FicWad

The Avengers: Reign
By: Michael Wilson

Part 1 Captain America
Chapter 1
The world could never be at peace, no one can ever be safe. The world is littered with criminals, would be monarchs, terrorist, people who see things differently from others. These people are twisted, angry, or just bored. But in all these people are evil. But they are created, created just as a good person is. See creation is a mixture of love and hate, justice and injustice, honesty and trickery, loyalty and deviously. Creation has a rhyme to its reason actions, a balance that is weighed by misery and hope. Sometimes evil wins but more than ever good stands triumph over its chaotic brother, but not always. Let us begin our story, the tale of good and evil.

The day was Thursday May 22nd 2011. A man stood at the edge of a hill, he looked out into the water. The sunlight rode the waves as it set down. The wind blew lightly against his back. It was peaceful. The man pulled out a picture, it was old, wrinkled and in black and white. There were three people in the photo. There was a tall man with the body of a lion, his hair swept to the left just above his stunning eyes. Even though the picture was colorless you could see that his eyes sparkled as blue as the ocean. He wore a World War Two American uniform with a shield strapped across his shoulders. On his right was a teenage boy wearing a white T-shirt and a sailor’s cap. He looked up at the masculine guy with a smile that barely fit on his face. On the left of the man was a woman, she hugged his waist and smiled into the camera.
The man was Steve Rogers. He’s the man who’s looking at the photo. The other two were his World War Two companions. The girl was his lover, the boy his best friend. The picture was seventy years old.
Steve looked at the picture with remorse that he’s had built up for three weeks. Another man walked up behind him. He looked down at the picture. Putting his hand around Steve’s shoulder the man spoke.
“Could you tell me now…what it was like?”
“Do you really want to hear an old man tell his war story?” Steve joked.
“Only if you’re willing to tell. I’d understand if you didn’t.”
“I’ll tell you Hank, but it’s a long story.”
They walked away from the wall towards a gate with a sign that read Castle of the Red Skull, death place of Captain America. Steve started his tale.

America was a year into the war, many men were killed, and many more wanted to keep fighting, to put an end to the Axis control of Europe. I was one of them soldiers, but the thing about me I wasn’t the type of guy they wanted to see going into a war, holding a gun charging in to save innocent lives. I was the last person that you’d pick to play on your team; I was the kid who got bullied by bigger kids. They had to change me.
Every Friday I was scheduled for a beating after school. Being the level headed kid I was, I’d show up and get my butt kicked every time. But I always stood my ground, never backed down. That’s what I thought would make me a good soldier. I thought getting my head bashed in would make me stronger. It didn’t but it sure did beat a lesson into my mind for later on in life.
When I was a eighteen I tried to join the army, they said I was the most pathetic worm to crawl out of the dirt and try to make something of myself. They told me I shouldn’t have even considered enlisting. That day I went home and cried myself to sleep. But the next day I got out of my bed and went right back to the enlisting station. Again I was denied a position, but I knew that they needed a guy like me so I kept going back and kept getting sent to kick rocks.
One day when I got home my front door was wide open and three kids were rummaging around in the house.
“Hey!” I shouted. “Get the hell out of my house.”
My face turned the ugliest shade of pale, a pale you’d only see on a ninety-seven year old man. The boys perked up. What happened next is a little blurry but I remember the three kids closing in on me, I tackled one of them, two of my own ribs and scrapping my elbow on cement. Then they got the best of me, I’m pretty sure I blacked out, but I heard the yells of my mother and father, they pulled the kids off of me and got me to a hospital.
Even though I woke up a week later I could still feel my rib cage throbbing like it had just been cracked. I could barely manage to open my eyes, they felt like they weighed a ton. I forced them to open enough to see that my mother sat by me holding my hand, she was sobbing and dabbing her bloodshot eyes with an overused handkerchief. My father was talking to a doctor.
“I’m sorry Sir but because you are not a legal citizen your son will not be able to get the treatment he needs. He’ll suffer major brain damage for the entirety of his life or even worse; he could pass away soon. It’s a blessing from god himself that he’s been able to survive this long with the arrhythmia, type two diabetes, lung cancer, the list goes on but I hope you understand we can’t help you.”
My father was speechless, he knew it was a miracle that I was still breathing but he expected someone to help me. His eyes wanted to drizzle in tears but they were hallowed and dry. He turned and looked at my mother.
“We have to leave him here, there’s nothing we can do to help him.” He said to her.
“No, we can’t just abandon him, he’s our son. Our only child.”
“Well what would you have us do?” He shouted.
She stopped crying, her eyes stung a bright red, she stared at him for a minute then looked at me, grabbed my hand and cuffed it in hers.
“My child, my baby boy. Steven Rogers. I want you to know that all these years we prayed to the lord to keep you healthy and to keep you breathing. He did, and you remember that when you reach the top. Remember that our lord and savior saved you specifically. There is only one God my boy, our God.”
She started to tear up again. My father pulled her close to him; he looked down at me. His wood brown eyes digging into my sea blue eyes.
“We love you Steven.” He said before my eyes shut, my memories faded in and out through my head, the good the bad and the sorrow. I felt my body go numb, then my heart stopped. I drifted into memories and watched my life. Then a golden light shone in my eyes. It was bright, too bright. I closed my eyes.
Everything was silent. Except for this one nagging thought in the back of my mind, forcing its way forward. I always thought America stood for equality; I was taught that it was the small country that fought for everyone’s rights. I guess everything I was taught was a lie. I pushed the thought back and focused on the good. My mothers baked apple pies. Watching the fireworks in a parking lot with some friends. All my great birthdays that my parents struggled to make great for me. Everything went by slowly. I enjoyed it all. I felt myself slowly fading away. Steven Rogers was no more, he had died.

It felt like forever before my heart finally gave off a beat. When it did I was woke up, my ears caught the voice of a radio host over a static channel.
“Haaaaappy July third.” He said.
A jolt went up my spine. I had been in the hospital for two more weeks, I was still alive but I had been on my deathbed for two weeks. But why did I wake up? I should have passed, my parents left me, there was no place for me in this world and I was alone. I lay there and stared out the window. There wasn’t much to look at except a warehouse across the street, occasionally there would be some traffic but most of the time there was nothing, men in tuxedo suits would walk into the warehouse suspiciously and never come out. At least I didn’t see them. As I gazed boundlessly out the window I was startled by a German mans voice say.
“Mr. Rogers, is it?”
I looked out the corner of my eyes, I expected to see a young, beefy man, but instead I saw an older man, plump and short, he wore glasses much too big for his eyes. A grey laboratory coat and one of those hats you see taxi drivers wearing. He was just as pathetic look as I was. If he was punched in the gut I bet he’d throw up instantly. I felt that more people were in the room. I turned my head to see two men behind him. They were dressed in black suits and wore shaded glasses. They had pistols at their sides. I didn’t know what was going on but I was about to find out.
“Hello Steven, I’m Dr. Abraham Erskine,” The older man announced. “I’m here with a proposal.”
I looked into his eyes, he seemed like a kind man gentle and innocent but I didn’t trust him.
“What’s your bargain?” I asked.
He held up a folder that had the words PROJECT REBIRTH written in the middle.
“America needs a hero, a soldier…a super soldier.” He said.
“You won’t find one here.” I told him sorely.
“Really?” He asked arching and eyebrow. “I was under the impression you wanted to help fight for your country.”
“Yeah that was before my country decided to let me die for two weeks.”
“Die? Steven you weren’t dead. Your heart monitor didn’t fluctuate at all since your parents left. You’ve been sleeping my boy, now it’s time for you to get up.”
“I’m not fighting for a country that wouldn’t help the small guy.”
He thought for a moment, looking at his folder.
“In this world there is no small guy, no big guy. Only a guy who wants to do the right thing and a guy that wants to do the wrong thing. Which are you?”
I hesitated, “why should I fight for America?”
He smiled, “You are not fighting for America, you’re fighting for yourself. Would you like to see the Nazi’s and Japanese win this war? Or would you like to make a change and become the super soldier this world so desperately needs?”
I put my head down, I knew then and there that I wanted to fight for what was right but did I want to fight for America?
“I’ll do it.”
The doctor’s eyes bounced with joy. “Really? What changed your mind?”
“The world needs someone to look up to in this time of darkness and war. You’re offering me that position. I can’t give it up because of something so small on a scale so big. I’ll join your super soldier program, but only based on the morals of justice, liberty and truth. I’m not fighting for America but for the people who can’t fight for themselves.”
“Then lets get started.”
He walked out of the room his body guards behind him, “come along Steven, we must get you settled in.”
I slowly stood up and followed behind him.
Once we got outside of the hospital I took a deep inhale of air through my nose and out through my mouth. The spring air was poisonous to my lungs but I hadn’t been outside in weeks I had to get my sense of smell adjusted. I looked around at the run down brick buildings and the cracked black streets. It disgusted me that the war had caused our country to fall apart. I wondered what it was like over seas. They must have it much worst.
“Mr. Rogers,” said the doctor, “the car is here.”
I looked at the area once more; I’m going to fix this country I thought to myself. I got out of my chair and sat in the car. The two men in black got in the front and Dr. Erskine sat next to me. We drove for what seemed to be miles on end. I forced myself not to fall asleep, or throw up. Looking put the window I saw the city fade into the sunset; it was around 6:45. The trees stood tall. This land was peaceful unlike the city, which was full of noise, now more in the country we drove into a compound surrounded by fences and barricades.
“Welcome to our army depot. This is where we train our most skilled soldiers; it’s also where we will test Project Rebirth. Are you ready Steven?”
“It’s too late to say I’m not.”
“Good.”
We got out of the car and walked through the training camp, everyone there was ripped not super ripped but they were big compared to me. Not everyone. There was one person he was about 17. A teenager on an active military facility; was that legal?
“Would you like to meet him?”
“Who the kid?
“Yes. He’s loved by everyone here.”
“Sure I don’t see the harm in talking to him.”
We walked over to the court the boy was playing five on one with men 2 times his size, but he was quick, agile, and athletic, the boy was winning. The game ended score 30-8. I stared at the boy in awe until I realized he was walking toward me. We were the same height, which was embarrassing. He put out his hand.
“Hey I’m James, but everyone calls me Bucky.”
The fact that he was toned more than I was made me like him more. This kid had my body if I wasn’t deathly ill. I shook his hand.
“I’m Steve Rogers.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Steve.”
“The pleasures all mine.”
“James, Mr. Rogers here will be bunking with you until the procedure is ready.” Explained the doctor.
“Yes sir, come on Steve let me show you around the camp.”
We walked around for 30 minutes Bucky introducing me to people and showed me where everything was. When we got back to the basketball court a group of tough guys stood around the gates. The biggest one looked me dead in the eye and said,
“We’ve got ourselves some fresh meat gentlemen.”
There were about 5 of them all circled around Bucky and I towering above us. I wasn’t afraid of them; I faced bullies before on multiple occasions. But these guys looked like they could snap me in half. They were intimidating I’ll give em that but they were just a bunch of punks. I said that to them.
“This ones got some fire in him he must not know who we are.” Said one of them
“Of course he doesn’t, where are our manors? Lets introduce ourselves boys.” Said their obvious leader, then he swung at me. I saw it coming I braced myself for the hit, why hadn’t I moved I don’t know; it was a force of habit to stand there and take the hit. Eyes wide open waiting for his fist to land into me. I thought I was done until Bucky grabbed the guys arm twisted it and took him to the ground. He pulled a knife from his pocket and started fending off the group of army thugs. I took my left hand made a fist and clenched it tight got in front of Bucky and swung at the second biggest guy hitting him square in his jaw. My wrist hurt from the hit but the bully fell to the ground. The rest of the group started to back away with their hands at their sides and heads facing forward they each brought one hand to their heads in a salute. Knowing they weren’t doing this towards Bucky and I, we turned around to see a man in a white trench coat decorated with stars, medals, stripes, and buttons.
“You two come with me.” He declared in a stern powerful tone.
We followed him into an office complex on the northern side of the facility. We stepped into the office and Dr. Erskine is sitting in a wooden chair, he had his fingers crossed and folded with each other. He looked at the white-coated man.
“Thank you General Phillips, I would like to speak to these two alone.”
Once he said that the general and the black suited men who had been standing on each side of the doctor’s desk left the room. He put his hands down and put a smile on his face.
“Steven you surprised me, you passed the test.”
I was confused I was sure I messed up and I was going to be punished but the doctor was happy with my actions. I was still confused so I asked,
“That was a test?”
Bucky spoke up, “yeah Steve. Dr. Erskine wanted to see your reaction to a fight. We thought you’d run away but you surprised us, when you nailed, Duncan in his jaw.”
“Indeed you did. Now that I know where your heart is at we can begin setting you up for Project Rebirth. Now go the both of you to your bunker, the procedure starts tomorrow at noon.
I followed Bucky back to our bunker, he gave me the bottom bed. I couldn’t sleep though. I was nervous and excited about the procedure.
“Hey Bucky. What do you think is going to happen tomorrow?”
“I’m not sure pal but I’m pretty sure they’ll make you better than you ever dreamed.”
I never dreamed of being turned into a “super soldier” but this could give me the chance to contribute to the war.
“Goodnight Bucky.”

Chapter 2

The next day I woke up at about eight ready for the procedure, and to my surprise the procedure was ready for me too. The room was full of lab chemicals and technology all set up to one machine, a containment tube in the middle of the room. Wires hung from the tubes top and a glass door was wide open. I spotted Dr. Erskine talking to General Phillips and three other men wearing lab coats. One of them saw that I had awoken and pointed toward me turning Dr. Erskine’s attention toward me. He walked over,
“Steven. The procedure must be done now we do not have much time, Bucky get up go help pack up around the base.”
“What’s going on I asked?”
“Hydra is coming!” Dr. Erskine exclaimed, “this morning at around four we found two men snooping around, they were dressed in a green uniform with yellow straps. They were defiantly Hydra.”
“Are there more?”
“Radar picked up a whole unit flying in about three fighter jets. We have to hurry up thought Mr. Rogers, we have about an hour and a half to do the procedure and evacuate the facility.”
“Lets get started then.”

I got out of bed and took off my shirt, my boney chest and arms shaking. I stepped into the tube; they closed the glass door and started to produce a green gas. It was the steroid. Then needles came through the holes the gas came from. Dr. Erskine said the needle contained an endurance and stamina compound. So many chemicals, gasses and toxins were imported into my body I thought I was going to die. But then I began to grow, wider, taller, my muscles started to come in, and they grew beyond what they should have been. My skin started to gain color. The glass was open once the gas cleared out. I stepped on to the ground. Dr. Erskine stood there in amazement.
“How do I look?”
Still in awe he hesitated then said,
“Like a gift from the Gods”
I smiled, the biggest smile I put on in years. I was a new man thanks to Dr. Erskine. But then the moment took a turn for the worst. One of the scientist that were working with Dr. Erskine stood up, I thought he was coming to admire the work of the super soldier serum, but instead he drew a knife and stabbed it through the doctors chest. He fell to the ground I caught him, on the brink of death he said to me,
“This is your chance to do something great, end this war for me, for you and everyone like us. Don’t change who you are with this gift.”
He choked up coughed up some blood then his eyes turned white and rolled into the back of his head. He was gone. The man who had stabbed him was still standing there with a small box in his hand; a red button was popping out of it. He was going to blow up Project Rebirth. He put his thumb on the button.
“Come any closer American and I will blow us both sky high. Stay where you stand and I will allow you to live.”
I took his bluff; he ran off and pressed the detonator as he passed through the door. The other two scientists were already gone with all the data they could gather up. I took Dr. Erskine’s body and escaped the falling debris of the bunker. Outside I found the Hydra terrorist getting tied up by Bucky.
“We have to go Steve now. Those fighter jets should be here in ten minutes they’ve speeded up and are getting closer. The rest of the camp is already gone headed toward the Brooklyn Navy Yard.”
I grabbed a white T-shirt from the base clinic. It barely fit even though it was an XL.
“Ok Bucky lets take that truck and get a move on.”
I pointed at a rusty cargo truck
We hopped in the cargo truck and drove off. Through the mirror I saw the jets whip past our base and let a missile drop. Almost immediately as it hit the ground the explosion destroyed the whole complex there was nothing left but a smoking crater.

We drove through the country for hours. Once we were in the city, we met up with the rest of our men at the Naval base and I explained what happened to Dr. Erskine. Bucky boarded the ship and got us a room. I spoke to general Philips about the super soldier serum,
“General, the serum worked,” Obviously “but it was lost in the explosion along with the Doctors notes even the containment tube. How are we going to create our army of super soldiers?”
“We aren’t. You’re all we have son. But don’t worry about that now I just want you to visit our training camp once we get in England.”
“Yes sir. Are more units meeting us here?”
“All of our men are already fighting with the rest of the allies. We were the last one’s to leave because of project rebirth. But we need to start packing up and getting on the move there’s no time to explain anymore details Rogers we need to get started across sea’s.”
Bucky and I rendezvous on the upper deck with everyone else we stood in a crowd with our fellow men while the General spoke,

“Today we lost a man who dreamed of ending this war with an army better than any has ever seen. Dr. Erskine wanted all of you to become the best you could be with his super soldier serum. Now that dream died along with him. Only one man was able to become our secret weapon against the Axis and Hydra. That one man is Steve Rogers he was chosen specifically by the doctor himself. Roger’s come forth.”
I walked up to the stand, and stood by the General.
“Roger’s. Why do you think the doctor chose you out of all the fine men here, why do you think he came to a struggling man who wasn’t even enlisted into the army?”
I was hesitant I didn’t know why but I had to give him something.
“Well sir, I’m not entirely sure. He said he saw determination in me. Im pretty sure he believed all of us were able to take the serum. But why he chose me is a mystery to me as it is to any of you. There’s nothing special about me, I’m just a man who wants to see justice served where it’s due.”

He patted me on the shoulder.
“Good man Rogers. I can too see what Erskine saw in you. You’re going to make a fine soldier.”
“Thank you Sir.”

A few hours I found myself below deck with Bucky in our bed bunked cabin. The walls were solid steel there were about 2 windows on each side of the rectangular space. I sat on the bottom bunk; the metal springs stretched making an obnoxious squeak every time I moved. Bucky climbed on top the same sound was made this time a bit louder. We couldn’t sleep like this, the bed wasn’t even soft the pillows were dusty and the blankets barely covered us. I got up.
“Buck I’ll be back I’m gonna go for a walk, try and get some sleep.”
“Aye, aye Cap’n.” he said barely awake.
‘Captain? I wondered. Why in blazes would he call me that? I hadn’t put much thought into it after the fact; I opened the door and left the cabin.

I walked around the whole ship, I wasn’t tired it was about 1:30 but I was wide-awake and felt my body surging with energy. This is the best I’ve felt…well ever. I went into a bathroom. It was disgusting. I didn’t mind it too much as I looked into the full body mirror on the wall. I was indeed taller, had more muscle my skin wasn’t as pale and my blonde hair had more of a shine too it. Even though I look different I’m till the same person I was before the procedure. I’m still Steven Rogers. I heard a cough coming from the stall on my right.

“Someone in there?” I asked
“Don’t mind me, Just taking care of some business.” A man replied.

He flushed the toilet and came out. It had been the soldier I punched in the face yesterday.

“Hey you’re that experiment boy. Steve was it?”
He had a southern accent. A thick one and he was a few inches shorter than he had been yesterday.
“Yeah, Rogers. I didn’t quite catch your name before.”
“I’m private Isadore Cohen, you can call me Izzy. You had a mean left cross Rogers, wonder what it’s like now that you got the serum in you.”
“We’ll find out soon Germany is only a day away.”
“You excited to be in the war? I mean heck I’m kinda nervous, ain’t used to getting shot at.”
“Not too much excited but I just want to see this war over. Do you have any family back home?”
I bet a lot of them do.
“You betcha, a wife and baby girl. I regret leaving them might not come back, but that’s the price you pay in war. Sacrifice yourself so others can live. If I die I want my family to know I was fighting for them.”
Touching. He was one of them men, wasn’t fighting for himself or the country, but for everyone else.
“You’re a good man Izzy. I hope to see you make it out of this war.”
“Thanks you too. What you fighting for?”
“I’m fighting because I don’t like seeing people get pushed around. I despise bullies.”
He gave me a grin.
“I’ll see you around Rogers.”
He left the bathroom. I just had a meaningful chat in a dirty restroom. It was time to get some sleep or at least try. So I went back to the cabin.

I was woken up to the reveille it was still dark outside the waves lightly hitting the sides of the ship. Bucky was already out of bed and dressed. I guess I would have to get use to waking up at dawn. We left the room and headed to the clean up area. The corridor was crowded with tired men. All complaining. We took turns brushing our teeth and washing up. Afterwards we went to the dinning hall and had some breakfast. Eggs and bacon with some toasted bread and milk. There were twelve long bench tables; each held twenty men, ten on each side. Bucky and I sat with Izzy and his unit.
“Steve, Bucky I want you to meet the Howling Commandos, Gabriel Jones,” He introduced pointing at a sleek, hairy, tough looking fella. “Denis Manelli,” an Italian man with slicked forward hair and a clean-shaven baby like face. “Robert Ralston, although we just call him Rebel,” A boy just a bit older than Bucky but not as slim. “And Junior.” He was full of joy, with flowing brown hair and wore thin seeing glasses.”
“Nice to meet you all,” I said. “You’ve got a mighty pack here Izzy.”
“They’re my best friends we’ve been with each other since day one of boot camp. Ain’t that right boys we’re the best bunch of soldiers in this here dinning hall.” Izzy Shouted.
“Wahoo! Damn diggity.” They all howled.
“Wahoo?” asked Bucky.
“It’s our battle-cry,” Rebel answered. “I thought it up.”
“Wahoo!” Bucky cried.
I looked around everyone was so happy I smiled and laughed with the others. Two days later we found ourselves woken up again, this time it wasn’t to an alarm but the ship was hit, we found ourselves in the middle of a storm. Everyone was panicking. The General and Lieutenants came down to calm everything down but then the engineers came up.
“It’s flooded down there General, not much we can do. We’re going to sink.”
They were terrified.
“What’s wrong down there?”
“There’s a hole in the hull. We cant close it up, we aren’t strong enough and the waters coming in too fast too do it from the inside.”
“I can do it.”
“Rogers, you are not going down there, we can’t afford to have anything happen to you.” The general ordered.
“I have to sir, I can’t just sit here and let us all drowned. I’m going down there and closing the hole, if I’m not back in ten minutes evacuate the ship.”
“Don’t die son, we need you.”
I winked at him, “I’ve got this.”
I ran down stairs to the engine room where the water was already past my shins and still flooding in. I saw the hole and trudged over to it. The metal was pushed out like the damage had been done from the inside. Those engineers must’ve sabotaged the ship.
“Once I fix things here I’ll get those two.” I said to myself.
I swam outside the hole holding my breath, pushing on the metal while swimming forward. One down four more to go I swam back inside to get some air. The water now up to my waist. Quickly swam back out and pushed one more in. before I went back inside I saw a figure in the water. Just swimming there, it looked like a man but had small winged feet. I’d worry about whatever it is later.
The water on the inside now up to my chest I swam out one more time. I had to close both of them at the same time now. Should’ve done that from the jump. I put my palms against both pieces of steel and pushed, I put strain on my arms. I made the mistake of opening my mouth allowing the water to rush into my lungs. I started to get weaker as I lost air. I was going to drown and no one could help me. I let go of the steel and looked up. My eyes were heavy and began to sting. I couldn’t kick my feet, the weight of the ocean was too much for my body even with the super soldier serum pumping my heart. I tried swimming to the surface but I blacked out halfway up.
To my surprise seconds later I was shaken back into consciences back on the ship. I looked up as a man in nothing but seaweed underwear and small winged feet. He was very built and stood dominant. His chest was bulged, his eyes were sharp, tired and spiteful.
“Who are you?” I asked.
He gave me a stoned stare.
“I am heir to the thrown of Atlantis. I saved your petty life.”
Namor? Atlantis? I thought. How could that be true? I had questions but I didn’t want to offend him, I stood up, he was about three inches shorter than me but he had all the boldness of a lion.
“Thank you, Namor. I appreciate your help.” I offered my hand. But he denied it.
“You should consider yourself lucky that I did what I did.”
The guy was stuck up, but he saved me so I wasn’t going to be rude. He walked off towards General Phillips. They talked for a while. I saw Bucky and the Commandos and went to chat with them make sure everyone was ok and tell them about the sabotage.
“Boys, those two engineers weren’t on our side. Do any of you know where they are?”
“What do you mean?” Gabriel asked.
“He means that the enemy done infiltrated our ranks yet again. I know where the scum are let’s go pay em a visit.” Izzy declared as he marched down the stairs.
We followed him to the cabins where we found the two traitors sitting on their bunks packing up.
“Leaving so soon?” Bucky said startling them. “How did you expect to get off the ship without being noticed?”
They didn’t say anything, just looked at us with no emotion. Then they grabbed handguns from their bags, pointed them at Bucky and shot. I grabbed him just before he was hit. The others took cover as the assailants rapidly shot at us. Then they jolted past us. I took off after them with the Commandos and Bucky behind me. We cornered them in the dinning hall but they still had their guns loaded and pointed at us.
“Who are you? Who do you work for?” I shouted at them.
They looked at each other and in synchronization said, “Red Skull wishes you death.”
Their voices were scratchy and demonic, the one on the left shot at Rebel piercing his arm, he fell to the ground and Junior raced over to his aid, Bucky, Izzy and myself charged the enemies. They summersaulted over our heads and kicked Bucky and Izzy to the ground, they both threw a punch at me but I put my arms up blocking their attack. They kicked and jumped like acrobatic fighters, Bucky got up and nailed one of them in the gut. The other went to kick Bucky; I blocked it taking him by his leg and swinging him around then letting him go sending flying into the steel wall. One got up and took out his pistol, I grabbed a food tray and held it like a shield he shot and I dodged the bullet jumped on to a table leaped off kicking the side of his face. His partner was getting up, I took the tray in one hand and hurled it like a Frisbee, it hit him in the chest sending him flying back into the wall.

Izzy rushed over to them pulling a rope off a hook on the wall, he tied them together. I took them by the rope and dragged them up the steps to the deck. Junior brought Rebel to the infirmary. I set the enemies in the middle of the floor, everyone looking at us.
“These men sabotaged the ship. The water didn’t flood in, they used a bomb of some sorts to penetrate the hull from the inside.”
“I knew I heard something go off.” One of the men replied.
“We caught them trying to leave,” Bucky said.
“Good job soldiers,” the general spoke up. “We owe you all a great gratitude. Now Namor here has agreed to help us once we get to England. We will be there in half an hour with his guidance over the sea.”

Chapter 3

We arrived at the Pembroke docks half an hour later. Bucky and I got off the ship and met up with General Philips to be debriefed. He explained to us how we were going to set up base in an abandoned bunker south of the base. Izzy pulled up beside us with a cargo truck, Namor, Rebel Junior, and Gabriel in the back.
“Where are the prisoners?” I asked
“They are under British custody, they didn’t have any valuable information.”
“They mentioned a Red Skull…who is that sir?”
“Red Skull, Johann Schmidt is Adolf Hitler’s right hand man, Germanys own super soldier, gone wrong of course. You’ll learn more about him later right now we need to get to that bunker.”
I leapt in the back with the rest of the guys the General took shotgun. We drove around the compound, men practicing their aim, others getting treated to in the infirmary, I watched as a team of five ran out the doors of an abandoned complex apartments. I don’t know how big the site was but there was much room for practice paratroopers, tank driving, they even had an empty boat yard where soldiers were docked on to the beach so they could run to the base above storm it and leave. They looked good, but this wasn’t the real thing and most of these men were young never saw battle, including me. Sure I have the super soldier serum in me now but am I ready to face the trauma of war? Or was I just another scared soul ready to die. Either way my country needs me the world needs me. We pulled up to a wide bunker. It was big enough to hold over thirty tanks and a cargo plane; I say that because there was a cargo plane not as many tanks though. Nine other trucks pulled up beside ours we unloaded and made it a little homey. Bucky and I went inside, it was bigger on the outside. We explored the room, enough space to set up HQ. I looked around the room. There was a door on the floor,
“Buck over here!” I shouted across the room. I pulled the door open there was a ladder going down, Bucky ran over to me,
“What do you think is down there Steve?”
“I don’t know pal, lets find out.”
“Ok Cap.”
There it was again “Cap”, I wonder why he keeps saying it. I’ll ask him about it later. I climbed down while he grabbed a flashlight. He turns it on and follows me down; I can see marks on the wall, some kind of writing in an ancient language. The ladder ends my boots hit the cement floor. Bucky drops behind me, he shines the light at the ground, there were footprints not too old about 3 sets of feet. He shined the light ahead of us, there was a tunnel, I saw a brighter light at the end of it.
“That’a ways?” Bucky asked.
I gave him a nod. He shined the light back at the ground. As we got closer to the light it got hotter. We turned the corner to see a man and woman standing side by side, the woman dressed in a brown skirt and blouse, her hair flowed down her shoulders. The man was tall and slim he wore an oversized lab coat and black pants. The light wasn’t there at first but then it was, a flaming man figure in a tube much like my own, the heat rose again this time hotter than before. Bucky’s forehead broke out in sweat,
“Stay here.” I ordered him then walked into the room.
The man in the tube pointed at me. The woman turned around with a knife drawn. She would be pretty if she hadn’t looked like she wanted to shove the knife through my neck.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Take it easy ma’am. I didn’t mean to snoop.”
“Who are you? Nazi? Jap? Russian?”
“American. I’m with General Philips of the United States army. I didn’t know anyone was down here.”
The man in the lab coat had his hand on a grey button. Probably to open the tube holding the flaming man.
“You don’t have to do that.”
The General’s voice spoke from behind me. I turned around and saw him, Bucky and Namor standing there. The woman put her knife down and the man removed his hand from the button.
“Hello Dr. Horton, Ms. Carter. How’s the Android?”
He knew them?
“The Android is at perfection General he’s your candidate for project rebirth I presume.”
“You presume correctly old friend.”
They went on to talk about how the serum actually worked and something about operation “Invaders”. Then the doctor let the man or android out of the tube. He wasn’t bursting in flames and from what I saw he could control when he was going to burst. The General introduced everyone
“Rogers, James meet our Nazi fighting comrades, Peggy Carter, the Human Torch, you already know the Sub Mariner Namor. These three and two others who should be here but aren’t will be our special forces for taking on a new threat to the war.”
I asked “And what will this ‘new threat’ be General?”
“Hydra.”
Dr. Horton looked frightened.
“The Red Skulls forces?”
“Yes Rogers. They weren’t supposed to get involved with the war, they were simply a science division for Hitler but then Skull took charge, made himself the man he is, created weapons of mass destruction, and a army like no one has ever seen.”
Namor spoke up.
“Why are you humans constantly at war with each other. Before you know it your powerful armies will succumb to your creations. Us for example; what is stopping the enemy from creating a team of monsters to do their biddings? Humans dabble too much in the laws of nature.” He punched a hole in the concrete wall, “when that time does come, and it will don’t expect it won’t.”
I butted in
“Namor is right in a way. When people find out about us they’re going to want more, weather it be bad guy or good guy there will be more people with powers such as ours if not even more powerful. So General do you think it’s best for us to even get involved in this war?”
Dumb question but I needed to know.
“The world needs people like you if it wants to survive the Hydra threat. We’ve already discussed this back in the states. Once Hydra is beat we won’t have to worry about anything we’ll have all of you to keep things at peace.”
Namor questioned him with authority. “You’re confident in us General. But why so much?”
“I’m confident in you because of him.” He pointed towards my direction I looked around to see if he was pointing at someone else.
“Me Sir?”
“Of course you Rogers. There isn’t another man alive I hold in such high esteem.”
“He speaks the truth Steve I saw myself, you are a brave man, a born leader. I wouldn’t follow any other man into this war.” Namor informed.
“Are you saying that I’m the leader of this here team? The Invaders and Steve Rogers?”
“No. Captain America and the Invaders.” Bucky butted in.
I was overwhelmed, not because I was the leader but because they believed in me to lead them my best friend even gave me a code name, one that went against all of my morals but it had that ring to it.
Then a metallic voice said, “so what do you say Captain, are you in or not?”
“I’m in, but general is there room for recruits?
“Your buddies the Commandos? Yeah why not, they’re good soldiers and you guys are gonna need all the help you can get, and Rogers the president has something for you, Dr. Horton will pick it up for you on your way to France, this time by plane.”
“When do we leave?”
“Now.”

We headed back up the ladder all of us. I sent Bucky to get the Commandos, Namor, The Human Torch and the Dr. started packing things in the cargo truck, parachutes, guns, a jeep, and food. Peggy and I talked to the General.
“Keep the radio on at all times, we have it set up for American and British stations, emergency calls can be made, and we can contact you from here at anytime as long as the ship is intact.”
“Thank you General. We will make this first mission quick.” She seemed certain about it.
“What is the mission anyway Sir?” I questioned.
“Your assignment is to breach a Hydra’s hold on France. It won’t be easy, you’re facing an army.”
“We can handle it Sir.”
“I know you can Captain. Just be cautious of the enemy.”
He put his hand out I took it we shook, Bucky and the Commandos walked through said their goodbyes and we headed out.

The pilot told us we’d be making a stop in London to meet President Roosevelt. It was dark inside the plane, it was pretty early in the morning, and the sun hadn’t risen yet. I walked over to Izzy who was reading a book, “Travels With Charlie,” I’d heard of it before never really had time to go out and pick it up. I sat next to him,
“How is it?”
He darted his eyes at me then back at the book,
“It’s a decent read. I don’t do this too much only when I’m anxious. I remember when my wife was giving birth; I started reading the newspaper because I wasn’t sure if I was ready to be a father. But the reading got me through it I reassured myself. Now I’m worried if I’ll get to see them again.”
“Hey, don’t be nervous about this. You’ll make it out I promise that to you, personally, as long as you do your part and have my back out there.”
“Captain I’ll have your back and front. You may be the best shot we have at ending this war.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
“Steve.” Peggy Carters voice was static over the intercom. I grabbed the nearest walkie-talkie,
“What is it?”
“We are almost at the landing point. Have your boys get one of those jeeps ready, we’ll be driving to the capitol building once we set down.”
“Ok, just tell us when.”

Chapter 4

An Hour and a half went by before we saw light and were over the airfield. When we set down Izzy, Bucky, Peggy and I took the jeep and headed for the President. Peggy drove she was the only one who knew the way. I sat in the passenger seat looking out the side. I saw families having a fun time, kids playing in the empty streets, elderly looking at the ripples flow in the pond. It was peaceful here in England, even though they were so close to the action they were doing better than America. I looked in the side view mirror and saw Bucky sticking his hand out the window waving at people he didn’t even know, the kid was friendly a kind soul not corrupt by the war, even though he had nothing before the army Bucky walks around as joyful could be. He was an orphan taken in and trained by General Philips to be a soldier at the age of 10. He was a good kid but he never really had a life outside the military and now he’s going into one of the biggest wars in history. I made it my job to protect him as a brother. Peggy stopped the car in front of a set of grey steps, a court building possibly.
“Roosevelt is in there, tell him I say hello.”
“You aren’t coming in with us?”
“No, I don’t want to intrude on anything. Just go inside, I’ll be waiting right here.”
Izzy and Bucky climbed out the back and we walked up the stairs. When we got inside there were men in black suits ad shaded glasses guarding the door, just like the ones that were with Dr. Erskine. They searched us then led us to a room, they opened the door and our President was sitting in a chair waiting for us. He was older than I remembered; maybe the war was stressing him out. But he greeted us with pleasure,
“Hello Steven, Isadore, James. How are the three of you on this grand day?”
“We’re great Mr. President, it’s an honor to meet you.” I addressed
“Excuse me Sir,” Bucky chimed in, “what’s so grand about today? Isn’t it just like any other?”
“Why it is, but not really my young friend. Today the Invaders were formed, well most of them there are two others you haven’t met yet.”
Two men came in from a door on the side of the Presidents chair. One was British; I figured because of the British flag like spandex he was wearing, he wore a dark blue mask to match his costume, the flags cross-patterned into it. A belt was slung across his waist with an arsenal of guns and knives and explosives.
“That’s James Montgomery Falsworth, also known as the Union Jack, he’s Britain’s super soldier except he wasn’t dosed with the formula, and may I not forget your Toro, your pal Human Torch’s brother if I may say.”
A smaller version of Torch stepped forward, he had all of Torches facial features with a few details, a scar on his chin and his hair was longer and he looked more human than android.
We all shook hands happy to meet one another, then the President pulled something from behind his chair a circular object a shield. It was designed after the American flag, with three stripes, a red one on the outside, white after that, then red again before a blue inside with a star in the middle. He handed it to me, it was surprisingly light, but it was harder than steel.
“It’s comprised of a limited metal called Vibranium and a steal alloy. Its completely indestructible, fire resistant and can absorb any energy source, it was a gift from some African Nation. Then there’s you and Bucky’s costumes.”
He pulled two blue uniforms from behind him, mine had red and white stripes on the waist and a star in the middle of the chest, a mask came with it, an A embedded on the forehead representing America. Bucky’s was more like a sailor boy’s uniform, but it was blue with red boots, gloves, buttons and collar. Izzy took them and put them in his pack.
“Thank you Mr. President. These our greatly appreciated.”
“No problem Captain, I trust that you will do the world some good with your gifts?”
“Yes Sir. It was great meeting you. Hope to see you again after the war lets go troops.”
We walked out of the room leaving the President in his chair,
“Good man Rogers I’ll see you when I see you, safe trails.”

Peggy was waiting for us in the jeep, there wasn’t room for all of us,
“How are we going to fit everyone Captain, she can only seat four people, five is pushing it?”
Then Toro’s body engulfed in fire,
“I can fly I’ll follow behind you.” Then he took to the sky, leaving a trail of heat behind. The rest of us hopped into the car and drove off down the road; he trailed us zipping through the air like a plane leaving tracks of fire in the blue sky. ‘If he can fly can torch too?’ I thought. ‘We’ll find out soon enough.’ I’m going to put my team to the test once we get back see what they could all do, myself included.
“So what did you get?” Peggy suggested starting a conversation. Izzy took the shield from his pack and handed it to me,
“Oh the usual in modern military weaponry.” I said jokingly, the shield was amazing, but I wasn’t expecting it.
“Don’t forget the star-spangled costume.” Union Jack chimed in.
“Haha, he gave you colorful costumes and a shield? That’s more than he’s ever given me I’ll tell you.”
“What do you mean?” I questioned
“Your President and I used to date a few years back before he was your countries top man, he was around thirty five I was twenty three, old times he got me six white flowers and a journal to record all the times he planned for us.”
“What happened?”
“The war. I wanted to come back to England to become a soldier, ended up here. He became President.”
“Oh, I’m sorry you had to break up.”

