Avengers

America’s Southwest Desert;        

The Chihuahuan

New Mexico

The Invincible Iron-Man soared over the New Mexican desert his eyes flitting at the internal scanners and sensors lining the interior of his helmet. As always in a firefight they were lit up like a Christmas tree flashing the color-coded spectrum within his peripheral sight. Normally not a challenge; he could hold his concentration on a dozen or more issues at once when he was focused on the problem at hand, given the level of severity of course. Unfortunately this time the level of severity was off the scale.

His gaze flicked to the long range tactical display, flashing multi-colored dots of the rainbow marking the positions of his fellow Avengers with a digital icon of their symbol to keep track. They were spread out on the topographical grid map arranged in the standard formation of the assault plan he suggested. The Weather Witch, Storm, the ex-Thunderbolt, Songbird and the android Vision were in the air shifting through the four main points of the compass along with him, staying far out of the Hulk’s reach and attacking from the sky at regular intervals. The Mutant Nightcrawler was teleporting in and out with a hit-and-run tactic meant to confuse the Jade Giant, too fast to follow and too random to anticipate. The tiny blip marking Scott Lang, the Astonishing Ant-Man was at the fringe of the map gathering the insects of the desert with his cybernetic helmet, building a small army and awaiting his turn to move. The remaining lights represented Hawkeye the Marksman and S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Maria Hill, liaison to the Avengers. Whether with trick arrow or blaster pistol, both were firing at range from ground level at the edges. The whole idea of Assault Plan Delta III was to keep the foe off balance and whittle him down with many, varied attacks. A good plan devised by Steve Rogers and the Black Panther that would have worked against almost any other foe, but this time the foe in question could not be considered ‘any other’.

This was the Hulk…

“Give me the run-down, Maria,” Tony Stark asked as he shifted positon to the north point blasting a barrage of his patented Repulsor Rays into the Hulk’s back as he moved. The lenses of his eye-slits dimmed as Storm directed a quick series of bright, crackling lightning bolts about their target coupled with a concentrated sonic screech via Songbird’s amplifying carapace and the Vision’s twin solar beams all striking the brute in tandem. The Hulk simply raged at the sky as the smoke cleared, annoyed but otherwise seemingly none the worse for wear.

[Power at 94%… Repulsor Rays recharging from 57 %…] the soft, computer-simulated voice of Maria Stark offered upon request. Tony Stark had created several personas for his internal, Artificial Intelligence computer; Pepper Potts, the Avengers’ Major Domo, Jarvis, even Happy Hogan on a whim depending on the situation.  Each was different and in this instance he chose Maria as his back-up. Sometimes a boy just needed the calm reassurance of his mother.

[Flight at 98,] Maria continued as the internal display in question highlighted for Tony’s focus. [Force Field and all remaining Weapon Systems at capacity… Scanners at mid-range… No activity from the Latverian Transport. All the robots register at 10 % using minimal power for apparent mundane functions; ship maintenance, surveillance, defense. No aggressive assault recorded since arrival.]

“Well, keep an eye on them. We don’t need another bunch of monkeys in the wrench,” Tony joked but by the silence following he assumed the movie reference was lost on the A.I. “Any sign of Doom?” Pause…

[No, Tony,] Maria offered, her voice sounding almost sad and apologetic. [But Doctor Doom’s technology has always been sufficient to stymie our own in certain features. The Chronal Shift I’ve noted on occasion masks his presence effectively…]

“Well, raise that up on the list of ‘Things to do’ and I’ll work on it after this is over. Collate with Reed Richard’s temporal files for now and see what that gives us.”

[Already calculated in, Tony Dear… I would suggest moving position…]

“What?”

[Incoming…]

“Ah, crap!” Tony exclaimed seeing the huge chunk of boulder flying his way.

[Language, Dear…]

 

HULK HUNT

ROUND 3: BATTLE ROYALE

By Kurt Fernland

 

(Iron-Man, Hawkeye, Vision, Storm, Nightcrawler, Songbird, Ant-Man, Maria Hill, Hulk, Thing, Red Wolf, Lobo, Eric Arcane, James Woo, Man-Wolf, Skull the Slayer, Nick Fury, Dum Dum Dugan, Doctor Doom)

Something between a sneer and a smirk twisted the Rampaging Hulk’s lips as he watched the sheered hunk of boulder flying towards the golden man. He remembered the metal man from other battles; shadowy, misty images of other times, other fights; always fights pushing on him. Making him mad…angry…

A flash of light and a squeal; the boulder exploding as he watched through squinted eyes, but too late. The huge rock shattered into smaller stones still hitting the armored man; battering the metal, crashing over and over, sending him tumbling back towards the ground. The brute screamed in triumphant rage as his muscles tensed, ready to leap. Then heat and crackling energy erupted about him, burning his skin and ripping up the desert floor. The Hulk screamed as his anger boiled up again driving the memories back and away into silence again.

VAAARRR…

He staggered at the overwhelming sound blotting out his hearing.

THUMP

Hulk stared at the stick suddenly attached to his chest. It had bird feathers and…

FLASH

“ARRGH!” The Hulk rubbed at his eyes as a dazzling bright light exploded all about him. He stumbled blind, swinging wildly at the spots dancing in his vision groping for something… anything to grab and hang on to… to smash. His hand brushed stone and his fingers dug in, grooves cracking the rock and splitting the age old boulder to dig deeper. He shook his head, blinking away the dancing lights and dots blotting his sight, straining to hear through the buzz and whine. Near blind and deaf the Incredible Hulk pried the massive block from the sands of the desert floor heaving it effortlessly high overhead.

BAMMPH

“Now, now mein freund. One would think it was time for your nap. You’re getting grumpy.”

BAMMPH! BAMF!

“Why don’t you drop that thing before you hurt yourself?”

BAMMPH!

BAMMPH-BAMMPH-BAMF!

BAMMPH!

“Why don’t you just surrender so we can all go home?”

“RRraarrrgh!”

The Hulk heaved the boulder in the direction of the annoying voice, gagging on the awful stench and feeling the tiny taps all about his body. Like a gnat; not hurting… annoying… aggravating! Making the Hulk mad! He swung wildly, faster and faster at the sound of the voice all about him.

Everywhere, all at once, annoying… Taunting.

Familiar…

A final tap in the cloying smoke and the Hulk smashed the ground before him, striking nothing but sand. He raged!

Silence…

“AAarrrggh!”

Light and heat, electricity, force; the explosion rocked the ground tearing up the land. Sand burned and gravel, rocks flew bursting up and burning, shaking the very earth beneath his feet. The force of the blast drove the Hulk to stagger, dropping to one knee. His body burned and smoldered. Ears ringing he shook his head feeling the anger swelling within; making him stronger, healing…

Shadows danced flitting in his sight as he stood. He could hear them all around, mocking him. He looked up raising his arms and shaking his fists in defiance; in rage! They could not beat the Hulk!

No one could beat him!

He was the strongest one there was. He would smash them all, but they all just kept coming.

