“CURTAIN OF IRON”
Part III: Duel of Dynamos!
WHAT HAS COME BEFORE: The Champions were led to distant Russia, on a classified report that the Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes) was still alive, and being held captive there. When they arrived, they were confronted by the Soviet Super Soldiers, and a battle was started between the two groups! Satana continues to further Ares’ diabolical plans, contacting the ruthless Rampage in the hospital.
♪ Theme Music: “Stay out of Trouble” By Kansas ♪
Darkstar cannot help the fear that floods through her. She heard about the Winter Soldier from childhood. It was the thing that her parents used to get her to obey their wishes until the State came and took her away from her parents. And it was talk of the Winter Solider—usually in hushed whispers—that likewise sent chills through her bones when she was a subject of the State, experimented on because of her latent mutant powers. And now, she cannot believe that the object of her childhood fear stands before her now, pointing a gun in her direction. Despite her own powers, and the fact that she has disarmed gunmen before, this is no mere gunman. This is the Winter Soldier!
“Well, girl?!” he asks, his tone indicating irritation and impatience. “Why haven’t you answered? What are you doing here? Do you work for them?”
“No, I do not,” Darkstar responds, taking an involuntary step back.
“You need to stay put,” Winter Solider responds, gesturing for her to come back towards him. “The last thing I want is for you to contact your Soviet masters and let them know that I’ve broken free.”
“I’ve already told you—I don’t work for them!” she responds, re-emphasizing what she has already said, but more for her attempt to protect herself than for anything else.
“I’m not blind, girl,” he responds coldly, looking her over suspiciously. “I can see it in the way you carry yourself. You’ve clearly had Soviet training. If you’re trying to deceive me, you must not know me too well.”
“Not true,” Darkstar responds with a start. “Your reputation precedes you.”
“Okay,” the Winter Soldier responds, his face almost reflecting a smile, but not quite. “Maybe that’s true. But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re clearly a Soviet agent. So, why were you arguing with Gremlin.”
“It’s true,” Darkstar replies. “I used to work for the State, but I defected. I’m here, along with some others, to free you.” She looks over, noting his raised eyebrow. “And I can prove it.”
“All right,” the Winter Soldier responds, still having his gun trained on her. “Convince me.”
# # # # # # # # # #
EPILOGUE
♪ Theme Music: “Stargazer” By Rainbow ♪
In an office in a prestigious area in Manhattan, a phone rings. It is quickly answered by a somewhat overweight, but extremely efficient secretary. Her eyeclass-covered eyes widen when she realizes who is on the other line. Usually, her boss doesn’t like to receive calls, particularly when he is working on a new design. Her boss is rather brilliant, but has a tendency to get carried away in his work—not that she hasn’t mentioned that to him on numerous occasions.
Although certainly not someone who flusters easily (after all, her boss routinely gets calls from very important people), she is still surprised by the voice on the other line. “I’ll get him at once, sir,” she comments in her usual efficient tone. So saying, she reaches out, hitting the “hold” button, and then pushing line one on her black business phone.
“Sir,” she speaks into her speaker phone. “I need you to pick up on line one.”
“I thought I said not to disturb me with any phone calls, Mrs. Abrogast,” the man on the other end responds. He is leaning forward to answer her call. On the table before him are schematics of electronics and weapons systems. A golden mold shaped in the form of an arm is also on the table before him. Seen from the back, only the back of his black hair can be seen. He is wearing designer pants and a button-up shirt, although the sleeves are rolled up to the elbows.
“I know,” her voice responds through the speaker. “But I think you really need to get this one. It’s important.”
“I know,” he responds coldly, his voice visibly annoyed by the interruption. “They all are. All right.” So saying, he bushes the button for line one, and takes the phone off speaker, holding it to his ear. Although little can be heard of the conversation, the speaker on the other end has a distinctive Georgia accent.
“Yes,” the business executive responds. “I understand the gravity of the situation. I wasn’t aware of it. I’ve been busy working. I’ll contact the others at once. Good day to you, Mr. President.”
End of Epilogue
# # # # # # # # # #
♪ Theme Music: “Echoes in the Dark” By Uriah Heep ♪
Like an emerald comet, the Titanium Man flies through the air, freezing water and ice appearing on his arms and legs, as he rockets away from the icy water, landing with a resounding THUD on a tank, smashing into it, causing it to buckle along the middle, as the metal bends and cracks under the impact of the blow!
