Back to GatefoldIssue #6 by Mike Exner III
THE BEGINNING OF THE END Part 1: "The Enemy Revealed" |
The news helicopters surrounded the Thunderbolts on all sides, casting the wooded area in a bright, piercing white light. They could all hear the sounds of sirens from the approaching authorities. The Living Laser had just disappeared and his method of escape was remarkably similar to the way the Masters of Evil had made their escape from the comic book convention massacre.* The Thunderbolts knew they'd obviously been set up, but there wasn't much they could do about it, and there was still the threat of the nuclear device the Living Laser had set within the Secret Empire complex where they'd just fought him.**
(* Issue #4 - Russ)
(** Last Issue - reminiscent Russ)
"We've got to get out of here now, the authorities are on their way," said Moonstone, and the Thunderbolts collectively turned to look at her.
"We can't do that, not until we know whether or not Maverick defused that nuclear bomb the Laser set inside the Secret Empire's base," said She-Hulk and Moonstone just glared at her. The rest of the Thunderbolts were looking at their leader in anticipation of her next words and Karla Sofen sighed.
"Fine, we go back and try to help Maverick if he needs it. Most of us can fly or move quickly enough to avoid the authorities. Once we've neutralized the bomb, we scramble back to base, understood?"
All the Thunderbolts nodded their agreement and Karla turned to lead the way back to the Secret Empire's facility. She didn't really want to head back, being caught in a nuclear explosion wasn't her idea of a good time, but the rest of the team seemed shocked by her suggestion that they flee. If only Songbird hadn't recruited She-Hulk and Living Lightning. It was getting tougher for her to keep a rein on the team.
"Thunderbolts!" yelled a voice from the bottom of the hill and they all could see Maverick running up to meet them. "The bomb has been taken care of and the authorities are already down at the complex and have things under control. I doubt you'll be wanting to meet up with them so I suggest you lose these helicopters and scram."
"How can we be sure you defused the bomb?" said Moonstone and this time it was the Living Lightning that spoke up.
"What reason would he have to lie, Moonstone? He helped us defeat the Laser and he saved Songbird's life.* I say we get the heck out of here before it's too late."
(* Last issue again - Russ)
"I second that. Would you care for a ride Atlas?" asked She-Hulk.
"Certainly my dear," said Atlas as he shrank down to a more manageable size and hopped on She-Hulk's back. Songbird, Charcoal, and Living Lightning all rose into the air and She-Hulk used her tremendous muscles to leap away. Moonstone and Maverick were left standing there.
"What about you Maverick? I suppose I could carry you clear of these helicopters and the police if you want," Moonstone said.
"No, I think I'll be alright Moonstone, I have a knack for getting out of situations like these. Go to your team, they're the ones that need you," Maverick said, and then turned and ran for the tree line of the forest. Soon he was out of sight and Moonstone rose into the air herself, propelling herself away from the helicopters at fantastic speed.
As Moonstone flew through the night towards Mount Charteris, she couldn't help but think on Maverick's parting words. He'd said that the team needed her, but did it really? They'd seemed more than ready to agree with She-Hulk and Living Lightning before her. Songbird and Atlas had always been easy enough to manipulate, but they'd been getting more and more independent as of late. She'd never been able to build a rapport with Charcoal and Jolt was gone. Slowly the team was pulling away from her and she didn't know what to do.
She almost wished Hawkeye were still around. Her falling out with him hadn't been one of her best moments and she wished she could take it back.* Perhaps with him still leading the team she would have a better grasp of her role in it. Being the leader didn't suit her well at all, but in truth there weren't many other options. Plus, she grudgingly had to admit that she'd developed a semblance of feeling for Hawkeye. Those feelings are what had made his turn from the Thunderbolts to the Avengers so hurtful to her.
(* As seen in Marvel Fanfare #4 - Russ)
She cast those thoughts aside as she rocketed through the night air. Soon she'd be back to base and she could discuss things with the Thunderbolts in person. The team was on its heels. It lacked direction. She needed to find a way to bring a purpose to their existence.
# # # # # # # # # #
Charcoal flew well away from the rest of the Thunderbolts. Living Lightning had tried to talk to him as they flew but Charlie Burlingame wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. All he could think about was Jolt. What had happened to her after they'd been shot down by that huge hovercraft?* Was she dead? Citizen V had told him that Jolt hadn't been brought in with him to the hospital for treatment. That meant she wasn't around when the paramedics had found him. Had someone taken her, and if so, why?
