BQ Storage
Jamaica, Queens
New York

“Hurry up with that thing, will ya?”

The man who spoke was one of two who kept watch as the third member of their crew worked the tumblers on the Masterlock. They knocked out the camera and the fat, old security guard in the booth was too busy with his portable TV to even notice them.

“Maybe this would go faster if you stopped giving me shit,” grumbled the lock-picker.

“You sure this is the place?” asked the third.

“Yeah,” said the lock-picker. “The Thinker had a bunch of these storage units all over town.”

“How’d you find out about this one? And how do you know our gear is in here?”

“Just trust me on this.” He continued working the lock until the tumblers fell away and it popped open. “Bingo!”

He opened the storage unit and gestured for his partners to follow him. They went in with flashlights, scanning them across. Inside the unit, they found a lot of accessories the Mad Thinker had used over his career. Monocle-sized hypno-lenses, scattered robotic limbs, armor, and more.

“Holy shit!” shouted one of the three. His friends turned to him and saw that his beam had fallen on a replica of the Mad Thinker’s face. One of them slapped his friend on the back of his own head and walked over, picking up the Thinker by the hair.

“It’s one of his robot duplicates, you idiot.”

“You trying to get us thrown back in the joint?”

“Sorry man, I got spooked.”

“Just shut up and let’s move fast. That guard might’ve heard something.”

A beam fell on a green, metal surface. The man who found it smiled. “Over here!” He dug through and found the rest of the green armor, complete with a white bodysuit and an H in the center. The green helmet was large, with a flat, hammer-like surface.

Also with it were two other suits of armor. One red, with a P and oversized gauntlets instead of helmet. And the third had a T on the chest, but with accentuated boots. The three men quickly donned the suits that had once been given to them by the Mad Thinker in a plot to take down the Avengers.

“Man, forgot how good it feels to wear these things again,” said Piledriver, grinning as he stared at his gauntlets.

“You’re tellin’ me,” said Thunderboot, admiring his footwear.

“Times are tough, but we got everything we need right here,” said Hammerhead, straightening his helmet. “With this equipment, we’ll hit a few banks and be livin’ large in no time on a sandy beach in a non-extradition country.”

“And who’s gonna stop us?” asked Thunderboot. “If the Avengers turn up, we’ll just take ‘em down again!”

“Damn straight,” said Piledriver. “The Triumvirate of Terror is back!”

HALF-PAST YESTERDAY

By Curtis Fernlund and Dino Pollard

Avengers Island
New York Harbor

Carol Danvers was fastened into a large gyroscope, her arms and legs outstretched. The black bodysuit she wore was lined with sensors and as the gyroscope spun, other scanners flashed over her body, passing waves of green light across her. As it did, the sensors lit up.

Tony Stark stood at the control console, watching the readings flash over the computer monitors. Seated at the console was Hank McCoy, currently the headmaster of the Xavier Institute and a former Avenger and X-Man known as the Beast. Tony had called him in due to his extensive knowledge of genetics as well as his own experience studying Carol’s unique physiology.

“So have you found anything out yet?” asked Carol. “I feel like you’ve got me strapped in this bizarre Tilt-A-Whirl just to see how long it’ll take before I throw up.”

“My dear, you wound me. Do you really think I’d do something like that to an old friend?” asked Hank.

“If I lie and say no, will you let me down?” asked Carol.

Hank chuckled. “In that case, we should be on the safe side and leave you in this thing all night for observation.”

“I’m so frying your hairy ass once I get outta here, furball,” said Carol.

“What is it we’re looking at anyway, Hank?” asked Tony, ignoring the banter. “I thought Carol’s Binary powers were burned out.”

“As did I,” said Hank. “I was the one who initially examined her after you and the others returned from Counter-Earth. Back then, I theorized that her powers were permanently decreased and that she would never again be capable of shifting into her Binary form.”

“So what’s changed?” asked Carol. “Could it be all that radiation I absorbed during Ultron’s attack?”

“From what I understand, Reed theorized that the radiation only temporarily burnt out your powers. Perhaps the overload rebooted your system, so to speak?” said Hank.

