West Coast Avengers 113

THE WEST COAST AVENGERS GATEFOLD

Previously ... The WCA has just returned from space, where they helped stop Dr. Doom from taking a giant step towards his goal of conquering the Shi'ar Empire. On Earth, USAgent has been investigating the case of Councilman Michael Proctor, who he and the WCA had arrested for cocaine possession. Crystal, Bova and Luna arrived at the Compound to find a strange visitor the only occupant.

AVENGERS ROSTER

HAWKEYE - Clint Barton is an expert marksman, sporting a large supply of trick arrows; a former outlaw, he's the WCA's founding Chairman and tied to the WCA more than any other person.

QUICKSILVER - Pietro Maximoff is the twin brother of the Scarlet Witch, son of Magneto, husband to Crystal and father to Luna. He is a mutant possessing the power of acceleration.

LADY MERVEILLE - Monica Rambeau is a former Avengers Chairman, possesses the power to turn her body into any part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

WONDER MAN - Simon Williams became Wonder Man when the Enchantress had his body infused with ionic energy; a strong man with human failings, he struggles to live up to his power

TIGRA - Greer Nelson is a former biologst, changed by the Cat People into a modern version of their greatest warrior of legend

CANNONBALL - Samuel Guthrie has served with the New Mutants, X-Force and the X-Men; came to LA looking for direction and joined with the WCA

USAGENT - John "Jack" Walker started as the Super Patriot and served as a substitute Captain America; has served with both the WCA and Force Works

FALCON - former partner of Captain America and devoted social worker; thanks to his costume, Sam possesses the power of flight - RESERVE

CRYSTAL - a member of the Royal Family of Attilan, wife of Quicksilver and mother of Luna; can command the elemental forces - RESERVE

LIVING LIGHTNING - Miguel Santos is a college student who possesses the power to transform his body into electrical energy - RESERVE

NON ROSTER CAST OF CHARACTERS

BETA RAY BILL - alien cyborg warrior, adopted of Asgard, Bill wields the Mjolnir-level hammer, Storm Breaker, a gift from Odin

BOVA - the first evolved creature of the High Evolutionary, Bova is an evolved cow that brought Quicksilver into the world; serves as a nanny to Luna

SHAPE - ex of the Squadron Supreme, Shape is a kind-hearted but slow shape changer

LUNA - the young daughter of the mutant Quicksilver and the Inhuman Crystal, Luna is, as far as anyone can tell, simply human

NORTHERN BEAR PRODUCTIONS

They walked across the back lawn, Beta Ray Bill's ship Scuttlebutt having deposited them back to their home planet. Hawkeye, Lady Merveille, Quicksilver, Tigra, Wonder Man, Falcon and Beta Ray Bill walked nearly silently across the lawn, enjoying the sound of the Pacific Ocean striking against the shore.

Hawkeye gave his team the once over now that they were back on home turf. Wonder Man was in the worst shape, having lost his hand to some Shi'ar sicko.*

They had reattached the limb aboard the Scuttlebutt and it appeared to be working properly. Something to do with the ionic energy Simon was made up of - Clint wasn't sure, that science stuff gave him a headache. Simon had complained that he couldn't feel it, but everything looked okay to Clint. Course, he wasn't a scientist, and the Whackos didn't have one. That would be something that he would need to address before long.

Beta Ray Bill and Cannonball were in the next roughest shape. Bill was seriously injured to the point that Hawkeye wondered how he kept going. He said he was going to rest in the Scuttlebutt, but Clint wouldn't have any of it. He helped the Avengers, the least he could do was recuperate by the ocean. Guthrie, on the other hand, had been drugged pretty good by the Shi'ar* and he was still shaking out the cobwebs. Hawkeye smiled as Tigra volunteered to let him lean on her for the walk back to the Compound's main house.

Merveille was a little shaken, too. Doom had ripped her body into radio waves and broken her apart.* She'd be fine, just needed a few days to relax. She had said she felt like an AM radio station that just wasn't going to come in until you cleared the other side of the valley - you knew it would come in clear soon, but you would have to wait for it.

Quicksilver and Falcon both looked to be in good physical shape, but mentally, Clint could tell they were fighting some things. Quicksilver was moody - nothing new - and kept wondering if there was going to be things for him to do. Falcon was another story, however. He was dragging. Clint had asked him what was wrong, but all he answered was, "Just thinking." He stopped walking for a moment and turned to look at Clint, "I've got to go talk to Michael."

The Falcon took to the air before Hawkeye had a chance to say anything else. He was about to decide if he should get mad or let it go when his thoughts were interrupted.

"Yeah?" he answered to Merveille, turning back around to face her. "What's up? Hoping for tomorrow off?" he grinned.