Ross…

Talbot…

Stupid Magician…

Avengers!

“Leave… Me… ALONE!!!”

“Well, this all went to hell.”

Ben Grimm, the ‘Ever-Lovin’ Blue-eyed Thing’ leaned back against the warm stone of the boulder catching his breath and watching as the battle spiraled out of control. It wasn’t supposed to go down this way, he thought. Doom said he had it all under control, but of course Ben should’ve known better, known it was all lies. Victor Von Doom was out for Number One, first and always.

Grimm covered his ears as a screeching passed overhead and nearby. Songbird, he figured as he chanced a snap-glance from the safety of the outcropping. He saw Melissa Gold flying past, strafing the desert floor with the amplified powers of her carapace, blasting at the Incredible Hulk. Banner raged and covered his ears at the assault staggering off to the side as lightning crackled about him; great arching bolts shattering into the land followed by booming thunder adding to Gold’s sonic powers. Storm flew up in the sky above the battlefield glowing with Mutant energy as she brought her powers forth as best as she was able here in the midst of the New Mexican desert. She didn’t have much to work with, but he could feel the temperature and the humidity rising around him. White puffy clouds were growing and churning, turning dark as they blotted out the sun. Ororo Monroe was calling up a major storm with winds and rain blowing in. Ben couldn’t imagine the power she could call up here in the desert, but he knew she had lived in Africa for years in far worse conditions. She knew what she was doing.

They all did. These were the Mighty Avengers!

“They are mighty indeed.”

Ben Grimm started at the voice suddenly at his side. It was William Talltrees, the Native American defender of the Southwest deserts known as Red Wolf. He was still leaning on his medicine staff for a bit of support after the wounds he had taken but he looked better dressed in his wolf’s hood headdress and native buckskins. He seemed unaffected by the heat of the blazing sun though his deep red skin glistened with perspiration. The heat didn’t bother Grimm so much either, but he hated guys like that; always in control and sneakin’ around actin’ mysterious like the Black Panther and the Widow. Gave him the creeps sometimes.

“GRRrrr…”

Ben looked to the huge grey wolf standing at the Indian’s side as it snarled, hackles raised. Talltrees crouched at the animal’s side and scratched the huge tuft of fur behind his neck.

“Easy, my brother, Ben Grimm is our ally, and our friend. He means me no harm.” Red Wolf smiled as his companion nuzzled closer, calming. “He sensed your attitude, my friend and simply rose to my protection,” he continued speaking to Grimm standing again and glancing skyward as something exploded to the north. “As did I; your mood has changed.”

“Just tired, Wolf. Bad enough comin’ here to the middle a’ nowhere on a simple snatch-an-grab with Doc Doom and endin’ up fightin’ the Hulk, but you toss in the Avengers on top a’ that and things get complicated. You ain’t seen the good Doctor, have ya?” The Thing pulled a fresh cigar from his belt compartment and lit it with his zippo, drawing on it until it flared to life. He snapped his lighter closed and slipped it back into his belt eyeing his friend. Red Wolf shook his head.

“No. Victor Von Doom, despite his flaws is a technological genius to rival Reed Richards as well as being a mage on a level with Stephen Strange. I am neither and he masks his presence from me. But my God, Owayodata is ever vigilant and shall enlighten me when needed.” Red Wolf offered a slight smile. “Have faith.”

“Yeah,” Ben offered as he stepped to the edge of the rock outcropping where he took brief shelter. He could see the Avengers in the distance, Iron-Man, Songbird, Storm and the Vision flying overhead and trying to keep the Hulk at bay while Nightcrawler teleported in and out about the brute trying to draw his attention. There ought’a be others, he thought, but didn’t see them as the Jade Giant swung wildly through Kurt Wagner’s dark clouds of brimstone growing thick with every port. Probably some practiced plan thought up by Captain America in their Danger Room, which would no doubt work well against something else. Grimm had his doubts it would do anything against the Hulk, except make him mad. “Well, faith and a dollar would get me a cuppa’ coffee if we could find a diner out here in the sticks.”

“We’ve got coffee in the Quinjet, Ben,” a new voice sounded off from behind. The Thing grimaced and hung his head as he turned knowing who he would see. He recognized that voice.

“Barton…”

Hawkeye the Archer stood poised atop the rocks some distance away. He held his bow at arm’s length with an arrow notched and drawn fully back near his cheek. Clint Barton, one of the oldest Avengers smirked with the arrow aimed not quite at Grimm, unwavering at the pull but he could tell by the odd shape of the head it was not designed to strike either him or Red Wolf, rather a spot between. Grimm really didn’t want to know what the arrow would do if it hit. Hawkeye smirked.

“Least we did till the Hulk took out the jet. Ya think your buddy Doom’s got a Mr. Coffee on that nutty contraption he’s flyin’?” Hawkeye glanced to the side. “Hey, Will.”

“Hawkeye,” Red Wolf replied in greeting with a nod. They were old… acquaintances; they all were back in the days of the West Coast Avengers, though Talltrees had met Hawkeye years before when the archer was playing Goliath with Hank Pym’s growth serum. Seemed a lifetime ago.

“Better call Lobo back, Wolf. I’m wise to your tricks. You know that.” Red Wolf shrugged.

“A stray rabbit seeking new shelter drew my brother’s attention, my friend. His will is his own.”

“Uh-hunh.” Hawkeye twisted his lip not believing. “Listen, fellas, I don’t want any trouble. Why don’t you just stand down?”

“Neither do we, Clint,” Grimm countered drawing on his cigar. He saw Lobo skulking around in the shadows behind the archer and figured Hawkeye was aware. The bow-slinger wasn’t the idiot he sometimes pretended to be. “But don’t ya think yer a little outclassed here against me, the Hulk and Doc Doom, not ta’ mention Red Wolf. You need some a’ the big boys to face us like Thor an’ Hercules.” Hawkeye smirked.

“We’ve both faced worse odds, Ben; sometimes together. You know that. There’s always a way to win.”

“You should listen to the man, Grimm.”

Ben sighed and turned to the sound of yet another new voice. Maria Hill stood at the edge of the scattered, broken stones pointing a gun at him; a big gun. She was an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and liaison to the Avengers. She was also one of Nick Fury’s right hand men. Women… Whatever.

“Put the pea-shooter down, Hill. You know it ain’t gonna do nothin’ to me.”

“Care to bet on that, Grimm?” She licked her lips, sweating, but her aim did not falter. “Stand down in the name of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers and the United States government and consider yourself under arrest.”

Ben Grimm stared between Maria Hill and Hawkeye as he took a long final drag from his cigar. He looked at it for a moment, not even half-smoked, then flicked it away into the sandy wastes. “There’s fifty cents down the drain,” he grumbled as he glanced at Red Wolf from the corner of his eye. The Medicine Man nodded.

“I was hopin’ to avoid this Hill… Barton, but I guess we gotta do the dance.” Without warning the Thing charged forward.

“It’s clobberin’ time!”