(* Thunderbolts #1 - Russ)
The rest of the team didn't seem to care, but it was eating Charcoal up inside. His newfound ability to draw the heat energy from enemies and his recent powering up from the battle with Firelord had been distraction enough so that he didn't think about Jolt too heavily, but now, as he flew through the night, he found he couldn't get her out of his head.*
(* Charcoal battled Firelord and drained some of his energy in Thunderbolts #2 - Russ)
It made his heart ache deep down inside and he wanted to lash out. The Thunderbolts were going to meet back at base and when they did, Charlie Burlingame would make sure that the next thing they did was look for Jolt, even if he had to force them to do it.
# # # # # # # # # #
Citizen V was running full speed through the wooded expanse on the outskirts of Burton Canyon, Colorado. Her recent run in with the super powered villains Coachwhip, Constrictor, and Blizzard had been too close for comfort. It seemed everyone was out to get her, the V-Battalion, Zemo, the Masters of Evil. Her training with the V-Battalion had taught her to use stealth and skill in fighting and espionage. The fact that she was being tracked down so easily time and time again suggested to her that she was possibly bugged somehow.
"Citizen V, by the power of authority vested in me by the V-Battalion, I order you to surrender!" came a powerful voice that seemed to echo off the trees around Citizen V. Dallas Riordan sighed. This constant running around, being shot at and kicked around was really beginning to wear thin.
Four members of the V-Battalion's assault squad dropped within view underneath the tree line. They were all riding V-wings similar to the one Citizen V herself used. Of course it, along with most of her other possessions, had been destroyed when her car exploded.* The soldiers hovered for the merest of moments, as if gauging their prey, but when Citizen V pulled her sword, they charged.
(* Happened last issue - Russ)
Citizen V moved fluidly, dodging the energy bolts fired out of the guns of her attackers. She reached behind her back into a special pouch concealed in her suit and removed two razor-edged disks. She threw the disks with expert accuracy and they sliced through the complex mechanics of the V-wings, splitting the devices in half and flinging their riders roughly to the ground. The other two members of the V-Battalion resumed firing but kept a defensive posture, staying out of range of Citizen V as they landed on the ground behind some trees.
"Send out a signal to the base encampment," cried one of the remaining conscious soldiers. "If we don't stop the rogue agent now there'll be hell to pay from the master."
"I've been trying," exclaimed his partner. "There's some kind of feedback that's disturbing the signal."
"Blast," said the first soldier as he returned his attention back to the clearing, but Citizen V was nowhere in sight. He rocketed back into the air to get a higher vantage point when suddenly his vision was blocked by darkness.
"What the..?" started the soldier, but just as he realized that fabric was covering his eyes, he was struck by the hilt of Citizen V's sword and knocked unconscious. The man fell twenty feet to the ground, directly on top of his partner. Citizen V dropped after him and watched with an amused light shining in her eyes as the remaining soldier struggled to bring his weapon to bear upon her.
She placed her foot on his forearm, and with the desired pressure applied, he dropped the gun to the ground. She took her sword and placed the point of it beneath the man's chin.
"Now, about this master?" she said and the man struggled with even more tenacity to get free. Citizen V sighed to herself and pressed the blade of the sword into his neck a slight way. The message was met with the desired reaction as the man stopped struggling. Citizen V knelt down to him and removed his facemask.
"Who are you? Obviously not a true member of the V-Battalion, they'd never go down so easily. I want answers. Who is this 'master' your partner referred to and what is his business with the V-Battalion?"
"I'll never tell you a thing traitor. You're nothing but a..." But the soldier's words were cut short by the blade being pressed with even more force to his throat. Citizen V could see the fear in his eyes. He'd crack. It was just a matter of time. Twenty minutes later, Citizen V was rocketing on her way towards San Francisco on a borrowed V-wing. The soldier hadn't known much, it appeared the 'master' wanted it that way, but what he did know concerned a team she wasn't even sure she wanted to help, the Thunderbolts.
