INTERNAL AFFAIRS

By Steve Crosby

A number of factors set the Avengers West branch from the Avengers East branch. Key among them was the headquarters. Set in the heart of Manhattan, Avengers East was housed in a spacious mansion generously donated by Anthony Stark. On the outskirts of Los Angeles, Avengers West lived on spacious grounds donated by a silent film actress. These grounds had, in addition to a mansion almost as large as Stark’s, five private bungalows and its own beach.

For her money, She-Hulk preferred the beach. Set on the other side of a cliff below the mansion, it was secluded and, most important, private. This afforded the glamorous gammazon to sunbathe the way she preferred. Sans a stitch of clothing, She-Hulk was stretched out on the beach blanket, every inch of her bare green skin soaking up the smog-screened sun. Just behind her, casting a shadow toward the cliff and away from her, was a massive boulder She-Hulk had hefted down for the occasion. If any helicopters came along, She-Hulk was ready.

“Waahhooooo!”

Not many of the men and women staying at the compound could have jumped into the ocean from the cliff above. Wonder Man had the leg strength, certainly, and likely Quicksilver as well with a sufficient run. Nova and Darkstar could both fly, and at full size it would only be a short jump for Hank Pym. From the exuberant and youthful male voice, as well as the unique landing arc that could have been from a jump, She-Hulk figured it was Nova ruining her alone time.

Before the young Rich Rider could emerge from the ocean to view She-Hulk in all her glory, she grabbed the sweatshirt lying nearby and pulled it on. Large for a man, it fit She-Hulk tight at a chest and when she stood up went to halfway down her thighs. She approached Nova as he was wading out of the ocean.

“Hoping for a peek?”

Nova grinned wide. “I’ve wanted to make that jump ever since I first arrived here. Now I can say I left having fulfilled all my goals.”

“Save the world, protect innocents, and base jump.” She-Hulk returned the grin. “Those are my kind of goals. Maybe I’ll try it myself some day. So, you’ve made up your mind?”

The grin faded, and Nova nodded. “My stuff’s all packed and sent off. Me and this team, we just don’t fit. And no, its not just…” he trailed off, not wanting to mention the incident with Psycho-Man out loud. “The Avengers is the big, big leagues, and I just don’t cut it. Besides,” Nova jerked his head east. “There’s already a ‘Human Rocket’ on the team. Isn’t there a rule against redundancy?”

“If there was, I’d have been booted,” She-Hulk laughed. At that opportune moment, the watch on her wrist began to beep. “Oh for the love of…its time already.”

“That device Pym built fits on your watch?”

“You know better than to sound surprised,” She-Hulk told him. There was more holding the watch to She-Hulk’s wrist than a strap. Tiny needles dug into her skin, and at a signal tiny bursts of radiation were siphoned from She-Hulk through the needles into the watch. “Apparently this little thing can hold the radioactive output of an atomic blast. Not nearly enough for my cousin, of course, but for me…”

All of a sudden, the large sweatshirt wasn’t feeling so tight. The green skin had faded to a pale hue that hadn’t seen any of the recent sunbathing. Over Jennifer Walters’ tiny frame, the sweatshirt was baggy and stopped well past her knees. She lifted her arms, now completely covered by the thick fabric.

“As you can see, it is now ‘Jenny’ time.”

Nova was now shaking his head. “Personally, I don’t get it. You didn’t go on a rampage or hurt anybody. For having a little too much fun, you’re forced to go without your powers for half of each day.”

Jennifer shrugged. “This is L.A, where image is a lot more important. And while dangling a photographer over a roof by his ankle didn’t exactly hurt him, it was embarrassing. Plus, they’re worried I might be addicted to my powers.”

“Addicted, because you prefer to be a seven-foot tall gorgeous green powerhouse?” Nova appeared shocked. “I love my powers, and if any of the others say otherwise, they’re lying.” He then sighed. “But then, its not exactly my business anymore, is it?”

“Sorry.” Jennifer shook her head. “Besides, this will free me up for something I was hoping to get back to.” Before Jennifer could reveal what that was, her Avengers communicard in the sweatshirt pocket beeped loudly. “And again, what timing. Business calls.”

“And that’s my cue to leave.” During the entire exchange, Nova had been in full uniform except for his helmet. He now removed it from a compartment on his back and unfolded the alien material. “Avengers business is none of mine.”