The rest of the ride we talked about the men in black suits. Peggy kept calling them the secret service, they’re special body guards for the President and his family; he sometimes lets others use them. Toro came down flying side by side with the jeep smiling and threw us thumbs up. We reached the airfield where we saw Namor and Torch battling it out on the runway. Namor stomped on the ground making it shake and crack, he pulled out a rock almost as big as the jeep, he hurled it at Torch who was running at him from the other end of the runway fully fired up, the boulder came crashing into Torch’s. Dust from the impact rose and rock debris fell, when the dust cleared up the Human Torch was still running at Namor, then Namor charged him, the wings on his ankles started to flap sending him into the sky he went up then came crashing down on Torch who had stopped running, I watched as the Atlantian beat the android to a pulp throwing him into the ground, crashing down on his back.
“Toro, help out Torch.”
He took off straight towards Namor, smashing into him sending him flying half a mile across the airfield. Peggy pulled up to Torch who was standing again on his own.
“Captain,” he croaked in that robot voice. “This is only a training exercise Namor and I were only testing each other.”
Namor floated down besides us, “Our robotic friend can take a hit, he can give one as well can the other.”
“Oh…sorry for interrupting. Lets get back to the plane.”
“Yes Captain we should, Horton wants to take off soon.”
We all went back and boarded the aircraft. Horton, Rebel, Junior, Gabriel and the pilot sat around drinking and having a good time. I looked at them, it’s been a while since I just sat back and relaxed. I took a seat next to Gabriel and poured myself a drink, took a few sips it was dry; I had a couple more and waited, there was no effect. I’m immune to getting drunk. They told stories about their lives, the pilots name was joseph; he didn’t have any family they died in the last war. He was here for the thrill of the action didn’t he care if he died. Everyone went through something; they were all here for a reason. My eyes wondered over to Namor who was looking out the window, I stood up and walked over to him. He was staring down; he probably sensed the sea.

“Do you miss the ocean?”
I could tell he had something on his mind; he hesitated.
“Not only the oceans but my home. Atlantis.”
“The lost city?”
“Yes Captain. It went missing years ago before this war. My people saw it coming, they knew your kind would become too powerful so they went into hiding.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I told them to leave me, I stay to protect the oceans so when my people return they have something to return too. That’s why I am allied with you.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“For me it is. Man as a species have done many treacherous things to earths seas.”
“It’s not all of us.”
“But those who are deserve punishment.”
“I agree with you on that one my friend.” I put my hand on his shoulder, “Come on lets join the others.”
We walked over and talked with our companions. A few hours later I found myself the only one still awake, it was two A.M and all I could think about was the war, what if we didn’t make it out alive, I doubted myself. How could we possibly stop an army of teched up soldiers? What if we failed our country? Those thoughts were too negative. I went to the cockpit, Peggy was in there, she was amazingly beautiful, reddish brown hair curled down her back like wild vines, her face was angelic. Her eyes were dark hazel. The best part about her though, was her courage and independence.
“Hi Steve. Shouldn’t you be asleep, or does the super soldier serum take that pleasure away from you?”
“Haha, I can sleep, I just choose not too.”
“Too excited?”
“Too nervous.”
“Why? You have an atlantian at your side along with two blazing androids, some most loyal comrades, and myself.”
Her voice was hypnotic in a good way.
“Yeah, that’s true but what if we mess up?”
“Then we fix it. Together.”
She stared into my eyes never turning away; full contact the whole time.
“That’s reassuring, thank you Ms. Carter.”
“My genuine pleasure, Captain. But you should get some rest, we’re going to battle tomorrow, don’t know how much sleep we’ll get down there.”
“I will only if you do too.”
She giggled, “Well I guess Joe can get up and take over.”
We jumped in the jeep with some blankets and pillows and put down the seats. We slept for a while.

Chapter 5

“After a couple hours of sleep we were awoken, the plane shook with such force we all we flung into the air. I grabbed Peggy before she hit impact with the steel floor. My back hits the floor. I leapt up and ran over to the others. Bucky was helping Junior and Rebel up, Izzy had a parachute strapped to his back and three more in his hands.
“Get everyone else strapped up.” I ordered.
Then I saw Gabriel stuck under a pile of boxes. I ran over to him pulling all of the weight off his back. I gave him a parachute. I ran over to Bucky, the plane forcing me to lose balance, I looked out the window and saw explosions lighting up the sky all around the plane. I grabbed my bag with the shield and costume. Slung the shield straps on my arm and held the pack. I snatched a helmet and strapped that on too. We couldn’t take any more damage though; the plane would go down soon.
“Namor, we need a distraction, you and the androids attack those anti-aircraft guns, then rendezvous with us on the ground.”
“As you say Captain. Come androids we must not fail.” They took off into the sky leaving behind streaks of flames as they whistled through the clouds. I looked over and saw Peggy getting a parachute on.
“Umm, what do you think you’re doing Miss?”
“Going down there with you of course.” She grabbed a machine gun and started loading it.
“No ma’am I can’t allow that, we need you and pilot Joe to get the landing point. We’ll meet you there.”
“But Steve,” I cut her off.
“But nothing Peggy! It’s a warzone down there, literally I can’t risk you getting hurt let alone them. Now stay here, Captains orders.”
She pouted but it made no difference, I took the gun she’d been loading and I picked up a handgun, took some grenades and was battle ready. I look around and the others had done the same, Union Jack had two belts strapped on with knives and pistols strapped in. Bucky even snagged himself a pistol. The commandos varied from snipers to machineguns. The hanger door opened we all stood there looking out at the black ash sky. There was a flash behind us. I turned to see Peggy holding a camera,
“Are you boys gonna just stand there or save the world?”
Then we jumped.

I had never jumped from a plane before. Have never really jumped from anything above 6 feet, I didn’t have the best of ankles, but as I free fell through the thin air I felt invincible. That was until a missile almost hit us. We were dodging all the way down. I thought we were good to go until one came flying straight at me. I put my “indestructible” shield to the test, gripping the straps tight I held it in front of me and hit the missile head on. It sent me further into the air but I still held the shield, and I barely felt the impact, it was like a nudge. I watched as the others pulled their chutes loose, I did the same. The enemy had stopped firing. We landed in the middle of a town. “Bienvenue en France.”
“How do you figure comrade?”
“For starters, the unit of Nazi soldiers pointing guns at us. Second the sweet smell of dough and smoke."
I looked around and there was Hydra all around us, I could tell by the symbols on their uniforms, same one the general showed us before we got on the plane. They had their guns aimed at our heads. I put up my shield up, I didn’t know how I would take them all down without my team getting shot but there wasn’t anything else I could do. As soon as I went to charge them a bolt of fire came souring down on them. They all burned. I watched as Namor, Toro and Torch floated down in front of us.
“Thanks for the save Torch.”
“You’re welcome Captain.”
“Are you well Namor?”
“ I suppose you mean hydrated?”
I nodded.
“Yes. We took down a squad of tanks a mile ahead. And the plane went a few miles past that before it landed. We’ll be there in about an hour. We just need transportation.”
“Ok ladies, ask around find us a ride.”
“Cap. Why don’t we just steal one from the Hydra troops?” Bucky insisted.
Union Jack was already on it; he ran over to the Hydra jeep and hot-wired it. We piled in and drove off. We followed the flyers. They smashed through cars, soldiers, tanks and barricades. We had trouble dodging the debris but we managed to get past.

Chapter 6

We thought we were home free until Namor was hit hard. He flew back and crashed into a building, the androids were hit with a yellow blast, sort of like lightning, they plummeted to the ground. Then a man in a red suit appeared out of thin air. He was glowing with power, sparks flying off his fist. We came to a stop about 10 meters ahead of him. He opened his fist and a blot of electricity came from his hands. I jumped out and blocked the energy. The others got out and started unloading clips. He was barely affected by the bullets. The androids got back up and hit him with lines of flames. Much more effective but he was still standing, until Namor smashed into his back and flew him into the ground in front of us.
I picked him up with one hand by his shirt.
“Who are you?” I demanded
He twitched. Looked straight into my eyes.
“I. Am. Voltron.”
He erupted into a ball of electricity pushing us all back. I took my shield off my back and blocked any sparks flying off of him. The road was cracking, and the sky was turning red. I tried to push towards the ball, I could see him the center, each step I took the heavier my feet became. Even Namor was struggling to walk. Then I decided to plant my feet into the ground, took my shield off my arm and in my hand. I aimed at the middle of the sphere and flung my shield like a disk. It made contact with Voltron’s head and sent him to the ground unconscious. After the hit the shield bounced back at me, I caught it with one hand and walked over to Voltron. Namor picked him up and put him over his shoulder.
“What do we do with him?”
“We’ll leave that up to the townsfolk.”
We tied him to a tree in chains, Namor hit him a few more times to make sure he stayed knocked out. The jeep was no longer functional; we took our supplies and walked the rest of the way. We reached the plane where we also met up with Peggy and the Joseph. We radioed the general, he sounded like he was under heavy attack.
“General. We liberated the city, and there was a man named Voltron here. He was powerful sir.”
“What did you do with him?”
I could barely hear him over the static interference and gunfire on his end.
“We left him behind sir, I didn’t think we took POW’s.”
“Ok. Good job Rogers; next I need you to get your team ready. We just stormed the beach of Normandy, but we need back up. We don’t have enough firepower to take on the Axis powers and the entire Hydra army. Get your team ready for a real battle.”
“We are on our way general. We’ll hit them from behind, it’ll be a war on two fronts,” I hung up the walkie-talkie, “Ok boys and gals, today we take on an army of what we just faced and more. I don’t want any casualties and no one gets left behind, stay by Namor, the androids and myself. You’ll be our cover fire while we do the dirty work.”
“Steve, there has to be more of those guys like Voltron. How are we gonna take on them and an army?”
“Let us worry about that Buck. Joe Peggy get the jeeps ready. We’re going in on land.”
We leapt into the jeeps and took off; we headed toward a dark cloud of smoke in the sky. I sat in the back with Bucky and Izzy. I look over to my left and Izzy is reading again, he left his books on the plane, all he had now was a couple of old news papers. Taking a gaze at his face I could see tears sweat dripping off his forehead.
“You alright there Izzy?”
“Yeah cap, it’s just we’re heading right into the battle, and from the sound of that talkie it’s chaotic, the enemy has no mercy. Should we?”
“I’ve been thinking the same thing. It’s war we’re supposed to kill the guys on the other side, but how far should we go. They are torturous men out there but we aren’t going to succumb to their level. Leave the death toll to a minimum if you can.”
Then a missile exploded on the side of the road, the impact sent our jeep rolling threw the air. My vision got blurry; a high pitch rang through my ears. I got up and started walking around shouting for the Invaders, when my vision finally came into focus I saw Bucky Izzy and Peggy tied up with men in green military uniforms and mask were pointing assault rifles at their heads. I went to grab my shield but it wasn’t on my back, my pistol wasn’t in its holster either. They must have fallen when I tumbled out of the jeep. Two of the soldiers pointed their guns at me. I wasn’t going to just let them kill us, I put up my fist ready to take them all down. One of them pushed Bucky into the dirt and jammed the muzzle of his gun even more into Bucky’s face. I put my hands down and fell to my knees. I couldn’t let them hurt my friends. There was smoke all around us and the air was thick of fumes. I looked forward there was a shadowy figure walking through the smoke with great posture. It was a man. Every step he took was heavy and they seemed carefully chosen. The smoke cleared up a little more, I got a look at his face, boney, soulless, and red. I don’t mean blushing red, no I mean blood red, stained into his skin.
“You must be the Red Skull.”
He stopped, put on a treacherous smile and replied, “So you’ve heard of me? Tat is odd because I have not heard of a man of stars and stripes.”
“You were mentioned once or twice. But me, no you don’t know me.”
“Ah I just remembered. You’re Steven Rogers, Dr. Erskine’s second candidate for project rebirth.”
My face darkened, “What do you mean second?”
“Oh your masters didn’t tell you, I was the first. Before this war began Dr. Erskine and I were close friends; he wanted me to be the worlds first super soldier. I agreed. He experimented on me. After the procedure I was the perfect human; I wanted more. So he gave it to me, except this time there was more to the serum. It turned my face red, took away a portion of my strength, twisted my mind and made me see. Like Hitler”
“So you got revenge on Erskine for taking your power away you had him assassinated.”
“Yes. But I would have liked to thank the doctor for his gift, I wouldn’t be the man I am today without it.”
“You’re sick Skull. You’re a murderer-“
“And proud. Do you know how good it feels to kill so many useless people? Powerless helpless people?”
“Go to hell.”
“Haha you have neglected to see that I have already been.”
He turned and looked at Peggy. He started walking over to her, slowly.
“Don’t touch her!”
He grabbed her by the hair.
“Get up.”
She didn’t listen; he pulled her hair.
“Stand.”
Still she didn’t listen.
“You arrogant rat. Obey me.”
He tugged again. That time I lunged up and caught him with a right cross. I put all my anger into it. I wouldn’t let him treat anyone like that anymore. He staggered backwards His men cocked their guns ready to shoot us down. I saw my shield and pistol on the ground behind Skull. He put his hand up; I thought they were going to shoot us where we were. Instead he said,
“That was heroic of you Mr. Rogers, stupid but heroic. I will allow you and your companions to live a few breaths longer because of such action, but you’re all coming with me.”
“By hell we are.”
“Cap,” Bucky whispered, “We have to go with him. I’ll explain more later.”
I looked at Skull, putting my fist down again.
“Excellent choice Captain, is that your rank, only a few days into the service and you’re a captain? Or is it short for something.”
“Captain America.” I replied distastefully.
“Excellent.” He said maniacally. “Hydra, Get them and move.”
They walked behind us and in front, we were in a line like horses. I didn’t know where they were taking us since we were still in France but it couldn’t have been far, no one said anything about getting a ride. We walked for 30 minutes before we came to train tracks. We waited there until a train stopped in front of us; they pushed us inside. There were no seats, the door didn’t close and it wasn’t too roomy. Before we got on I saw people in other sections. Men, women, children; they were miserable. They all looked on the brink of death, the color drained from their faces, clothes tattered, their feet dirty. I felt their pain; no one should be treated like this.
I looked around our train cell. Bucky was sitting on a crate, Peggy lying back against a bag of coal, and Izzy was sitting with his legs out the train. I knew what he was thinking.
“Alright, Bucky you said you had a plan. Now would be a good time to share it.”
“Right. Well cap where is the rest of our team? I know, but do you?”
I stared at him confused Namor and the other jeep had been ahead of us.
“What do you mean Buck? Their halfway to Normandy by now.”
“That’s what you think. But I saw Toro circle back around before the missile hit us. Then I saw him hide in a bush while you were chatting it up with Skull. So they should be here in a few to rescue us.”
“Good, that gives us enough time to free the people in the other carts, and when they get here take down Skull.”
“Captain,” Peggy butted in. “You expect us to free a whole train of people without being caught?”
“No, I expect us to save some lives before they do catch us, and when they do we fight.”
“We don’t have any weapons. How are we going to do that?”
“You have to trust me. Like I trust you.”
“So,” Izzy stood up. “Are we doing this?”
It wasn’t a good moment but a grin had slid across my lips. I untied them then broke out of my own rope. Bucky climbed on top of the train and hauled Peggy up with him, I shimmied along the side of it. I stopped in on a family of three. Man, Woman, and a little boy. They were frightened,
“Hey, it’s ok. I’m here to help get you all out of here.”
“How?” the man asked.
“Haven’t gotten that far yet.”
I looked around the train wasn’t going too fast. These people could jump off and run for it. But why would they risk getting captured again? Then it hit me.
“Hold on, I’ll be back.”
I went back to my trailer. Bucky and Peggy were back. Izzy was still there. They all held a pistol. Bucky threw me one; I caught it and explained to them the new plan.
“We have to take out the Hydra soldiers and conductor.”
“Steve that’s risky.” Izzy assured me.
“I know, but it’s our best option at saving these people. If we just let them free they will be caught again.”
“I’ll follow your lead Cap.” Bucky assured me.
“I guess I will too.”
I looked Izzy in the eye.
“This is a team effort pal.”
He hesitated, “I’m in.”
We climbed on top of the trailer, got low and started walking toward the front of the train. I was thinking about how easy this was and why they didn’t put guards in our trailer. Just when I thought things were too good to be true, a man in a metal suit crashed through the roof of the train. He was seven feet tall and almost as wide as the trailer. There was a red cross on his chest. We had our guns out and aimed at him. He pointed his hand at us; it fired a beam of purple energy. I pushed Bucky and Peggy to the side, Izzy ducked out of the way. The trailers were big plenty of moving room.
“Who are you supposed to be?” I yelled over the wind.
He pointed both hands this time directly at me; I ducked back as a sizzle of purple light went past my face. I shot back with my handgun, but the bullets bounced off his hide. He started walking towards me talking.
“My suits made of a special iron. Six inches of nearly indestructible metal, those blast are controlled kinetic energy. If you think you can beat me, you’re wrong. I am the Iron Cross, you are finished.”
“I don’t believe in losing. Especially to men like you.”
The others shot him trying to keep him back but I wanted to get close. I ran at him, lunging at his head with my foot, a nice impact enough force to push him back a couple feet, I ran at him, dodging every slow punch he threw and predicting each time he would try to shoot. I hit him a few good times, knee to the chest, gut punches. I brought him to the ground with a powerful leg sweep. He laid on his back I took his helmet off and I was surprised at what I didn’t see. It was blank. No eyes mouth or nose. Just a blank face, must be the ideal Nazi.
“You think you’ve one amerikan? No Red Skull will have you dead.”
“Where is Skull?” Bucky asked.
“Do you think he’d be on the train that transports the Jews to their dooms?”
“Skulls not here huh? So it’s just you?”
I raised my fist and brought it down on his nose. I heard it crack; he began to yell. As if on cue Toro and the others showed up. Namor stopped the train, I watched as the family of three hopped off, along with every other family that’d been kidnapped. I dragged the Iron Cross down and over to Joe who was in the drivers seat of a jeep. I threw the Iron Cross in the back.
“What took you guys so long?”
“We took down that army of Hydra soldiers who were headed towards Normandy. By the way that battles over we won. France is now Hydra and Axis free. Our troops are securing the country. Getting ready to take down Germany. I see things went from bad to good here.”
“Yeah, we gotta get back to the plane. We’re going after Hydra.”
“What about them.” He said nodding at the families
“Get into contact with the General. Tell him to get them home, Captains orders.”
“Oh Cap I almost forgot,” he threw my shield at me. “Don’t wanna lose this.”

Chapter 7

A couple hours later we were back at the plane, we stripped Iron Cross from his suit and left him behind on the runway. A few weeks past, they were chaotic. The plane went down in the middle of Germany. We fought thousands of Hydra soldiers and more wannabe super villains. We were doing great until Junior and Rebel were killed. A mine went off at their feet in a swamp while we were fighting a unit of marine Hydra. I tried to save them but the mine went off too quick, it exploded, a powerful blast blew me thirty yards back, killing the Hydra unit, we lost great men. We took a day to mourn our friends. We couldn’t burry them over here. We had Joe bring them back to the General. Before their bodies were taken away Gabriel and Izzy gave speeches. Ending each with a halfhearted wahoo. The next day we were jumping from rooftops in a German city, running from a thirty-foot tall robot with a swastika on its body. When Union Jack tripped his leg was crushed under ruble. Namor and Human Torch defeated the robot, while I got Jack to an underground hospital for Ally soldiers. He was out of commission so we sent him home, I didn’t want to see another friend die. I wanted to do the same with Peggy, Bucky and Izzy but their minds were set on finishing the war by my side. One night I had a conversation with Peggy,
“We need to end this with Hydra. Now!”
“Steve there isn’t much we can do against a whole army. There are only a few of us.”
“That’s why we’re calling in reinforcements tomorrow. I just got news that the Nazi’s were defeated and the allies are initiating rescue missions for concentration camp prisoners. Skull is operating a couple camps in this district. We just needed to get their attention.”
“But how? We have no radio, no plane.”
“We have a flying Atlantian, Namor will bring the allies here.”
“Steve. This war is almost over, and a lot of it is because of you. I…Love you Steven.”
I was shocked; those were words I hadn’t heard since my parents left me all them months ago. I hesitated; I didn’t know what to say. Then it came to me.
“I love you too Ms. Carter.”
“Awe, isn’t that sweet.” Bucky dropped down from a tree.
“Steve and Peggy huh? You two gonna kiss now or what?”
We laughed, first time in a while. I sat there all night. Peggy and Bucky had fallen asleep, I would be too but something kept me up. I never got to say it back to my parents. They just left me; they probably thought their little boy was dead, which he was. There was no more Steven Rogers. I walked around for the rest of the night. I walked to a lake.
It was bluer than the bluest jazz singer back home. Home, did I have one? I didn’t know. I bore the title of Captain America, but I didn’t represent America. Not the parts that didn’t help people in need. I was a symbol for the small guys. I was what America should be. I saw myself reflecting off the water. A handsome blonde hair blue eyed strong man. Hitler would have loved me had I been German. But no I was Irish. I was more than that though. I was an American. I picked up a rock and tossed it in the lake, causing a ripple in the image of myself. I turned around and walked back to camp. I decided to keep watch since the sun was coming up.
In the next few hours Namor woke up and took off toward General Phillips. The rest of us kept moving toward the Hydra base. It didn’t go good. We were ambushed again, except this time we saw it coming.
In the middle of the day a Hydra fighter jet crashed into a building in front of us. I put my shield over my head, Bucky, Peggy, and Izzy evaded falling debris, the torches shot at rocks slowing their momentum as they hurled toward the ground. More planes crashed. I watched as a man was crushed under a chunk of metal. A child screamed for her parents; I ran over to her.
“I…I cant find my mommy,” She said shakily. “I’m scared.”
I picked her up and held her tight,
“Don’t worry, I’ll find your mommy.” I wasn’t sure of it but I couldn’t just leave her there.
“What’s your mommy’s name?” I asked her.
“Sarah.”
I ran her over to the Invaders.
“Help any civilians get them all in that building.” I pointed at a hotel near a lake. I handed the girl to Peggy; she kissed me. After she took her lips from mine she turned around and ran to the building, little girl in her hands. I prayed they’d be ok.
I looked around there were tanks crashing through fences, Hydra soldiers marching through the streets. They killed citizens, for no reason. It tore my insides up, every person they slaughtered the heavier my heart got. I looked to my left and saw a group of elderly men being encircled by Hydra soldiers with batons. I rushed over to aid them, throwing my shield at one man it bounced of him and hit another, and another; then flew back at me. I caught it and charged another guy. One hit me in my rib cage; I didn’t feel any pain. I turned around and jabbed him in his face, he flew back a couple feet; landing hard on his back. I turned around to face the older men.
“Bless your soul young man.” Said one of the old men giving me a heartily hug.
“No need to thank me, I’m just doing my duties; protecting the innocent.”
“Spiffy uniform, you got a name son?”
“Yeah...My names Steven.”
“See Hans, I told you not all them Americans were nuts.” He told his friend.
“Yeah, yeah I guess they aren’t.”
“Thanks.” Izzy came jogging over to us.
“Cap I’ll take them to the safe zone, then be back to help you with those guys.” He pointed at a huge group of soldiers formatted into a wall. They were just standing at the edge of the city hundreds of them. Artillery, tanks, jeeps topped with machine gunners ready to shoot anyone down.
“Go.” he ran off,
“Torch, We’re gonna need you to bring the heat down here!” I shouted at the sky.
In that instant two balls of fire came shooting down from the clouds. Crashing down on the infantry; they sent men flying, and the artillery was destroyed. Toro let a stream of flames out at a tank, over heating it. Two men jumped out and were roasted immediately. They flamed down, putting thumbs up. I showed appreciation back. Then the other tank shot Toro, he rammed into Torch. Then a few men circled around them, coming from nowhere; they were cloaked.
The same was done to me. A muzzle appeared in the middle of my forehead. Seven more pointed at me.
“Drop the shield Amerikan scum.” He ordered.
“I don’t take orders from the enemy.” I grabbed him and used him as a hostage, taking my pistol from its holster and setting it on his ear.
“Drop your guns boys. We don’t want this to get messy.” I wasn’t really going to shoot him, but I didn’t expect them to call my bluff. They didn’t, all of em threw their guns to the ground. I guess even bad guys had hearts.
As I backed away with their buddy still in my clutch, I felt a tube pinned against my back. I turn my head to see a woman with green hair and eyes holding a pistol to my spine. The men picked their guns back up and aimed them at me again.
“Let him go or you and he will face the sting of Hydra.”
I pushed him forward; he fell in the dirt.
“Not very nice of you, Captain.” She said before she took me down from behind, pinning my arm behind my back. “I am Madame Hydra, and you and your little team are now prisoners to my master Red Skull.” She snapped her fingers and three more men appeared with Peggy, Bucky, Izzy, and the little girl with them. I tried to get up but I couldn’t move my arm. I was down.
“Do as I say and I shall allow your friends live. Disobey and I will not hesitate to kill them.”
I had no other options, again.
“I’ll do what you want.”
“You didn’t have any choice, silly American.”
She walked off, her men picked me up and we all followed behind her. We walked to a cliff on the edge of the town. I had suspicions she was going to throw us off, until a plane appeared, that was cloaked too. These Hydra guys kept a lot of things hidden. The hanger door opened and we walked aboard. It was a big plane, a lot of compartments. They took our weapons to one section and escorted us to a cell.
In our cell we were all silent. Izzy had nothing to read, Bucky was staring at the wall, and Peggy was crying. I failed them. We were supposed to beat the enemy not be captured by them. I punched the wall; it shocked me. My body went numb for a second. Madame Hydra stood outside the cell.
“The walls are laced with electric wire, if you hit it like you just did it will electrify your nerves?”
“Thanks for telling me. Where are you taking us?”
“To Red Skulls laboratory. Where he will experiment on you and show you his greatest weapon.”
“Weapon? What kind?”
“That even I don’t know; so we will both see once we get there. Sit tight Invaders, we enter the Red Skull in a few hours.”
Those few hours passed quickly. We were forced off the plane; on to a black paved ground; a castle ahead of us. The sky was dark; the trees were dead. Hydra surrounded the outer walls of the castle. At the gates a man with a monocle greeted us.
“I am Baron Von Strucker; the Red Skulls best officer. I will act as your guide while you take a tour of the facility.”
“Tour?” I asked confused.
“Ja eine tour. The Red Skull wants the last thing your eyes see to be his creations that will destroy the allies.”
“You Germans are monsters.” Peggy said bitterly.
“No we are just doing what is right. Red Skull sees the ominous fate of this world and with his rule we can change that fate.”
“You think he can do that by killing half of the inhabitants?”
“If that is what it takes to save us, then yes.”
“No,” I said confidently. “We’ll stop you.”
“Haha, how would you do that? You’ve been captured.”
I said nothing I didn’t know how we would stop him.
“Right. Now come along. I’m going to show you something marvelous.”
He led us through the gates of the Castle. I didn’t think there was a smell for maniacal, but I soon learned there was. Chemicals clouded my nostrils, and burned my eyes. The others were tearing up from the toxins and coughing from the horrible fumes. But none of the Hydra was.
“I bet you’re wondering why my people are not effected by the gas. Well thanks to our top scientist Baron Heinrich Zemo; he created all of those powerful enemies you fought. Hydras weapons developed by his ideas, he even designed the Red Skulls newest weapon.”
“Where is Skull?” I commanded
“He stands before you.”
I looked forward to see the scum himself standing tall, hands behind his back. His face was hard to look at. So I looked at his shoes, black loafers with Hydras skull headed octopus symbol on the side.
“Captain, it is a pleasure to have you in my facilities, what do you think?”
“I think I’m going to enjoy beating the star-bangled crap out of you.”
I threw a left cross at Skulls jaw unhinging it then kicked Strucker into the wall, Peggy took down Madame Hydra with a leg sweep, Bucky and Izzy tried to unlink their hands. I broke my chains easily then ripped theirs. Skull scurried backwards and pulled out a pistol; it couldn’t have been an ordinary one. The metal was sleek and shinier than even my shield, and there were liquids in barrels on the face. He pointed it at us. I stepped in front of them if he was shooting us then I wanted to go first.
“Very noble of you Captain, but yet anther mistake. You are on my turf now and here I don’t play by others rules.”
“He shot at me but there was no bullet; I didn’t feel anything. I wasn’t even sure if it was me he was trying to hit me. I looked down and the little girl had been paralyzed. She lay on her back, lifeless. I dropped to my knees and felt for a pulse, there was none. Not even the littlest heart beat. Tears fell down my face as I closed her wide blank eyes. I set her down.
“Skull you are going to wish you never did that.” I jumped at him lifting my leg into the air, my foot made contact with his gut. But he took the hit and grabbed me flinging me through a door; Bucky tried to help but was easily thrown aside. Madame Hydra got up and attacked Peggy; they fought, Izzy took on a group of soldiers with batons; he disarmed one and played the odds.
I got up to faced Skull again. He lunged at me with a right swing, I blocked it and hit him in the chest with my knee; his ribs broke under the pressure.
“That was for Junior and Rebel.”
He fell on to his hands and knees, but recovered and grabbed my legs taking me to the ground with him. He tried punching me but I caught his fist and threw him off. He grabbed for his pistol and aimed it at my head but before he shot me a flying man of fire (or should I say an-droid) came crashing through the wall. He hit Skull and sent him hurling toward a group of his own men, Then Namor bust through the gates. My shield strapped to his arm and the General and an entire infantry of mixed ally troops behind him. Talk about bringing in the cavalry.
“Captain, catch!” Namor shouted before tossing my trusty shield to me, I caught it and sprung over to Torch.
Red Skull sprayed torch with some toxin that put out his flame and caused him to lose power. He kicked Torch over and then threw a grenade at me before dashing down the hall. I tossed the grenade out a window. The explosion shook the castle. The others had taken down Hydras forces and were coming over to aid Torch. Toro went to pick his brother up but when he did he malfunctioned as well.
“Dr. Horton isn’t going to be happy about that.” General Phillips said.
“Sir, I’m going after Skull. Gather up everyone and get out of here make sure these two are buried and find Gabriel, he went missing.”
“Sure son. You heard the man people lets move. Caps gonna take it from here.”
“So am I.” Bucky spoke up.
“No Buck you aren’t. I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt or killed.”
“But Steve you’re gonna need someone to watch your back, and who better to do that than me your best pal.”
“Peggy, take him with you.”
“Steve there’s no time to argue it. Skull has that weapon, just go.”
“Come on.” I said with frustration.
We ran down the hallway and came to a small room. There had to be some kind of trick. Skull wasn’t here and there were no exits.
“I got this.” Bucky said before tossing a grenade at the wall. When it exploded another room was discovered; a lab. I spotted Skull next to a man in a purple jump suit. They were standing underneath an open hanger door with a giant missile sticking out of it.
“You are too late Captain.” Skull perceived, “Now Heinrich!”
A lever was pulled and the missile started to spew fire and groan. I ran at Skull grabbing his jacket.
“You lunatic! Trying to enforce fear on everyone is insane.”
“Fear is the only way to freedom.”
I punched him in the gut.
“Freedom? You think this is freedom?” the missile hummed ready to take off.
“No this is not freedom, but I will bring it once your country and every other ally country is destroyed.” He barked.
“You idiot, you believe Germany to be a free country rather than America or Britain? You’re a fool Skull.”
“No captain, you are for allowing your mind to be persuaded by such thoughts that any country is free; even your own America.”
“America isn’t perfect but it is worth fighting for.”
With that I hit him with a right cross dead in his Red Skull and threw him through a glass divider. Zemo tried to blindside me but was taken down by Bucky, who pushed him into a table of chemicals. I heard him scream as he clutched his face.
The missile groaned and threatened to take off. Bucky tried to shut it down but the lever was broken. It began to take off. Fire sprayed from the bottom and red lights started to flash.
“I’ve got an idea!” he took out a cluster of grenades.
“Bucky…”
“Steve it’s our only option.”
“This isn’t how it should end.” I shouted over the roar of the missile.
“We’ll jump out that window into the water. We’ll survive this.” He said in an unsure voice. I stared into his nervous young eyes.
“I hope you’re right.” I said. “Do it.”
He threw the grenades at the missiles hull; we dashed toward the window. They exploded faster than I expected; I smashed through the thin glass with my shield. I turned in midair to see if Bucky made it out. What I saw was horrible. Flames engulfed Bucky’s body, he screamed for help but I couldn’t do anything I watched as my best friend burned to death. The fire got close to my face. I let the flames touch my nose but kept plummeting down toward the ocean. I let go of my shield as I fell. I didn’t want to live anymore. I hit the water, it was cold but I didn’t care. I started to sink to the bottom when I closed my eyes and allowed myself to freeze. My last thoughts were of Bucky. Captain America was dead. Steven Rogers was at last truly dead.


Part 2 Ant Man
Chapter 8

Two men sat in a living room, one finishing his heroic tale. The other listened closely to the legend. He admired the man.
“Or so I thought.” Steve concluded.
“I’m sorry about all your losses, the war was tragic from your description. Thanks for giving me some insight on it; and background on you.”
He nodded and simply said, “Now it’s your turn, pal.”
“What do you want to hear?”
“Just fill me in on what I’ve missed.”
“Sure, I’ll start from when I made the suit.”
Steve sat back in his chair as Hank began to fill him in.

Back in the late fifties my girlfriend Janet and I experimented on subatomic particles. We were trying to find the secret to your super soldier serum. We spent years trying to incorporate my theories into the formula but nothing worked. I met Janet when I was a kid she was my best friend for twelve years. I decided to ask her out after high school. The day she said yes was the best day of my life. She helped me avoid the bullies; in exchange I showed her fantastic things with science. I taught her about the planets. We would ramble on at night about how there had to be more life forms inhabiting other planets. We talked about you a few times. Coincidently enough I was born on the day you had been assumed dead. We talked about how if you could be created then what about all the things humanity could do now.
“Hank darling, maybe you could create something to change the world, just like Dr. Erskine created the super soldier serum.”
“No way Jan, I could never; not like he did.”
“It doesn’t have to be like he did, you can do something of your own. We always talk about changing the world and we never do.”
She pushed me to it. Later on that year I discovered subatomic particles. I studied them for a few months. I dedicated my life into finding something useful about them. I didn’t have a job; Janet was supporting my research. I didn’t feel right like this; I quit the project. A year later I found work as a bio engineer working for the government. I met a man named Nicholas Fury. He was a serious man, who wore an eye patch on the left side of his face. He introduced me to magnetic fields. My job was to study them and see what their purpose was. I soon found out that I could entrap subatomic particles inside of magnetic fields, separating them into two different compounds, them being separated allowed for me to try new things. I tested them both and named them A particle and B particle. My studies were focused on A; B showed too dangerous for studying. Fury called in a man named Howard Stark; founder of Stark industries. He supported us financially; that’s when I finally got to play with the big toys. I had an unlimited amount of resources.
They left and I got to work, putting on my lab coat and pants. I set the particles on the table; the A particles started to shake like it was going to erupt. It started to destroy itself. I grabbed it and the effects were life changing. I was shrunken down to the size of an insect. Unfortunately my clothes didn’t shrink with me, I climbed out of the heaping pile of cloth and rolled onto the ground. It was amazing; I stood half an inch tall. There was no difference in me except for my height. The breeze from the vents chilled me, I needed to get back to full size and put on some clothes. I looked around, but I didn’t know how to get back to normal size.
“Come on Hank think, think.” I said to myself. “If A made me small maybe B could reverse the effects. But B is all the way up there.”
On the table I saw the vial that was containing B. I couldn’t reach it and there was no way to get it. Then I heard a clicking noise coming from behind me; turning around I come face to antennae with an ant. I stared at it trying not to move maybe it didn’t notice me, I was wrong. It started moving closer and clicking again. More ants circled around me; I don’t know if they were hostile or not but I didn’t want to find out. I charged the first one, digging my shoulder into it; the ant went flying, I still had my regular strength that was an upside. One ant attacked me. I jumped on to its abdomen, landing with incredible force. I squished its insides. I felt bad; I didn’t want to harm such helpless creatures. The other ants fell back; I wouldn’t want to be beaten down by a small man in nothing but underwear either.
I got off the ant and ran toward the table there were little openings I could put my hands into. I climbed up the side. Once on top I pushed the vial over, then I attempted to twist the lid but I couldn’t at this size. Taking a few steps back I ball up my fist and punched the lid causing it to bust open. With first contact the B particles reverted me back to my normal height again. I called up Janet telling her to come to the lab so I could show her.
A few hours later she arrived I showed her my newly found product and explained what had happened.
“You’re telling me that you can shrink yourself down to the size of an ant with stabilized subatomic particles?”
“Yes Jan, I finally found something that will change the world.”
She grabbed my arms and jumped up and down.
“Honey, I told you. I new you could do something amazing. Show me. I wanna see.”
“Ok, hold on I have to get the A and B particles ready.”
“What? No is that what you’re calling them?”
“Yeah, why do you not like that?”
“I just think you deserve some credit for discovering them and creating two new substances with them.”
“What should I call them then?”
“Hmm, HP’s. No, no. That!” she said clearly unfinished with her idea.
“Uuhh”
“Pym Particles!”
“I guess that’s a decent name for them.”
She giggled and slapped my arm.
“Ok, now show me your Pym Particles!”
I grabbed the vials, putting my finger inside A. I shrunk down again. So soon I forgot that my clothes didn’t shrink with me, again I was trapped under a barrage of clothing. Unable to breath I believed I was going to die, the first scientist to shrink himself, and then die under a pile of his own clothes. I started to black out, it became hard to breath. I tried to squirm but was unable to free myself. I passed out for a moment then woke up in Janet’s palms with nothing but my underwear on.
“Sweetie are you ok? I thought you were a goner.”
I guess I didn’t test my clothes; I was wearing lab attire earlier. Regular clothes aren’t able to handle the distinct change of size.
“Yeah I’m fine Jan, but this trial isn’t yet over.”
“That was amazing though Hank! You just disappeared; it took me a couple minutes to find you.”
“Thanks for the save.”