Hercules walks along the beach, watching the results of his thunderous punch, as the extremely cold water splashes against his sandaled feet and legs. If the cold has any impact on his invulnerable body, he makes no showing of it. When he hears the sound of Titanium Man’s impact with the ground in the distance, he leaps with his mighty legs, covering the distance between them with tremendous speed.
As Hercules approaches, Titanium Man struggles to get back to his feet. Under the armor, the villain shakes his head, as if trying to shake loose cobwebs. <”I have never been struck so hard,”> Titanium Man silently considers, <”His power dwarfs that of the American foes I have fought before.”>
“Thy movements defy thy earlier boasts!” Hercules remarks, smiling broadly as he makes his way towards the villain. “Hath thou finally realized that the sinews of the prince of power are greater than thou hath earlier believed? Fret not, many hath likewise found such to be the case!”
<”Stay back, Olympian!”> Titanium Man warns, sending out a blast of energy at Hercules, which bounces harmlessly off his broad chest, even as he continues towards the emerald villain.
“Nay, my metal-clad foe,” Hercules returns, reaching out and grabbing the villain’s chest, leaving a palm and finger-shaped indentation on Titanium Man’s chest, as he rears back with his right fist. “Although I hath enjoyed our conflict, ‘tis time for it to end!” With that, he slams his fist into the Titanium Man’s mask, jerking his head violently, even as his left hand continues to hold him in place, so that he receives the full impact of the blow. Another blow and Titanium Man slumps to the ground, succumbing to Hercules’ repeated blows.
Standing over his vanquished foe, Hercules nods. “Be not ashamed,” Hercules offers. “Thou put up a fair fight, but ‘gainst Hercules, the end was never in doubt.”
# # # # # # # # # #
♪ Theme Music: “Jailbreak” By Thin Lizzy ♪
Iceman slides down an icy pole, spinning around the pole, as he makes his way down to where Black Widow is fighting Red Guardian, and Ghost Rider and Black Goliath are fighting the Crimson Dynamo. As he makes his way down the pole, he is followed closely by the mysterious Electro, who leaps down through the hole earlier created by Hercules.
“Make way, gang!” Iceman says, blasting at Crimson Dynamo, covering his mask in ice, as he tries to evade the electrical blasts of Electro! “I’ve got an angry commie on my tail!”
“It looks like you could use some help!” Ghost Rider offers, sending out a hellfire blast at Electro, striking him in the pit of the stomach, and driving him back against the wall with great force!
“Hey, I never turn down help!” Iceman responds, gesturing both of his hands at Crimson Dynamo, covering his mask and shoulders in a thick layer of ice! Beneath his mask, Crimson Dynamo curses, as he is unable to see, blinded by the haze of the ice layers. “Here’s some for you!”
“I know how to take a hint!” Black Goliath responds, slamming his fist into the distracted Crimson Dynamo’s stomach, doubling him over, before he can do anything to get his sight back. Black Goliath then sends another punishing blow into his foe’s mid-section, keeping him off-balance. “And I don’t mind a little help either!”
“Now they are sending demons against us?!” the villainous Electro utters, pushing himself back off the wall, and sending a blast of energy at Ghost Rider. “It does not matter! We have faced worse, and will overcome it!”
“I hate to be the one to tell you this,” Ghost Rider responds, blocking the energy attack with his own hellfire, “but maybe you should look in the mirror before you start throwing stones, buddy!”
Angel swoops down from above, holding a pieced of galvanized pipe in his hand, as the female Red Guardian follows closely behind him, unable to match his aerial skills, but unwilling to let him escape her sight. With a mighty swing, he hits the villainous Electro on the back of the head, causing him to stagger forward, stumbling towards Ghost Rider!
“You can’t teach him anything, Ghost Rider!” the Angel offers, smiling from the intoxication of combat. “I’ve already tried. He’s not much of a listener!”
“Well then,” Ghost Rider returns, “Maybe he just needs to take a nap!” So saying, Ghost Rider sends out a blast of concentrated hellfire, engulfing the stunned Electro, who staggers back and falls to the ground, unconscious!
Black Goliath ducks under a blast of radioactive energy from the female Red Guardian, which strikes instead the Crimson Dynamo, blasting him in the chest and sending him staggering back.
“Hey, thanks for the assist, lady!” Black Goliath offers. “I never realized I’d enjoy this hero bit so much! I think I might have to stick around with this group!” he adds, thinking to himself.