# # # # # # # # # #
"Are you insane?!" yelled Charlie Burlingame at the top of his voice. The entire team was gathered in the conference room at the request of Ogre and was discussing the news report that was currently running. The Masters of Evil were at it again. This time they were causing massive property damage in San Francisco. The villains had focused primarily on the Golden Gate Bridge, literally tearing it apart and tossing pieces of it at civilians and the authorities. The news report stated the Masters were calling the Thunderbolts out, and Ogre had just played the entire thing. Moonstone had suggested they scramble to the Champscraft immediately. Charcoal was understandably upset.
"Charlie, what's wrong? We've got to take care of this," said Songbird as she crossed the table to Charlie's side. She tried to put an arm around him to comfort him but Charlie pulled away harshly.
"No! Screw those people and screw you too Melissa!" barked Charlie in a voice none of the team had ever heard before. Melissa pulled away with a shocked and hurt expression on her face. Charlie didn't seem to notice or care.
"I've been following this team from place to place time and time again and I'm sick of it. Do any of you care that Hallie is still missing? She's a member of this team and she's disappeared and it's like nobody around here gives a crap!" Charlie was beginning to radiate heat as he spoke and his eyes began to smolder.
"Charlie, c'mon man. We all care about Hallie, and we definitely want to find out what happened to her. But the people in California need us, Briquette. We've got to take care of the Masters of Evil first. The baddies are the major threat here, when we have 'em handled, then you know Jolt will be our first priority," Atlas said in a soothing tone.
"Atlas is right Charcoal. San Francisco is our main objective right now. Jolt will be found, but we've got to take care of the business at hand," Moonstone said with a firm tone she hoped would temper Charcoal.
"You know what? You all sound like a bunch of robots. You don't even sound like people. Hallie is my friend, even if she isn't yours or this stupid team's. She's my top 'priority' and I'm not wasting another minute with you jerks while she's still missing. If you're not going to help, then to hell with you!" Charlie screamed at the top of his lungs. He could hear himself and he sounded hysterical but he didn't care. These were supposed to be his friends and they were all looking at him as if he were some sort of monster.
Then he realized it, he had reverted to his Charcoal form without even trying. His rage had made the transformation for him. He was disgusted and hurt and angry. He couldn't stand the looks he was getting from his team. He fired up his energies and blasted away from the conference room, slamming through the door and out the hangar into the open air. He'd find Hallie himself and then return in triumph, no matter what they thought. He'd show them he wasn't just some dumb kid. He was a hero.
# # # # # # # # # #
The fire had long stopped burning, but there were still obvious signs of the explosion that had taken place in this desolate area of the South American jungle only twenty-four hours ago. The natives that had lived throughout the area had long feared the man who'd dwelled in the destroyed compound. Now, apparently, he was gone and the threat he posed along with him. Still, the natives avoided this place of charred wood and broken concrete because there were tales of a green-skinned demon that had come to claim the evil masked man. It was said that the demon still wandered the jungle, howling with rage because he'd been trapped here. Some spoke of seeing him and all had heard his cries. None knew who he really was.
The Scorpion was still alive. When the Taskmaster had thrown the blade that penetrated his stomach, the Scorpion had hit the ground and played dead.* He didn't want to fight it out with the Taskmaster while he was injured, so he played possum until the skull-wearing freak had disappeared. The Scorpion had snuck out the same hole in the wall Zemo had gone through but didn't even make an attempt to catch up with the megalomaniac. If he had, he wouldn't have been surprised if Zemo blamed him for the destruction of his base. Zemo seemed pretty adept at blaming his underlings for mishaps.
(* Thunderbolts #4 - Russ)
Even if the Scorpion had wanted to find Zemo he doubted he would have been able to. His stomach wound wasn't a laughing matter and like it or not, he had to admit he was lost. The jungle was huge and the Scorpion wasn't even sure what jungle, country, or even continent he was on. He walked blindly for what felt like miles. He'd managed to patch his wound up pretty well, but the jungle was damp and it wouldn't stop bleeding. If he didn't find help, or at least a way out of here, he was as good as dead.
# # # # # # # # # #
Mach-1 alighted upon an outcropping of rock and looked down on the heavily guarded retreat and home of Justin Hammer. The Commission had ordered him to gather evidence to bring Hammer to justice and in return, the Thunderbolts and Mach-1 would be granted freedom.* Abe wasn't one to pass on a golden opportunity when it was placed inches in front of his face. That line of reasoning had gotten him into quite a bit of trouble when he was on the other side of the law as the Beetle, but this was different. He didn't trust the Commission, but the only other alternative was to rot in prison for a few more years and he wasn't ready to continue doing that if there was a viable alternative.