S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier Samuel Sawyer

America’s Southwest Desert;        

The Chihuahuan

Arizona

Colonel Nicolaus Fury stood in the center of the cold, darkened room, his one good eye flicking between the large monitors suspended from the walls above and before him. He gnawed on the fat bit of his cigar trying to calm his anger at the group of shadowy images on the screens; fat cats and politicians sitting in their cushy offices and homes scattered all around the world, well away from the threats they were berating him about. He hated this.

“You should be there already, Fury,” a voice crackled from one of the speakers, distorted and tinny. As far as Fury knew none of the so-called Council knew one another. They were a group of movers and shakers from around the world; industrialists, billionaires, high-ranking military, world leaders. He knew the type. He’d dealt with their likes most of his life, and apparently wasn’t done with them yet. “When the condition went from orange to red you should have already been en route to intercept the Hulk. It’s your job to deal with threats like him.” Fury fumed trying to hold his temper in check.

“With all due respect, Councilman, my last orders were “Search, Rescue and Restoration” in Seattle, which was not in my job description when I was offered my position as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. I was doing that job for the last few weeks, as ordered, while you all debated in private, making my decisions for me. Had S.H.I.E.L.D. been allowed to do the job it was created to do at the get go, the Hulk would have already been contained and none of this would have happened.”

“Your past actions have proven otherwise, Director,” another speaker announced. Fury turned slightly to view another monitor. “Your alliances with the alleged Hero community have quite often skewed your better judgement. Your friendships with the likes of Captain America and the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, even the terrorist, Thing, has been detrimental to the safety of America and the world in too many instances. You need our guiding hand, Fury, and you need to follow our orders.”

“I am following your orders, stupid as they are.” Fury blew smoke and ground his teeth on the bit of his cigar. “If I hadn’t recalled this Assault Carrier back to Seattle from patrol in Japan for maintenance, I’d still be sitting on the Constellation over Puget Sound playin’ poker with Danvers an’ waitin’ for your decision. Now the Samuel Sawyer’s at top efficiency with a full complement of fresh troops itching to see some action instead of sittin’ over the Pacific waiting for Godzilla to show up again. If that’s what my past actions have proven to you, you should have replaced me a long time ago.”

“That trick again?” another voice scoffed. “That’s never worked.”

“Do not push us, Colonel,” yet another voice spoke, cutting off the other. Fury cocked his head to that screen, listening closely as the voice almost sounded familiar. “We’re smarter than you. We know best what is needed. Follow your orders. Stop the Hulk, the Thing and Doctor Doom. That is your mission.”

Fury swallowed back an angry retort as one by one the monitor screens flickered and went dark. His audience with the Council was apparently over. He plucked the gnawed cigar from his mouth and dropped it, crushing it underfoot as he turned and strode from the viewing platform and out of the sealed chamber. He paused in the hallway beyond as the doors closed and locked automatically behind him, mumbling under his breath.

“I can see that didn’t go well.”

Fury looked up to see his old friend and ex Howling Commando, Dum Dum Dugan standing in the hall waiting on him. He’d fought alongside Dugan back in many wars and side-by-side later in the ranks of S.H.I.E.L.D. when Fury disobeyed orders again and brought in his best men, his most trusted friends into the ranks to help out. The old warhorse had bounced around the division for years and most recently ended up commanding the Samuel Sawyer in Japan some weeks ago. Fury had recalled him to Seattle when he suspected things were about to go south.

“Never does, Dum Dum,” Fury snorted reaching into his longcoat to pull out his silver cigar case. He looked momentarily at the engraving thinking of Val and wishing more of his old friends were around. He flipped open the lid and scowled to find the case empty.

“Still, we got our orders,” he grumbled slipping the case back into his jacket. “Stop the Hulk, the Thing and Doctor Doom; piece a’ cake, right?” Dugan shrugged holding out one of his own cigars, which Fury accepted with a slight smile. He bit off the end and lit it; a nice, fat Cuban. The Bay of Pigs wasn’t a total disaster.

“We’ve faced worse odds,” Dugan shrugged as the two started walking back to the command deck, “an’ with less backup. We’ll figure it out as we go along an’ come out on top like we always do, Nick.”

“Yeah,” Fury agreed, drawing on the cigar and waiting for the lift. “We always do.

“There’s always a way to win.”

“We are doing nothing to him,” Storm shouted to be heard over the roar of the Iron-Man’s boot jets and Songbird’s sonic cries. If not for the special dampeners developed by the sciences of T’Challa and Wakanda she feared she might succumb to the high-pitched assault long before the Rampaging Hulk. Melissa Gold was truly powerful.

“We’re wearing him down on a multitude of levels, Ororo,” Stark replied flying closer but still speaking through the com they were all connected to. “Songbird’s varying the pitch of her screams so rapidly and too intensely for us to really hear, but it’s affecting the Hulk’s equilibrium, and hopefully his concentration; making him sloppy. Add to that our skill, powers and teamwork – our ‘Hit and Run’ tactics – well, we’ll bring him down. We have to.”

“I fear we are only making him angry,” she spoke what she knew the others were thinking, “and despite our skill and plan, you must not discount sheer luck. Even in his least intelligent incarnation, the Hulk has always found a way to win.”

“I know,” Stark admitted glumly, only slightly distracted by whatever was going on within his internal displays. It amazed Ororo Monroe that the man was able to concentrate on so many things at once. He was so like the Professor in that regard and yet far more… vibrant. “I’ve fought the Hulk in way more ‘incarnations’ than I care to count and I’ve only beaten him once by myself. That almost killed me. But now we’ve got one of the most powerful teams of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes ever assembled. There’s no way we lose today.”

“Look!”

Both Storm and the Iron-Man looked down to see a dark cloud swirling about the Hulk’s head. He was swatting wildly into the mist but it seemed to disperse for only a moment before churning about him again, confusing him. It took the Weather Witch a moment to realize what that haze must be.

“Insects,” she announced and Stark confirmed.

“Scott’s giving us a respite to regroup and recharge. His insect air force can’t really hurt the Hulk, but they’ll get into his mouth and ears, his eyes. He’s buying us time and doing what he can to help, in his own way.” Ororo nodded. Stark’s plan was good but she had to wonder if the Hulk’s endurance would win the day over their own perseverance in the end.

“Look out!”

With barely a thought the Incredible Hulk flexed his mighty leg muscles launching himself into the air. The Astonishing Ant-Man’s insects fell back and away as the brute rocketed skyward towards she and Stark. With the slightest gesture the scorching desert winds shifted and Storm started to soar from the beast’s path, but too late. His massive, flailing arms lashed out striking her a glancing blow to send her spiraling through the air. Head spinning and ears ringing from even that slightest impact she righted herself only to see the Savage Hulk strike his intended target; the Invincible Iron-Man.

“Omigod…”

Melissa Gold stared as the Hulk slammed into Iron-Man, the force of his leap sending them both tumbling away. Even over the sound of her own sonic song however she could hear the wrenching and crunching of metal. Bits and pieces of Stark’s armor flew away as the beast ripped and teared at the metal, cracking him apart like a lobster.

