It was at the discretion of each active Avenger as to whether they stayed at the mansion or maintained their own residence. Due to the nature of her powers, Monica Rambeau preferred to commute, as the distance between New Orleans and New York City was nothing to a beam of light. Still, she had a habit of getting up extra early each morning to check in, and not with the communi-card. The personal touch was important, and Jarvis made terrific scones.
The first thing Photon heard when she materialized into the kitchen of Avengers Mansion was arguing. Binary and Warbird, the Avengers Chairperson, were having a heated discussion. At seeing Photon, Binary started on her.
“And here she is now. I’ll just bet she bought a dozen copies of the magazine already.”
Photon's first thought was to ask what was going on, but she quickly put it together. In truth, she’d dreaded this might be coming. “I haven’t,” Photon said. “How did that reporter twist my words?”
“It’s right there on the title.” Warbird held up the magazine for Photon to see.
The first thing Photon heard when she materialized into the kitchen of Avengers Mansion was arguing. Binary and Warbird, the Avengers Chairperson, were having a heated discussion. At seeing Photon, Binary started on her.
“And here she is now. I’ll just bet she bought a dozen copies of the magazine already.”
Photon's first thought was to ask what was going on, but she quickly put it together. In truth, she’d dreaded this might be coming. “I haven’t,” Photon said. “How did that reporter twist my words?”
“It’s right there on the title.” Warbird held up the magazine for Photon to see.
"War of the Marvels"
Issue #70 by Steve Crosby
January 2018
January 2018
“She frames it as a speculative piece about who should take the name Captain Marvel,” said Warbird. “But it’s clearly meant to portray us as three women fighting over a name like it’s a pair of shoes. The editor should have confirmed a few of the facts. We issued a statement months ago about Mar-Vell’s return.”
“That statement is all the public has,” said Binary. “We haven’t heard from him since, so the world’s already forgotten. All they know is that out of three current Avengers, one used to be called Captain Marvel, another used to be called Ms. Marvel, and the third is more powerful than both of them. Why shouldn’t I call myself Captain Marvel?”
“Okay,” said Photon. She started typing on her communi-card. “I’ll release a statement right now. ‘Young Avenger Forsakes Identity Borrowed from White Woman to Borrow Identity from White Man.’ That sounds like a great headline.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Binary started toward Photon.
Still in human form, Photon held out her communi-card to her very powerful teammate. “There, just hit send. Also, you’re right about public awareness. I had no idea about Mar-Vell when I debuted. Not that I picked the name. Do you know how I came to be called Captain Marvel?”
Taken aback, Binary shook her head.
“Not two seconds after getting these powers, I save a man’s life, knocked his attacker for a loop. The man had an accent, and this odd habit of calling people ‘capitan’. He sees me in my Mardi Gras outfit and says something like, ‘Oh capitan what a marvel you are.’ Well, the attacker was semi-conscious, repeated the words ‘Captain’ and ‘Marvel’ to the police, and the press picked it up. How was it for you, Warbird?”
“The Kree device that altered my DNA also created a separate personality,” said the former Ms. Marvel. “For weeks, I had no memory of transforming into a Kree warrior woman who called herself Ms. Marvel. I later took the name Binary to reflect my break from the past I’d forgotten and a new life among the stars. I didn’t know Mar-Vell had died until I met Photon. Was that why you’d changed the name?”
“No, it was later, when I met Genis-Vell.” Photon resisted the urge to spit. “I’d been semi-retired anyway, and felt the young man had a right to his father’s name. What about you?” she asked Binary.
“Diablo called me this when I gained my powers,” Binary said. “I thought it sounded cool, so I kept using it. After I joined the Avengers…no, not then.” Her eyes briefly lowered, but then raised to meet Warbird’s. “It was meeting you that I learned you used to have the name, and the powers.”
“And I apologize that I was hostile at first,” said Warbird. “It kept us off the real question of how and why Diablo did what he did. And he may be doing it again, only this time experimenting on super-villains like Tiger Shark, Stingray’s brother-in-law.”
The door opened, and Darkhawk walked into the room. “Warbird, Doctor Banner wanted me to get…oh, hi Binary, Photon. Ooh, scones.”
Before picking up the food, Darkhawk shifted into his human body of Christopher Powell. Annoyed that the discussion had distracted her from her real purpose, Photon also took a scone.
Warbird waited until after Darkhawk had swallowed his bite before asking, “Well?”
“Hmm? Oh, right. Doctor B- I mean, the Professor, thinks we have a lead on where Diablo is.”
# # # # #
Nearly an hour later, Monica Rambeau was on a docked boat in New Orleans. It was the boat she owned with her father, Frank, for their charter business. The retired firefighter was on the boat as well, helping his daughter get it ready. Their group would be coming soon for the fishing tour.
“I can handle this myself, if you need to get away.”
“This is a two-person job, Dad,” Monica said. “Large group, all day tour. If this was something they needed me for, I would call Geoff to help you. But it isn’t.”
“And if they decide it is, make a call while we’re out on the water?”
“Then I’ll duck down below for a few minutes,” Monica said. “It’s understood, Dad, that members have their own lives. Nobody is expected to be on call 24/7. It isn’t even as strict as you kept the firehouse.”
Frank Rambeau had to laugh at that. “And thank goodness for that. Keeping grounded in real lives; it maintains perspective of why you do what you do. Your mother and I, our biggest fear is that you zip around the world non-stop, taking everybody’s problems as your own.”
It was Monica’s turn to laugh. “That’ll be the day. I nearly lost it when I had to travel over eight hours at light speed.” She looked out over the water. “I didn’t even have a moment to enjoy the sights.”
The sound of the bus broke the reverie. As her father finished the preparations on the boat, Monica stepped onto the dock. A class of young students were running toward her, excited for the trip. Besides the teacher, there was one additional escort, who shook Monica’s hand.
“Thank you for agreeing to this. There’s only so much that can be taught in the classroom.”
“Oh, I’m well aware of the benefits in a hands-on education,” Monica said with a smile. She greeted the young children. “Hello, boys and girls. Who’s eager to get onto the water?”
The response was a chorus of cheers.
# # # # #
The young super-hero known as Gravity had been hovering over the front entrance of Avengers Mansion for several minutes before Diane Newell opened the door. As she gave brief words of apology, Diane tapped a code into the mansion’s systems to confirm that yes, Gravity was an invited guest. The security safeguards that were targeting Gravity withdrew, and he lowered to the ground.
“Thanks. You guys make it hard to encourage trainees.”
“Unfortunately, the entire team was called away unexpectedly,” Diane explained. “That triggers a heightened sensitivity in the mansion’s security. Please, come in.”