Chapter 9

The next few nights I spent at the lab, working on a super material that would be able to handle the compressed shrinking the same way I could. I found the underwear I had been wearing the first time. I ran test on then; I guess they were fire proof and impervious to cold weather and water. I took them; they were made with carbon foam, and a two-ply fabric. I picked up a pair of scissors and tried cutting the material; I couldn’t. I looked at a tag; the name Stark was written in the middle.
“Howard…”
I left the lab and took a taxi to Stark Industries; it was in lower New York. I had to get in touch with Nick Fury; we all needed to discus this. Before I left the lab I handed the office secretary a letter and told her deliver it to Fury when he got in. I hope he got it. It was cold outside; the bitter wind stung my skin as I walked up the steps to Stark Industries. I talked to a security guard for a while before being able to get into the building, and then a big bald guy stopped me again on my way to the elevator. I didn’t have time for this.
“You have to let me see Mr. Stark.” I claimed.
“I can’t let you do that, now turn back around and leave this facility.”
“I have something important for him, something that can possibly change the world.”
The Guard picked me up by my collar, pulling me in close he said,
“The boss doesn’t want to see you.”
“Oh but you are wrong Stane.”
I looked over the big mans shoulder to see Howard coming off an elevator, a group of businessmen behind him.
“Ah, Dr. Pym. Put him down Obadiah before you become an unemployed brute.”
The oversized bodyguard let me down; brushing me self off I said to Stark,
“You have to see this.”
“What is it Hank, I’m sort of in the middle of business.”
“Howard, I did it. I managed to create something with the subatomic particles!”
He didn’t seem to surprised,
“Show me.”
“Ok, but not in front of everyone.”
“My lab lets go.”
As we walked off one of Howards associates grabbed his shoulder.
“Mr. Stark do we have a deal?”
“No. My company doesn’t make deals with crime lords. Mr. Stane, show my friends the way out.”
And so he did. Stark led me to the elevator shaft, we were on the first floor but he pressed the down arrow. The doors closed and the shaft took us down a few more floors. The doors separated and what I saw was amazing. Conveyor belts producing parts for what looked like exoskeleton and advanced weaponry. I looked over to see scientist in a room testing chemicals and serums on rats. My eyes gazed around until something caught their attention. It was a large round object with a tainted red white and blue paint job. I recognized it from old pictures; it was none other than Captain Americas Vibranium shield.
“It’s the real one. We found it in Germany a few years back at some ruined castle; locals say that’s where Cap saved the world. His last fight. We searched everywhere for his body; we found nothing but the shield.”
“That shields the most valuable piece of metal known on earth. Do you know what we could do with it if we were to replicate it and make weapons from it.” I enlightened.
“We can’t, the shields indestructible; even if we could break it we wouldn’t. It’s a historical treasure.”
“Then why do you have it locked down here?”
“Because this is the safest place on earth. Dr. Pym, what do you know of Hydra?”
“They were the Red Skulls secret Nazi division. Why?”
He put his wrist up folding his sleeve back showing a golden watch. With a press of a button, images popped out of the watch on a holographic screen. One image showed a man with a monocle standing above a group of men, he put his arm up, a gauntlet on his hand which shot some sort of virus at the men causing them to wrinkle, they aged until they became deceased. Another image showed a small army marching through streets of a foreign city. They shot down civilians and police officers. They took complete control of the city within seconds. Then they did the impossible; a globe enclosed the city. Armies couldn’t get in, people couldn’t get out. It was like some sort of force field.
There were other images too, planes being hijacked by camouflaged soldiers, JFK’s assassination.
“Stop. I don’t want to see this anymore.”
Howard shut down the watch.
“Hydra is trying to make a comeback; this time with Baron Von Strucker in charge. The worlds armies cant do anything about it because of Hydras advancement in tech, but that’s where I come in.”
“Are you planning on creating weapons to match Hydras? Do you know how many lives that puts at risk Stark?”
“It may not be a good idea but it’s all I can do. They are terrorizing the world, what’s stopping them from coming to the United States? Huh Hank?”
“We don’t have to stoop to their level of destruction. Watch.”
I pulled the vials from my coat pocket; uncapping Pym A I stuck my finger into the vial. The effects worked instantly, my height declined quickly. Luckily I was able to dodge the falling clothes this time.
“Hank? Where did you go?” Howard questioned
“I’m down here!” I shouted up to him.
He looked down; grabbed me off the ground and set me in his palm. His face was full of surprise.
“This is incredible Hank. Imagine what we can do with this, we can stop Hydra, I can develop a missile that can release the subatomic particles when they hit a target, or the same for bullets.”
“No Howard this is not going to be turned into a weapon. I don’t want the public to know about this, just you me and him.”
“Him?” he said confused.
Then a man appeared from the shadows. He wore an eye patch on his left eye, his hair was a dark black. A cigar hung from his lips.
“Hello Howard.”
“Nick, how’d you get in here?”
“Oh I have my ways. I’m here because Mr. Pym asked me to be here, he wants to put together a team. One that can help the world.”
“Yeah, you me him a few more people maybe. I’ve come up with the name S.H.I.E.L.D, we’re going to be secret agents working for the government, protecting the world and America from threats like Hydra.”
“Whoa, whoa. I’m not an agent, I’m a businessman.”
“A business man with a high tech storage room. Enough fire power in this room alone to level Manhattan, do you want that secret out Stark?” Fury argued.
“Nick, you can’t just drag me into this, I have a corporation to run, along with a family who I barely see as it is.”
“Stark I already worked this out, you aren’t going to be in the field but the one pulling the strings when we need you supplying us with the things we need, for example, Hank tell him.”
“Howard these underwear were made by your company, in this lab I suppose. It’s made of a special material that is able to shrink when my Pym particles come into contact with it.”
“Yes they are familiar?” He said staring at my garbs.
“I need a suit; made of the same material.”
“I can do that. Do you need anything else?”
I looked at Fury who nodded at me to proceed with my request.
“Yeah, we need a team.”
“I guess I can do that as well, soldiers? Scientist?”
“Both. Whoever you can get.”
He scratched his head. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks Stark, you’re about to help this world become a safer place.”
I turned around and left Nick walking beside me. We got in the elevator the doors closed and we headed up.

Chapter 10

A few weeks later I was back at my apartment. As I looked out the window I saw a black man getting jumped by a group of white police officers, no one helped him. That’s the little kind of stuff I wanted to stop racial violence and all the segregation. I turned on the television; Janet wasn’t out of work yet so I indulge into some evening news. I watched as the anchorman talked about the space race between America and the Soviet Union, they had both created spacecraft and were trying to get them into orbit. The screen switched from the anchorman to a space shuttle, which was about to take off. The engines ignited; there was a countdown from ten. I watched as the giant rocket propelled itself into the air, it went up and up and up reaching the height of a plane and passing it. The anchorman appeared in the lower corner of the screen; his face full of joy, then suddenly things went horribly wrong. The shuttles engines had stopped spewing fire, smoke started to come out instead then on live television the ship exploded, flames and metal shot from the shuttle, the anchorman’s face had went from joyous to petrified. I was dumbfounded, I watched as a piece of metal from the ship hit the plane that had not yet passed by. That exploded as well. I gripped my chair as hundreds of people died and we all sat back and watched because there wasn’t anything we could do. I turned the set off and went to my room. I had to get some rest.
I slept until Janet came home at two in the morning. She woke me up and lay down beside me on the bed. I put my arm around her,
“How was the office?”
“I don’t want to talk about me, any word from Stark and Fury?”
“No not yet but I’m going to meet with them tomorrow.”
“Its my day off tomorrow, can I come?”
“No Jan. this is business not playtime.”
“Oh come on Hank. I was the one who even got your big brain to think about creating the shrinking things.”
“Yeah but it was my brain who decided to work with subatomic particles.”
“I came up with the name Pym particles.” She said as she got on top of me pinning me to the bed.
I looked her in the eyes. “Do you really want to go that bad?”
“Yes!”
“Fine, but can we go to sleep?”
“But I’m not tired.”
“Well I am and I need to be completely focused tomorrow.”
“Ok, ok. I love you Hank.”
“I love you too Jan, goodnight.”
The next morning I woke up to hard knocking at my door. I got up; as I was walking to answer I was thrown back. The door had been blown open. I landed on my back, I heard Janet screaming from the room. I looked up to see men storming my apartment, they busted in through the windows and the ceiling. They flooded my living room, about fifteen of them, all armed with guns. I knew who they were. Hydra. I got up and ran into the room with Janet, closing the door behind me.
“Hank! What’s going on?” she was terrified
“I need to get in contact with Nick Fury. Where’s the phone?”
She pointed towards the door. I started tearing the room apart looking for the Pym particles. When I found them I uncapped the vial and touched the inside, I dropped to the ground, landing on the bed the vial next to me.
“Hank, what are you doing?”
“Letting out our unwanted visitors.”
“In your boxer shorts?” she whispered to herself.
I ran towards the door, with nothing but my underwear on. I slid under the door. They were all over the place. Destroying everything, they must not have seen me run into my room because they didn’t seem interested in me. I wasn’t as small as I was before, a bit bigger about three inches for some reason. It didn’t matter; I would just have to be careful not to get noticed. They started to talk,
“Sir, I don’t think they are here.”
“They have to be, where else would they be.”
“He probably has some secret lab for them. I wouldn’t leave them in my house.”
“You aren’t him.” The leader scolded we haven’t checked that room yet.” he said nodding at my bedroom door.
“I got it Sir.”
I ran at him as he walked over to the door. I jumped in the air kicking his leg with enough force to break it. He fell to the ground; the others brought their guns up. They looked all around but I knew they wouldn’t find me. One shouted,
“What happened to him!?”
“You,” their leader ordered. “Go check on him.”
He tried but I stopped him, picking up the fallen soldiers body I hurled him as hard as I could at his companion. They went flying into a group of their buddies. I ran over to a pile of wood and climbed to the top, the remainder of them circled around their leader.
“Sir what’s happening?”
“Some kind of cloak?”
“No, he’s using them. Shoot the floor look for him.” The leader ordered.
I watched as they shot the floor. I couldn’t sit here and let them tear up the building. There are people below us; I can’t allow them to get hurt. I made my way to the kitchen counter; I grabbed two spoons from the sink. I placed one hanging off the side the other in my arms. I stood in the spoon part of the silverware, I really hoped what I was about to do worked, I didn’t want to die at this size. I dropped the second spoon on to the first; like I planned I was sent propelling through the air directly at the Hydra leader. I put my fist out, hitting him in the jaw. He went flying out the window. I landed in the middle of their circle. They looked down at me; they aimed their guns. I thought I was a goner but one of them fell to the ground, he’d been shot. They all looked over their shoulders. I peaked through their legs to see Nick Fury and two police officers pointing pistols at the Hydra forces. Fury was out gunned but he didn’t back out. He shot another one, they shot at him but missed; I’ve never seen worse aim. The officers took cover behind the wall, Fury advanced. Talk about brave, he took them all down bullets in their chest, legs and arms.
“Pym!” Fury yelled for me.
“I’m over here.” I shouted
“Ok, hold on.”
He didn’t want the officers to know about me. I went back into the room while he turned around to talk to the Policemen. Janet had been under the covers. I climbed on to the bed where the second vial was and opened it. The cap wasn’t as tight as before; I’d done that on purpose. I opened it and grew to normal height. Janet took her head out of the covers, she looked at my body, I forgot I wasn’t wearing clothes. That’s funny when you think of it. I got off the bed and put on some pants and a shirt.
“Hank, Is everything ok?”
“Well honey the apartment is trashed and there are fourteen Hydra soldiers in our living room.”
“Are you ok?”
“Yeah I’m fine, I gotta talk to Fury though. Get dressed.”
I left her in the room and walked over to Nick. He had been searching the Hydra soldiers.
“Why were they here?” He said with a Cigar sticking out his mouth.
“I think they wanted my Pym particles.”
He took the cigar out of his mouth; throwing it on a Hydra soldiers body.
“There’s no way in hell they knew about those. You only told me, Howard, and your girlfriend.”
“I don’t know Nick, but they knew who I was and somehow knew I had them.”
“We better get out of here then. Howard found some recruits. Lets move.”
“What about my home?”
“Kid you can’t stay here. Pack what you need, hurry up, the chopper will be here soon.”
“Chopper?”
“Just hurry.”
I started packing valuables and clothes, we didn’t have much but most of what we did have was important. I went back in the room; Janet already finished packing.
“Where are the Particles?”
She pulled them out her pocket, her face full of sadness. I walked over to her. I hugged her.
“Baby it’s going to be ok. Don’t worry. We’ll get a new house.”
“It’s not the house Hank. I didn’t want things to be like this, I didn’t think we’d be getting attacked I just wanted you to be recognized for your work.”
“Jan, the world can’t know about these.” I said closing the vials in her hand. “They’ll try to turn them into a weapon, I can’t allow that.”
“What are you a pacifist?”
“No but I don’t condone to violence.”
“Then what was that Hank?”
“I was protecting us. Would you rather be dead right now?”
Fury entered the room.
“You two done? We have to go.”
We followed him to the roof where a helicopter was floating above us. A ladder dropped down; Fury climbed up, Jan went next I followed. Once inside we sat horizontal from each other. One other person was sitting next to Fury. He wore a blue tuxedo and fedora, with an emblem on the pocket; a circled eagle sort of like the Great Seal. We sat in silence.
We arrived at Stark Industries and landed on the roof where Howard and another man had been standing waiting for our arrival. The wind from the chopper blew Howards hat off, the other mans long fur-like hair flew back. He was five foot five but more intimidating than a pack of hungry wolves. He wore dark blue jeans and a denim button up shirt and was biting on a toothpick. If he had a horse I think he’d ride it through a dessert. We got out of the helicopter and walked over to them.
“Boys and girl, say hello to Mr. James Howlet,” Howard introduced. “One of the toughest soldiers the world has ever seen. He’s fought in a few wars including World War 2.”
“You look too young to have served in World War 2, it was over twenty years ago you look still in your twenty’s yourself. You can’t be that old and look so young.” I implied.
“Bub don’t question it, I ain’t like you.” He advised.
His voice was old, like he was from another century.
I changed the subject.
“By any chance do you know Captain America?”
“Nope. I fought with my country; Canada, he was Special Forces I heard, they told stories about him though. Man would I have liked to fight with that pack.”
“I’ve heard them.”
“Enough small talk, we have to get down to business,” Fury interrupted. “Stark, Hydra attacked Pym’s apartment, they were looking for his particles.”
They walked off, the rest of us followed behind as they discussed our plan of action. Janet held on to my arm as we stepped into the elevator, there were men dressed in blue body armor. They were equipped for war. A visor on their masks’ covered their eyes. Nick pulled out a cigar and started puffing it. I think he had an addiction. The elevator opened and we were back in Howard’s secret lab. A man and woman, both wearing glasses greeted us.
“Hello.” the man greeted. “Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D,”
“What?” Jan asked.
“Strategic headquarters of international espionage law-enforcement district. Thanks to Hank Pym, Nick Fury and Howard Stark we have been brought together to protect America and the rest of the world.”
“These are my dear friends Richard and Mary Parker, two of the smartest minds in America.” Howard informed us.
Fury stared at them with his one eye. He didn’t like people but he tolerated them. He shook Richards hand; tight, blowing smoke from the right side of his mouth. Then Howard led us to a room at the far end of the lab. He pressed a button on his watch and a monitor came up on the wall, he took out a little silver tube and pressed the button on the side. A red light burst from the top. He pressed another button on his watch and chairs came out of openings in the floor.
“Take a seat my friends. Take caution that what I’m about to show you isn’t known to the public.” He tapped his watch and scenes of people being executed appeared on the monitor and cities being conquered. He showed us a meeting of government officials; they sat before a bald man in a green trench coat, Baron Von Strucker.
“Is there audio?” I asked
“I’m afraid not Mr. Pym, there was an interference with our microphones. All we have is video.”
“Well the video doesn’t serve us any good Stark.” Nick attested
“Yes it does Nick, if you would look closely you can see that these politicians aren’t listening to him under their own free will, you can see the device on the back of the their necks; that tells us that Strucker has control of nine countries including Japan, Britain, and Russia.”
“No one knows about this, how’d he do it?” Fury asked.
“We aren’t sure, Richard has been following a few leads for over a month.”
“Wait a month, you’ve known about this for a month?” I said with frustration.
“Yes Hank; I keep my eyes open when it comes to could be world dominators.”
He turned off the monitor; a few men in those blue suits came out of the shadows. They handed Stark a manila folder.
“In this folder is everything we know about what Hydra is planning.”
He tossed it to Fury, as he skimmed through it his face-hardened.
“They are planning to assassinate civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. tomorrow. We can’t let them succeed in doing so.”
“We aren’t going to. James and Hank are going to become body guards for him.”
“How are we supposed to do that bub? We ain’t his body guards.” James implied.
“You are, tomorrow is your first day on the job.”
“Me and him? I mean he has experience but I’m still testing what I am capable of.”
“Hank, there will be time for that later; but we need both of you for this operation.”
“I still need that material.”
A couple more men rolled a rack into the room, a red spandex jumpsuit hung from a hook.
“I forgot to mention we finished that. Hope you like the design.”
I stood up and pulled it off the rack, there were wires running from tubes in the belt to the arms. Then they handed me a silver helmet. It was a bit big, but I guess it would do.
“I think that’s all you’ll need for tomorrow. Get up early we don’t want to waste anytime.”
I grabbed the suit and walked out of the room, Jan and James followed me. We left the facility taking a cab to a hotel on the other side of the city. Our room was somewhere on the eighth floor of the skyscraping hotel. James took his room while Janet unpacked our stuff; I sat on the bed tampering with the helmet. There wasn’t anything special about it; Stark said it was just to conceal my identity, but I needed it for something else. I took a screwdriver from one of my bags, unscrewing the pad that Howard installed for communication. I messed with it a bit before putting it back on.
I went into the bathroom with the suit. Putting it on then I instilled the Pym particles into the belts double canisters. There was a layout of buttons on the right arm, I pressed one and shrunk to about one inch. The suit and helmet shrunk too. I walked over to a wall made out of bricks I began to climb it when I got to the top I looked out the window, the sky was black, stars sprinkled the sky lighting up the city below. As I looked down from the edge of the window an ant crawled it’s way toward me. I got up ready to defend myself. It’s legs scattered across the wood faster and faster. There was a tick with every step it made. I backed up, then tripped over a toothpick; the ant got closer and closer I didn’t want to fight it but I had no other choice. Then I remembered why I had been screwing around with the pad on the helmet. I tapped it.
“Stop.” I demanded the insect. “You are now under my control, you will obey me.”
It stood still. Moving its head up and down. In my mind I heard clicking which was translated through the speakers in my helmet.
“You do not control me.”
“Then why do you listen?”
“I have never made communication with your species before, it was thought impossible.”
“Yeah it was and still is, I’m the only one who is capable of doing so.”
“Then you have my respect human, is there something you want from me?”
I thought for a minute, what would I want with an insect? There is nothing it could do. But then I remembered that some ants could fly, and surely enough this was one of those ants.
“Tomorrow. I need a ride.”
The clicking started up again, “I can provide you with transport to wherever you need to be.”
“Thank you.”
I jumped off the edge pressing another button that released B particles into my skin; I grew back to normal height. I sat down in the bedroom; Janet had already been sleeping, I got undressed then lay next to her, I put my arm under her back and fell asleep.

Chapter 11

I woke up to the sense of a presence. I jotted up to see James leaning against the wall looking out the window. He peaked at me.
“Rise and shine doc, we don’t have anytime to waste.”
I got out of bed, I didn’t like the fact he’d been in my room but I wasn’t going to say anything about it. I put the suit on. Then pressed the pad on the helmet, making the communication range longer I said.
“Ant, I could use that transportation right now.”
Then I pressed the button on my sleeve, Pym particles spread around the entire length of my body; I blinked then I was staring an ant in the eyes. The same one I had met last night.
“I’m ready when you are human; climb aboard.”
I settled myself onto the ants back, careful not to get in the way of its wings. James had looked down, he was much more intimidating down here than he had been before, and he was very intimidating before. I told the ant to fly into his line of sight.
“Can we go now Pym, I don’t like to be late on the first day, gives a bad impression.”
I nodded my head, he then jumped out of the open window; we were four stories up. No one was insane enough to make that leap and expect to survive. I asked the ant to follow him out; taking a look at Janet making sure she was still asleep, then we took off following the hairy lunatic.
He had hit the ground, landing on his feet; the thing was he should have broken every bone on the lower half of his body and some but he hadn’t. He kept moving he was quick but we caught up. Good thing it was five in the morning or there would’ve been a lot of explaining to pedestrians and journalist. The ants wings flapped at incredible speed, it was amazing to be this close to one. When I had the time I would study the insect, I needed to know more about it for the next step in my plans.
I followed James to an all blacks diner; I landed the ant on a ledge inside the diner. I didn’t imagine there would be anyone here at this time of day, but three men in black tuxedos sat on stools at the bar. James walked up to them and started conversing.
“I’m here to watch over Dr. King.”
“You’re the body guard I asked for? You seem a bit short, but I’m not one to judge. I trust you to keep me safe today.”
“Bub, I’ll give my life for yours.”
“Thank you but I am no better thank you, for a man to give his life for another man may be heroic but you do not have to give your own life to save mine, I’m no more important than you or anyone else on this god blessed earth.
I listened as he spoke; he was inspiring, never had I heard a man put so much power into a few words.
James nodded his head in admiration. The Dr. put his hand on James’s shoulder and they walked out the diner, I hopped on the ant and flew behind them. They got in a long black car. I landed inside of it next to James. I fell asleep for the ride, but was crudely awaken.
I had been propelled out the window of the vehicle, landing on the hot street; I looked up to see James covering Dr. King from machine gun fire, while his two friends shot back. I got to my feet calling my ant friend for help, I searched around the rubbish and there he was trapped under a pile of pebbles and bigger metal from the car. His wings had been torn, and one of his legs missing. I dug him out; there wasn’t much I’d be able to do for an ant.
“I’m sorry my friend. I didn’t mean for this to happen.” I apologized.
He couldn’t speak. I put him down; I couldn’t waste time mourning over an insect when there were bigger problems to be dealt with. I ran over to where James and the Dr. were hiding. I pressed the grow button on my arm pad. The Dr. was shaken.
“Where’d you come from?” He asked.
“That’s classified, just listen Dr. King. We need to keep you safe, these men are dangerous so stay behind here.”
“You can’t possibly protect me without any weapons.”
Then James did something that surprised me as much as Dr. King; he put his fist up, and three knives slid from the spaces in between his knuckles. Metal claws; each one about sixteen inches long. His other hand did the same, he then scrapped them together and sparks bounced off of them. What happened next astounded me. A Hydra soldier shot at James with a machine gun. The bullets hit his back; James flinched then turned around to face the shooter. Bullet holes covered his back. James lunged himself at the man. Slicing his gun apart then stabbing him in the gut. Another man had unloaded a clip into James; he fell to the ground. I thought he was dead, but then I watched as he got to his feet, the bullets that had entered his skin were being forced out, they dropped out of him like pennies from a piggybank. I think he was angry now. He rushed towards the second gunman slicing off his arm and stabbing his chest.
“He’s a mutant.” Dr. King muttered to himself.
I nodded in agreement; there couldn’t be any other explanation to how he looked so young, no human could possibly posses that kind of ability, especially not in the sixties. But I couldn’t talk mutation right then; I had to help James take these guys down. I shrunk and began to run through the ruined street towards a sniper. He wasn’t expecting it; I grew with my arm straight up aimed at his jaw, the uppercut sent him flying into the air. He landed on a railing. Snap I heard his spine go. I took his sniper; looking through the scope I could see the terrified look on civilians faces as a rouge James took down the Hydra unit. Blood spewed everywhere; body parts sailed through the air. I had to stop him; he was scaring people, giving them another reason to hate his kind, hate mutants. I aimed at his heart but he wouldn’t stay still and I’ve never used a gun before. I zoomed in on him and pulled the trigger back; the bullet hit him in his shoulder, far from what I was targeting. He looked in my direction. I almost crapped my pants; his face was horrifying full of rage and blood thirst. I shrunk and ran as fast as my little legs would let me. There weren’t anymore Hydra; they were all dead. So I could leave Dr. King alone for a few moments. I pressed the pad on my helmet, this time I called Howard.
“Stark! We got a problem.”
“What’s happening?” He answered over the static of the radio.
I hid behind a tire, peaking around to see if James had followed me; I saw him sniffing the air.
“Howlet is out of control.”
There was a moment of silence; I peaked around the corner again to see James headed toward my hiding spot. He lunged at where I was standing his claws scrapped against the car slicing off the side mirror. I jumped to avoid the it from squishing me, he started slashing at the ground; his claws were fast I could barely dodge them. He sliced near my feet the ground split and I lost balance; I fell on my back he had been standing above me. His claws popped and ready to impale my small body. I pressed the B pad; as I grew I stuck my legs up kicking him in the gut and rolling back to avoid him. I shrunk again and started running, I was doomed he was right behind me; claws out at his side running full speed. I jumped into a hole in the ground, he ran past me. He must not have seen me hide.
“I can’t beat this guy, he’s like some kind of uncontrollable animal,” I explained to myself. “Like a badger. I hope Dr. King is ok, wouldn’t want him to get in the middle of this.”
I peaked out of my hole and saw James taking on a squad of police officers. He was ripping through them like tissue; I couldn’t let him kill everyone. I tapped the pad on my helmet, I had also put a built in ant signaler so now any ant in the area would come to my location. I looked out the crack in the ground again. I couldn’t see James, but the sight was bloody and horrific. Police units surrounded a building with heavy artillery. Dr. King was being escorted into a cafe. I guessed James made his way into the building, there had to be people in there. I climbed out of the ground I couldn’t let him hurt anyone else. An ant landed by my side, it began to speak to me,
“Do you need our aid human?”
“There’s only one of you.” I said confused.
“My entire colony heard your call for help, so we came.”
I turned around and sure enough there was an entire army of ants crawling behind me in organized lines, some flew in like jets coming in as air support. I hopped on the ant that had been by my side and flew off leading the army into the building.
Policemen and civilians scattered from the area as the hoards of ants charged the front door. The ones who couldn’t fly crawled under the door, while I lead the air born in through windows. I dashed through the hallways and up to the third floor. I heard a scream come from a room at the end of the hall. I jumped off the ant and ran to the room; the ants followed behind me. I crashed through the door; James had a family cornered, he was completely terrifying, his shadow cast over their faces like a tower.
“James!” I shouted he turned his head to see me.
“Grrr, what you want some too?.” He snarled.
“You need to calm down and snap out of this deranged trance you have inducted yourself into.”
“Why should I bub?”
“Because you’re scaring people, giving mutants a bad name, and you forgot our mission.”
He lost it when I brought mutants up.
“Giving my mutants a bad name? What we aren’t people like you so you give us a title? Maybe I should gut you and show you just how bad I can make “mutants” look.”
“That isn’t what I was saying at all. What I meant was that you know how hard it is for people like yourself and you choose now to lose control and show the world how dangerous people with your abilities can be.”
“It ain’t my fault they’re afraid, I didn’t provoke their terror.”
“No but you’re enforcing it right now.”
I thought I’d gotten to him, I was wrong. He turned around before I could blink diving at me and bringing me to the ground. He crouched over me with his fist at my throat, two claws popped on both sides of my neck.
“The third one will end things quick kid, you got anything to say?”
I was speechless. He couldn’t kill me; I couldn’t let him. Thoughts raced through my head, my mind screaming for help from the ants.
“I guess that’s a no.” he growled in my ear.
I thought I was done for, but the ants were quick; they swarmed James crawling up his legs and flying around his head. He backed up slashing his claws at the ants, cutting himself in the process; but there were too many of them, they crawled in by the hundreds and flew in by the dozens. I got up walking over to the family.
“I’m sorry about all of this, I’ll make sure something’s done to help you all.”
I looked over at James still slashing violently, but his arms started to slow down; he was tiring. After a final slice that hit a wire from a lamp; he was electrocuted. The shock sent him to the ground. I ran over to him, his hairs stood up and he was smoking. I tapped the pad on my helmet, calling Fury.
“Send a medical car quick.”
“It’s already on its way.”
I ordered the ants to leave the building, picking James up and bringing him outside. Police officers and civilians watched as I placed him in the back of the medical car. Dr. King was coming out of the cafe, surrounded by men in black suits.
“Is everything ok?”
“I believe so Dr. King, I’m sorry that your speech was interrupted today but at least you are still walking.”
“And that I thank you for Mr. uh, sorry but I didn’t catch your name.”
“It was and honor protecting you, and just call me Ant Man sir.”
Shaking his hand felt good. I saved the day but at what cost, I didn’t know if James was dead or not. I sat in the car and we drove back to Stark’s facility.
Nick and Howard were sitting at a table when we walked in with James on a gurney.
“What in the hell happened out there Pym?”
I looked at him then at Stark, “You wanna know what happened? Ask the one who doesn’t remember a thing about ‘out there’!” I shouted pointing at James. “We aren’t an army Fury that isn’t a battlefield it’s our home don’t treat it like war.”
“As far as you should be concerned everything is a battlefield and what happened today was an embarrassment.”
“To who Nick? No one knows about our operations except us.”
“Hydra knows, and they exposed us just thirty minutes ago. Maybe if you hadn’t been distracted you would’ve noticed.”
“So this is my fault?”
“No one’s blaming you.” Howard chimed in.
Janet walked in grabbing my arm pulling me aside.
“Hank, we can’t keep helping them. I don’t want to see you get hurt or worse.”
“We aren’t going to help them anymore babe. Hear that Fury. I’m out.”
His eye darted at mine. “You aren’t going anywhere Pym, you owe me and Stark.”
“It’s fine Nick he doesn’t owe us anything, let him go, we can do this without him.”
“That’s not all Stark, it’s the principal you put the countries safety first, then you worry about yourself.”
“Not everyone thinks that way,” I disagreed. “Maybe you do but we don’t. If I’m going to help this country it’s going to be in my own way, not taking orders from people like you. Look at James, he doesn’t even know his own name anymore.”
“Hank, if you leave you won’t have anyone to pull you out of the fire, everything you do will be a crime, you sure you want to live a criminal?” Howard assured me.
“I’d rather that than work with a war driven lunatic.”
Fury pulled a cigar and match from his pocket, I walked away; I didn’t want the last thing I remembered about him to be that smoky stench. Stark walked out behind me, rolling James into the emergency room. I went in with them.
“What’s his status?” I asked
Stark put a breathing mask on his mouth, “He has a metal skeleton, the electricity fried his brain cells and he couldn’t heal himself.”
“Will he live?”
“Yes, But he won’t remember anything.”
“Is he even an asset to you anymore?”
“No, but we can reteach him.”
“Then what?” I pressed.
He hesitated, “You ask a lot of questions Hank.”
“Then what.”
“Then we let him out into the world to find others like himself.”
“You can’t just throw him out like that.” I argued.
“James will have to find himself, if what he wants.”
“Stark, I hope when he wakes up he’s angry and he kills all of you. If he doesn’t then it would be a shame.”
“Leave Hank, and leave the suit.”
I took it off but not without snagging my Pym particles from the belt. The security guard, Obadiah escorted Janet and I out. We caught a cab and headed back to the hotel.

Chapter 12

We sat in the back of the cab; the ride was silent until Janet looked at me with eyes of sorrow.
“Hank, what are we going to do? You don’t have a job and we are being hunted by Hydra.”
“We protect ourselves Jan. I have suits back at the hotel, for both of us.”
“You have suits?”
“I stole some fabric from Stark. Made a suit for you and me, then shrunk them.”
She stared out the window. “I can’t do this Hank, there’s too much at stake.”
“Janet either we go into hiding or we let them find and kill us. I decided for myself now you must do the same.”
“And if I say no are you going to leave me?”
“Of course not but would you seriously consider dying over a carefree life?”
“We’re like Jasmine and Aladdin. Minus the Genie.”
“Who needs a Genie when you can talk to ants.”
She giggled and slapped my arm lightly. The cab pulled over in front of our hotel. I paid the driver the rest of the money I had in my wallet, it didn’t matter money wasn’t a use to us anymore. We got to the room and packed everything again, but this time I poured some adjusted Pym Particles on the bed and suitcases. I picked them up and put everything into the second suitcase and shrunk that one too. I looked out the window. The night was young. Janet put her hand on mine.
“Are you ready?”
I stood there in silence for a moment, was I ready? I wondered. Was I ready to leave everything behind? No, I wasn’t.
“Lets go.”
We left the hotel, hoping never to return to the city again. We had first class tickets on ants to upstate New York. Janet’s father had left a cabin for her before he passed away. He was a very rich man, not as wealthy as Howard but he was up there in finances. When he died Janet donated all of his fortune to helping fund American space operations, like NASA, the cabin is one of the few things she has left from him. We arrived at our new home a few hours later; it was finely furnished for the two of us to spend our days relaxing.
Over the course of six months the world became my playground. I designed a harness that allowed Janet to sprout wings so she could travel with me without the need of an ant. I started not to need the helmet to communicate with the insect community; my abilities grew and I was able to talk to creatures other than ants, but I preferred them. I learned a lot from them, they’re very different from humans but very much alike in mind structure. They were simple; always working to provide and eating to survive. But they shared a bunch of human qualities.
“Janet, did you know that red ants discriminate against the black ants because they believe to be a greater species, sounds a lot like humans. And bees are a bossy bunch, when I say that ants are disciplined, these yellow and black warriors are much more intense. Don’t even get me started on mosquitoes,” she cut me off.
“As much as I enjoy your lectures on a bugs life, how about you come back to the human world and take a day off of whatever it is you’re doing.”
I looked at her and thought, a day off? What would I need with a day off?
“Why should I do that? Their world is just as exciting as ours, you know inside a bees nest there are hundreds of corridors and rooms, guess they’re bigger on the inside.”
“But what about me Hank?” She pouted.
“You can entertain yourself. Go test out the wings some more while I finish up here.”
She stomped her foot. “I don’t want to entertain myself, that’s your job and lately you haven’t been doing it.”
My expression was blank; I didn’t understand what she wanted from me.
“You know what, I don’t think I can be with you anymore. For six months you’ve been ignoring me for some bugs. They don’t finance you, they are your toys and you need to get back to focusing on what’s really important before you lose it.”
“I know and I’m sorry. I’ve been so concentrated on my work to notice you, I guess I could take a few days off.”
She let out a sigh of relief, “That’s all I want, a few days.”
“Ok, when I finish up here we can take a little trip into the city, then we can go wherever you want.”
I really didn’t want to go back, but I needed to get some supplies from my old lab, plus Janet needed to get out more. We’ve been secluded in these woods for what seemed like forever; she probably had to go shopping or something. I put a jacket on and walked out the door while she put her boots on.
It was the middle of the day and the dark blue December sky was glazed with grey clouds and was threatening. There was snow up to our thighs, but it wasn’t cold. My suit was designed to stay dry and keep my body temperature suitable in any weather.
We walked through the woods for a few miles, side by side with each other and not saying a word. The silence wasn’t’ awkward but it was irking, I wanted to talk to her but my mind was elsewhere. I kept thinking about Howard, I never talked to him but he had done so much for me in the past. I just felt like I owed him something. I decided that I’d pay him a visit once we got to the city.
“Hank, are we honestly going to walk all the way back to Manhattan?” Janet asked.
“Of course not, just let me try and contact an ant, but it may take a while since it’s the middle of December.”
‘Shrink’, I thought to myself. Over the past few months I was able to mentally control my size changing ability; the subatomic particles cross-linked to my mind giving me complete control over them. I shrunk and stood on the snow like it was ice, carefully and fragilely. Janet stood next to me like a tower before shrinking herself down to my size and grew wings two centimeters long.
An ant flew above me and started slowly descending. Janet flapped her wings and took to the sky; she fluttered around in circles exercising her wings. I climbed aboard the ant. It propelled us into the air with little effort. In seconds we were headed toward the city. I hated flying this time of year. My face was the only part of me that wasn’t covered so the wind pierced my skin like a thumbtack. The upside was it was quick travel because in a few minutes we were already twenty-five miles from the cabin.
Half an hour later we were flying across the city skyline. I didn’t miss the sound of the busy streets, or the smell of the sewers; yeah you could smell them from this high. I stopped the ant, just to look over the buildings. It was ironic; as I looked down I noticed everyone looked like ants from this high up. Jan twirled around dancing on the wind like a ballerina. For some reason I was reminded of an Ancient Greek myth where an inventor named Daedalus created a winged harness and used them to escape a prison with his son. His son flew too close to the sun and his winds fell apart and he plunged into the ocean below, dying tragically.
People believe that Daedalus loosened his son’s wings and caused the death intentionally. I don’t know why I remembered the myth at the time but it made me queasy.
“Hank I wanna walk for a bit.” Janet yelled over the winds.
“I was thinking the same thing honey.”
We set down on a stores windowsill. The wind was heavy and I nearly fell off the ant. Luckily no one was around to see two tiny humans taking a break at their neighborhood pharmacy. Janet flew into and ally to change size, I would’ve at that moment too but something caught my attention I turned around to see the news playing on about twelve television sets.
“Last night Stark industries was infiltrated by a group of Hydra terrorist, they assassinated Howard Stark leaving his wife Maria a widow with their newly born son, Anthony Stark. No one saw the assailant but our condolences go out to the Stark family; the cooperation will be shut down until Anthony is old enough to take up his father’s mantle if he chooses to. In other news…”
I stood there baffled; this couldn’t be true. Howard can’t really be dead. I climbed down from the windowsill, turned into an alley, where Janet had went into a minute before. I grew to my normal height but I could feel my heart shrinking in my chest. An old friend of mine had died last night and I hadn’t talked to him in months.
“Are you ok Hank?” Janet asked.
“I’ll be fine.”
“No you aren’t, is it me? Did I do something wrong?”
“No honey, I’m fine. Lets just walk.”
She tucked her arm into mine and we strolled along the sidewalk; gazing into stores as it started to snow. Crystal flakes dropped swiftly past out faces. I wanted to leave the city as soon as possible. My old lab was just a few blocks away but I had to figure out a way to get there without Janet nagging me.
“Jan why don’t you go buy some new outfits while I go grab us a bite to eat.”
“I have enough clothes at home.” She stopped walking, “I just want to spend some time with you Hank, don’t ruin this.”
My mind raced how could I ruin this, I thought. I wasn’t ruining anything.
“Alright Janet.” I said annoyed.
I just wanted to get something from the lab and get back to my insects, but like usual she had to interfere with my plans.
The wind was starting to speed up, past normal speeds, I looked around and everyone was ignoring it. Hats flew off and papers blew through the streets. Then it got stronger cars tilted and slid around the road crashing into other automobiles. People were starting to notice now. A man lost his balance and was flung into a window, the glass cracked and he fell on the ground, his body lifeless. I turned to see three twisters crashing into buildings and lifting cars ten feet in the air. A tire flew from the vortex toward Janet and I. I tackled her to the cement. Large shards of glass from skyscrapers fell around us. We quickly crawled into a store to get away from the wreckage. I got up and looked out the window to see a woman being thrown by the wind. She hit a telephone pole. I imagined there was a snap from her back and head breaking on collision.
“What in gods name is going on?” said an old man.
“Hit the deck!” the storeowner yelled as a billboard was flew toward the window. We all dropped, the billboard smashed through the front of the shop straight through to the back. Bricks and steel fell after it almost crushing Janet and I underneath. I got back up to see a man wearing a green knights helmet and circular razors stuck to his forearms. His waist was surrounded by a miniature tornado. He glided toward us, landing about five yards from the shop, the winds stopped. Everything was silent; he broke it.
“Excuse me for disturbing your miserable lives, but I’m looking for a man who has the ability to shrink himself to the size of a bug. I’m here to squash him.”
My eyes were empty, he was talking about me, obviously but how did he know I was here? The storeowner shook a broom.
“There ain’t no shrinking man here punk, I don’t know what kind of drug you’re on but you better get outta here before I call the police.”
The police? There wasn’t much they’d be able to do after seeing his display of power.
“Do you know who I am?”
“Your name doesn’t matter.” I replied.
He looked at me. His facial expression hidden behind the helmet, but I could bet he was annoyed.
“I am Whirlwind. If you were smart you would know not to interrupt me.”
I ignored him; I was concentrating. He didn’t know that I was the person he’s searching for. He kept talking but his voice was blocked out of my head by the chirping of cockroaches. I talked to them mentally asking them to distract this Whirlwind while I got everyone to safety.
An army of roaches burst from the shops floor, everyone broke out in screams of terror. The storeowner gripped his broom ready to defend us. I put my hand out to stop him.
“Everyone run.” I yelled pointing at the hole caused by the billboard.
They all bolted for the opening trampling each other in the process of escape. I stayed behind with Janet by my side.
“Hank what are we going to do?” she asked scared. “We can’t take this guy.”
The army of roaches swarmed the freak, climbing up his legs as he tried to blow them off; but there were too many. He started to twirl, causing his entire body to become a vortex of high winds that flung the roaches off of him. His voice boomed from his personal twister,
“You really think that bugs can stop me? I control the winds, I’m going to destroy you.”
He charged Janet and me.
“Shrink now!” I shouted.
In an instant our clothes fell to the ground and we were buried in them. I had drizzled a temporary Pym particle over them, I guess it had worn off. Whirlwind floated above us crashing through a wall. We crawled out of the pile. Janet sprung her wings and she took to the sky. She was wearing a yellow and black fashioned jacket and brown spandex pants with the same material as my suit. I called an ant moments ago, I hopped on to its back and we flew from the shop onto a roof where Janet had been standing. Whirlwind crashed through the ceiling of the store; four tornados behind him.
“You can’t escape me Hank Pym, you have no where to run.”
We hid behind a pile of bricks.
“Hank we need to stop him before he destroys the city.”
“You’re right, the police are probably on their way but there will be too many casualties if we sit back and do nothing.”
“Then what are we going to do?” She asked
I grabbed her arm and tapped a hidden panel on her wrist, “I upgraded your suit so that you could produce an anaphylaxis blast from your palms. A lot like a wasp sting but much deadlier.”
“That’s brilliant Hank. Ant man and The Wasp.”
“Jan, stay focused. Distract him for a bit while I work this plan out.”
“What plan?”
“Just distract him.”
She flew off the roof. Whirlwind had been tossing cars across the sky. I watched as she dodged the rubble. She stopped in front of his face. It looked like they were talking but I couldn’t hear. She raised her arms and let out a sting from her hands, a yellow bolt of piercing energy hit Whirlwind in the chest sending him flying back into a wall. He regained balance and started spinning faster. The sky darkened, Janet backed up as he lunged himself forward in a mass of wind and debris from the building. I grew to my normal height; Jan was leading him right to me. I ran to the ledge of the roof then jumped. Mentally I commanded my body to expand, my entire body grew longer and bigger. I flew through the air twenty feet tall hurling myself at Whirlwind. I had never grown this tall before; I could feel myself becoming stronger. I looked forward to see Janet dive out of the way. Whirlwind was startled; he stopped in front of me. I stuck my fist out, punching through the wind and knocking him through a house, through a kitchen and out the other side. Janet flew past my head.
“Good job honey, wow you’re big.” She said with amazement.
“Yeah thanks, catch me.” I replied as I shrunk down to her size and she grabbed my arms.
“What now Hank?”
“Lets find out who this guy is then we need to stop by the old lab.”
I had to add that in because I still needed to get something from the old place. We landed next to an unconscious Whirlwind. I grew to normal height and walked over to him. I picked him up by his chest plate.
“Who are you?” I demanded shaking him into consciousness.
“I-I’m a mutant hired to kill you.”
That was easier than I thought it would be.
“Who hired you?”
“Baron Von Strucker.”
His hands started to shake. He was trying to summon a twister until a woman spoke.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you David.”
I turned around to see a group of soldiers in blue body armor pointing guns at us; a woman in a black tuxedo led them, her hair was muddy red, her eyes wide and brown, she looked like one of those old fashion gals.
“Lady I got this.” I said.
“Of course, I’m Peggy Carter, director of S.H.I.E.L.D strategic headquarters, intern-”
“Yeah I know what it stands for.” I interrupted, “I used to work with them.”
“You must be Dr. Henry Pym, pleasure to meet you sir; but I’m going to have to bring this man into custody for numerous crimes he’s committed in the last forty-eight hours.”
“Not until after I find out why he was attacking me.”
“We’ll figure that out sir, just let us have him and we will get back to you.”
I dropped him, he his head on a brick and fell unconscious.
“Take him, but leave me alone.”
She nodded, two of her guys ran over and grabbed Whirlwind and dragged him away.
“Don’t follow us either.” I warned.
We shrunk down and flew away. The lab had been a run down. It was the same way as we had left it, in ruins. My plan was simple; before we left S.H.I.E.L.D I hid a sample of the subatomic particles. But this batch of particles was mixed with James’s DNA it was an experiment.
I expected it to allow someone the same healing factor as James but it had a different effect. It stopped the aging process making whoever used it practically immortal but not fully. I hid it from the world, James told me that being immortal isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, he had told me that if I truly wished to become immortal then I’d be throwing my life away. I didn’t listen.
I tore the floorboard apart and took the vial from a box. I looked at Janet and told her what the vial was.
“What do you want to do with it?” she asked.
“I want us to take it. We could live a normal life without having to grow old, just imagine living through every decade worry free of dying.”
“Hank as smart as you are do you really think it’s a good idea for you to play around with nature like this?”
I looked away from her, “Jan I’m going to take this, I won’t force you to do the same but I don’t want to be immortal alone.”
She looked away. Then shrunk down. She flew in front of my face.
“I can’t do this with you, goodbye Hank Pym, I love you.”