“We’ve gotta help him!” she yelled as she flew towards the melee easing the pitch of her inherent sonic scream and cycling through the levels of amplifying intensities, which her carapace allowed. After all this battle she realized she could do next to nothing to hurt the monster, but she hoped… prayed she could draw him off of Stark. If his armor shut down, Anthony Stark would die and she wasn’t about to let that happen.

“Of course,” a cold, metallic voice whispered in her ear com, “but this is mine. Be prepared.”

Songbird saw the pale green shade of the android Vision, her love glide past, the solar gem on his brow crackling as he absorbed energy from the blazing desert sun. She knew that jewel provided the power of his symbiotic form thanks to his creator, Ultron, but she had never seen it burning so intensely; its glow almost blinding. She followed flying faster as she saw her man darken, his colors becoming more distinct as he drew nearer the Hulk. She didn’t understand the science of it all, but she knew he was increasing his mass and density. And with that his strength would also grow, maybe enough to match the creature’s, while slowly dropping from the sky. She felt her heart skip a beat as she flew faster.

The Hulk ripped at the Iron-Man’s chest as they fell, throwing away a huge portion of his chest plate even as her man struck. She heard the Vision’s blow as it hit, plowing into the back of the monster’s skull. The Hulk turned, snarling his rage as the android grabbed hold trying to pull the brute off the leader of the Avengers. She had never seen him so strong… so magnificent and she knew he must weigh tons as the trio fell end over end towards the desert floor.

She had to act and she knew what she needed to do then, all her training coming into play. She dove and swooped low skimming the sand and grit as she mentally willed her carapace to adjust her cry. She saw the desert landscape ripple and bend as she focused, watching the arc as the trio tumbled, the Vision hammering into the beast, hoping she was right.

BA-WOOM!

Even with the sonic cushion she created the ground exploded in a cloud of grit and sand blowing high and far. Swooping skyward again she watched as the three hit and bounced; tumbling across the hard-baked land. The Iron-Man fell away at last but Melissa could see his armor was rended savagely, Stark’s bare chest exposed and the light keeping his heart beating fluctuating wildly. He was hurt, possibly dying but she watched, focused as her man and the monster at last lurched to a stop.

The Vision hammered down pummeling the brute in the back of the head over and over. Melissa knew the Vision got stronger as his mass increased, strong enough to rival Wonder man, but she had never seen him like this; heavy enough to hold the Hulk down and strong enough to cause the monster pain. The Hulk was screaming, but agony or rage she could not tell. She had to act while they had the advantage.

Landing just a few feet away she adjusted the output of her carapace. Designed and constructed by the Fixer when she ran with the Thunderbolts it was later improved by Stark’s technology, and even more so by Wakandan science, learned in the intricacies of Vibranium. She had never pushed the device to its uppermost limits, but she knew she had to now against the strongest threat the Avengers had ever faced. Stronger than Ultron or Count Nefaria in his ultimate form, the bestial Hulk had to fall before more people suffered or died.

Songbird braced, digging her feet into the sand and leaned forward. She screamed…

A million decibels of white hot sound lashed out striking the flailing Hulk in the skull. She could see his body shaking with her attack, vibrating as he screamed, the Vision’s blows raining down, pounding like thunder; but not enough… not nearly enough.  Melissa Gold stepped forward, her screech ever-rising in pitch. She winced at the sound, gritting her teeth as she drew breath; screaming again, raising the pitch, the decibels rising. She heard the carapace popping and crackling about her; electricity and sound dancing over her body as the noise went beyond even her ability to hear. And still she pushed on, the decibels rising… two million…five…more…

The Hulk’s bellows of rage then did turn to screams of agony as her pinpoint beam drilled into his brain. He yowled as the Vision slammed fist after fist into him. The beast raised his arms, groping towards her as his head slammed into the dirt. Looking up, Melissa saw the briefest look of confusion on the brute’s face. Worry…

But then the monster closed his hands and his massive fists slammed into the ground. Shockwaves roiled outward in every direction throwing Songbird off her feet and back. The earth shattered and cracked with the jade giant’s assault and she slammed back hard into a rock outcropping. She heard the carapace shatter and explode, its power source overtaxed; overwhelmed by the energy she demanded. She felt the burn of the explosion as she was hurled forward; rolling through the sand until she lay gasping for breath, her powerful voice now a raspy whisper.

And the Hulk loomed above her shaking his fists and shouting his anger to the heavens…

Her armor was rent, her carapace destroyed and still the creature raged. Of her man there was no sign, but she could see the anger in the Hulk’s eyes. She had hurt him and become the target. She was dead…

Melissa Gold prayed to her god hoping she had atoned for all the evil she had done over the years; as a child, a Grappler as Screaming Mimi, finally as Songbird, a Thunderbolt when Hawkeye had shown her what life could truly be. She hoped she had done enough… done right as she waited for those fists to come crashing down and crush her into a bloody pulp.

She started to close her eyes expecting the inevitable, not quite welcoming death but accepting, when something flashed through her sight and the Hulk was gone. She was spared…

Jim Scully immediately felt the change in the heat and humidity as he staggered from the protection of the smoldering circle charred into the desert sand; sand, which second’s before had been the hardwood floor of Eric Arcane’s SOHO apartment in New York City. God he hated magic.

A quick glance at his three companions showed him they appeared to be just as momentarily confused as he was. John Jameson, always the professional, was scoping out the immediate area with a sweep of his vision while wiping sweat from his brow. Scully could see his nostrils flaring as though trying to pick up a scent like a dog; or a wolf, Scully corrected himself. As always, Jimmy Woo was hard to get a make on. He was the only one smart enough to wear sunglasses but Scully had no idea why the man wasn’t stripping off his black suit, or at least loosening his tie. He had to be hot as hell but he didn’t seem the least bothered by that or the sudden teleportation. Jeez, didn’t the man ever sweat?

Arcane however was sweating bullets. In fact the Hedge-Mage looked the worst of the three of them. The man was leaning on his staff and looked as though he’d aged ten years. His skin looked a little less dark and there were streaks of gray throughout his bushy, long dreadlocks. As Scully understood it, his magic took a large toll on him every time he spoke one of his ‘words of power’ as he called them. Scully had seen him do some wild things in the past but he could only imagine what transporting the four of them halfway across the country had done to him. To his credit though, he wasn’t complaining; none of them were, not much anyway. They had a job to do.

“Well, this sucks,” Scully commented, wiping sweat from his brow. “How come we never fight villains in Bermuda or the Bahamas?”

“I learned in my years with S.H.I.E.L.D. that some places seem… off limits,” James Woo answered. Was that a smirk? “Even villains like to take a vacation.” Was that a joke?

“Sorry… I didn’t compensate… about the change in environment,” Arcane wheezed. “We’ll adapt… in a minute.”

“We may not have a minute,” Jameson cut in, “Look!” All eyes shifted to where John Jameson pointed.

