The "Ultimate Marvel" RPG

[Batman]

IC:Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider

My skull's on fire.

Not literally....Although that can be arranged,strangley enough.

I wake up with one hell of a headache.I then immediatley remind myself to stop using those kind of puns.

My name's Johnathan.John.I prefer Johnny,myself,though.

Johnny Blaze.

Strange name for a guy in my circumstances,but....It fits,I guess.

I look around at the piece of crap they call an 'apartment'.The place is a dump....And I just moved here.

I like it.

Sure,it's not perfect...Hel..er...Heck,It's far from that.But it'll do.

Like my father(Stepfather,to be precise) always taught me...."Live with what you got.Cherish it.Make it count for every day of your life,cause it's all you have".

Now that I think about it,though.....Maybe thats what got me into this mess....

I get up from the couch.My 'Bed',since I can't afford a new one yet.Blew all my cash on this piece o crap....

Anyway,where was I?

Oh yeah...

I get up from the couch,and grab my leather jacket....Probably the most consistant part of my wardrobe.I've got some things to do today....

Thats when I notice the clock.

..I overslept.It's 2 pm.

I missed both Breakfast AND Lunch.Speaking of which...

My stomach rumbles.Might aswell get Drive-Thru...Cause I aint got time to eat in.

With a slight grunt,I head out.

My head's STILL killin me....

- - -

-Vrrrooommm-

I stop my bike infront of the 'old place'.The one I had before I was moved in with the Simpsons....With my real family.

To this day,I wonder why I ever liked this place.

Too cheery.Too go-getting.Too...Rusted.

Okay,NOW I'm just nitpickin.Trying to find a reason to hate any part of my life before the Simpsons...

I haven't got a clue why,either.Maybe It's because the Simpsons were so good to me.Maybe it's because I don't know much about my life before them.Maybe...

Maybe I'm just one ungrateful son of a b...

My watch beeps.

4:45.

Damn,I'm late.I promised Rocky I wouldn't do this to her....again....but,She'll understand.

...Hopefully.

'Rocky'.Roxanne,actually.My stepsister.And...Strangely....The only woman I've ever considered being 'intimate' with.

Intimacy?That's not even my style...

I take off,once again.The bike purrs like a cat,as I make my way down the streets of Manhatten.

Wanna know what's weird?

In a big city like this...There aren't many bikers.You'd think they'd be crowding in the population...But,nope.

It mostly consists of buisnessmen.Suits,as most of the people I know call them.

- - -

7:00 pm

I get back to my apartment.

I think I've taken every damned headche reliever known to man,but I STILL feel like Someone's rammin me with a 2x4....repeatadley.

I stuff the bag of 'Rallys' food I had for lunch in the trashcan.Well,okay...not had.More like 'attempted to eat'....

Rocky's pissed off at me.

I was supposed to meet her at the Carnival today,but I got caught up with everything else...It slipped my mind.And by the time I realised it....well,I was sorta...too late.

She'll get over it.She always does.

However,I don't have an excuse.Not during the daytime.

During the nighttime,I have the convienant excuse of being possesed by a demon who seeks vengeance upon anything and everything to do with the word 'bad'.

But during the daytime,I'm in control.So,really,She has every right.

I feel something jerk inside of me.

Speak of the devil....

Damn it.AGAIN with the puns...

Something's wrong,though.Usually,It isn't THIS strong....

I have to get out of here.

Immediatley,I slam the front door of my apartment open,and run out.I'm on the third floor....Which doesn't help matters.

I all but LEAP down the two flights of stairs which I have to get down,desperatley trying to get to the back alleyways.At least there I'll be alone...

- - -

I get there.It reaks of piss and beer,but it'll do.

I catch a glimpse of myself in a window.My eyes are GLOWING...

Before I can advance deeper into the alleyway,That headache starts to get about 10 times worse.Oh man...This is gonna hurt...

Nope,Scratch that.It already is.ALOT...

Need...to....get...away....Have to....fight it....

"AGGGHHHHH!!!!"

I have to resort to crawling my way in....

Seconds later,it begins.

My body combusts.I let out one final scream before my vocal cords are charred away,and my skin burns....

Goodbye Johnny Blaze.Hello Zarathos.

The Mortal's Skin Leaves Me.

All That Remains Is Mere Bone,Flame,And My Leather Attire.

Jonathan Blaze Is But A Mere Memory,For The Moment.Now I Control This Body.

I Have Heard The Mortal's Problems.They Are Nothing.His Pathetic Quarrels With Human Life Are Not Of My Concern.

My Concern Lies With The City Of New York.

Although There Are Good Souls Within This Concrete Inhabitance,There Are Also Sinners.Imperfect Humans Who Have Taken The Path Of Evil.

That Was There Mistake.For Now,Vengeance Shall Claim Them.

I Look At The Mortal's Motorcycle.In This Form,It Is Useless To Me.

I Touch It.It Glows.Within Mere Seconds,It Is My Own.