“Combined with the anxiety caused by the Black Humor,” said Tony.

“Mmm, I believe you’re onto something there, El Presidente,” said Hank. “Much like the power of the Phoenix has reawakened in Jean numerous times over the years.”

“So what? I’m sharing real estate with a force of creation?” asked Carol.

“Not quite,” said Hank with a chuckle. “I just mentioned Jean as a comparison. It seems the Binary power has continued to exist in you all this time, it just took extreme measures to break down the natural blocks your psyche imposed.”

“So my subconscious was responsible for my power decrease?” asked Carol. “Man, if I knew that back then, would’ve saved a lot of stress.”

“I’m sorry, Carol,” said Hank. “I should have seen it before.”

“It’s not your fault, Hank. You had no way of knowing,” said Tony.

The gyroscope stopped spinning and Hank hopped over the console. Tony released the restraints and Hank helped Carol from the machine. She used him to steady herself, still slightly dizzy from the experience.

“Now would be a good time to throw up,” she said.

“Please don’t,” said Hank. “You have no idea how much shampoo it takes to clean me up on a normal day.”

“So what am I now?” asked Carol. “Binary? Ms. Marvel? Carol Danvers? Can I access this power all the time?”

“My theory is your body needs time to adjust to all the changes its been through,” said Hank. “You could be one of those or some combination of all three. Only time will tell. For now, my recommendation is don’t over-exert yourself. Stick to your usual power range you’ve been operating with.”

“In that case, what’s the verdict, boss? Am I fit for active duty again?” asked Carol.

Tony nodded. “I’d say definitely. Hank’s given you a clean bill of health—if he’s satisfied, then so am I.”

The Stavros Café
Manhattan

Melissa Gold tipped back her wine glass, draining the last drops from it. She set it down on the table with a smile. “This place is fantastic! The music, the food, the wine!”

The man who sat across from her had a beige complexion and black hair with graying temples. But Melissa knew that underneath the guise of Victor Shade was the synthezoid known as the Vision. He smiled at her and sipped his own wine.

“I’m glad you approve. I frequent this place often.” He turned his attention to the dancers, watching them move and was reminded of Wanda and the excitement he felt when he was with her. “I enjoy their revelry.”

“Thanks for taking me here, Vizh,” she said. “After our last outing was cut short by the Squadron Sinister, I was afraid we wouldn’t get another.”

“I’m a robot of my word, Melissa,” said the Vision.

Melissa looked down at her plate, toying a little with the food. She sighed and looked up again. “I have to ask…”

The Vision gave her a questioning gaze. “Ask what?”

“Jarvis told me that you had something going on with Carol?”

“Ahh… Allow me to explain. Carol and I did date, however briefly. We enjoyed each other’s company, but ultimately it amounted to little more than a flirtation among friends.”

“And what about your ex-wife?”

“The story of that relationship is…complicated,” said the Vision. “We had both gone through much and by the end of our relationship, we became very different people. We have both moved on.”

“You miss her at all?”

“At times. But it is more the concept I miss than the woman who once embodied it. We have our own lives now. She is in California, she is with her brother and Simon on the West Coast Avengers, and she enjoys that life.” The Vision paused to refill both their wine glasses. “But enough of the past. How do you feel? Being an Avenger?”

Melissa sipped her wine. “It’s…a big change. I never imagined this was even possible. I kept ending up on the wrong side, even after I reformed Zemo managed to suck me back into his schemes.”

“Do you believe he has truly changed?” asked the Vision.

She nodded. “I do. But it’s more complicated than that. He’s got a noble cause, he wants to save the world. But he feels the only way to do that is by ruling it. And when Clint and I left, after Abe’s death, he was operating more and more under the belief that the ends justified the means. That’s not who I am anymore. That’s not what I’m about. But being an Avenger…”

“You have doubts?”

Melissa bit her lower lip. “That’s a bit of an understatement. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, for Tony to boot me off the team. I’m an ex-con, only here on Clint’s recommendation.”

“The Avengers have a history of forgiveness, Melissa. We have opened our home and our lives to more than one reformed villain. Hawkeye and myself are counted among that number.”

“It’s not quite the same thing.”