Jim Scully was moving even before the image fully clicked in his head. The Rampaging Hulk was standing over some woman; a red-head and one of the Avengers he thought, though he couldn’t think of her name, not that it mattered. The Hulk looked fully enraged, snarling, shouting and spit flying as he shook his hands in the air, getting ready to smash the girl into a bloody pulp.

“Not on my watch,” he grumbled as he charged forward feeling the strange magical sciences of his Belt of Strength coursing through him, charging him. The weird alien belt made him stronger and more resistant; he didn’t age as quickly as others and just simply felt better all the time. It was a curse to be sure, and it had changed him too many times to count, but people like Captain America, Doctor Druid and the Thing had helped him control it somewhat better over the years. Now he continued to use it to help where he could, giving back as he had received.

The Hulk finished his tirade and Scully could see he was about to attack the girl. He ran full-tilt then leapt the last few yards even as the brute’s massive fists started to come down. Skull the Slayer slammed into the Hulk.

It felt like he had slammed into a wall, no, a mountain; a mountain of granite huge and massive and set so deep in the earth it would never move. But remarkably it did. Skull and the Hulk flew back, not far but far enough. The Hulk’s devastating blow swung through empty air as they hit, tumbling through the desert sand. Scully groaned and drew in a scorching breath only to gasp as the giant’s green arm swung his way.

“Rrarrr!”

The Man-Wolf was suddenly on top of the Hulk, his claws ripping at the monster’s flesh, or trying to. The silver wolf John Jameson became was striking savagely but his claws were barely scraping the Hulk’s tough, thick hide. Apparently the powers of the weird moon-gem grafted to Jameson’s skin could not compare to the gamma-irradiated form of the Incredible Hulk. The Man-Wolf was swifter though and far more agile than the jade giant. The brute’s strong blows swept past through empty air as the beast dodged and dove back out of the way. This only proved to further enrage the Hulk though.

Scully could see the fury building ever higher in the monster and in Jameson as well. They were both getting caught up in the heat of battle. Scully scrambled back to his feet and charged back into the fray. The only way they were going to win was to do this together. He just wished the damn Avengers would lend a hand.

<Capio!>

Even as Skull the Slayer dove back into the conflict he heard the shouted word he could not quite understand. The ground beneath him suddenly seemed to boil and rumble and then sand, gravel and even solid rock seemed to swell up and erupt about the green goliath. Skull pulled up short as the Man-Wolf leapt to the side landing lithely far in the distance. Both watched as the ground whipped up, swirling about the Hulk and hardening; taking shape and the form of a gigantic hand, which closed about the beast into a massive, stony fist.

For just a moment the Hulk seemed confused and the twisted face of constant savagery softened, almost looking thoughtful, considering. And then James Woo was there…

Jim Scully had never really understood the ex-Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. He knew Jimmy Woo had had a checkered past; once F.B.I., he encountered the Yellow Claw, later joining S.H.I.E.L.D. to take on the Asian Warlord again. While Scully was trapped in the alien time tower, there had been other adventures, including Godzilla of all things, and even later, Dracula. To hear it all out of context it sounded like a comic book or a bad movie, but Scully had worked with the man long enough to see him in action and earn his respect. James Woo generally thought several steps ahead of the rest of them, and if he was there in the middle of things, Scully figured the man had a plan.

Just what that plan was, Skull had no idea. Woo simply sashayed up to the ensnared Hulk, his suit sharp and proper and a cigarette perpetually dangling from his lips and just stood there staring hard at the brute. Eric Arcane wasn’t far behind him though, fist raised high towards the Hulk and whispering something.

<Cessabit…>

The Hulk seemed to shudder shaking his exposed head. For just a moment the Hulk’s eyes seemed to clear and focus. He relaxed.

<CONTEGO!>

And then a bolt of lightning came crashing down out of the sky!

Energy danced about Ororo Monroe as she soared through the storm she had gathered about her. Dark clouds now swelled and roiled in the wind; not many but enough and charged with static ready to burst. She relished the feeling, to be one with the Mother Goddess once more and feeling her power flowing through her, unleashed. It was rare she could allow herself to be so consumed; to commune with Nature in all its wild glory, but the monster they faced, a construct of the very elemental Earth in his form was so powerful and twisted in darkness, she had no option; no choice.

But it was hard. Here in the desert environs the harsh winds were at her beck and call but the storms; the rains and clouds, lightning were suppressed in the pristine blue skies of the Lord Above. It took all her ability, all her will and her very soul to summon the force needed to truly unleash Nature’s fury against the abomination. But it was her duty.

She had sworn her aid to help humanity long ago to Charles Xavier and the X-Men, her fellow Mutants. And now that she was an Avenger, that duty had not changed, except to take on a new light and grow even stronger. Ororo Monroe would not shirk her duty.

And so she sang, sailing on the desert winds amidst the gathered storm, its energies collecting about her and following in her wake. Light sparkled and danced as she gestured, the air charged with static as it swelled, the song building to crescendo as she spread her arms wide feeling the power grow and grow. And her arms swept down as her cloak flared and billowed in the blow. Eyes glowing brightly and her hair whipping wildly, Ororo laughed as she directed the force crackling and cascading down in a blaze of glory so bright as to illuminate the very heavens. And the Goddess roared Her fury…

BOOOOOOOOM!

“Ohhh, my sweet Aunt Petunia.”

Ben Grimm shook his head as he rose up to hands and knees shaking sand and grit from his body. He couldn’t even hear himself think let alone talk for the loud ringing in his ears. Whatever just hit had been huge. His vision was jumping as he tried to focus; tried to make sense of what had just happened and what was going on.

There was a feeling of static before a blinding flash of light that lit up the area all about; a white so intense it would have blinded him but that it struck somewhere behind. Even so spots were dancing in his vision. It had been worse than one of Johnny’s Nova Flares magnified a thousand fold. And almost immediately came the noise like a building exploding and crashing down in a solid wall of force.

It had sent him flying forward as the desert erupted behind him. Waves of sand and dirt roiled along with him, a sea in the grip of the perfect storm.

And then he knew; Storm.

The Weather Witch must have unleashed her ultimate lightning bolt, probably at the Hulk, and it was so intense, so powerful it devastated the land all around where she struck. He couldn’t begin to imagine how much desert had been destroyed in the blast; probably miles in every direction. And the crack of thunder that followed had been even worse. It had been on a level with Terrax or the Silver Surfer… Cosmic.

Grimm shook his head and tapped his ear trying to make the ringing stop as he pushed himself up. He felt something crack under his hand and squinted, blinking as he peered down. Glass; the desert floor was seared from the lightning strike it had been so intense and now the sun’s reflection was glaring over the glass brightly. Fear suddenly clutched him.

The Thing forced his body to move, to rise and get up. It took time but he finally stood on shaky legs trying to see as flashing spots of lights continued to dance in his vision. He shook his head over and over forcing himself not to rub his eyes, squinting into the glare trying to find his once-friends, allies, foes, and the Hulk.