The Wheels Burn With The Fury Of Hades.The Skull On It's Temple Strikes A Rather Menacing Version Of My Own.And The Entire Vehicle Adorns A Demonic Armor.

The Hell-Cycle,As Blaze Once Reffered It As.

I Step On,And Revv Up The Engine.

It Screams With The Fright Of Lucipher.

I Smile,As Much As A Skeleton Can Smile,Before Taking Off Onto The Streets Of This Mortal's Wasteland.

Sinners...Beware,For Hell Hath No Fury Like That Of Vengeance.

And Vengeance WILL Claim You Tonight.

"Vengeance Shall Be Mine.Oh Yes,It Shall Be Mine."

 

[Venom160]

Threes days has passed im starting to see alot more of my seroundings. I notice on a computer screen not far from my tube is read outs on me and above those readings say "Little Ben 2.0". I hear a door opening and its Ben talking into the mini cassette recoder in his hand, he does this all the time.

Ben: "LB 2.0 is beginning stage three of incubation, this as you know is where LB 1.0 escaped the test tube and went on a rampage than disappeared supposedly distroyed. I have installed several sequrity cameras, if the tube is breached all doors and windows will lock tight. Hopefully it will contain it, but I dont think that will be the case because I couldnt fully copy the original experiment because I did'nt have a sample of Dr. Conners blood to mix with the "Parker" sample and the "Venom" notes that Dr. Conners made copies of for me. So I will continue to make entries on its development."

Ben turns off the recorder and looks into the tube at me. He smiles and leaves the room.

 

[Spider-Man9X17]

"What do you want, Pym?" snarled the security guard as Hank entered the Triskelion.

"I need to talk to Fury."

"Fury's busy right now, dealing with real threats. Doesn't have time for some washed up alcoholic."

"I need to see him. It's an emergency."

"What, you run outta booze? Sit down and shut up. I'll let his know your here."

The guard turned and walked away.

"Eventually," he mummble.

Hank sat dejectedly in one of the hard plastic chairs. What he wouldn't give to be back on the Ultimates again. They could keep all their Giant Men. Ant Man was the way to go, and he was ready.

 

[Brainiac 8]

The last week at Xavier's has been a new, interesting experience for Morph. He had never been in an environment where he was around people like him and excepted for his abilities.

Morph came from what you would call a broken family. His dad was a Lawyer who spent next to no time with his family, and his mom was an alcoholic and had several midnight rondevous with men Morph didn't know. Morph's dad was a well respected man in their city, and in the outside public, he expected his family to reflect his stature.

When Morph turned fifteen, his mutant abilities kicked in, and he didn't know how to contol it. His father wanted Kevin to join his law firm when he was of age, so he would take him to his business dinners and other social gatherings. It was at one of these dinners that his powers manifested themselves. With his father and his firm partners watching, Kevin's face and body suddenly started contorting and changing, and Kevin had no idea what to do. They all looked at him in horror. He was so scared he couldn't think straight. So he did what he could think to do.

He ran away. He ran all the way to his house so he could be comforted by his mother and have her tell him he wasn't a monster. He ran in his house and to his mothers bedroom to find her. When he opened her door he found her in bed with some man, who was doing things to her that Morph should not have seen. This just added to his horror and shock, so he ran outside the house and sat on the front steps and cried.

After a couple of hours, the man that was with his mother left, and soon after his father came home. When he tried to talk to his dad, his dad pushed him away. I don't know you! You are not my son, my son would not be some mutie freak! I hate you, and I hate that **** of a mom you have! Leave, and never come back, you have no family here.

Morph didn't know what to do, so he ran away again. Over the next couple of years he lived with various family members, but it was all the same. When they found out what he was, they threw him out. Morph had also slowly learned how to control his morphing ability, and started calling himself Morph as a self mockery. Eventually he ran out of family that would take him in, so he spent a couple of months in a homeless shelter, and that is when a letter showed up there for him, with Xavier's insignia on it. With the letter was enough money for a cab ride to Westchester.

Morph developed his humor to hide his pain over the years. But when he is alone...that is when he still cries. Living here with others like him, this has helped some. He has never lived somewhere where he didn't fear anyone finding out about him.

He likes almost everyone he has met so far. Collossus is a nice guy, for being such a big, shiny man. There is something strange about him that Morph can't place though. Maybe it was the poster of George Michael on Collossus' wall, but Morph just senses something from him. Iceman's nice, a little younger than Morph. Cyclops never seems to smile, and frowns at all of Morph's jokes.

Jean Grey is such a hottie, that Morph acts like a total idiot whenever she is around. Ditto on Storm. Wolverine is the only one that scares Morph, he is just so intimidating. All in all though, Morph likes this new family he has found.

He has trained some in what they call the "danger room," trying to work in synch with a team. Learning to better control his powers, and how useful they can be in a fight, and how they could help on missions.

One time though, Iceman said that Morph was the wrong codename for him, that he should have been called motormouth. Morph found this funny, and appearently so did everyone else.

While musing all of this, the professor started talking to Morph in his head. Morph, are you ready for your first mission? I want you to meet the team in my study in ten minutes.