"No," Monica answered seriously, "but I was wondering why every light in the Compound is out."

Hawkeye blinked. She was right. With all that had happened and the full moon above them bathing everything in light, he just hadn't noticed that there wasn't any lights on inside the main house. "Wonderful, he muttered."

"I'll go check it out," Merveille offered and Clint nodded his acceptance. She blinked out, streaking into the Compound before any of the other Avengers noticed she was gone. To his left he could hear Pietro mutter, "We don't even need a speedster on this team when we've got her." He'd have to talk to him later on.

The door swung open after a few moments and a shaken Monica opened the door. When the Avengers reached the door - all with strange looks upon their faces - Merveille just motioned for them to come inside. "No one turn on any lights," she ordered. The Avengers entered the Compound's main house on edge. They were sufficiently tired and angry enough, they weren't in the mood for parlor games.

"It is I, husband," Crystal says softly from across the way. "No, please, do not come to me, Pietro. I am in no danger and I have not been harmed. The same can not be said of the person sitting next to me. Please control yourselves, Avengers, the sight you are to see is … unkind. Merveille?"

The Avengers gasped - some inwardly and some, to their shame, outwardly. Sitting on the couch was a monster of dark green metal that looked like a playdoh representation of a child's nightmare. The form was human in it's base, but it's features were caricatures. The left arm was not an arm, but rather a grotesque version of Captain America's shield. The chest plate was reminiscent of Iron Man, but made for a woman and not a man. The right arm was huge and muscular and it held a metallic rendition of Thor's hammer Mjolnir. At the waist was a metallic version of Ms. Marvel's waist sash. The left leg looked like a sculpture of the Beast's furry form and the right was unmistakably the Scarlet Witch's. The face was warped and massive, but it clearly belonged to only one person.

"Avengers," Crystal began, her eyes sore and red from crying, "look what we've done to … Jocasta."

The man is Michael Proctor, a city Councilman who was arrested the week previous by the West Coast Avengers for possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell.* The substance was cocaine, but he swore to the USAgent-led Avengers - and to anyone who would listen - that he didn't know why the cocaine was sitting in a warehouse he was planning on turning into a rec center funded by his community outreach program, Helping Hands.

* In West Coast Avengers 108 - You thought I was going to say WCA 111, didn't you?

He had no windows in his cell and had only a few visitors since being brought here. Fewer as the days went on as all the political "friends" of his made sure to stop by to be seen by the cameras and once that was accomplished they had no further use for Michael Proctor. Some hadn't even bothered to come in and talk to him. They walked in the front door, sat down for a half hour and then left, proclaiming Proctor to be "in good spirits".

There were few protestors outside. The world had become so jaded that the arrest of a supposedly innocent politician barely made a blip.

A burly guard came over to Proctor's cell and rapped on the bars. "Let's go, Councilman, you've got a visitor. An almost celebrity, even."

Proctor cringed as the guard led him down the long hallway. He hoped it wasn't some out-of-control young actor looking to get himself some pub for playing good citizen. He hated Hollywood actors almost across the board, but they were good to use to get some money for the community.

He was led into the visitor's room where he sat down across from his visitor, separated by a clear bullet-proof piece of glass. Proctor had to wait a moment while his visitor was brought to him.

It was the Falcon. Proctor cringed for his friend at the verbal assaults thrown at him by the other inmates who watched him pass by.

The two old friends sat and looked at each other for a moment, each aware that the true distance between them at this moment wasn't the two feet from face to face, but the distance of the inch of bullet-proof glass that separated those allowed to walk in society and those who weren't.

"Why did you?" Michael asked, allowing himself to think, just for a second, that maybe one of his oldest friends was using him to.

"Long story," the Falcon answered. "It's the same reason it took me so long to come see you.* I'll tell you about it when we get you out of here."

Hawkeye had a sinking feeling in his stomach because he knew, to some extent that the condition Jocasta was in was his fault.

"I … I don't remember everything," Jocasta was saying, her cold, hollow, mechanical voice somehow sympathetic. "I remember fighting … fighting the New Warriors on the moon of all places.* I don't know how I got there or how … how I had become the Super Adaptoid." She shook her monstrous head. "I remember fighting them, but I don't even remember being Jocasta … if that makes any sense."

Crystal hadn't left her position on the couch next to Jocasta, but the other Avengers had filtered in around them. Some taking seats, some standing, all their attentions kept rapt by the sight before them. Pietro stood behind his wife, his hands resting on her shoulders. Luna was sleeping in one of the bungalows outside with Bova, but he had demanded that they come inside the main house to sleep. He felt naked with them outside.