“That makes sense.” Gravity followed Diane inside. “What sort of mission did they go on? Maybe I can catch-up, get some first-hand education.”
“Overseas, I’m afraid. But our…er, doctor is still here. You were scheduled for an examination.”
It may have been more appropriate for Diane to use the term “Professor”, as it appeared to be that iteration of the Hulk that greeted Gravity, rather than Doctor David Bruce Banner. The Avengers had been put on-guard by the change, but Professor Hulk had assured them he was fine. The change had been achieved through meditation, and would actually be safer. When this Hulk became angry, he transformed into a savage, and relatively harmless, Banner.
Intimidated though he was, Gravity consented to the examination. Professor Hulk was intrigued by the readings. “You appear to have a field of gravitons around your body, a second skin if you will. This is what allows you to affect Earth’s gravitational hold over you and any object you touch. Have you ever tried to extend this field?”
“Sometimes, but it takes a bit out of me,” Gravity said. “If I look right at something, I can just make it float in mid-air.”
“The mental effort to do that must be extraordinary. I would recommend touching the object first, then gradually increase the distance as you maintain control over the localized gravity field. You can try this on me in the training area if you’d like.”
“Yeah, that’d be great.” Gravity followed Professor Hulk down the hallway. “I was a little nervous about this, letting the Avengers poke and prod me.”
“Our powers are an extension of ourselves. Learning to use them properly is no different from an infant learning to crawl or walk. But with this, the occasional fall can hurt others.” He gestured to himself. “The Avengers have always done what they could to help me and others who came for help.”
Before they could reach the training room, an alarm sounded. Diane Newell’s voice came through the intercom. “Could you both please come upstairs, there’s an emergency.”
As soon as Gravity and Professor Hulk joined her on the first floor, Diane explained the situation. “A small spaceship has just entered the atmosphere. It appears to be damaged, and the uncontrolled descent could damage the city. It also sent out a distress call on the Avengers frequency, so the occupants may be friends. The message was too garbled to identify.”
“So it would be rude to just destroy it,” said Professor Hulk.
“Couldn’t Photon get here immediately?” Gravity asked.
Diane nodded. “There’s no response from the Avengers so far.”
Professor Hulk turned to Gravity. “I realize this is a lot to ask of you so soon, but you can help land that ship safely.”
Gravity agreed, stepped outside, and flew up into the air. “Here I come to save the day!”
# # # # #
Gunfire in the camp was directed at the multi-colored intruder. Each bullet that struck Speedball fell harmlessly to the ground, its momentum spent. The only affect they had on Speedball was the uncontrollable little hops he made, and the growth of multi-colored balls around his body. It all made for an unavoidable distraction.
Binary and Warbird came at the camp from above, on opposite sides. Their respective energy powers were focused on weapon and ammo caches, creating great explosions. They also flew bodily through the mass of armed men, knocking more than a few out while driving the rest off-balance.
The armored forms of Stingray and Darkhawk then waded in for cleanup. Electrical bursts and Darkforce blasts made quick work of the men, except for a few. One disarmed man rushed at Stingray, noxious green gas emanating from his skin. This meant nothing to an Avenger in armor designed for deep-sea exploration, and a fist to the face ended that threat.
Insects suddenly swarmed around Darkhawk, directed by the pheromones given off by the second man. But armored skin felt no irritation, and mechanical senses picked up the target past the extensive noise. A blast of Darkforce from the amulet on his chest took the man down, and the insects then left Darkhawk be.
“We have one left,” Stingray said, pointing a tree where his armor’s radar detected more. “There!”
“I’ve got him!” Speedball used up the last of the kinetic energy he’d picked up, leaping at the tree. He tackled a man who was previously unseen, camouflaged against the environment.
All of the enhanced foes had abilities that were bio-chemical in nature. Warbird landed and approached the one Speedball was holding. She corrected the mental assessment. Their abilities were alchemical in nature.
Not gently, Warbird separated Speedball from his prisoner and lifted the man off his feet. Her other hand was pulled back in a glowing fist. “Where do we find Diablo?”
A short time later, Warbird floated over an ominous castle built against the Andes Mountains. She wondered if all the European-based super-villains had their own castles in South America, or perhaps they time-shared the same one. She briefly considered asking Espirita, who was floating beside her.
Instead Warbird said, “I’ll need you for this. Diablo’s alchemy is unpredictable, and your powers have been something of a wild card lately.”
“That’s what scares me,” said Espirita. She’d begged off the earlier fight, against using her fire-based abilities in a jungle.
Warbird was hesitant. She needed to depend on Espirita, but worried about pushing too hard. “As long as you’re there when I need you.”
At the same time as Binary, who was over a thousand feet away, Warbird dive-bombed toward the castle. They collided at the same time, smashing through opposite sides of the castle. Espirita wasn’t far behind, and neither were Darkhawk, Speedball, and Stingray.
Resistance was immediate and, as Warbird expected, unpredictable. Speedball bounced along a hallway, and at striking the ceiling began to sink into it. He struggled, but it was like quicksand, pulling him against gravity.
“Hey! I can’t get off this thing!”
Espirita was near Speedball, having entered through the same opening Warbird made. Flying past, she receded her flames from one hand and grabbed Speedball down the wrist. Though she pulled, he was still sinking.
“Be still!” From her other hand, Espirita unleashed flames against the stone ceiling. There was an unearthly hiss, a steam of sulfurous stench, and Speedball dropped free. Espirita kept hold, carrying Speedball from the ground though he was almost too much for her average strength.
It wasn’t until they turned a corner that Espirita risked it and dropped Speedball, at his urging. He hit the ground without incident and bounced alongside Espirita, though careful not to touch the walls or ceiling. They soon caught up to Warbird, who hovered before a large oaken door.
“According to Stingray’s scans, this is the largest room in the…castle.” Warbird hated using that term in the 21st century. “It also has large equipment inside. This will be Diablo’s lab, and Stingray’s squad should be arriving from the other side right about now.”
Power welled in Warbird’s fists. She physically struck the doors. Oak splintered, and a reddish sap very much like blood oozed from the cracks. A second blow shattered the doors and sprayed Warbird with the dark red mist.
Inside the room was Diablo and equipment that was unlike anything Warbird expected. Nothing was remotely modern, giving a snapshot of life from centuries ago. Diablo had a mortar and pestle in his hands, that he calmly set aside at the Avengers’ arrival.
“Ah, it’s so nice to have guests. To what do I owe this honor?”
“Sick human experiments,” Warbird spat. “We’re bringing you in, Diablo. Where are your prisoners?”