(* Last issue again - Russ)
His sensors were picking up quite a few heat signatures from the guards patrolling the compound, so he switched his armor into stealth mode. The Commission had made quite a few improvements to the overall design and it seemed to be running more smoothly than the original armor Techno had designed ever had. He lifted off with relative silence and hovered for a few seconds, gauging in his mind what the best point of entry would be. The guards kept crisscrossing, and Mach-1 finally decided that a frontal approach, although dangerous, would be as good a bet as any.
His thrusters pushed him in a descending arc towards the complex's plate glass windows. He wasn't sure if they were bulletproof or not but the best way to find out was to test them. His arm gauntlets were equipped with more lethal equipment than he'd ever had before, another advancement supplied by the Commission. He supposed it made him seem more menacing and therefore more appealing to Hammer, but he was still uncomfortable with it. The gauntlets fired twenty-millimeter rounds at the windows and to Abe's and the patrolling guards' surprise, they shattered forcefully.
Mach-1 wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth and he rocketed past the guards who were trying to regain their composure and level their weapons at him. Mach-1 activated his proximity sensors and scanned the building, hoping for some sort of movement to pinpoint Hammer's location. He twirled as the guards fired into the window after him and launched two spherical projectiles that opened into electrical nets that stunned his opponents into unconsciousness.
Suddenly Mach-1 was struck from behind by something hard and heavy. He hit the ground with enough force to crack the tile and skidded across its polished surface. He didn't even have enough time to rise before strong coils that wrapped themselves around him hoisted him up into the air.
"I don't know what you're doing here Thunderbolt, but I don't think you'll be staying long," said the Constrictor as his adamantium coils began to squeeze. Mach-1 felt the crushing pressure through his suit and instinctively twisted his body so he could get a bead on his enemy. Before he could level his arm at the Constrictor though, the villain released him from the coils' grasp. Mach-1 was caught off guard by the action and didn't even register the strike coming from below.
"Not long at all Constrictor, in fact, I'd say this little boy's time is most definitely up," said Coachwhip as she lashed Mach-1 with a strike from her whip. As soon as the whip connected with Mach-1's suit, he felt electricity course through the entirety of his systems, blanking them out. He fell in an immovable heap on the ground as his armor seized up around him.
Mach-1 was still facing up and therefore was able to see as Justin Hammer and Blizzard stepped into the room with the two other villains that had so effectively taken him out. Abe groaned inside his head, this was definitely not the way he wanted to infiltrate Hammer's compound.
"Ah, I see one of my former employees has come calling upon me," said Hammer in a voice that commanded respect and exuded confidence. "I'm not sure why you've come here Abraham, but I assure you it was a mistake."
"Mr. Hammer, you don't understand," pleaded Abe in a voice he hoped was pathetic enough to grant him at least a minute or two to bring his suit's systems back online. "I only came here because I'm looking for work. I've heard you've got your hands in something big and I want in."
Hammer eyed Abe for a long moment without saying a word, as if contemplating the validity of his statement. Then he spoke.
"At one time I required the services of the Beetle of course," Hammer said with a grin playing around the corners of his mouth. "However, he fashioned himself as a bit more discreet. I don't take kindly to the destruction of my personal property. If this is your idea of a job interview, I'm afraid you've failed miserably."
"So I was ambushed by a couple of second stringers and went down, big deal. Wouldn't happen twice," Abe said and when the Constrictor seemed ready to respond, Hammer raised a hand to silence him.
"Perhaps it would, perhaps not," said Hammer with the grin still etched on his wrinkled face. "I might even consider employing you despite your failure, but there is the matter of the master informing me of your allegiance to the Commission for Superhuman Activities."
Mach-1's eyes widened underneath the crimson visor he wore over them and Justin's smile deepened. How could Hammer have known about the Commission's plan for Mach-1 to infiltrate his super-villain task force? Mach-1 wasn't sure, but as the chime rang through his helmet informing him his armor was back online, he didn't waste any more time pondering. He swiveled his arms towards both Blizzard and the Constrictor and fired his impact concussion grenades.