“We are more similar than you realize, my dear,” said the Vision.

Melissa smiled. “Thanks.”

“It is getting late, perhaps we should return to the Island.” He reached into his jacket and produced a money clip, leaving enough cash to cover their meal as well as extra for a tip. As they left the restaurant, Melissa slid her arm around his. The Vision was a bit surprised, but pleased nonetheless.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Mimi.”

Melissa and the Vision stopped. She turned and saw two women approaching, wearing trench coats. One was slightly overweight while the other seemed to be hiding something beneath her coat.

“Anita and Marian,” said Melissa. “Or should I just call you Battleaxe and Poundcakes?”

“Guess that’s up to you, Screaming Mimi,” said Battleaxe.

“There is no Mimi, not anymore,” said Melissa.

“Right, you’re going by Songbird now,” said Battleaxe. “I heard you were running with Zemo recently. But word on the street is the Thunderbolts gave up playing hero. Now it’s one of the cushiest jobs people like us can land.”

“We’re nothing alike. I’m an Avenger now,” said Melissa.

“Yeah, whatever,” said Poundcakes. “You can take the girl outta the Grapplers, but you can’t take the Grappler out of the girl.”

“Is that what this is about?” Melissa scoffed. “You really think I’m stupid enough to throw away everything I’ve earned to be a Grappler again?”

“Watch your mouth, pretty bird!” said Poundcakes. “Bein’ a Grappler’s better than trailer trash like you ever deserved!”

“Melissa, perhaps I—” began the Vision.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Melissa. “I can take care of these two in my sleep.”

“Famous last words, bitch.” Battleaxe shed her coat and drew the weapons which were her namesake from her back. Poundcakes also dropped hers and it fell beside her seismatic boots.

“Are you sure you would not like my assistance?” asked the Vision.

“Positive.”

“Very well.” The Vision stood to the side, arms folded across his chest.

Battleaxe hurled one of her weapons at Songbird, who easily blocked it with a sonic shield. She generated an axe of her own with her powers and lunged at Battleaxe. Their weapons clashed and Battleaxe reached out with her free hand to get Songbird in a hold.

Songbird would have none of it, jumping back and a pair of sonic wings forming from her back. She flew around Battleaxe and dove feet-first, slamming her to the ground.

Poundcakes slammed her heel against the pavement, a seismic tremor rippling through the area. Songbird took to the air again and just laughed. “Really, Marian? What good are earthquakes against a girl who can fly?”

“I’ll show you!” Poundcakes kicked one of the buildings, her seismatic generator causing the wall to collapse. The Vision jumped into action as the bricks started to fall down around her, intending to grab hold of her body and turn them both intangible. But he wasn’t fast enough. Before he could search through the wreckage, the bricks rose up in unison, a platform made of pink, sonic energy holding them. Melissa was underneath it without a scratch, throwing up a shield to protect herself at the last minute.

Songbird hurled the bricks at her opponent and Poundcakes could only stand there and take it, covering her face to avoid too much damage. But the bricks stopped coming and once Poundcakes lowered her arms, Songbird was gone.

That was when Poundcakes found her legs kicked out from under her and she fell on her back. Songbird stood over her and generated a pair of muscular arms around Poundcakes’ neck. Within moments, the Grappler was left unconscious by the sleeper hold.

Melissa heard light applause coming from behind and she saw the Vision with a smile on his face. “Very impressive. I was worried for a moment.”

“No need, I can handle myself.”

“I would say so.” The Vision offered his arm to her again. “Shall we?”

Melissa smiled and linked her arm with his again. “Y’know, suddenly it doesn’t seem so late. How about we grab a drink?”

Arlington National Cemetery
Virginia

It was night, but that didn’t stop Clint Barton from entering the nation’s premiere military cemetery. Until recently, the grave of John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jackie, were the most frequently visited sites. Now another site proved to be a more popular draw among those who came to pay their respects. This one was marked with an eternal flame similar to the one that marked Kennedy’s grave as well as a statue immortalizing one of the greatest heroes America had ever known.