Hank concluded his astonishing story, his face dimmed with sorrow.
“Where is Janet now?” Steve asked.
Hank stared at his cupped hands; tears dripped from his eyes dripping into his palms.
“I’d rather not talk about her whereabouts Cap.”
He got up and walked over to a window, Steve got up behind him. He placed his hand on Hanks shoulder.
“I’m sorry pal. If it makes you feel any better we could go on patrol.”
“Sure, I could crack a few skulls about now.”
They put on their uniforms and went to the roof. Hank crouched by the ledge while Steve listened to a police dispatch radio.
“We have a hostage and robbery in progress at the national bank in Midtown. We need three units there now.” The dispatcher announced.
Hank shrunk them down; they jumped off the ledge landing on an ant. They sped off to the disturbance.

Leaving the two heroes, another story of chaos begins a year later across the country.
Part 3 Iron Man
Chapter 13
Chaos shares a bond with time. It takes its time to form, to completely come to structure, but just as fast as it unravels itself, it is forced back into the shadow from which it came just to slip free once more.

Strobe lights flashed and rock music blared booming from the top of a Los Angeles pent house. Guest of the party we wildly entertained. The music stopped. A man stumbled on stage; he wore a silk black tuxedo stained with alcohol.
“Now I don’t know all of you,” announced the man, “but I threw this party in honor of my father, Howard Stark. I-I-I never knew my dad, he was always away on some business trip, and there was always something more important than his only child. Then he died, I was six and-and my father died was taken from me and my mom.”
A man in Marines attire interrupted him.
“Tony what are you talking about?” He had whispered in the ear of Tony Stark, “this is a going away party for yourself. You invited half of L.A.”
Tony gave him a puzzled stare then said to the crowd,
“My apologies folks, it seems that I may be a bit over intoxicated today.” He turned the music back on and grabbed a mic yelling into it, “Happy birthday to Private James Rhodes.”
James shook his head, “I’m a Staff Sergeant.”
The crowd clapped and cheered happy birthday, James looked at Tony disappointed. Stark attempted to step down from the stage but tripped over his own feet, the host blacked out.
“Tony, Tony wake up man you have two hours till we leave for New York.”
“Ugh my head. What happened last night?”
“You threw probably one of the biggest parties this city has ever seen, you got drunk then fell of the counter, I don’t know how you got up there after so many failed attempts.”
Rhodey helped him up. Tony pulled his phone from his pocket; there were videos from the night before and text from women he didn’t know.
“Who’s Veronica Andrews?”
“You bought her a Bugatti, and that’s just the first one.”
“No. Why didn’t you stop me?”
“You told me not to interfere when you’re trying to get into a woman’s pants.”
“Did I?”
“Sleep with her? Yes. Tell me that no, I just thought it would be funny to see you waste a million dollars on a chick.”
“Rhodey you son of a-”
The house alarm rang, Yellow Submarines played from the giant speakers in the wall.
“That’s Happy.”
Rhodey headed to let in Tony’s bodyguard. Stark walked into his room to see a man in a metal suit floating above him sparks spewing from the boots of the suit.
“Hello Mr. Stark, its time you met your biggest fan.”
Tony tried to run from the room, the armored man raised his arm letting a missile fly from his hand. It pounding against the wall in front of Tony sending him flying backwards into the metal mans arms. He was knocked unconscious. The metal man took off into the cloudy Los Angles sky. Rhodey looked up in time to see Stark being dragged through the air.
“Call the police, someone just took Tony!” He ordered.

Chapter 14

Hours later Tony woke up surrounded by men in heavy military armor, his chest throbbing from the shrapnel lodged into it. He was barely able to speak,
“Is there a doctor?” he asked shakily
His kidnappers laughed, a man walked through them.
“There will be no medical attention appointed to you Mr. Stark, unless you agree to my terms.”
Tony stared him down, his heart beating with pain.
“I don’t know who you are but obviously you know me, hell you stole me; but why ever you stole me it doesn’t matter because if I die I won’t be able to help you, and I am dying quickly.”
One of the other men spoke up, “Ha, you speak nonsense Stark, Wong he has yet another week till the shrapnel reaches his heart and kills him, you’re just feeling excruciating pain as of now.”
“Ugh, Ok what exactly are the terms you want me to agree to?”
“I want you to build me a suit with weapons.” The leader Wong answered.
“Hmm? And you’ll save my life?”
Wong paced from spot to spot, “Yes I may even allow you to leave here.”
“Really, that’s wonderful where do I sign?” Tony asked sarcastically.
“This is no game Stark. I could allow you to die and I find a better weapons builder.”
“Oh by all means don’t do that; I’ll work for you, if you promise to get me medical help and grant me my very valuable freedom.”
He smacked Tony across the face and put a knife to his throat.
“Don’t get hasty Wong. I’ll build you weapons; just provide me with the resources.”
They dragged him into a room with a steel door; it had to be three inches thick. They shoved him inside next to a man who reeked as if he hadn’t showered in months and decided to roll in cow crap one morning.
“Stark this is Ho Yinsen.” Wong informed. “Perhaps you have heard of him, he is a well known physicist.”
“I’ve more than heard of him, I wonder how a man such as himself would become a captive to an organization such as this one.”
“Oh we are not terrorist Stark, and Ho is not a captive but a guest in my home. He may go as he pleases, after he helps me of course.”
Ho stood there with nothing to say, surely if he said anything he’d be punished for it.
“I will leave you two to discus the matter at hand; build me weapons and I shall set you both free, do not and I will see to it that you are both killed.”

Hours after he left us Tony fainted, the pain in his chest was beginning to be unbearable. He woke up breathing heavily on a table. A sheet of metal was above his chest. Ho was reading a paper, the Daily Bugle newspaper; they were most likely still in America. Tony tried to move but couldn’t; if he even tried to roll over the shard of metal that was in his chest would pierce him from inside.
He gasped for breath as the sheet of metal fell onto his chest. Ho jumped to his feet and adjusted the sheet. Tony nearly blacked out again, the shard had fallen deeper into his chest, but the magnetic sheet had sustained its movement.
“Are you ok, Mr. Stark?” Ho asked.
“Yes, thank you Yinsen.” Tony said breathing rapidly and heavy. “If it weren’t for you I’d be dancing with the devils daughter.”
“Well I couldn’t let you die, I do need you if I hope to leave this place and get back to my wife.”
“You know I’m a big fan of yours, ever since high school I idolized your work, you revolutionized physics and engineering.”
“Yes well none of that will matter to me if we don’t begin to build these weapons.”
Stark chuckled at his last sentence.
“Why do you laugh?”
“We aren’t building any suit, do you really think I’d cooperate with a terrorist? No we won’t be doing any of that, in fact I have a better idea.”
Ho looked worried.
“What’s your idea?”
“I’m going to call my best friend.”
Ho’s cheeks perked up, showing off his darkly yellow teeth. “You must be insane; Stark there is no way of communicating with the outside world. We’re prisoners.”
“That’s what they think, but Tony Stark isn’t a prisoner. I built a car motor out of pieces from the kitchen toaster and microwave when I was 12, it wont be difficult to smack together these advanced pieces of tech and mechanics to make a cell phone.”
“They’ll pick up the frequency.”
“I’ll hide it. Listen, Ho I’m not going to supply these men with the necessities to destroy the world, are you?”
He sat down putting his hands on his baldhead.
“Then just sit back and relax, this will be done in a few minutes.”

At Stark towers a man stands in front of a projector as the company’s board and Rhodey listened to his rant.
“Alcoholic, womanizer, a mindless playboy. The list goes on and on. Rhodes, Tony Stark is not capable of running this company.”
“His name is on the building.” Rhodey says defensively.
The man let out some air. “His name is ruining the company image, where is he currently?”
Smooth criminal rang from Rhodey’s cell phone. The other men and women stared at him.
“Hold on let me take this.”
He got up and walked out of the office.
“Hello?”
On the other end of the phone was Tony Stark.
“Hey Rhodes, I’m in a predicament…”
“Tony. Tony where are you? Everyone’s worried--”
“That’s exactly why I called,” He intersected. “See I was kidnapped by some guy in a metal suit of armor now I’m prisoner to some foreigners, just forget about that right now. Track this phone and rescue your damsel in distress. Fast!”

The call ended. Rhodey darted back into the office.
“We’re gonna have to reschedule this meeting, I have to go save this company.”
“That’s what we’re doing!”
“Obadiah, listen to yourself. Howard Stark wouldn’t even trust you with this company; it’s Tony’s. So why don’t you try and find a job somewhere else, like the Baxter Building.”
The board members laughed, they all stood up and left. Rhodey rushed out of the door after then, shutting off the light behind him. Obadiah Stane was left standing in the light of his projector. His face dark but lit with hatred.
Rhodey dialed a number on his cell. He raised it to his ear.
“Put the Hawk on.”

Back in the room Tony sat playing on his phone. The door burst open five men surrounded Yinsen and Tony.
“Stark! I’ll have your head.” Wong threatened.
Tony looked around as if not knowing why he was being verbally assaulted.
“What did I do to you?”
“What is that?”
“This is a cell phone. You’ve seen them haven’t you?”
“Where are my weapons?”
Tony laughed, setting his phone down on the table and getting in Wong’s face.
“Did you honestly think I would build you weapons? You must be even more small minded than I thought.”
Wong’s hands shot into the air, his fist powered itself across Tony’s jaw. His men grabbed Yinsen; hitting him multiple times in the stomach, he spit blood.
“Stop!” Tony pleaded.
“You should not have crossed me Stark.”
Taking a knife from his belt he raised it walking over to Ho, ready to murder him. But before he could bring the blade down gunfire echoed through the tunnels. Everyone looked towards the door, a squadron of soldiers rushed into the room; leading them was SSgt. James Rhodes who had his machine gun aimed at the back of Wong’s head.
“You good?” He asked Tony.
“Yeah I’m fine, he hits like the women at the bar.”
“He hit you?”
“Rhodey the guys a terrorist.” He stood up and walked over to Wong who was dripping in sweat.
“I am no terrorist, Stark.”
“Of course not buddy,” Tony said patting him on the back. “Take him away please.”
Wong’s men dropped their guns all expect one. He had his weapon aimed at Ho, yelling out “Hail Hydra!”
He pulled the trigger, firing a clip into Ho’s back while the rest of them ducked as Rhodey shot the man in his head. Wong and the rest of his men tried to make an escape but were sent running back into the room by a man with a bow. He shot each of them piercing their chest with long metallic arrows. Tony inched over to Yinsen’s bloody, lifeless body. His heart felt like coal as it burned in agony at the sight of losing a friend.
“No, no. No!”
“I’m sorry Tony, but we have to go.” Rhodey said
“Grab his body.”
The man with the bow took Ho’s body and carried it to a chopper outside of the tunnel.

Tony was last to enter the chopper. His face was sickened. He took a seat across from the bowman.
“Hey Stark, I’m agent Clint Barton.”
“Agent? What are you CIA?” Tony assumed.
“No, something much bigger. Anyway I’m sorry we couldn’t save your friend. But you gotta stay strong soldier”
Tony looked him in the eyes, his face full of anger
“I’m no soldier.”
The rest of the flight was quiet. Hours later they arrived on top of Stark Towers in the middle of Manhattan. An old man stood on the helipad with a tray of wine glasses.
“Welcome back Mr. Stark.” He greeted as Tony hopped out of the helicopter. He grabbed the tray and dumped it into a trash bin.
“Jarvis, get Pepper here right away please.”
Jarvis looked surprised.
“Certainly sir, I should inform you that a man came by to schedule meeting with you.”
“No meetings, no company, I need a few days.”
“Yes sir, I’ll relay the message.”
Clint Barton sat in the helicopter talking through the stereo.
“He doesn’t want any visitors. Ok sir I’ll be there right away.”
He whispered something to the pilot, and then they took off into the city.
The next day Tony paced around his office, knocking posters off the walls and pushing over papers until he lumped himself into a spinning chair behind his desk. He twirled around until he faced a bottle of wine. He picked it up, staring at it. Thinking. Then he threw the bottle at the wall. It exploded; wine dripped down the wall. Tapping a button on his computer he called Jarvis.
“Jarvis, dump all of the champagne.”
Bewildered he replied, “Are you certain sir?”
“One hundred percent.”
“Very good mister Stark.”
“Get in touch with Rhodey, Happy, and Pepper, tell them to wait for me in my conference room.”
“Absolutely mister Stark.”
Half an hour later they were all gathered in the meeting room awaiting Tony.
“Pepper, where’s he at?” Rhodey asked. “I’ve got places to be.”
“You know Tony, he’s probably out with some slutty office maid and forgot about us.”
“I wouldn’t stick to that assumption Ms. Pots, if you still want to work for this company.”
She jumped out of her seat.
“I’m sorry mister Stark.”
“Why are we here?” Rhodey asked. “You told Jarvis you didn’t want company. “
“That was just to keep the press off my back, and that Barton guy, there was something off about him. Anyways I wanted you all to be the first to know that I am quitting my addiction to alcohol.”
They all clapped, proud of their friend, Rhodey got out of his seat but Tony put his hand up, motioning for him to sit back down. He had more to say.
“I also wanted you all to be the first to see my newest creation.”
He clapped his hands, the screen shifted from a bright monitor to blueprints for a high tech armored suit.
“Tony what is this?” Happy probed.
“This is Iron Mach 1.”
“What?” they all asked.
Tony waved his hand calling forth Jarvis who held a metal glove on his hand.
“Demonstrate.” Tony said
The butler raised his arm and shot a blast of power from the glove. It ripped through the walls and sent Jarvis back a few feet. Rhodey banged his hands on the table.
‘What the hell was that?” Rhodey asked.
“A repulser ray. My newest weapon.”
“For the military I assume.”
“No. For us, those blueprints are for us.”
“Why?”
Tony turned around and looked out of the window, gazing over the city he answered.
“I don’t want to see anyone die by people like Wong.”
They all sat there in silence.
“Ho Yinsen, none of you know him not like I do. He was kidnapped before me Wong took him from his home, his wife, then allowed him to be murdered, I allowed him to be murdered.”
“Tony, I was there, you couldn’t have done anything to save Yinsen.”
“Exactly. I couldn’t save him; I can’t save them. Not alone anyway. This suit is my answer, Happy I need you to wear it.”
Happy was stunned; he wasn’t expecting any of this.
“Why me?”
“Because you are a bodyguard, it’s your job to protect me, now I’m asking you to protect them.”
“What gave you the idea for the suit?” Rhodey asked.
Not wanting to lie to them he explained how a man in similar armor kidnapped him just a few days ago.
“So Wong inspired you to help people.” Pepper uttered out.
“No. Wong wasn’t the one in the suit. It was someone smart enough to build the suit. They only used Wong as a pawn.”
“So who was it?”
“I’ll figure it out soon enough. The real question is. Are you all with me?”
He stood in front of them all. Hesitantly Happy nodded in agreement. Pepper raised her hand.
“Yes?”
“Will we be calling the suit “Mach 1” or something else?”
“I haven’t thought much on it yet.”
“Ok, I’m in, I mean it is my job to do what you want me to.”
“Thank you Ms. Pots, Rhodey?”
James faced a conflict, if he worked with Tony he’d have to hide it from the government and the military. He’s an active member of the air force, doing this could get him in a lot of trouble, but it was his best friend; one of the smartest people on the planet. How could he say no? He stood up and took Tony’s hand shaking it in agreement.
“One more thing. Yinsen wanted to be buried back in his home country.”
“I can arrange a funeral.” Pepper assured.

Chapter 15

Obadiah Stane sat in New York traffic, frustrated as the light kept red. His phone rang; he looked down to see the contact of Tony Stark. His face tightened, he tapped the answer button.
“Yes?”
“Obi, hey its Tony, you know Stark the man who owns this company; your boss.”
“I’m well aware of who this is.” He said back irritated.
“Caller I.D?”
“Sarcastic attitude.”
“Well Stane I don’t know how I should put this…ah wait I found it, you’re fired.”
Stane’s foot slammed into the gas sending his car into the one before it. Horns honked. Obadiah sat there enraged.
“Thanks for letting me know Tony.” He said bitterly.
“Hey don’t take it too hard big fella.”
The call ended, Stane crushed the phone in his hand. The man from the car in front of his appeared at the window, knocking repeatedly and shouting. Obadiah pushed open his door, hitting the man in his face blood spewed from his nose. The door closed. Infuriated Stane drove off. Swerving through traffic, not caring about any bystanders lives.

Four weeks later on a Stark Industries cargo ship in the artic ocean, Tony, SSgt. Rhodes and Pepper Pots stood watching the grey sky. The sun shined bright and clouds drifted. It seemed as if they were waiting for their bodies to freeze, until a human shaped figure flew threw a cloud ripping it apart, followed by flames from the rocket boosters in the boots. It spun through the air at amazing speeds then dropped. They moved out of the way as the silver figure came in to land, zipping past them and crashing its feet into the deck. Sparks flew off the suit as the mask fell off the helmet revealing Happy Hogan.
“How was that?” He asked grinning.
“So fast! ” Pepper answered excitedly.
“It was cool, I could’ve done better seeing how I’m a pilot.” Rhodey mocked.
“Be nice Rhodes,” Tony said as he patted Happy’s metallic shoulder. “You did great Happy, now lets get back to the states for a tune up, it’s artic out here.”
They walked over to a helicopter with a crate attached to it. Happy took the suit off putting it inside the crate. They all boarded the chopper and flew back to New York. Most of the flight was silent. The only noise was the swooshing of the rotors. Tony spoke up.
“I think I made an enemy.”
Rhodey poked his head from the front, “You’re gonna have to be more specific.”
“Obadiah Stane, I had to fire him recently.”
“Good, that guy was a creep.” Pepper said shivering from the thought of Stane or the icy weather.
“Not only that but while you were away he was trying to take over the company.” Rhodey added.
“He did always have a distaste for the Stark name, starting way back when my dad shoved his work aside and demoted him to a security guard.”
Pepper giggled, “Didn’t he try to start his own business but it failed tragically?”
“Yes, but back to why I fired him. He kidnapped me.”
Silence rose again as the words settled in.
“What?” Rhodey popped, “I thought you said a guy in a metal suit took you.”
“We never found out who it was, but I thought about it. Stane’s work was a mechanical suit, he designed it back in the sixties to present to Stark Industries.”
“But your dad shut him down.” Rhodey finished.
“My best bet is that he’s been using his access to my workshop to build the suit in secret then he made a deal with Wong to kidnap me to upgrade his weapons.”
“We gotta to do something,” Happy said. “He probably still has the suit and now that you fired him he might try and attack you.”
“If he was planning something he would’ve done it, I fired him four weeks ago.”
Just then Tony’s phone rang. He pulled it out; Jarvis was on the line.
“Sir, I think it best you turn on the news.”
Tony hung up and switched over to live footage of Obadiah attacking Stark Towers in his suit, a group of men in blue combat armor surrounded Stane, shooting him. But he didn’t stop, the bullets only bounced off his armor.
Stane grabbed one of the men; it was a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, newer and better than the old but not improved enough to take on a super powered suit. Stane threw the agent into a car and blasted missiles at the others. In moments he took out the whole squad of agents.
“Tony, lets talk” He shouted at the tower.
An energy blast shot from his hand blasting a hole through the bottom of the tower. Bullets pounded against the suits back. Stane turned around and blasted a S.H.I.E.L.D truck; smoke filled the air.
“This is pointless.” An agent yelled, “He’s taking everything we’ve got.”
“Not everything.” Said a voice from above.
A man dropped from a rooftop. It was Clint Barton with a quiver full of arrows and his bow in hand. He was sporting a purple hoodie with grey jeans and black socks.
“I’ll take it from here rookie.”
“Barton, you have a bow, that guys a living tank.” The agent educated
Clint notched an arrow quickly and let it fly. It landed right at Stane’s feet and exploded throwing the metal man back.
“Like I said, I’ll take it from here.” Clint scorned.
Stane regained balance quickly and returned fire at Barton. But the archer was incredibly nimble. He dodged everything fired at him while releasing his own arsenal of arrows, one arrow discharged ice that formed around Obadiah’s blasters, and another was sharp enough to go through the suits armor.
“I’m sure you can do better than that.” Stane said as he rocketed himself at Clint he grabbed the archer and shot into the air. Obadiah froze mid flight dropping his target. Hawkeye free fell through the sky, his quiver back on the ground he was unable to save himself. A few seconds from the ground. He thought it was all over until he hit something hard.
“Hey Clint, what did you just get out of bed?” His savior asked; another man in a metal suit except this one was less bulky and fancier.
“Who are you?”
The mask lifted showing Happy’s face.
“Face man?” Barton asked confused. “I’m sorry I still don’t know you.”
“Of course you don’t. I’ll explain later. First we gotta stop this mad man.”
“Drop me next to my bow and quiver.”
Happy set him down. Obadiah stood a few yards from them.
“Hey!” Happy shouted, “Get away from that tower Obadiah before I lay the smack down on you.”
“Ah, Tony, you decided to show up.”
“I’m not Stark, I’m his bodyguard and you’re gonna stand down.”
“Ha you steal my designs and lie to me, I know it’s you Tony. No need to lie.”
“Whatever.” Happy mumbled as he shot himself towards Obadiah, who carelessly knocked him aside. Hogan threw a punch but it was countered. Stane’s suit was bigger but it was also faster. He stood above Happy with a rocket raised from a launcher in his shoulder.
“You can’t stop me Tony, I’m going to end you right here.”
The boots propelled Happy away from his enemies attack just in time. But he wasn’t able to evade for long. Stane launched another missile that hit the side of a building in front of Happy causing him to flop to the ground. Stane raced over to the downed hero. He hovered over about to deliver a fatal blow. An electric arrow graced its way through the wind, frying the air around it then hitting its target. It pierced Obadiah’s suit electrocuting the man inside, not enough to kill him but Stane dropped to his knees.
Clint ran over to Happy, taking off his mask to check if he was still breathing. Barely.
“Come on face man, I don’t think he’ll be down for long.”
Happy stood up putting his helmet back on. He walked over to Obadiah.
“Stane. You need to stop; you’re causing too much destruction. You’ve become a problem.”
“No. I’m not the problem.” He threw himself up pounding into Happy’s armor with his hand then blasting a hole through his chest.
“You’re the problem Stark, you brought this on yourself.”
With that he flew off into the sky, news choppers attempted to follow but couldn’t keep up. Clint dropped his bow to run over to Happy who was sprawled on the concrete like a blanket. Clint looked down to see nothing but a hole through Happy’s chest.
“My God.” He whispered.
Rhodey landed the helicopter, Pepper, Tony and himself rushed over to their fallen friend. They lifted him off the ground and carried him to the chopper; Tony took the armor off of him, putting it back into the crate.

An hour later they sat in the hallway of a hospital, Happy lay dead on inside the emergency room.
“This shouldn’t have happened.” Tony said to himself.
“Stane thought it was you.” Pepper added.
“That’s the worst part, he doesn’t even know he killed an innocent man.”
Tears fell down Tony’s face; Rhodey patted him on the back. A nurse entered the room telling them they had to leave. Rhodey and Pepper left the hospital, Tony stayed. He sat in a chair in the dark hall, thinking that this was just a dream. Happy would come back.
“Anthony Stark.” A voice crept from the shadows of the hallway, footsteps echoing through the halls.
“He isn’t in right now.” Tony answered back sorely with his head down.
“When was he?”
Stark poked his head up, “Who are you?”
“My name is universal. Doesn’t really mean anything, it’s what I want that you should ask.”
“I’m not in the mood for games, just tell me what I asked.”
“You’re a stubborn dog aren’t you? Heheh, Stark I’m Nick Fury Director of S.H.I.E.L.D, and like I said that probably has no meaning to you so I’ll tell you why I’m here.”
“Yes because I really want to know all about you.”
“Just listen wise crack. I saw what happened today, that man died. It should’ve been you. You should’ve faced Stane. Why didn’t you?” Fury pushed
“I don’t have to talk about this with you.”
“No you don’t but you will. Why didn’t you face Stane yourself?”
Tony sat clenching his fist; they turned form pink to pale white. His eyes watered.
“Because I was scared.” He admitted.
“I bet you want another shot at him huh? Revenge?”
Tony stood up, getting in Fury’s face. “I’m going to get revenge and no one is going to stop me. So don’t even try. Stane is going down.”
He stormed off busting through the hospital door. Fury put a walkie-talkie to his lips,
“Put five units on Stark. I have a feeling he’s gonna do something dumb.”
Another week past, men and women all stood around a casket as it was lowered into a six-foot deep hole. This is the second funeral Tony has attended in the last month, and he came prepared with a bottle of the strongest liquor straight off the boat from Ireland. He took a sip breaking his newly found sobriety.
Rhodey tried to take the bottle from him on the way home but had no luck and ended up being kicked out of the car. Tony pulled his phone out, calling for a press conference at his Tower.
Twenty men and women stood in front of Tony, video cameras on and camera phones ready.
“I bet you’re all wondering why you’re here.”
“Is it because your bodyguard was just murdered on live television, while your company was attacked? Now you’re gonna clear it all up.” Answered a kid working for the Daily Bugle. A camera hung from his neck and he wore glasses.
“Good job four eyes.” Stark insulted.
The kid drifted back into the crowd, widely embarrassed.
“Mr. Stark is it true that the man who attacked your tower was an employee?” another reporter asked
“Yes, and I’m gonna murder him if I ever see him again.”
“Tony you need to end this.” Rhodey said from behind Stark.
He gestured his hand for the next question.
“Are you intoxicated right now?” a woman questioned.
“Maybe, but don’t tell anyone, it’s a secret.”
“That’s it.” Rhodey said as he pulled Tony out of the room. “Come on you need to go to, stop drinking and get some rest.”
“Get off of me James!” Tony declared.
They stared at one another for minutes both enraged with the other, until Rhodey backed away and shoved past the reporters. A hand appeared in front of Tony’s face with a recorder.
“Mr. Stark, what are your thoughts on the peace keeping task force S.H.I.E.L.D apprehending your former bodyguards armor?” Asked a reporter.
Startled by the question.
Tony pushed the recorder away and walked off stage. Pulling his phone from his pocket he dialed one number.
“Jarvis, where’s the suit?” Tony requested to know.
There was a pause before someone answered.
“Hello Tony.” A familiar voice spoke from the other side.
Tony stopped in surprise. “Fury, Where’s my suit?”
“Meet me in Central Park.” The phone beeped ending the call.
Tony lowered his phone. He taped on an icon and began to type.

In the middle of Central Park sitting in a tree was Clint Barton, with his bow slung across his back and quiver full. Jeeps were cluttered around the area, all filled with armed S.H.I.E.L.D agents. A helicopter flew above the park, it dropped a ladder; climbing from it was Tony Stark. Barton dropped from the tree. The two men stood face to face yet again, one not knowing why he kept running into the other.
“Where’s my suit?” Stark demanded.
Clint cracked a smile; he pulled a cell from his belt, and said, “He’s here.”
“I’m on my way.”
Another jeep pulled up next to Tony and Clint, the window slid down revealing Nick Fury.
“Fury, give me my suit.”
Nick squinted his eye, and licked his dry lips. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Irritated Stark pounded on the roof of the jeep, “Now!”
Barton pulled a pistol from his belt and aimed it at Tony’s head. A bead of sweat dropped from Stark’s head. Fury motioned his hand for Clint to put his weapon down.
“Stark, have you been drinking?”
Taking his fist off of the roof Tony put his back to Fury.
“Barton, get this guy some water.” Nick insisted getting out of his jeep.
Clint went to the trunk of the jeep and grabbed a bottle of water. Fury put his arm around Tony’s shoulder.
“Stark there isn’t room in this world for weak men, I have your suit; I took it to get your attention.”
“I don’t like people touching my stuff.” Tony mumbled.
Barton handed him the bottle. “We don’t like our clients getting themselves into trouble.”
“I’m not your client, Barton.”
“As far as I’m concerned you are.”
Tony went to grab him but was quickly put down. Fury rolled his eye.
“Stark can’t you cooperate?”
“Just give me my suit so I can find Stane.”
“That’s the problem we can’t let you do that.” Clint informed.
“Then why did you call me here?”
Nick stared at him for a moment. His one eye piercing into Tony’s, “I need more of your suits.”
“There is no way in hell I’m building suits for you.” Tony said disgusted.
“Stark I could throw you in jail and melt down the key then find someone else to build me suits, Reed Richards perhaps.” Fury threatened.
“I’ve heard that one before and the last person who said that to me ended up dead.”
“I’m not like anyone else Stark, you’ll do as I say or I promise you you’ll never see the light of day again.”
“Sorry Fury but I’m gonna have to say no to your absolutely generous offer.”
“I didn’t want it to have to come to this.” Fury said shaking his head. “Tony Stark you are under arrest for the manufacturing of illegal weaponry.”
Clint pulled his pistol out yet again ready to tranquilize Stark who had also pulled something from his own pocket. Clicking a button on the device, every one but himself dropped to their knees gripping their ears.
“Ugh, what is that?” Nick struggled to shout.
“A sonic disruptor, I never leave home without it. Scratch that maybe once or twice I have, but anyway Fury I don’t need the suit, I’ll just make it unusable to you.”
He pulled his cell out and called his ride. Moments later he was gone, the S.H.I.E.L.D agents still on the ground. Hawkeye recovered faster than the others.
“Should I pursue him, Nick?”
Lifting himself up Fury shook his head; “We don’t need him, for now.”

Chapter 16

Back in his workshop Tony watched clips from Happy’s battle with Stane, while he worked on a newer armor. Jarvis knocked on the door with Rhodey standing beside him, “Sir, SSgt. Rhodes is here to speak to you.”
“I’m busy, tell him to leave a message.”
“Tony. It’s urgent.” Rhodey notified.
He unlocked the door with a remote letting Rhodey in.
“You don’t have to do this to yourself man, S.H.I.E.L.D and the marines can help.”
Setting down his tools and turning around Tony said calmly, “I don’t need help. Stane is my problem so could you let me deal with him myself?”
“I can but they won’t. Tony what if he attacks again and you aren’t ready for him? Give Nick Fury your help so we can all be ready for him.”
“I am ready for him, next time he shows his metal face I’m gonna blast it to scrap.”
Rhodey picked up the remote and changed the channel. Stane flew above the U.N building.
“America is weak against threats such as myself.” Obadiah Stane taunts. “Your best attempts to defeat me were futile and I killed your would be savior Tony Stark.”
“Doesn’t he watch T.V? I’m still alive and now I’m gonna go give him a piece of my new suit.”
“Do you want me to inform Nick?”
“I’m sure he already knows I’m coming.”
Tony rushed to the middle of a platform; mechanical arms strapped pieces of red and gold armor onto his body. The ceiling opened, Tony’s boots burst to life and propelled him into the sky, and he took off to the U.N building. Rhodey stood back in the workshop.
“Must be nice.” He said to him self, jealous.