“Released into the world.” Diablo spread his arms. “This new method of control is so boring. Messy reactions are the best means to learn. Case in point…”
Diablo smiled as the wall behind him was smashed in. Darkhawk was the first into the room, and not by his own power. He hit the ground amidst the stones, unmoving and damaged. Next into the room was Binary, holding a still Stingray by the throat.
“I simply cannot thank you enough for returning one of my best works back to me.”
# # # # #
Free of Earth’s gravity and propelled by his own graviton field, Gravity was soon in sight of the ship and slowed down. It was careening towards the city at a fantastic speed that Gravity matched while moving closer. The heat around it was incredible, but Gravity knew there was no way he could affect this object from a distance.
The contact was brief and excruciating, but Gravity touched the ship’s hull. With a cry of pain he moved back and concentrated. To his relief, the ship slowed down, the pull of gravity weakening at his command. Soon, he was guiding the small craft to a soft landing in the Avengers backyard.
“Terrific work,” Professor Hulk said as he approached the craft ahead of Diane. Large green hands gripped what appeared to be a door and ripped it open. Immediately he saw a hint of green, and stepped back with trepidation.
“This one is thankful to you.” Mantis, a former member of the Avengers, exited the vehicle. Behind her was Sequoia, her son and the Celestial Messiah. Both were nursing bumps and scrapes.
“It is good to see you again, madam. Sir.” Edwin Jarvis followed Diane out of the mansion. “Regrettably the Avengers are not here, but they will be alerted to your arrival. Gravity, would you be so kind as to raise this ship off the grass and onto the roof where repairs could readily be made.”
“Uh, of course,” said Gravity, feeling foolish. “This looks pretty beat up. Were you in a fight? Running from something?”
“Your concern for this one is appreciated, and it is unfortunate that-”
“Get to the point, mom,” Sequoia said. He looked up at Hulk. “Thanos is free and hunting me down. Drax tried to stop him, but-”
The impact was sudden and devastating. One second, Professor Hulk was standing there, willing to help. An instant later, the shattered remains of a Life Model Decoy made to resemble the Hulk were sputtering on the ground. Standing in their place was Drax the Destroyer, who was looking at Sequoia with blank eyes.
“By the other of Thanos,” said the brainwashed powerhouse, “the Celestial Messiah must die!”
# # # # #
When the signal came in on her Avengers communi-card, Monica Rambeau was not in the best position to respond.
They had arrived during the excursion without warning. By the time Monica noticed, several of the children had been taken hostage. The attackers were known to her, members of the At’La’Tique, clone exiles from Atlantis. They had troubled the waters around New Orleans before, and the superhero Photon should have known to keep an eye out.
“You surface-dwellers are far too protective of your young,” one of the At’La’Tique laughed. “Now, your government will be paralyzed as we make our attack.”
He was saying other things, but Monica wasn’t paying much attention. She’d heard the rhetoric of At’Lan’Tique before, the mistreatment of clones and the entitlement of everybody else. The signal had arrived on the indenticard, meaning that the Avengers had need of Photon. If needed, Monica would sacrifice her secret identity to defend the young students, but a chance to avoid such dilemmas always occurred.
It was Monica’s father, Frank Rambeau, who provided the opportunity. He stepped forward to angrily interrupt the underwater invader. “You shut your mouth; you think anything justifies scaring these kids. Let them go and take me, if you think you’re up to it.”
This outburst was not well-received, and the underwater raider prepared to strike the elderly man. Monica reacted swiftly, pushing her father out of the way and taking the blow. A shove meant to knock an old man to the ground instead sent a woman careening over the railing and into the water.
“Monica!” her father cried out as the splash of water could be heard. Not thinking, he grabbed at the railing, prepared to dive in after her daughter.
At’La’Tique arms grabbed Frank and pulled him back. “You can’t flee from us in the water. Any blow that would sent her so far was likely deadly.”
“I swear I didn’t strike that hard,” the offender protested.
“Then go in after-!”
A flash of light interrupted the order. A beam of energy that was Photon of the Avengers appeared over the boat. As fast as light she traveled among the At’La’Tique, specifically the helmets they needed to breathe outside the ocean. The surge of power of precise, meant to disrupt their supply and drive them unconscious. As one they fell, and Photon stood victorious a second later.
The children cried out in excitement over their local hero. “Yay! Captain Marvel!”
“You should make for shore immediately,” Photon told her father. “The authorities will be waiting for you, and so will Ms. Rambeau.”
“Will you be staying with us, to keep an eye on these…” Frank couldn’t think of a word that was appropriate around children.
“No. I’m needed elsewhere. But I promise, your daughter will be at the dock to greet you.”
# # # # #
Gravity did not know how much more he could take. The first punch he received from Drax would have taken off his head, if not for the graviton field. Gravity was lucky he hadn’t lost consciousness, and the punch he threw in response had barely made Drax grunt. But there had been another purpose to the contact, and Gravity propelled Drax straight up into the air.
Unfortunately, Drax was able to fly under his own power. Gravity was able to slow Drax down, keep his movements sluggish, but immobilization was not possible. As Gravity dodged swing after devastating swing, his costume was becoming damp with sweat. The concentration just to keep from being pummeled was catching up with Gravity.
On the grounds of Avengers Mansion, Mantis pushed her son Sequoia toward Diane Newell and Edwin Jarvis. They stepped over a collection of broken robotic parts that had apparently been impersonating the Hulk. Jarvis was still looking at the wreckage
in surprise when Sequoia was pushed against him.
“My word! Please, we need to get inside. The mansion’s defenses should hold him off until a general alert is answered.”
“Go with them,” Mantis told her son. “This one shall assist.”
Difficult though it was, Gravity was holding his own physically against Drax. But the being known as the Destroyer had been created to battle Thanos, and that required more than physical might. Energy gathered in Drax’s fist, and before Gravity was struck in the chest he could only think of how screwed he was.
The young hero crashed to the ground. His graviton field had not provided much protection, and he struggled to move. Unencumbered by manipulated gravity, Drax landed and approached. He grabbed the helpless Gravity by the throat and lifted him off the ground.
“An admirable effort, but futile.” A Drax that was in his right mind would not have spoken so intelligently. “But Thanos will have what he desires, and those placed in his way will meet Death’s sweet embrace.”
“No.” Mantis had silently come at Drax from behind. “This one has had enough.”
Trained by the Priests of Pama, Mantis was an extraordinary hand-to-hand combatant. Hands chopped at Drax’s vital nerve centers, and Gravity was released. Feet struck at sensitive areas of Drax’s body so that his swing at her was a half-second too slow. Mantis caught him deftly by the wrist, and with absolute leverage drove him to the ground.