Steve Rogers, Captain America. Clint had fought by his side for years, had trained with him. And now, he was gone. Although Clint had respect for his fellow teammate and successor to the Captain America title, it still wasn’t the same as fighting side-by-side with Steve.

“Hey Cap, sorry I missed the service,” he said, addressing the statue. “I was pretty busy at the time, keepin’ an eye on Zemo. Tryin’ to keep him honest. For all the good it did…

“I’ve gone back to the Avengers. After we lost you, felt like that’s where I needed to be. With you gone, Tony’s running the show, so someone’s gotta keep ol’ Shellhead in line, am I right?

“Tell you the truth, though. Tone’s under a lot of pressure. He’s got the government breathin’ down his neck, an’ we’ve got a new liaison who likes pushing his buttons. Sexual tension between those two is like a ticking time bomb. Makes me wonder what things would be like if you were still around.”

Clint sighed. “Guess there’s no point playin’ that game, huh? I’ll see you around, Steve.”

He turned and walked towards the cemetery gates. But in the darkness, another figure watched Clint Barton go. “If only you knew what was coming, Hawkeye.”

Avengers Island

Maria Hill sat in her office in one of the admin buildings. She was busy on her laptop, logging in the mundane details of the day. She had been left out of Carol’s examination, told by Stark that her presence wasn’t required and that she should “find something useful to do.”

She cursed under her breath as she went about her work. Her career had taken a turn for the worse in recent months. At one point, Maria was on the fast track, prepped to become the youngest agent in SHIELD history promoted to the upper echelons of the organization.

But now, she was being forced to baby-sit Stark and his team of whining, spoiled “heroes.” All the while being forced to endure Stark’s crap on a daily basis. She was at her wit’s end and she was wondering if her superiors would consider promoting someone else to the liaison position, perhaps someone like Sitwell who had more experience with the Avengers.

A knock came at her door and Hill said, “it’s open.” The door opened and Jarvis and Storm entered. The weather goddess still looked weak after the ordeal with the Black Humor and she carried a bottle of water. The butler, however, held two glasses and a bottle of wine. He set them down on her desk.

“Apologies for the interruption, Agent Hill,” said Jarvis. “Ms. Munroe insisted we stop by.”

“What’s this all about?” asked Maria, eyeing Ororo with suspicion.

The former X-Man sat in one of the chairs in front of Maria’s desk. Jarvis handed Maria one of the wine glasses and took the second for himself.

“Like you, Maria, I am new to this team. Most of us are, other than Tony, Carol and Clint,” said Ororo. “Carol and I are old friends, Kurt is like a brother to me, and I am slowly getting to know the rest of the group. Everyone except for you, of course. You are always about, yet I know next to nothing about you. I would like that to change.”

“As would I,” said Jarvis. “Although I understand Master Stark’s predicament, I find his treatment of you reprehensible.”

Maria just slid the glass over. “Look, I appreciate the sentiment but I’m not one for pity…”

“This isn’t pity, this is companionship,” said Ororo.

“Yeah, but—”

“Agent Hill, please. Drink the wine,” said Ororo.

Maria couldn’t help a small smile. “Only if you call me Maria. None of this Agent Hill crap. Same goes for you, Mr. Prim Butler.”

“It would be my pleasure, Maria,” said Jarvis, clinking his glass against hers.

“And you may call me Ororo.”

Maria sipped her wine. “So what’s this about Stark’s ‘predicament’?”

“As you are well aware, the Avengers have been granted sovereignty by the United Nations. As Chairman of the Avengers, this makes Master Stark the head of state. But he is also CEO of Stark Enterprises,” said Jarvis. “This has led to accusations in several governments that Master Stark’s dual role represents a conflict of interest. He and Colonel Fury also had a great deal of mutual respect for each other.”

“So going from the Colonel to some upstart agent he’s never heard of just adds to the stress,” said Maria.

“I suppose that’s one way of putting it,” said Jarvis. “What I ask is do not fight him on every point. Rather, offer suggestions as opposed to demands. Offer SHIELD’s resources, give information, agree with his decisions—”

“Kiss his ass,” said Maria.

“Not at all, just be a bit more conciliatory. Master Stark may be arrogant at times, but there are ways to challenge him without being confrontational.”

