WHAT IF...? has taken you to many different worlds, and has allowed you to see many different possibilities, all of which spring from one universe: the Marvel Universe with which many of you are familiar--the Marvel Universe that has presented those possibilities for over thirty-five years. This tale of WHAT IF...? will allow you to explore that universe even further, and learn a possible truth to a missing year, as it asks the question...What if the Avengers never broke up?

Binary stumbled through the corridor of the creaky oil tanker that housed the Avengers, her destination a blur that seemed miles away. She reached the sealed door to the Hulk's holding chamber, and, after a few moments of clumsily fumbling with the hatch lock, she managed to make her way in.

After taking yet another swig of Jack Daniel's for added confidence, she was ready to defend herself from the jade giant with a pulse of fiery white hole energy that had earned her the name "Binary," but she was aware that between the Hulk's incredible strength and her recently depleted powers, any counterattack would be futile.

To her surprise, the Hulk sat motionless in the middle of the rumpled chamber, obviously dejected. This was a relief, for up until that time, the Hulk fought his captivity, and the pain that the mysterious disc on his neck apparently caused*. Jim Rhodes had yet to find a reason for the disc's presence, nor a way to remove it. And so the Hulk was forced to sit in confinement, a pawn in the Black Widow's crusade against Baron Zemo and his Thunderbolts.

(*see HEROES FOR HIRE #1)

She felt for him. He was helpless, just as she had become of late.

"How are you feeling, big guy?" she asked, hesitant to approach the Hulk.

"Hulk is tired of the disc. Tired of the pain. Head hurts. Wanted in another place. What does Toe Head want with Hulk?"

Binary giggled at her new moniker. "Just came to talk, is all. Herc and Quasar are busy on the deck training Limbo. I would join them, but I don't know what good I would do. Ever since my powers started to fade,* I'm not a threat to anyone anymore. Whatever is causing this, it's holding me back." She sighed out of frustration.

(*see last issue)

"Hulk is held back too. Hulk doesn't like the Avengers, and he doesn't like being held against his will."

Binary climbed onto the goliath's shoulder, more than confident that he could hold her weight, but not entirely confident that he would want to. However, in her drunken state, she was willing to take risks. "You were here from the start, weren't you, big guy? You saw it all begin. And now look at you. You don't deserve this. Neither do the Avengers. Look at us! I've gotten a raw deal from the Avengers plenty of times, but it's never been this bad! Never this sneaking around. Never this grim attitude. We try to cheer things up, but it doesn't work. This isn't the Avengers. No, the Avengers are dead."

"Hulk wishes," the giant grumbled.

A blinding flash of crimson light heralded the Avengers' arrival in Central Park. Black Widow, Hercules, Binary, Quasar, the teleporting Limbo, Klaw, and the Hulk were huddled alone in a quieter section of the park, but the location still did not suit the Black Widow's tastes.

"I was hoping for a more private place, Limbo," Black Widow scolded. "If the Avengers are seen together in public, it could jeopardize our entire mission, and Zemo would be on to us."

"Sorry, ma'am," replied the rookie Brit, her head hung in shame.

"Klaw, I want you to take me to the 'associates' you contacted from the tanker. And I don't want any tricks."

Klaw gave his ever-sinister smile. "Your confidence in me is flattering, Widow."

She hardly acknowledged his comment and continued. "Herc, you're in charge of setting up some sort of temporary residence. Some place private."

"Come along, Carol!" Hercules chimed. "I welcome your taste in living arrangements!"

"A place close to some ale, right Herc?" Binary replied sarcastically.

"Indeed!"

As the two parties left, Hulk, Quasar, and Limbo remained in the park, quite helpless without any orders.

"So..." Quasar sighed.

"So..." Limbo repeated.

"Bite to eat?" Quasar suggested.

Limbo playfully looked into his eyes. "Let's!"