No amount of skill could make up for the vastly superior might that Drax possessed. In another moment he would have easily turned the tables on Mantis. How fortunate for her then that she possessed a remarkable empathic power. By touch, she felt Drax’s emotions. Where a rage for Thanos had once encompassed all, there was now a devotion. With ease, Mantis shattered this artificial barrier, setting free the mind of Drax.
“Aaargh!”
A recovering Gravity was helped to his feet by Mantis. Drax lay on the ground, unmoving.
“This one has unshackled his mind,” Mantis said. “The trauma was extensive however, and Drax will need time to recover. Alone, the necessary strike could not have been achieved. You have this one’s gratitude.”
“Uh, okay.” Gravity wasn’t entirely sure what Mantis was saying. Then his eyes fixed on the spot where a Life Model Decoy of the Hulk had been destroyed. “That may be a problem.”
# # # # #
There was a hole in the ceiling. And in the one above, and in the one above, and finally in the castle’s roof. Espirita couldn’t see Binary or Warbird anymore. Only the sounds and flashes of their battle, which was expected to be brief. Binary was much more powerful, and had recently been training with Warbird.
Speedball and Espirita couldn’t worry about that though. Or if Photon was going to arrive. They had a job, and Warbird was buying them time to do it. Together they rushed at Diablo.
“Your schemes end today!” yelled Speedball as he leaped at the mad alchemist.
“Really?” asked Diablo. He appeared to snap his fingers, but actually flicked off a nail. It expanded in Speedball’s direction, until it was large enough to cover him, with the thickness of cellophane. Speedball crashed to the floor, struggling to free himself.
“You talk like an amateur trying too hard to impress, and fight like one who can’t possibly succeed.” Diablo walked toward Speedball, pulling at another fingernail. This one extend into a thin blade. “To end your life would be to do you a favor.”
“Keep back.” Espirita flew between them, flames extending from both hands. One forced Diablo at bay, while the other stream engulfed Speedball. Espirita was careful to only burn away the netting, while her teammate was unharmed.
“Oh, you are fascinating,” said Diablo. He reached into a pouch at his belt and hurled several pellets at Espirita. They exploded around her, momentarily weakening her flames with a foaming substance. “And unnatural too. Normal fire would have smothered, and you as well.”
Many explanations had been suggested for Espirita’s powers, but they did not matter to her. The ultimate source remained the same, that of God. To Diablo she said, “Lay down your weapons and cease this wickedness. You cannot win this, and only pain will result if you continue.”
Diablo’s smirk became a scowl. “Oh, your sort have given me such trouble in the past. No, I don’t think I’ll surrender down.”
The alchemist of times past whistled, and the ground beneath Espirita erupted in fire and stone. Instinctively she rose higher, but the fire and stone completely enveloped her. Within the hard and hot cell there blew a ferocious wind, and Espirita felt the breath leaving her body.
“That should do it for her,” said Diablo. “And as for you-”
Speedball was free, and he took advantage of the freedom to leap up. He struck the top of Espirita’s cell and went high over Diablo’s head. The heat from that brief contact had been almost unbearable, and Speedball was doubtful he could break that shell. Warbird was too far up to assist, but two other Avengers were nearby. Both appeared unconscious and, not being a medical or mechanical expert, Stingray was likely beyond Speedball’s help.
That left Darkhawk. Speedball landed near the battered android form, and placed one of his teammate’s limp hands over the gem on his chest. “Come on pal. Wake up enough to make the switch. Another body would come in real handy.”
A shadow passed over Speedball, but he bounced quickly enough to avoid Diablo’s attack. The gelatinous cube splashed near Darkhawk and began to eat through the stone floor. Darkhawk still wasn’t moving, and Diablo noticed this with great delight.
“It would appear that you’re all alone,” said the villain to Speedball. “Perhaps I’ll keep you around for st-”
A beam of light in the shape of woman zoomed past Diablo. It flew into the gem on Darkhawk’s chest, twice activating a mechanism. Briefly, Darkhawk was replaced by the form of a young man, then was immediately with a fully healed Darkhawk body.
“I’m me! I’m whole!” Darkhawk exclaimed.
The light that was Photon flitted into Stingray’s armor ever so briefly. The man remained unmoving, so Photon moved on to Espirita. She blasted through the stone cocoon, freeing her teammate. As Espirita struggled to remain upright, gasping for air, Photon flew up to enter the battle in the sky.
Warbird knew from the beginning that she couldn’t trade punches Binary. The much stronger woman would immediately overpower her. That meant energy blasts, and so Warbird drew the compromised Avenger into the open air where she could be outmaneuvered. Every one of Warbird’s blasts struck Binary, while Warbird managed to dodge three out of every four that Binary returned fire.
Unfortunately, Warbird’s blasts had little-to-no effect on Binary, whose unique physiology absorbed most of the energy. Warbird was able to absorb energy as well, but not to the same extent, and Binary’s blasts were much more powerful. After the third strike, Warbird knew she couldn’t last much longer.
That was when Photon emerged, her energy form beaming into Warbird for a sudden power boost. “Let’s get her,” Photon said inside Warbird’s skull.
The burst of power lit up the sky and sent Binary tumbling into the trees. Photon was suddenly floating alongside Warbird. “I’ll check on her,” she said before zooming after their teammate. Warbird dropped down into the castle to see if the others needed her assistance.
They didn’t. Diablo lay on the ground, unconscious. Speedball and Darkhawk were standing over him. Espirita was kneeling alongside an unmoving Stingray.
“You should have seen it, Warbird,” Darkhawk said. “Speedball crashed against Diablo over and over, surrounding him with balls.”
“I figured he couldn’t do much with his tricks if he couldn’t see,” Speedball said. “That was when Darkhawk let him have it with a force blast. Down he went.”
“Good work, you two.” Warbird started toward Espirita. “How is he?”
“Unconscious, but he is alive,” Espirita said. “I can’t begin to make sense around his armor.”
“The damage was minor, as far as I could tell.” Photon had returned, and was standing over Espirita and Stingray. “Binary hit him with a power surge. I wasn’t able to reboot the armor, but Stingray put a program in the Quinjet computer.”
“How is Binary?” Warbird asked.
“She recovered enough to power down, and that seems to have released her from Diablo’s control. But we won’t know for sure until she powers back up, under controlled circumstances.” Photon bit her lip. “Warbird, there was an attack by an At’Lan’Tique squad. That’s why I didn’t respond right away, and I need to get back to-”
“Go,” commanded the leader of the Avengers. As Photon disappeared, she considered Diablo. “Espirita, I want you and Speedball to collect Binary. If there’s an issue, the two of you should be able to keep her busy until help arrives. Darkhawk, help get Stingray to the Quinjet. I’ll see about the program when I return from delivering Diablo.”