Jocasta continued, "I was defeating the Warriors rather easily when … when the Avengers showed up and joined the battle.* I remember collecting all the data on them and then, when my chances of success were at their lowest, I left for Earth."

Hawkeye closed his eyes, remembering the battle. He had been there on the moon - they hadn't been given any indication at all that the Super Adaptoid was really Jocasta. None at all.

"I didn’t know why I went where I went," Jocasta continued, her voice lowering enough to cause Wonder Man, who was standing the farthest away, to have to strain to hear it. "I just knew that I had … I had to go to the exact place I went. I … remember walking through a door and seeing … the Vision … strapped to a table and suddenly it all became clear. I wasn't the Super Adaptoid. I was Jocasta. And once again, I was Ultron's slave."*

Wonder Man found himself ashamed. How could he sit here and complain about his hand as he looked at the grotesque form of Jocasta? Yes, his hand had been cut off, but it had also been repaired, thanks to Beta Ray Bill's ship, the Scuttlebutt and the assistance of several of his teammates, who had worked hours to reattach the limb. But Jocasta … Simon cringed, feeling the pangs of guilt wash over him.

"Together … Ultron and I fought the Avengers," Jocasta said, and the Avengers wondered if she just might cry. Beside her, Crystal, again, was weeping. "Worse, we were winning."*

Hawkeye shifted uncontrollably. When Ultron had shown to them that the Adaptoid was also Jocasta, they had all figured it to be a new Jocasta because the Adaptoid/Jocasta hadn't given them any indication that it was anything but a new creation.

"Then Thor arrived. I battled him mightily because I knew he was the greatest threat to Ultron," Jocasta pleaded, seemingly begging for forgiveness. "We ... battled long, but Thor was too much for me. I do not know exactly what happened next."

"Ultron fell," Simon interjected, rubbing the place on his left hand where the Grellian assassin wire had sliced through. "We defeated him and I sent him hurtling through space. It was right after I had returned to life.* As for Ultron's body … that's another story," Simon shook his head. "You won't believe it."**

** See Avengers 429 - 431 for the Spaceknight Saga - Can you say cross promotion?

"And you remained in the laboratory Ultron had used as his base, forgotten," Hawkeye added sourly. "We had checked the place, but we didn't see anything. Not that we looked all that hard."

"When I awakened, my body was laying on the ground, broken into pieces," Jocasta added, picking her head up, her voice gaining emotion. "When Thor defeated me, my body had exploded. You wouldn't have found anything no matter how hard you looked."

"What happened next, Jocasta?" Lady Merveille added. "How did you get to where you are now?"

Jocasta closed her eyes and a soft humming could be heard. Her computer units were attempting to access that information. "I came to shortly afterwards, but it took me weeks, if not months, to reassemble myself. With the … Adaptoid powers I had, I could transmorph myself back together but … my … my head hurts and I couldn't make myself one shape again. I concentrated but I could only get what …" her head bowed low and her voice was barely audible, "… I could only get what you see before you. I … I came here to … to hope that …" Jocasta's mechanical voice cracked and a tear could clearly be seen running out of her red ionic eyes and down her green metallic face.

Sam spun, taking into the sky as a defense measure. "Agent! What are you doing here? Digging for more dirt?"

"Yes, I am, as a matter of fact," Agent explained. "Thing is, you're going to help me from here on out."

"Look, Falcon," Agent snapped, "frankly I don't care if you like me or not. Frankly, I don't like you. At all. But the Proctor case needs to be resolved, one way or another."

"Look, bird-boy," Agent stepped in close to get in the Falcon's chest, "if you're going to go after this just looking to find him innocent, then I have to go into this looking to find him guilty. I don't want to do that, but I'm not going to allow you to taint evidence."

"Taint evidence?" the Falcon asked in surprise. "That's the last thing I would do - or need to do since Michael is innocent."

Agent stepped back and started to walk away. "He just may be. Want to help me prove it?"

The Falcon watched Agent's back walk away, deep in thought. He had intended to do this alone, but if Agent was at least willing to consider that Michael was innocent …

"To pay a visit to the tv station that covered the arrest. I want to know who tipped them off." Agent paused and looked back at the Falcon. "I want to see if it was the same person who called me."

Avengers Compound was active, but quiet as the team went about the process of unwinding after the long days in space. They all had their own concerns, their own thoughts, their own ways of getting back to normal. Lady Merveille, for instance, streaked into the night time sky, headed to her home in New Orleans, while others took solace in each other.

Pietro and Crystal stood outside their bungalow enjoying the cool night air, their arms wrapped around the others. They peered inside the window of the bungalow to see Bova putting their daughter Luna to bed. Crystal hadn't asked anything more than a simple "How are you?" to her husband, not really wanting to know about what had happened. He had returned to her - that was enough.

