The Brand New And Improved "Heroes vs. Villains: Marvel" RPG

[Spider-Man9X17]

"No answer."

"Ok. We gotta go. Like, yesterday."

"Just the three of us? Against Thor. Shouldn't we call for Loki?"

Hawkeye's stare hardened.

"Loki is behind this."

"What?! How do you know?"

"My gut."

Mockingbird banked the Quinjet west.

"Then that's two angry, crazy gods you want to run headlong into battle with?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"And this seems like a good idea to you?"

"No, but it's the only option we have right now."

"Running blind into battle. At least it feels familiar."

"Bad day to stop sniffing glue, huh?"

"What?"

"Nothing."

 

[TrueMastermind]

"Wait, so you want to form a superhero team consisting of us?" Teddy Altman, a long blond, looked at Iron Lad with much curosity.

"That's the plan."

"I know I'm techinally not supposed to be apart of this whole shabang, but why us?

"That's kinda what I want to know," Shifting his eyes from Teddy, Billy Kaplan, and Eli, Iron Lad was kinda lost for words. Yes, the Vision had them programmed in his plans, but why them? There was sure to be thousands of metahuman teenagers scattered across the planent, hell, even New York.

"Umm, to put it simply, I was told to recruit you all."

"By who?" Patriot's beady eyes swirled with excitement, yet anxiety over what was occuring around him. It was hard to imagine anybody could have a joyous mood in the dreary warehouse they stood in, but here was this confident young adult, bouncing at the fact he could get to be a hero.

"A robot actually. Former member of the Avengers, he said he was. Said to me that we would be the next generation of Earth's Mightiest. Called himself the Vision."

"The Vision?!" Eyes wide with child-like amazement, the trio chanted his name simultaneously in an effort to show their already obvious shock.

"But wait a second...I thought he was like chopped in half or something..."

"Yea, he was, but a holographic image of himself told me how to rebuild him. After a fight with some squareheaded crook, we got seperated."

"But anyway...what are we gonna call ourselves?" Switching his expression from blank to confused, Iron Lad turned his attention towards his supersoldier acquaintance.

"What do you mean?"

"All superhero teams gotta have a name and so does it's members," He turns to Billy and Teddy, "He's Iron Lad, and I'm Patriot, what about y'all?"

"I'm going to be...Hulkling!" As if expecting positive feedback on his new codename, Teddy makes some kind of strange hand movement that causes Wiccan to let out a small giggle.

"Oh...and I'm going to be...let's see...the...Asgardian!"

Maybe it was the way he said, maybe it was just the natural innuendo that comes with the word, but everbody execpt "Asgardian" burst out in laughter.

 

[bkhedr]

​

The Thunderer gathered what little remained of Iron Man's armor, and was about to leave the scene when something gave him pause. The Odinson did not know if it was an old memory or a deception attempted by his foes, but he suddenly found images of fighting alongside Stark flashing in his mind's eye and for a moment as he stared into the broken breast plate he now held, he wondered whether Iron Man had ever truly been his foe.

The Odinson racked his brain then, searching for certainty, but the very act of reflecting upon his past gave him a headache and he found it difficult to think, to reason.

He cursed inwardly and threw the chest plate to the ground. What was wrong with him? Why could he not remember?

The sonic boom of an Avengers quinjet passing overhead roused him from his thoughts and momentarily banished his doubts.

His enemies were upon him, much to their regret.

Taking to the air, the Odinson called upon the lightning which struck one of the quinjets engines and sent the ship into a uncontrolled nose dive.
​

 

[bkhedr]

I sit up in my bed, suddenly wide awake, and sniff the air. At first nothing smells out of the ordinary, nothing seems off. Arclight is sleeping soundly beside me and a quick glance at the readout on the wall tells me that the security system is online and hasn't been breached.

I don't for a moment consider going back to sleep. Something woke me up. A sound, a smell, a feeling, something, a more...civilized man might just chalk it up to the floor settling, or a dream, but I know better. I know to trust my instincts.

Leaving Arclight undisturbed, I slip from the bed and move to the large bedroom windows which I fling open. Its like opening a flood gate. The sounds and smells of the night air slam into me as they rush into the room and I close my eyes and drink it all in in silence for a moment.

I'm aware of the scowl working its way onto my face even before I'm consciously aware of the scent that's causing it, but I hone in on that scent, push everything else aside and know that I was right to get out of bed.

Deep down inside me an animal roars, announcing its rage at this intrusion of its space. It claws at me, making me see red, pumping adrenaline through my veins, willing me to action, but I keep myself calm, keep the animal in check, and as if to prove it, I thrown a pair of faded blue jeans, concealing my nakedness and winning one small moral victory for the man over the animal before I leap from the window, bounding upwards on to the roof of the estate.