“We could tell the Argentine government he escaped,” Speedball suggested. “Or just refuse to turn him over.”
“We can’t go back on the agreement,” Warbird said. “Otherwise things will get a lot harder the next time we need to operate outside the United States.”
As she went to collect the defeated Diablo, Warbird noticed the alert from Avengers Mansion. “This is Warbird. What’s the situation?”
“Mantis has arrived with her son,” said the voice of Edwin Jarvis. “They are safe at the moment, but apparently Thanos is free.”
“It just never ends,” Warbird muttered under her breath. “Okay, we’ll be there as soon as possible to debrief them. Is there anything else the team should know before we arrive.”
Jarvis sighed. “Yes, I’m afraid so.”
Next Issue: The Trial of the Vision!
“That statement is all the public has,” said Binary. “We haven’t heard from him since, so the world’s already forgotten. All they know is that out of three current Avengers, one used to be called Captain Marvel, another used to be called Ms. Marvel, and the third is more powerful than both of them. Why shouldn’t I call myself Captain Marvel?”
“Okay,” said Photon. She started typing on her communi-card. “I’ll release a statement right now. ‘Young Avenger Forsakes Identity Borrowed from White Woman to Borrow Identity from White Man.’ That sounds like a great headline.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Binary started toward Photon.
Still in human form, Photon held out her communi-card to her very powerful teammate. “There, just hit send. Also, you’re right about public awareness. I had no idea about Mar-Vell when I debuted. Not that I picked the name. Do you know how I came to be called Captain Marvel?”
Taken aback, Binary shook her head.
“Not two seconds after getting these powers, I save a man’s life, knocked his attacker for a loop. The man had an accent, and this odd habit of calling people ‘capitan’. He sees me in my Mardi Gras outfit and says something like, ‘Oh capitan what a marvel you are.’ Well, the attacker was semi-conscious, repeated the words ‘Captain’ and ‘Marvel’ to the police, and the press picked it up. How was it for you, Warbird?”
“The Kree device that altered my DNA also created a separate personality,” said the former Ms. Marvel. “For weeks, I had no memory of transforming into a Kree warrior woman who called herself Ms. Marvel. I later took the name Binary to reflect my break from the past I’d forgotten and a new life among the stars. I didn’t know Mar-Vell had died until I met Photon. Was that why you’d changed the name?”
“No, it was later, when I met Genis-Vell.” Photon resisted the urge to spit. “I’d been semi-retired anyway, and felt the young man had a right to his father’s name. What about you?” she asked Binary.
“Diablo called me this when I gained my powers,” Binary said. “I thought it sounded cool, so I kept using it. After I joined the Avengers…no, not then.” Her eyes briefly lowered, but then raised to meet Warbird’s. “It was meeting you that I learned you used to have the name, and the powers.”
“And I apologize that I was hostile at first,” said Warbird. “It kept us off the real question of how and why Diablo did what he did. And he may be doing it again, only this time experimenting on super-villains like Tiger Shark, Stingray’s brother-in-law.”
The door opened, and Darkhawk walked into the room. “Warbird, Doctor Banner wanted me to get…oh, hi Binary, Photon. Ooh, scones.”
Before picking up the food, Darkhawk shifted into his human body of Christopher Powell. Annoyed that the discussion had distracted her from her real purpose, Photon also took a scone.
Warbird waited until after Darkhawk had swallowed his bite before asking, “Well?”
“Hmm? Oh, right. Doctor B- I mean, the Professor, thinks we have a lead on where Diablo is.”
# # # # #
Nearly an hour later, Monica Rambeau was on a docked boat in New Orleans. It was the boat she owned with her father, Frank, for their charter business. The retired firefighter was on the boat as well, helping his daughter get it ready. Their group would be coming soon for the fishing tour.
“I can handle this myself, if you need to get away.”
“This is a two-person job, Dad,” Monica said. “Large group, all day tour. If this was something they needed me for, I would call Geoff to help you. But it isn’t.”
“And if they decide it is, make a call while we’re out on the water?”
“Then I’ll duck down below for a few minutes,” Monica said. “It’s understood, Dad, that members have their own lives. Nobody is expected to be on call 24/7. It isn’t even as strict as you kept the firehouse.”
Frank Rambeau had to laugh at that. “And thank goodness for that. Keeping grounded in real lives; it maintains perspective of why you do what you do. Your mother and I, our biggest fear is that you zip around the world non-stop, taking everybody’s problems as your own.”
It was Monica’s turn to laugh. “That’ll be the day. I nearly lost it when I had to travel over eight hours at light speed.” She looked out over the water. “I didn’t even have a moment to enjoy the sights.”
The sound of the bus broke the reverie. As her father finished the preparations on the boat, Monica stepped onto the dock. A class of young students were running toward her, excited for the trip. Besides the teacher, there was one additional escort, who shook Monica’s hand.
“Thank you for agreeing to this. There’s only so much that can be taught in the classroom.”
“Oh, I’m well aware of the benefits in a hands-on education,” Monica said with a smile. She greeted the young children. “Hello, boys and girls. Who’s eager to get onto the water?”
The response was a chorus of cheers.
# # # # #
The young super-hero known as Gravity had been hovering over the front entrance of Avengers Mansion for several minutes before Diane Newell opened the door. As she gave brief words of apology, Diane tapped a code into the mansion’s systems to confirm that yes, Gravity was an invited guest. The security safeguards that were targeting Gravity withdrew, and he lowered to the ground.
“Thanks. You guys make it hard to encourage trainees.”
“Unfortunately, the entire team was called away unexpectedly,” Diane explained. “That triggers a heightened sensitivity in the mansion’s security. Please, come in.”
“That makes sense.” Gravity followed Diane inside. “What sort of mission did they go on? Maybe I can catch-up, get some first-hand education.”
“Overseas, I’m afraid. But our…er, doctor is still here. You were scheduled for an examination.”
It may have been more appropriate for Diane to use the term “Professor”, as it appeared to be that iteration of the Hulk that greeted Gravity, rather than Doctor David Bruce Banner. The Avengers had been put on-guard by the change, but Professor Hulk had assured them he was fine. The change had been achieved through meditation, and would actually be safer. When this Hulk became angry, he transformed into a savage, and relatively harmless, Banner.
Intimidated though he was, Gravity consented to the examination. Professor Hulk was intrigued by the readings. “You appear to have a field of gravitons around your body, a second skin if you will. This is what allows you to affect Earth’s gravitational hold over you and any object you touch. Have you ever tried to extend this field?”