There were still rocks about; boulders once now simple stones littering the landscape. But there were other shapes scattered about, dark and still. Ben Grimm had seen far too many dead bodies over the years, both in the war and with the Fantastic Four. He knew the stench of death and his stomach roiled to smell it now.

“Dammit…”

Whatever Storm unleashed, the sheer devastating power of nature, it must have killed everyone. Nothing was moving. There were just smoldering, charred husks of the people they were.

“No…” Grimm whispered staggering forward, trying to get his legs moving. There was always hope. He’d danced with Death before, tricked Death and gotten away with it. If there was the slightest chance anyone was alive he would find a way to save them.

Movement! His vision clearing he saw one of the shadows rise up hunkering over another. A shade of violet hovering over a darker form on the ground; his arms pumping administering CPR.

“Barton!” How the hell had Hawkeye survived what just happened? Grimm hurt, even with his rocky hide every movement, every step was agony. Barton’s armor was shit; flak and chainmail, but as Grimm approached, despite a sunburn, the man looked whole. Didn’t matter, a fluke; Grimm saw he was trying to revive Maria Hill.

“Barton,” he called again but the man paid no heed until the Thing’s shadow fell over the pair. Suddenly Hawkeye had his bow in hand, arrow notched and pointing his way. He was ready to fire, but as Grimm raised his hands in peace Clint Barton relaxed.

“Fight’s over, Ben,” he shouted though it was barely a whisper to Grimm. Hawkeye laid down his weapons and returned his attention to Hill. “Look around, man,” he continued as he started pumping on Hill’s chest, “our friends are dead or dying. We have to help them. The fight’s over.”

“How…” Ben started but Barton ignored him, speaking on.

“Hill’s alive, I dunno how. But she’s burnt and unconscious, barely breathing. I dunno how I survived either, whatever that was.” Barton shrugged. “Storm I guess; I was focusing on you. Thunder blew out my hearing aids.” Maria Hill coughed and took a deep breath. Hawkeye slumped in relief.

“Thank god.” Barton looked up at Grimm, pulling off his mask, beseeching. He looked garish with his lower face burned a bright red. “She’ll live… but the others…

“We need you Ben… I need you. Be the hero you used to be. Help the others…”

Ben Grimm frowned. Barton didn’t know what he was doing, or why; why he had joined forces with Doctor Doom to find the Savage Hulk in order to stop Aron the Rogue Watcher from recreating the universe. No one knew but his select group of allies he gathered. But it didn’t matter what Barton thought of him; the man was right. They had to save their friends. Grimm nodded and helped the archer to his feet.

“C’mon!” he shouted but Hawkeye stared blankly for a moment. Then he pointed to his ear.

“I can’t hear you Ben, and I can’t read those big-ass things you call lips. I get the gist though. Let’s go!”

And the two Heroes went forth to save their friends… if they could.

“Easy my friend.”

Eric Arcane pulled himself from the dirt wiping a hand through his long hair and down his face. He could barely hear from the sonic blast of Storm’s thunderous explosion and his sight was blurred and watery as he looked up towards the voice he <heard> behind him and the reassuring calm hand on his shoulder. His eyes went wide.

“Owayodata…”

Arcane saw a huge form of a man dressed in the traditional garb of the Native American peoples; leather buckskins and moccasins, beaded necklaces and bangles. He held a feathered staff; a Coup Stick and his head was that of a wolf; a Red Wolf. The wolf smiled.

“Not Owayodata, my friend, but his vessel here on this plane.” Arcane saw a huge grey wolf lope forward to him and tensed, ready to defend as the beast tried to lick his wounds.

“Easy… Lobo senses your pain and simply wishes to help. His licking and saliva will purge the impurities from your wounds and body.” Arcane <saw> now that it was just a man, but he could sense and see the incarnation of the Indian God in his essence. “Your <FIRE> is low, but there is still much to do.”

“When I realized what Storm was doing,” Arcane started, “I cast a Shield spell on our allies. I could see her power building within her. We wouldn’t have survived; none of us.”

“And you succeeded. The spark of life remains, but in some it is very low. You need to <Heal> them now. But Owayodata has seen the <FIRE> within you and will give his aid, if you will accept him, and it.” The Red Wolf waited as Lobo backed away.

It took no time to decide, but Arcane dug into one of the many pockets of his charred, smoldering overcoat and produced a pack of cigarettes and his Zippo. He shook a cigarette free, put it to chafed lips and lit it, breathing deeply with a sigh before he nodded.

“Do what needs to be done. I’m ready.” Red Wolf smiled.

Eric Arcane <saw> the ghostly image of Owayodata step forth and flow about him. He immediately felt rejuvenated; younger and stronger and full of <FIRE>, like he slept for a week; the usual way his power was restored. Owayodata was now a part of him, or maybe the Hedge-Mage was part of the Indian Spirit. Whatever, he knew what he had to do.

Eric Arcane lifted himself from the dirt and went forth to <Heal> his allies…

They found Storm first. She was lying naked not so far away on the desert glass just beyond Ground Zero. Her skin was darker than before and her luxurious white hair was singed and full of soot but she was alive and apparently none the worse for wear, just unconscious and maybe comatose after expelling all the power she did. Now she needed rest so Hawkeye repositioned her so she might breathe freely and recover and they moved on.

Grimm was patting his ears trying to get his hearing back up to standard when they found Jameson. He shifted from wolf form back to human at some point in the blast and his clothes were gone, burned away but he was alive and breathing, just unconscious. The strange lunar gem grafted into his skin was flickering wildly, apparently keeping him alive. Whatever it was, it apparently still needed its Star-God.

Skull the Slayer was nearby as well. They had both been right there fighting the Hulk at the point of impact, but like Jameson, Scully’s strange alien belt saved his life.

“They’ll recover,” Barton announced after a quick inspection and the pair moved on to the next group.

The Vision was standing naked, red and stoically over the unconscious Songbird as Eric Arcane knelt beside her, touching her. Grimm didn’t understand what the Hedge-Mage was saying, but his hands were glowing bright green and Melissa Gold seemed to be breathing better with every passing second. Her uniform was not quite burned away but her carapace was shredded and melted about her into a hunk of junk. Arcane didn’t seem to care as he focused all his attention on her still form, healing her, laying on hands.

Stark was not so far away from them. The sonic shockwave of Storm’s blast blew him tumbling across the desert, half covering him with sand and glass. His chest was bare and red as the Hulk had ripped away a good chunk of his armor. Grimm saw the apparatus in Anthony Stark’s chest glowing brightly, keeping him alive; keeping his heart beating. He wasn’t moving; not much anyway, but his head turned and his eyes showed wide through the slits in his blackened, sooty helmet.

“You want some more, Grimm, or are we done here?” he threatened and Ben heard the whine of Stark’s armor powering up, what was left of it anyway. The Iron-Man was still ready to do his job and fight.

“Relax, Stark… Tony. We’re done.” Grimm smiled and Stark’s head fell back to the desert sand with a thunk and a crack of breaking glass.