Now, you'd think that with all the restaurants in New York City, there would have to be one empty one that was easy to find. This was not the case, however. Beth and I searched nearly an hour, Hulk in tow, for a place that would keep us hidden and put food in our bellies. We finally found a place where there were no people to notice my star-themed garb, or her red, wavy costume, or even the mammoth Hulk. Good thing; Beth didn't want anyone in public to see us together for fear of endangering the Widow's almighty "mission"; my reason was less duty-minded-I just wanted to be alone with her. I mean, come on, beautiful girl in need of a friend? Who better than Quasar to fill that role of companion? The Hulk?

And I did fill that role, up until Beth's Avenger ID card beeped, and she was told to meet Black Widow, for she, Klaw, and the new "Masters of Evil" were "ready," as Natasha put it. The Hulk was now in my care-too weakened from the mysterious pain in his head to fight me, fortunately-as moments later, Beth flashed out of existence.

Seems like that's how every woman leaves my life. Kayla was the same way. There one minute, on another Earth, then the next, she was just...gone. Sealed off from me in a place I may never see again. As much as it hurts me to say it, I've kind of given up on her. The only thing I can do to keep her with me is to live on as she would want me to, and try be the hero that she always knew.

In the meantime, my thoughts have been drawn to-

"-the new Masters of Evil, who appear to be having trouble handling the Black Widow," the TV reporter said as I watched the restaurant's black and white Trinison from my table.

"While it is unclear who leads this new band of villains, the membership does apparently include Klaw, a new Cyclone, Tiger Shark, Flying Tiger, and Man-Ki-look, there! The V-wing! The Thunderbolts are coming!"

They were, just like the helicopter reporter said. It's going just as Black Widow planned. I'll give her credit; I didn't think recruiting Klaw was such a hot idea, but he's served his purpose: he used his criminal connections to help Black Widow recruit a new assemblage of Masters of Evil in order to attract Zemo's attention. Of course, the only reason these villains even agreed to help Natasha out was because she promised them amnesty for their past crimes.

"Now, who is in charge of this conglomeration?" Zemo asked, decked out in his Citizen V garb. Wasn't there an old Citizen V from World War II?

You can just see the hate in Natasha's eyes. She wants to take Zemo out right now. I kind of wish she would; then maybe this whole "mission" would be over.

"That would be me." There's Beth! There's Limbo! Good job, girl. And that costume of hers-even though it's pretty much just her Limbo outfit with a hood added, it's so sinister! Funny how a person can change like that.

"And who are you then," Zemo asked. "And by what presumption do you claim to lead the Masters of Evil?"

"I am the Crimson Cowl, sir. And I do not explain myself! Nor do I remain in useless battle when my objectives are no longer attainable." She doesn't talk like that normally. Good acting job. Natasha should be proud.

A flash, and Beth and the "Masters of Evil" have escaped the scene! Now, if the Black Widow just does her part, maybe we'll get this over with soon. Maybe we can leave the name "Avengers" some dignity.

(see pages 8-9 of THUNDERBOLTS #3 for the rest of Black Widow's encounter with the Thunderbolts)

While the Black Widow made arrangements with certain heads of the New York underworld, the other members of the Avengers spent a few days enjoying their free time in the city.

Limbo and Quasar spent a day in civvies, walking the city, with Klaw and Hulk trailing behind all the while. Or so they thought.

"Shouldn't we be keeping a better eye on Klaw?" Quasar asked.

"Oh Wendell, stop being such a...boy scout! He'll be fine."

Quasar chuckled. "You know me like a book, Beth."

The next two days only brought the two young heroes closer.

The days off were not as cheerful for the bar-hopping Hercules and Binary, who had suddenly become disenchanted with the covert aspects of this team of Avengers.

"I promised Natasha that I would ever remain at her side," Hercules admitted to Binary, "but the Avengers' actions have me confounded. I...I do not know how much longer I can allow this roundabout behavior to prevail."

"I know what you mean, Herc," Binary replied. "We are using the Hulk as a slave, for crying out loud! I mean, I know the Bruce Banner persona was somehow destroyed by Onslaught, but Hulk is still a living being. He doesn't deserve this kind of treatment."