“Sometimes, but it takes a bit out of me,” Gravity said. “If I look right at something, I can just make it float in mid-air.”
“The mental effort to do that must be extraordinary. I would recommend touching the object first, then gradually increase the distance as you maintain control over the localized gravity field. You can try this on me in the training area if you’d like.”
“Yeah, that’d be great.” Gravity followed Professor Hulk down the hallway. “I was a little nervous about this, letting the Avengers poke and prod me.”
“Our powers are an extension of ourselves. Learning to use them properly is no different from an infant learning to crawl or walk. But with this, the occasional fall can hurt others.” He gestured to himself. “The Avengers have always done what they could to help me and others who came for help.”
Before they could reach the training room, an alarm sounded. Diane Newell’s voice came through the intercom. “Could you both please come upstairs, there’s an emergency.”
As soon as Gravity and Professor Hulk joined her on the first floor, Diane explained the situation. “A small spaceship has just entered the atmosphere. It appears to be damaged, and the uncontrolled descent could damage the city. It also sent out a distress call on the Avengers frequency, so the occupants may be friends. The message was too garbled to identify.”
“So it would be rude to just destroy it,” said Professor Hulk.
“Couldn’t Photon get here immediately?” Gravity asked.
Diane nodded. “There’s no response from the Avengers so far.”
Professor Hulk turned to Gravity. “I realize this is a lot to ask of you so soon, but you can help land that ship safely.”
Gravity agreed, stepped outside, and flew up into the air. “Here I come to save the day!”
# # # # #
Gunfire in the camp was directed at the multi-colored intruder. Each bullet that struck Speedball fell harmlessly to the ground, its momentum spent. The only affect they had on Speedball was the uncontrollable little hops he made, and the growth of multi-colored balls around his body. It all made for an unavoidable distraction.
Binary and Warbird came at the camp from above, on opposite sides. Their respective energy powers were focused on weapon and ammo caches, creating great explosions. They also flew bodily through the mass of armed men, knocking more than a few out while driving the rest off-balance.
The armored forms of Stingray and Darkhawk then waded in for cleanup. Electrical bursts and Darkforce blasts made quick work of the men, except for a few. One disarmed man rushed at Stingray, noxious green gas emanating from his skin. This meant nothing to an Avenger in armor designed for deep-sea exploration, and a fist to the face ended that threat.
Insects suddenly swarmed around Darkhawk, directed by the pheromones given off by the second man. But armored skin felt no irritation, and mechanical senses picked up the target past the extensive noise. A blast of Darkforce from the amulet on his chest took the man down, and the insects then left Darkhawk be.
“We have one left,” Stingray said, pointing a tree where his armor’s radar detected more. “There!”
“I’ve got him!” Speedball used up the last of the kinetic energy he’d picked up, leaping at the tree. He tackled a man who was previously unseen, camouflaged against the environment.
All of the enhanced foes had abilities that were bio-chemical in nature. Warbird landed and approached the one Speedball was holding. She corrected the mental assessment. Their abilities were alchemical in nature.
Not gently, Warbird separated Speedball from his prisoner and lifted the man off his feet. Her other hand was pulled back in a glowing fist. “Where do we find Diablo?”
A short time later, Warbird floated over an ominous castle built against the Andes Mountains. She wondered if all the European-based super-villains had their own castles in South America, or perhaps they time-shared the same one. She briefly considered asking Espirita, who was floating beside her.
Instead Warbird said, “I’ll need you for this. Diablo’s alchemy is unpredictable, and your powers have been something of a wild card lately.”
“That’s what scares me,” said Espirita. She’d begged off the earlier fight, against using her fire-based abilities in a jungle.
Warbird was hesitant. She needed to depend on Espirita, but worried about pushing too hard. “As long as you’re there when I need you.”
At the same time as Binary, who was over a thousand feet away, Warbird dive-bombed toward the castle. They collided at the same time, smashing through opposite sides of the castle. Espirita wasn’t far behind, and neither were Darkhawk, Speedball, and Stingray.
Resistance was immediate and, as Warbird expected, unpredictable. Speedball bounced along a hallway, and at striking the ceiling began to sink into it. He struggled, but it was like quicksand, pulling him against gravity.
“Hey! I can’t get off this thing!”
Espirita was near Speedball, having entered through the same opening Warbird made. Flying past, she receded her flames from one hand and grabbed Speedball down the wrist. Though she pulled, he was still sinking.
“Be still!” From her other hand, Espirita unleashed flames against the stone ceiling. There was an unearthly hiss, a steam of sulfurous stench, and Speedball dropped free. Espirita kept hold, carrying Speedball from the ground though he was almost too much for her average strength.
It wasn’t until they turned a corner that Espirita risked it and dropped Speedball, at his urging. He hit the ground without incident and bounced alongside Espirita, though careful not to touch the walls or ceiling. They soon caught up to Warbird, who hovered before a large oaken door.
“According to Stingray’s scans, this is the largest room in the…castle.” Warbird hated using that term in the 21st century. “It also has large equipment inside. This will be Diablo’s lab, and Stingray’s squad should be arriving from the other side right about now.”
Power welled in Warbird’s fists. She physically struck the doors. Oak splintered, and a reddish sap very much like blood oozed from the cracks. A second blow shattered the doors and sprayed Warbird with the dark red mist.
Inside the room was Diablo and equipment that was unlike anything Warbird expected. Nothing was remotely modern, giving a snapshot of life from centuries ago. Diablo had a mortar and pestle in his hands, that he calmly set aside at the Avengers’ arrival.
“Ah, it’s so nice to have guests. To what do I owe this honor?”
“Sick human experiments,” Warbird spat. “We’re bringing you in, Diablo. Where are your prisoners?”
“Released into the world.” Diablo spread his arms. “This new method of control is so boring. Messy reactions are the best means to learn. Case in point…”
Diablo smiled as the wall behind him was smashed in. Darkhawk was the first into the room, and not by his own power. He hit the ground amidst the stones, unmoving and damaged. Next into the room was Binary, holding a still Stingray by the throat.
“I simply cannot thank you enough for returning one of my best works back to me.”
# # # # #
Free of Earth’s gravity and propelled by his own graviton field, Gravity was soon in sight of the ship and slowed down. It was careening towards the city at a fantastic speed that Gravity matched while moving closer. The heat around it was incredible, but Gravity knew there was no way he could affect this object from a distance.
The contact was brief and excruciating, but Gravity touched the ship’s hull. With a cry of pain he moved back and concentrated. To his relief, the ship slowed down, the pull of gravity weakening at his command. Soon, he was guiding the small craft to a soft landing in the Avengers backyard.