“Bend with the tempest, Maria,” said Ororo. “Bend before you break.”

The Angelica
Greenwich Village

“That was fantastic,” said Josiah X as he strolled from the theater. By his side was a young man with short, black hair, finishing off the last of a bag of popcorn.

“I told you,” said Kurt Wagner. The image inducer hid his identity from the public. Josiah was content with a simple baseball cap and a pair of sunglasses. Neither one had a secret identity to worry about, but as Avengers, they were recognizable celebrities and instead wanted to enjoy a boys’ night out under the cover of anonymity.

“There’s a whole other world there in celluloid,” said Kurt. “And the old movies are the best.”

“I’m glad you took me,” said Josiah. The two friends made their way to the downtown trains when the sound of an alarm in the night grabbed their attention.

“Duty calls?” asked Kurt.

Josiah removed his sunglasses and cap, rushing towards the sound of the alarm. Kurt deactivated his image inducer, revealing his indigo fur, three-digit hands and feet, and forked tail.

They found the Triumvirate of Terror breaking into an ATM machine. Piledriver tore it open with his gauntlets while Hammerhead and Thunderboot stood guard. They each prepared for battle when they saw Josiah and Kurt.

“And who might you gentlemen be?” asked Kurt.

“We’re the Triumvirate of Terror!” said Hammerhead.

“Never heard of you,” said Josiah.

“You’ll remember us after tonight!” said Hammerhead. He charged towards Kurt like a bull. The teleporter vanished in a flash of smoke. Hammerhead charged through the smoke, coughing and waving to dissipate it. “What the hell’s that stench?”

“That would be brimstone, mein freund,” said Kurt, perched on the wall above. He pounced off, striking Hammerhead in the back, then flipping in the air and landing in a crouch.

As Josiah ran towards Thunderboot, the villain slammed his foot on the ground, causing a tremor that knocked the new Captain America off his feet. Thunderboot moved forwards, but Josiah jumped towards him, grabbing him by the head and knocking him to the ground.

“Oh Captain, my Captain!” said Kurt as he teleported beside Josiah. Hammerhead saw where his opponent was now and charged towards the two of them. Thunderboot for them also and jumped, feet-first towards the Avengers.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” asked Josiah.

Kurt just smiled and placed his hand on Josiah’s shoulder. Just as Hammerhead was about to strike, Nightcrawler teleported him and Josiah away. Hammerhead’s helmet and Thunderboot’s feet collided, generating a massive shockwave and sending them both flying in opposite directions.

Piledriver collected the money but was knocked down by the shockwave. He quickly got back up, but it was just in time to find Josiah and Kurt standing over him. He saw his partners out cold and looked at the Avengers with fear.

“Please not the face?”

Josiah cracked his knuckles. “Face it is.”

Theatre of Genetics
Bellville, New Jersey

It was cold in the old, converted warehouse. Despite the warmth of summer, there was a dark, dank feeling in the old stone confines. Water dripped in the darkness and glass crunched and cracked underfoot as Jacob made his way deeper into the place that had been his home once, another lifetime ago…

“Why are we here?” Virgo asked, her voice soft but as cold as the environs about him. Jacob sighed as he stared at what was left; shattered genesis tubes and ravaged machinery. The SHIELD ‘clean-up teams’ had been thorough, destroying whatever they could not confiscate.

Yes! Why are we here? I sense the old men sniffing about. They will be calling for me soon.

Fury sighed holding up the Zodiac Key as he stared at the carnage. “Just reliving a dream,” he said. He felt Virgo’s hand on his shoulder and choked back a sob. “I just wanted friends back then. I’d given up on all the plots and dreams. They wouldn’t even give me that.”

It is time to act! I have given you what you asked, now give me what I need.

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right.”

Jacob Fury grasped the golden key with both hands and raised it overhead. He felt the energy course through him as he paused, letting the power build, thinking on what he was about to do. He was already damned many times over, so a few thousand more souls on his conscience would make little difference.

He thought of Van Lunt and Aries and their delusions of grandeur. He thought of Aquarius and Capricorn. He thought of Virgo…

He took a deep breath and let the energy flow forth…