Tony raced past skyscrapers so fast the windows shattered as he went by. He flew through Times Square, he upgraded his suit to absorb electricity from anywhere, and what better place to get power from than Times Square? His suit powered up as he reached Stane still floating above the United Nations. Tony crashed into Obadiah hurtling them into traffic, they slid many meters from the U.N. Tony got to his feet, pointing his hands at Stane who was struggling to stand. Stark shot him with a few repulser blasts sending him into the ground.
“Hey Obi. Miss me?” Stark provoked his enemy.
Stane’s oversized suit boomed from the hole in the street, “Impossible, I killed you.” He assured himself.
“No, you killed an innocent man and I’m going to avenge him”
Laughter fluttered from Obadiah’s suit, “Do you honestly think you can stop me? I already beat your suit once, I’ll do it again.”
“Stop talking.” Tony muttered as he flew at the monger of a suit punching the head and kneeing the chest.
Enraged Stane grabbed Tony slamming him into the cement over and over. Citizens ran in terror as Obadiah laughed at the destruction he was causing.
“This is all I ever wanted Stark, for this city to fear my power.”
Starks suit let out sparks that depowered Stane giving Tony a chance to escape his grasp.
“Not very impressive Tony, let me show you how the big boys play.”
The hands of Stane’s armor rocketed from their arms, and at Tony, pounding him into a wall, glue poured from the palms sticking Tony to the building. The hands flew back to their sockets, Stane floated over.
“This was a pleasant quarrel Stark, but all good things must come to an end.”
He was a few feet away from his prey, a laser cannon popped out of his shoulder piece.
“Goodbye Tony.” Stane said laughing maniacally.
Before he could release a blast an explosion threw him back. Clint Barton stood on the roof of a building across from the battle, two other men stood next to him. A man dressed like the American Flag holding a shield of the same pattern, the other in a red jumpsuit and a junky oversized helmet. They leapt from the rooftop, the man in the jumpsuit disappearing in a shower of light. Clint rushed over to Tony; taking an arrow from his quiver he cut the glue.
“What are you doing here Barton?”
“My job, since you couldn’t take Stane down yourself I gathered my team, and you’re lucky we got here in time to save your mechanical butt.”
“You mean Fury sent you in?”
The flagman turned around, “Fury wishes he gave us orders.”
The other guy appeared in front of us. “Tony Stark.” He said taking off his helmet, “I’m Hank Pym, I worked with your dad.”
“Yeah, yeah we can introduce ourselves later.” Barton intruded, “Stane’s up.”
“I can handle this.” Stark said before throwing himself at Stane, who was ready for the attack. He slapped Tony to the side, releasing a barrage of missiles at the others.
Captain America raised his indestructible shield, deflecting most of the missiles. Hawkeye shot the others with freeze arrows. They fell in front of him and shattered. Hank Pym grew two stories; he kicked Stane like he was trying to score the game-winning goal in the world cup. Stane crashed through the windows of an office building. Tony took off to catch up with him.
“Hey.” Steve shouted up to Hank. “Minimum damage, we don’t want any citizens killed in the crossfire.”
“Sorry Cap.”
“Let’s move, Hank set Hawkeye on one of those buildings, once you’re up there Clint support the rest of us, I’ll try to maneuver the fight to the roof across from you.”
“Aye, aye Captain Rogers.” Clint replied.
Pym lifted them both up and dropped them off. Citizens watched through the windows of an office building as Tony and Obadiah engaged in a sky battle. Lasers and missiles flew all around them. The glass shattered, sending the crowds running from the room.
“Stane, this can end in one of two ways, you kill me or I kill you.”
“Captain America won’t allow you to kill me Stark. But none of you can stop me from killing.”
Tony released a bolt of energy from his chest sending Stane into the office building. Cap stood inside of it ordering bystanders to vacant the area. Stane burst through another window.
“My turn.” Cap declared.
He threw his shield into one of Stane’s legs locking it preventing him from moving. Cap ran at the metal behemoth jumping off of a desk and kicking him in the chest out of the window and onto the roof of another building the shield fell from his leg almost sliding out of the window, it teetered in and out of the building.
“Nice kick Flagman.” Tony said as he floated into the office. “But that won’t keep him down.”
“I know, just follow my lead.”
Cap grabbed his shield and jumped from the window onto the next building, Tony flew ahead of him.
“I was never good at follow the leader.”
They both landed on the roof and walked toward Stane who had his weapons aimed at them both. An arrow hit Stane in the back electrocuting his suit and him inside.
“Enough!” He shouted.
He released his whole arsenal, lasers, missiles and bullets all launched from the suit. Cap put his shield up taking the impact of the weaponry. Tony raised his own shields and charged Obadiah. Steve did the same, throwing his Shield at the villain it bounced off; cap threw it again cracking the suit. Tony’s chest began to glow omitting a powerful Unibeam into Stane’s helmet destroying it, leaving his face naked and bruised.
“Hold your fire Stark.” Cap ordered.
“I’m not big on taking orders either.” Tony said as he charged his repulser.
“Hank now.” Cap shouted.
Stane shrunk down to the size of a quarter; Stark’s repulser ray singed the air above the villain. Hank grew to normal heights with a jar in hand that contained Obadiah.
“Stark you were about to kill that man.” Steve scolded as he took his mask off. “You call yourself a hero? Heroes don’t kill.”
“Do you know what he did?” Tony shot back.
“I’m well aware of the troubles you’ve gone through because of him. That doesn’t give you the right to kill, and if you did kill him you would’ve went to prison, and I wouldn’t want to see such potential wasted.”
“Who are you exactly?”
“You’re kidding right?” Hank chimed in “This man is a living legend. How do you not know about Captain America?”
He thought for a moment. “The World War 2 super soldier, how’d you get granted Captain in just a few months?”
“I guess Private America wasn’t as catchy. Stark we’re going to bring Stane into S.H.I.E.L.D custody, I’d like you to be there with us.”
“I’ll pass, tell Fury that I want to talk to him at my tower.”
“I’ll pass on the message soldier.” Cap said before being shrunken by Hank Pym. Tony watched as they rode an ant away from the building. He turned to see Hawkeye leaping from rooftop to rooftop.
“I’m no soldier.” Tony said to himself before taking off back to his tower.


Back at Stark Tower Tony sat half naked in the dark of his workshop watching the news. The reporter talked about the battle, calling Stane the Iron Monger, and Tony Iron Man.
“World War Two legend Captain America has returned to public view after being thought dead for so many years. Himself and two other heroes, Ant Man and Hawkeye, assisted the also thought dead Iron Man in taking down a power hungry Iron Monger who is now under surveillance at the Raft prison.”
Tony clicked off the T.V.
“Iron Man huh? Cheesy but acceptable.” A recognizable voice said from the shadows.
“Fury, I knew you were here the moment you stepped on my property.”
“I bet you did. Anyway Stark, you did good today, even though you nearly killed a man.”
“Why’d you send them in Fury?” Tony demanded to know.
Nick smiled, “You really think that I sent them in? Hank Pym would never take an order from me and Captain America doesn’t trust me. Barton has been working with them for a year now, they’ve brought in a few other powerhouses, he thought I didn’t know about their little operations. But the point is I didn’t send them in, they’re heroes they do what they do without having to be ordered around, it’s part of their creation.”
“They’re good at what they do.” Tony admitted. “But I had it under control.”
“Sure you did, I’d consider joining their crusade, something big is coming.”
“Don’t tell me what to do Nick. Now are you gonna arrest me or give me a pat on the back?”
“I’ll see you around Stark.”
He walked out of the room, leaving Tony to his computer. Turning towards it he searched Captain America.
“Let’s see if you are as legendary as they say you are.”

Three days later Tony armored up again. He flew above the city, the streets were calm and nearly cleaned up from the battle with Obadiah. Tony landed on top of Hank Pym’s laboratory building where Hawkeye, Captain America and Pym himself waited for the Iron Man.
“Tony Stark.” Cap said putting his hand out.
“Steve Rogers.” Tony greeted him with his own hand, shaking Cap’s firmly.
“I assume you’re here to join the team.”
“You bet your star spangled butt I am.”
The men laughed, “Great, welcome Iron Man.”
“Hold on a sec jolly Joes,” Hawkeye teased. “What are we gonna call ourselves?”
They all paused, not knowing what to say. Without thinking Hank said, “The Fantastic Four!”
“It’s taken, come on Hank you’re smarter than that.” Tony said shooting down the idea.
“Oh yeah whoops.”
“How about the Iron Legion?” Tony said happily
“No!” The others declared.
“I got it!” Clint exclaimed. “We’ll be the New Invaders.”
Captain America twitched at the sound of his old teams name.
“Never mind, sorry Steve.”
As they stood debating names a small winged woman flew between them.
“The Avengers has a heroic ring to it.” She said.
They all stared at her; Hank was surprised to see the woman. His wife, Janet Van Dyne. After so many years she was thought to be dead but now she was standing as live as ever, right in front of them with no explanation on how.
“I like it.” Tony agreed staring at the beautiful Wasp.
“I second that.” Cap said. Clint nodded in agreement.
Hank gazed stunned at the sudden arrival of his revived love.
Wasp grew from insect to human size.
“Henry Pym, do you like it or not?” She scolded
He hesitated. “Yes, yes it’s a wonderful title.”
“Awesome.” Clint said. “Look out all ‘cuz here come the Avengers!”
Hank observed the Wasp, he was so shaken by her presence he nearly failed to notice the smoke rising above the cityscape. Explosions cradled buildings and rang through the streets. Cap gripped his shield and pulled his mask over his face.
“Looks like this band just found its first gig.”
Hank shrunk himself Steve and Clint down to insect size and they each mounted an ant. Tony winked at Janet as his helmet closed then he took to the sky toward the smoke with the others following behind.

Part 4 Thor
Chapter 17

Even on Asgard, a land far different from that of earth, chaos emerged. Centuries before earth faced its tragedies Asgard faced much tragedy of their own. Chaos knows no limits.

The All-father Odin Borson sat on his golden throne. He watched as his son Thor play fought with a wooden sword against Loki, the son of Laufey king of the frost giant a once ancient enemy to the Asgardians, but now an ally. Thor easily bested the boy in combat, being much stronger than him. Though Thor looked like an earthly toddler he was more than two century’s old, he possessed the strength of a grown man. Odin observed as Loki used magical illusions to make the Odinson see his dreams. In Thor’s mind he ruled Asgard and battled many formidable foes, but this was not reality, in truth he swayed back and forth like a blade of grass, swinging his sword around with no objective. Loki used this as a chance to take him down from behind. With his wooden sword in hand ready for victory, Loki raised it,
“I, Loki am ruler Asgard and all the nine realms.” He announced thinking he’d won but Thor shook the illusion and flipped Loki over his shoulder, putting his own sword to his throat.
“Your magic is weak friend, for I am the true king.” With that he lowered his sword lightly onto his friends neck. The battle was over and Thor reigned victor. Odin bolted from his chair, his head throbbing. He grabbed his staff. It was fifteen feet long with, two coal black crows were sculpted into the tip. He pounded it into the ground.
“What is the matter father?” Thor asked worriedly.
“Jotunhiem is under siege.” He said looking away from Loki.
A portal opened showing an army of unknown starships laying waste to Jotunhiem, Frost Giants, the inhabitants of the realm, tried to fight back but they were taken by surprise. They couldn’t gather their armies fast enough; even if they had managed to they wouldn’t have stood a chance. Frost Giants lacked anti-aircraft weapons or shields to defend themselves. Odin watched as an entire race was killed off within minutes. He saw the Frost Giants king destroy four ships before being shot by a powerful beam of energy tearing a hole through his entire chest. Loki looked away as his father was brutally murdered by attackers he had never met. He cried tears rushing down his cheeks socking his clothes.
“Father, close the portal.” Thor pleaded.
“Of course.”
He stared into a final image of very few Frost Giants running into their cave homes. What was once millions were now only hundreds. Odin pounded his staff on the ground once more closing the portal. Thor kneeled by Loki who had his head buried in his lap. He was traumatized by the event. Odin walked over to them picking the now orphaned child up.
“What will I do?” Loki wept.
“It’s going to be ok my boy.” Odin promised him. “I’ll take care of you.”
He took him from the throne room, Thor followed aside them. They reached Thors room. It had one bed, Odin waved his hand and a second bed appeared.
“Thank you, Odin.” He sobbed.

A millennium passed Thor and Loki were now teenagers, by mortal standards anyway. They sat at the royal dinning table aside their father Odin and a dozen more Asgardians. Food covered the wooden surface. Loafs of bread, mounds of meat, mostly goat and venison. Glasses were filled to the tip with thick Asgardian mead. Their half brother Hermod messenger of Asgard told stories of his journeys to Midgard, which was earth.
“The mortals think us to be Gods. They worship us beyond measure.” He announced as he stuffed a basket of bread down his throat.
“Aye.” Thors close friend Bolder agreed. “They plea us to come help them with their crops, or defeat their enemies.”
Thor looked up confused, “What enemies? They are alone.”
“They are a different race,” Odin educated. “They are obsessed with violence, they hate each other, fighting for pointless reasons.”
“Why don’t we do something of it?” Thor asked. “They clearly need guidance.”
“We do not interfere with mortal affairs.” Odin barked.
Thor was stubborn and kept pressing his father.
“If they see us as their gods then why don’t we live to their acclaims?”
“It is not our place, they only worship us because they need us. What happens when they find no use for us?!” He shouted.
“We leave them.” Thor insisted.
“Then there would be no reason to aiding them.”
The other Asgardians stopped eating to hear Thors response. He hesitated; he didn’t know what to say. After minutes passed the Asgardians slowly went back to eating, all except Thor, who was still fixed on the argument.
“We should at least tell them not to fight each other.”
Odin slammed his fist, cracking the table.
The Asgardians dropped their food and starred at Odin in shock. Thor slid out of his chair leaving the table and running to his quarters. He sat on his bed angered with his father. Minutes later Odin busted through the door, he was furious.
“How dare you embarrass me!” He bellowed so loudly the room shook.
Thor fell off of the bed; his father’s eyes glowed crimson with rage. The temperature was blazing. Thor was instantly drenched in his sweat.
“I-I hadn’t meant to offend you father,” He mumbled. “I only wondered.”
“It is not your place to wonder.”
“My apologies father.” He said lowering his head. He was a faucet of sweat, he soon stood in a puddle.
“No apology can save you from my wrath.” His voice was scary, Odin never yelled at his children. Thor was frightened.
The All-Father raised his hand and slapped his son into his bed. The wood broke; a splint grazed Thors leg, he shrieked in pain. The gash wasn’t deep but it was wide. He was now soaking in blood and sweat. Odin raised his him with a beam of energy from his finger.
Loki crept outside the room, he observed as Odin punished his brother. A smile found its way onto his lips. He snapped his fingers and Odin stopped. He looked around, letting Thor fall to the ground.
“You crave worship by men?” he growled.
In a flash of electric indigo light Odin opened a portal, the portal showed Vikings sailing across a violent sea; a wave emerged and destroyed their ship. The image dissolved and a new one appeared, a dozen of the sailors washed up onto an unknown land.
“You want to be a god you must first earn it.” Odin informed before grabbing his son and throwing him through the portal.
Thor landed in dirt. He stood and brushed himself off. The portal was still open behind him, Loki smiled as it closed and his brother was exiled.
“Loki.” He spoke his brother’s name as if it had a sour taste.
He turned around to see the stranded Viking men staring at him, they seemed afraid. He waved his hand at them; they readied their weapons as if to attack him. He raised an eyebrow.
“What is the meaning of this?” He asked. “I wish no quarrel with any of you.”
They didn’t listen, three of them attacked, swinging axes and daggers, Thor dodged every attack. He was quick and unopposed. He kicked one of them in the back sending him face first into the dirt.
“If it is battle you wish, then I shall show thee battle.”
Another warrior charged Thor, heaving his hammer toward the Asgardians face. Thor stepped aside allowing the mans momentum to bring him down, he grabbed the hammer and threw the man into a bush. Two more advanced slowly with their shields raised.
“You shall fall to our might.” One of them threatened.
They lunged with their weapons; Thor deflected their attacks and sliced ones leg. The other swung his axe carelessly cutting off some of Thors long golden hair. Thor grabbed his hair as it fell to the ground, now he was angry.
“You should not have done that.”
Jumping off one foot and kicking the warrior in the stomach, sending him flying into a tree, Thor ended the battle. The other Vikings backed away, lowering their weapons.
“Why have you attacked me? I did nothing to provoke thee.”
A man stepped forth, “Our apologies. We thought you to be an enemy.”
“I am no enemy of yours.”
“Who are you then?” the man asked.
“I am Thor prince of Asgard.”
The Vikings thought he was playing them for fools with his answer. “Asgard, that is a land of folk tale, is this some sort of game you are trying to play?”
“I play no games, this is the truth. I am son of Odin, he has banished me to this realm of Midgard.”
They laughed. “Do you listen to yourself? Asgard does not exist my friend, you must have been hit hard on the skull.”
“No, I am being honest.” Thor tried to convince them.
“You say you’re Thor like the god of thunder?” one asked.
“Aye, I have control over the storm.” He answered proudly.
The warriors smirked, “Prove it.”
Thor hesitated he had never conjured thunder before, he knew he could but never tried. He spread his arms.
“Thunder to me!” he shouted into the sky.
Nothing happened. The men laughed as he stood hit his arms wide looking like a fool. A man walked over to the group clapping slowly.
“That was very impressive.” He teased.
His face was scarred and foul, he had a beard as long as a horses tail.
“Aaron, who is this boy?” He asked one of the other men.
“I am Thor, who are you?”
“I am Rahim, leader of this band of men.”
“You are not leader.” The on named Aaron corrected.
Rahim shot him a deadly stare.
“The boy says he’s of Asgard.” A man spoke up.
“Really, so you’re a god.”
“Yes and you shouldn’t anger me mortal.” Thor warned.
Rahim laughed, “What would you do all mighty Thor? Vaporize me? Turn me into a tree? You are no god, you are but a boy.”
Thor grabbed him by his beard; he spun around and brought the Viking to the ground, shoving his face into the dirt. The others raised their weapons again but not too high, they knew the skill of this boy.
“I am of Asgard and you shall respect me.”
Rahim tried to speak but his mouth was full of dirt. Thor released him. He stood up and swung, but he was slow, the Asgardian prince grabbed Rahim’s arm and twirled it causing him to flip and fall onto his back.
“I have no quarrel with thee, I am leaving. If you dare follow me I will spare your group no mercy.”
Thor began to walk away.
“You are a cowardly boy.” Rahim insulted.
Thor kept walking. Rahim took an ax from one of his men.
“A god would not cower from a fight.” He shouted.
Thor didn’t stop. The words brushed his ears but were ignored. Rahim hurled the ax at Thors head. It cut sideways through the air. Thor sensed its movement. Time slowed around him as he dodged the ax, grabbing it mid air turning and tossing it back at its heaver. It cut Rahim’s entire right arm off. The limb fell to the dirt as Rahim cried in agony, his warriors stared at him, as he dropped to his knees. Some tried to help him but he pushed them away.
Thor kept walking, Aaron and three other men jogged to catch up with him.
“Wait. We request to accompany you.”
“I do not know where I am headed mortal.”
“Neither do we. But we will follow you to the edge of the world.”
Thor stopped. He looked Aaron in the eyes.
“The world is not edged, but you may join me in my travels, if this is what you wish, but do take caution that there will be dangers ahead.”
Aaron patted Thors back.
“Let us set off.”
Chapter 18

Centuries passed and back on Asgard Loki wore a green robe. He stood in front of Odin who was sitting on his golden throne. Odin was dressed in his usual Asgardian attire, gold armor and a black cape. Dozens of other Asgardians surrounded them. Loki had asked for a court.
“Father, with the Odin-sleep coming so close, I think it’s wise to allow me safeguard over our realm.”
Odin looked down at him; he was old and withered but still very powerful.
“No Loki, I cannot allow that of you. I am capable of keeping us safe.”
“You will not be able to keep us safe while you sleep for a year.” Loki urged, “I am your only heir, you must allow me to be king.”
“I still have Thor, his exile will have come to an end by the time I am sleep.”
“But he will not be fit to rule, he has spent too much time with the mortals, I must be king if we wish to survive this cycle.” Loki argued.
A woman stood up, her hair black and her eyes amber, “Loki, you are not capable of being king, you’d have us all in Hel.”
He turned to her, “Then so be it, lady Sif?” he replied evilly.
Odin slammed his staff onto the ground. An image appeared above them showing Midgard, it was no longer a land of Vikings, men and women walked on cement streets, buildings as tall as towers loomed over them. The image zoomed in on the house of a lonely man; he had hair as gold as Odin’s beard and as long as a woman’s.
“Who is this pitiful mortal?” Loki questioned.
“He is your brother.”
“Thor…Impossible, he is so old and powerless.”
“His extended time on earth has disturbed his Asgardian aging, he probably doesn’t even remember where he is from it has been so long.”
The image showed him answering the door, a woman in a nurse’s uniform walked in.
“Hello Donald, how are you feeling?”
“I’m not sure, I keep seeing visions of a palace in the sky with a bridge made from a rainbow. I was young and muscular, I walked through this heavenly city wearing Viking armor and the people called me Thor, I don’t know who that is.”
She glared at him, “That is an odd dream, how long have you been having these hallucinations?”
He sat down, “For years, I thought they were only dreams but they feel so real.”
“Donald, cities don’t float.” She informed the man.
“I know they don’t nurse Foster, but it seemed so real.”
She sat next to him, “They’re only dreams, friend to friend you’ll be fine.”

The image faded. Loki let out a sinister laugh, “You believe he is able to be king, he doesn’t even know who he is.”
“He needs only to be reminded.” Odin announced.
“And who will remind him, you father?”
Odin looked around at his fellow Asgardians. “Bolder, you were once Thors closest companion, will you bring him home?”
His face lit with joy, “I can, All-father.”
“What if Donald does not remember?” Loki enquired.
“Thor…will return. if he does not then we are doomed.”
“I am still here.”
The throne room boomed with laughter. Odin waved his hand to quiet the Asgardians.
“This discussion has been settled.”
Loki’s face burned with fury, he vanished in a cloud of black smoke. Odin’s eyes glowed.
“You must go now Bolder.”
A portal opened to Midgard. Odin put his hand out, a hammer materialized in his palm. The top was as large as a cinder block but it was jammed onto a wooden shaft.
“This hammer was forged from a star, it holds the power of a god and is bounded to Thor, it shall give him control over the thunder.”
The hammer lit blue and lightning verged around it.
“Make sure he receives this hammer.”
Bolder nodded his head then grabbed the hammer but it was heavy even for his Asgardian strength. He dropped it. He leaned over and tried to lift it but could not.
“Only those who share my blood can hold the hammer.” Odin said as he picked it up with no effort, he threw it into the portal.
“Go.”
Bolder jumped through and was teleported to Midgard.

Donald Blake stood in his living room looking out the window, he watched as the rain poured on the small town of Norway; the rain pouring onto the houses like gunfire from a machine gun. Thunder boomed through the sky, seconds later lightning followed it, lighting up the dark grey sky. He stepped away from the window and sat on a sofa. He turned on his T.V. A woman stood in a shaded room she wore a glossy green crown that sat on top of flump blonde hair. She was looking directly at him. She smiled and stepped out of the T.V, Donald fell behind the couch.
“Don’t be startled Mr. Blake.” She spoke, “I am not here to hurt you, I only desire to help you.”
“Wh-who are you?” he asked crouching behind the couch.
She appeared next to him in a shower of green dust, her golden
“I am The Enchantress.” She whispered in his ear then kissed his cheek, leaving a bright red stain from her godly lipstick.
“I don’t need help.” He
She stood up putting out her hand. “But you do.”
He reached for it, his fingers nearly touched hers but a man knocked down the door. Bolder ran inside wielding a silver sword.
“Don’t you dare touch him, Aurora.” He demanded.
She pulled her hand away quickly and vanished into thin air. Bolder walked over to him and helped him stand.
“What is going on?” Donald asked puzzled.
“There is much to explain my old friend.”
Donald’s eyebrows rose, “I’m sorry but I’ve never met you a day in my life.”
“You should sit down.” Bolder advised.
They sat on the couch as Bolder explained his mission, but Donald wasn’t convinced.
“You’re lying, I am no god. I can barely stand.”
“This seems true but you’re an Asgardian, Thor the son of Odin.”
“Why am I just finding this out?”
“Like I explained you were banished from Asgard centuries ago by your father Odin.”
“My father is Erik Blake and I am from Norway. I’m sorry but you have the wrong person.”
Bolder got up and pulled his sword out; he stabbed it into the air and drew a circle. An image of a younger Thor and himself appeared, Donald observed in disbelief. He looked at the boy.
“That’s me.”
“Yes, Thor.”
Donald touched the image but it flickered, he began to tear up.
“That isn’t my name. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
Bolder stood up and walked to the door. He gripped the nob and turned around.
“I will return you home my friend.” He promised before opening the door and leaving.
Donald sat down with his face in his hands. He wanted to believe, but he couldn’t. How could a man such as himself be a god? There was nothing special about him, but it would explain his dreams.
The Enchantress reappeared in front of Donald.
“He’s telling the truth Thor, whether you believe it or not you are a god.”
She raised her hand and blew green mist over him and he was gone, seconds later so was she.

Donald woke up tied to a pole in a dark room. A light bloomed over his head, footsteps clapped off the ground. His ears rung with the laughter from a mysterious man walking towards him, the man wore a green robe, it had a yellow color and belt the bottom opened up at reveal the black pants. He had hair darker than his pants. Loki stood before him.
“Hello, brother.”
Donald’s eyes widened. “Brother? I don’t have a brother.”
Loki smirked; he walked around the pole, Enchantress walked into the light, grabbing Donald’s chin, rubbing her fingers across his face.
“He doesn’t remember a thing Loki, he poses no threat to you.”
A ball of green mist appeared in Loki’s hands, it was a projection of Asgard; Thor sat on Odin’s throne. Loki’s smile faded.
“Then why does the future show him as king?” He snarled.
“Why are you people bothering me.” Donald asked.
Loki slapped him across the face but Donald barely budged. Loki stepped back worriedly.
“He is trying to escape.” Enchantress mumbled.
“No he can’t I will not allow it.” Loki cried taking a knife from his robe. Color drained from Donald’s face as the knife was jabbed at him but it was deflected by Enchantresses magic shield, sending Loki back a few feet.
“You cannot kill him trickster.”
Loki got to his feet; he flung his hand out, throwing Enchantress across the room. He steamed with rage.
“Never do that again you swine.”
“I apologize for my insolence master.”
“But you are truthful, I cannot kill him, Odin will know and banish me, stripping me of any chance to become king.”
Donald watched as the two discussed what to do with him, he didn’t know what was going on, the only thing he knew was that something in his subconscious was trying to get out. Images of a man dressed in a blue chainmail and an electric crimson cape flew through his mind, the man floated through space landing on the bridge of rainbows. He walked the bridge until he reached a giant gate that read ‘The palace of Loki.’ The man pounded on the gateway breaking through the wooden doors, he stepped onto the ground. His eyes bore witness to the great destruction that Loki had caused. The dream ended, Loki was crouched in front of Donald.
“He try’s to warn you, doesn’t he mortal.”
“I am Thor.”
Loki squinted. “Not even close. Enchantress, send him back to his pathetic home.”
“But Lok--” She stopped; Loki glared at her as if to say, if she defied him again it would be the last time she spoke. She cast a spell that dematerialized Donald sending him back to his home. He reformed back in his living room. He broke into a heap of sweat; he rushed to his bedroom and collapsed on the bed.
Everything was grey inside his mind. He was met by the man of the hour, so to speak. Thor stood tall in front of him; he put his hand out and grabbed Donald’s shoulder. He grinned like a child on Christmas. Donald looked at him in awe and confusion.
“I understand your misperception, Mr. Blake. You must have questions galore, but I may like to discuss them in a more comfortable setting.”
Donald opened his eyes and Thor was sitting on the bed. It was unbelievable, even after all the things he’d seen today.
“What is going on?” Donald asked.
“My father has summoned me from my banishment, after centuries passed; but someone doesn’t want me to come back.”
“Loki.” He assumed.
“Aye, my adopted brother wants the throne of Asgard and he knows if I were to come back he would not be granted that honor.”
“But what does this have to do with me? I have nothing to do with these people.”
Thor looked him in the eyes, he could sense the mans frustration and worry.
“The sorceress, The Enchantress your part in this is her doing. Years ago I was in battle with her, she cast a spell and place me inside of your subconscious mind. I was forgotten by my people, thought to be dead by my father but was all along inside of you.”
“But why? Why me?” Donald pressed.
“I do not know, it is most apparently apart of Loki’s scheme, if he can make it that I never return to Asgard then he will be king.”
“Then go.”
Thor frowned, “It is not that simple, for me to leave you would have to cease to exist.”
Worry crept through Donald’s face. “Why not let Loki be king?”
“Because he is evil, he could never be king of Asgard, he’d destroy everything.”
“I don’t want to die.”
“There is another way. You could come with me to Asgard.”
Donald thought for a moment, he didn’t want to die but he also did not want to leave earth. But he knew those were his only options.
“I will go with you.”
Thor’s face lit up with thrill.
“But how will we get to Asgard?” Donald asked.
“Bolder, he was here earlier, ready to take me. I believe he is still on Midgard. I shall call him.”
Thor walked out of the room. He stepped outside of the house, he prayed for Bolder to come to him, and in a flash of light the Asgardian Stood in front of his brother in arms.
“Thor?” He asked doubtfully.
“Aye, Bolder it is I.” He chuckled putting his hand out, “It has been so long my old friend.”
Bolder smiled and grabbed Thors arm, “Too long. I would like to tell you of the troubles I’ve got into in your absence.”
“Later, friend. Now we must return to Asgard, I must have words with my father.”
“Of course, lets get going.”
“A moment, we must wait for Donald Blake.”
Bolder looked at him baffled. He was under the impression that Blake and Thor were one in the same person. But suddenly Donald stepped from his door.
“Hello Bolder, Thor, are we leaving?”
“Indeed, Bolder open the portal.”
“Thor a mortal cannot venture into Asgard, it is against the bylaws have you forgotten?”
“I have not but surely Odin will allow it just this once seeing as I was Mr. Blake not many hours ago.”
“I hope you’re right, but there is somewhere we need to stop before the portal can be opened, the All-father has given me a gift for you.”
“Why do we wait, let us go.” Thor declared.
“Yes, but let’s use a more human way of transportation. I have a car.”
Donald led them to the car. It was quite small and the Asgardians were rather large. Bolder looked at the car bitterly, and then snapped his fingers and they vanished into thin air. Seconds later they were standing on a construction site. Cranes carried concrete tubes over their heads, dozers pushed dirt into piles. Donald looked around at the site there were towers surrounding them, thousands of feet above ground. People honked their car horns as they sat in traffic. Donald could taste the sourness of every citizen in the area. He turned to Bolder,
“Are we in New York?”
“I am not up to date on the villages of Midgard.”
“Well why are we here?” He asked
Bolder’s eyes swept the construction site until they fixed on a group of men encircled around something. He pointed over to them.
“The gift is there.”
Donald walked over to the group of men; they were all beefed up and looked like they’d taking steroids since they were toddlers. Donald squeezed through them trying to see what they were swarmed around, he caught glimpse of a man struggling to pick up a hammer from the ground. He wore a dark blue jumpsuit with purple gloves and boots. Must have been an American fashion Donald thought to himself. A second man put his hand on the lifters shoulder, he was dressed in tattered work jeans and what once could have been a plain white tee shirt but was now covered in dirt stains and sweat.
“I knew you couldn’t lift da ting Dirk.” The grimy man said.
Dirk was furious, he let go of the hammer balled his fist and nailed the other guy in the jaw sending him flying into a steel beam.
“You better watch who you’re talking to Calusky, ‘member I can still lay you out.”
“Sorry boss man.” He said while rubbing his jaw.
Dirk looked at the other two men as if waiting for a challenge from one of them. They looked at their feet and whistled, avoiding getting hit by the bruiser. One was brown skinned with a tight green shirt and an old eighties Afro. He was less bullish than his companions and looked like he didn’t belong with them. The other had muscles that ripped his shirt and jeans. Dirk noticed Donald cowering behind them.
“Henry, who’s this chump?” He asked the stocky guy.
Henry looked at the scrawny man, he was trying to put a name to his face but couldn’t. After thirty agonizingly long seconds of the brute trying to figure out who Donald was he simply said, “I donno Dirk, maybe we should ask him.”
The leader face palmed himself and mumbled something quietly.
Donald trying to stay out of the spotlight backed away from the group but Dirk followed him. He tripped over a pile of dirt; the group formed a new circle around him. Dirk grabbed his shirt and pulled him up above their heads, nearly eight feet in the air.
“What’s your name pipsqueak?”
Donald looked around searching for Bolder and Thor. He caught them walking towards the hammer.
“I’m D-donald, I-I don’t want any trouble.” He stammered scarily.
“Trouble?” Dirk asked innocently, “I wasn’t going to give ya trouble, pal.” He started to lower Donald, but he stopped and smiled at the other three men. They all smiled back like they were all thinking the same thought.
“If you insist.”
The color left Donald’s face. “What?” he asked as he was thrown to the ground.
He screamed in agony as his bad leg snapped, the bone stuck out of his skin. He watched as the four men toward over him, they raised their fist ready to decapitate him.
Thor looked over his shoulder, he saw the men bashing on the frail being, but he couldn’t do anything to stop them because he wasn’t actually there. He was a spiritual image that only Donald and Bolder could see. He winced as he watched Donald get beaten by the men.
“Bolder would you not aid him?”
Bolder shook his head, “I cannot, you know the Asgardian law; we are bound not to help mortals.”
“You disappoint me, I believed you to be better than other gods. If you will not aid him, I shall.”
“How? You can’t touch them.”
But Thor had disappeared seconds before Bolder uttered the sentence. Donald lay on the ground battered and bloody, the four men stood over him with stupid grins. Dirk cracked his knuckles.
“I’ll finish him boys.”
He grabbed a crowbar from the ground and raised it over his head. It cast a shadow over Donald’s face. Dirk brought the crowbar down with enough power to split a car in half. As it sped towards him, Donald rolled out of the way with such speed that the crowbar was still in the air as he was standing up. Dirk nearly fell over as he missed his target and hit nothing but air.
“What in da world??” Calusky exclaimed, “How’d he move dat fast?”
Donald stood up, even though he shouldn’t be able to move after the beating he had just received. He looked Dirk directly in the eye.
“I insist you cower back into whatever hole that you dug yourself out of.” Donald warned the beastly men.
“Or what punk?” Dirk asked.
Donald balled his fist, his answer was clear. Henry charged him in an attempt to tackle him. Crashing his own body into Donald’s but when they collided it was as if he ran into an iron wall. Donald brushed him aside; Elliot attacked next swinging his giant fist through the air. They smashed through the air, creating gust of wind. Donald dodged swiftly as if a trained warrior had shown him all he knew within the last twelve seconds ago. The Afro man grew tired and slumped over on his knees trying to sell his forgiveness but Mr. Blake wasn’t dishing out mercy. He smacked Elliot down, his face slamming into the ground. Dirk looked at Henry nervously.
“This guy must be one of dem mutants.” He exclaimed.
Donald lunged at Dirk pushing Henry aside like he was a stack of wooden blocks; he hit a tube cracking it. Donald grabbed Dirk by the neck lifting him off his feet.
“You should have heeded my warning, you petty insect.” Donald growled.
He threw the bull like man into the sky. It seemed like minutes passed before Dirk landed hard on the ground.
“Have you had enough?”
“Y-yes.” He replied before passing out. Donald put him down and walked over to Bolder, who was not impressed.
“Art thou done?”
Thor reappeared smiling as Donald slumped over into his arms.
“How am I still alive?”
Thor brushed the question aside and walked over to the hammer. He gazed at it, his hand drifted towards its shaft. Electricity crackled around it. The taste of iron trickled across his tongue. He grabbed it and pulled with all of his strength but couldn’t pick it up. Concern raced across Bolder’s face.
“What manner of joke is this?” Thor asked as he struggled to lift the hammer.
“I don’t understand either, Odin told that it could only be picked up by someone who shared his blood.”
“Then why am I unable to raise it?” He whined.
Bolder examined him; his voice cracked and his eyes flickered from blue to green. Bolder stepped away; he pulled his sword from its sheath, pointing it at Thor.
“Thou aren’t the Odinson.” He declared.
Thor stopped tugging on the hammer; he stared evilly at his fellow Asgardian.
“No?” He asked innocently as his body shifted, his muscles grew smaller, his face slimmer and his hair dyed from blonde to black instantly. A golden cape fell from his shoulders and wrapped around his waist like a belt holding up his green jeans. Bolder gripped his sword tight.
“Trickster.” He snarled at who was once Thor but was now his adopted brother Loki.
A smile flashed Loki’s lips. He grabbed Bolder’s sword causing it to disintegrate into dust.
“Yours truly, dearest.” He laughed as the sand turned to mud sinking the Asgardian and solidifying into cement.
“Where is Thor?” Bolder demanded.
Loki walked over to Donald who was lying on the ground barely alive. Loki lifted him by his hair.
“He is secluded in the deepest depths of this mortals mind.”
Bolder looked at Donald who was starting to wake up. His arm twitched but Loki didn’t notice.
“So he is alive.”
“Of course you simpleton, I still need him.”
Bolder walked towards them but Loki was cautious, the dirt grew from the ground into fist threatening to pummel the Asgardian. Bolder backed away.
“May I speak to him?”
Loki chuckled. “He is far from this world, he sleeps inside the mind of this fragile man.”
He continued laughing not paying attention to Donald Blake who slowly rose from the dirt. His face wasn’t as gentle as it was before; he was enraged. His shadow seemed bigger, like it was projecting someone else.
“Thor.” Bolder mumbled.
“Yes it’s sad I know.” Loki said unknowingly.
Donald grabbed Loki by his hair pulling him back. Loki turned to see a fist hurling at his face. Quickly he used his magic to create a magic shield around him, Donald’s fist bounced off harmlessly but it did not stop him. He raised both of his hands in the air, gripping them together like he was holding a sword; he brought them down onto Loki’s shield smashing through it forcing the god of tricks to the ground.
“What?” Loki asked shocked.
Donald opened his mouth to speak but the words were not his they were that of a god. Words of Thor.
“Loki you dare impersonate me, dare play me for a fool for your own selfishness.”
He crawled back in fear. “Brother I was only doing what I thought best for you. Forgive me and we can forget about this treacherous joke.”
“No, this has gone on far too long, you shall face punishment from Odin.”
Loki’s face flooded with anger. His poisonous green eyes burned bright and a staff materialized in his hands. He stood up and pointed it at Donald.
“You may have the spirit of Thor residing in you but your body is still weak and mortal, you cannot stop me without risking the life of this pitiful human.”
Thor wasn’t listening he stepped forward, his fist balled and arms stiff. Bolder observed still faced with the dirt fist that had minds of their own, not needing Loki’s command to attack.
“You do not frighten me son of Laufey.”
Loki gripped the spear with both of his hands, a stream of power flooded from the tip hitting Donald. It sent him back with ease. “Never breath my fathers name!” Loki shouted.
“THOR!” Bolder cried thinking his friend was destroyed but the Asgardian prince stood unharmed. A electric crimson cape fell from his broad shoulders, his hair long and sunlight blonde; his pants were tattered brown rags. He was no longer confined to the body of Donald Blake. He was larger, stronger. Mightier.
Though he stood without a wound he shed the body of the mortal that had once cocooned his essence. Donald Blake laid spread out in the dirt like a kite that couldn’t handle the spring breeze. Thor knelt down next to his fallen companion as he dissolved into nothingness he attempted to speak.
“Thor…” he choked out.
A tear slid down the Asgardians face. “What is it my friend?”
Donald could make no sound but Thor knew what he was trying to say. His eyes closed and his body shivered. A glow of a faint blue light covered him. The body of Donald Blake slowly dissolved leaving Thor kneeling on one knee his hands empty. His godly hands, they began to glow the same faint blue that covered Donald’s body. But there was something odd about this glow. The air got thick and the clouds grew restless. The wind picked up blowing his cape rashly. The fist of dirt Loki created were blown apart with ease, the trickster himself could barely stand, same went for Bolder who tried to walk towards Thor but the wind was too strong. Thor dropped his other knee. His eyes radiated a bright blue. Sparks popped out of his blue sockets. Moments passed, the son of Odin kneeled as a storm raged around him, rain pouring onto the construction site, the dirt turning to mud. The air crackled with lightning, thunder rumbled through the city echoing back to Thor. He looked at Loki who had snuck over to where the hammer sat buried in the mud.
“LOKI!” Thor bellowed. “I would have words with thee.”
The storm stopped for a second, a swift second. But then Thor balled his fist. He unleashed his power; a sphere of lightning surrounded him. Then it expanded like a super nova. Bolder was blasted into the streets crashing through a car and sliding across the pavement in front of a bus. He stood up shocking the driver. The bus collided with the body of an Asgardian, the front of the bus crumbled. Bolder stepped back; the bus driver was knocked unconscious at the wheel. Bolder looked behind the bus to see a sea of cars and trucks hitting another.
He looked back to see the construction site crumbled down. Beams fell from the highest points smashing into the ground around Thor. The mortals who had attacked Donald woke up as a whole floor of cement fell above them. They raised their arms and squealed for help. The floor crushed them.
Thor didn’t notice any of the chaos as he walked toward Loki who was shielding himself with a thick layer of black mist.
“Brother, you have truly outdone yourself.” He said smirking. “I understand your wanting to bring me to Odin, but clearly you can see the damage you’ve done.”
Thor stopped and looked around at the chaos. Citizens fled from Bolder who was trying to calm the situation. Six police cars surrounded him, officers pointing their handguns at the Asgardian. A giant aircraft appeared in the sky out of nowhere. The sound of a mans voice came from the ship.
“Everyone remain calm. You’re safe, do not panic.”
Loki laughed at the words from the massive vessel. He floated into the air leaving a trail of black mist. He reached the height of the aircraft. A mischievous grin spread across his face. Lightning flashed around him but didn’t come into contact with him. His magic protected him. Thor watched from the ground as his adopted brother taunted the mortals.
“Don’t lie to your own people, they are not safe.”
He raised his arms above his head, his staff appeared in his palms. The sky shifted colors from a stormy grey to a devilish red. The storm seized to exist. Instead of lightning now boulders engulfed in flames hurtled down to the city. They burst through buildings and bridges, destroying streets and totaling vehicles. The cold rain turned to blazing vapor. Loki pointed his staff of mischief at the aircraft.
“Your god bids you well mortals.” He said as a black beam of destructive magic tore threw the ships hull from front to back.
The ship tilted over and fell out of the sky. It plunged toward the Statue of Liberty.
“Thor!” Bolder shouted from across the street surrounded by policemen. “Lift the hammer!”
The prince of Asgard gazed at the hammer. What could be so special about a stick a stone? He walked over to it; despite all of the carnage around him he was calm. He looked down at the mallet.
“Father,” he said as he grabbed the hilt with one hand, there was a loud hum. He tugged on it lightly. “You always” He used more of his strength, the muscles in his arm tensed as he lifted the hammer. “Knew how did have the best taste in weapons.” A smile flickered his lips but was stripped away when a flaming rock hit him. The heat seared his skin. Flames crawled across his body. Thor was covered in fire. Loki looked down at him smiling madly. His eyes flickered green and yellow.
“Yes.” He whispered.
But Thor was not finished. He had only just begun. He lifted the hammer in the sky. A sky that was once blue then grey now red.
“Loki.” He said, “Witness the power of a true god.”
Loki froze in air his shield of mist shuttered as the sky faded from his flaming red masterpiece to a swirling vortex of clouds.
“THUNDER, TO ME!” Thor bellowed at the sky.
The sky rumbled louder than before, rain poured harder and the wind blew faster. But the lightning, it was mightier. A bolt. No a torrent of yellow lightning beamed through the sky hitting Loki. Forcing its way through his magic, blasting him in the chest and dragging him down to where Thor stood with his new hammer holding it like a baseball bat. Loki was the baseball. Thor swung with enough strength to drill a whole into a planet. Loki was lucky for his shield, which took most of the impact but not all of it. The blow sent him flying through buildings and towers. He smashed through the living rooms and bathrooms of the citizens of New York.
“Tis what happens when you impersonate me brother.” Thor said.
Loki reappeared in a shower of mist. He limped over and looked at Thor with pure hatred.
“That is all?!” He asked frustrated. “I murdered your mortal, destroyed this city and you are only upset because I acted as you?”
“You’re right.”
“Of course I am. I’m Loki God of—”
Thors threw his hammer hitting the god of whatever in his chest. Loki went flying into a fence. His touch melted the metal into a puddle.
“You’ve grown soft.” He spit.
The hammer floated back to Thors hand. He marched over to Loki swinging his weapon easily as a lasso.
“There is much more for thee.”
He raised his hammer still spinning it. Just as he brought it down to crush Loki it was stopped by an invisible force field, it was too strong to be Loki’s and Thor didn’t sense his brother’s magic at work.
“Hey, Zeus is it?” Asked a man in a red and gold armor. Iron Man.
Thor turned around to see a group of men all wearing colorful costumes.
“I don’t think Zeus uses a hammer.” Said Hawkeye who had three arrows nocked in his bow.
Thor looked back at Loki who had turned slipped into the shadow Thor was casting. He rematerialized floating above a pile of debris.
“Looks as if your hands are full brother. But before I depart, I’ll take these.” He flicked his fingers and the bodies of the crew that was buried under the pile of wreckage broke through glowing green from Loki’s magic.
“Loki! You shall answer to Odin.” He shouted at the sky. He raised his hammer to shoot a bolt of lightning but was stopped by a blur of red, white and blue. Captain America grabbed his shield out of the air as it boomeranged back towards him.
“Stand down pal, before this gets uglier.”
Thor glared at him in rage then threw his hammer at the Captain so fast not even his advanced reflexes could save him.
“Do not touch me mortal.”
Cap took flew back a few feet but flipped in midair and landed on his feet. The others attacked Thor. Iron Man shot him with his Unibeam but Thor blocked with his hammer sending the blast ricocheting back at its owner.
“Argh.” Tony cried.
“You shouldn’t have done that.” Hawkeye warned as he let his arrows fly. But Thor was quick he smacked two of the archers arrows and grabbed the third.
“Sticks? You attack a god with sticks?”
A smile crept at the edge of Hawkeyes lips he had been counting in his head.
“Three.” He said as the arrow exploded in Thors face sending him skittering thirty yards across the construction site, which had seen enough battle for one day. He stood still, his eyes fixed on the archer like daggers. He gripped his hammer in both hands then charged. Hawkeye didn’t try to move; he didn’t even ready another arrow.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
Twenty yards, ten, five, two, that was close enough he thought.
“Hank.” Hawkeye said nervously.
But just as Thor swung his hammer Hank Pym grew from his ant size to twelve feet tall tackling the Asgardian and knocking his hammer out of his hands. Thor grabbed Hanks arms and thrashed him around. Being six feet taller Hank thought he would have an advantage but was wrong, Thor was just as strong as himself. Captain America crouched by Iron Man who was trying to reboot his armor. Cap observed Thor.
“He isn’t the enemy.” Cap declared.
“Well he’s not a friend either.” Tony muffled threw his armor. “He shut down my suit and hit you.”
“We provoked it.”
There was silence, Tony didn’t like agreeing with the old man but he knew cap was right.
“Ok, I’m powered up again.” His suit came to life.
“Halt Avengers.” Cap ordered.
Hawkeye dodge a swing from Thor and Hank grabbed him from behind. Thor flipped the giant man over his shoulders and booted the archer away.
“That’s it buddy.” Hank said irritated.
He tapped his helmet and thousands of army ants crawled out of the ground. They made a sea around Thor and started to encase his body. Climbing up his legs and waist. Thor raised his hammer in one hand as the ants closed in on his body. Hank patted Hawkeye on the back.
“No one can break away from an ant body case.”
They chuckled but were stopped short when a bolt of lightning struck Thors hammer, electrifying the ants and blasting the two heroes on their butts.
“Thou shall regret that.” Thor told them.
“Oh for the sake of England.” Tony said before blasting Thor again with his Unibeam. This time The Asgardian didn’t see it coming and was once again knocked back ten yards.
“Everyone settle down. Now.” Captain America demanded.
Thor stood a few meters away from them, his cape waving in the wind.
“You got a name son?” Cap asked.
They stared one another down, a silent battle between man and Asgardian. After several moments of silence Hawkeye tapped Captain Americas shoulder.
“So does he have a name or?” He whispered.
“My people call me Thor, you are not my people.” He swung his hammer and hoisted it into the air. The wind ripped him off of the ground and he flew out of sight. Iron Man prepared to follow him but Cap pulled him back.
“He’s not the enemy, Tony.”