I scan the darkness, looking for my foe, and see nothing, but he's here, I can smell him, so I straighten up to my full height, giving him a target too big to miss and let him know that I know he's here.

"Might as well come out Murdock. I know you're there."

 

[Spider-Man9X17]

Mockingbird yelped as the left wing on the Quinjet exploded, bracing her face against impact as they lurched uncontrollably toward the ground below.

"Is this part of your plan?"

"It is now."

Hawkeye grabbed the controls, watching as the ground below rushed ever closer. Out of the corner of his eye, he kept a lock on the Thunderer.

"Hold on tight...er."

At the last second, he threw the stick as hard as he could to the right, shifting the flaps just enough to move the disabled jet and put Thor right in the middle of its path to the ground. With no time to react, the Quinjet slammed into Thor, driving him to the ground along with it and the three Avengers inside. The jet hit nose first, driving Thor deep into the crater created by the impact, snapping in two as the separate pieces bounded head over heel in opposite directions.

"Everyone ok?" Hawkeye groaned as the cockpit came to a rest.

"No."

"Bobbi?"

Hawkeye pulled himself up to his hands and knees, wiping a trail of blood from his eyes. Mockingbird's body lay silhouetted a few feet away. Mustering all of his energy, he crawled over to her, pulling her into his arms.

Her body felt limp, her breathing shallow, almost non-existant. He ran his hand along her body, and felt the hunk of metal gouged under her rib cage.

"Babe..."

"Oh god. Bobbi, hold on, hun. It's...it's not too bad. Just hold on. Tony'll fix it. We just gotta grab Tony."

"Love you, Clint."

Hawkeye felt the hair on his arms stand on end as the air around them charged. He gently put Bobbi down, standing to face the God of Thunder who was bearing down on the trio.

"If she dies," he snarled, "so do you."

 

[Spike_x1]

As the Leader and Bruce Banner discussed current events, the Red Hulk landed far out in the middle of the desert after a particularly strong leap. Looking around him to make certain of his solitude, Rulk could see nothing but rocks, dirt, and a clear blue sky overhead.

"Sterns-Alpha-Nine-Freehold: Activate."

As he spoke the password to the Leader's hidden lair, located under his very feet, the crimson Hulk braced himself for the coming barrage of defenses. He knew that speaking the password aloud would get the attention of the secret base's automated systems that were ordinarily in sleep mode, but the fact that his voiceprint didn't match up with that of the Leader himself meant that an intruder alert would be sounded by the base. Laser and machine guns suddenly sprang out from their hidden emplacements under the sand and commenced fire on the Incredible Rulk.

While the shots weren't injuring him, the blasts from the Leader's advanced weapons didn't exactly feel like soothing backrubs. He needed to get out of the line of fire, and because the camouflaged doors to the base weren't going to open for him, and because they were designed to withstand the strength of the Green Hulk, Rulk's plan actually did call for the activation of the automated defenses. Once he was inside, he would be able to manually deactivate the voiceprint identification safeties. It would be a little rough getting in, as well as damaging to one of the gun turrets, but it was for a good cause. In a flash, he at the nearest turret and crushing the gun barrel.

Now to make an opening...

The sound of wrenching metal echoed through the desert as the Red Hulk began ripping the gun turret and its cables out of the ground, creating a path of torn earth leading underground to the Leader's lair. That's when he realized that none of the other gun turrets were firing anymore. Looking up to see what had caused them to stop their attack, Rulk was met only with the fist of a very angry green haired psychiatrist.

Sent backwards by the force of Samson's punch, Rulk's body plowed a larged trench into the earth. Wiping his bloody nose, the monster stood up and looked at the smaller man in front of him.

The doctor had obviously destroyed the remaining guns while Rulk had been occupied. While Samson was not as strong as the Red Hulk, his fighting skill did a lot to compensate and Rulk knew that the doctor was not to be underestimated in a physical confrontation.

"It took me a while to catch up to you, but your destructive leaps weren't difficult to follow. I usually try not to get involved in fist fights when I don't have to, but you destroyed my Avengers communicator, unfortunately." Samson crouched into a fighting stance and readied himself for the behemoth's inevitable attack. "You caught me by surprise before. That won't happen again."

"We shall see," growled the Red Hulk as he jumped towards Samson, ready to put the self-righteous doctor down for good.

The force of the two combatants' blows shook the earth and served to dig them both even deeper into the loosened dirt from the Red Hulk's planned entranceway into the Leader's underground base. To Leonard Samson's dismay, this did little to help his chances in the fight. While out in the open space of the desert, above ground, Samson had at least stood some small chance. He had plenty of room to outmaneuver his larger opponent until they buried themselves, leaving the doctor without any advantage at all. His only hope would be that their fistfight would take them far enough under the ground to hit the outer layer of the Leader's headquarters, before it was too late. Maybe then they'd break into it and there would hopefully be enough room for Samson to get away from the crimson monster and catch his breath.