“Thank god… I need a drink.” Ben chuckled.

“How is she?” Hawkeye asked and the Thing could hear the concern in his voice as he knelt beside Melissa Gold, Songbird; his hearing almost returned. Arcane sagged as he removed his hands, the glow fading. He looked up.

“She’ll be fine,” he gasped, exhausted, “we all will. Owayodata has seen to that.”

“With your help,” Will Talltrees added as Ben Grimm jumped. He hadn’t seen or heard the Red Wolf appear, but he was glad he wasn’t another threat.

“Owayodata?” he asked looking at the Native American; the Cheyenne warrior. Talltrees nodded.

“My God and Totem, Benjamin. He was here throughout watching over us all; giving aid where needed.”

“Glad for that,” Grimm acknowledged watching as James Woo approached. He was helping Nightcrawler along, his arm about Woo’s shoulder for support. Woo looked none the worse for what they all just experienced. His suit was clean and undamaged; his skin still a pallid yellow, his hair was perfect, sunglasses in places and a cigarette dangling from his lips. Grimm had no idea just what Woo had become but nothing seemed to phase the man or break his stoic façade. He laid the Mutant teleporter down beside the others.

“I found him in the rocks,” Woo shrugged towards a still-standing, small outcropping of blackened stones. “He is still blind and deaf, but unharmed, mostly.

“Ororo…” Kurt Wagner whispered. “She was beautiful, wasn’t she? Mein Gott! I’ve seen it once before when she unleashed her full ruhm…glory. It was…herrlich…Magnificent. A Goddess…”

“He’s been saying that over and over since I found him,” Woo explained taking a drag on his cigarette. “He needs rest.”

“We all do,” Grimm agreed. “I’m just glad the Hulk is down.”

CRACK!

They all turned at the sound of breaking glass, the motion of obsidian shards splintering away as something rose from the desert floor. They could all see it was huge; a darkened shade of green, breaking free of the blackened, burned sand covering it. Those that could heard the growls of rage as it stood on muscular legs to its full, gargantuan height. It was alive; smoldering from the lightning, glowing with verdant radiation and furious, ready to fight.

“It’s the Hulk,” Woo announced almost casually stating what they all already knew. The Hulk screamed his rage.

And suddenly Lang was there…

The astonishing Ant-Man simply grew apparently out of thin air; the Pym Particles held in the canister’s on Scott Lang’s belt spewing out gas and making the man grow. But he didn’t stop at his normal height. He kept the gas pumping, encompassing his body and invading his very cells; adding mass and density as he grew to ten feet… twenty-five…sixty…

And with a scream of fury far louder than the Hulk’s, Lang’s fist came crashing down on the on the jade giant, smashing him into the ground. The impact shattered the desert floor and sent shockwaves through all, knocking everyone from their feet.

“Thousands, damn you,” Lang’s voice was thunderous at his size and intensified by the cybernetic helmet he wore that allowed him to communicate and control insects. “Hundreds of thousands of insects died because of you!” The Ant-Man ground his gigantic hand into the dirt, crushing the Hulk.

“I heard their cries… all of them! Every single one screamed to me for help, you monster, and I couldn’t do…” Lang smashed his hand into the dirt again.

“A fucking…” Again…

“Thing!”

Scott Lang stood after the third blow breathing hard and staring down at the shattered earth at his feet. There was no movement from where he struck. Was it enough? Hawkeye doubted it but stood anyway, running forward and shouting up at his fellow Avenger.

“Lang! Scott! Shrink back down, man. You can’t stay that size for long; it’ll kill ya! I was Goliath… I know!”

The Ant-Man now turned Giant-Man stared down at the purple speck of Hawkeye and sighed heavily before nodding. His anger spent he triggered the second canister on his belt and a spew of gas enveloped him again, dwindling him back down to his normal size. Hawkeye was there at his side to steady him, but Lang still collapsed to the ground on his ass. He ripped the cybernetic helmet off and threw it aside.

“Thousands, Clint,” Lang said with wild eyes staring through Clint Barton, “I called thousands… a swarm… flying ants, wasps, beetles… whatever I could. They were all screaming at me… begging me for help as they died.

“I never want to hear that again…”

Not the total ass most people considered him to be, Clint leaned in and hugged Scott Lang; holding him close. Scott gasped and just seemed to sag and sob in the archer’s strong arms. Hawkeye held his friend closer and the tears rushed freely.

But the moment passed swiftly as the ground shifted and the incredible Hulk rose once more from the crater Lang created with his pummeling assault. Everyone watched in despair as the brute screamed his wrath.

“Jesus, fucking Christ,” the weak voice of James Scully croaked. “What’s it take to keep this guy down?”

“More power than you have, fool.”

Doom was suddenly just there. Ben Grimm had no idea where he came from, but he was standing behind the still-dazed Hulk and flanked by two Doom-Bots. The Monarch of Latveria was wearing some strange apparatus attached to his armor with wires and shafts of metal twisting and turning at odd angles. In his hands he held two twin devices, large and wide with glowing panels set in the long frames. They looked like solar panels to Ben, but he doubted they were the way they crackled with blinding energy. Thick cables connected those to the apparatus and in turn those ran down and attached to the robots. They were all glowing with a bubbling, writhing dark energy.

“It took some time to convert Banner’s brilliant, scattered ideas to reality with the crude equipment he gathered over the years when he was in some control of the monster and stored in the cavern I finally found; his makeshift laboratory. Only the far greater intelligence of Victor Von Doom could bring his dreams to fruition and create his Gamma Enhancer.”

“Enhancer…” Grimm muttered suddenly expecting the usual Doctor Doom double-cross. “Hold on, Doom.”

“I don’t expect you to understand, monster,” Doom sniffed. “None of you are capable of understanding the levels of my brilliance. But for Stark, you are all children.” The Hulk finally shook his head and started to turn.

“But enough! The time has come!”

In one swift motion Doctor Doom swept his arms forward, trapping the Hulk’s head between the twin panels. Energy flared and the machine sparked, crackling as though in the grips of electrical discharge. The Thing had fought Doom too many times though, and saw all the weird contraptions Reed Richards created over the years. He doubted the energy was electricity at all. Gamma radiation, Cosmic energy, something else, he had no idea, but he knew this was the reason Doom had enlisted his aid and why he needed the Hulk and his rage.

“We must stop him.” The Vision finally stepped forward, back in the game. Grimm could tell the android had increased his mass again as his bare feet sank cracking through the burned glass and into the sand beneath.

“No!” the Thing called out placing an arm before the Avenger to hold him back. He hated this, but knew Doctor Doom had to do this, whatever he was doing. If it would stop the Rogue Watcher, it needed to happen.

The Hulk screamed as emerald and cobalt energy erupted about him. It swept over Doom as well as he held the hand panels firm and in place. It leaked out along the cables to envelope the Doom-Bots as well. Soon all four were radiating an energy so bright it hurt to look at it.