"Aye. Sad times indeed for 'Earth's Mightiest Heroes.'"

Carol snickered out of regret. "I forgot all about that title."

Much of this interaction did not escape the Black Widow's attention, but she tried not to let it affect her. She tried to stay focused on taking Zemo down.

And with a single message on their ID cards, each Avenger flocked to the Black Widow on her command-some more willingly than others.

"You rang?" Quasar said to the Black Widow, his voice more light-hearted than it had been thus far in her presence. Behind him, Limbo hovered gently in the air, and Hercules strode confidently to the cloisters, which Black Widow had chosen for the Avengers' ambush on Zemo. Klaw was already in position with the new Masters of Evil on the other side of the secluded area. However, strangely absent were-

"-Binary? Where's Binary? And...where's the Hulk?!" Black Widow exclaimed, the concern on her face apparent.

"He's free, Natasha!" Binary cried from behind as she soared to the scene.

"What? What did you do, Binary?"

"I released him!" Binary replied. "The Avengers don't keep hostages!"

Black Widow said nothing-she let the anger boil inside her. And just as it was about to be expelled, Hercules stepped in.

"Perhaps we can assault the Thunderbolts without him," Hercules reasoned.

"No, the Hulk is unstoppable," Black Widow said. "And he holds a grudge against the Thunderbolts. That's why I recruited him in the first place!"

"But he was in a bad way, Black Widow," Limbo said. "I'm not sure-"

"Hush, girl! Join Klaw at your designated position on the other side of the wall. Hercules, you and Quasar go after the Hulk! This will work!"

Binary landed and powered down. "What about me?"

Black Widow returned a repugnant sneer and muttered, "You get out of my face."

The Black Widow, Hercules, and Quasar glided through the streets of New York in obvious urgency, looking for a Hulk that was nowhere to be seen. It should have been easy enough to find the jade giant, but somehow, thanks to Binary, he had disappeared.

Quasar flew upward, among the city's towering skyline, in the hopes that he would spot the Hulk down below. He did not see the telltale commotion, did not hear the screams that usually proclaimed the Hulk's arrival.

Hercules, on the other hand, heard plenty of screams coming from the United Nations building. He knew that the Hulk was in there-at least, he knew something was in there, something worthy of the attention of a warrior-born-something worthy of the attention of a true Avenger. Fists clenched, he charged the building.

Black Widow refused to give up the search for the Hulk. Without him, her planned ambush of the Thunderbolts would be all but a disaster. Hulk had fought the Thunderbolts before, and no doubt had more enmity for them than he did for most "puny humans." She knew that the Hulk was a valuable asset, just as, to her surprise, she knew that the Thunderbolts had arrived to take on the Masters of Evil. The revelation was confirmed by the cry of battle coming from the mouths of the Thunderbolts a few hundred yards away in the cloisters. From this point on, the would-be ambush was a failure.

As she rushed to the location of the unseen confrontation, she could not help but think that Limbo-or in this case, the Crimson Cowl-was alone, caught in a battle between two rosters of the Masters of Evil, and no doubt scared. She had to get back to Limbo, to see to her safety.

She returned to the place where the Avengers had originally assembled that day and found two of the Arms Merchant's henchmen bound with rope, courtesy of Binary.

"I caught these two for you, Natasha," Binary said. "I...I knew you planned to betray your agreement with them anyway." Black Widow took the two men and said not a word to her in reply.

Binary had to wonder, was this still anger from her earlier actions, or was the Black Widow disappointed that her well-laid plans had gone awry? "The Crimson Cowl," Klaw, the new Masters of Evil, the Hulk, all of it set up in order to capture Zemo and the Thunderbolts-all of it for nothing. Then Binary knew where the anger came from.