Sure enough, after what seemed like an eternity to him, Samson's head was smashed into what was definitely metal plating. Ugh! Finally! Feels like this creep has been forcefeeding me rocks and dirt for the past ten minutes! Len wouldn't remember the next few moments, after things went black as the Red Hulk used his enemy's green-haired head as a battering ram, breaking downward into the metal hull of the buried base. Of course, several tons of earth followed Rulk and Samson down through the hole in the ceiling before the breach automatically sealed itself up.

Coughing up a few grains of sand that he had swallowed, the Red Hulk opened his eyes and squinted at the automated lighting of the high tech laboratory. Standing up, he was tempted to kick the limp and unconscious body of Doc Samson at his feet, but instead proceeded to the equipment he needed to undergo the procedure to extract the Leader from Bruce Banner's subconscious.

**********​

Sterns is so smug, I wish I could kick the snot out of him here and now. Except... physical violence is an entirely pointless undertaking here in the deep recesses of my mind.

[BLACKOUT]"Relax, Banner. This is a win-win scenario for you and I. I return to the world of the living, and you will no longer have to worry about the Red Hulk and I being stuck in your brain. Everybody gets to go home happy."[/BLACKOUT]

"It's the 'you returning to life' part that has me worried. And speaking of the Red Hulk," I continue, "what will happen to him when this is over? You say that he won't stay in me, and I don't imagine that you want something like him in your brain. So, is he supposed to simply fade away into nothingness when you're removed from my mind?"

Whatever he's planning, God help us all.

 

[bkhedr]

Mockingbird yelped as the left wing on the Quinjet exploded, bracing her face against impact as they lurched uncontrollably toward the ground below.

"Is this part of your plan?"

"It is now."

Hawkeye grabbed the controls, watching as the ground below rushed ever closer. Out of the corner of his eye, he kept a lock on the Thunderer.

"Hold on tight...er."

At the last second, he threw the stick as hard as he could to the right, shifting the flaps just enough to move the disabled jet and put Thor right in the middle of its path to the ground. With no time to react, the Quinjet slammed into Thor, driving him to the ground along with it and the three Avengers inside. The jet hit nose first, driving Thor deep into the crater created by the impact, snapping in two as the separate pieces bounded head over heel in opposite directions.

"Everyone ok?" Hawkeye groaned as the cockpit came to a rest.

"No."

"Bobbi?"

Hawkeye pulled himself up to his hands and knees, wiping a trail of blood from his eyes. Mockingbird's body lay silhouetted a few feet away. Mustering all of his energy, he crawled over to her, pulling her into his arms.

Her body felt limp, her breathing shallow, almost non-existant. He ran his hand along her body, and felt the hunk of metal gouged under her rib cage.

"Babe..."

"Oh god. Bobbi, hold on, hun. It's...it's not too bad. Just hold on. Tony'll fix it. We just gotta grab Tony."

"Love you, Clint."

Hawkeye felt the hair on his arms stand on end as the air around them charged. He gently put Bobbi down, standing to face the God of Thunder who was bearing down on the trio.

"If she dies," he snarled, "so do you."

​

The Thunderer's keen eyes scanned the scene of devastation and when his sight fell upon the injured Mockingbird his features softened, sadness playing across his face.

"I..." he stammered "I did not mean to..."

Then his features hardened once more, as if some giant switch had been thrown in his mind and he formed a fist and brandished it angrily in the direction of the two Avengers left standing.

"Traitorous mortals!" he growled "This is your fault! You challenged the Gods, sided with my enemy. YOU forced my hand and now you DARE to threaten ME?"

Lightning crackled and sparked from the Thunderer's eyes and hammer as he spoke.

"Well now you will pay for what you have done! Now you will feel the righteous wrath of THOR!" he declared as he loosed his mystical mallet in their direction.
​

 

[Andy C.]

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for an important news bulletin.

Earlier today, a series of bombings across Latveria and in New York City dealt a devastating blow to the international security force SHIELD. Believed to have been reprisals from Latverian loyalist sects for the capture of Victor Von Doom, the bombings have all but crippled the SHIELD Helicarrier fleet, killing hundreds if not thousands of soldiers, and more alarmingly, disabled SHIELD HQ in New York.

After hours of desperately trying to combat fires and get trapped soldiers to safety, Director Maria Hill was found alive, but in a comatose state. Her exact condition is currently unknown but believed to be critical. Several other high-ranking SHIELD officers are still missing, and many more incapacitated.

Upon the onset of the attacks, the armored hero known as the Iron Patriot assumed temporary command of the organization until a higher-ranking officer could be found. As he was the one who defeated and captured the infamous Doctor Doom, many are saying that these attacks are in some way his responsibility.

We now go live to Washington DC, where the Iron Patriot is preparing to speak.