The blasts threw both villains across the room and Mach-1 jetted into the air before Coachwhip could strike at him with her whip again. Instead of turning tail and running though, Mach-1 twisted in the air and dove directly at his adversaries. Both Hammer and Coachwhip took a step back at the unexpected move, but Coachwhip recovered relatively quickly and drew her whip back for another strike. Mach-1 didn't give her a chance to swing at him again as he fired another projectile that opened into a net that wrapped around the villain.
Coachwhip's own electrified whip came in contact with her and shocked her into a state of unconsciousness. Justin Hammer had turned and begun to flee but Mach-1 simply rocketed around him, blocking his former boss' way.
"Now, I want answers Justin. Who is this master you're working for and how did he know about my involvement with the Commission?" growled Mach-1 as he lifted Hammer off the ground. Justin Hammer wasn't one to be intimidated easily but if there was any chance for Mach-1 to redeem himself or the Thunderbolts, he had to find out anything he could about what was going on.
"Do you honestly think I'll reveal the well-laid plans my master has developed simply because you're using an angry tone of voice with me?" asked Hammer in a mocking tone that grated on Abe's very soul. "You're pathetic. You were nothing more than one of my underlings not long ago. A flashy new suit and a new calling haven't changed you Beetle. You're still as miserable a wretch as ever."
Mach-1 took in every word Justin Hammer had to say to him and as each word registered in his brain, his rage increased. He dropped Hammer to the ground and reared back his fist to strike the villain. Hammer threw up his hands in a weak attempt to shield himself and cried out. Before Mach-1 could hit him though, he was struck from behind by automatic weapons fire. The Mach-1 armor stood up to it well enough, but as Mach-1 turned to face his new adversaries, he found that there were about twenty of Hammer's private guard entering the room.
"Kill him!" yelled Hammer at the top of his lungs as he dove for cover. Mach-1 didn't waste any more time fighting Hammer's crack troops. It was obvious the Commission's plan to infiltrate Justin Hammer's cartel had failed miserably. Mach-1 blasted out of the window from which he'd entered and sped off for the rendezvous point specified by the Commission for meetings.
Thoughts raced through his head as he flew. Could the Commission have wanted him to join up with Hammer for the specific reason of finding out whom this master was? If that was the case, it made more sense to Mach-1 that he could earn his freedom by exposing whomever the master was. Bringing down Justin Hammer hadn't seemed like a task that would have earned both his and the Thunderbolts' freedom. Still, if the Commission wanted this master taken out and exposed, Mach-1 had an idea of how he could do it. It would require a bit more freedom and a bit of trust from the Commission, but all endeavors in life required a modicum of trust. Mach-1 smiled. If his plan worked, his reunion with the Thunderbolts would be sooner than anyone expected.
# # # # # # # # # #
"How do you know the Thunderbolts are even gonna show, Gargoyle?" said Mr. Hyde as he picked up another loose piece of concrete from the shattered section of the Golden Gate Bridge and tossed it into the air towards the authorities and gathered news crews filming the Masters of Evil's rampage.
"Because the master said they would come Hyde, that's how I know. Besides, the Thunderbolts are heroes aren't they? Believe me, heroes are all the same. They wouldn't pass up on a chance to get us back for setting them up on that comic book convention fire."*
(* Thunderbolts #4 - Russ)
"I still don't understand why we're implicating them for all of these crimes instead of simply destroying them," said Electro as he fired electrical bursts at abandoned cars, and watched with glee as they exploded.
"And it's not your place to know Electro. All you need to do is follow orders, and our orders are to destroy as much of this bridge as possible and when the Thunderbolts arrive, topple it into the bay."
"Easier said than done, friend," called a voice from above the Masters and they all gazed up simultaneously. Moonstone rocketed down and tackled the Grey Gargoyle head on, striking him and sending him toppling off the side of the bridge. Soon she was out of sight as she flew down after him. The rest of the Thunderbolts left the Champscraft and spread out, picking their opponents.
"Hey Hyde, long time no see my man," said Atlas as he struck Mr. Hyde full-force with his fist. Atlas shot up to thirty feet and stared down at the shaken Mr. Hyde amusedly. "Where're the Absorbing Man and Titania this go 'round?* I was hoping for a challenge."
