turning the station into a proper haven "To command such loyalty, particularly in opposition to the Elders."

"The Elders are weak" The Gorgon snorts "And these are but the first of many. Soon my warriors will be legion."

"Such confidence." Talia says with a wry smile "Why then have you not yet moved against your former masters?"

The Gorgon move impossibly fast, wrapping a powerful hand around Talia's throat and pinning her against a brick wall. Talia almost immediately shakes off her initial surprise and struggles against his grip only to find that he is far, far too strong for her.

"You do not fear me Talia Al Ghul." He growls "That is a mistake."

He tightens his grip and Talia feels her wind pipe tighten even as the ninja around them continue to go about their business, seemingly oblivious to her sudden plight. For the briefest of instances, blind panic, threatens to fill her mind, but she fights the feeling back and glares at the Gorgon with all the defiance she can muster, for she is Talia Al Ghul and she was not raised to know fear.

"You are here to serve me woman." The Gorgon says. If he's impressed by her stubborn courage he does not show it. "Do so and you will live. Continue to question me and I will rip off your head. Do you understand?"

She can tell that he is serious and Talia nods her acquiscence, though her glare does not soften. This prompts him to release her and she coughs and rubs her throat where his grip is already leaving an angry red mark.

"And how would you have me serve?" She asks, her voice raspy.

"For now I would have you show me the proper respect." He snarls before reaching for a small bracelet like device strapped to his forearm and activating it.

The device, a personal teleporter of his design, emits a bright white light that surrounds the Gorgon and as he starts to turn transluscent and fade away he gives Talia a cold look.

"I go to move against my former masters."

​

http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/0/5344/1168718-gorgon_01.jpg

 

[bkhedr]

"Damn boy scout." Tony mutters under his breath. Finally giving in to the feeling that had been dogging him through most of the afternoon.​

"Excuse me sir?" Jarvis' automated voice comes in over the speakers in the lab.​

"I said 'damn boy scout.' " Tony says with a huff as he leans back in his work chair and tosses aside the small welding tool he had been working on "I mean who the hell does he think he is questioning me? He doesn't know me."​

"Quite right sir." Jarvis' replies as Tony stalks over to one of the many bars in eye sight and starts pouring himself a drink.​

"Its not like I wasn't out there fighting, putting my ass on the line, just like he was." Tony knocks back a big gulp of brandy, emptying his glass, then immediately starts pouring another one.​

"Perhaps if you made more of an effort to-"​

"Uh-uh-uh..." Tony wags a finger, effectively silencing the AI midsentence, then downs his second drink. "Aaah. You don't get to take his side. In fact, why am I even talking to you?"​

Tony is already moving, not waiting for a response.​

"What I need is some good old fashioned human companionship." He declares as he steps onto the armoring platform and holds his arms out at his side. The platform goes to work immediately and in seconds Tony Stark is clad from head to toe in his invincible armor which still shows the marks and scars of the recent battle.​

"Sir." Jarvis says "I must remind you that the Mark 7 armor is still in need of repairs."​

"No worries Jarv." Tony replies "Won't be any aliens or monsters where I'm going."​

With that, Iron Man's boot jets kick in and propel him upward through a skylight in the ceiling that opens to admit him and automatically closes behind him.​

His HUD is suddenly filled with the night sky and the shining stars and he adjusts his flight path, abruptly halting his ascent and heading due West.​

"Vegas, here I come."​

​

Three hours ago, about an hour into his evening, Tony Stark was wondering why he ever let an old dinosaur like Captain America get under his skin.

An hour ago Tony Stark forgot all about Captain America.

"You know what Alexis? Its Alexis right?" He says to one of the beautiful women draped over his shoulders.

"Actually its Cind-"

"It doesn't matter." He cuts her off and holds a pair of red dice up to her lips "Blow please."

The woman knows better than to waste her time trying to correct him and she dutifully blows on the dice before he flings them down the table.

The gathered crowd of socialites, reporters, holidaymakers and business elites let out a roar of approval as the dealer declares that Stark has won again and the girl behind his other shoulder, the one standing next to Cindy, bends over and gives him a congratulatory kiss on the cheek.

"Anyway the thing is.." Tony continues, talking to Cindy, but speaking loud enough for all to hear "The thing is, saving the world is stressful work."

A waitress walks by and replaces the empty glass in front of Stark with a full one

"Mmm. Thanks sweetie" He takes a big gulp, emptying half the glass "And the way I see it anyone who saves the world, or you know, at least D.C. ought to have earned a party."

This statement is met with more enthusiatic cheering from all around the casino floor. Las Vegas may be a city of many stars but its not everyday Iron Man gambles on the general floor with all the normal people and he's attracting a huge crowd that keeps growing by the minute.

"So I say..." he pauses, relishing how they hang on his every word "...drinks are on me!!"

The crowd goes wild and Tony is promptly showered with pats on the shoulder and kisses on both cheeks. He grins widely, letting their joy wash over him and is about to say something else when gunfire suddenly fills the air.
​