"My fellow Americans," the Patriot began, "the events that have transpired today can be described as nothing short of an act of absolute evil, a cowardly gesture that has taken the lives of some of the bravest men and women the world has to offer. I ask that all of you join us in remembering those who were lost today, and to keep their families and friends in your thoughts in the days to come. As we speak, the Air Force is conducting a series of sweeping air raids across Latveria to destroy the last remaining outposts of the loyalist forces. The occupation of the country should be over by the end of this week."

"I have been in constant contact with the President and the Joint Chiefs of Staff about what our next course of action should be, and we have reached a decision. SHIELD can no longer continue its present course, as peacekeepers leaving themselves vulnerable to attack from all fronts. The organization was created to protect the free world from extraordinary circumstances, and that is precisely what it will do again."

"One must also wonder, if such an organization is going to exist in a world where the miraculous has become commonplace, then why does it still rely on assistance from outside sources so heavily? And more importantly, where are those sources when they are truly needed? Where were the Fantastic Four today, when SHIELD soldiers were fighting for their lives? Where were the X-Men? Where were the Avengers, of all people?"

"I'll tell you where the Avengers were: fighting among themselves. Traveling the world to collect magic rocks. They were prepared to leave all of Atlantis to the whims of Victor Von Doom had I not intervened. Had they finished what they started with Doom and not ran off to find another stone, then perhaps SHIELD's presence in Latveria would not have been needed at all. Hundreds of people lost their lives today because Earth's Mightiest were too busy being wrapped up in their own personal squabbles. And that is simply unacceptable."

"After communicating with the White House, we have reached a decision on how this force will conduct its business: we will re-organize SHIELD into a streamlined unit, capable of striking anywhere in the world, and disabling even the most powerful of targets. We will enforce any and all laws regarding the illegality of vigilante action, and hold heroes and villains alike accountable for the damage they cause and the people they hurt."

"I've heard it said that 'with great power comes great responsibility,' and I believe it is time that the irresponsible members of the super-hero community took that to heart. The new SHIELD will see to that. And as its new Director, I will see to that personally."

The crowd of press began to murmur uncomfortably, many wanting to ask questions but too afraid to speak up.

"I know the vast majority of Americans won't approve of trusting their national security to a man who hides behind a mask, and so I believe the time has come to make my identity known. I have been hesitant to do this so far, because of the haunting stigma that comes with my name and the actions of my son, but the world deserves to know who it is that will be keeping them safe."

The Iron Patriot opened up his helmet and set it aside. The room buzzed with speculation over who it could be under that armor...then fell into a deathly silence when they realized who it was.

"My name is Norman Osborn, and until further notice, I am the new Director of SHIELD."

 

[Spider-Man9X17]

edit

 

[Spider-Man9X17]

Captain America hurled himself, shield raised, between Hawkeye and the Mjolnir. The hammer slammed into the vibranium disc with skull-shattering force.

Bucky let out a sigh of relief as he felt the energy disapate through the shield, just as he heard it was supposed to. He rolled harmlessly to the ground, thankful to have dodged the first bullet, and knowing he probably would not make it out of the way of the next.

Cap leapt to his feet, marching over to the hammer as Thor picked it up from the ground. He sensed the hesitation in the god earlier. He knew it could be a powerful weapon if it was exploited.

"You don't want to do this," he said, nose to nose with Thor. "You are a warrior, one of the legendary Norse gods. This is not the battle you seek. You don’t want to let that young woman die. It’s not your way. There is no honor down that path.”

Thor looked down at the new Star Spangled Avenger.

“Thanks.”

-

Hawkeye watched as Cap caught Thor’s attention, making sure he was still unseen, and then went back to the work at hand, digging through the crumpled chest piece of Tony’s armor. He had hidden Bobbi in a thick patch of brush after doing his best to slow her bleeding.

“C’mon, c’mon. I know what makes you tick. Where is it?”

As if answering his call, his hand brushed over the glowing Asgardian jewel. Small fragments lay scattered around the main part of the crystal, the result of Thor’s crushing hands. Hawkeye tucked the main piece into his belt as he pulled out a specialized arrow head, packed at the base with an explosive and hollow at the tip. He filled the hollow portion with the crystal shards before placing back on its explosive base and attaching it to an empty arrow shaft. He still had no idea where Tony was, and Bobbi’s time was running out.

“THOR!”

“Last chance.”

 

[Byrd Man]

The Mandarin grabbed Stark by the throat, lifting Stark off the ground as he stood up. He brought Stark's face close to his own, "is that the best you can do, Stark?" then he thrust out his hand, sending Stark flying a hundred feet, and then tumbling and rolling a hundred more, only stopping when he rolled into a tree.

I stumble up, leaning on the tree that I slammed into.

"I could really use a drink right about now."

Mandarin creeps towards me, walking with self-assurance. I reach up and yank a branch off of the tree.