(* The Absorbing Man and Titania were with the MOE in T-Bolts #4 - Russ)
"They had business elsewhere, Thunderbolt,"* said Mr. Hyde as he gingerly touched his jaw. "But I'll be sure to give you all you can handle."
(* The Absorbing Man showed up in Thor #5 and Titania's around, trust me - Russ)
"Dream on pal," said Atlas and stepped on Mr. Hyde with all his might. Knocking the villain unconscious and imbedding him partially in the concrete of the bridge.
Atlas looked over towards his teammates and saw She-Hulk fighting the Molten Man and Songbird struggling to knock Whirlwind out of the sky. Living Lightning and Electro were trading electrical bursts but seemed to be in a standoff. Karla had given them the battle plan on their way over and it seemed to be working well enough. Atlas began to lumber over towards Electro and Lightning, hoping to turn the tide once and for all.
"You're not nearly as strong as I would of thought Molty," said She-Hulk as she took another one of the Molten Man's shots. "Not all that hot either if you don't mind me saying so. I doubt you could even give Spider-Man a run for his money strength-wise. You're just out of my league honey."
"Not that hot? I'll have you know I've been known to turn quite a few heads in my day," said the Molten Man with a snide smile on his face. Suddenly it turned to a sneer. "And believe me, I'm more than a match for you or the wall-crawler, you green-skinned behemoth. And I'm much more than I appear to be."
To She-Hulk's surprise, a compartment in the villain's chest opened up and wires streamed out. They wrapped around She-Hulk and electric current flowed into her. The pain was tremendous but She-Hulk wasn't about to relent.
"Nice trick ugly, but can you do this?" She strained against the bonds and they snapped, sending feedback into her enemy. The Molten Man howled in a mechanical voice and hit the ground. He didn't get up.
Electro wasn't paying attention to Atlas as he continuously fired electrical energy at the young upstart trying to outdo him. No young punk was better at manipulating the electrical force than he was and he was determined to prove it. Suddenly a shadow passed over him and Electro only managed to barely glace back before a massive fist struck him dead in the face. Everything went black.
Whirlwind was dancing rings around Songbird and no matter how hard she tried, Melissa Gold couldn't hit the villain with anything. She knew that just one lucky shot would be all she needed to throw Whirlwind off balance so she could deal the knockout blow, but it didn't look like he was going to slow down anytime soon. Suddenly something came hurtling past Whirlwind at fantastic speed, nearly colliding with him. Whirlwind hesitated for the briefest of moments, but it was all Songbird needed. She trapped Whirlwind in a sonic bubble and then formed it into sonic bonds to hold him. A large pink boxing glove materialized in front of the villain's face.
"Oh hell," Whirlwind muttered. And the fight was over.
"Thanks Moonstone," said Songbird as Moonstone had just returned from retrieving the Grey Gargoyle from the depths of the bay.
"No problem Melissa. I probably could have thrown a rock instead of Mr. Ugly here, but it just felt so dang good," Moonstone replied as she landed amidst the Thunderbolts.
"A fleeting feeling at best Moonstone," said a voice from overhead and this time it was the Thunderbolts' turn to look up in astonishment. Baron Zemo was there, swooping down like a vulture on a flying platform that looked a lot like a V-Wing. He grabbed the Molten Man's wrist and continued on, ignoring the Thunderbolts entirely.
"I fear I must leave you Thunderbolts, but I swear that one day you will feel my wrath and my vengeance will hold no bounds."
"You're gonna feel our wrath right now pal," cried Atlas as he shrunk back down to a manageable size." Melissa, grab me up, we've gotta go get Zemo, now!"
"Eric no!" yelled Moonstone and the Thunderbolts turned to look at her in shock. "We've won today Eric, but the threat isn't over. This bridge is on the verge of collapse and if we don't stop it, we'll be blamed for another disaster. Zemo can wait for another day."
"But Zemo just..." Atlas started, but was cut off forcefully.
"That's an order Atlas!" Moonstone stated and as Atlas nodded his head, Moonstone gave orders for the supporting of the bridge. None of the Thunderbolts saw Whirlwind regain consciousness and reach out to touch his comrades, the Grey Gargoyle and Mr. Hyde. He spoke to himself silently and in a flash, they were gone, leaving only Electro behind.
# # # # # # # # # #
"Blast it all! Look at this place!" vented Justin Hammer towards his underlings. "You bungling fools nearly got me killed by that maniac. And my home, my home was nearly destroyed!"