“Idiot!” she exclaims. “If you’ve caused any harm to the Dynamo…!” She says nothing further, although her face reflects her anger. She delivers an energy blast at Black Goliath, aiming for his face. He blocks it instinctively with his forearm, pulling his smoking forearm away defensively, as it stings from the radioactive burn.
Black Goliath leans down, ripping up a long plank of the wood floor, using it to block her next blast of energy. “I don’t think I’ll try that again!” Black Goliath thinks. “Her radioactive energy…it’s no wonder that the Russians have made her keep a low profile. There is no telling how much damage she could cause if she was let loose.”
The Angel continues to fly across the lower floor, and swoops down, kicking the Red Guardian in the shoulder, distracting him from his battle with the Black Widow, even as he had her on her knees before him.
“Don’t you know you’re not supposed to treat a lady that way?” the Angel asks mockingly, holding the piece of galvanized pipe in his hands.
“I know my enemy all too well, Angel!” Red Guardian responds, turning his attention towards the former X-Man. “And I know how deadly she can be if given half a chance. After all, I trained her!”
The Angel flies forward, tackling the Red Guardian with a surprise move. They are both sent across the floor from the momentum of the Angel’s surprise attack. “She’s one of us now!” the Angel returns.
“This, too, can change!” the Red Guardian responds, blocking the Angel’s next swing. “You have come here to free one of our agents, only to return the Black Widow to us! You have done in a day what the State has been trying to accomplish for several years.”
The Red Guardian slams his fist into Angel’s face, jerking his head back violently. “I suppose I should thank you for that.” So saying, he knees the Angel in the mid-section, doubling him over. The Red Guardian starts to finish his foe with a blow to the back of his head, but the Angel takes to the air, avoiding the finishing blow.
“I’m not quite that easy to take down!” the Angel responds, flying directly into the air, avoiding a lunge by the Red Guardian.
“It is only a matter of time,” the Red Guardian retorts. “My repeated blows have had an impact on you, whether you admit it or not.”
“How about mine…on you?!” the Black Widow exclaims, leaping across the distance separating them, kicking the Red Guardian in the back of the head with great force, as she rolls across the ground, quickly getting onto her feet to continue her attack. She does so quickly, delivering a karate chop to the side of his face, before he can recover.
“You learned well, Widow,” the Red Guardian responds. “But,” he continues, grabbing her by the wrist, stopping her next intended blow, “you are but a student. You cannot exceed the master.” He squeezes her wrist with his own great strength, as she falls to her knees before him.
“But now, Widow,” the Red Guardian says with authority, “it is time to end this conflict.” So saying, he slams his fist down on her forehead, knocking her to the floor, sprawled out unconscious before him.
“Widow!” the Angel exclaims, flying directly towards the Red Guardian (who is facing away from him), rage burning in his eyes at what he has just witnessed. “I can’t believe you hit her like that!”
“Believe it!” the Red Guardian does not turn around, but instead ducks under a swing of the Angel’s pipe, and slams his elbow into the Angel’s upper chest, where it meets his neck! The Angel gasps for air, and falls to the ground, unable to move for a moment. The Red Guardian quickly turns to face the Angel, who is trying to rise to his hands and knees, but is still gasping for air. “And now, Angel, I think I have long since grown weary of your interference…!”
“You won’t have to worry about the Angel’s interference any more!”
“What?!” the Red Guardian asks, turning to face the Winter Soldier, who is stepping into the room, holstering his firearm. “Oh, it is you! Do not worry about the Angel. I will deal with him now.”
“Actually,” the Winter Soldier responds, leaping at the Red Guardian, kicking him in the mid-section. “My plan was to deal with you…now!”
The Red Guardian’s eyes grow wide with surprise, as he gets to his feet. “What has come over you, Soldier?” he asks. “Have you forgotten…?”
“My brainwashing?!” the Winter Soldier responds, kicking the Red Guardian in the face, jerking his head violently to the other side. “No, I haven’t! Your boy, the Gremlin, took care of that for me. You did a bang-up job on it, though. I’ll have to give you credit.”
Red Guardian turns over on his side, kicking out his leg, catching the Winter Soldier in the back of his legs, behind his knees, and throwing him off-balance, causing him to fall to the ground. “Well, without your brainwashing, it only means that we get to see which of us is superior.”