"C'mon, then!"

I rush Mandarin, swinging the branch wildly. The tree limb cracks against Mandarin's face and shatters. The scary looking Asian man stares me down, unharmed by the branch.

"So...yeah, nice weather we're having."

Mandarin grabs me around the neck and tosses me through the air. I land hard on the ground next to the boulder the villain displaced on the ground with his rings underneath.

That's the key. Mandarin's rings.

 

[Byrd Man]

​

I sit up in my bed, suddenly wide awake, and sniff the air. At first nothing smells out of the ordinary, nothing seems off. Arclight is sleeping soundly beside me and a quick glance at the readout on the wall tells me that the security system is online and hasn't been breached.

I don't for a moment consider going back to sleep. Something woke me up. A sound, a smell, a feeling, something, a more...civilized man might just chalk it up to the floor settling, or a dream, but I know better. I know to trust my instincts.


Leaving Arclight undisturbed, I slip from the bed and move to the large bedroom windows which I fling open. Its like opening a flood gate. The sounds and smells of the night air slam into me as they rush into the room and I close my eyes and drink it all in in silence for a moment.

I'm aware of the scowl working its way onto my face even before I'm consciously aware of the scent that's causing it, but I hone in on that scent, push everything else aside and know that I was right to get out of bed.

Deep down inside me an animal roars, announcing its rage at this intrusion of its space. It claws at me, making me see red, pumping adrenaline through my veins, willing me to action, but I keep myself calm, keep the animal in check, and as if to prove it, I thrown a pair of faded blue jeans, concealing my nakedness and winning one small moral victory for the man over the animal before I leap from the window, bounding upwards on to the roof of the estate.

I scan the darkness, looking for my foe, and see nothing, but he's here, I can smell him, so I straighten up to my full height, giving him a target too big to miss and let him know that I know he's here.

"Might as well come out Murdock. I know you're there."

"Sabretooth," I growl as I come out of the shadows.

"You made your play, manipulated, backstabbed, and got what you wanted. The whole world knows who I am, and I'll more than likely go to jail for what I've done in my past. With my absence, Hell's Kitchen will be without a protector and ripe for the taking."

"You broke the truce. I plan on ending this tonight!"

My billy club whistles through the air as I swing it hard, aiming towards the raspy exhales coming out of Sabretooth's mouth.

 

[MichaelChen]

The Mandarin grabbed Stark by the throat and lifted him off the ground, bringing Stark's face close to his own.

Stark's face was black and blue, and bleeding from a dozen scratches.

"You fight like a girl, Stark! Perhaps I should treat you like a girl?" growled the Mandarin, then he licked the blood off a cut on Stark's forehead. Then he tossed Stark to the ground.

Stark immediately began to run away. The Mandarin laughed and kicked him in the back of the knee, dislocating it with a crunch sound. Stark crawled frantically around a boulder, trying to keep the boulder between himself and the Mandarin. The Mandarin laughed and chased him, punching chunks out of the boulder as he did so. Soon he would either catch up with Stark, or there would no longer be a boulder for Stark to hide behind. The Mandarin didn't care which came first, all that mattered was the incredible fun he was having, and that Stark would soon be dead!

"Is that all, Stark? Tony Stark, the champion of civilization, running and hiding behind a rock?? Is that all?? The great Stark, peerless kight of progress, is that the best you can do? Is that allll? Iron Man, the great warrior of the west, is that alll?" the Mandarin laughed boomingly, his punches shattering chunk after chunk of the boulder in a spray of shrapnel!
"IS THAT ALL, STARK?? IS THAT ALL?? IS THAT ALLLLLLLL?????????"

 

[Byrd Man]

The Mandarin grabbed Stark by the throat and lifted him off the ground, bringing Stark's face close to his own.

Stark's face was black and blue, and bleeding from a dozen scratches.

"You fight like a girl, Stark! Perhaps I should treat you like a girl?" growled the Mandarin, then he licked the blood off a cut on Stark's forehead. Then he tossed Stark to the ground.

Stark immediately began to run away. The Mandarin laughed and kicked him in the back of the knee, dislocating it with a crunch sound. Stark crawled frantically around a boulder, trying to keep the boulder between himself and the Mandarin. The Mandarin laughed and chased him, punching chunks out of the boulder as he did so. Soon he would either catch up with Stark, or there would no longer be a boulder for Stark to hide behind. The Mandarin didn't care which came first, all that mattered was the incredible fun he was having, and that Stark would soon be dead!

"Is that all, Stark? Tony Stark, the champion of civilization, running and hiding behind a rock?? Is that all?? The great Stark, peerless kight of progress, is that the best you can do? Is that allll? Iron Man, the great warrior of the west, is that alll?" the Mandarin laughed boomingly, his punches shattering chunk after chunk of the boulder in a spray of shrapnel!
"IS THAT ALL, STARK?? IS THAT ALL??