"Yes, she was here when Bova, Luna and I arrived," Crystal answered, taking a moment to brush the hair out of her eyes.

"Gone. I used the com center to contact Agent with his communicard. He said Jolt was still around when he left."

"Hawkeye's checking it out now," Crystal shrugged, pulling Pietro closer to her. "But let's not talk about that. Let's talk about how wonderful it will be here."

"Eh?" Pietro asked. "You sound glad to be here. That is not the way you felt before we left." *

* See Marvel Triple Action 48 for a Quicksilver and Crystal story - Sir Biscuit of Wundagore

"I am glad to be here now that I am. Seeing Jocasta in all that pain and coming for help … it feels like we're amongst family again. Maybe the only family we will ever truly know together." Crystal felt a shiver run through her. "By all that is holy, did you see the pain she was in?"

Pietro frowned above his wife's head. How could he tell her that with all the non-use he had gotten against Dr. Doom, he was beginning to wonder if this was really the place for him at all.

The Falcon and USAgent entered the offices of the Los Angeles branch of the Super Channel Network, taking their frustrations out on the front doors. The offices were small, just a single floor of a high-rise office building.

The floor was mostly empty this time of night, only a handful of the network's skeletal crew was present and Jack and Sam walked directly over to the oldest looking person in the room.

"Can I help you?" he asked through a burning cigarette, nonplussed by the appearance of two Avengers.

"We want to know everything you've got on the Proctor case," Agent said sharply. "Including who tipped you off."

"Listen here, tough guy," the producer shot back, "I don't have to tell you a damn thing. That source is confidential."

Agent and the Falcon looked at each other and nodded, this is what they expected. "What about if we traded some information?" the Falcon offered. "You don't even have to tell us who tipped you off, just confirm our suspicions."

"Depends," the producer, the name plate on his cubicle read Jeff Relgah, scratched his grey hair, "what are you offering?"

Agent leaned in close, "An exclusive interview on why ..." Falcon couldn't hear what Agent said, and frankly, didn't care. Jack had said he had bait for them to use and Falcon was willing to go along with Agent's play. If it wasn't good enough for this Relgah fellow … Falcon would find something else he wanted.

Sam Guthrie sat on his bed, tired and still groggy from whatever drugs the Shi'ar had pumped into his system. He felt like he did when he had a bad head cold - the world seemed to go a couple beats too fast and he was always trying to catch up. He wanted to sleep forever, or take a hot shower forever, or curl up with T- anything to relax, his defensive mind filled in. God knew watching television wasn't working.

"Playing hard to get?" Sam spun on his heels to see Tigra and his world spun out of control. His body slumped forward onto the floor and Greer immediately went to his side, all playfulness gone. "You okay, Sam?" she asked as she helped him slump into a more comfortable position.

"My head …" he grabbed his head, feeling each individual THUMP of his heartbeat reverberate around inside of him. Somehow through the noise, the television cut through.

" … and in the daily MUTANT: Menace or Next Fashion Trend? File, the outlaw band of mutants-"

"We'll talk later … the outlaw band of mutants named X-Force - what, do all mutant groups buy their names from the same discount store? Hey, look at us, we're the X-People! We're outlaws! - were captured live and on tape in front of an outside studio audience battling the allegedly alien race called the Phalanx in Nebraska yesterday."*

"Huh? Phalanx? Tab?" Sam jerked his head up, causing the room to resume it's spinning. "Phalanx and Tab … gotta help … gotta get to her … gotta … Tab … I miss you so much …"

"Easy, Kentucky, looks like they saved the day," Tigra assured him as a cold fever began to rack his body. Within seconds, he was asleep.

Tigra sighed to herself, it looked like it would be another night alone. It gave her plenty of time to wonder just who this Tab person was.

"I knew it!" Agent spat, slamming his fist into his other hand. "Same guy makes two calls - one to me and one to the tv station."

"But Relgah said that the call came from a woman," the Falcon puzzled as the elevator lowered them to the ground.

"Yeah, I know, but that's how this contact works," Agent explained. "With me, it's a person-to-person call, but with the media and other politicians, he uses his secretary or an intern. Something to make it look like information is being leaked, so they trust it more."

The Falcon studied the frown on Agent's brow. It was clear he was bothered by the whole incident, but whether or not he thought that Michael was innocent was another story. "This contact of yours … he's government connected, right? Are we talking SHIELD? The Commission? Military? Politician? Who?"

Agent shook his head, "I can't tell you that, Sam. I can't betray that trust he's shown in me."

"But he may have been using you!" The Falcon couldn't believe what Agent was saying.