Righto, Picard. Beam me up. As he headed toward the professor's study, he heard Xavier sigh in his mind. This made Morph laugh.

 

[Spider-Man9X17]

"Slow night," Spider-Man said to himself, sitting ontop of a lamp post. Two hours he'd been at it. Two whole hours, and not even so much as a kitten in a tree.

Well, ok, there was that fat guy with chest pains, but Spider-Man didn't want to relive that. He was just now getting that odor out of his nostrils.

And now his own stomach was rummbling. He hadn't eaten since breakfast, since his own lunch had ended up in his lap, courtesy once again of Flash Thompson.

The hot dog vendor on the street corner was just getting ready to close up.

"I'll take two with ketchup, mustard, and onions."

The greasy little man looked up, expecting to see some pip-squeak little teenager standing there, from the sound of his voice. Instead, he saw some freakshow in blue and red pajamas hanging upside down in front of his cart.

"And could I get those to go."

"Buzz off. No mutants." The vendor locked up his cart and wheeled away, nearly smacking Spider-Man across the head with the corner.

"Big stupid jerk," he mummbled, crawling back up his webline. He didn't have enough money for anything else.

"Oh well, I'm starting to fill out my costume a little too well anyway," Spider-Man fired a webline, swinging away back into the concrete jungle.

 

[Electro UK]

Wade ran up the stairs and into a corridor in time to see the flicker of a white lab coat turn the corner. He smiled as he ran for Lorrence. A guard stumbled out of a door, rasing a rifle at Wade.

Wade pushed himself onto onside of the corridor and lept off, tackeling the guard to the floor. They landed inside the room where the guard had exited, rolling around on the floor until Wade finally managed to grab his gun and put a bullet through his stomach.

Not wanting to waste time, he leapt to his feet. Giving a quck scan of the room, he noticed something lying on a table. Wade knew what it was. It was his Deadpool outfit he wore every mission.

Wade wasn't Ben, he didn't want Lorrence so he could get revenge for being used like a puppet. He wanted to kill him so that Wade was free. He not only lived by night now.

Pulling on the costume, he looked himself in the mirror. White eye lenses in a costume that was maily red. Black patches were on the sides of his body and oval's around his eye lenses.

This was Deadpool. "Sexy beast." he muttered to himself before holestering the guards gun and returning to the chase. He flew up the stairs and kicked down a door.

A room full of guards greeted him.

"Take him down!" One yelled. Wade lept into the air, pulling out his weapon and popping one guard in the head. Landing behind the guards, he knocked one down, grabbing another's knife and forcing it into his stomach. He let his leg fly into another man's face.

Deadpool crouched down putting the knife into another guards stomach, finishing in a brillaintly dangerous pose. "That's what you can get from watching Equilibrium?" he kicked down the door behind him. Lorrence lay under a table, praying that Wade wouldn't make it this far.

"What's up doc?" Wade said putting the gun to Lorrence's neck. As the doctor slowly rose to his feet, Wade kicked him in the stomach. "I'm free! Finally I'm free! And now that you're out of the way, no one can stop me! You won't be putting me to sleep for another night."

Of course, Wade didn't know who Ben was either. He believed that he was only awoken every night, then put straight back to sleep as if he were dangerous.

Wade put a bullet into one of Lorrence's knees. He held him by his scruffy collar, feet dangeling off the ground. Giving him one last look, he tossed him out of a window, listening to the dull thud as he hit the ground.

Wade casually strolled into the armory, shooting everyone in sight. He was looking for one thing, explosives. A small crate of C4 lay at the bottom of one shelf. Wade stuffed his pockets with it.

He ran into every room, placing a sizeable amount in each one. When it had all been set, he kicked a window open and leaped outside, pushing the trigger. An amazing orange glow warmed Wade before he hit the snow. Slowly, he raised his head and looked around. "Snow? I don't remember there being any sn--" Wade passed out.

 

[Karem-Knight]

Steve Rogers was in The SHEILD Cafeteria eating a cheese burger.

“Yuck” he said, wishing that the food from one of the worlds biggest army departments would be better with the food.

“He Mr.Rogers” said Jerry an old friend of Steve a Corporal for Shield

“Hey” Steve said in his own snarls way Jerry sat down with a tray of vegetables

“How are you today Cap?”

“meh Can’t complain, you?”

“Good just a normal day.”

“Good” Cap finished his tray and stacked and went out to his room. Sitting on his bed thinking.

Is this the right move for me? For my Country, I feel like a puppet here, Fury. I’m ma weapon not a solider to him. Cap looked at a picture of him and Bucky, the old kid. A tear ran down Cap’s eye as he saw it.

“Don’t worry kid I won’t let it happen again………

 

[The Joker]

Octavius rose slowly from the table and walked to the door.He rapped on the door with his knuckles.A small sliding window slipped back and the face of a SHIELD guard peered in.

"What do you want Octavius??".

"I need to speak to Colonel Fury at once.It's very important.I have something to tell him.It's regarding the OZ formula myself and Norman Osborn were working on" Octavius said.