Chapter 19

Hours later Thor stood outside the under the Norway sky. The moon didn’t shine neither did the stars. The only source of light was coming from a burning house. Firemen rushed out the front door as it exploded. They carried the body of Donald Blake. A crowd gathered around to witness the destruction. Thor looked down to see a woman praying, tears flowing from her eyes like a never-ending river. It was Donald’s nurse.
“Jane Foster?”
She looked up at the prince. His cape and hair fluttered in the wind, his face lit up from the fires blaze. She wiped her tears away and got up brushing herself off.
“Who are you?”
Thor remembered that he was no longer in the body of Donald Blake, this woman didn’t know him, but he knew her, he knew her too well.
“I’m a friend of Donald’s. He’s told me much of you.”
“Really?” She blushed. “I didn’t know he had friends.”
“Sadly he didn’t have many.”
Balder stood in the road, a portal open behind him.
“I have to go Jane Foster, should we meet again farewell.” He walked toward the other Asgardian. Jane crossed her arms and watched the mysterious man leave. Thor took a final glance at the scene. The flame started to die and smoke rose, it made a face, the face of a trickster. Thors face turned grim at the sight of his brothers’ face. They stepped through the portal on the other side was a rainbow bridge and a giant golden gate. They were in Asgard, after centuries of being away Thor was home. He took a deep breath expecting to take in the godly fumes, but instead his lungs were clouded with smoke and sulfur. His eyes stung but he kept them open. What he saw was unbelievable. Asgard was under attack.
The sky was filled with an armada of alien ships. They were the same ships that had attacked Jotunhiem all those years ago. Thor took to the sky, his hammer dragging him through the smoky clouds. Bolder started to laugh maniacally. He walked across the bridge, his Asgardian armor changing into green yellow and black garbs. His hair turned from a light brown to a shadowy black. Loki stopped in front of the first gate. His staff appeared on the bridge but quickly turned into a boulder the size of a skyscraper. Loki took a step back, he used one hand to lift the boulder with the help of his sorcery. He pulled the rock down and destroyed the bridge. The rainbow bridge had been shattered; the gates collapsed and fell into the vortex of space that it once floated above of. The boulder shifted back into a staff, it flew into Loki’s hands. His smile was scary, the smile of a power hungry psychopath.
Thor heard the destruction but it was the least of his worries, the ships lay siege to Asgard, powerful cannons shot red energy beams at the kingdom. Thor watched as a hole was shot through the house of Odin. That was enough. Thor sped up and went through one ship causing it to crash into another. He spun his hammer, bolts of lightning shot from the sky hitting three ships, they all exploded causing shock waves that made the other ships power down. Except one, a vessel bigger than the rest turned it’s cannon on Thor. It shot Thor with a silver light, he dropped his hammer and fell through the air unconscious. He and the hammer hit the ground creating a crater.
He opened his eyes everything was blurred.
“Thor.” Odin’s voice said. “It is ok my son, rest. I will finish this.”
His eyes shut. Loki and four brutes stood over Thor.
“Can we kill him?” Dirk asked.
Loki looked at him with disgust. “No, I told you my plan. Thors time will come mortal, and so won’t yours if you do not listen. Grab him and follow me.”
Dirk grabbed Thor by his leg and dragged him as he tailed his master.
The ships were no longer firing upon the city. Loki and his henchmen walked through the rubble. A family huddled together next to a destroyed building. Loki walked over to them.
“Are you ok?” He asked
“Loki, save us.” The father said.
The trickster looked up at the ships, he waved his hand and they all disintegrated. He looked back at the family, their faces turned from fear to relief. Loki waved his hand and the building was restored to its former glory. He waved his hand and everything was instantly back to normal.
“How…?” The mother asked in amazement.
Loki didn’t answer but disappeared in a yellow mist. His brutes vanished too, with Thor.
The brutes appeared in a dark cave, there was a cage made of black metal, a faint glow surrounded it. Dirk opened it and threw Thor inside; he woke up as the door closed.
“What…what’s the meaning of this?” He stammered.
“You’re under arrest.” Henry laughed.
“Yeah, Loki’s orders.” Calusky added.
“Loki…Asgard. What has he done?!”
They ignored him. He grabbed the bars but was blown back. The faint glow got stronger; it was Loki’s green mist. The mortals walked away, leaving Thor yelling in the cage.
“I cannot be held captive!” He shouted. “HEAR ME BROTHER I WILL BE FREE!”
Dirk turned around and closed stone door. Thor was alone, a prisoner to the master of trickery.

Part 5 The Avengers
Chapter 20

Meanwhile on earth, the rain drizzled lightly over New York City, the night sky was burdened with thick grey clouds that hid the moonlight. On the streets Captain America and Hawkeye pursued a man dressed in a black catlike costume. He was fast, faster than Cap who could outrun a cheetah with ease. The chase began at 48th Street, Hells Kitchen; They were now racing down 6th Avenue. There was barely any traffic and the sidewalks weren’t full of pedestrians; it was a great night for hunting.
Hawkeye slid across the wet cement readying his bow and plucking an arrow from his nearly empty quiver. Cap tailed the dark figure. Hawkeye aimed down the feline-man, yeah he was sixty yards ahead, yeah there were rain drops gathered on his eye lashes and the target was moving quick but Clint Barton never missed. It was a straight shot. There was no way he could. He released the arrow sending it sailing past Captain Americas winged head, ripping through the air. He sharp tip threatened it’s targets back but the man, still running, turned around in a flash and grabbed the arrow out of the air and pitched it at Cap, who had just caught up to him. Cap nearly had time to put his shield up but it didn’t help the arrow was designed to unload a net when it hit an object. Rope burst out of the arrow entangling Steve, dropping him like a heavy load.
Clint ran up next to him and cut the rope, leaving the cat man to escape, climbing up and building and disappearing into the shadows.
“Dammit.” Clint said irritated. “Twice, this is the second time that guys gotten the drop on us Cap.”
“It’s fine Hawk. We’ll catch him next time.”
“Yeah, whatever Cap.” The rope tore and Clint helped his fellow Avenger off the ground. A tone rung in his earpiece, Tony Stark was on the other end of a private frequency.
“Stevie boy let the cat outta the bag.”
Captain America looked at his teammate confused.
“Sure thing.” He said ending the call. He turned to see Cap scolding at him. “What?”
Cap grinned, “What did Stark say?”
“Some jazz about a press conference in D.C. ”
“We better get going, I’ll call the jet.”

Tony, Hank and Janet stood on stage in the House chamber at Capitol Hill in front of dozens of government officials including President Barack Obama, General Thaddeus Ross and news reporters. Tony stood behind the podium; his dress suit matched the smooth polished wood. The Pym’s sat on his right. S.H.I.E.L.D agents Nick Fury and Natasha Romanova were on his left.
“Mr. Stark.” Spoke General Ross. “Where is the rest of your team?”
Tony looked at his watch and then at the doors at the front of the room, he had called Clint eight minutes ago, they should be here by now. Assuming they took the Quinjet, an advanced aircraft Tony built to get the team around the country faster than they could riding ants.
“I assure you general, they’ll be here soon. But until then I would like to make an announcement.”
“Have you bought Hollywood yet?” A woman asked mockingly
“Actually that was on my to do list for next week, but no this announcement is a serious matter. With last months freak storm incident spanning all around the world and with us being the source of such a cataclysmic event other countries are starting to think we have advanced technology that can alter the global weather and increase the risk of natural disasters.”
“But that isn’t the case.” Hank chimed in. “We were in caught in the middle of some sort of brawl between supernatural forces, the entire planet was hit by this anomaly. I noticed it Tuesday, the energy levels were off the charts, nothing earth has ever seen before, not even what the Nazi’s were producing back in forty-five. If the storm had been any worse the entire atmosphere would have collapsed. It was like some sort of cosmic radiation.”
“Dr. Pym, are you implying that we were invaded by aliens?” A second reporter asked, giggling.
At that instant Steve Rogers walked through the door his shield slung across his back, wearing his American flag patterned uniform, his mask was draped down his back. Clint was behind him wearing a white t-shirt with navy blue jeans and deep purple-shaded sunglasses, his quiver and bow were strapped around his shoulders.
“No, not aliens. Asgardians.” Steve said firmly.
“Nice of you to join us, Captain Rogers, would you kindly be seated.” The President recommended.
“Of course sir.”
He and Clint sat down next to Janet. They smelled like hotdogs and body odor.
“What Tony and Hank are implying is that we witnessed the power of a Norse God, an Asgardian.”
“A God?” Ross asked puzzled, “Rogers this isn’t a church, save that talk for Sundays.”
“With all due respect general, I’d watch your tongue.” Steve shot back with a disrespectful look.
The two knew each other for a year now. When they first met Steve knew he would but heads with the General and ever since that day he continued to be proven right. General Ross was one of the many men who didn’t agree with superheroes, he didn’t think they could be trusted or even given the authority to do what they did, save lives. Cap believed otherwise.
“Captain Rogers,” President Obama said trying not to smile. “Are you positive this was a Norse god?”
“Absolutely, Mr. President. He said his name was Thor and he displayed incredible power, my team wasn’t able to stop him from escaping.”
“Ok, we will talk more on this subject at a later point in time. And since we’re all gathered here we can discuss whether or not the Avengers are an asset to the United States or just another superhero team that does what they want without authorization from the government.”
Chatter broke loose amongst the men in women inside the House chamber; many have been wondering this question since the formation of the team. Hank stood up.
“Mr. President, the Avengers are not soldiers, we aren’t going work for the government or military, we’ve already discussed this with Director Nicholas Fury. Isn’t that right Nick?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Hank has stated numerous times that the Avengers are a self-operating group, they are willing to help us but not take orders.” Nick admitted.
“So there isn’t any need for them?” General Ross asked.
Steve leaned forward, “General, do you have a problem with my team?”
“I’m only saying that we don’t need another unlicensed group of superheroes running around doing what the military and S.H.I.E.L.D already do.”
Tony laughed, “Can either of them handle major threats like the one we faced Friday? General, we formed the Avengers as an answer to super powerful threats like Victor Von Doom, Hydra, the Hulk and any other enemies too powerful for the Army.”
“Face it, Ross, you need us.” Clint said spinning a pencil in his fingers.
The general’s expression stiffened. His mustache rose higher on his face and his cheeks turned pink. A smile spread across the Presidents face but his joy was stripped away by the sound of an explosion. Everyone took cover, except the Avengers who had already bolted out the doors. They ran outside to see four large men in ridiculous colored spandex smashing cars and destroying buildings.
“These guys again.” Clint said readying his bow and a special arrow. “Can I please blow em all to smithereens this time?”
“After we find out what they want.” Steve stated.
“Always gotta be a boy scout. They call themselves the wrecking crew, they are wrecking. Now it’s time for us to Avenge.”
“I like the way you think Barton.” Tony said as his armor had been signaled, it flew in from New York, he had Jarvis on standby just in case something happened. The armor dressed Tony technopathically. Hank and Janet shrunk down. Steve put his mask on and strapped his shield to his right arm. They charged the Wrecking Crew but stopped. The leader of the group (the Wrecker, formerly known as Dirk) dropped his crowbar.
“Fellas, it’s been a while.” he said it as if they were old friends.
Clint ruffled his nose, “What?”
“We’ve come to turn ourselves in.” His partner Calusky added.
“Yeah, we just had to get your attention.”
“You guys believe this?” Janet asked.
“A little bit,” Clint admitted. “There’s something about their voices that make them sound sincere.”
Stark nodded his iron helmet. “Like one of my nanny Sophie’s lullabies mixed with Beethoven’s fifth symphony.”
Cap scratched his head. “More like if a homemade apple pie could sing the national anthem, that’s their voices.”
“Men are such dull minded creatures, don’t you agree dear?” The voice of the Asgardian sorceress the Enchantress whispered into Janet’s ear.
Jan shrunk to her wasp size, her two-inch wings sprout out of her back and her stingers activated. As she shrunk the beautiful mistress of magic appeared in front of her.
“Greetings Mrs. Pym.”
Everything froze in time except for the two of them. Hawkeye was kissing his bow, Steve was about to give Tony a hug and Hank was nowhere in sight but Jan bet he was in the process of flirting with a praying mantis.
“Ms.— umm, I don’t know who you are but get ready for a major beat down.”
Enchantress was amused. She had studied the Wasp. Her powers were nothing to a goddess’s. Janet stuck both her hands out releasing a sting that would’ve knocked the sorceress on her back but she waved her hand knocking the blast aside.
“My apologize darling but I don’t like to get into the dirty aspect of this business, now since you’ve forced my hand I’ll allow my allies to best you.”
The Wrecking Crew unfroze, they laughed as their mistress vanished into her own shadow. Janet stood facing four behemoths, her teammates no longer still but they were under the spell the witch cast upon them. She backed up nervously.
“Ok, four against one. This should be fun!” She said enthusiastically but shaken.
She shrunk down to the size of a cellphone, her wings sprouted from her back, nine centimeters long. They flapped rapidly shooting her into the air. The Wrecker tried to grab her out of the air but their hands were blasted with her Anaphylaxis sting. It wasn’t the most effective against brutes such as these but it slowed them down.
Wasp was hovering above them, observing the battle ground. Her teammates were helpless as The Wrecking crew surrounded them. Henry held a long chain, attached to it was a marble wrecking ball the size of a pickup truck. He swung it over his head, his grip tight and his palms white. He was going to crush Clint, Tony, and Steve and all Wasp was going to do was watch. She was firing her stingers but they were harmless against the man beast. He loosened his grip on the chain flinging the ball into the sky, the chain slid from his hands until he clutched the last three links dragging the ball down full force. Jan covered her face.
There was a bang. The Wasp peaked, worst-case scenario her fellow Avengers had been flattened into the cement. To her surprise this wasn’t the case. Standing six feet tall with a beard that would make the manliest man cry tears of joy. He held a sword that was as long as a street sign pole, and wore armor that shined brighter than close ranged stars over a glimmering blue sea.
“Thou shall not harm these mortals.” He barked at the Wrecking Crew. They backed away as he swung his sword, slicing air particles to dust.
“Hey, who do ya think you are?” Wrecker asked pointing his crowbar at the warrior.
“I am one you would not want to do battle with.”
Janet flew back to the ground and grew to her normal five foot six inches. Captain America was shaking off the effects of the Enchantresses spell; the others weren’t having such luck. Hawkeye was giving his arrows sweet nicknames; Ironman flew into the sky and started playing Adele’s ‘Rolling in the Deep’ through his suits speakers. The entire city was shocked to hear the strumming of guitar strings, followed by a woman’s raspy voice.
“I love this song.” Elliot said with a pleased grin.
“Then enjoy it, for it shall be the last you hear after I slice your ears from your skull.” The man raised his sword jabbing it toward Dirk. At the same moment Cap finally the spell from his mind, when he heard the threat he slipped his shield from his shoulders and put it in front of the unidentified warrior.
“Not today, pal. We don’t do things that way.”
He lowered his sword; a smile slicked its way across Dirks lips.
“That’s it, take your orders from a mortal, it is what you were sent here to do wasn’t it?”
“Argh!” The man growled. He pushed Captain America on the ground and lunged at Dirk. His blade met a crowbar. The mans face darkened, his eyes were full of shock.
“Impossible.” He said under his breath. He was face to face with Dirk who was holding his weapon with both hand, his muscles tore through his shirt. He looked behind him at his partners.
“You’re strong little man, but not as strong as all of us.”
Calusky ran his shoulder into the man, sending him crashing through two buildings. He slammed into a third, cracking the wall. He dropped the hilt of his sword, the blade was splintered the pieces scattered around his feet. He passed out from the sudden impact. The wrecking crew followed him through the rubble.
“Steve we gotta help him before something terrible happens.”
Cap grabbed his shield, “I’ve got this Wasp. You get the others some help and find Hank.”
He sprinted after them as Janet flew up to Ironman who was still playing Adele songs. ‘Someone like you’ blared though the speakers. She cuffed her small hands and yelled, but she was basically mute. Her hands started to glow bright yellow, her sting hit Tony in the weakest part of his armor. A place no man should ever feel the paralyzing sting of the Wasp.
The music was cut off and replaced by a scream that would wake a sleeping jungle. Ironman fell from the sky landing hard in the street. Wasp followed him.
“Please be ok.” She said repeatedly.
She grew back to her normal height and kneeled next to Tony who’s mask was open, he was sweating bullets.
“I will never hit on you again.” He wheezed.
“Are you ok?”
“Yeah, yeah just give me a minute.” He tried to get up but his suit needed to reboot.
“Hurry it up tin man, we still gotta de-hypnotize Hank and Clint.”
Hank had grown into Giant Man, but he wasn’t the only one with a height modification. Eight Ants were the size of cars. They chased people through the streets and stomped over cars.
“What in the colonies is going on, Jan?” Tony asked as he got up
“Honestly, I’m not sure. Where’s Clint?”
She looked around frantically until her eyes fixed on a pile of clothes that belonged to Clint Barton. His t-shirt and jeans sat on the steps of Capitol Hill; they were glazed in ant saliva. But he was nowhere insight.
“Hey Mrs. Pym, a little help over here.” Tony shouted. An ant held him in the air with its pincers, trying to crack him open like a human walnut. Still at her regular height she harnessed her sting. Its yellow glow grew darker, she figured the bigger she was the more powerful the blast would be. She let out the energy and disintegrated the insect. Tony fell on his metal butt and looked up at her, he was a bit terrified at how much power she just displayed.
“C’mon,” She said. “We gotta find Hawkeye.”
As if he had been waiting to be cued in, an arrow landed inches away from the heroes, a line attached to its shaft stringing all the way up to the Quinjet. Clint was sliding down the line like a snowboarder with no board. His purple leather jacket flapped in the wind. He wore a black body suit that is similar to the material used in wet suits. It was designed by Tony Stark and Hank Pym to allow the wearer to easily maneuver and maintain a regular body temperature. Hawkeye leaped off the line, doing a backflip in the air and landing perfectly next to Janet.
“What’s going on? And why was I about to kiss a dog a few minutes ago?” He asked.
“I’ll explain later.” Janet replied. “We gotta stop Hank and his new buddies.”
At that moment the ground rumbled, then began to crack. The head of another giant ant shoved its way out of the dirt, one after another ants crawled out of holes in the ground. An entire colony of insects were now standing five feet tall in Washington D.C. To make matters worse four eleven foot praying mantises decided to join the party.
Hank stood at his average height, his eyes were beady and black.
“Hello my friends, I’m sorry that it had to come to this but you must perish.”
Hawkeye arched an eyebrow, “Perishing wasn’t on my to do list for today.” He quipped.
Without hesitating he slid his bow from his shoulder, picked up his line arrow notched it and released. At the same time Janet shrunk down and flew toward the Quinjet. The arrow sailed past Hanks hip.
“I thought you didn’t miss Barton.” He taunted, but the shot wasn’t finished. The line followed the arrow, and thanks to the Wasp it acted as a whip, flinging itself across her husbands face, leaving a nasty red bruise.
“I don’t miss.” Clint informed.
Tony got up; his suit was at last fully recovered and ready to end this bug brawl. He rocketed into the air stopping at thirty feet high.
“Boy and girl, I heavily insist you find some cover.” He said through his speakers. He pointed his wrist canon at the ground releasing a bushel of miniature missiles all pinpointed at the insect army. The missiles hit their targets, causing them to explode in a heap of fire, metal and bug guts.
Hawkeye and Jan grabbed Hank and took cover behind a marble staircase, but that didn’t protect them from being glazed with ant juice.
“This may sound a bit cliché, but I really hate bugs.” Clint said as he wiped his glasses off.
They stood over Hank Pym, who was drenched in the blood of his army.
“Hank, wake up right now.” Janet chided.
Tony landed next to them. “Give the guy a minute, Jan. We have bigger problems at the moment.”
Just then General Ross stormed out of Capitol Hill, a pistol in his right hand and a knife in his left.
“Where’s Steve when you need him?” Clint questioned.

Chapter 21

As Tony Stark restarted his suit the Wrecking Crew closed in on their target. The man was lodged into a wall. His sword was shattered across the cement and four bruisers were surrounding him. A fist crossed his face and another struck in his gut. A gash formed across his cheeks, he spit up blood and fell to his knees.
“Did ya really think you could take us?” Dirk asked.
“Yeah don’t you know what we do to guys like you?” Calusky added.
Dirk kicked him back into the wall and stepped back. “Finish him.”
He said to Henry who was beginning to spin his chain like a lasso, a lasso with a giant polished ebony ball attached to the last link. The ball was flung straight at the man who awaited his defeat; he did nothing to defend himself from this crushing fate. His eyelids shut, a praying whisper slipped off his tongue.
The wrecking ball was a foot away from his face he was about to be crushed, but his prayer was answered, he felt nothing, nothing except for the presence of a sixth player. He opened his eyes to see Captain America holding his shield with both of his arms tucked behind it, his feet planted hard into the ground with one in front and the other behind him shifted sideways for balance. He didn’t budge as he deflected the ball sending it crashing through the wall beside them.
“By the gates of Asgard!” The mysterious man gasped. His eyes were wide with astonishment, that attack should have sent the Captain through the building and left splattered against the wall.
“Stand up soldier, if we’re gonna put this chumps down we’re gonna do it together.”
“Aye.” He said as he grabbed shards from his sword off the ground. The pieces were sharp, they cut his fingers but he didn’t care about the pain. He raised his arm and threw four splinters of his former sword, one for each of the villains. One was lodged into Henry’s leg, he howled dropping the chain and tripping over it, he fell back into a pile of bricks. He cursed while holding onto his throbbing leg.
Elliot attempted to dodge but was much too slow, the blade skimmed his chest slicing it open he bucked like a horse and caught a second and third blade in both his biceps. The pain was too much to bear, even for a man who was bearlike. The shards cut right through his muscles, through his bone and out the other side of his arms, still flying towards the intended targets; Dirk and Calusky, they weren’t as easy to take down. As Elliot fell to the ground, fainting from the pain Dirk blocked one with his crowbar and Calusky sidestepped the other.
“Lets make this quick.” Dirk said cracking his neck and fist.
Cap observed them as they charged.
“Their attack is flimsy, they are going to try and use all of their brute force no strategy. They aren’t fast but they are tough so stay light on your toes and hit them with everything you’ve got.” He said it like it was the easiest thing in the world, but before the man could object Cap was already sprinting in, he threw his shield into Dirk, it bounced off his chest Cap caught it while flipping through the air, he kicked Calusky in the face and whacked Dirk in the back with his shield.
The man ran in to help, but he wasn’t sure if his assistance was needed. Until the other two wreckers got up, Henry grabbed his wrecking ball and dragged it across the ground. They were going to blind side Cap. He stepped in front of Henry and Elliot. His hands empty but full of raging power. They shimmered a thick purple. He wasn’t going to let these brutes harm anyone else. He sprung forward, his fist smashing into Elliot’s jaw, breaking it easily. Elliot fell to the ground, unconscious.
“Thou hath pushed past my limits, mortal. Now you shall fall victim to the fury of Balder.”
Henry didn’t head the warning; he ripped the wrecking ball from the ground and bashed it into Balder. But the Asgardian was no longer playing around, he grabbed the wrecking ball sliding back into the wall but he was more agile, he twist his body and ran up the wall, leaving the wrecking ball to smash into the building as he landed on the chain and ran across it towards it’s wielder. Henry pulled back with all of his strength; the ball flew from the wall, meaning to crash into Balder. But he saw the counter coming. He jumped off of the chain, back flipping onto the ball, he vaulted off of the ball giving it more momentum, Henry’s jaw dropped as his own weapon came back at him like a boomerang. It hit him with the force of thirty-five semi-trailer truck going 250 miles an hour. He went through numerous buildings, parks; he tore through streets coming to a stop on the lawn of the White House.
Balder looked over to his right, Cap was duking it out with Dirk who was violently slashing his Asgardian enchanted crowbar against Caps unbreakable Vibranium shield. Sparks flew around them; the air was steaming with cold hot energy. It was like a sauna in the Antarctic. Dirk got the upper hand, he slashed upwards with his crowbar; Cap blocked it but Dirk was quicker than he had previously shown, he grabbed the shield and threw it into a building. It lodged into the bricks. Cap jumped on his chest leapt backwards and landed near his shield. Dirk smiled.
“Now I got ya right where I want ya.” He said as he lifted the crowbar above his head with both hands gripping it as tight as he could. He brought it down with immense power, striking the ground with the force of an earthquake. The ground rattled around Caps feet, the building shook threatening to tumble over and crush him. He looked up to see a little boy looking out the window; he was terrified and crying.
“We need to finish this.” Cap yelled to Balder.
The Asgardian charged Dirk, tackling him into the street, ramming him into a traffic jam. Men, women and children got out of their cars; dozens of them crowded Balder as he hovered above his foe. He raised his fist, the crowed watched, panicked as Balder quickly bashed his knuckles into the Wreckers chest, hammering him over and over again. Dirk pleaded for mercy each chance he got, which wasn’t many. Balder was a relentless warrior, especially when he was angry. He picked Dirk up by his right arm, leaning in close, his ear inches from his battered enemies mouth, him own mouth inches from Dirks ear.
“Have thou any last words fiend?”
“B-b-b-u-bug…” Dirk answered before fainting.
The crowd broke apart. People ran in horror as a giant indigo dung beetle stomped around the street. Balder dropped Dirk. He stared the fourteen-foot insect in its face. The stare off was short, the beetle stomped its feet on the street as it ran at Balder. A man would have run away from the charging beast, but not an Asgardian, no Balder smiled widely.
“A true challenger to my power.” He chuckled as he rushed the giant bug.
The beetle was fast but an easy target, Balder dashed under its abdomen and started punching the underside of the bug. But with great size also comes great durability. The beetle stepped back, crushing cars under its feet. He lunged, fist out ready to slam into the beast’s face. He swung his fist, hitting nothing but air. The beetle had vanished into thin air. He looked around. He knew much of Midgards inhabitants, but none of them could manipulate their bodies in such a way as the beetle had done.
“Show thyself monster!” He shouted. “Finish your battle.”
He waited, nothing happened, nothing moved. Suddenly there was a loud hum behind him. Balders instincts took over; he spun around and blindly swung. He was expecting to hit the iron-like exterior of a giant beetle. Swiftly his fists were intercepted by a Vibranium shield, which absorbed the force of each hit. Cap stood behind the shield embracing the impact.
“At ease soldier.” He ordered as he sidestepped the last blow.
Balder fell forward as he missed. He stumbled but was caught by metal arms with a dirty red and scratched yellow paint job.
“Take it easy Ali, you got em all.” Tony Stark snickered through his armor.
The rest of the Avengers stood behind them, Janet Pym held her husband on her shoulders, Hawkeye wiped thick avocado green insect blood off of his bow. Behind them were a crowd of applauding citizens of Washington D.C.
“Nice job Avengers.” A young man cheered.
“Thank you Iron man.” A group of ladies squealed.
The government officials, all stepping down from the steps of the house of chambers, excluding General Ross clapped in appraisement.
Cap raised his hand, silencing the crowd. “My fellow Americans, though this threat was unexpected we thwarted it as best we could, we will help to finance any damage done to this wonderful city, in the meantime we must leave you and go back to our headquarters. There is much to discuss about this attack.”
President Barrack Obama pushed through the crowd.
“Captain Rogers,” He said putting his hand on Steve’s right shoulder, looking in his twinkling eyes. “Your team saved many lives today, Washington owes you a great depth. The country owes you an even bigger one. Thank you, Avengers.”
General Ross looked at the team with a frightening glare; his eyebrows were crunched together so they resembled the bushy mustache above his lips. An army jeep pulled up to the curb, Ross stepped in it. He looked at Captain America, glaring at him as he drove off. Cap shook his head; he didn’t understand how a General of the American army was so against the Ideals of Captain America.
Iron Man had ordered the Quinjet to land in the street. Steve, Clint, Janet and Hank got in and floated above the ground waiting for Tony who had taken of his mask to take pictures with fan girls.
“Does he have merchandise?” Clint asked. “I want that.”
Tony’s mask shut and his boots sparked to life. He took off at two hundred miles per hour, he soon boomed off at Mach two. The Quinjet followed behind at lower speeds.
General Ross watched from a rooftop as they flew further and further from the city. His eye color flickered, changing from hazelnut to a flushed green. He flashed a devilish grin.
“Part two is complete.” He said in a shrill voice.

Somewhere far from earth, in a darkened chamber of stone was Thor, inside a steel cage. He sat bent down on his knees. His arms were sprawled in front of him. His hair was long dirty and tangled. He spoke quietly.
“…And I swear to the elder Gods that I will avenge thee father.”
He looked up as a dim green light shimmered around him. He grabbed the bars of his cage, this time though they did not harm him. He pulled himself up, his face scraggy and hairy. His sky blue eyes swam in a sea of red.
“Thor, the mighty.” A voice echoed in the back of his head. “Such a title should not be thrust upon any fool.” A voice that was like a dagger cutting Thors ears, the voice of a poor orphaned child that had finally found his place in a world that didn’t want him.
“Loki, what have you come to torture me with today?” He asked.
The God of mischief appeared outside the cell. He wore a forest green robe outlined with bark brown. A crown sat on his silky black hair.
“Not this day brother, for I have news for you.”
“You are no brother of mine.” Thor said bitterly. “What is your news traitor?”
Loki stuck out his tongue; it was shaped like two jagged blades. “The news I bring to you is that Midgards warriors have valor, they are soon to be on their way to Asgard to destroy our graceful home.”
“Like you haven’t done that already. Why do you tell me this Loki? Do you expect me to help you in defeating these mortals?”
“I expect you to come home, your days of punishment are over, only if you agree to aid me against this threat.”
Thor stared into Loki’s poisonous green eyes, his eyes soon becoming the same color then fading back to blue, no longer drowning in a sea of red.
“You have my hand in this coming battle.” Thor said in monotone
“Excellent, but I want something of much more power.”
Loki touched the ebony bars causing them to disintegrate into silver dust. He grabbed Thors shoulder and they vanished from the dark chamber.