Mandarin lifts up the boulder I'm hiding behind and tosses it aside.

IS THAT ALLLLLLLL?????????"

"No, actually. I can always do this."

I roll on the ground, slipping on one of Mandarin's rings that was trapped under the massive rock. Aiming the ring at Mandarin, I hit him dead in the chest with an energy blast. He flies through the air and lands hard on the ground.

"Also, seriously dude, what's with all the shouting? If your evil plan was to make me deaf, it's working."

 

[MichaelChen]

The Mandarin staggered to his feet, only to find that Stark had used the few moments he'd been down to put on several more of the Mandarin's rings.

"Honorless dog!" he roared, "you dare use my own rings against-" he never got to finish, Stark blasted him with eight rings at once.

The Mandarin pushed forward into the blast, and with the last of his strength he karate-chopped Stark in the shoulder, his hand burying itself in Stark's shoulder like an axe-blade. Then the Mandarin's eyes went glassy and rolled back into his head. The Mandarin collapsed on top of Stark, his chest reduced to a smoking ruin with a hole big enough to fit a basketball in.

The Mandarin, conqueror, warrior, and the great enemy of civilization, was dead at last.

 

[Byrd Man]

The Mandarin staggered to his feet, only to find that Stark had used the few moments he'd been down to put on several more of the Mandarin's rings.

"Honorless dog!" he roared, "you dare use my own rings against-" he never got to finish, Stark blasted him with eight rings at once.

The Mandarin pushed forward into the blast, and with the last of his strength he karate-chopped Stark in the shoulder, his hand burying itself in Stark's shoulder like an axe-blade. Then the Mandarin's eyes went glassy and rolled back into his head. The Mandarin collapsed on top of Stark, his chest reduced to a smoking ruin with a hole big enough to fit a basketball in.

The Mandarin, conqueror, warrior, and the great enemy of civilization, was dead at last.

I roll Mandarin's smoking body away from me and sit up. With the rings still on my hands, I stand up and look over his dead body.

I have no idea where the Avengers are, Thor is still acting loopy as far as I know, and I just accidentally killed the Mandarin.

Sitting back down next to his body, I pat Mandarin's lifeless shoulder.

"Never thought it'd end like this, huh? Well, you'll be back....They always come back."

Although I was stripped of my armor, the one-way communicator in my ear is still intact.

"Iron Man to the Avengers. I don't know what my twenty is, but I could use a lift."

 

[Spider-Man9X17]

Edit

 

[Spider-Man9X17]

"Iron Man to the Avengers. I don't know what my twenty is, but I could use a lift."

"Finally, some good news."

Hawkeye hit a button on his belt. Somewhere close, in the wreakage of the Quinjet, a concealed armor case hissed open

"Tony, sit tight. I activated your back up armor. It's headed your way now. I need you to do me a favor though. Lock onto Bobbi's GPS and help her first. Please. We'll tie up the loose ends here."

Hawkeye ended the transmission and stared down the shaft of his arrow at Thor. He knew he had no time for another ultimatum, or any hesitation.

He pulled back a little tighter on his bow string, then felt his fingers relax as he grip on the taught line loosened...

 

[Byrd Man]

​

"Finally, some good news."

Hawkeye hit a button on his belt. Somewhere close, in the wreakage of the Quinjet, a concealed armor case hissed open

"Tony, sit tight. I activated your back up armor. It's headed your way now. I need you to do me a favor though. Lock onto Bobbi's GPS and help her first. Please. We'll tie up the loose ends here."

Hawkeye ended the transmission and stared down the shaft of his arrow at Thor. He knew he had no time for another ultimatum, or any hesitation.

He pulled back a little tighter on his bow string, then felt his fingers relax as he grip on the taught line loosened...

"Thanks for the assist, Clint," I chirp back into my earwig. "You're like the John Stockton of the Avengers Hall of Fame."

The steady whine of jet engines fills the air. My backup armor hovers above the ground and lands with a dull thud.

Crap. I forgot which armor I had in reserve.

Prototype 1610 aka "The Iron Lizard." A pet project that I tinkered on awhile back and never was quite satisfied with the results. Whatever the case may be, it fills my needs right now.

Slipping off Mandarin's rings and placing them into my palm, I slip the armor on and store the rings inside the armor.

"Begin boot-up."

Shields, propulsion, weapons all at 100%. Awaiting confirmation....

"Alright, let's do it to it. We got a foxy lady in need of rescue."

I blast up into the air, tearing through the sound barrier before I get up over the treeline.

"Iron Man to Hawkeye. I am en route. I may look a bit funky, but I can get the job done."

Ripping through the air, I blast over the fight with Thor and come to a skidding stop next to Mockingbird.

"You still with me, Bobbi?"