He lunges at the Winter Soldier, who is lying on his back. The Winter Soldier bends his knees, and uses the Red Guardian’s own momentum against him, flipping him against the wall behind them! “We don’t need to see,” the Winter Soldier responds. “To me, it was never any doubt.”
“It seems that your time in the chamber has made you delusional!” The Red Guardian quickly gets to his feet, and swings at the Winter Soldier, who ducks under the swing, and delivers a punishing body blow to the Guardian’s mid-section, doubling him over.
“No,” the Winter Soldier replies, kneeing his foe in the jaw, causing him to fall back from the impact of the blow. “It’s just reminded me of how much I miss being away from here! And, believe me, I intend to leave!”
The Red Guardian reaches his hands back, catching his fall on his palms, doing a handstand before flipping up, back onto his feet. “Your intentions are irrelevant,” the Red Guardian argues. “The State has spent too much on you to simply let you leave now.”
“You act like this is up for debate!” the Winter Soldier responds, even as Ghost Rider blasts the female Red Guardian in the background, sending her to the ground. “Believe me, it’s not!” Bucky kicks his foe again in the mid-section, and then slams a blow to the back of the Red Guardian’s head, sending him to his knees.
“I can’t say that I don’t enjoy this, Alexi!” the Winter Soldier comments, kicking the already-stunned Red Guardian in the face! He falls back to the ground, unconscious. He looks down at the man lying before it. “It wasn’t that long ago, you wouldn’t have survived our encounter. Be thankful that the brainwashing is gone. I’m not going to be our assassin any longer! Tell your masters I said it! And, if they want to come looking for me, they can find me. It just mind not be a good move on their part.”
So saying, the Winter Soldier leans forward, helping the recovering Black Widow to her feet. “Come on, Natasha, let’s get out of here.”
# # # # # # # # # #
EPILOGUE
Bucky sits in the back seat, beside the lovely Black Widow. They exchange glances, even as Winter Soldier leans over, holding an ice compress against her forehead. “Natasha,” he offers softly, “I know that you were the one who led this rescue mission. I wanted to thank you for…”
“James,” she cuts him off, “Do you think I could just leave you there…when I found out you were still alive? I didn’t know that the Red Guardian would be there but…”
Winter Soldier smiles, nodding his head. “I told you I never liked that guy!” he returns.
In the front seat, Warren temporarily turns the controls over to Ivan, his co-pilot, as he speaks on a plane phone, attached to his front console. Warren’s face goes flush, as he listens to the speaker on the other end of the phone.
“International incident?!” he exclaims. “What are you talking about?!”
Hercules, seated directly behind the Angel, shakes his head. “The ways of politics hath changed little since the days of Nero, ‘twould seem!”
“No,” the Angel shakes his head, “You deal with it! You’re our P.R. man! What do you think I pay you for anyway?!” He leans his head back against the seat, as the spiraling cord reaches its way to the phone receiver. “All right, all right. You just take care of things on your end. If we need to smooth things over when we get back, we’ll talk about it then.”
“Problems?” Ivan asks, looking over at the Angel.
“Always,” the Angel returns. “I don’t mind running my dad’s oil company, but don’t ever ask me to get into politics!”
“A wise decision, my friend,” Ivan responds, nodding his head.
# # # # # # # # # #
CABLES OF CHAMPIONS
This issue marks the end of the Russian storyline. However, given the timeframe of this series, we can be sure that there will be more east vs. west conflicts in these pages. But, most of the story arcs in this series will be relatively short—usually no longer than three parters. I think this is pretty much in keeping with the feel of 70s stories I’m shooting for in this title. Hopefully, it’ll have that feel for the readers. This issue also starts another shift in the line-up of the Champions; and the line-up is complete…and least for now. I’ve always thought that the Champions had the makings of a great line-up, and there’s a lot of potential there.
Coming up in the series, you’ll see an immediate surprise next issue, when the Champions return to Los Angeles, and some surprise guest-stars show up. After that, the next story arc will explode into the pages of the 1970s Champions.
One cool thing about this series is the ability to use classic line-ups of major groups, and classic versions of Marvel characters, without all of the recent baggage that has come with so many of these characters. I’m looking forward to taking advantage of that. If there is someone you’d like to see included in these pages, whether a hero, villain, or group of either, drop me a line and get me your requests. I’ll even take requests for theme music, if there’s a good classic 70s song you’d like to see hit the vinyl here.