"Doesn't mean your friend isn't guilty," Agent shrugged. "I can tell you this about my contact, there are people in power who saw that arrest and knew that he was responsible for it. People who he could want to impress."

"No," Agent said flatly, staring Falcon in the eyes. He held it for a second and then turned away. "At least, I don't think so. But I'm telling you, Sam, there's something about this whole thing that bothers the heck out of me."

Simon Williams could not stop grabbing at his left hand. He didn't care that it had been reattached, an apparent gift of his ionic energy and he didn't care that it didn't hurt him and he didn't care that it worked as good as it always did.

He rubbed his wrist, where the slice had happened, harder and harder. Something wasn't right about the whole situation. Or maybe, he wondered, thinking about his inability to get over Wanda, something wasn't right with him.

He rose, deciding to take a shower. He was five feet across the room when his world went dark.

Agent and Falcon were in the offices of LA District Attorney Janet Phimmersby, listening to her tell them about the case against Michael Proctor. She was an attractive woman in her early thirties with strawberry-blonde hair that flowed naturally about her face. 'LA,' the Falcon thought. 'Where everyone looks like a movie star.'

"Have you had Mic- Councilman Proctor under surveillance as well?" the Falcon asked.

"Racist?" Janet finished for the Falcon. "Not at all. A new charity starts up and instantly starts spreading a great deal of cash around is going to draw attention to itself. The fact that they employ ex-gang members naturally brought them to our attention.

"Nothing like giving a person the benefit of the doubt, huh?" Falcon asked pointedly, feeling his anger grow.

Phimmersby didn't miss a beat. "If it turned out that Helping Hands was a front for criminal activities and we knew who was in their employ and didn't do anything, what kind of public outrage do you think would be thrown at this office, Falcon? I'd rather take the fall on the side of public safety than negligence."

"Stow it, Falcon," Agent stepped in, catching the Falcon's eye. "You and Ms. Phimmersby can debate social politics at the Policeman's Ball. We're here to solve this case." Jack turned back to Janet. "What has your investigation dug up?"

The District Attorney shifted in her chair. "I probably shouldn't, but …" she eyed the Falcon, weighing her options. "Helping Hands received a phone call from the warehouse on the night in question. Councilman Proctor was not involved in the conversation."

"See, he must be innocent." Agent and Phimmersby both looked at Falcon, who shrugged. "Sorry."

"Five minutes after the call was received at Helping Hands, Proctor drove to the warehouse, where he was apprehended by the USAgent and the West Coast Avengers."

"How did all that coke get there?" Agent asked, his turn to try to poke holes in the DA's case. "A shipment that big must have caught the attention of someone."

"No one's talking, if they have. Something, I think, you've noticed about that neighborhood."

Agent nodded. The three of them looked at each other for a moment, sizing up the situation and the players involved.

"Is that it?" the Falcon asked, hopeful that this case would be thrown out of court if this was all they had.

"That won't hold up in court," Agent answered. "Probably should, though. No, don't look at me like that, Falcon. He owns the building that a large supply of cocaine was found in and, beyond that, we found him in the building with the cocaine minutes after a phone call was sent to Helping Hands informing them of the shipment. You haven't been able to find anyone that will admit to dealing with Proctor for the drugs?"

Janet shook her head. "But that's why heads of criminal organizations have lackeys."

The Falcon was about to defend his long-time friend, when Ms. Phimmersby's door burst in and an overweight clerk stepped in, "Ms. Phimmersby! We just got word that- oh, I didn't know that you had company."

"What's the charge?" Janet asked, already on her feet and fitting into her coat.

"Don't know," Charles huffed. "But this could be our lucky break. We go to the grand jury tomorrow, after all and we don't really have much of a case against the Counci-"

"That'll be enough, Charles," Janet sighed, looking at the two Avengers present. "Well, boys, want to go for a ride?"

He'd sent the Avengers off to relax and recuperate after listening to Jocasta's story, but for him, there'd be no relaxation for awhile. Such was the life of the Avengers Chairman. Beta Ray Bill and Jocasta were both resting in the Med-Lab. Bill was resting comfortably and wouldn't admit he was in a great deal of pain, but he clearly was and clearly needed the rest.

Jocasta was in poor shape to look at, but she appeared to be okay mentally. As okay as a computer can be mentally, Hawkeye thought, after it had been completely shut down.

She really was a sight to look at. Hawkeye shook his head, he couldn't shake the feeling that what she really looked like was a five year old's rendition of the Super Adaptoid. Everything was all out of proportion and all over the place, but it appeared to be coming more together. The arm that was basically Cap's shield and nothing else looked like it was trying to become a human shaped arm again.