“Terrific work,” Professor Hulk said as he approached the craft ahead of Diane. Large green hands gripped what appeared to be a door and ripped it open. Immediately he saw a hint of green, and stepped back with trepidation.
“This one is thankful to you.” Mantis, a former member of the Avengers, exited the vehicle. Behind her was Sequoia, her son and the Celestial Messiah. Both were nursing bumps and scrapes.
“It is good to see you again, madam. Sir.” Edwin Jarvis followed Diane out of the mansion. “Regrettably the Avengers are not here, but they will be alerted to your arrival. Gravity, would you be so kind as to raise this ship off the grass and onto the roof where repairs could readily be made.”
“Uh, of course,” said Gravity, feeling foolish. “This looks pretty beat up. Were you in a fight? Running from something?”
“Your concern for this one is appreciated, and it is unfortunate that-”
“Get to the point, mom,” Sequoia said. He looked up at Hulk. “Thanos is free and hunting me down. Drax tried to stop him, but-”
The impact was sudden and devastating. One second, Professor Hulk was standing there, willing to help. An instant later, the shattered remains of a Life Model Decoy made to resemble the Hulk were sputtering on the ground. Standing in their place was Drax the Destroyer, who was looking at Sequoia with blank eyes.
“By the other of Thanos,” said the brainwashed powerhouse, “the Celestial Messiah must die!”
# # # # #
When the signal came in on her Avengers communi-card, Monica Rambeau was not in the best position to respond.
They had arrived during the excursion without warning. By the time Monica noticed, several of the children had been taken hostage. The attackers were known to her, members of the At’La’Tique, clone exiles from Atlantis. They had troubled the waters around New Orleans before, and the superhero Photon should have known to keep an eye out.
“You surface-dwellers are far too protective of your young,” one of the At’La’Tique laughed. “Now, your government will be paralyzed as we make our attack.”
He was saying other things, but Monica wasn’t paying much attention. She’d heard the rhetoric of At’Lan’Tique before, the mistreatment of clones and the entitlement of everybody else. The signal had arrived on the indenticard, meaning that the Avengers had need of Photon. If needed, Monica would sacrifice her secret identity to defend the young students, but a chance to avoid such dilemmas always occurred.
It was Monica’s father, Frank Rambeau, who provided the opportunity. He stepped forward to angrily interrupt the underwater invader. “You shut your mouth; you think anything justifies scaring these kids. Let them go and take me, if you think you’re up to it.”
This outburst was not well-received, and the underwater raider prepared to strike the elderly man. Monica reacted swiftly, pushing her father out of the way and taking the blow. A shove meant to knock an old man to the ground instead sent a woman careening over the railing and into the water.
“Monica!” her father cried out as the splash of water could be heard. Not thinking, he grabbed at the railing, prepared to dive in after her daughter.
At’La’Tique arms grabbed Frank and pulled him back. “You can’t flee from us in the water. Any blow that would sent her so far was likely deadly.”
“I swear I didn’t strike that hard,” the offender protested.
“Then go in after-!”
A flash of light interrupted the order. A beam of energy that was Photon of the Avengers appeared over the boat. As fast as light she traveled among the At’La’Tique, specifically the helmets they needed to breathe outside the ocean. The surge of power of precise, meant to disrupt their supply and drive them unconscious. As one they fell, and Photon stood victorious a second later.
The children cried out in excitement over their local hero. “Yay! Captain Marvel!”
“You should make for shore immediately,” Photon told her father. “The authorities will be waiting for you, and so will Ms. Rambeau.”
“Will you be staying with us, to keep an eye on these…” Frank couldn’t think of a word that was appropriate around children.
“No. I’m needed elsewhere. But I promise, your daughter will be at the dock to greet you.”
# # # # #
Gravity did not know how much more he could take. The first punch he received from Drax would have taken off his head, if not for the graviton field. Gravity was lucky he hadn’t lost consciousness, and the punch he threw in response had barely made Drax grunt. But there had been another purpose to the contact, and Gravity propelled Drax straight up into the air.
Unfortunately, Drax was able to fly under his own power. Gravity was able to slow Drax down, keep his movements sluggish, but immobilization was not possible. As Gravity dodged swing after devastating swing, his costume was becoming damp with sweat. The concentration just to keep from being pummeled was catching up with Gravity.
On the grounds of Avengers Mansion, Mantis pushed her son Sequoia toward Diane Newell and Edwin Jarvis. They stepped over a collection of broken robotic parts that had apparently been impersonating the Hulk. Jarvis was still looking at the wreckage
in surprise when Sequoia was pushed against him.
“My word! Please, we need to get inside. The mansion’s defenses should hold him off until a general alert is answered.”
“Go with them,” Mantis told her son. “This one shall assist.”
Difficult though it was, Gravity was holding his own physically against Drax. But the being known as the Destroyer had been created to battle Thanos, and that required more than physical might. Energy gathered in Drax’s fist, and before Gravity was struck in the chest he could only think of how screwed he was.
The young hero crashed to the ground. His graviton field had not provided much protection, and he struggled to move. Unencumbered by manipulated gravity, Drax landed and approached. He grabbed the helpless Gravity by the throat and lifted him off the ground.
“An admirable effort, but futile.” A Drax that was in his right mind would not have spoken so intelligently. “But Thanos will have what he desires, and those placed in his way will meet Death’s sweet embrace.”
“No.” Mantis had silently come at Drax from behind. “This one has had enough.”
Trained by the Priests of Pama, Mantis was an extraordinary hand-to-hand combatant. Hands chopped at Drax’s vital nerve centers, and Gravity was released. Feet struck at sensitive areas of Drax’s body so that his swing at her was a half-second too slow. Mantis caught him deftly by the wrist, and with absolute leverage drove him to the ground.
No amount of skill could make up for the vastly superior might that Drax possessed. In another moment he would have easily turned the tables on Mantis. How fortunate for her then that she possessed a remarkable empathic power. By touch, she felt Drax’s emotions. Where a rage for Thanos had once encompassed all, there was now a devotion. With ease, Mantis shattered this artificial barrier, setting free the mind of Drax.
“Aaargh!”
A recovering Gravity was helped to his feet by Mantis. Drax lay on the ground, unmoving.
“This one has unshackled his mind,” Mantis said. “The trauma was extensive however, and Drax will need time to recover. Alone, the necessary strike could not have been achieved. You have this one’s gratitude.”
“Uh, okay.” Gravity wasn’t entirely sure what Mantis was saying. Then his eyes fixed on the spot where a Life Model Decoy of the Hulk had been destroyed. “That may be a problem.”
