| MV1 |
|---|
| COMICS
#105 |
| May-Yr.3 |
Writer: Scott Chamberlain
Scans: Chris Luna
EIC: Van Plexico
| Avengers Compound, Palos Verdes. |
"My God..." whispered Roberta Morse, AKA the Huntress, as she watched the monitors showing various scenes of destruction from around the world. "What have we done?"
Another tremor rumbled throughout the complex. Roberta gripped the arms of her seat in near panic as bits of masonry and steel fell from the ceiling. Even the reinforced construction of the sub-basements wouldn't hold much longer against the magnitude of the earthquakes which kept rippling up and down the Pacific coast.
"We... We could have stopped this!"
Roberta whipped around, startled by the sound of the voice coming from the doorway. Seeing who it was, she frowned. "Cat... I thought you were dead."
Greer Nelson, AKA the Cat stumbled into the room, eyes locked on the monitors. She was bleeding from a deep gash in the forehead. "I managed to pull myself out of the rubble. My God, Roberta! Why didn't we stop this when we had the chance?"
The Huntress shrugged. "It's too late now..." Another tremor rocked the building. A girder fell and cracked he floor with a loud crash. "Christ! We've got to get out of here, this place is a deathtrap!"
Greer looked at Roberta and laughed. Coldly, cynically. "Where will we go? Tell me that, Huntress. Where on this planet can we go? The Earth is going to hell, and you and I are going with it." She shook her head. "No thank you, Roberta. I'm an Avenger and I'll wait for the end right here with the others."
Roberta headed for the door. She turned and looked at the Cat. "The others are dead." She had already walked out the door when the next tremor hit.
Cat screamed as the ceiling of the computer room finally gave way. Roberta, out in the better shielded hallway, ran back to the doorway. Cat lay underneath a pile of stone and metal, her skull crushed.
Macabrely, Roberta smiled. "I lost Clint to you. Now, you lose your life." She nodded, feeling justice had somehow been served as she ran to the access tunnel to the quinjet hangar.
Roberta hoped there was still a hangar left to escape from. It was the best reinforced part of the complex, so she figured her chances were good. "If I can get out of here alive... maybe I can find somewhere...someplace..." She ran.
The door to the hangar was off its hinges. Roberta knocked it aside. She stood in the hangar looking at the last remaining functional quinjet. Suddenly, a major quake hit. A fissure opened up in the floor of the hangar Three damaged quinjets and a pristine one slid down the new incline in the floor and into the fissure. Destroyed.
"Nooooooooooooo!" Screamed Roberta, her last hope of survival gone. She leapt back into the access tunnel, and raced back toward the Compound. The ceiling ahead gave right before the part above her did as well. The Huntress's reflexes saved her as she leapt forward into the narrow gap between the two collapsed areas. Still, a fallen bit of concrete impacted with her shoulder. Roberta screamed in pain as she fell to the floor. Alive, but knowing the end was near. Roberta sat and awaited death.
Then a bright light filled the small gap she was in and a voice spoke. "Roberta Morse, you who call yourself the Huntress. Step into the light and join me, that you might prevent this catastrophe from happening again."
Roberta squinted into the light, trying to discern who the voice belonged to. "Who are you...?"
"The time for questions is not now." it said. "Join me, and all will be revealed to you. Refuse and you will of course die. The choice is yours."
Not needing further encouragement, Roberta picked herself painfully off the floor and walked into the light. then, another tremor hit and a world died.
| Avengers Compound, Palos Verdes. |
The quinjet circled once around the Compound before it would sweep out to sea and begin its approach to the cliffside hangar.
"This is Avengers quinjet Av-e-1201, requesting landing authorization. Over.
The Swordsman and Magdalene sat in the cockpit of the quinjet and awaited confirmation from the Compound.
"By the Fourth Ring!" said Magdalene. "What is going on? This is the second transmission we have sent and still no reply."