First one, then the other of the Doom-Bots began to shake and shimmer. Sparks flew as electricity crackled about their robotic forms. Grimm saw the weird knobs atop their heads sparkling, then exploding in a brilliant shower. Some form of communication device Doom used to control his minions, Ben recalled, gone now. The one on Doom’s left simply collapsed, writhing in the dirt and glass while the other expelled a blast of sheer power.

“Now, Grimm,” Doom shouted over the screech of rending metal and the coruscating powers running rampant, enveloping them all. The Hulk seemed to calm, his rage abating as Doom cast the panels aside, the sparking machine on his back still crackling as it fell away. Something appeared under Doom’s feet; a wide metallic sheet and machinery caught in the pulsing glow of power.

“The Time Machine.” Grimm knew it well. He’d used the thing often enough to go into the past and the future as well; most recently when Debra Bernard, the Fantastic Four’s Nanny had tricked him onto it in Four Freedom’s Plaza, sending him back to the age of Pharaohs and Rama-Tut. The sheet was glowing white though and already in motion; rising upwards about Doom and the Hulk.

“Move you ignorant savage!” Doom shouted over the growing whine of force. “It is time!”

The Thing hesitated only a moment before he ran forward and lunged to land within the rising platform. He felt the gut-wrenching twist he had experienced so often before as his world began to fade away and drift into the Time Stream.

He heard an explosion in the distance and the world went white again…

“Doctor Doom’s transport ship is destroyed,” the Vision proclaimed as his ghostly form floated down to land amongst them. Hawkeye watched as his android body solidified to its usual scarlet form. His uniform had burned away despite his massive density when Storm unleashed her lightning bolt and now he was naked but for the solar jewel implanted in his brow. That was glowing brightly as he stepped to Melissa Gold being tended by the S.H.I.E.L.D. Medics. Nick Fury and his troops had finally arrived.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier Samuel Sawyer hovered in the cloudless violet sky above the scene of the battle and devastation. The sun was setting, looking beautiful, Hawkeye thought, and the S.H.I.E.L.D. Techs and Medics were swarming over the area, helping the injured combatants and gathering up whatever machinery they could find that wasn’t scrap. Doom usually didn’t leave behind any of his spent technology, but they had to try, Barton supposed.

“Well, this went south damn fast,” Fury grumbled as he stepped up to Hawkeye. A S.H.I.E.L.D. Tech was at the archer’s side adjusting an ear piece so he could hear. He would need to get a true hearing-aid, another of the Wakandan technology once they got back to Avengers Headquarters on the island.

“How’s Hill?” Barton asked watching as she was rising up towards the Helicarrier on its Vortex Beam. Two medics had checked her out and strapped her to a stretcher-board attached to medical equipment to keep her stable as they all floated up to the S.H.I.E.L.D. craft and, he assumed, the onboard Medical Lab.

“She’ll live,” Fury said as he gnawed on the butt of his ever-present cigar stub. “They all will, thanks ta’ yer wizard, apparently. Whatever he did, he stabilized all of ‘em, at least long enough for the professionals to take over.” At Barton’s urging the tech adjusted the temporary hearing-aid lowering the volume just a bit.

“How’s that, Sir?” he asked and Hawkeye nodded.

“Better, thanks.”  The tech smiled and gathered his gear before standing and moving on. Hawkeye looked at Fury.

“So, what happens now?” he asked as he stood. Fury shook his head.

“I dunno, Barton. The Hulk, the Thing and Doom are gone. Yer team’s down for the count and so’s Grimm’s. Once Red Wolf took off, Arcane collapsed, exhausted. He won’t be teleporting anybody any time soon. Jameson’s out of it an’ will be for quite a while, so the medics tell me. Gold’s alive but we gotta pry her outta what’s left of her carapace. The meds put out Wagner and Lang; they needed ta’ sleep. Monroe’s gonna be fine, just out cold still an’ burnt at the moment; Hill too. Stark’s all right more or less, but his armor’s shit right now; the Hulk really did a number on it. He’s his usual arrogant self though. You four are the last to go, if ya want.” Fury looked between the last of the heroes standing near; Hawkeye the Archer, the android Vision, Skull the Slayer and finally, ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, James Woo.

“Nice to see you again, Jimmy,” Fury said and Woo sniffed blowing smoke from his cigarette.

“I’m sure your Council will want a report,” Woo noted. Fury sighed and nodded.

“Yeah, an’ they’ll get one…eventually.” Fury looked at his cigar and rolled it in between his fingers. It was spent so he flicked the butt away. “I’ll have ta’ arrest ya, Jimmy. You too, Scully,” the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. proclaimed. Skull the Slayer snorted.

“I don’t see that happenin’, Fury. You’re welcome to try though.” Colonel Fury raised a hand in peace, warding.

“It’s just protocol an’ paperwork, Scully. Yer ex-military; you know the usual red tape. It won’t last long, I give my word.” Scully looked dubious but James Woo nodded. He offered Fury a cigarette from his crumpled pack and answered as the Colonel took one and lit it.

“Despite all we’ve been through over the years, I still trust your word, Fury. I’ll go.” Skull ran a hand through his hair.

“Fine. Me too, but if ya fuck me Fury, I’ll wrap that carrier around your ass.” Fury chuckled lighting the cigarette.

“Like you said, Scully; Yer welcome to try.”

“I go to join Melissa.” And with that the Vision turned desolid and rose skyward; a pale red shade soon lost to sight. Fury took a drag on the cigarette then turned to Hawkeye.

“What about you, Barton?” Clint Barton nodded after a moment, lost in thought.

“I’ll go along,” he stated at last. “I want to look after my team,” he glanced at Skull, “my friends. And there’s something going on, Fury. Something bad… We need to go into the Cone of Silence and talk, you and I.” Nick Fury laughed.

“This ain’t ‘Get Smart’, Barton, but yeah, I agree. I’m getting’ tired of the bull the Council’s shovelin’. It’s time ta’ put a stop to it.”

“Then let’s go.”

Colonel Nicolaus Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. spoke a few soft words into his communicator and a moment later the Helicarrier’s Vortex Beam came down from the ship and enveloped them all; Fury and himself, Skull the Slayer and James Woo. He didn’t have any idea what was going to happen next, and he was certain none of them did, but whatever was coming they would face it…

Like Heroes!

Oh my stars and garters, what happens now? The ‘Hulk Hunt’ is over and the Avengers are hurt and in disarray. As they gather now on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier to heal and lick their wounds during the long flight back to Manhattan, discussions are had over the future of the members and the very team itself.

Some may leave and others may return in their time of need; answering the call to Assemble!

And what of Doctor Doom, the Incredible Hulk and the Ever-Lovin’, Blue-Eyed Thing? That question will be answered in the next issue of the Thing’s own title here at Marvel: Omega, hopefully next update.

So join us next time as the Mighty Avengers deal with the Aftermath!

Until then: Read, Comment… And Enjoy!

Curt

This issue dedicated to Derrick Ferguson, our Friend, Inspiration and Encouragement.

February 8, 1959 – April 4, 2021

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