As Nova rocketed away, Jennifer Walters tapped the card against the palm of her hand. “Maybe someday, kid.”

After stopping at her bungalow for a quick change of clothes, Jennifer Walters entered the Avengers West Mansion from the rear, through the kitchen. “Hola,” she said to the servants as they were preparing refreshments. Snacks were always available for members when an Avengers meeting was held. Past the kitchen, near the main entrance to the mansion, was the secret elevator used to access the high-security sub-basement floors.

“You’re late,” Quicksilver remarked as soon as Jennifer stepped out of the elevator and into the Assembly Room.

“Sorry. I remembered to put clothes on,” Jennifer said with a grin. There had once been a time when, as Jennifer, she was less confident and mousy compared to She-Hulk. Maybe it was the knowledge that, even with the device, Jennifer could hulk-up if sufficiently worked up, but she no longer felt that way.

Assembled in the room were the rest of the Avengers West. Standing next to Quicksilver was his sister the Scarlet Witch, both wearing the same basic style of uniform they’ve had since the days with Magneto. Standing close to the other side of Scarlet Witch was Wonder Man, giving Quicksilver an annoyed look behind those trademark red sunglasses. Also grouped together were Cloak and Dagger, him in the darkness cloak that was part of his body and her in that white leotard with the dagger cutout in front. The final three members aside from Jennifer were seated at the table. Darkstar was in uniform and sitting straight at attention, every bit the trained soldier of a former Communist nation. Silverclaw had brought along a college textbook and was taking some quick notes before the meeting actually started. Hank Pym looked uncomfortable sitting around, which Jennifer could understand.

“I was surprised you had us meet her at all,” Jennifer continued. “Couldn’t you have told us what the emergency was through the communicard?”

“I’ve already been at the scene and back,” Quicksilver answered. “The villain is gone and the area is secured until we arrive. We have time for some announcements.”

That couldn’t be made on the ride over, Jennifer didn’t say aloud. Instead she said, “I just saw Nova leave.”

“Cloak and I have also decided to go,” Dagger added. “Cloak and I feel we could be more effective on the streets, working alone.”

“We’ll still be in the city, available to help if you need us,” Cloak added. “Some friends of a friend will be helping us with a place to stay.” In New York, Cloak & Dagger had operated out of churches and depended on the support of priests.

“We’ll be dropping them off when we drive into the city,” Quicksilver finished. “Well, the rest of you will. I’ll have the car at the main gate and be on my way by the time you all get upstairs.”

There were any number of ways for the Avengers West to arrive at the publishing office in Los Angeles. Cloak could have teleported them in an unpleasant fashion with his Darkforce cloak. Darkstar could have carried them all on a platform of Darkforce. The entire team could have fit in the palm of Pym’s hand if he went Giant-Man. Such showy super-heroics would have been commonplace in New York City, but in Los Angeles there was a different way of doing things.

The large premium SUV pulled up to the police barricade with unusual silence. Style didn’t mean the Avengers had to be wasteful, and the engine was designed to run on gamma radiation. All Jennifer had to do was press her watch up against the console and the energy was safely transferred. It ran two hundred miles to the transformation, with no emissions. The Avengers West filed out of the automobile and were immediately joined by Quicksilver, gathered together in a pose for the waiting photographers.

After the cameras snapped, Quicksilver gave his instructions. “Everybody come inside with me. Hank, bring your Ant-Man gear. Jennifer, stay out here and deal with the reporters.”

“And tell them what?” Jennifer inquired. “You haven’t told us the situation.”

Sighing, Quicksilver scribbled rapidly with a pen onto notepad that had suddenly appeared in his hands and given it to Jennifer. “Here are the main points. Be more prepared next time.”

“What would you like us to do?” Cloak asked in regards to himself and Dagger.

“Nothing. You’re free to go on from here.” With that abrupt answer, Quicksilver turned and sped into the building. Hank Pym, Silverclaw, Darkstar, Wonder Man and Scarlet Witch soon followed.

Jennifer glanced down at the notepad. “This is Slavic,” she muttered before tearing the paper up. “Okay,” she pointed at the nearby reporters. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’ll now be answering your questions.”

The first was, “Who are you?”