"The Colonel said you're to stew in there for another hour.Until then you're not speaking to anyone" the guard said.

Ock smirked."I suppose he expects me to reflect on my sins.So be it.One hour.But the information I have for him will be most beneficial I assure you".

Ock turned away from the door and then paused.

"Oh and I'll also need Norman Osborn present.He too should be able to fill in a few blanks for you as well me".

 

[i'm Spider-Man]

RELEASE THOR!

SAVE OUR HERO!

REPENT AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED!

The billboards held aloft by the protesters outside would almost be laughable, if it weren't for the fact that they were testament to the support SHIELD's latest inmate had on the outside world.

The Almighty Thor, Son of Odin, Brother to the Evil God of Mischief, Loki... whichever way you looked at it, it was an amazing story. Amazing.

Pity it was also the greatest work of fiction ever told.

(well... unless you count that epitome of fantasism, The Bible.)

As I stand on the top floor of the Triskelion, I look down on this 'New Messiah's' fans, and I can't help but think about what life must have been like back when that book was written. How simple life must have been. No Super-Soldiers, no Mutants, no multi-billion dollar investments to protect...

"Tony?"

I spun around in surprise. It's amazing how you can go off into a world of your own when you start thinking these abstract thoughts.

Or maybe it was just the fifth Vodka kicking in.

"You okay, Tony? You looked pretty distant."

Nick Fury was one of the few men in my life I held a certain degree of respect for. You'd think that a man who lived his life in such a cloak and dagger fashion would find it hard to win respect, but... There was something about the man you couldn't help but admire. It wasn't so much the fact that he was Director of SHIELD, or the fact that he was one of, if not THE most powerful man on the planet... It was the fact that he was well aware of both those things, and couldn't be more bltantly pleased with himself about it if he tried.

"I'm fine, old boy. Just taking a look at the little gathering downstairs."

"Yeah, tell me about it." He said, and went to sit behind his desk. "you'd think after these months, they'd just give up. But you gotta hand it to Thor... He knows how to pick his hardcore fans."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that, General", dismissing the idea with a casual wave of the hand, "'Enterprise' got cancelled a few months ago, and I think the fanboys needed something to occupy their time." We shared a laugh.

"Sorry I kept you waiting. Sam was on the secure line... Wanted to talk about the Vision Project."

"Oh, the E.T thing? How's that going?" I enquired. The team had been breiefed on the situation at first, when Cap, Nick and my bride-to-be, Natasha Romanov, returned from Tunguska. But since then, we'd hardly heard any news.

"Good... Very good in fact. Sam says the Vision's completely reassembled its skeletal structure, most of its internal circuitry... He's pleased. Like a kid in a candy shop."

"Sir?" We were interrupted by Fury's secretary. "call on the secure line, Sir. Urgent. It's the President."

"Put it through", Nick told her, and picked up the phone on his desk. He swivelled his chair and gazed out the window at Manhattan as he talked with the President. "You're sure, sir? Very well. Consider it done." He put the phone down a little harder than usual, and paused for a few seconds before turning to face me.

"Tony... we need Iron Man. Now."

"What's wrong?" I asked him, alarmed by the obviously paling colour of his skin but already reaching for the PDA in my pocket to alert the prep-team.

"It's Banner.

He's back. And so's the Hulk."

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

 

[Venom160]

Im having another nightmare, well you cant call them a nightmare more like memories, memories I know I shouldnt have. One I was fighting this goblin creature, another I was fighting this man with more arms than he should have. The most frequant one is im jumping from rooftop to rooftop trying to out run this creature, he was all black and had these tendrils coming off of him. But then theres other less hectic ones, most of them involve this cute red head. A loud noice wakes me up, I think its Ben until I realize its somone coming through one of the windows.

 

[WeaponZ2]

Berrys Bar, 5 minutes later....

The major walks into the bar making sure he wipes his feet and removes his hat before entering.
He slowly walks up to the bar and takes a seat.
"Hello there." says Lou to the barkeep.
"I was told to tell you that Tammy sent me."
"Tammy sent ya?" the bar tender looked at Louis's bright red uniform.
"Friend or customer?"
"Friend."
"Ok, then what could I get ya?" he said as he placed a glass on the table.
"A beer would be just fine, thank you."
The bar tender placed the glass under the tap and filled it up to the rim with very little foam.
"Thanks." said Lou as he grabbed the glass.
He raised it to his lips and took along drink.
"Um...excuse me but I ordered a beer, this is water.....brown water." Lou slid the glass back to the Bar tender.
"Nope, thats beer." replied the bar tender after sliding the glass back to Louis.
"Oh..."

I'm missing Canada already.....

 

[Brainiac 8]

After about ten minutes later, the current group of active X-Men have gathered in the professor's study. Xavier sat behind his desk, Cyclops stood, with arms crossed, behind his mentor. Not far away Jean and Storm stood on one side of his desk. Bobby and Peter both sat on a large leather sofa, and Kitty stood on the opposite side glaring at bobbie. Morph had turned himself into a chair sitting next to the couch, his head popping up where someones butt would go.