The Black Widow stepped up the stone-brick walls of the cloisters, her two captures in hand, and found the Thunderbolts below, contemplating their victorious battle with the Masters of Evil. Out of disgust, she tossed the two prisoners to the ground at Zemo's feet, and the Thunderbolts saw her in the shadows. The darkness hid her anger; the anger that came from knowing that-just as he had won the hearts of thousands of New Yorkers-Zemo had won this day.

She looked deep into the blank mask of "Citizen V," and then looked deeper as only she could, into the face of Helmut Zemo, and still she said nothing. And moments later, she took leave of the "heroes," allowing them to ponder her surprising appearance.

Later that night, Black Widow sat alone atop the rooftop of one of New York's countless skyscrapers, where she felt most comfortable. Comfort did not welcome her, tonight however, for the day's calamitous events held her thoughts, as she tried not to imagine how close she was to stopping Zemo. If not for Binary's actions, she would have.

She did not want to blame Carol, however, for what if she was right to let the Hulk go? "The Avengers don't keep hostages!" she had said. Now that the Black Widow was in control, they had. What had she done to this team? What had she done to herself?

Oh, these thoughts were troubling. She wanted more than anything not to be alone, that her mind would not be allowed to focus on her self-doubt, and instead be allowed to center on the Avengers' mission.

And then, as if a gift from the gods themselves, she was not alone.

"Good evening, fair Natasha!" Hercules said. "I see the fearless Daredevil's behavior is infectious!"

Black Widow smiled. "It is. Join me!"

Hercules sat with her on the ledge, his brutish form a perfect contrast to her smooth yet firm figure. "I apologize for my absence from today's events," he said. "Perhaps had I been there to aid you, instead of searching for the Hulk, the Thunderbolts would have been thwarted."

Black Widow put a gentle hand on his back. "You just did what I told you to do, Herc."

"Indeed." Hercules' voice took a merrier tone. "I come bearing good news, though! I found the Hulk!"

Black Widow looked shocked. "You did?!" Perhaps there was still hope for another ambush.

"Aye! And...I found an assemblage of other heroes, as well."

"Oh?"

"Iron Fist and White Tiger. They are forming a group, Natasha: the Heroes for Hire."

"That's good to hear. The world needs more people like-"

"I'll be joining them, Natasha," Hercules proclaimed somberly.

Black Widow was speechless for a moment. "Herc? Why?"

Hercules had fought forces unimaginable in his years on earth, but never did he face such a challenge as uttering the words he was about to say. "The Avengers-your Avengers-they do not feel...right...to me. We have performed acts that Captain America and Thor and the others would never dream to do. We have allied ourselves with inexperienced babes and villains most foul. We have enslaved the Hulk. Your intentions have merit, Natasha, but your means are not just."

The Black Widow looked down with disappointment...and shame. "You said you would never leave me, Herc," she replied, as helpless as Hercules had ever seen her. "You said you would always be here."

He took her hand from his back and held it tightly. "That was when I knew that you were a kind-hearted person, fair Natasha. Now, I wonder if justice has blinded you from the world you wish to protect."

Of them all, Hercules was the Avenger closest to Natasha. Without him, she had no heart for the team. Without him, the team itself had no heart. As much as she hated to admit it, she did not know what to do without him.

"Stay," she whispered pathetically.

"I...cannot."

The two would-be teammates sat alone on the roof, overlooking the darkened city that they both knew needed heroes, but that they saw fit to protect in different ways.

While the Avengers were in New York on a mission, Jim Rhodes used his time alone to see that the computer systems on his newly-purchased Navy tanker were up and running.

For the past few hours, he had been deleting useless files that the Navy mistakenly left in the ship's database before they sold him the tub. Just as he was about to call it a night, Jim noticed a peculiar file-a familiar file. It was the file containing the War Machine armor, which he had downloaded into the Stark/Fujikawa computer network some months back in order to search for and destroy dangerous information.

Rhodes had the curiosity to ask what the file was doing in his computer. Unfortunately for him, he did not have the omnipresence to ask what the War Machine armor was doing behind him!

Next Issue: COUNTERSTRIKE!