"Good, I suppose," Jocasta shrugged, a Herculean effort given her form. "I just … I don't …"

"Hey now," Hawkeye spoke up, moving to sit next to her on the laboratory bench. He rested a hand on her upper thigh, the one that looked like the Scarlet Witch. "We'll fix you up, don't worry."

Hawkeye looked into her ionic eyes and wondered if he had told her the truth. They needed help, scientific help, and there wasn't much on the roster. He'd put in a call to the East Coast branch later on and see if they had any thoughts.

Looking at the grotesque form of Jocasta, a person the Avengers hadn't treated as well as they should have in the past, he certainly wished they would have some ideas.

"But you have to look for Jolt and Shape, yes, I know," Jocasta answered, her mouth twisting unnaturally. "It is okay. Here, this is all that I found when I arrived."

She handed Hawkeye a note that was written in Shape's scribbled hand-writing. "JOLT LEVE. LUKING ZOLA. SHAPE FOLLO."

"That would be my guess," Jocasta added then dropped her head immediately as Hawkeye's head snapped to look at her. "If my guess means anything."

Hawkeye leaned in closer to her and put his arm around her shoulder as best he could, causing the synthezoid to look at him with a hopeful look on her face. "Of course it means something, Jocasta." He paused, wondering if he should add anything.

Jocasta nodded, closed her eyes and allowed her head to lean into Hawkeye for support. "I hurt so much, Hawkeye. I hurt so very much."

"Cute language." Agent stood with Phimmserby, Falcon and an LA detective named Lopf behind a two way mirror, watching the interrogation of Paul Proctor, Michael's younger brother.

"Just what do you know about the Proctors, Falcon?" Detective Lopf asked. Lopf was an old and tired detective. Falcon guess he was probably divorced, lived alone and had a million war stories to tell if you gave him his favorite brand of alcohol. He just looked like the stereotypical burnt out cop.

"We grew up in the same neighborhood together," Sam spoke slowly, knowing that a mind looking for guilt will latch onto anything as evidence. "We've never been very close, though there was always a kind of bond between Michael and myself. We shared the same interests, had the same goals. We've worked a lot of community programs together. He moved out to LA about five years back or so, when Paul went to jail. Said he needed a new start."

Sam sighed. "I thought Paul was still in jail, to be honest with you. Unlike Michael, who's always strived to better himself and help others, Paul was always looking to get ahead as quick as he could." Falcon sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. The ordeal in space was starting to really affect him. He needed food and sleep. "When he was fifteen, Michael and I caught him selling speed to college kids at Empire State. By the end of our … talk with him, he was crying like the baby he was, blaming it all on his parents who, he claimed, gave all their love to Mike and none to him."

"Let me go in and talk to him," Falcon sighed. Detective Lopf nodded, rapping on the glass so the detective inside would know someone was coming in. Agent, Phimmersby and Lopf watched Falcon exit the room they were in and reappear inside the interrogation room a moment later. Paul Proctor grinned as he heard the door open, figuring he had worn the cop out and it was time to get cracking on the replacement.

Dawn rose on the city of Angels and the Avengers stumbled out of bed, their bodies thankful for the full night of recovery.

Hawkeye made his way to the main living room where he found Pietro, Jack and Cannonball watching television.

"Hawkeye, Clint, nothing happened. Ah passed out and woke up and she was there, sleeping on the foot of mah bed, but nothing happened, ah swear it." Cannonball looked desperate and Clint couldn't help but smile.

"Where's everyone else?" he asked, trying to change the subject to protect Guthrie. "Any word from Jolt or Shape?"

"Nothing. As for the rest, Crystal, Bova and Luna are in our bungalow," Pietro informed the Chairman. "Merveille hasn't reported back yet, Tigra is …" Clint grinned as Pietro's face curled up in disgust, "… sleeping … in Cannonball's bungalow and I haven't seen Wonder Man, yet. Jocasta and Beta Ray Bill are still in the med-lab."

They all turned to see the Falcon exiting the Los Angeles County Jail with Councilman Michael Proctor.

"In surprising developments," Carla Gregory, the Super Channel Network's Los Angeles corespondent, reported in the foreground, "all charges against Michael Proctor have been dropped by the LA District Attorney's office. You may remember Councilman Proctor being arrested late last week by the West Coast Avengers in an illegal raid of a Helping Hands warehouse. Late last night, SCN has learned, an arrest was made on Paul Proctor, Michael's brother who, after a lengthy interrogation in which he repeated several times that he did not want a lawyer present for, copped to the charges against his older brother. According to sources close to the case, Paul admitted that he had been using Helping Hands as a front to distribute drugs throughout the neighborhood. He was adamant that no money donated to Helping Hands was used in the purchase of drugs and no money collected was funneled into Helping Hands. In an apparently tear filled confession, Paul begged forgiveness, claiming that he couldn't help himself when he took advantage of his brother's generosity for a new chance at a clean life.