# # # # #
There was a hole in the ceiling. And in the one above, and in the one above, and finally in the castle’s roof. Espirita couldn’t see Binary or Warbird anymore. Only the sounds and flashes of their battle, which was expected to be brief. Binary was much more powerful, and had recently been training with Warbird.
Speedball and Espirita couldn’t worry about that though. Or if Photon was going to arrive. They had a job, and Warbird was buying them time to do it. Together they rushed at Diablo.
“Your schemes end today!” yelled Speedball as he leaped at the mad alchemist.
“Really?” asked Diablo. He appeared to snap his fingers, but actually flicked off a nail. It expanded in Speedball’s direction, until it was large enough to cover him, with the thickness of cellophane. Speedball crashed to the floor, struggling to free himself.
“You talk like an amateur trying too hard to impress, and fight like one who can’t possibly succeed.” Diablo walked toward Speedball, pulling at another fingernail. This one extend into a thin blade. “To end your life would be to do you a favor.”
“Keep back.” Espirita flew between them, flames extending from both hands. One forced Diablo at bay, while the other stream engulfed Speedball. Espirita was careful to only burn away the netting, while her teammate was unharmed.
“Oh, you are fascinating,” said Diablo. He reached into a pouch at his belt and hurled several pellets at Espirita. They exploded around her, momentarily weakening her flames with a foaming substance. “And unnatural too. Normal fire would have smothered, and you as well.”
Many explanations had been suggested for Espirita’s powers, but they did not matter to her. The ultimate source remained the same, that of God. To Diablo she said, “Lay down your weapons and cease this wickedness. You cannot win this, and only pain will result if you continue.”
Diablo’s smirk became a scowl. “Oh, your sort have given me such trouble in the past. No, I don’t think I’ll surrender down.”
The alchemist of times past whistled, and the ground beneath Espirita erupted in fire and stone. Instinctively she rose higher, but the fire and stone completely enveloped her. Within the hard and hot cell there blew a ferocious wind, and Espirita felt the breath leaving her body.
“That should do it for her,” said Diablo. “And as for you-”
Speedball was free, and he took advantage of the freedom to leap up. He struck the top of Espirita’s cell and went high over Diablo’s head. The heat from that brief contact had been almost unbearable, and Speedball was doubtful he could break that shell. Warbird was too far up to assist, but two other Avengers were nearby. Both appeared unconscious and, not being a medical or mechanical expert, Stingray was likely beyond Speedball’s help.
That left Darkhawk. Speedball landed near the battered android form, and placed one of his teammate’s limp hands over the gem on his chest. “Come on pal. Wake up enough to make the switch. Another body would come in real handy.”
A shadow passed over Speedball, but he bounced quickly enough to avoid Diablo’s attack. The gelatinous cube splashed near Darkhawk and began to eat through the stone floor. Darkhawk still wasn’t moving, and Diablo noticed this with great delight.
“It would appear that you’re all alone,” said the villain to Speedball. “Perhaps I’ll keep you around for st-”
A beam of light in the shape of woman zoomed past Diablo. It flew into the gem on Darkhawk’s chest, twice activating a mechanism. Briefly, Darkhawk was replaced by the form of a young man, then was immediately with a fully healed Darkhawk body.
“I’m me! I’m whole!” Darkhawk exclaimed.
The light that was Photon flitted into Stingray’s armor ever so briefly. The man remained unmoving, so Photon moved on to Espirita. She blasted through the stone cocoon, freeing her teammate. As Espirita struggled to remain upright, gasping for air, Photon flew up to enter the battle in the sky.
Warbird knew from the beginning that she couldn’t trade punches Binary. The much stronger woman would immediately overpower her. That meant energy blasts, and so Warbird drew the compromised Avenger into the open air where she could be outmaneuvered. Every one of Warbird’s blasts struck Binary, while Warbird managed to dodge three out of every four that Binary returned fire.
Unfortunately, Warbird’s blasts had little-to-no effect on Binary, whose unique physiology absorbed most of the energy. Warbird was able to absorb energy as well, but not to the same extent, and Binary’s blasts were much more powerful. After the third strike, Warbird knew she couldn’t last much longer.
That was when Photon emerged, her energy form beaming into Warbird for a sudden power boost. “Let’s get her,” Photon said inside Warbird’s skull.
The burst of power lit up the sky and sent Binary tumbling into the trees. Photon was suddenly floating alongside Warbird. “I’ll check on her,” she said before zooming after their teammate. Warbird dropped down into the castle to see if the others needed her assistance.
They didn’t. Diablo lay on the ground, unconscious. Speedball and Darkhawk were standing over him. Espirita was kneeling alongside an unmoving Stingray.
“You should have seen it, Warbird,” Darkhawk said. “Speedball crashed against Diablo over and over, surrounding him with balls.”
“I figured he couldn’t do much with his tricks if he couldn’t see,” Speedball said. “That was when Darkhawk let him have it with a force blast. Down he went.”
“Good work, you two.” Warbird started toward Espirita. “How is he?”
“Unconscious, but he is alive,” Espirita said. “I can’t begin to make sense around his armor.”
“The damage was minor, as far as I could tell.” Photon had returned, and was standing over Espirita and Stingray. “Binary hit him with a power surge. I wasn’t able to reboot the armor, but Stingray put a program in the Quinjet computer.”
“How is Binary?” Warbird asked.
“She recovered enough to power down, and that seems to have released her from Diablo’s control. But we won’t know for sure until she powers back up, under controlled circumstances.” Photon bit her lip. “Warbird, there was an attack by an At’Lan’Tique squad. That’s why I didn’t respond right away, and I need to get back to-”
“Go,” commanded the leader of the Avengers. As Photon disappeared, she considered Diablo. “Espirita, I want you and Speedball to collect Binary. If there’s an issue, the two of you should be able to keep her busy until help arrives. Darkhawk, help get Stingray to the Quinjet. I’ll see about the program when I return from delivering Diablo.”
“We could tell the Argentine government he escaped,” Speedball suggested. “Or just refuse to turn him over.”
“We can’t go back on the agreement,” Warbird said. “Otherwise things will get a lot harder the next time we need to operate outside the United States.”
As she went to collect the defeated Diablo, Warbird noticed the alert from Avengers Mansion. “This is Warbird. What’s the situation?”
“Mantis has arrived with her son,” said the voice of Edwin Jarvis. “They are safe at the moment, but apparently Thanos is free.”
“It just never ends,” Warbird muttered under her breath. “Okay, we’ll be there as soon as possible to debrief them. Is there anything else the team should know before we arrive.”
Jarvis sighed. “Yes, I’m afraid so.”
Next Issue: The Trial of the Vision!