General Ross walked down a corridor, his heavy army boots clapped against the floor. His weren’t the only ones, behind him were twelve heavily armed soldiers and a green camouflaged robotic suit. They reached an elevator at the far end of the corridor, the suit turned and went into a sentry mode, its head rotating left and right pointing a miniature machinegun around threatening to shoot anyone who came into its line of fire. Ross taped the elevator pad; they were on the first floor of a one floor military bunker in the middle of the woods. That didn’t stop the general from clicking the down button.
“Authorization code required.” A computerized voice said.
“Alpha red Thunderbolt 012008.”
The elevator dung, the doors slid open and Ross and his soldiers stepped in. It was wide, wide enough for the robot and the men.
“What’s the scariest thing you boy scouts have ever seen?” Ross asked the group.
“A Siberian tiger chased me through the jungles back home sir. It was seven feet long and quick as a bullet.” One soldier announced.
“Ha, that’s nothing compared to what you’re about to witness.”
“I was face to face with a rhinoceros General. The damn thing was the size of one of them super suits we have.” Another exclaimed.
Thaddeus Ross smiled gently. The elevator came to a stop, the doors creaked open revealing the hidden floor. It was a huge room; the lights flickered every minute, switching from darkness to a dark red. There was a door at the far end. The entire wall was ten inches thick and made of titanium and steel alloy. It was impossible for anything to get through such a barrier.
“What are you trying to do General? Give us the hibijivies?” A soldier asked nervously.
Ross ignored the question, he walked forward, the floor squeaked from years of not being walked on. He stopped four feet away from the door. The others shadowed him; they held their guns with caution. Ross snapped his fingers and the drone of a machine filled the room. One soldier didn’t see the snap and started to shoot at the walls, a few others followed in his lead, Ross pulled out a metal rod and he slid his thumb across the top. They shouldn’t have been so jumpy. Maybe they would have survived. An electrical current coursed through their chest to their toes. Five soldiers dropped to the ground dead.
“This isn’t a tiger kid.” Ross said chuckling.
The others looked at the door; they started to walk toward it. General Ross tapped the metal rod; one of the soldiers went stiff. He had been paralyzed. The others stopped they got the message. They backed up behind Ross. The metal rod shaped itself into a microphone. Ross spoke into it.
“Doctor Banner.” He said reluctantly. “How have you been Doctor?”
There was silence. The soldiers looked at each other.
“Is this some kind of sick April fools joke?” One asked.
“If it is he’s a month late.” Another replied.
“Shut up.” Ross ordered. “Banner I know you’re still alive in there. Three years isn’t that long for you. You’d eat your own self before dying. He’d eat himself.”
“General Ross.” A weakened voice said back. “Long time no see. Literally. What does the supreme military commander want from me after three long years? Have you finally gotten bored without me?”
Ross hesitated, “Not you Banner, I want him.”
Banner chuckled, “He isn’t with us anymore. His rage died out last week, I’ve been surviving off of my finger and toenails for the past seven days. I’m down to the last small toe. I drink my blood and sweat. Not that you care.”
“Don’t lie to me Bruce.”
“Open the door and see.”
Ross covered the microphone and looked back at his soldiers who were staring at the back wall shaking.
“One of you go in there.”
“Sir…”
“That’s an order soldier.”
One of the seven scurried to the door; he twisted the giant steel knob. It crackled open. The man stepped inside the room.
“What’s he like in there, soldier?”
“There’s a scrawny old man in here. He’s like five eight.”
“What about his nails?” Ross urged.
The soldier stuttered. “He—he doesn’t have any sir. His hands and feet are bloody red.”
All color rushed from General Ross’s face. “Get out of there now!” He shouted.
Too late, there was a scream and the tearing of cloth ripping echoed through the microphone, then there was a heavy thump. A fist shaped dent formed in the wall. No ordinary fist though it was a fist as big as an elephant’s foot.
“Brue…?”
There was a nervous silence. The soldiers all had their guns pointed at the wall. Some were covered in sweat; others were crying single tears of freight. A loud bang broke the silence then,
“No Bruce, only Hulk.”
The wall shattered easily after a second punch. General Ross was now four feet from a purple pants wearing green behemoth, a monster of pure rage and hatred towards the world, towards Ross.
“Ross hurt Hulk.” The beast growled. “Now Hulk hurt Ross!”
“FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!” The general shouted as he pushed past the soldiers and ran for the elevator. The soldiers shot at the Hulk but the bullets didn’t faze him. He pounded the ground creating a shockwave that knocked all of the soldiers to the ground and rumbled their bones so much they could no longer stand. The Hulk gritted his teeth when he saw General Ross pushing the elevator button in a fury before it finally dinged and opened.
“Where you go to Ross? Are you scared’a Hulk?”
Ross hopped into the elevator; he curled up in the corner with a pistol drawn.
“It was worth it, it was worth it.” He said to himself over and over again until the door opened up again. He ran out of the elevator, almost forgetting about the sentry robot. He stumbled to a stop before rushing into the line of fire.
“Switch from sentry to threat repel.” He said to the robot.
It complied and expanded taller. It had numerous guns at its disposal and it could lift twenty-five tons. But would that wasn’t enough to stop the Hulk. The beast of Bruce Banner smashed through the floor, right under the robot. The Hulk grabbed the suit and crumbled it like a sheet of paper.
Ross backed away quickly, tripping over a piece of floor. He was on his back. Hulk walked over to him with a smile so frightening it would give nightmares, nightmares.
“It’s your turn to suffer now General, you’re gonna pay for what you did to us.”
He pounded his fist together creating a shockwave through the air. Ross got up in a hurry. His eyes were a light green.
“No creature, you will bow to the whim of Loki.”
The Hulk shook his head out of confusion. “What?” He asked.
“That is right foul monster, you have fallen to the control of Loki.”
“No one control Hulk.”
“We shall see.”
Ross’s eyes changed back to an oak brown, the green faded from his eyes and into the eyes of the Hulk, whose were already a dark green but now the color of lime. Ross stumbled backwards, falling on the hard steel floor. The Hulk stood tall, his skin vibrant green like he was embodying spring.
“The strength this creature holds is-is incredible. I will destroy all of the nine realms with this body.” Loki spoke from the lips of the monster.
He jumped out of the bunker, bashing through the ceiling and sailing forty feet on to an empty highway. He slammed into the ground next to a road sign that read: New York City, 30 miles away.
“This is going to be most enjoyable.”
He leaped, reaching eighty feet high then soared down into traffic, creating a wave of destruction. He leaped again even further stomping down in the middle of a forest. Trees crumbled from the miniature quake he created upon landing. He ran through the forest leaving everything in ruins, laughing maniacally while doing so.

Eight hundred and seventy feet above the ground of New York, the Avengers gathered around an A shaped table on the top floor of Stark towers. Steve Rogers sat at the head of the table, his Brooklyn Dodger’s hat was high on his head and his blue denim jacket was tight on his muscular body. They were discussing what to do about the Asgardian warrior Balder. Balder claimed to have been trying to get the Avengers attention over the past month. He needs their help to free Asgard from Loki’s reign.
Hawkeye spun around in his office chair. His hair was wet and it kept drooping over his eyes, he blew at it unenthusiastically. He had gotten bored of the conversation two hours ago. He stopped his chair and interrupted Balder.
“So you want us to go with you to Asgard, overthrow this all powerful God, then restore balance to the world?”
The warrior nodded his blocky head.
“Oh how the mighty have fallen.” Clint mocked.
“I do not need your help mortal, I’d gladly do this on my own.”
“Then why are you still here?”
Balders jaw stiffened.
“Settle down pal.” Cap said gesturing his hands in a down like motion. “You say that this Loki character can be in multiple places at once, right? Well how do we know that you aren’t him trying to lead us into some kind of trap?”
“Because his host eyes are a bright green. Mine are surely timber.”
Tony scratched his head, “More of a dirt brown.”
Wasp shot him a threatening glance.
“But who am I to tell you.”
Hank got up from his seat and walked over to a radio console. He turned on the dispatch; there were reports of small robberies but nothing too chaotic.
“There isn’t anything for the Avengers to avenge here on earth so why not go to Asgard and help them out?”
Cap looked around at his teammates, none of them were in opposition to going to the home of the Gods. He looked at Balder and stood up.
“If it’s one thing I don’t like seeing, is a group of people being picked on by someone who thinks he’s better than the rest of us. The Avengers will be at your side Balder.”
“Much obliged Captain, I know of your war with the devil Nazis I have faith that you can lead us to victory as you did then.”
They grasped arms tightly, creating a bond between man and God.
“So how do we get to Asgard?” Janet asked. “Is there some sort of magical portal?”
“Aye, there was but it has not been opening for some time now. We will have to take back entrance that is hidden to all except one. Himdal the seer.”
Hank looked out a window, clouds ripped apart, the sky swallowed itself and the wind whistled a piercing song cracking the windows.
“So after Loki conquered Asgard did he mention any other plans?” Hank asked.
“He has torn a hole in the mystical boundary separating Midgard and Jotunhiem.”
“I hate when he does that.” Hawkeye said sarcastically.
“Tis no game Hawk, we must to leave now.”
In that instant each of the Avengers bolted off to their quarters and got suited up for their adventure to Asgard.
Clint climbed into the attic. It was dark but in a sparkling kind of way. He grabbed his bow that was lying on the floor next to a pile of clothes. This bow wasn’t one of his ordinaries, he only used this one on special occasions, and what’s more special than going to kick some Godly butt? It was a royal purple with a black string composed of a rare ancient yarn. He never talked about how he got it; there was a lot he didn’t talk about. He snatched his quiver off a shelf, twenty-four arrows each hiding a different trick. He was already wearing his costume all he had to do was slide down his mask.
Tony tapped a button on his chair. It lowered him into a large room; the lights were brighter than a Los Angeles night. Twelve Iron Man armors were mounted in separate chambers. This was his second favorite wardrobe next to his Japanese tuxedoes. He stood up and clicked a button on the wall. There were small letters on the button, “Mach 13” it read. The floor slid into the walls revealing a round platform that carried a thirteenth suit to the floor. The arms and legs had a polished silver underbody and glazed gold top. The chest piece and back plate was a shadowy red. It activated, glowing a bright blue from the chest and palms, the eye slots lit up silver. It flew out of its pedestal and put itself together around Tony.
Hank and Janet shrunk down to insect size. They had scattered miniature bases around the tower incase of emergencies; Clint called them anthills. Hank slid out of his lab coat and jeans and into his red leather spandex. Janet took off her shirt and jeans revealing her yellow black and brown suit. It was built with an adaptable fabric, making it wearable under regular clothing. She now sported an Iron Man like helmet with clear eye slots; the helmet was shaped like a wasp, long, sleek and terrifying.
Steve went down stairs to his room to throw on his stars and stripes and grab his spangled shield. He sat on his king size bed. You could hear the national anthem playing as he slid his boots on and tied them tightly. He finished tying and looked up. His blonde hair was pushed back, nice spiffy and old fashioned. His blue eyes as deep as the sea he was frozen in. He pulled his mask over his face, slung his shield across his arm then ran back to meet with the others.
As he jogged up the stairs he felt a rumbling, then a chill went up his spine. The entire stairwell went cold. He tapped his headpiece.
“Stark did you guys feel that?”
He received the drone of static. A frosty whistle glided past his ears. Cap stopped and raised his trusty shield. But there was something different about his old weapon. It was covered in ice. It wasn’t the only thing concealed in rime. The stairs were slicked with it and so wasn’t his chin.
“What the hell…” Steve said as an icy figure formed from the ice on the stairs.
It was ten feet tall with the face of a sad old man. Its eyes were black and empty. Like it wasn’t alive. Its arms were like a gorilla’s, beefy and huge.
“Your day is ends now human.” It said. Its voice was deep and shallow, literally sending a chill through Caps ears.
Steve swung his shield cutting a hole in the creature’s chest. It collapsed and shattered in the same second. The ice melted away just as quickly. Cap jumped onto a rail and vaulted himself to the staircase. He jogged up almost reaching the door leading to the top floor. He was just about to grab the knob until he was flung back by an iced fist that sprouted from the floor. Cap staggered almost falling over the railing. He caught himself and readied his shield. Another fist shot from the wall, Steve blocked it causing it to break upon impact. But a second hand crashed through the floor. It was bigger than the first two; it clenched Captain America like an action figure.
“I wasn’t done with you.”
Cap squirmed and tensed, he pushed against the fingers opening them forcefully but his attempt of escape failed. The ice fist closed tighter crushing Steve’s bones, chilling his skin.
“Uuugghh.” He cried.
The arm expanded into the body of the ice creature. It laughed as Cap struggled to free himself.
“None can escape the grasp of a Frost Giant, don’t waste your strength human. Just allow me to kill you slowly.”
“When the devil shivers.” Cap said through his gritted teeth.
He pushed with all of the power given to him through the super soldier serum mixed with a will that didn’t die. He broke the fingers of the Frost Giant, and fell to the ground landing on his shield. He looked up, the Giant was already repairing himself. But that wasn’t the least of his problems, three more grew from the iced surface. Cap observed them all, they were warriors but they were undisciplined and out for blood. He smiled and said,
“I missed the ice.”
He threw his shield at one lodging it into his chest, jumping at another, side kicking him in his jaw. Ice cracked and chunks broke off. Cap used their size against them; he was quicker and nimbler. One stretched its hand and slapped down at Cap like he was a fly but he rolled out of the way and leaped onto the Frost Giants hand springing off and dropkicking him. He broke through the wall and fell toward the ground, turning into water as he plummeted. The remains of him splattered on the cement. Cap made quick work of the others. He smashed their heads together and tore their arms off. He walked away leaving them to slowly liquidize.
He reached the door and kicked it down but today just wasn’t his day because eight more Giants stood waiting for him. They had frozen the other Avengers and Balder. Their faces were more distinguished than the previous batch; these ones weren’t hallowed out and dead inside. They were the real deal, standing at twelve feet tall barely fitting inside the room. A hole was formed in the ceiling.
“Stand down soldier.” One of them said to Cap.
Steve was reluctant but listened, keeping his guard up just incase though.
“What’s going on?” He asked.
“King Loki would like to speak to you Avengers.”
“Then tell him to come and talk, he didn’t need to attack us.”
The Giants chuckled, “A God does not directly talk to humans as humans do not talk to insects.”
“Well when I see a bully I get direct, now let my team go or else.”
“Or else what.” A Frost Giant asked.
Cap cracked his knuckles, then ran at the giants jumping through the air and spinning past a blast of frost that would have incased him in a block of ice like 1944 all over again. He tackled one of the giants and grappled him easily. The Avengers had training sessions where they’d go up against each other, Cap faced Hank six times a month and he figured out numerous ways to bring down a giant as effortlessly as a regular sized man.
The Frost Giant bellowed, Steve stepped on his shoulder blade with his right foot and held his arm up high. He had his left foot on the Giants back, pinning him to the ground. The other Giants started to advance but weren’t sure if they should.
“Back up or I break it off.” Cap ordered.
The Giants slowly backed away; they didn’t want to endanger their comrade anymore. Surprisingly Cap didn’t have a plan, he was improvising and didn’t know what to do next. He knew the Giants wouldn’t wait around forever and he couldn’t take them all at once. He stared them all down until the temperature started to rise. Which was impossible, it had just been twenty degrees, now it was seventy and still rising.
“Who’s doing that?” Cap asked.
But it wasn’t the Frost Giants; they were rapidly. The Giant Cap had pinned was now a puddle. He was starting to sweat himself; the Giants were all gone and evaporated. The Avengers were freed from their ice blocks and laying on the ground. Cap was confused until a familiar voice spoke up from above him.
“Did you think you were the only heroes in the city Captain?”
Cap looked up to see a hovering four-seated car, belonging to the family of heroes the Fantastic Four. Johnny Storm, The Human Torch blazed at scorching heats melting the ice around them. Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic stretched his head from the car to better face Steve. His neck was extended to twenty feet. Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman sat in the passenger seat in front of the rocky brute Ben Grimm, the Thing.
“Hello Steve, long time no see.” Reed said. “We were in the neighborhood when the sky fractured itself and created a black hole leading to another dimension, I assumed. We were going to explore it, but it looked as if you needed some assistance.”
“That I did Dr. Richards, thanks. How are things out there?”
“Everything’s fine, Spider-man and group of street heroes have gathered to defend the city and Professor Charles Xavier’s X-men are on their way as well just in case.”
“I like to hear that. Reed I need your team down there too I have a feeling that things are going to get worst when we leave.”
“Where are you guys going?” Johnny asked from above.
“Asgard and if we don’t come back in time we’ll need you guys to hold down the fort.”
“Of course we will Steve.” Susan assured. “Right Reed.”
“Yes, yes. Just while you’re there tell Dr. Pym to bring back a kind of relic. For me.”
Cap smiled, “Will do sir. Now we better get going before it’s too late.”
Richards neck slipped back putting his head on top of his shoulders.
“Good luck Steve.”
Steve nodded as the hover car took off toward the ground. Johnny Storm blasting Frost Giants from his hands.
Cap went over to Balder who was starting to recover. He kneeled down towards him,
“We should go now.”
“Yes, Himdal I ask you to open the forbidden gates.”
They waited but nothing happened. Steve’s face went gloomy. But then the scenery changed, they were no longer in the tower above New York. They were now sitting in the grass of an Asgardian field, looking down on the earth.
“Amazing.” Steve said.
“We aren’t here for sight seeing Stevie boy.” Clint’s voice spoke with a shiver.
“Damn over sized icicles froze my toes, and other important stuff.”
The other Avengers started to get up, Balder explained to them what the plan was. They would sneak into the kingdom and free the other Asgardians that Loki was keeping hostage, including Thor.
“How are we going to sneak past Loki?” Hank asked. “From your descriptions he should already know we’re here.”
“Nay, Himdal has provided us with a mystic barrier around our bodies that blocks the trickster magic.”
He was certain and honest. But he was wrong. At that exact moment a green shower of mist showered the ground ahead of them. Cap raised his shield, Iron Man powered up his repulsers, Ant Man and Wasp shrunk and Hawkeye readied his bow. They aimed their sights on a figure that emerged from the mist. To Balders utmost surprise the figure was the mighty Thor, dressed in his prison rags.
Balders face was full of shock, he didn’t understand. It was a trick for sure, but all suspicion left the Asgardians mind.
“Thor, my friend.” He cried happily. “You’re well.”
Thor said nothing; his eyes were glossy, glossy and green. Balder didn’t notice, but the Avengers did. The overflow of joy flooded Balders head.
“By the Odin, it is mending to see you alive.”
He opened his arms and went to hug the son of Odin, his second mistake. Thor grabbed him by his neck and slammed him into the ground. Balder yelped.
“Don’t you dare touch me traitor.” Thor said.
The Avengers shifted backwards, still aiming at the Asgardian.
“Th-thor, what” Balder asked.
“You bring these mortals here to attack Asgard, attack Loki after he saved us.”
“Your mind is clouded my friend. Loki is inside of your head.”
He tried to stand but Thor wasn’t hesitant. He punched his former friend with enough power to crumble a mountain. Balder fell back lifeless.
“Hey buddy,” Iron Man said. “We’re here to help. So shake the attitude and calm down before we have to take you down.”
“Tony, I don’t think threatening this guys a good idea.” Cap whispered.
“Your warning falls too short Captain.” Thor said tightening his fist. The sky began to rumble and flash red. “The lightning of Asgard was much more powerful than that of Midgards.”
A bolt of lightning struck Thor. A stream of red electricity coursed through his entire body. The Avengers averted their eyes. When the lightning stopped Thor was standing in his full battle armor. His electric crimson cape waving off of his enchanted steel chainmail and his Asgardian steel helmet shined vividly, a silver winged helmet sat on his golden locks.
“Mortals!” He bellowed. “You have my permission to die.”

Part 6 Fight as one
Chapter 22

It was a regular Tuesday morning in Foresthill’s New York. The clouds were fluffier than usual and the sun shone like headlights at midnight into the window of a high school student’s bedroom. It was 8:59; a boy was sound asleep in his bed, a slim sixteen year old. His hair was a dark brown and slick like cat fur. He dreamt of the beautiful redheaded girl in his history class. She sat on his right side, next to his best friend, a boy who was a year older than him. He’d known him since he was seven years old. The boy was extremely wealthy but didn’t like to flaunt it. He wore a grey hoodie and sweatpants. His hair curly and ginger. His face was splattered with brown freckles with a chiseled chin and muscular jaw. He was half asleep, about to fall out of his chair.
The girl had big brown eyes with a cute little rounded nose over her crescent moon shaped lip glossed lips. She sat at her desk with her legs and arms crossed, listening to music. She stared at the dreaming boy. Her eyes radiated a light that burned his eyes, he closed them but they still burned. She opened her mouth to speak but all he could hear was the blaring of an alarm getting louder and louder. He opened his eyes to see everything was patterned with the time 7:00.
The dream fell apart, everything turned black blotted with red spots. The boy woke up, his alarm clock still booming breaking the empty silence of the serene morning. He raised his head releasing a tired grunt. He looked at the clock and his eyes widened to the width of the Grand Canyon. It wasn’t seven, no it was two hours past that. He bounced out of his bed. Literally bounced ten feet out of bed and sticking onto the ceiling. He was sprawled out with the tips of his fingers and toes defying gravity and keeping him from falling, he was like a spider.
“Oh no! No, no, no, no!” He cried. “Not again, I can’t be late again, I have an algebra test.”
He let go of the wall and dropped on the floor. He frantically rushed around his room, searching through dresser drawers, looking for something to wear. He tossed clothes behind him onto the floor.
“I got that big date with M.J too, ugh gotta find something decent.”
He snatched a pair of old jeans, looking at them uneasily but pulled them on, they were faded and wrinkled but they were the best he had. He picked a shirt and sniffed it; it smelt like brimstone and ash. He threw it in a hamper and kept searching, smelling everything until he could find something that didn’t smell lie he’d been to war four times a week.
“Peter, are you still here?” An old woman’s small voice called from downstairs.
“Yeah Aunt May, I’ll be heading out in a minute.”
“Dear, you’re terribly late.”
Peter grabbed a turtleneck and threw it on quickly, it was backwards but he didn’t notice. He ran downstairs almost knocking over his elderly aunt. She stopped him before he could run out the door.
“Peter.” She said with concern. “Are you ok? You seem a bit off lately. Are you in some kind of trouble?”
He let out a huff; it was 9:10 now.
“No, I’m fine. Just a little preoccupied.”
“Where’s your backpack? Did you even brush your teeth?”
He ran his hand through his hair. She was onto something.
“I should probably do that huh?”
She smiled, a smile that could cheer up anyone’s day. Peter turned around and went back up stairs. Good thing she reminded him to grab his bag, his notes were in there. And his other stuff just incase.
He zipped down the hall and slid into the bathroom. Aunt May took his backpack from his room and walked down the stairs, in no rush. He grabbed his toothbrush and brushed his teeth. He looked in the mirror after spitting out the swooshed up toothpaste and saliva. His hair was a mess and his shirt was on backwards.
“Ok, just a regular day in the life of Peter Parker.”
He fixed his hair, brushing it down and adding a dab of gel, flipped his shirt and went back downstairs, May stood at the door with his backpack and a muffin. He grabbed them, slinging the backpack over his left shoulder and taking an enormous bite out of the muffin. He kissed her on the cheek and she kissed his back.
“Have a good day Peter dear.” She said as he ran out the door. “I love you.” she whispered along with something else under her breath. Something that sounded like, make it home safely. She held a string in her hand; it resembled a spider’s web. It was Peter’s web, Spider-man’s web.
Peter ran down the street and into a backyard that he knew too well. He jumped on top of a shed, his body light as a feather, he sprung off of the shed and onto the roof of a white house, he bolted up the sloped tiles. A normal person would have fallen but Peter is no normal person. He jumped off of the roof and sailed through the air like a gymnast, spinning and flipping all in one leap. He landed on another roof and slid across its flatter surface, he stopped for a second; a grin pushed his cheeks close to his brown eyes.
“Alright stop playing around Pete.” He said to himself. “Gotta get to school.”
He ran to the edge of the house and looked ahead of him. Midtown was fifteen miles away, for someone without the power of a spider. Peter looked around; no one was around to see. Luckily, some days there’d be an old lady walking her dog, or kids walking to school. But no one was out today; Peter could swing.
He took his bag off and pulled out a pair of gadgets. They were his web shooters, wrist braces capable of producing a web-like substance that was strong enough to hold ten tons of weight and pressure. Peter pulled up his sweaters sleeve up and strapped the braces to his wrist then slid his sleeves over them. He stretched his forearm into the air and thrust his wrist. A web flung from the device, it whizzed through the air and hit a streetlight, sticking to the pole. Peter tugged on the loose web; the streetlight was sturdy enough to carry a 160-pound teenage boy.
“Schools in session.” Peter said before hopping from the roof, the web tightened as he swung through the air. He reached the end of his swing and let the web slip from its compartment. His body was again weightless as he flew 20 feet above houses. He stuck his other arm out; another web was released sticking to the roof of a house. Midair Peter pulled himself toward the roof, he slipped through the air with ease, halfway through the leap he made another web, this one latching onto the road he yanked the web and threw himself forward. He was flying down the street almost at the Queens-Midtown tunnel. He landed on the side of a building, sticking to it on all fours spread out like a spider missing four limbs.
“Enough playtime for today.”
He ran across the side of the building, then jumped to another, then another. During his last jump he put both hands together, shooting a web from one, it attached to the top of the tunnel and he swung inside and landed on the hood of a car.
The driver was shocked, nearly swerving into another car. Peter remained balance and leaped off the hood and onto the top of a city bus. He leapt from vehicle to vehicle, defying physics and causing moments of panic. He neared the end of the tunnel. He let out a web; it stuck to a cars tire. The idea was that the web would get tangled in the tire and toss him through the air like a drawbridge being pulled up. The idea worked, Peter spiraled through the tunnel simply enough, but he had forgot that the web would stick to the ground as well as the tire. The car stopped instantly, tearing the wheel from its axel and sending the car in a rolling motion. Other cars slammed into each other creating a chain reaction of crashes.
Peter looked back at the damage, people were unconscious and cars were totaled.
“Crap.”
He landed on the ground a few feet away from the crash and a few feet away from reaching Midtown. He was faced with a choice. Go to school or help these people.
“With great power comes great responsibility.” He said to himself.


However beyond the sight of Peter Parker another choice was being made. A man stood outside of a mansion on a hilltop. He was short, 5 feet 5 inches, with sideburns that were slick and hairy. A face that would make a bear nervous and a physique that was resemblance of a wolf. Even deeper he was a man with a soul that had escaped the grasp of death a million times a week. He was old but young. Sharp but dull. He was the Wolverine, but he wasn’t.
He watched over a yard of children, not regular children, but mutants. They displayed powers from flight to energy manipulation and super strength. He watched them then turned around to a group of men and women all wearing blue and yellow spandex with X’s spread across chest, waist or backs. He looked down at his own uniform, the same color, the same emblem. But completely different. His was a symbol of death and rage; theirs was a symbol of hope.
“Logan.” A voice said from inside of his subconscious.
“What Xavier?” He thought in a rash tone.
“Have you concluded a decision yet?”
“I don’t know. These guys and gals aren’t really my speed. I’m more of a loner.”
“Of course but everyone could use help from time to time, plus there is the deal of your memory.”
He tried to silence his thoughts but Xavier was too powerful.
“You want it back and I can help you Logan. Just help me.” He pleaded mentally.
“I’ll let you know when I make my decision…now get the hell out of my head.” He shouted the last part out loud.
The X-men’s leader looked over at him. Scott summers. Also known as Cyclops, a young Caucasian man who was saved by Xavier years ago. He wore ruby sunglasses over his stiff face. His hair was straight, brown and slumped over his forehead. The royal Boy Scout.
“Are you ok Logan?” He called over.
“Shut up Summers.” Logan said.
He walked over to the group. They were mixed of diverse races but the same species, Homo superior, mutants. Human like creatures gifted by God with abilities extensive of man. They don’t get their powers from experiments or accidents, but are born with them.
An African woman stood at Scotts left; her name was Ororo Monroe, Storm. Her hair was as grey as a her name would suggest, the same went for her eyes. Her suit was black rather then blue with yellow lining and a cape of the same design. Her X emblem was on her waist.
Next to her was a midnight blue skinned, almost amphibian German man. He had on a blue trench coat, sporting a yellow stripe across both of his arms. He had a devilish tail and dark curly hair, yellow wide eyes and slim cheeks. His feet were three toed and his hands four fingered. He had an X on the right side of his jackets chest. He went by Kurt Wagner, but everyone called him Nightcrawler.
On his left was a man larger than the rest. He was in a tight red sleeveless vest with a yellow V, dark blue baggy pants. He was like a man bull. A man bull with polished steel skin and flowing black hair. His muscles were threatening and comforting at the same time. He was Colossus, Piotr Rasputin. A Russian strong man. His X was on both of his hips.
To the right of Scott was a sly faced, curled lipped Italian born man. Remy Labeau, Gambit. He played with a stack of cards, moving them through air like a magician. The floated at the tips of his fingers and radiated a purple glow, kinetic energy. He didn’t bear an X.
Next to him was a western girl by the name of Anna Marie, Rogue. She wore a brown jacket over her yellow skintight body suit. She wore green gloves on her hands and green boots on her feet. Her hair was brown but streaked with grey. There was an X on her belt.
By her side was a girl younger than the rest, the others in their mid twenties but she was barely nineteen. Her light brown reflected the sunlight making it transparent. No she was transparent. Her hazel eyes were like a playful fire, jumpy and calm. Kitty Pride, Shadowcat. She was the newest member of the X-men. She didn’t wear a suit because she wasn’t joining the X-men on this mission, but was saying goodbye to Logan.
“…Manhattan is experiencing some sort of blizzard from outer space. The sky has torn open revealing another civilization, a species of ice creatures that are attacking the city.” Storm told the team.
“Why?” Kitty asked.
“We don’t know.” Scott said. “But what we do know is the Professor has given us the task to help the humans. He has made contact with Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four.”
“Then you should get going.” Logan shot.
“You’re coming with us.” Scott said getting in Logan’s face.
“Back down bub. Unless you want one last tussle before I go.” Logan’s fist opened showing three sixteen-inch metal claws.
Snikt.
The sound was like a love song touching Logan’s heart. Scott put his right hand on his glasses, ready to take them off.
“It would be a pleasure.” Scott said.
Ororo put her hand between the two pushing them back with the power of the wind.
“There is no time for foolery, we must leave for the city. Are you joining us Wolverine?”
Logan pulled his claws back into his knuckles. He looked at her then at the rest of the team. Then at the mansion and the kids, he had spent many months here, trying to fit in but he couldn’t. He could never be an X-man.
“Sorry babe, but I’ve got my own problems.” He answered.
“Then we shall see you when we see you, goodbye my friend.”
The others nodded a silent goodbye, except for Cyclops who still had his hand on his glasses.
“See ya around, Summers.”
They went separate ways, the team into an underground tunnel that led to their aircraft hanger, and Logan to the garage where his motorbike was stored. He sat down on it, starting up the engine and driving out of the garage doors. The hanger opened in the middle of the lawn, a black jet hovered out of the pit and flew off toward the city. Logan watched as the X-men went on without him, then he drove off after them. He wasn’t going to miss out on any action. He drove through the woods on his motorcycle, dodging trees and racing deer.
‘Where are you going Logan?’ Xavier said in his mind.
‘Leave me alone.’
‘Are you having second thoughts? Or is it the lust for battle? The animal caged inside of you wants to fight doesn’t it?’
‘Charles I’m gonna tell you this one more time. Leave me alone.’
‘Watch you temper Logan, I could decapitate your mind from here and make you stab yourself over and over again until you couldn’t heal again.’
‘Don’t get tough with me. But seriously get out of my mind so I can focus on the dirt.’
BANG.
Before Logan knew it a fist had smashed into his face, sending him flying off of his bike and into a tree. His motorcycle slammed into a rock and exploded.
“What the—” He said before being hit by another fist. This time he saw what hit him. Something green, big, and ugly.
Logan was tossed into the air, his body numb from the strength of the swing. He landed on the ground hard, he would have broken his bones if they weren’t coated in the unbreakable metal adimantium. He got up with minor scratches and scrapes but they healed quickly due to his healing factor. He faced the beast; it was eight feet tall, more muscular than Colossus and greener than the green giant on vegetable cans, but this was no green giant. This was a behemoth. This was the Hulk.
“Alright bub, you’re gonna pay for the bike, I take cash or blood.”
Hulk stared at him, his eyes full of nothing but rage, green with hate. He roared, shaking the forest.
“Blood then.” Logan said popping his claws.
He charged the monster, dragging his claws by his side, he lunged through the air like a wolf, scratching Hulks face, olive green blood dripped from under his eye. Wolverine stabbed him in his back then slashed wildly at his legs. Cuts opened, blood sprayed but Hulk didn’t go down. Logan stopped attacking and waited for his foe to fall. But this was no ordinary foe. Hulk grabbed Logan by his head and slammed him into the ground, over and over again. Logan yelled in agony, but no mercy was given.
“Hulk will break little man.” He bellowed still bashing Logan’s skull into the dirt. He stopped after a few more bashes, letting go of his victim. He started to walk away.
Logan struggled to get up, but managed to stiffen out.
“That all you’ve got, I thought the Hulk was stronger than Juggernaut.” He taunted.
Hulk turned around, his face even angrier than before. His eyes full of a little more hate.
“No…” He said charging Logan, who was standing with his claws ready to strike. “Hulk is strongest there is.” He punched Logan with a right hook so powerful it could make a mountain crumble to dust. Logan being the fighter he is was fast enough to duck the punch and roll aside and jump on Hulks back. He stabbed him in the back plates and dug deep.
“Arrgh.” Hulk yelled.
He reached back and threw Logan off of him. Logan collided with a tree and broke it. The tree collapsed next to Hulk. Logan rolled on the ground creating a trail of dust. He got up; Hulk was standing twenty yards away from him. He picked up the tree and threw it at Logan. His reflexes were sharp; Logan leapt at the tree and cut through it cleanly. He cut through to the end then ran at Hulk, his speed was that of a dog.
“Night, night ya big bit—” Logan was cut off by an uppercut that sent him through the air, miles high and miles long. He soared toward the city. The Hulk jumped behind him, punching him in the air. Logan took each blow but couldn’t forever, he was able to dodge a fist and use it as a platform to jump off of, increasing his momentum toward the city to get away from the raging monster. He flew through the window of a skyscraper and out the other hitting the side of another building and sliding down it; he hit the cement and blacked out for a second. The Hulk landed in front of him, the ground rumbled upon impact, he started walking toward Logan, each step shaking the ground.
“Back off.” A voice said. He couldn’t see who it was but the Hulk stopped stepping. Crashes and bangs were heard, Logan tried to open his eyes but couldn’t yet. He tried to get up.
“Nope, you sit down.” He was strapped down and couldn’t move.