X-Men, I called you here because I have gathered some disturbing news. There is a powerful mutant calling himself Holocaust that has popped up in the last few days. From what I am able to discern, he is on a mission himself, one that we need to stop. I used Cerebro to try to read his mission from his mind, but I only was able to get glimpses and faint images. There is something sheilding telepathic intrusions, so I didn't get much.

One image I pulled from his mind was the Triskelion, and it seemed like he is heading there to get someone. I felt hate and murder. A name also popped up. I'm not sure what it means, but I think it is important. The name was En Saba Nur. I think that Fury has someone locked up there that this Holocaust wants, and Fury is in danger.

Cyclops, I need you to assemble a team to intercept him. I will contact Fury to inform him of the situation, I don't know if the Ultimates will be there to assist. All I know is we need to find out who sent him, and what his mission is. Good luck, my students. And Cyclops, watch out for Morph, since this is his first official mission. I don't know how much of a threat this mutant is going to be.

Cyclops looked at his group, and seemed to be analyzing something. Ok, team. Collossus, Jean, Storm, and Morph, us five will be going. Morph, are you sure you are ready for this, this is not a simulation.

I'm ready sir! Morph had changed into a representation of a marine and did a mock salute. Agent Morph Jackson reporting for duty, Sargeeeaaaannnntttt!

We don't have time for this Morph! Team, lets move! They all headed out of the study, while Bobby and Kitty walked out of the room dejected for being left behind.

After the team had all left, Xavier picked up his phone. Hello, this is Charles Xavier, get me Nick Fury on the phone. I don't care if he is dealing with another situation, this is a most urgent matter. I will hold if I have to. Tell him Professor Xavier is on the line, he will talk to me, don't worry about that.
No, I have to talk to General Fury personally! Thank you...I will hold.

As he listened to the hold music, he heard the Jet engine sounds of the Blackbird roaring off into the distance.

 

[Spider-Man9X17]

Hank looked down at his watch.

4 hours had passed.

"Pencil neck little pr*ck," Hank muttered. He was just asking for abuse everytime he came here. He knew it was going to be the same thing over and over again. At first it had just been the team, which was bad enough. Most of them had forgiven him though. All except Cap, but that was a whole different ordeal. But now, the little scrubs who cleaned the toilet were more welcome here than Hank.

"Five more minutes," he told himself. "Then I'm gone."

-

"Maybe I should see a movie," Spider-Man landed on the marquee of a nearby theatre, reading the movie times.

"Wedding Crashers...R....no...Spider-Man...heck no...Dukes of..."

"Hurry up MJ!"

Spider-Man paused, scuttling around so he had a birds-eye view of the sidewalk. Liz Allen stood below, a guy on either arm. Mary Jane was just walking down the sidewalk. Both were done up in their sexiest clothes.

"You remember Mark, right?" Spider-Man heard Liz say as the taller of the two boys, with long black hair, approached Mary Jane.

"This kid has to be a senior, at least. He's too old for her."

Spider-Man felt his face burning. But, he had broken it off with Mary Jane this time. It was his choice. No, he wasn't going to be angry. He was happy for her. She needed someone who could be their for her, and wouldn't be dropping her off bridges.

"Loser!" Spider-Man coughed, instantly wishing he had it back. In a flash, he was up over the top of the sign, body pressed against the wall.

"Please, don't let them see me."

He waited for a minute or two, then peeked over the edge. Everyone had gone inside.

"Well, that was oh-so-much fun," He said, snagging a flag pole with a webline.

"Who am I? I'm a total moron," he sighed, taking off once again.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Nick Fury retreated to his office, leaving Tony Stark to get ready for action. Bruce Banner had escaped? This was all he needed. SHIELD would have to be put on a state of alert. They needed to stop The Hulk before he could cause any more damage. Fury slumped behind his desk, rubbing his temples.

His attempt to regain a sense of calm was blown apart by the shrill ringing of the telephone. Fury picked it up on the third ring.

"General Fury speaking," he muttered.

"General," the voice said, "Charles Xavier wants to talk to you."

"Patch him through," replied Fury, waiting for it to happen before saying, "Hello Charles. What can I do for you?"

"General Fury, your life may be in danger..."

Fury laughed wearily.

"Charles, I'm the Director of SHIELD," he sighed, "My life is always in danger. Hang on, I have another call."

Fury patched through the caller on hold. It was one of the scientists from the prison downstairs.

"General Fury, sir," the scientist said, "Otto Octavius wishes to speak with you..."

"Tell him to wish in one hand and crap in the other," snapped Fury, "See what fills up first."

"He says that he as new information about the OZ formula, sir."

Fury paused. The OZ formula. It had turned Osborn into a monstosity, a freak of nature. But Fury was still interested in it. That's why he had some of his top scientists working on it, trying to refine it. If perfected, it could be used as a force for good, rather than being abused by psychopaths.

"What does he want?" Fury finally asked.

"Sir," replied the scientist, "He wants to be in a room with you and...and Norman Osborn."