The Swordsman looped around again, watching the grounds. "Something's amiss. I know we are late, but still there should be people milling about the grounds from the tryouts."
A burst of static came across the communicator, and Hawkeye's face showed up on the viewscreen, slightly distorted from the low-output of his communicard. "Swordsy, that you?"
"Yes, Hawkeye. We've been trying to-"
"Swordsy," Hawk interrupted "get away from the Compound. The place has been-"
A laserblast shot up in front of the quinjet. Magdalene shrieked as the Swordsman executed a few evasive maneuvers. "By the Rings, Phillip. They're shooting at us!"
Hawkeye's voice came over the communicator again. "Swordsman, Magdalene. Land at the coordinates I'm transferring to the quinjet's computer. And hurry!"
Magdalene read off the coordinates and the Swordsman banked hard to the right, evading a salvo of laserbursts from the Compound. The quinjet flew off.
| Main Computer Room |
Wartoy stood over the computers, a fiber-optic wire connecting it to the computer. The machine's metallic features contorted into a grimace somewhat resembling a smile as it regarded the Crimson Cowl, who stood with it. "I have accessed the defensive systems. I just used them to repel a quinjet that was circling about. I can also access any of the surveillance cameras and see through them, thus eliminating the need for above ground watches. None of the Avengers can approach the Compound without alerting us and going through their own defensive systems."
"Excellent, Wartoy." The Cowl nodded. "You have accomplished much since we took control of the Compound.* Now, what of the data files? The Avengers records?"
| *Last Issue --Scott |
"Heavily encrypted." replied Wartoy. "I'm running permutations to break the code, but it may take a while. Say eight to ten hours."
"Make it six. Even though the West Coasters are short-handed, and reports say the East Coasters are off-world*, I'm sure Hawkeye will manage to scrounge together a team to come after us with. Time is of the essence. We must retrieve the pertinent data as soon as possible. Then the end of the Avengers will be on the horizon." The Cowl clenched her fist. "And my ultimate revenge against Hawkeye complete!"
| *See current issues of Avengers! --Assemblin' Scooter |
Wartoy regarded the Cowl. "I don't see why we don't just kill our two prisoners and then hunt down Hawkeye and be done with it. I prefer fighting to all this."
The Cowl waved a dismissive hand. "Time enough for your more visceral pursuits later. Trust me, my way will provide humiliations galore for the Avengers as well as their demise. Now, continue with your work. I must see to our captives. Perhaps they might be persuaded to help us achieve our goal sooner." She walked from the room, leaving Wartoy alone.
| Outside, a short distance from the Compound's perimeter. |
"Good." said Hawkeye. "Reinforcements!"
Hawkeye and the Living Lightning stood watching the quinjet land in VTOL* format. The craft touched down and the Swordsman and Magdalene disembarked.
| *Vertical Take Off and Landing --Aeronautical Scooter |
"By the Outer Rings, Hawkeye! What is happening here?" Magdalene asked. "We were invited here by you to fill membership slots in your team and when we arrive, we get shot at!" She gripped her power lance tightly, anger clearly evident.
The Swordsman placed a restraining hand on her. "Calm yourself love. I'm quite sure Hawk has an explanation."
"You're darn right I do." said Hawk. "The Masters of Evil have taken over the Compound and they have Tigra and the Agent prisoner! But, now that you are here, along with the Lightning, we got a team to take it back and kick their butts with."
"Do you have any sort of plan?" asked the Swordsman.
"You betcha. We go beachside, and scale the cliff. We'll sneak in through the hangar door there. Security systems there are minimal, because of its inaccessibility. We go through the access shaft and straight into the sub-basement. Hopefully, we'll be quick enough to catch them off-guard."
"How many are arrayed against us?" asked Magdalene.
The Lightning spoke up. "Well, there is the Cowl, Wartoy, Flying Tiger, Tiger-Shark, Cyclone, and Man-Killer. That's six."
"Not the best of odds, Hawkeye." said the Swordsman "Us four against the six of them, plus we have to fight through the Compound's defensive systems to get at them? I think we need more help."