Jennifer fumed as she said. “My name is Jennifer Walters. You all would otherwise know me as the She-Hulk. I’m currently powered down so you all won’t be scared of me throwing you off rooftops.”

The joke brought a light chuckled, and the real questions came. “What exactly has happened here?”

“Something the Avengers are fully equipped to handle,” Jennifer answered. “The person or persons responsible have fled the scene, so the area is now safe.”

“Do the Avengers not know how many were involved?”

“We know everything, including where you got that bad dye-job,” Jennifer retorted. “We’re just here for our scene-of-the-crime photo-op before heading off to our beat-on-the-bad-guys photo-op. If you’re lucky enough to know what that is hurry now and get the best seats.”

“Is it true that somebody was carried off?”

“Yes, but for now we’re not releasing any names.” Mainly because I don’t know, Jennifer thought to herself. She hoped that Quicksilver was at least telling the Avengers with him what he knew.

Reduced in size and thus wearing his Ant-Man costume, Hank Pym was sifting through carpet threads twice his height. Less than an inch or more than ten feet away, depending on one’s point of view, was a long black fiber. Standing up on his tip-toes, Hank stretched out his arm and just managed to touch the fiber with the palm of his hand. He then rapidly increased in size, and appeared in the midst of his teammates with the fiber in the palm of his hand.

“I’ll need to run tests to confirm the species, but this came from the feather of a black bird.” Pym scanned the carpet with the microscopes of his helmet. “No whole feathers. Somebody went to the trouble of picking up. Wait…another fiber. Here.”

Hank Pym handed the bagged fiber off to Darkstar and reduced in size again. Also in the room, Silverclaw vaguely resembled a dog, and sniffed with a disgusted expression on her face.

“There was probably a homeless person in this room. Someone that hadn’t bathed in a long while, at least. And yes, one his smells was a strong bird.”

“Quicksilver, why don’t you just share the report and tell us who did this?” Wonder Man asked.

It was Scarlet Witch who responded instead. “We won’t always get reports. In the future attacks will come and we’ll need to figure out who it is quickly. Otherwise we find out too late and be imprisoned for months. Or worse.”

That shut Wonder Man up. Darkstar then had a few words, utilizing her training in the Russian government.

“A man who uses birds and, from the looks of this place, has augmented strength. Those marks,” she indicated the walls and desk, “indicate a three-pronged weapon. Most likely a pitchfork. Ah, another clue,” she finished as Pym returned to normal size.

In Hank’s hand were strands of a brown fabric. He was not giving Quicksilver a happy look. “These are from a burlap sack. We’re dealing with Scarecrow, aren’t we?”

Quicksilver nodded. Darkstar gave a small smile that her suspicion was correct. Wonder Man was shaking his head in frustration, while Silverclaw was now sniffing with curiosity. Scarlet Witch turned to her brother and addressed him directly.

“Pietro, we need to know why.”

“If you really need to be told,” Quicksilver conceded. “This publisher has a book scheduled about Scarecrow. It deals mainly with his childhood. If any of you have read Scarecrow’s file, you would know he was abused by his mother.”

Of everybody there, only Darkstar had read more than the summaries of all past cases related to the Avengers. Nobody really considered the Scarecrow a credible threat worth really knowing about. “That certainly isn’t the kind of information Scarecrow would want public,” Darkstar observed. “He thinks that kidnapping a publishing agent will stop the book.”

“He thinks wrong,” Wonder Man said. “Once the press reports this, interest in the book will be too high. A few kidnapped or dead employees won’t stop publication.”

“We’ll need to find him. Save the hostage and put Scarecrow away.” Silverclaw was almost entirely canine. “Buried beneath his lifestyle choice, I don’t have Scarecrow’s actual scent, but there’s the faintest of bird. It’s something to track.”

“That isn’t nearly enough.” Quicksilver had suddenly sped to Pym’s side. “Hank. Shrink down. I’ll run you to the compound.”

“Right.” Hank Pym saw where Quicksilver was going. “I’ll run test on these fibers, see if I can find anything linked to a specific location.”

Everyone had reached that same conclusion. Nobody wanted to point that out to Pym, except for Quicksilver and Wonder Man. But at that moment Wonder Man’s cell phone rang, and when Quicksilver talked, it was too fast to be heard. He also tapped his foot impatiently and thumbed the open pouch on his belt until Pym shrank down and jumped into it.