Great. Freaks like the Sandman or Electro Fury could deal with. They had powers, but when it came down to it, they were just petty crooks. But Osborn and Octavius were pure evil. And they both had devious minds to match their metahuman status. Alone, they were among the most dangerous beings on the planet. Did he really want to put them together again, after what happened last time? And more importantly, did Fury want to be there with them?

"Put Osborn and Octavius in the interview room," said Fury, making his decision, "I'm on my way."

Fury patched back through to Xavier.

"Charles, something's come up. We'll talk about this soon, okay?"

Before Xavier could protest, Fury had hung up the phone. He marched out of his office, heading into the elevator that would take him down to the prison below. As the lift went down, Fury mentally compared his journey as a descent into hell. He promptly brushed the thought to the back of his mind.

He got out of the elevator, walking through the dark corridors of the meta-prison for the second time in the last day. He came to a stop in front of a large steel door, twice the size of the cell doors. The guards let him pass, and he entered the keycode allowing him into the room.

The interview room was more well-lit than the rest of the prison. In some ways, it was just like a room you'd find in an office, with tables and a coffee machine. But in the centre of the room, a circular metal structure was built into the ground. It generated an energy field, inpenetrable from the inside. Two people were currently contained within. Fury walked up to the energy field, looking at the two criminals inside.

"Norman, Otto, let's talk..."

 

[The Question]

I walk into my apartment.


Long day.


Talked to Hector Ayala, my client, about the case. A mugger is sueing a vigilante for beating him up. I think we have a case. Foggy isn't too sure. But then, I'm the one who understands the mind of a vigilante.

I walk into my beadroom. I lean my cane on the side of my bed. I take of my blazer, tie, and pants, and unbutton my shirt. I walk into the closet, and take my costume out of it's compartment. I replace my socks with a pair of sports socks, put on my dark red sweats, leather jacket/shirt, boots, gloves, and mask. I then put on my "utility belt". I started wearing it about a week ago when I found that the some of the thugs I beat up were fleeing the scene before the cops showed up. Really, I just added a few pockets to my belt to carry some ropes to tie people up with. I also strated carrying some smoke pellets. I would have put them in my grappler, but the taperecorder an "snooper scope" (connected to a hearing peice in my mask and increases the range of my hearing) take up too much space.

I grab my cane, and press a button on the handle. The top part comes off as my grappler. The bottom half is actually two halves connected by a cord, and I bend it over into a smaller billy club. I put both of them into the holster on the left side of my belt.

I go up onto the roof through the skylight, and hit the town. I jump from rooftop to rooftop. I don't run on every roof. Mostly walk and speed up into a jog/run when I get near the edge.

As I head into the heart of the Kitchen, I hear a strange sound.


*THWP*

I can hear a wooshing sound as a figure quickly swings through the skyline. The sound of the wind hitting him suggests he isn't very big. And I keep hearing that *THWP* sound, acompanied by a small splat.


Great.


Him.


It's about time he and I had a little chat.


I wait till the sound gets closer, and then I shoot out my grappling line right in front of him. I then motion for him to come over to me.

 

[Spider-Man9X17]

Spider-Man's spider-sense barely warned him of the billyclub. Quickly adjusting his position, he landed on a nearby roofledge.

"Terrific. You're just the person I wanted to see," Spider-Man groaned.

He'd only run into Daredevil a few times before, most recently during a less than fun team up with Wolverine. This guy must have had a second billclub stuck somewhere else in his body, because he was one of the biggest tools Spider-Man had ever met.

"If you wanted my attention, you could have asked."

 

[The Question]

"Yeah. I could have yelled at you from a rooftop and wake the entire neighborhood up. That would have been real smart."

I reel in my grappling line.

"Kid, I think it's about time you and I had a little chat."

 

[The Joker]

Octavius was led into the 'interview room',which in actuality was large dome energy field surrounded by about 50 armed to the teeth SHIELD guards.The dome itself was designed to have prisoners shackeled by their arms via a chain as they stood for interrogation.

As he was positioned and was shackled to the floor he noticed someone else being brought in.It was Norman Osborn.From the look of him they seemed to have stabilised his genetic make up temporarily again.He looked like his old self.However he had the collar,that collar that subdued the inmate wearing it with tremendous pain should they try to use their 'powers'.

Ever since the destruction of his tentacles,wearing one of those collars was no longer necessary for Octavius.Or so they thought.

As he was led in Norman's gaze caught Otto's.They looked at eachother momentarily as Norman was shackled down.However their gaze was interrupted as Nick Fury entered the room.

Octavius looked back at Osborn and whispered "You know why we're here Norman.Just play along.Try to get him to leave the room for even 5 minutes.We need to have a little chat".

Octavius turned to face Fury.

"Ah Colonel.So sorry to tear you away from your busy schedule but rest assured the reason for this meeting is most important.You see Norman and myself realize we're not getting out of here any time soon.But that doesn't mean we can't have our sentences reduced,or how should I say made easier for want of a better term".