"I believe we can be of assistance in this matter, Avengers."
The four Avengers looked to see who spoke. Behind them stood three figures. The Variable, Shape and Jolt.
"We're willing to pitch in." said the Variable. "If you want our help."
Hawkeye looked at the trio dubiously "Well, no offense, but this is Avengers business. We'd better handle it ourselves."
"Noooooooo!" cried Shape. "Shape is Avenger!* Hawkeye say Shape Avenger!
| *Shape was made a West Coast reservist last issue --Honorary Avenger Scott |
"Well, that's true..." Hawk grudgingly admitted.
Jolt spoke up. "So, what about the Variable and I? You can say 'Avengers business' all you want, but you are really short-handed! You need our help!"
Hawkeye turned the color of his costume "Look missy, Your kind of help is the kind I don't need! I find it a bit too coincidental that you show up here, then the Masters of Evil attack! For all we know, you could be part of the whole plan, waiting to stab us in the back when the chance pops up!"
"Now wait just a minute!" screamed Jolt. "I was never a part of this Masters of Evil! In fact we fought against them!*" She visibly tried to calm herself. "Look, like I said, I've fought them. I know more about their fighting styles and tactics than you do. I can be a big help, if you just let me! All I want to do is prove to you all that I'm not a criminal."
| *Thunderbolts #3 --Citizen Scott |
"According to our files, she did help the Avengers against the Thunderbolts* in the end, Hawkeye." said Lightning. "Maybe we ought to give her the benefit of the doubt. After all, of the five current Avengers here, only Shape didn't start out as a criminal."
"Shape not bad-guy!" said Shape, bobbing his head.
Hawkeye looked at each of them in turn, looking for support, but finding none. Sighing, he looked to Jolt. "All right. We'll give you a chance. But, You do exactly as I say. Understand?"
Jolt grinned and saluted "Aye Aye captain!"
"Variable, Shape, and Jolt." Said Hawk. "I have a job for you three."
| Inside. |
Thwack!
The USAgent's head snapped back with the blow. He tasted fresh blood in his mouth. Once again straining against the bonds that held him. The binders in the Compound's holding cells were designed to hold someone with the strength of Wonder Man, so the Agent knew his efforts were futile.
"Weak, pathetic male!" yelled Man-Killer right in the Agent's face. "I'll break you, believe it. By the time I finish with you, you'll beg me to let you tell us everything we want to know." She sent a knee to the Agent's solar plexus. He made a whooshing sound as air was forced from his lungs.
The Agent had been steadily worked over for the better part of two hours, yet he eyed Man-Killer defiantly and spoke through gritted teeth. "I don't think so... I've... been hit by... better... than you..." his head slumped.
"Enough!" said the Crimson Cowl as she entered he room. "You've pounded on him for long enough. I know his type, he'll die before you beat anything out of him."
"Awwww..." said Tiger-Shark "Ya went and ruined all our fun! We was havin' a real hoot of a time watchin' Man-Killer beat the tar out of flag-boy."
The Cowl eyed Tiger-Shark. "We are not here for your sadistic idea of amusement. We have an objective to obtain, and we will do so in a manner I see fit."
"C'mon Cowl," said Man-Killer "let me work him over some more. I'll get information out of him."
"No. I have a much better idea. Bring his teammate to me."
Flying Tiger had been watching over Tigra. At the Cowl's command, he brought her forward. The Cowl stood before USAgent and lifted his sagging head by the chin. "You seem to have little regard for your own health. I believe you would actually die before giving us access codes to your computer system. However, I am interested to see how long you will resist if the life of your teammate is threatened."