- Jeff Melton
Part III: Duel of Dynamos!
WHAT HAS COME BEFORE: The Champions were led to distant Russia, on a classified report that the Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes) was still alive, and being held captive there. When they arrived, they were confronted by the Soviet Super Soldiers, and a battle was started between the two groups! Satana continues to further Ares’ diabolical plans, contacting the ruthless Rampage in the hospital.
♪ Theme Music: “Stay out of Trouble” By Kansas ♪
Darkstar cannot help the fear that floods through her. She heard about the Winter Soldier from childhood. It was the thing that her parents used to get her to obey their wishes until the State came and took her away from her parents. And it was talk of the Winter Solider—usually in hushed whispers—that likewise sent chills through her bones when she was a subject of the State, experimented on because of her latent mutant powers. And now, she cannot believe that the object of her childhood fear stands before her now, pointing a gun in her direction. Despite her own powers, and the fact that she has disarmed gunmen before, this is no mere gunman. This is the Winter Soldier!
“Well, girl?!” he asks, his tone indicating irritation and impatience. “Why haven’t you answered? What are you doing here? Do you work for them?”
“No, I do not,” Darkstar responds, taking an involuntary step back.
“You need to stay put,” Winter Solider responds, gesturing for her to come back towards him. “The last thing I want is for you to contact your Soviet masters and let them know that I’ve broken free.”
“I’ve already told you—I don’t work for them!” she responds, re-emphasizing what she has already said, but more for her attempt to protect herself than for anything else.
“I’m not blind, girl,” he responds coldly, looking her over suspiciously. “I can see it in the way you carry yourself. You’ve clearly had Soviet training. If you’re trying to deceive me, you must not know me too well.”
“Not true,” Darkstar responds with a start. “Your reputation precedes you.”
“Okay,” the Winter Soldier responds, his face almost reflecting a smile, but not quite. “Maybe that’s true. But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re clearly a Soviet agent. So, why were you arguing with Gremlin.”
“It’s true,” Darkstar replies. “I used to work for the State, but I defected. I’m here, along with some others, to free you.” She looks over, noting his raised eyebrow. “And I can prove it.”
“All right,” the Winter Soldier responds, still having his gun trained on her. “Convince me.”
# # # # # # # # # #
EPILOGUE
♪ Theme Music: “Stargazer” By Rainbow ♪
In an office in a prestigious area in Manhattan, a phone rings. It is quickly answered by a somewhat overweight, but extremely efficient secretary. Her eyeclass-covered eyes widen when she realizes who is on the other line. Usually, her boss doesn’t like to receive calls, particularly when he is working on a new design. Her boss is rather brilliant, but has a tendency to get carried away in his work—not that she hasn’t mentioned that to him on numerous occasions.
Although certainly not someone who flusters easily (after all, her boss routinely gets calls from very important people), she is still surprised by the voice on the other line. “I’ll get him at once, sir,” she comments in her usual efficient tone. So saying, she reaches out, hitting the “hold” button, and then pushing line one on her black business phone.
“Sir,” she speaks into her speaker phone. “I need you to pick up on line one.”
“I thought I said not to disturb me with any phone calls, Mrs. Abrogast,” the man on the other end responds. He is leaning forward to answer her call. On the table before him are schematics of electronics and weapons systems. A golden mold shaped in the form of an arm is also on the table before him. Seen from the back, only the back of his black hair can be seen. He is wearing designer pants and a button-up shirt, although the sleeves are rolled up to the elbows.
“I know,” her voice responds through the speaker. “But I think you really need to get this one. It’s important.”
“I know,” he responds coldly, his voice visibly annoyed by the interruption. “They all are. All right.” So saying, he bushes the button for line one, and takes the phone off speaker, holding it to his ear. Although little can be heard of the conversation, the speaker on the other end has a distinctive Georgia accent.
“Yes,” the business executive responds. “I understand the gravity of the situation. I wasn’t aware of it. I’ve been busy working. I’ll contact the others at once. Good day to you, Mr. President.”
End of Epilogue
# # # # # # # # # #
♪ Theme Music: “Echoes in the Dark” By Uriah Heep ♪
Like an emerald comet, the Titanium Man flies through the air, freezing water and ice appearing on his arms and legs, as he rockets away from the icy water, landing with a resounding THUD on a tank, smashing into it, causing it to buckle along the middle, as the metal bends and cracks under the impact of the blow!