Wolverine wasn’t the only one caught up in a losing battle. The Avengers were standing their ground against the God of Thunder but held no prevail. Thor attacked Hank who had shrunken to dodge a speeding fist that would have surely put a dent in his chest. Hank landed on Thors arm and ran up his forearm and bicep, he jumped and in air he grew punching Thor in his jaw. But this was no foe, Thor was ready for the attack, he stiffened his jaw muscles and took the punch throwing one back punching the Giant Man in his gut, Hank tumbled over as Thor raised his hand to deliver a finishing blow. Iron Man jumped into action. Using his rocket boots to jet him at the wild God. He slammed into Thor pushing him back a few feet.
“You have my permission to calm the hell down.” Tony said from inside the suit. His robotic voice unpleasing to Thors eardrums.
Thor said nothing as he bolted at Tony, his hands locked together and raised. He reached Stark, who was waiting for the attack. Tony charged his Unibeam and when Thor was about to bring his fist down, Tony let loose a full outburst of energy. Thor staggered but still tried to attack, he walked through the fluctuating amount of power burning his skin. The other Avengers watched as the Armored Avenger held back the rogue Asgardian.
“Hawkeye, cover my back. Wasp, attend to Balder, make sure he’s ok.”
“Aye, aye Captain.” Hawkeye said notching three arrows into his bow, he released them, they zipped past Iron Mans head and hit Thors chest, one an exploding arrow that knocked Thor back the others opened up to be nets. The net wrapped around Thor as he fell to the ground onto his back.
Janet shrunk down and flew over to Balder who was starting to move, his bones making scrapping noises against each other.
“Balder, what’s going on?” She asked.
He tried to speak but his jaw was broken, and he was barely conscious. He lay crippled and half alive. Janet’s eyes widened with fear.
“They don’t stand a chance against this guy.”
Thor broke the nets and crawled to his feet, he crouched on his feet and hands like a cat ready to pounce at its prey. He jumped into the air at Iron Man, Tony’s Unibeam died out and he was rebooting his suits battery. Thors form was like a lion attacking a gazelle. He brought his fist down with the force of 8000 tons, but with nimble feet Captain America slid across the ground on his knees, holding his shield at his side as he slid, he blocked Thors punch, the shield absorbed the impact and sent it right back at the God. Thor skipped like a rock on water across the field.
“Tony, are you booted up?” Cap asked.
“A second or two. I think we need some music, how about you Hawk?”
“You have Wi-Fi up here?” Hawkeye questioned with a puzzled faced.
Tony smiled, he had developed a satellite that sent a Wi-Fi signal directly to his suit, a signal only he could access. He called it Stark-fi.
“Jarvis, connect me to the internet.”
“One moment sir.” Jarvis answered over the radio waves.
In a few seconds Tony was playing Beethoven’s fifth symphony through the speakers in his helmet.
“Duh, duh, duh duuuh.” Cap said as he did handsprings to get near Thor.
The Asgardian lay against a rock that was cracked from him crashing into it. He was unconscious, his hands were opened and his head formed a cartoonish bruise. Cap stopped flipping and hung his shield low on his arm. He stood over Thor, the other Avengers tried to help Balder but he was unwilling to move, but his jaw was strong enough to speak. He tilted his head to the left to see Cap advancing on Thor with caution, but caution wasn’t what he needed. He needed a miracle. Balder opened his lips,
“Get back Captain.” He warned with blood dripping out of his mouth. “He still breaths.”
Cap didn’t listen he kept stepping slowly, crouching down just incase. Thor didn’t show any sign of hostility so Cap put his shield over his shoulders and firmed his posture. He pulled Thor off of the ground by the middle of his shirt with one hand. Thor didn’t take kindly to this, his eyelids split open, displaying a tempest of rage, grey swirled in the white of his eyes, the sky did the same. A twister formed from the gentle winds turning them to a twister that destroyed everything in its path. The ground tore from underneath the Avengers, they were tossed like salad, spinning out of control and losing their breath.
Cap still held Thor by his shirt, but he was losing his grip on the God of Thunder. Thor grabbed Caps arm, snapping it like a twig. If he was playing around before, he had ended any assumption of that now. He head-butted Cap sending him into the fury of the twister. Tony was trying to maintain flight but his power amperes were torn from his suit, along with his helmet and shoulder plates. Hawkeye’s arrows fell out of his quiver, they all detonated around him, ice arrows, electric arrows and adhesive plaster arrows. He was concealed in a block of ice for the second time today on top of that the plaster stuck his arms together, then there was the fact he was in the middle of a twister.
Balders body was sailing through the wind, buoyant and injured. Hank tried to grow but decided it was a bad idea after he barely dodged a chunk of earth. He shrunk down and ran across debris, gliding on leafs and hopping onto pebbles trying to stay aloft. Janet was nowhere in sight, he wasn’t worried for her though; he’d had her do tornado training thousands of times before.
“See mortals, the power of a God cannot be limited, you will face my lord Loki on your weakened knees. “ Thor said with a voice not his own.
The symphony still played loudly from Iron Mans suit, he had gotten his suit to hover in place, he shot repulser beams at flying rocks and dirt, disintegrating them with effortlessness, but the wind was becoming a problem.
“Alright Thunder God, time for you to meet the techno god.”
Tony mentally commanded the suit to transform, making it bulkier, his thin helmet became boxy, his gold and silver suit glowed bright like a lone candle at midnight in the middle of a dark forest. A sphere of electromagnetic energy formed around him cutting of the heavy currents of wind. He floated above Thor, his suit making him a foot taller.
“I make Gods look small.” Tony said with a possible smirk.
“Do you mock me man of iron?”
“That’s not the only thing I’m gonna do.”
Tony raised his extra large arm making clicking and wiring noises. His repulser ray shone a hot white; he shot the blast, a stream of flaming plasma. Thor braced himself, crossing his arms in front of his face. His forearms were protected by golden bracelets; forged in a cave centuries ago by Odin himself. The stream of energy flooded him, but his bracelets parted the blast, splitting it in half around him. The twister still swirled around them; the Avengers were trying to get out of it but had no luck. Cap wedged his shield into the dirt, he held onto it with both hands, the wind trying to rip him away.
Tony kept attacking Thor with missiles lasers and his Unibeam, but Thor was instinctive, he dodged every thing smoothly. Tony looked over to see Hawkeye thirty feet in the air, he grab an arrow from his quiver, he wasn’t able to notch it so he threw it with all of his strength. It stuck into the ground right next to Thor and started making a high pitched whizzing noise. Thor was distracted for a moment giving Tony the opportunity to fire his Unibeam at full power, it boomed from his chest, flowed down towards Thor and blew him off his feet. The twister let up. Cap dropped behind his shield; sweat poured down his forehead. Hawkeye fell out of the air, but his swift hands saved him, he threw a second arrow underneath him. It exploded into putty; he landed unharmed. Ant Man grew to his normal height; his suit was cut around the chest and legs. Wasp grew too, she held her arm, her sleeve was torn off. There were bruises up her arm, possibly from rubble.
Cap ran over to Tony who had landed and gotten out of his suit.
“What are you doing Stark?”
“Calm down Rodgers, I handled the situation. Where’s Balder?”
“He’s right there…” Cap pointed to a spot on the ground where a hole the size of a man had been formed. Balder wasn’t there, Hawkeye scanned the area, he was nowhere in sight, if Hawkeye couldn’t see him then no one could. Thor was no longer there either, the Avengers stood back to back in the middle of the field, confused. Soon thirty Asgardian guards surrounded them. They just appeared out of thin air with their shields up and spears pointed.
Tony tried getting back into his suit but was fended off with the tip of a spear; Hawkeye went to draw an arrow but thought otherwise when three guards advanced on him. Wasp shrunk down quickly, unnoticed by the guards. She flew behind a rock.
“What’s the plan Cap?” Hawkeye asked nervously.
Captain America was silent, which was nerve wracking for the others. He slid his shield off of his arm and slung it onto his back. The others faces turned grey.
“We surrender.” Cap said bitterly.
The guards backed away slowly, their leader stepped forward. Long thigh high red boots with black laces walked past open toed sandals. The legs carried a lengthy ebony skirt below a sleeveless onyx quilted jacket with a mahogany fur collar. A woman walked toward Captain America, her hair the color of a starry space, black and glittering with beauty. Her lips were the same color as the collar of her jacket, her face a sweet tan with a drizzle of freckles and burnt amber eyes that could make even a man with the iciest heart open up. She was Lady Sif. She held a sword at her side, a sharp foggy grey fifteen-inch blade with a rounded burgundy hilt.
“Greetings mortal men.” She said with a light gentle voice. “Is there a valid reasoning for attacking the home of Asgard?” She pointed to Cap. “Speak, flag bearer.”
Captain America spoke up, “We came to save your people from Loki’s unearthly rule. We came with Balder.”
She stared at Cap, his eyes bluer than usual through his mask. She sensed he was telling the truth but she was confused.
“Loki is a fine ruler, he—” she stammered, not knowing what to say. “He has made Asgard a greater place.”
“Listen lady,” Hawkeye said. “If you don’t want our help we’ll leave, just let us talk to Loki.”
“I did not allow you to use your tongue, elf.”
“Hey I’ve seen Lord of The Rings as much as the next guy but I’m way better than Legolas.”
Sif gave him a threating but wondrous look. “Who is this Lord of The Ring?” She asked.
Cap intruded, “It’s a long but fantastical movie. That doesn’t matter though, we will leave.”
Cap went to turn around but Sif raised her sword to his chest, the tip of it cutting the fabric of his suit. No blade should have been capable of that.
“You aren’t going anywhere.” She announced, her face stern and serious.
Hank peeped up, “You can’t just keep us here.”
Sif shot him a sorry look; her eyes flashed green. She hadn’t wanted to do this. Loki was controlling her every whim, even her voice.
“Escort these swine to their quarters, they will face Loki’s judgment soon enough.”
Half of the guards gathered behind the Avengers, tying their hands together with rope so tough Captain America couldn’t break it. The other half of the guards disappeared into shadows. Tony had a feeling these weren’t Asgardians. They left his armor in the field.
With their spears down the guards led the Avengers into the city. People watched as the heroes were paraded through the streets, they clapped cheered and laughed as the thought invaders were shoved around. They stopped before a sanctuary; the ground ripped open revealing an underground cavern. Stairs appeared from nowhere, leading down into the cavern. Sif continued to walk down the steps with the Avengers following behind her, the guards stopped before entering the cavern, one almost stepped in but was pulled back by his companion.
“Why aren’t they coming?” Hank asked.
Sif looked back, “I am not sure but it matters not, I am enough to handle the most of you.”
“Ma’am do you really want to do this?” Cap asked.
“You attack the son of Odin, the brother of Loki. Lie and use Balder as an excuse to why you invade Asgard. I am more than sure.”
She pushed Cap into a room, the others followed. The room was dark, cold and wide. They stood side by side, the rope still around their wrist.
“I can’t grow.” Hank said.
“The string was crafted by the dwarves of Nidavellir. Its magic allows it to nullify abilities, restrain the strongest of beings and erase memories.”
“That’s impossible.” Tony said.
“Would you like to test its magic?” Sif shot.
“I’m just saying magic? What are we in Oz, I believe that it can do wonders but the proper name is science.”
“Midgard always did produce small minded beings. Science and magic are one in the same, only a fool would think otherwise.”
“I have an IQ of 290, only a child would believe in magic. Hank back me up here.”
Hank looked at the ceiling, pretending to be amazed by the black surface. Sif smirked.
“In a few moments Loki will summon us to his court. Until then be silent.”
They listened, standing there until the cold crept up their skin turning it an icy blue. They tried to move but were again frozen, all except for Captain America; he fought against the ice crawling over his body. Sif was also being affected by the cold; her sword and hair covered in frost. Ice formed around her face.
“What’s going on?” Cap asked with a shiver.
“I have been deceived. Loki has tricked me.” She said coldly.
After she said that the God of mischief himself stepped out of a shaded corner in the room.
“Sif, you were always a dagger to my heart, saying the sweetest things about me behind my back. I could take you as my maiden.” He said smoothly.
Sif’s eyes tightened, her mouth made a disgusting flinch.
“I would never take your hand, you’re Odin’s embarrassment and the unwanted burden of Asgard.”
Ice covered her lips, then the rest of her.
“Women, they have their ways with words.” He looked over at Steve who was still fighting the ice, his body shaking uncontrollably. “Captain, you have a heart of flames, but there is no flame that cannot be dimmed.”
Loki reached over, his hand as cold as the artic sea Cap had once taken a slumber in. Loki touched Caps arm, numbing it.
“No…” Steve said softly.
“Do not worry Captain, everything will be over soon.”

Chapter 23

Peter took off his backpack, covering his face as best as he could as he grabbed his mask. He slid the mask over his head; it was designed with glossy silver eye slots over black lines that crossed the primary hot red. Peter ran over to the wreckage, almost everyone was able to get out but a few were trapped.
“You really messed up this time.” He said to himself.
He flipped through the air and landed on the belly of flipped car. He grabbed the back bumped of another he lifted the car above his head. People watched as he crawled through the broken window of a van and pulled out three kids, he leaped from the car with the three kids, one on his back holding onto his neck and the other two in his arms.
“Thank God for Spidey.” A woman said.
A police officer ran over.
“Thanks Spider-man. Too bad those two men smashed through the windows of that Volvo.” He pointed over to the accident.
Peter looked at the ground; he wasn’t the hero here. If he hadn’t woken up late none of this would have happened. He webbed out of there as quick as he could.
Finally he got to the city, but there was no point in going into school, it was already 10:30. He swung up to the top of the Empire State Building to change his clothes. He put on his red and blue costume and jumped from the building. He spun a web as he plummeted through the air. He swung close to the ground. The city was busy, as usual; sirens echoed through the streets, footsteps clapped against the pavement, horns honked and people yelled. But to Peters surprise there was no major bad guy attacking a coffee house.
‘I’ll head over to Heroes for Hire, they always have something to do.’ He thought.
He landed on top of a little corner store and climbed inside through the vents, he crawled out of the vents into a kitchen.
“Luke, Danny? You guys here?”
“Who the hell is that?” A deep angry voice asked.
“It’s the pizza delivery man, who else.”
A tall buff African American man stepped into thee room; he wore a grey zip up hoodie that was a size too small, black jeans and charcoal colored boots. He was bald with a rocky face. He saw Spidey.
“You ain’t no damn pizza man.”
Peter took off his mask; a smile was on his face.
“What’s up Luke? Where’s Danny?”
“Where’s my pizza?” Luke said in all seriousness.
Peter rolled his eyes. A smaller guy walked in from behind Luke, he was Caucasian with a fit body with green eyes and straight dirty brown hair.
“Hey Peter, shouldn’t you be at school?”
“Eh, I missed the bus. You guys got any work?”
“Yeah for us.” Luke said rudely.
Danny shot him a warning look. “Yeah there’s some crazy stuff happening around the Avengers tower, we were just about to check that out.”
Peter hesitated, “Crazy stuff huh? Maybe I should get to school.”
“Nah you’re coming with us now, lets go before Daredevil gets there.” Luke commanded.
Danny grabbed a mask from the kitchen counter; it covered the top half of his face. He threw on a white long sleeved shirt and pulled up yellow boots over his blue jeans.
“What happened to your ninja warrior outfit?” Peter asked.
“It’s at the dry cleaner.”
Peter put his own mask on with a chuckle and crawled out of the vent. Danny and Luke walked out the front door. They looked up to see the blue sky ripped in two. An icy wind chilled their bodies. A Frost Giant climbed from the spilt in the sky, it was the size of a skyscraper. With an icy beard and snow white rags over his waist and around his neck.
“What the @#*% is that? It’s the middle of May, why’s there a big $$$ snowman coming out of the sky.” Luke growled.
“We don’t get paid enough for this.” Danny said.
Spider-man jumped off of the roof, “Hey I don’t get paid at all and I do this everyday.”
Luke gritted his face.
“Shut up Parker. So what’s the plan? Call the Avengers or the Fantastic Four?”
“I think we can take it.” Danny said confidently.
“Ugh, whatever, I ain’t no turkey”
The giant’s foot smashed right in front of them, rumbling their bones and destroying three cars. Spidey sprung into action, he shot balls of webs at the giant as he ran up its leg. Danny’s fist started to glow, he was summoning his chi and directing it to his hands. He jumped onto a car then onto a lamppost. He flew through the air with his arms spread and fist charging. He landed on the giants waist and sprinted upward, his arms trailing behind him, he reached was side-by-side with Spidey, the giant hadn’t noticed him but he was about to. They leaped from his stomach to his chest, Spidey jumped off backwards, letting out a string of webs. They stuck to his icy biceps; Spidey gripped the webs tight and pulled back. He had created a slingshot and his body was the rock. He let go of the webs and flew straight at the Frost Giant; at the same time Danny had charged his fist to their full potent, he punched the giant as Spidey kicked him. A shockwave bounced off of his chest blowing him back into a building.
Cage was still where he was standing before, his arms crossed. Spidey and Danny dropped on either side of him.
“There was only one David.” Cage said.
“Oh you’re making jokes now?” Spidey asked.
The giant started to get up, he saw them and he was angry. He took a deep breath, his cheeks expanded. He blew out shards of ice. Danny blocked karate chopped the spikes as they flew toward him. Spidey dodged them swiftly. Luke just stood there. Luke’s skin was unbreakable so the ice broke upon touching him. But his hoodie was just a regular hoodie; it now had dozens of holes in it.
“That was my favorite hoodie.” He shouted at the Giant. “I’m gonna bring this frosty wannabe down to size.”
He pounded his fist into his palm and cracked his knuckles, then pulled a bus bench out of the ground and threw it at the giant, Spidey hopped on it and rode it like a skateboard across the sky. He jumped off of it giving it more momentum; the bench hit the giant directly in the face, shattering him into small fragments of ice.
‘I wonder what he’d do if I stepped on his shoes.’ Spidey thought.
“Alright Spider-man we’ll meet you there.” Danny shouted.
Spidey gave him a thumbs up then shot a web at a water tower and zipped towards Avengers Tower. He spun another web at a helicopter; it attached to the underside and dragged Spidey along. Luke and Danny “barrowed” a car. As they drove off a shadowy black suited figure followed them from the rooftops.
Peter had arrived at the Tower first, there was nothing alarming or crazy like Danny had said and the sky wasn’t a gateway for any more Frost Giants. But he was getting a feeling in the back of his head that something was wrong.
“You know for once I just wish my spider senses would be useful.” He complained, then mid complaint a man crashed into the Avengers Tower, he slid down the side and hit the ground hard.
“Wolverine? Did you take Cyclops’s motorcycle again?”
Logan couldn’t hear or see who was talking, all he knew was he had to get back up. Before Logan could get up something hit the ground harder than he had. It was the Hulk; the incredible mass of muscle took five earth rumbling steps, before Spider-man vaulted off of the ground and onto his back.
“Back off.” He said to the monster, but was thrown off effortlessly.
He went at it again, this time picking up a parking meter, he bolted at Hulk and swung with all of his might, the parking meter connected with the Hulks head only to break in half.
“Ok it was worth the try, hey why don’t we talk this out over a cup of tea back at my aunts place, she makes the best muffins.”
The hulk wasn’t interested in muffins, he raised his fist above his head, Spidey was quick to react, jumping into the air as the raging beast fist slammed into the ground, causing mounds of concrete to pile up. Spidey landed on the mound, he looked behind him to see if there was anyone around, luckily it was only him, Wolverine and the Hulk.
Logan attempted to stand up but Peter webbed him to the wall, he didn’t need the man who made the Hulk angry to make him even angrier.
“Dr. Banner, listen. I don’t want to fight you, I need you to calm down.”
“Banner isn’t home.” Answered the Hulk, his eyes now glowing lime green. “No one home but Hulk.”
He picked up a car and hurled it at Spider-man like a baseball, except Spidey wasn’t going to use his half a parking meter as a bat. He slid under the car, shooting webs at two buildings behind him so they would act as the umpire and catch the car.
“Foul ball.” Spidey said coming up with a fist to the Hulks jaw, the punch would have knocked a lesser opponents head off, but this was the Hulk. He could take blows from almost anyone. He grabbed Spider-mans arm, ready to pound him into nothing, until Danny and Luke Cage showed up in their barrowed car. They rammed the car right into the Hulk, hoping to knock him over, but sadly all they did was destroy the car.
“Damn, looks like that lady’s gonna have to buy a new car.” Luke said.
He punched off the top and climbed out, Danny right behind him.
“Yes, wreck it even more.”
“Does it really matter?”
The Hulk noticed them; he dropped Spider-man and stepped toward them, lumbering nine feet over their heads.
“Hulk don’t like bad drivers.”
Luke looked up at him, face to face with the angry giant, they snarled at each other.
“Well I don’t like ugly green monsters in my way when I’m driving.”
Hulk smacked him aside; Luke flew into a glass window. His hoodie ripping even more.
“You always did have a way with words.” Danny teased. He dodged a punch from the Hulk, his monstrous fist nearly rendering him a cripple. He returned the favor with a dim glowing fist. He let out a fury of left right jabs at Hulks gut, then an uppercut to his ribs. Hulk felt none of the attacks, he only got angrier. Hulk swiped the car into the air with Danny still standing on it. Danny was airborne but not for long, Hulk grabbed him by his leg and hurled him further down the street. Spider-man got up and attacked, he kicked, jumped and punched the beastly Hulk, breaking every bone in his body while doing so. He resorted to his web shooters, spurting webbing in Hulks face, covering his mouth. Spidey was trying to cut off Hulks oxygen. Hulk couldn’t see, he swung his fist around and tried tearing off the webbing but Spider-man wouldn’t let him, he webbed the green giants hands to the street, using enough webbing to hold back a rhinoceros.
“Like a fly in a web.” Spidey quipped.
Hulk stood stuck in a frightening position, he bellowed and roared trying to get out of the webbing, but it had held strong captives before, but the ground was starting to crack.
“Ok new plan.” Danny yelled.
He was sprinting down the street toward the Hulk, his hands blazing a vibrant orange. He was ten yards away when he left the ground, leaping at the Hulk with one of his fist aimed at the Hulks chest. Danny punched as hard as he could, breaking every bone in the Hulks chest and sending him through a building.
“And that is why they call me Iron Fist.” He said proudly.
“Umm…that wasn’t a very good idea.” Spidey said, almost shaking in his costume.
“What do you mean?”
There was a booming roar; the Hulk was officially enraged. Luke Cage stood beside Peter and Danny, ready to face the Hulk who was now over nine feet tall and generating a field of anger.
“If I die today tell my aunt I was hit by a train.” Peter blurted.
“And if I die today let my soul journey into the afterlife and be granted eternal wisdom.” Danny said.
“Wait, can I restate mine?”
“Enough small talk lets take this sucker down.” Luke barked.
Stomps sounded from the building Hulk had been punched into, screams from women and men. Gunfire then a terrible roar like a thousand lions, only Hulk would send the lions running in terror. He jumped out of the wall of the eighth floor, tumbling on the ground and shaking the entire Island of Manhattan. He stood before the three heroes, his muscles bulged even bigger than before and his eyes were a poisonous green.
“So I hear coffins are selling for cheep these days…that’s good for us.” Spidey said timidly.
They readied themselves, Luke clapping his fist together Danny getting into a martial arts position, something like a tiger pose and Peter backed away slowly. Hulk formed a crooked smile. But it was soon stripped from his face. Logan was finally healed; he popped his claws and cut the webbing, then pounced onto Hulks back. He wasn’t holding back, he let the Wolverine loose and went into a rage just as violent as the Hulks, he went berserk.
“You wanna mess with me? Huh green?” He shouted as he cut and slashed the Hulks back down to the bone. Hulk felt the pain, he bellowed as the adimantium claws decapitated his back.
“Whoa, should we stop him or?” Peter asked.
“Nah I’m enjoying it.” Luke replied.
Hulk grabbed Wolverine off of his back and threw him up the side of the Avengers Tower but Logan was done being a rag doll. He put his claws out, slowing his momentum as he went up; he turned in air and let gravity do the rest. Spidey, Luke and Danny were keeping Hulk busy. Luke went head on with him, punching ineffectively against Hulks abs. Danny tried again with his glowing fist, giving them to the Hulks jaw and kneeing him in the chest. It was useless the Hulk took every blow and kept trudging with his own fist. Spidey had been shooting webs in the background.
“This isn’t working at all.” Spider-man said.
He spotted Logan falling from the sky like a meteor, his claws slicing through the air and his mouth growling. He chopped his claws through Hulk, slicing a wide gash in the green giants stomach. The Hulk fell, to his knees then slumped over on his side. His muscles shriveled and his skin turned from green to a pale white until he reverted back to his human form, Dr. Bruce Banner. He was down for the count. Wolverine had somehow managed to land on his feet.
“Well that was easy.” He said to the others.
“Yeah we wore him down for you.” Cage said.
“Sure ya did bub. Where are the X-men, Fantastic Four, and Avengers?”
“I saw the Fantastic Four and the X-men fighting some of those ice beast over in Central Park. The Avengers might have gone into the split in the sky.” Danny said, he looked up at the sky, it was back to normal, closed with no trace of ever being torn apart.
“That’s odd.” He said.
“We should go help the other heroes.” Spider-man said.
Wolverine protested but they ended up dragging him along. Luke complained about getting paid.
“We’re Heroes for Hire, so who’s giving us our check?”
“Luke.” Danny said, “Would you shut the hell up.”
Spider-man grabbed Bruce Banners body and headed to the nearest police station whilst the others ran towards Central Park, fist blazing and ready for action. Spidey was holding Banner as if he would suddenly transform back into the mean green incredible obscene monster. He spotted a police officer driving away from Central Park. His sirens were off and he wasn’t in any type of hurry. Spidey landed on the trunk of the car. He crawled to the hood, Banner still in his arms, nearly naked. His shorts kept falling down so Spidey had to use his amazing belt weaving abilities. He reached the hood of the car; the officer saw him and nearly swerved into traffic.
“Whoa there Cop’er.” Spidey cried.
The officer pulled over and got out of his vehicle holding his gun. He pointed it at Spider-man.
“Drop him, punk!” He ordered.
“Hey now.” Spidey webbed the gun and snatched it from the officer’s hands. “Is that anyway to treat you city saving Spider-man? Here take this guy to your precinct, lock him up heavy, wait for an Avenger to come and grab him.”
“I don’t gotta listen to you.” The officer said.
He turned around and tried to get in his car. Spidey shot a web line at the door and ripped it from its hinges, he then webbed the officer’s hands, stuck the end of the web to Bruce and set him down.
“Don’t make him angry. You really wouldn’t like him when he’s angry.”
The webbed wonder ran and vaulted off the car and swung back towards the park, leaving the Policeman to handle a lifeless Bruce Banner.
“I hope I don’t regret that later.”

Chapter 24

Thor sat beside Loki, he sat on a golden throne overlooking the city of Asgard, they were placed in the garden of Gaea, a fifty-foot wide yard that sprouted a tree that touched the sky, it had nine main limbs. Each limb had branches that were tinder and fragile. The tree represented the nine realms. If the tree was to die then the worlds would face the same peril.
Loki smiled before his people. He wore a shadowy green robe, with yellow lining around the sleeves and hood. His black hair was slicked back making him look dashingly traitorous, but the Asgardians didn’t notice. They applauded every time he spoke.
“Tis day, mortals from Midgard have attacked us, they threatened to dispel me from my throne, the throne given to me by my father in Thors absence.”
The crowd clapped like it was the only thing they knew how to do. Thor sat with a face of reason; he had no idea Loki was up to his wicked ways. Sif stood behind Loki’s throne, her face empty of emotion but retaining its glamor.
“These, Avengers, have been apprehended by the beautiful Lady Sif who has agreed to take my hand in traditional Asgardian royal mirage. Thor has also agreed to allow me to keep the throne until I deem unworthy.” He looked over at Thor who hesitantly nodded his head.
“Aye, my brother Loki shall be our protector, guide and king until he can no longer do so.” His voice was sour and bitter like the words were being ripped from his vocals and shoved from his mouth.
“Tis a grad day for this son of Odin. Now may I present to you Midgards mighty Avengers.”
He snapped his fingers and the Avengers appeared in a cloud of black dust. They were frozen in ice capsules. All except one.
“Are there not five of them brother?” Thor asked.
Loki’s eyes squinted, “No, there were only four, three men and a woman.” He looked at them and pointed to Hawkeye, his blond hair longer than the others and his feature more feminine, with a pointed nose and cupid bow lips.
“The archer must have switched to a female, mortals, they can never stay their rightful gender.” He said with a sharp tongue.
“Aye, that must be the case.” A voice shouted up from the ground. “Or do you lie to the court, Loki?”
The trickster’s eyes widened as he searched for the speaker. He spotted him, it was Bolder, with a small woman on his shoulder, Wasp. Loki snapped his fingers, appearing on the ground in front of them.
“What is the matter of this intrusion Bolder? Should you not be tending to the gates, making sure we are not attacked again?”
Bolder gritted his teeth, his face turned red. Wasp stood up on his shoulder.
“Shouldn’t you be telling the truth to your followers?” She said bravely.
“I was not speaking to you insect.”
“No but I am speaking to you, and everyone else here.” Her wings fluttered and she took to the sky. “Your honorable King is misguiding all of you, he’s inside of your thoughts and controlling your every whim subconsciously, even Thors.”
Every Asgardian in the court shook their heads as if just waking up.
“She flickers lies off of her tongue. I saved Asgard from the evil that lured while my father was attending his Odin’s sleep. I brought Thor home and got rid of those wretched mortals who called themselves the Wrecking Crew. I am the reason we all stand here today.”
“No Loki!” Bolder bellowed. “You are the reason for your own triumphs, you saw a window and climbed through it carelessly. You are a traitor to the people. Let me ask you something trickster.” The last word rolled off his tongue like a thousand curses.
“What have you to ask me?”
Bolder took a long pause, he knew what he wanted to say but it wasn’t his place to say. But as if reading his mind Thor jumped from the garden, landing next to the three. He got in Loki’s face, his eyes flowing with electricity.
“Where is Odin?” Thor growled in the face of his brother.
Loki stammered, the other Asgardians were coming through, their faces full of confusion and shame.
“He is in his chambers, taking the Odin sleep.” He lied.
Sif jumped down too, her face no longer empty of emotion but now flooded with anger. She drew her sword and put it to Loki’s neck, she put her lips to his ear.
“You will not lie your way out of this, weasel.”
“You’re right. But would you honestly kill the man who has imprisoned all of Asgard?”
Sif’s eyes left Loki’s face and looked at the crowd of Asgardians, she watched as they all shifted into magic holographic versions of Loki. The real Loki smiled then dissolved into a shadow. He reformed in the garden beside the Avengers frozen bodies. Loki looked over them, his eyes filled with mischief and his lips curved with evil.
“I’ve waited my entire life for this single moment. The day Thor fell, are you prepared for death brother?”
Thor looked at the ground, his fist were tighter than the grip of a mother holding her child. Sif stood beside him; she looked to her left away from him as if she had failed him. Bolder’s eyes darted around, looking at the Avengers, Loki then the sky. The sky, it had been the brightest of blues like the sea had touched the heavens. Now it had been angered, no it had been enraged. Thor held out his right hand, his fist open and waiting. Thunder boomed in the sky, a light boom that would frighten a child, then it grew louder. It began to rain, a sprinkle that wouldn’t be enough to water a field of flowers until Thor looked up. The rain became heavier. It would have pierced Bolder’s skin if he hadn’t had on armor. Loki created a sphere of green mist around him; it blocked out most of the rain. The drops that got through struck his hair then trickled to his curved lips. He grinned menacingly.
“That’s it, let loose Thunderer.” He whispered.
Thor looked up at his traitorous brother, he blinked, lightning flashed across the sky. It was a rusted yellow.
“Stand to the side my friends, Mjölnir is bringing me my thunder.” Thor warned.
The others scattered out of the way, Wasp taking to the air and the Asgardians running in different directions. In mere seconds Thors enchanted hammer was flying into his hand, a stream of yellow lightning following it and the ground ripping apart from the thunder shaking the ground. The holographic images of Loki’s fell apart as the hammer raced past them. It fell into the hand of its owner, Thor swung like a baseball player, knocking back rows of Loki’s. The God of Mischief only laughed, as he created hundreds more. They fell from the sky but Thor had been cunning, he manipulated the lightning and fried the army of tricksters before they even fully formed.
“You would have to do better than that Loki.” Thor yelled to his foe.
“Have no worries brother, I have only begun.”
He raised his hands at his side, the ground rumbled violently nearly causing Thor to lose balance. The ice around the Avengers began to crack, Loki hadn’t noticed, a mistake he would soon regret. He displayed his power as if it were a new outfit. Balls of fire formed in his hands, his robes changed from green to a void of darkness, his eyes did the same like empty space.
He raised his flaming palms above him and brought them down upon his enemies. Thor quickly lifted his hammer into the sky. He could feel the heat searing his skin but he wasn’t touched, neither were his friends. A field of lighting protected them, pushing against the fire. Wasp looked at her team, the ice had melted and they were recovering. She looked at the elements battling around her.
“This is no place for little Ol me.”
She flew toward the Avengers dodging the inferno and tempest. She grew to her normal size as she landed beside Hank. She was sweating and panting.
“Jan what is going on?” Hank asked her as if it were her fault.
She gave him an exhausted scowl.
Steve watched as the two Gods went at it, Loki was now hovering above Thor his eyes lit with fire and lightning. Cap grabbed his shield from his back and strapped it to his arm, tightly.
“Steve, what are you doing?” Clint asked.
“I’m doing my job.” He answered sternly. “You see that tree? That’s the tree of life; if it is damaged then the entire universe is destroyed. We Avengers don’t let that happen no matter what the obstacle. Now are you an Avenger or are you afraid?”
“Let me see your shield.” He said.
Cap handed it to him without hesitation.
“Legolas don’t got nothing on me.” Clint said.
He jumped from the garden onto the shield and rode it down a railing. He somehow managed to grab five arrows from his quiver, notch them remain balance and let loose the volley of arrows at Loki. They exploded like a miniature nuclear bomb, causing Loki to lose concentration, Thors lightning overpowered his flames and shocked him out of the sky. He now stood face to face with the true prince of Asgard. Hawkeye landed a few feet away from the two Gods, his bow trained on three projections of Loki, he snatched one arrow and flung it, the arrow hit the ground and let out a burst of electricity that shocked all three of the Loki’s.
“Do all archers have to be showoffs?” Tony asked.
He pulled a remote from his back pocket and pressed a pattern of buttons. He put the remote to his lips.
“Party time.”
The beat of Michael Jacksons “Bad” echoed over the lightning. Pieces of armor flew past Thor and Loki. They reached their wearer. Tony stood still letting his Iron Man suit form around him. once it was fully formed he took to the sky doing complete loop in the air, a barrage of missiles emptied out of his back as he turned, they followed him as he flew toward the Trickster. At the last moment he stopped and let the missiles fly pas him, they crashed into Loki sending him through a wall and into the city.
“And stay down you filthy animal.” Tony quipped.
Steve, Hank and Janet regrouped with the others. Tony turned off the music, his mask opened and he stared at Lady Sif seductively. She shot him a threatening glare. Hank held Janet’s in his arms and smiled warmly. Clint patted Bolder on his back, they observed Cap and Thor who were staring each other down for moments on end, after three awkward minutes they locked arms.
“Thank you Captain, as well as you Avengers.”
They smiled and let out a breath of relief, a quick victory for the Avengers, or so they thought. Loki was down but not for the count. Twelve images of him sprung from the dirt around the group, each one of them holding a sharp spear aimed at the Avengers and Asgardians.
Thor swiftly slammed his hammer on the ground, a shockwave smashed into the Loki’s; they vanished into a cloud of green smoke and formed the actual Trickster.
“You think you’ve won, Thor? I tried not to resort to this but you’ve forced my hand, he told that if was not able to defeat you in combat I’d have to destroy what you love!” Loki shouted.
“He who?” Thor asked.
“He who hates you, he who wishes death upon you and these meddlesome mortals.”
With each word Loki uttered Asgard shook, the city began to crumble and crash.
“He who will have his taste of vengeance.”
The golden city fell, towers tumbling and bridges collapsing. Screams ringing through over the rubble.
“What have you done?!” Sif screamed.
Thors heart sunk in his chest, he stared at the city, his home. Without reluctance and no one attempting to stop him he raised his hammer in front of him, pointing it at Loki, who smiled madly.
“You have gone too far this time Loki, I sentence you to a thousand deaths.”
An enormous stream of lightning fell from the sky pouring onto Thor, it channeled through him and his hammer, slamming into Loki like a raging river breaking free from a damn. The trickster’s body disintegrated in the barrage of lightning.
Thor stood heartbroken, he felt like he could die where he was planted. But he didn’t. Sif put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him but he shrugged her off. He walked away from the group. He began to swing his hammer in a propeller motion aside of him. He flung it upward and gripped the hilt as tight as he could, the hammer took him and he flew to a location unknown to the others.
“Where is he going?” Steve asked Sif.
“To mourn and find answers. You Avengers should be leaving now. Bolder shall escort you back to your mortal home.”
“Is there anything we can do to help?”
“Nay, your job is done, thank you all for your assistance in battling Loki. Now I wish you a farewell.”
She waved her hand and the Avengers bodies began to shimmer a silver light, they became transparent, within a few moments they completely disappeared and were on their way back to earth. Bolder and Sif stood before the fallen city of Asgard, their souls buried in silence. The two warriors stood side by side, their eyes dull of a green shade. Bolder spoke in a voice that was not his own.
“The deed has been done my master. What will you have us do next?”
A hidden voice answered back, it was deep and frightening, shallow and loud. Like the storms created by Thor, it was relentless.
“That was only our first move my valued servant, a game of chess is a game of time, and time is something that is in our favor.”

Chapter 25

Meanwhile on earth on top of the Avengers tower, Spider-man, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and Wolverine looked over the city. Their clothes were torn and covered in ice. Spidey sat over the edge, his feet dangling with the wind, he whistled the tone of itsy-bitsy spider. Wolverine popped his claws.
“If I hear another peep out of you I’m gonna rip your mask off and cut off your lips.”
Spidey looked behind him then back flipped off of the edge and behind Wolverine, shooting two webs at both of Logan’s ears.
“Is that better Wolvie?” He asked and continued to whistle his tune.
Wolverine tried to rip the webbing off only to have his hands get stuck to his head. Luke cracked a smile showing stunning white teeth. Danny was sitting away from the others, his legs crossed and his left fist planted into his right palm; he was meditating. His eyes were closed tight but his lips were not sealed.
“So Spider-man, what was our reasoning for coming up here?”
Spidey scratched his head and shrugged his shoulders. He looked at Cage then at Logan who was still trying to rip the webs from his ears.
“I’m going to talk to the Avengers about what happened today. You guys don’t have to stay.”
“Nah I need to talk to Tony Stark, he owes me some money for what happened today.” Luke said.
Danny nodded his head, his eyes still closed. Spider-man looked at Wolverine.
“Why are you still here?” He asked.
He had finally managed to cut the webs with his claws.
“What did you say punk?”
Spidey got in his face, he nearly took off his mask but stopped himself. Logan was two inches shorter than Peter, who was in high school. He could laugh but decided not to.
“What are you still doing here, bub?” Spidey asked mockingly.
Logan gritted his teeth, his claws retracted back into his knuckles and he walked over to the doors that led to the elevator of the building.
“I’ll catch you later web head.” He said as he hopped into the elevator.
“Oh the irony.” Danny said chuckling.
He got up and walked over to the others. A silver light shined in front of them, five people in flamboyant costumes materialized on the roof. The Avengers stood in front of them; they looked like they had battled God. Spider-man looked at them in awe, his jaw could be seen dropping through his mask. Captain America looked them over.
“Spider-man.” He said gently.
“Uh hey Captain.”
“Fill us in.”
They went down into the living quarters, Spidey explained how the sky had opened and ice giants stepped through and invaded the city. How the Hulk had been fighting Wolverine, and beating the day light out of his eyes until himself, Luke and Danny had stepped in.
Tony took off his armor and listened closely to the young heroes story. Hank was also listening but partly, he stood up away from the others and tampered with his helmet. Steve sat forward in a chair, his mask was slipped behind his back, his shield was leaning on the chair. Luke stood behind the couch Spider-man and Danny were sitting on. His arms were crossed and he kept eyeing Tony. Clint held a TV remote, he was leaning back in a chair next to Steve, he flipped through channels until he found the history channel. There was a documentary on the Civil War. Janet had gone to the bathroom to fix her makeup and hair.
“…Anyway we were just doing what any other hero would do. The Fantastic Four and X-men kept things under control too, for the most part. I mean they didn’t help fight the Hulk but who am I to complain?” Spidey finished.
“You’re right, you shouldn’t complain,” Tony said. “You helped save the city. The four of you defeated the Hulk; even we had trouble doing that. But from how you described it you worked together, as a team.”
“What do you boys think?” Cap asked.
Clint turned off the TV; he looked at the other Avengers confused. Hank had a smile across his face.
“Wait a minute.” He said. “Wait one thunderous minute. Are you guys inviting these rookies to join our little group?”
Steve looked over at the archer, “Is there a problem, Clint?”
“You can bet your star spangled chest there is. We’re just recruiting now? Because if we are then I have a few candidates.”
“We’ve gone over this before.” Steve said irritated. “Black Widow isn’t Avengers material, neither is Mockingbird. I don’t care how beautiful you think they are.”
Tony raised an eyebrow and began to open his mouth but Cap shot his words down before they touched the wind.
“We need real heroes, like the ones sitting in our faces.”
“Ok, you’re right Cap. More guys and less girls, I think the old man may be a little crooked.”
“Hey leave the old man alone,” Tony defended. “His last girl was in 1944, imagine what that does to a guy.”
They laughed until they saw Hanks face, he was giving them a scowling stare. Tony patted Steve on his back. Luke’s eyes looked around slowly.
“So Avengers huh? How much you dudes get paid?” He asked.
Tony pulled a pen and pad out of his pocket. He wrote a number on it and handed it to Luke.
“Twist my arm and call me Power Man.”
“Welcome to the Avengers kiddies.” Clint announced.
They all stood up, Luke put his arm around Tony’s shoulder, they walked away and started talking money. Hank chatted with Danny about the value of life. Janet stepped out of the bathroom; she stopped and stared at Danny. She looked at him as if he were the most beautiful thing in the room. She twirled her hair with one finger and leaned against the wall to daydream. Hank looked over and saw her admiring the younger man. He pushed him aside and stormed over to her.
“Janet Van Dyne!” He shouted.
The others looked over, Cap started walking toward them but Clint put his arm in front of him.
“Hold on soldier, Hank isn’t stupid.”
Janet stopped staring; she blushed and put her hand on Hanks chest.
“Hey Honey. You gonna introduce me to your new friend? He’s very handsome.”
“Unbelievable.” He said.
Hank shoved through the others slowly shrinking as he walked. He shrunk to his insect size and called for an ant. When it arrived he hoped on and flew out a window. Danny walked over to Luke.
“Nice going, maybe next you should keep your mask on.” Luke said to him.
Janet shrunk down and went to follow Hank. The rest of the Avengers went their separate ways. Clint and Tony went to their rooms, Luke and Danny went back to their building to pack and move into the tower. Spider-man talked to Steve on the roof. It was midnight; the sky was dark and full of stars. The wind was light and chilly, the city was unusually quite. No sirens from emergency vehicles, no gunshots, screams or anything that would cause alarm. It was peaceful. Spidey was standing on the edge of the roof, his powers prevented him from falling. Steve stood behind him, he had taken off his costume and was wearing red sweatpants white socks and a blue shirt. 11
“Cap, you Avengers all have secret identities but everyone knows your real names.”
“I see where you’re going with this son, I know that you have been keeping your identity hidden for three years to protect people close to you. I get that, you’re still a kid, I get that and you don’t even know if you can be an Avenger. I understand that, so I’m not asking you to be an Avenger. I’m asking you to be a hero when needed.”
“So you don’t care who I am?”
“It’s not the name that makes the man, but the man that makes the name, whether your name is Alex, Jared, Oscar or Peter. You’re still a hero and that’s all that matters.”
Spider-man shivered, “Yeah, ok. Well I better get going, it’s getting kinda late and I have an Algebra test to study for, again.”
Cap saluted him, Spidey flipped off the edge and thwipped a web, he swung from building to building.
“See you soon Parker, see you soon.”
Cap turned to go back inside, he took four steps then heard a sound, like a spoon being tossed into a fire. a crackling rang in his head as a purple ray of light covered him, he was frozen in place and lifted into the sky. He tried to yell but his jaw wouldn’t work. He was dragged into a spaceship above him. It took up half the sky and had appeared out of nowhere. The ship captured Steve then vanished as quickly as it had emerged.
The hidden voice that had spoken to Bolder and Sif echoed through the sky.
“On this day, a day unlike any other, earths mightiest heroes find themselves in the mix of a threat larger than they could possibly comprehend. On this day the Avengers will have died and good will have won."