The Cowl strode to Tigra. A prehensile fold of her cape snaked out and swirled around Tigra's neck. "Tell me the access codes now, USAgent, or I will squeeze the life from this woman's lungs!"
| Meanwhile, in New York City. |
Simon Williams stood atop one of the many skyscrapers which littered the Manhattan skyline. He wanted nothing more than to be alone and in a city like this, the top of a building seemed to be the only way. Especially when you kept running into people you used to know.*
| *Alex, in last issue. --Scott |
Simon stared silently over the city, lost in his thoughts when his communicard beeped at him. He ignored it the first time, but it kept on beeping. Annoyed, he finally took it out and activated it. "Wonder Man here. This better be important."
"Simon!" Came Hawkeye's voice over the communicard. "Wherever you are right now, assemble your butt back to Palos Verdes, pronto!"
Wonder Man gazed blankly back at Hawkeye's face. "Why? What's the problem?"
"The problem is, that the Masters of Evil have captured the Compound. I really need your power to take it back!" "Look Hawkeye," Simon began. "I know I'm an Avenger, but I'm kind of on leave right now. You guys have handled stuff without me before."
"No, you look, Wonder Man!" Hawkeye's image on the tiny screen pointed a finger at Wonder Man. "Tigra and the Agent have been taken prisoner. Those two have put their lives on the line for you before. Now you'd better do the same for them. You told me you were part of this team* and never mentioned any leave. So, you get back here ASAP. That is an order!"
| *AWC #103 --Scott |
Wonder Man sighed. "Fine. I'll be there when I get there."
"Wha-? Simon, wai-" Simon clicked off the commuicard. He stood and launched himself into the sky.
"I'm sure we'll all do as well as we can." Said the Swordsman. "We'll fight and free our friends." The others gathered nodded to affirm their assent.
"Good." Said Hawkeye "It's time to put our plan into motion. You all know what you need to do, lets get to it! Avengers Assemble!"
| Inside. |
The USAgent looked at the Cowl, who was choking Tigra with the folds of her cape. With his peripheral sight, he noted the locations of the other Masters. He was not as damaged as he had led them to think he was. Man-Killer's beating had been severe, but the Agent was a man of surpassing endurance and he had taken much worse before than what she had given.
Earlier, he had been able to sneak a quick message to Tigra: "Be ready when I make my move." He hoped she was still coherent enough to follow through.
"All right!" the Agent said. "I'll tell you what you want to know. Just don't kill her!"
The Cowl loosened her cape's grip around Tigra's neck. "Ah, see there? The USAgent can indeed be reasoned with."
"N-no... Agent..." said Tigra. "Can't l-let them..."
Agent looked directly at Tigra, meaningfully. "It's all right Greer. This is for the best...!" he hoped she got the message. Then he refocused his attention on the Cowl. "OK. Here it is. Computer! Avengers priority access code: AV176-23 Agent!"
The computer acted on the recognized voice patterns of the USAgent and executed the command function. Suddenly, the restraints that held the Agent released. Immediately, he sprung from the apparatus and leapt on the nearest Master, Flying Tiger. He swung his fist in a downward two-fisted blow to the top of Flying Tiger's head. The villain fell to the floor like a ton of bricks.
Tigra, seeing the Agent's move, felt a surge of adrenaline rush through her. Pain and fatigue forgotten, she grabbed hold of the Cowl's cape around her neck and yanked it hard toward her. The Cowl was drug forward, close enough to land a powerful blow which sent the Cowl sprawling.
"Tigra, to the door-- NOW!"
The Masters, shaking themselves out of their surprise leapt to the attack. Man-Killer charged the USAgent, who ducked her wild swing. He countered with a shattering uppercut. Man-Killer stumbled back.
"There, you !@#$%!! How do you like a taste of your own medicine!?" the Agent yelled.
Man-Killer Grinned savagely and shot back. "I found it... inadequate, weakling!" She pounced yet again.
Tigra made for the door, but Cyclone formed his winds about him and floated over in front of it, creating an impassable barrier. "Oh no, Mon Cherie! Today iz not a day for ezcaping! I have onlee to wait here for ze Cowl and Flying Tigair to join ze battle, and then you are defeated!"