Fury sat there tapping his pen impatiently on the table.He was clearly not impressed.

"We can tell you how the OZ formula was made,I mean really made.And from that information your scientists can return Norman to his former humanity.As you know Norman and I worked on this project.It was his accident that made us what we are.What gave us our.......unique abilities" Octavius said.

Fury still sat there however,the tapping of his pen and become more rapid.He was clearly losing patience.

Octavius smiled at him."I know I've stood here before and said something similar to you.Offering my help.And I used the opportunity to break myself and my fellow inmates out.But that was before.My arms are gone now.Destroyed by you.I can no longer become Doctor Octopus.I am no threat to you.I have come to realise that after rotting in that cell for the past 5 months.All I can do now is make my prison time as easy as possible.As offering you this information is the best way to do it".

 

[Venom160]

My names Cletus Kasady and I'm at the end of my rope, It started when I borrowed money from a local mob boss, he's no Kingpin but he's got my neighborhood under his thumb. One day when I got home from work there was a note on my door, It said pay up or my girlfriends dead. I did'nt have anything of value to sell so I went back to my old perfession, I was one of the best cat burglers around. But decided to go legit when I met my girlfriend Gina. I was desperate so I broke into the first house I saw, I went throught one of the back windows. The first thing I noticed was a giant glass tube with computers all around it, It looked like a small lab. I looked at one of the screens which had a bunch of readouts on what I guessed was whatever was in the tube, the name above the readouts read Little Ben 2.0.

 

[i'm Spider-Man]

Banner was alive? The last time I'd seen the man, he got in hit in the face with a one-megaton nuclear explosion. Plus Hank had sedated him, heavily. The Hulk was strong, we knew that much, but... Could he really have survived? It'd been months since the execution, and nothing out of the ordinary, and now... This?

Leaving the triskelion, I got a sit-rep patched through to my PDA. I continued reading the report from the NSA as i stepped into the sunlight, the distant sound of Thor's fanclub just about audible round the other side of the building, and clambered into my limousine.

"Drink, Master Tony?" Asked Jarvis. Always there with a cocktail shaker and a sarcastic comment, Jarvis was my oldest friend. Truth be told... one of my only real friends. He knew everything about me; my history, my father, my... unique medical history. Hell, he knew my inside leg measurements better than i did.

"Just a Martini on the rocks for the moment, Jarvis. It seems Iron Man's presence is required in Nevada."

As Jarvis began mixing, I turned back to the back-lit screen of the PDA. According to an intelligence report, over the last few days there had been four 'unusual sightings' in and around Caliente, Nevada. A large, 'almost human creature' had been spotted in the woodlands. Anyone who saw it said it looked lost and confused; one woman even went so far as to say it look lonely... like a child. From what I could remember about the Hulk, he was angry. Very, very, angry.

Something began to puzzle me about the report, however. Scrolling back to the top of the screen and reading back quickly, I realised the description of the Hulk was very slightly different in all the cases.

the first, a week ago, was from a boy who claimed he'd seen a "big, grey ape with no hair" wandering through the woods. He said that he'd watched while the "animal" stopped, staring into a river for a few minutes, then suddenly lunging into its gushing waters and pulling out a large fish. It began to eat it when it saw the boy, and ran back into the woods.

The second report was from a couple who were picniccing in a clearing, slightly further south of the last sighting. They said a "huge, greyish-green man, which reminded them of pictures of Bigfoot they'd seen, ambled out of the woods nearby, moaning." According to the rest of the report, it didn't travel very far before it spotted them, and limped away.

Limped? Since when did the hulk limp? THat was a question for another, rainier day.

the last two reports were more similar, reporting something along the lines of a huge, green-skinned monster, hairless, ambling through the woods.

Something that struck me about the last report, from a hunter who'd been driving down route 93. He said he was driving at night when he saw the creature briefly in his headlights. He came to a stop, thinking it was an injured animal. (Just about the most caring cold-blooded killer I've ever heard of). When he approached the 'thing', he turned on his flashlight... and it was crying. The Hulk was crying. Apparently before the beast became aware of the Hunter and his light, the man heard it mutter a couple of words in a deep, broken voice before it raced away into the shadows.

"HULK SO LONELY..."

I looked up from the screen, somewhat disturbed. This didn't fit. A limp? Crying? Different skin tones? Differences in size? something was happening to Doctor Banner that we hadn't seen before.

Jarvis waved the cocktail in my face. "Your Martini, sir."

I downed it, and immediately returned the glass to Jarvis' outstretched hand.

"I think we'll have a Code Red, please, Jarvis. My nerves need steadying I'm afraid Old Boy."

Jarvis practisedly open the cockatil shaker once more, re-filling it with fresh ice and reaching for the Bourbon. "Very well, Sir. Another new peril facing the world, is it?"

"Possibly", I answered, staring out the window. "We'll find out soon enough."

 

[Keyser Soze]

Nick Fury stared intently at both Otto Octavius and Norman Osborn. Finally, he broke the silence.

"So you want to do a deal? The secrets of the OZ formula, in exchange for a reduced sentence. No, I don't think that's going to happen. This facility is now your permanent home..."