"To repeat, all charges against the Councilman have been dropped. In a series of statements just released to the media, the LA DA's office apologized to the Councilman, but warned that the actions of any employee or volunteer of Helping Hands effects the entire operation. The Councilman's lawyer told me, in and SCN exclusive, that Proctor would not seek any damages against the city of Los Angeles, but rather use this as a time for everyone to come together and start to work toward a better future. One last statement issued by the spokesman for the West Coast Avengers issued an apology to the Councilman, but defended the legal system of the United States and reminded us that everyone is innocent until proven guilty."

"Falcon and I did that," Agent replied, waving it off. "Something needed to be said."

"I'm the one who should be issuing statements, Jack," Clint spoke angrily. "You've got to watch yourself. First you grab hold of the Avengers to arrest Proctor and now this? We've got rules and procedures to follow here."

Jack didn't look at Hawkeye as he sipped some more on his coffee. "Why don't you keep it down, Clint and listen to what Ms. Gregory has to say? I think that will be sufficient to bring your blood back down from boiling level."

"… and in another SCN exclusive," Carla continued, "stay tuned for a special edition of AVENGERS SPOTLIGHT tonight as I go one-on-one with USAgent where we'll learn why he's quitting the West Coast Avengers."

Councilman Michael Proctor entered an elevator in the high rise office building and pressed the button that would take him to the second to last floor. He hummed quietly to himself, glad to be out of jail and back in circulation. Helping Hands had suffered some blows from the charges made against him, but the guilt money that poured in today from his friends in the entertainment business more than made up for whatever funds were lost.

It was unfortunate about Paul, but, Michael knew, they had given him plenty of chances and he kept letting them down. Better him to fall than the entire organization.

The elevator reached the selected floor, but the doors did not open. Quickly and quietly, Proctor reached down and pressed a series of buttons in quick succession. The elevator doors swooshed open.

He exited into a small walkway tunnel where he knew he was being scanned and exited through the other side into a small room. The room contained nothing but doors, marked from number 2 through number 9. Without hesitation, he walked to door number 7, opened it and stepped inside a room that was roughly the size of four telephone booths. He removed his jacket and adorned the red robe that was waiting for him. His heart skipped a beat, adrenaline rushing through him as he pulled on the red mask.

He exited the changing room and entered a large, luxurious room that was centered a long wooden oval table. The room was filled with other similarly dressed red robed figures, all with white numbers on their foreheads.

He took his seat at the table, grumbling erupting from the other members in the room.

"We have missed you, Number 7," Number 1 spoke with the confidence of one who knows his rule in unquestioned.

"My apologies, Number 1," Michael/Number 7 answered, knowing that Number 1 was the only person in the room that knew who he was under the red hood. He was the only person in the room who knew who anybody in the room was. "I trust you managed fine without me."

"That we did," Number 1's voice rose as he stood from the table. "After all, we are … the Secret Empire!"

Hey, hey, Jocasta's back! Van's Adaptoid/Jocasta interpretation was just sitting there, waiting to be picked up on so I figured I'd grab her and run with it. She provides a great platform to work things off of and I'm looking forward to seeing what you think of her, since she has these new Ultron-given powers of the Super Adaptoid. I've got plenty of things lined up for her which I hope you'll enjoy.

As for Agent, yes, it's true, Jack is on his way out. I don't like the character much at all, so I was pleased that some of you who do like Jack liked the way I handled him. I've had more fun writing him than I thought I would, but honestly, this Councilman story was the only one I had. And since other writers here at MV1 do have stories to tell with Jack, it seems selfish of me to keep him here. So my apologies to those who won't be pleased with Agent leaving (sorry TJ and Scooter!), but rest assured he'll be playing an important role in another MV1 title - and possibly a second - very soon. Find out just why he's leaving next issue.

As for the series, now that WORLD WITHOUT is over, I can get back to really concentrating on these characters.