The Agent was able to see Tigra's predicament, in between ducking punches with Man-Killer. "Photon shields, ignite!" He sent one flying at Cyclone.
"Arrgh!" said Cyclone, as the shield smacked into his head. He wobbled out of the way of the door. Tigra saw her chance, but just then, her sense of smell caught something trying to sneak up behind her. She leapt straight up into the air as Tiger Shark made a leaping grab at her.
Tiger Shark landed on the floor on his stomach, and Tigra landed on her feet, like a cat, atop of him. "Ooof!" said Tiger Shark as Tigra bounded for the door.
She looked back to the Agent as she made it. He was slowly working his way to the door as well, fighting against Man-Killer for every inch.
Then, the Crimson Cowl's cape appendages swirled about the Agent. She was back in the fight. Man-Killer was thus finally able to land a solid blow against the Agent.
"Ge-get out of h-here!" screamed a staggered USAgent, seeing that Tigra was coming back to help him. "Save yourself and bring b-back the o-thers..."
Seeing the Agent go down, and that Cyclone and Tiger Shark were converging on her, Tigra decided fighting on wouldn't help Jack any. The best she could do was to get away.
"I'm sorry, Jack." she managed to blurt out as she ran towards freedom.
The Cowl looked down at the fallen Agent. "Your heroics are admirable, Avenger. But in the end they are futile. And they will cost you!" she looked to the other Masters. "Make him pay the price!" The Masters of Evil converged on the Agent.
| Next Issue: The Agony of USAgent! The new guys fight! Where is Wondy!? And Hawkeye leads the attack! More thrills than you can shake a stick at from Mighty MV1!!! |
Send all letters to beezer@webtv.net. Make sure to include "lines" in the subject line.
Plenty of great response for last issue! Lets see what you all had to say!
From: Rangelo@suffolk.lib.ny.us
Hey Scott! Glad to see another issue (Finally) Of WCA. I loved it! Keep up the good work here and over in Hawkeye. The whole attack of the Masters was great. I loved the tryouts etc. So who is the rescue team going to be? Jolt, Variable, and Shape? Those are my guesses.
Ralph
Glad you liked it, Ralph. For my part, I am really enjoying writing this storyline and I think it shows through in the finished product. As for the rescue team, you know who it's going to be now. Not bad guesses my friend!
From: tjburns@sigma.net
Hey Scott!
Great Work. Making Shape a reservist was very cool. I approve. Jolt will hopefully get a chance and the Variable is kinda cool. Come on Man, use the Osprey! He's kinda cool, in a loser sort of way. Anyway, whatever you do I'll be cool with it. Anyway you can steal Hercules? Or use War Machine since he's coming back soon? What about She-Hulk? Any of these would be cool. Keep up the great work!
TJB
Er, don't expect the Osprey to return anytime soon, TJ. Jolt will in fact get a chance as you have just seen. As for your other recommedations, I dont forsee any of them here in the near future, but you never know! Um, what was that about War-Machine???
From: tkc2@hotmail.com
Scooter,
Just finished AWC #104, and I gotta say that I loved it! You did a great job with all the candidates, especially Shape. You really nailed his speech and general attitude. I love it!
I also enjoyed the sub-plot with Simon. He's always been one of my favorites, and I'm glad to see you using him. I look forward to how you're going to make Wonder Man a part of the team again (pleasepleaseplease!)...
Anyway, I'm sorry it's taken so long to read your stuff. Your work is the Whackos I've always enjoyed and missed for so long. Keep it up!
Kell
Kell, the Shape was a blast to write! I don't think I'd want to do it regualrly though. :) As for Wonder Man, only time (and several issues) will tell what part he'll play. All I can say is, Stay Tuned! Coming soon, a story arc that Simon will hav a MAJOR part to play in!
PLUG ALERT!If you haven't read Kell's Squadron Supreme on MV1, I highly recommend you do so. Kell has the Squadron down pat, and the stories are a thrill a minute!