The Constrictor, Blizzard, and Coachwhip weren't saying a word. They knew full well a single man had beaten them when it seemed victory had already been in their grasp. That was a failure Justin Hammer didn't take lightly. Still, the verbal storm Hammer was spewing wasn't nearly as bad as others that had come before it. They all knew the master had things under control. A simple assault on Hammer's estate wasn't that serious, especially considering the perpetrator hadn't seemed to know a thing about their plans.
Suddenly an eerie light filled the room and it took the four men encapsulated by it a moment to realize they were being transported; much in the same way colleagues of theirs had been transported before. Within moments they found themselves in a great hall, richly decorated in treasures and luxurious artifacts. They had been to this room before and knew the master had summoned them. Justin Hammer stepped forward and humbly bowed down before the figure seated in the throne before him.
"Master, we have been transported here by your great and all encompassing power and are ready to do your bidding," said Justin Hammer in a tone that seemed mechanical and submissive in nature. The other villains bowed themselves down as well and the figure sitting on the throne rose and walked down to them.
"There has been resistance to my rule of this planet and the destruction of any super-humans that might oppose me," said the figure as he walked until he stood before the bowed heads of his servants. "This Commission that you warned me of has made itself into quite an obstacle. I hesitate to take more of a role in this war until it is time and I have crushed the more powerful adversaries that might bring true opposition."
"I humbly beg your permission to crush the Commission, master," said Justin hammer in the same monotone voice.
"You who have not even been able to destroy the upstart Thunderbolts or Zemo dare to believe you could take on another responsibility. I should kill you now," said the man as he flung the four men before him back through the air without even touching them. "Arnim Zola believed the destruction of the Vault would hamper the Commission by depriving them of Gyrich, but they've thrived on nonetheless. I grow weary of these trivial mistakes."
When Justin Hammer hit the ground his head momentarily cleared and as he looked upon the man he called master, he shook with fear. There before him, was a creature with a powerfully sculpted humanoid body. His head however was in the horrible shape of a wolf's. His eyes were blood red, as was the body armor around his frame. His long, flowing, dark green cloak ran out behind him and he seemed to radiate a sense of sheer and utter power. Within seconds Justin Hammer was back under the creature's thrall, the thrall of the Man-Beast.
"My Masters of Evil have failed to destroy the Thunderbolts for now, and you have failed to destroy a simple adversary such as this winged Mach-1. However, my control over the super-human contingent on this planet grows ever stronger. Soon all the pieces will be in place and the time to strike will be at hand. On that day, the entire world will tremble before the might of the Man-Beast."
# # # # # # # # # #
Next Issue: The master has been revealed as the nefarious Man-Beast. This guy has gone toe to toe with the likes of the High Evolutionary and Adam Warlock and come back for more. What hope do the Thunderbolts have against him and his underlings? What is the Man-Beast's plan and why has he focused so much effort on the destruction of super-humans? All this revealed and more, next issue.
# # # # # # # # # #
Lightning Strikes
Greetings to all my fans. What? I don't have any fans? Well, ok then, greetings to all the readers of Ben Jolley's Thunderbolts. As I'm sure you've figured out by now, I'm not him. My name is Michael Exner III and I'm the new writer of everyone's favorite bad-guys turned good-guys, the Thunderbolts. I've been a fan of Marvel's Thunderbolts since their inception and this is a fantastic opportunity for me to put my own personal spin on them. I hope every single reader of Jolley's Thunderbolts sticks around for my run on the title and I hope I can attract a few other readers as well. If you like (or dislike) what you read here in the book, drop me a line and let me know about it. Why else would I have a letters page?
Mike Exner III
(* Issue #4 - Russ)
(** Last Issue - reminiscent Russ)
"We've got to get out of here now, the authorities are on their way," said Moonstone, and the Thunderbolts collectively turned to look at her.
"We can't do that, not until we know whether or not Maverick defused that nuclear bomb the Laser set inside the Secret Empire's base," said She-Hulk and Moonstone just glared at her. The rest of the Thunderbolts were looking at their leader in anticipation of her next words and Karla Sofen sighed.
"Fine, we go back and try to help Maverick if he needs it. Most of us can fly or move quickly enough to avoid the authorities. Once we've neutralized the bomb, we scramble back to base, understood?"