Hercules walks along the beach, watching the results of his thunderous punch, as the extremely cold water splashes against his sandaled feet and legs. If the cold has any impact on his invulnerable body, he makes no showing of it. When he hears the sound of Titanium Man’s impact with the ground in the distance, he leaps with his mighty legs, covering the distance between them with tremendous speed.
As Hercules approaches, Titanium Man struggles to get back to his feet. Under the armor, the villain shakes his head, as if trying to shake loose cobwebs. <”I have never been struck so hard,”> Titanium Man silently considers, <”His power dwarfs that of the American foes I have fought before.”>
“Thy movements defy thy earlier boasts!” Hercules remarks, smiling broadly as he makes his way towards the villain. “Hath thou finally realized that the sinews of the prince of power are greater than thou hath earlier believed? Fret not, many hath likewise found such to be the case!”
<”Stay back, Olympian!”> Titanium Man warns, sending out a blast of energy at Hercules, which bounces harmlessly off his broad chest, even as he continues towards the emerald villain.
“Nay, my metal-clad foe,” Hercules returns, reaching out and grabbing the villain’s chest, leaving a palm and finger-shaped indentation on Titanium Man’s chest, as he rears back with his right fist. “Although I hath enjoyed our conflict, ‘tis time for it to end!” With that, he slams his fist into the Titanium Man’s mask, jerking his head violently, even as his left hand continues to hold him in place, so that he receives the full impact of the blow. Another blow and Titanium Man slumps to the ground, succumbing to Hercules’ repeated blows.
Standing over his vanquished foe, Hercules nods. “Be not ashamed,” Hercules offers. “Thou put up a fair fight, but ‘gainst Hercules, the end was never in doubt.”
# # # # # # # # # #
♪ Theme Music: “Jailbreak” By Thin Lizzy ♪
Iceman slides down an icy pole, spinning around the pole, as he makes his way down to where Black Widow is fighting Red Guardian, and Ghost Rider and Black Goliath are fighting the Crimson Dynamo. As he makes his way down the pole, he is followed closely by the mysterious Electro, who leaps down through the hole earlier created by Hercules.
“Make way, gang!” Iceman says, blasting at Crimson Dynamo, covering his mask in ice, as he tries to evade the electrical blasts of Electro! “I’ve got an angry commie on my tail!”
“It looks like you could use some help!” Ghost Rider offers, sending out a hellfire blast at Electro, striking him in the pit of the stomach, and driving him back against the wall with great force!
“Hey, I never turn down help!” Iceman responds, gesturing both of his hands at Crimson Dynamo, covering his mask and shoulders in a thick layer of ice! Beneath his mask, Crimson Dynamo curses, as he is unable to see, blinded by the haze of the ice layers. “Here’s some for you!”
“I know how to take a hint!” Black Goliath responds, slamming his fist into the distracted Crimson Dynamo’s stomach, doubling him over, before he can do anything to get his sight back. Black Goliath then sends another punishing blow into his foe’s mid-section, keeping him off-balance. “And I don’t mind a little help either!”
“Now they are sending demons against us?!” the villainous Electro utters, pushing himself back off the wall, and sending a blast of energy at Ghost Rider. “It does not matter! We have faced worse, and will overcome it!”
“I hate to be the one to tell you this,” Ghost Rider responds, blocking the energy attack with his own hellfire, “but maybe you should look in the mirror before you start throwing stones, buddy!”
Angel swoops down from above, holding a pieced of galvanized pipe in his hand, as the female Red Guardian follows closely behind him, unable to match his aerial skills, but unwilling to let him escape her sight. With a mighty swing, he hits the villainous Electro on the back of the head, causing him to stagger forward, stumbling towards Ghost Rider!
“You can’t teach him anything, Ghost Rider!” the Angel offers, smiling from the intoxication of combat. “I’ve already tried. He’s not much of a listener!”
“Well then,” Ghost Rider returns, “Maybe he just needs to take a nap!” So saying, Ghost Rider sends out a blast of concentrated hellfire, engulfing the stunned Electro, who staggers back and falls to the ground, unconscious!
Black Goliath ducks under a blast of radioactive energy from the female Red Guardian, which strikes instead the Crimson Dynamo, blasting him in the chest and sending him staggering back.
“Hey, thanks for the assist, lady!” Black Goliath offers. “I never realized I’d enjoy this hero bit so much! I think I might have to stick around with this group!” he adds, thinking to himself.