"Tony? I must be about to die, because you look like an iguana."

"Way to diss your knight in shining armor. Just lay still, save your strength. We'll get you patched up."

My HUD runs a diagnosis of Bobbi. A punctured sternum and stomach, internal bleeding. The stomach, while a vital organ, won't cause death as soon as a punctured lung or heart. The danger lies in the stomach acid that seeps out of the hole. The acid is powerful enough to eat the other organs in ten or fifteen minutes.

"Computer. Map the closest hospital in the area. A hospital able to treat Mockingbird's wounds efficiently."

The computer shows me four hospitals in the two hundred mile radius.

"Damn, alright. Iron Man to Avengers. I'm going to have to get Mockingbird out of here. Just follow my twenty on the GPS."

Scooping Bobby into my arms, I blast off the ground and take to the skies.

 

[bkhedr]

​

The Thunderer said nothing as the armored avenger streaked away. Indeed he had said nothing since his confrontation with Captain America, for something had changed. It was in the air, on the wind. He could feel it coursing through the dirt beneath his feet.

Something in the world had changed. Something far more significant than the battle now taking place in China.

All at once the the Odinson screamed. A long and blood curdling cry that sent the birds and animals of the forest fleeing and brought a cringe to the bravest of mortals.

For an instant it appeared as if Thor was glowing in some unearthly light, and more, as if something, some part of him, was being violently extracted under the harshness of that light. But before any of the witness could identify what they were seeing with any certainty the light was gone and Thor, smoking and smouldering, collapsed to his knees with shoulders slumped.

"Father." He whispered with his head bowed "What have I done?"

He raised his head and his fellow Avengers saw not only remorse and guilt, but clarity as well. A clarity that had not been there before, a clarity that quickly turned to anger, palpable and frightening, as Thor rose to his feet and hoisted his mighty mallet.

"Loki" he hissed as he looked far to the East, past the pacific ocean, not knowing that his senses were drawing his attention to an obscure town in Oklahama.

Loki had betrayed him. She had collected the Norn Stones in secret, made him into a pawn, a weapon, of the Mandarin, turned him against his fellow Avengers. Now she had stolen his birth right, the Odinpower, ripping it from him with the power of the norns and with sorcery most black and foul.

She would pay and pay dearly for what she had wrought. This he did swear to his father Odin as he began to spin Mjolnir wildly about, creating a vortex of wind that quickly solidified into a wind tunnel that encompassed his whole form.

In the instant before he vanished, he made eye contact with Hawkeye

"Tell Bobbi and Tony that I am sorry." he said, shouting to be heard over the vortex "Tell them I will make amends for my sins."

Then he was gone, swallowed up by the howling wind which dissipated as quickly as it had formed.
​

*****​

Broxton, Oklahoma​

​

Lighting streaks the sky, angry, primal and unfettered. A single bolt makes land fall singing the Earth and depositing Thor, God of Thunder, a mere 80 yards from he who once before and now is once more his brother.

"Loki" The thunderer spat the name as raised Mklnor and braced himself for combat "Give me the stones."​

 

[bkhedr]

"Sabretooth," I growl as I come out of the shadows.

"You made your play, manipulated, backstabbed, and got what you wanted. The whole world knows who I am, and I'll more than likely go to jail for what I've done in my past. With my absence, Hell's Kitchen will be without a protector and ripe for the taking."

"You broke the truce. I plan on ending this tonight!"

My billy club whistles through the air as I swing it hard, aiming towards the raspy exhales coming out of Sabretooth's mouth.

​

"Nice throw." I say, flashing a smile before I bat the club aside with an open hand. "But your angry, careless. You telegraphed it."

I race towards him as I talk, my bare feet slapping the stone tiles on the rooftop.

I slash at him and he ducks but I still manage to graze him, cutting his costume and leaving red marks on his flank, but not drawing any blood.

"You're in my home Daredevil!" I snarl as I press my attack, keeping him on the defensive "Attacking me in the middle of the night, and you accuse me of breaking the truce?"

He punches me hard in the chest but I power through it and hook him with my arm then slam him onto the tiled roof.

"You've got alot of nerve."​

 

[Byrd Man]

​

"Nice throw." I say, flashing a smile before I bat the club aside with an open hand. "But your angry, careless. You telegraphed it."

I race towards him as I talk, my bare feet slapping the stone tiles on the rooftop.

I slash at him and he ducks but I still manage to graze him, cutting his costume and leaving red marks on his flank, but not drawing any blood.

"You're in my home Daredevil!" I snarl as I press my attack, keeping him on the defensive "Attacking me in the middle of the night, and you accuse me of breaking the truce?"

He punches me hard in the chest but I power through it and hook him with my arm then slam him onto the tiled roof.

"You've got alot of nerve."​

"Who else could have leaked my identity to the press?" I growl as I roll away from Sabretooth's incoming blow.