Fury's cellphone rang, causing Fury to swear under his breath. He answered it on the second ring

"What!?" he snapped.

"Uh, sir," said the nervous soldier on the other end of the line, "It's Hank Pym. He's here and he...uh...wants to talk to you."

Fury sighed, slowly standing up.

"I'm on my way," he said, ending the call.

Fury turned to the two caged killers.

"We'll continue this discussion later. There may be no deal on the table for you, but I'm sure we can come up with other ways to convince you to give us that OZ formula."

With that, General Fury left the interview. He walked back along the corridors, and got in the elevator to take him back up to The Triskelion. He'd been from interrogating two twisted monsters in a high-tech dungeon to having to meet with an embittered ex-employee. And of course, he had to deal with the Banner situation, the continued threat represented by Magneto and, according to Xavier, some mysterious endangerment to his life.

Boy, being The Director of SHIELD was fun.

 

[The Joker]

Norman snarled in anger as Fury turned his back and left the room.

"Ignorant piece of filth" Octavius whispered."I'll make his right eye match his left I swear".

Octavius turned to Osborn.

"But this has bought us the little time we need".

Octavius leaned in closer to Osborn."Where are they Norman?? I want them back".

Osborn looked at Octavius with confusion.

"My arms!!!! Where is my spare set of prototype arms that I built for the OZ project.You know me Norman.I never do things by halves.What became of them after I was taken into custody???".

Norman said nothing and simply looked at Octavius blankly.

Octavius began to lose patience."Listen you fool.One way or another Fury is going to beat you.He'll either torture this information out of you.And if you're too stubborn to co-operate then you'll rot in here wearing that collar like a dog on a leash".

Osborn's forehead creased in anger at Octavius' comments.Octavius grinned.

"Oh does that not sound like a pleasant prospect?? Because I don't intend to die in here.No cage can hold me forever.All you have to do is tell me where they are.How far away are they from here?? From that I can find them......mentally.And bring them to me".

"And from there you know what happens.But I can't do that if I don't know where they are.I can feel them.I've been feeling their presence for the last month.But I don't know exactly where they are.Tell me Norman.Tell me where are my arms??".

 

[rigel7soldiers]

He is the Leader, the one true Master.

The words echoed in his enormous head, repeating incessantly. This little voice may be some divine intervention. A sign. The Leader could rule this world. But what would he gain from that? He has all the power he needs already. Maybe... maybe people would appreciate him if he, you know... plaed the hero. Yeah.

He went out into the world, scanning for disturbances. Perchance, some metatrouble found him instead...

 

[i'm Spider-Man]

As I pondered the situation, the car-phone rang. Jarvis answered.

"One moment, General", he courteously replied before passing me the phone. I already knew what fury was going to tell me... I'd started getting a feeling in my stomach which, for once, I wasn't prepared to put down to too much alcohol and too little breakfast. Nevertheless, I bought the phone to my ear and asked,

"Yes Nicholas?"

"Hi, Tony, sorry about throwing you in at the deep end right now. I know we're possibly dealing with the unknown here - or worse - but I have faith in you man."

"Either that was the shortest pep talk in the history of the Military, old boy, or it's your terribly un-subtle way of telling me I'm alone on this mission. My rather sizeable fortune would be on the latter; correct?"

there was a pause on the other end of the line.

"Y'know, sometimes I wish you weren't quite so damn smart, Stark."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes... I hated it when my gut was right.

"Look, soon as any of the others are free, they'll be right with you, okay? My word on that. Hawkeye's due back from a mission in the next few hours, and Natasha might be available sooner than th-"

"NO", I interjected. "Natasha isn't coming anywhere NEAR this mission, Nick."

"But, what about the Widow Armour..?" He suggested.

"No means No, General Fury. I don't want her put in this kind of jeapordy. You know as well as I, we don't know exactly what we're dealing with here. I'd rather not thrust her into the unknown", I instructed him, then muttered to myself, "at least not outside of the bedroom..."

"Fair enough, Tony. Natasha keeps her distance. Backup's on its way as soon as, okay? Gotta go, Hank Pym's waiting to see me, again... for someone with more PhD's than Stephen Hawking's brainier brother that guy just does not know when to quit..."

I hung up the phone, and resumed staring out of the window, while i sipped the quadruple Bourbon and soda Jarvis had poured me.

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

 

[Keyser Soze]

Back in The Triskelion, Nick Fury was in his office. Not being able to provide back up for Tony was a pain in the ass. But he seemed to have things under control. Fury poured himself a glass of whisky, downing it in one. he then put the glass and bottle away. Best not to have the booze out when Henry Pym was around. Taking a deep breath, Fury walked out into the waiting room.

Pym was waiting there. He could already smell the alcohol on his breath and his clothes. What he really should have done was have his guards escort him from the building. But Hank Pym had been a friend once. The least he owed him was a few minutes of his time.

"Hank, come into my office," Fury said, a fake smile planted on his face, "Tell me what's on your mind..."