“We’ll call once we know something,” Quicksilver said as he sped off.

This left Scarlet Witch the senior Avenger, and she took charge. “In the meantime Silverclaw, track a scent. Darkstar, stick close by her. Wonder Man and I will join She-Hulk in the car and try to follow as best we can.”

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to come along.” Wonder Man was putting his cell away. “That was my agent. I’m needed on set right now.”

“Isn’t there an exception in your contract for Avengers business?” Scarlet Witch asked. Then she held up her hands. “Don’t answer. We’ll ask She-Hulk once we’re outside.” She turned to Silverclaw and Darkstar. “You two get going. We’ll follow as soon as this is sorted out.”

Quicksilver was standing off to the side, arms crossed, looking on with disbelief at Doctor Hank Pym. “There are billions of dollars worth of lab equipment here. Why are you using that method.”

“This is more reliable,” Pym answered without looking away from the ants that covered the fibers.

“Did we really have to come here? Surely there were ants at the crime scene.”

“Yes, but none I know. And I trust the judgment of House, Cuddy and Wilson.” Pym gestured at the expensive equipment. “And I’m using that, too. There was enough material to go around.”

“And what does it tell us?”

“Burlap sack was ordinary, sold or found anywhere. Birds are common crows, easily found on the city outskirts. Food is highly unusual though. I’m finding several rare ingredients.”

“So Scarecrow dumpster dives from expensive restaurants.”

“Yes, and now that my ants have had a taste,” Pym was explaining, “they can transmit across the city.” His eyebrows went up. “Wow, Spago. Scarecrow has good taste.”

Quicksilver was already tapping his communicard. “I’ll direct them to the Sunset Strip immediately.”

In Jennifer Walter’s hand was a PDA and on it she was reading lines of Wonder Man’s contract. “Well, there is a clause, but its somewhat vague and non-specific. Whoever told you to sign this, Wonder Man, fire him.”

“Her, actually. It was you.”

Jennifer raised her eyebrows. “In that case, buy me some bling with all this cash you’re getting. Odds are the studio will sue no matter the emergency, so the concern is what a judge may or may not throw out. And considering this is Scarecrow, a contortionist with normal strength, there’s no need to risk things.”

“Are you fine with this Wan-” Wonder Man began to ask Scarlet Witch. But she held up a hand.

“No real names. Not while in uniform. Go, Wonder Man. We’ll be fine.”

As the physically strongest of the Avengers flew up and away, Jennifer fell in step beside Scarlet Witch on the walk to the car. Cameras were still flashing and more reporters were trying to ask questions, but they were being ignored. Jennifer checked the gamma-gauge on her watch.

“With a tweak, I could be fit to fight.”

“Not my call, and you know what Quicksilver would say. Would you mind driving? Just in case I need to cast a hex from inside the car.”

Once they were both inside, Jennifer asked the question that had been on her mind. “So what exactly is this about? Kidnapping a publisher isn’t what I’d expect of Scarecrow.” Scarlet Witch told her, and Jennifer furrowed her brow. “Hunh, in that case I have an idea of how to help. It would be better if we switched seats. I’ll be talking on the cell phone.”

Much like New York City had its five boroughs, cities in and of themselves, Los Angeles had its own network of periphery cities largely making up Los Angeles County. Beverly Hills, Longbeach, Pasadena, Santa Monica and West Hollywood. Stretching from West Hollywood’s eastern border with Hollywood to the western border with Beverly Hills was the Sunset Strip.

The high buildings and billboards were ideal for Silverclaw to jump across in her tracking of Scarecrow’s scent. “I’ve got it!” She pointed at a squat building two block off the edge of the Strip. “Leading towards there, a meat-packing plant!”

Flying alongside the hopping Silverclaw, Darkstar squinted her eyes. “Good vision. We should confirm and call in back-up.”

But Silverclaw was leaping headlong for one of the high windows. “I can hear what’s going on in there too! He’s already dead!”

Silverclaw crashed through the window into a scene from hell. Machinery was silent and cutting tools lay unused. Near one of the slabs was Scarecrow in his dirty rags and burlap sack with the front raised over his bloody mouth. The rags wrapped around his hands were also covered in blood. On the slab were the remains of a human body, freshly killed and chunks of it hacked off.

“Graah!” Landing nimbly on the ground, Silverclaw vaulted herself at Scarecrow. “You murderer!”