Dear Mark, nice work. Ok I have suggestions 1) Tigra should get a little more courage. She should not be like the cowerdly lion from The Wizard of Oz. I think you should add to her abilities. Make her like Talon in The Guardians of the Galaxy give her the ability to shoot her nails and instantly reload. That would be cool. Don't make her a vixen/sexaholic. please!! Can you make her go back to her old job a Biologist. Everyone overlooks her genius and makes her a ...well, er... slut. 2) Keep the team simple!!!! lose Shape, Jolt, Cannonball, and Variable. Keep Tigra, Hawkeye, Wonder Man, U.S. Agent, and Lady Merveille. (And change Lady Merveille to Lady Marvel). Add 1 or 2 former Avengers. But keep the roster sturdy and reliable. She-Hulk and Eros(Starfox) would be good Avengers. Well, that's all and great job!!!! Smed

Thanks for the letter, Smed. As for your concerns ... 1) Tigra will not be shooting her nails anytime soon. Sorry. As for Tigra's "sluttiness", she's a woman who enjoys sex. She also uses it as a crutch at times. But it is an integral part of her character and I can't ignore it without removing her "cat" persona. And I don't intend to do that. 2) I fear this cast will never be simple. <g> I think I've got a good mix of former Avengers here and I intend to keep a core line-up while rotating some characters in and out. But the roster will stay in flux, just not in the "Old Order Changeth" styled stories.

Again, a phenomenal job with the latest issue. As though I expected less. A couple of questions, though...

1) Shouldn't Cannonball be a little more proactive here? I mean, granted, he's a bit nervous about being here and all, but he was an X-character - an X-Man for a short time, even. Given his history and the fact that he was always a fairly responsible student, he should know the Shi'ar Imperium, or at least a little of their culture.

2) Bill's attitude confuses me a little. I mean, he's not the friendliest of horse-faced adopted Asgardians, no, but... he seems a bit curt, and short-tempered here.

4) speaking of Jolt... one wonders why she wants to be an Avenger so badly. Frankly, by now, I'm amazed she hasn't just walked away.

1) I think Sam was still feeling his way a little, content to play off Wonder Man's lead for a bit, given Simon's recent personality woes. I think will make an excellent leader some day and part of being a leader is knowing when to be proactive and when to lay back.

2) Bill's curtness was to underline the seriousness of the situation. He's tired, he's been fighting warships, he's been hurled into the Earth ... he wants everyone to stay locked in on the mission at hand.

4) Well, that's what she did. <g> I think Jolt's a character that has a chip on her shoulder and her "problem" isn't that she wants to be an Avenger, but rather that she wants to be wanted. When Miguel was talking to her on the couch, she felt better than she had at any other time, but I think what drives Hallie is that she wants to be a hero. She wants to do all she can and being an Avenger would help to accomplish that.

Mark, I haven't written (actually, I've gotten real bad about writing letters lately) but I just wanted to let you know how much I'm enjoying "World Without." It's truly a wonderful follow-up to Fantastic Four, and I'm very much enjoying your take on the Whackos.

It reminds me a bit of the Time-Space adventure, where we finally got the sense that the team was *Avengers* and not just Hawkeye's kooky West Coast team. Here, it's even bigger, as they fight on a grander scale. And the idea of Doom commanding a fleet of starships and trying to conquer the Shi'ar Empire is just so damn cool.

I'm not sold on the Lady Merveille name. To me, it still isn't as good as Captain Marvel, and I'm not sure anything else ever will be. But it's an interesting choice. And I'm thrilled to see her running with the Avengers again.

Thanks for the kind words, Randy. One more this month, from Sam BLACK PANTHER Everett's Roo-comendations post to mv1talk.

WEST COAST AVENGERS #111--Bisquit's new Doom story is on a roll! The war against Doom is heating up, and now the stakes are higher! I like Pho--er, Lady Merveille's-- : ) analysis of Hawkeye's decisions. That sounds just like her. I also like her fate at the end of the issue! What a cool visual that is! Oh, and poor Wondy and Cannonball! Ouch! Keep it up, Mark, because me likey!

I really do enjoy Monica quite a bit and I think she'll provide an interesting foil for Clint in the coming months. Usually in superhero groups, you have the cool leader and the hot headed second in command, but here it's the opposite. The hothead is out front and the cool, calm one is standing behind him. It should be fun to see how this develops.

Also this month: HAWKEYE # 17 by Lonni Holland! Check it out! It's the best place on the 'net to get great Hawkeye stories!

NEXT ISSUE: Sure, sure, there's plenty going on next issue … the Whackos search for Shape and Jolt, Lady Merveille's reasons for joining full-time are revealed, USAgent tells an SCN audience why he's quitting, a classic Marvel villain rears his ugly head (and I do mean ugly), Shape appears as you've never seen him before, but basically it all comes down to the one thing that you, the fans, have demanded and the timeline has finally allowed … WONDER MAN STOPS MOPING!!!! Dare to believe, Whacko-Heads!

JAN. YEAR 4	MV1 Presents ... Earth's Mightiest Heroes!!!	AVENGERS
		And there came a day when the foes became too great for Earth's Mightiest to handle alone! On that day was born the West Coast Avengers!
# 113	NORTHERN BEAR PRODUCTIONS	# 113