“Idiot!” she exclaims. “If you’ve caused any harm to the Dynamo…!” She says nothing further, although her face reflects her anger. She delivers an energy blast at Black Goliath, aiming for his face. He blocks it instinctively with his forearm, pulling his smoking forearm away defensively, as it stings from the radioactive burn.
Black Goliath leans down, ripping up a long plank of the wood floor, using it to block her next blast of energy. “I don’t think I’ll try that again!” Black Goliath thinks. “Her radioactive energy…it’s no wonder that the Russians have made her keep a low profile. There is no telling how much damage she could cause if she was let loose.”
The Angel continues to fly across the lower floor, and swoops down, kicking the Red Guardian in the shoulder, distracting him from his battle with the Black Widow, even as he had her on her knees before him.
“Don’t you know you’re not supposed to treat a lady that way?” the Angel asks mockingly, holding the piece of galvanized pipe in his hands.
“I know my enemy all too well, Angel!” Red Guardian responds, turning his attention towards the former X-Man. “And I know how deadly she can be if given half a chance. After all, I trained her!”
The Angel flies forward, tackling the Red Guardian with a surprise move. They are both sent across the floor from the momentum of the Angel’s surprise attack. “She’s one of us now!” the Angel returns.
“This, too, can change!” the Red Guardian responds, blocking the Angel’s next swing. “You have come here to free one of our agents, only to return the Black Widow to us! You have done in a day what the State has been trying to accomplish for several years.”
The Red Guardian slams his fist into Angel’s face, jerking his head back violently. “I suppose I should thank you for that.” So saying, he knees the Angel in the mid-section, doubling him over. The Red Guardian starts to finish his foe with a blow to the back of his head, but the Angel takes to the air, avoiding the finishing blow.
“I’m not quite that easy to take down!” the Angel responds, flying directly into the air, avoiding a lunge by the Red Guardian.
“It is only a matter of time,” the Red Guardian retorts. “My repeated blows have had an impact on you, whether you admit it or not.”
“How about mine…on you?!” the Black Widow exclaims, leaping across the distance separating them, kicking the Red Guardian in the back of the head with great force, as she rolls across the ground, quickly getting onto her feet to continue her attack. She does so quickly, delivering a karate chop to the side of his face, before he can recover.
“You learned well, Widow,” the Red Guardian responds. “But,” he continues, grabbing her by the wrist, stopping her next intended blow, “you are but a student. You cannot exceed the master.” He squeezes her wrist with his own great strength, as she falls to her knees before him.
“But now, Widow,” the Red Guardian says with authority, “it is time to end this conflict.” So saying, he slams his fist down on her forehead, knocking her to the floor, sprawled out unconscious before him.
“Widow!” the Angel exclaims, flying directly towards the Red Guardian (who is facing away from him), rage burning in his eyes at what he has just witnessed. “I can’t believe you hit her like that!”
“Believe it!” the Red Guardian does not turn around, but instead ducks under a swing of the Angel’s pipe, and slams his elbow into the Angel’s upper chest, where it meets his neck! The Angel gasps for air, and falls to the ground, unable to move for a moment. The Red Guardian quickly turns to face the Angel, who is trying to rise to his hands and knees, but is still gasping for air. “And now, Angel, I think I have long since grown weary of your interference…!”
“You won’t have to worry about the Angel’s interference any more!”
“What?!” the Red Guardian asks, turning to face the Winter Soldier, who is stepping into the room, holstering his firearm. “Oh, it is you! Do not worry about the Angel. I will deal with him now.”
“Actually,” the Winter Soldier responds, leaping at the Red Guardian, kicking him in the mid-section. “My plan was to deal with you…now!”
The Red Guardian’s eyes grow wide with surprise, as he gets to his feet. “What has come over you, Soldier?” he asks. “Have you forgotten…?”
“My brainwashing?!” the Winter Soldier responds, kicking the Red Guardian in the face, jerking his head violently to the other side. “No, I haven’t! Your boy, the Gremlin, took care of that for me. You did a bang-up job on it, though. I’ll have to give you credit.”
Red Guardian turns over on his side, kicking out his leg, catching the Winter Soldier in the back of his legs, behind his knees, and throwing him off-balance, causing him to fall to the ground. “Well, without your brainwashing, it only means that we get to see which of us is superior.”