“Oh, worse than that.” Leaning against the slab was Scarecrow’s pitchfork. Grabbing the handle up near the prongs, Scarecrow swung it hard against Silverclaw’s middle. The wind knocked out of her, Silverclaw crashed into a large open refrigerator. Her impact knocks the refrigerator over and the door slams shut. “I’ve been such a bad bad boy!”

No second opening was created by Darkstar’s entrance. Not a hair of the Russian beauty’s blond hair was out of place as she arced over Scarecrow and threw a missile of solid Darkforce at the villain. His body twisted out of the way. Not far away, the refrigerator burst apart around the battle-mad Silverclaw. Debris flew at Scarecrow, but passed harmlessly unnaturally contorted limbs.

“Neither of you is my mother!” Scarecrow cried. “I would be punished properly if my mother was here!”

“Silverclaw, go blind!” Darkstar yelled out. From out of her hands came pure darkness of the deepest black.

Like ink the Darkforce washed over Scarecrow, unfelt across his skin but not across the mind. Inside he was a boy again, locked in a box with only the rats to keep him company. He saw nothing in the darkness but heard their skittering and occasionally their bites. Five days in darkness and unable to sleep, overwhelmed by the sounds and the scratches and the stench of his own waste.

Silverclaw dived into the darkness that even her eyes couldn’t penetrate. Tiny bristles all along her skin sensed vibrations from feet away, including that of a pitchfork thrown. The young woman of Costa Verde dived down just in time, but unfortunately because the weapon was not meant for her. Out of the darkness it flew and found its mark.

“Urk!” Two of the prongs found Darkstar’s torso. The third, her leg. Blood splashed to the ground seconds before she crashed. Much like the darkness that dropped to the floor and slid back to her in retreat.

“Aahh!” Sunlight hit Silverclaw’s unprepared eyes.

Covered by dirty burlap, Scarecrow’s eyes were unaffected. He saw the young woman with silver skin just fine and crashed against her. She felt good and warm, just like the prostitute that had so reminded Scarecrow of his mother. Would her dying screams be as sweet?

Silverclaw struggled to break Scarecrow’s grip and gain an advantage. But her limbs didn’t work the same way his did, and he was so strong. Even taking on the attributes of a boa…oh Peliali his hand was on her throat. How could a normal man be so strong?

Scarlet Witch’s entrance did create a new opening. The large car crashed through the large doors of the building and came to a stop nearly a dozen feet inside. Behind the vehicle was a flock of crows. Once against darkness flowed over Scarecrow, only now in the form of black feathers. It seemed impossible the birds would so turn against their master.

Jennifer Walters jumped out of the car a half-second after Scarlet Witch. At seeing the wounded Darkstar, Jennifer was feeling a little sick, but toughed up to speak. “Darkstar, are you up to bands of Darkforce? We need to restrain Scarecrow now!”

“First I must tend myself.” Darkstar had removed the pitchfork and stopped the blood loss with make-shift Darkforce tourniquets. Lying on the floor, she raised a hand in the direction of crows. “Also, I will need an opening.”

Not far away, Scarlet Witch heard, and the hex was lowered. Rationality returned to the crows’ feeble minds and they scattered, making for the opening air. Silverclaw had separated from Scarecrow and was in the midst of crawling away. Her left arm wasn’t working as it was supposed to, dislocated at the shoulder. Much of his clothing torn and bleeding at multiple points, Scarecrow started after her.

“Hold it right there Scarecrow!” Jennifer ordered. The villain didn’t have a choice to obey, because at that moment bands of Darkforce closed around his arms and legs, trapping him in place. “It’s done. You’re beaten. Now you’re going to surrender peacefully and I’m going to tell you why.”

Jennifer Walters held up a hand to reveal a sheaf of papers she’d received from the car’s fax machine. “This is an injunction I’ve filed against any written account of your life, in the interests of public safety. The manuscript that’s been written will never see publication. Any violation against this injunction will be met with heavy fines, with the proceeds going to local children’s shelters here in Los Angeles. You got what you wanted, now surrender so we can throw you in jail for the rest of your life.”

Behind the tattered mask, Scarecrow was smiling. As always, he’d been bad, received punishment, and gained a reward. Ultimately, it paid to be bad. A hand twitched. Fear rose up in Darkstar, and again control over her power faded. Scarecrow’s limbs moved through darkness that was no longer substantial and the pitchfork was suddenly back in his hand.