"You had the motive, to get me out of the way."

His claws whistle through the air. I handspring away from the strike.

"You had the opportunity. I spilled quiet a bit of blood the other week when we fought Carnage."

Slapping out my spare billy club, I crack Sabretooth's skull with a resounding pop.

"And, now that you're the kingpin, you had the means. There's no telling who all you have on your payroll. Cops, lawyers, reporters. It was you, Sabretooth. Who else?"

 

[Spider-Man9X17]

Hawkeye and Captain America burst into the emergency room waiting room to a startled reaction from the gathered crowd. There was no time for a wardrobe change, or any degree of discretion. Hawkeye's first and foremost concern was his wife. Once he made sure she was safe and secure, they had to be ready in an instance to go find Thor.

"An armored man brought a woman in here? Where are they?"

The nurse on duty began spouting something off in quick spoken Chinese.

"English?!"

The nurse shook her head.

"Dammit."

Hawkeye turned to Cap.

"How's your Chinese?"

"Nowhere near as good as my Japanese."

"Hawkeye!"

Hawkeye turned. Iron Man, still in full armor, was motioning for the two from a set of sliding doors on the other side of the waiting room.

"How is she?"

"She's in recovery. Got to her in time before any real damage was done. Her biggest problem is gonna be some soreness and a pretty big scar."

-

Bobbi was wheeled into a private room 45 minutes later. Her tattered costume lay folded on a nearby chair.

"Hey babe," she whispered as Hawkeye knelt beside her bed, kissing her on the cheek. "Close call."

Hawkeye nodded.

"You gotta quit doing that to me."

"Keeps the spark." She looked up to Iron Man and Cap standing in the doorway. "Where's Thor?"

"Somewhere alone and probably in over his head."

"Then we have to go after him."

Hawkeye shook his head feverently.

"I'm gonna get you home. Plenty of bed rest for you."

"Like hell. Little scratch isn't gonna keep me from my duties."

"I'm not letting you risk this. I'm not losing you. I can't lose you."

"And I'm not letting you run into this battle alone.”

“Barbara Cameron Barton…”

Hawkeye stopped as the pulse monitor at Bobbi’s bedside began to beep faster. It wasn’t going to do him any good to try and keep her safe if he was just going to irritate her anyway. He turned to the two people standing in the doorway.

“Fellas, any help?”

 

[bkhedr]

"Who else could have leaked my identity to the press?" I growl as I roll away from Sabretooth's incoming blow.

"You had the motive, to get me out of the way."

His claws whistle through the air. I handspring away from the strike.

"You had the opportunity. I spilled quiet a bit of blood the other week when we fought Carnage."

Slapping out my spare billy club, I crack Sabretooth's skull with a resounding pop.

"And, now that you're the kingpin, you had the means. There's no telling who all you have on your payroll. Cops, lawyers, reporters. It was you, Sabretooth. Who else?"

​

I recoil while clutching my head then let out a low guttural chuckle in the darkness as I pull my hand from my scalp and it comes away warm and sticky with blood.

"You know what Murdock? I was gonna let you think someone else had given you up. It was actually an idea of an associate of mine to do it. Let you think someone else had messed with ya, let ya go to jail wonderin' who it is. Hell I was even gonna offer to protect your people and your head after the cops come for ya. But where's the fun in that?"

"You want a fight, and lets be honest, I want one too, so let's go Daredevil, lets see if you've got what it takes to hang with ol' Sabretooth!" I growl as I lunge at him and try to slash out his throat.​

 

[Byrd Man]

Bobbi was wheeled into a private room 45 minutes later. Her tattered costume lay folded on a nearby chair.

"Hey babe," she whispered as Hawkeye knelt beside her bed, kissing her on the cheek. "Close call."

Hawkeye nodded.

"You gotta quit doing that to me."

"Keeps the spark." She looked up to Iron Man and Cap standing in the doorway. "Where's Thor?"

"Somewhere alone and probably in over his head."

"Then we have to go after him."

Hawkeye shook his head feverently.

"I'm gonna get you home. Plenty of bed rest for you."

"Like hell. Little scratch isn't gonna keep me from my duties."

"I'm not letting you risk this. I'm not losing you. I can't lose you."

"And I'm not letting you run into this battle alone.”

“Barbara Cameron Barton…”

Hawkeye stopped as the pulse monitor at Bobbi’s bedside began to beep faster. It wasn’t going to do him any good to try and keep her safe if he was just going to irritate her anyway. He turned to the two people standing in the doorway.

“Fellas, any help?”

I flip open my faceplate and nod.

"He's right, Bobbi. Whatever Thor is up against, a battered and bruised Mockingbird isn't going to help."

She narrows her eyes and scowls in my direction. I shrug and close the faceplate.

"But, hey, it's the 21st century. I'm very down with women's lib."