He lunges at the Winter Soldier, who is lying on his back. The Winter Soldier bends his knees, and uses the Red Guardian’s own momentum against him, flipping him against the wall behind them! “We don’t need to see,” the Winter Soldier responds. “To me, it was never any doubt.”
“It seems that your time in the chamber has made you delusional!” The Red Guardian quickly gets to his feet, and swings at the Winter Soldier, who ducks under the swing, and delivers a punishing body blow to the Guardian’s mid-section, doubling him over.
“No,” the Winter Soldier replies, kneeing his foe in the jaw, causing him to fall back from the impact of the blow. “It’s just reminded me of how much I miss being away from here! And, believe me, I intend to leave!”
The Red Guardian reaches his hands back, catching his fall on his palms, doing a handstand before flipping up, back onto his feet. “Your intentions are irrelevant,” the Red Guardian argues. “The State has spent too much on you to simply let you leave now.”
“You act like this is up for debate!” the Winter Soldier responds, even as Ghost Rider blasts the female Red Guardian in the background, sending her to the ground. “Believe me, it’s not!” Bucky kicks his foe again in the mid-section, and then slams a blow to the back of the Red Guardian’s head, sending him to his knees.
“I can’t say that I don’t enjoy this, Alexi!” the Winter Soldier comments, kicking the already-stunned Red Guardian in the face! He falls back to the ground, unconscious. He looks down at the man lying before it. “It wasn’t that long ago, you wouldn’t have survived our encounter. Be thankful that the brainwashing is gone. I’m not going to be our assassin any longer! Tell your masters I said it! And, if they want to come looking for me, they can find me. It just mind not be a good move on their part.”
So saying, the Winter Soldier leans forward, helping the recovering Black Widow to her feet. “Come on, Natasha, let’s get out of here.”
# # # # # # # # # #
EPILOGUE
Bucky sits in the back seat, beside the lovely Black Widow. They exchange glances, even as Winter Soldier leans over, holding an ice compress against her forehead. “Natasha,” he offers softly, “I know that you were the one who led this rescue mission. I wanted to thank you for…”
“James,” she cuts him off, “Do you think I could just leave you there…when I found out you were still alive? I didn’t know that the Red Guardian would be there but…”
Winter Soldier smiles, nodding his head. “I told you I never liked that guy!” he returns.
In the front seat, Warren temporarily turns the controls over to Ivan, his co-pilot, as he speaks on a plane phone, attached to his front console. Warren’s face goes flush, as he listens to the speaker on the other end of the phone.
“International incident?!” he exclaims. “What are you talking about?!”
Hercules, seated directly behind the Angel, shakes his head. “The ways of politics hath changed little since the days of Nero, ‘twould seem!”
“No,” the Angel shakes his head, “You deal with it! You’re our P.R. man! What do you think I pay you for anyway?!” He leans his head back against the seat, as the spiraling cord reaches its way to the phone receiver. “All right, all right. You just take care of things on your end. If we need to smooth things over when we get back, we’ll talk about it then.”
“Problems?” Ivan asks, looking over at the Angel.
“Always,” the Angel returns. “I don’t mind running my dad’s oil company, but don’t ever ask me to get into politics!”
“A wise decision, my friend,” Ivan responds, nodding his head.
# # # # # # # # # #
CABLES OF CHAMPIONS
This issue marks the end of the Russian storyline. However, given the timeframe of this series, we can be sure that there will be more east vs. west conflicts in these pages. But, most of the story arcs in this series will be relatively short—usually no longer than three parters. I think this is pretty much in keeping with the feel of 70s stories I’m shooting for in this title. Hopefully, it’ll have that feel for the readers. This issue also starts another shift in the line-up of the Champions; and the line-up is complete…and least for now. I’ve always thought that the Champions had the makings of a great line-up, and there’s a lot of potential there.
Coming up in the series, you’ll see an immediate surprise next issue, when the Champions return to Los Angeles, and some surprise guest-stars show up. After that, the next story arc will explode into the pages of the 1970s Champions.
One cool thing about this series is the ability to use classic line-ups of major groups, and classic versions of Marvel characters, without all of the recent baggage that has come with so many of these characters. I’m looking forward to taking advantage of that. If there is someone you’d like to see included in these pages, whether a hero, villain, or group of either, drop me a line and get me your requests. I’ll even take requests for theme music, if there’s a good classic 70s song you’d like to see hit the vinyl here.
- Jeff Melton