“Darkstar, what the hell is happening!”

“I do not know! I thought this man was normal!”

No, not normal. Not since his mother and her angel with the flaming skull. Not since the pitchfork and The Firm. Now Scarecrow used the fear as much as it used him. As he was bearing down on Jennifer Walters and the wounds of his body healed before her eyes, she was scared. Too scared to move as—SCHUNK!!!

“No!!” Scarlet Witch, Silverclaw and Darkstar all screamed at once. Jennifer Walters was hanging limp, hefted off her feet with three prongs sticking out of her back.

*beep*beep* beep* beep* beep*beepbeepbeepbeepbeep The noise on her wrist was going faster and faster. Gamma radiation was reaching critical. Too much to effectively drain away. Then the watch went silent and dark, dead as suddenly all the stored radiation was taken back. As strong as Scarecrow was, he suddenly found her couldn’t handle the weight. He was also staring into eyes that knew only rage.

“Rrrraaarrrggghhhh!” Green hands snapped the pitchfork that may as well have been a twig. One slap from the savage She-Hulk, and Scarecrow’s head twisted full around. He flew twenty feet through the air, bounced twice, and lay still. Metal prongs were pulled free and twisted into a mangled mass. The damage was gone as though it’d never been.

“Jennifer…” Scarlet Witch slowly approached, her hands raised. “Jennifer, I need for you to listen to my voice and try to calm down.”

“I’m fine, Scarlet Witch. But right now you should call me She-Hulk.” Metal was dropped to the floor. “Somebody should check Scarecrow there. I did give him the option to surrender.”

Silverclaw started toward the body, but Scarlet Witch stopped her. “Don’t! I’ll call Quicksilver and Hank. They’ll bring proper restraints. We’ll check if he’s alive then.”

“No need.” Silverclaw was shaking her head, her eyes fearful. “There’s no heartbeat. Hadn’t been for this entire time. We’ve been fighting a dead man that won’t stay dead.”

Business continued on at the Avengers West Mansion. Scarlet Witch, Wonder Man, Hank Pym, Darkstar, Silverclaw and She-Hulk stood around as Quicksilver briefed them on a mission well done.

“We found a report filed by an Officer Stacey Dolan of the Cypress Hills Police Department, claiming Scarecrow had died on his own pitchfork. He was sighted later, so of course that claim was discounted.”

“Turned out he had died though.” She-Hulk stated the obvious. “He was resurrected, and with demonic powers to boot. We didn’t know that, and several of us, most importantly me, almost died because of it.”

“Blame the likes of Ghost Rider,” Scarlet Witch said. “They don’t like playing well with others, sharing evidence and the like. Half the time, those good guys aren’t even good guys.”

“Now our files are updated.” Darkstar was on a crutch, supporting her injured leg. “Scarecrow is in custody that takes his abilities into consideration.”

“Absolutely. New business is done.” Quicksilver sat down at the meeting table. “Now on to old business. I’ve served as interim Chairperson during a period of emergency. Now that that’s over, we need to formally appoint someone. Personally, I think I should stay on.”

“With all due respect, and I’m not looking to create any family tension,” She-Hulk stated. “But Scarlet Witch held things together pretty well against Scarecrow. I’d like to nominate her.”

“I’ll second that!” Wonder Man piped up. Quicksilver shot him a look, and Wonder Man met it. Silverclaw looked like she was going to say something, and Hank Pym too. But Scarlet Witch started shaking her head.

“No, I’m no good as leader.” Scarlet Witch nodded to her brother. “When most of us were trapped by Psycho-Man, it was Quicksilver who saved us. Then, when the government turned against the Avengers and not doing anything about Doctor Demonicus, it was Quicksilver who led us into action. Whatever the rest of you say, I’m following my brother.”

“So will I,” Darkstar stated. Silverclaw then nodded. Eventually, so did She-Hulk and Wonder Man.

“So we’re in agreement,” Quicksilver declared. “Okay then, I declare this meeting of the Avengers over.”

NEXT: Wonder Man has a side job apart from the Avengers, and not everybody is happy about it. Witness the new Cobalt Man! Plus, how are some of the other Avengers passing their time when not at the mansion?