All the Thunderbolts nodded their agreement and Karla turned to lead the way back to the Secret Empire's facility. She didn't really want to head back, being caught in a nuclear explosion wasn't her idea of a good time, but the rest of the team seemed shocked by her suggestion that they flee. If only Songbird hadn't recruited She-Hulk and Living Lightning. It was getting tougher for her to keep a rein on the team.
"Thunderbolts!" yelled a voice from the bottom of the hill and they all could see Maverick running up to meet them. "The bomb has been taken care of and the authorities are already down at the complex and have things under control. I doubt you'll be wanting to meet up with them so I suggest you lose these helicopters and scram."
"How can we be sure you defused the bomb?" said Moonstone and this time it was the Living Lightning that spoke up.
"What reason would he have to lie, Moonstone? He helped us defeat the Laser and he saved Songbird's life.* I say we get the heck out of here before it's too late."
(* Last issue again - Russ)
"I second that. Would you care for a ride Atlas?" asked She-Hulk.
"Certainly my dear," said Atlas as he shrank down to a more manageable size and hopped on She-Hulk's back. Songbird, Charcoal, and Living Lightning all rose into the air and She-Hulk used her tremendous muscles to leap away. Moonstone and Maverick were left standing there.
"What about you Maverick? I suppose I could carry you clear of these helicopters and the police if you want," Moonstone said.
"No, I think I'll be alright Moonstone, I have a knack for getting out of situations like these. Go to your team, they're the ones that need you," Maverick said, and then turned and ran for the tree line of the forest. Soon he was out of sight and Moonstone rose into the air herself, propelling herself away from the helicopters at fantastic speed.
As Moonstone flew through the night towards Mount Charteris, she couldn't help but think on Maverick's parting words. He'd said that the team needed her, but did it really? They'd seemed more than ready to agree with She-Hulk and Living Lightning before her. Songbird and Atlas had always been easy enough to manipulate, but they'd been getting more and more independent as of late. She'd never been able to build a rapport with Charcoal and Jolt was gone. Slowly the team was pulling away from her and she didn't know what to do.
She almost wished Hawkeye were still around. Her falling out with him hadn't been one of her best moments and she wished she could take it back.* Perhaps with him still leading the team she would have a better grasp of her role in it. Being the leader didn't suit her well at all, but in truth there weren't many other options. Plus, she grudgingly had to admit that she'd developed a semblance of feeling for Hawkeye. Those feelings are what had made his turn from the Thunderbolts to the Avengers so hurtful to her.
(* As seen in Marvel Fanfare #4 - Russ)
She cast those thoughts aside as she rocketed through the night air. Soon she'd be back to base and she could discuss things with the Thunderbolts in person. The team was on its heels. It lacked direction. She needed to find a way to bring a purpose to their existence.
# # # # # # # # # #
Charcoal flew well away from the rest of the Thunderbolts. Living Lightning had tried to talk to him as they flew but Charlie Burlingame wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. All he could think about was Jolt. What had happened to her after they'd been shot down by that huge hovercraft?* Was she dead? Citizen V had told him that Jolt hadn't been brought in with him to the hospital for treatment. That meant she wasn't around when the paramedics had found him. Had someone taken her, and if so, why?
(* Thunderbolts #1 - Russ)
The rest of the team didn't seem to care, but it was eating Charcoal up inside. His newfound ability to draw the heat energy from enemies and his recent powering up from the battle with Firelord had been distraction enough so that he didn't think about Jolt too heavily, but now, as he flew through the night, he found he couldn't get her out of his head.*
(* Charcoal battled Firelord and drained some of his energy in Thunderbolts #2 - Russ)
It made his heart ache deep down inside and he wanted to lash out. The Thunderbolts were going to meet back at base and when they did, Charlie Burlingame would make sure that the next thing they did was look for Jolt, even if he had to force them to do it.
# # # # # # # # # #
Citizen V was running full speed through the wooded expanse on the outskirts of Burton Canyon, Colorado. Her recent run in with the super powered villains Coachwhip, Constrictor, and Blizzard had been too close for comfort. It seemed everyone was out to get her, the V-Battalion, Zemo, the Masters of Evil. Her training with the V-Battalion had taught her to use stealth and skill in fighting and espionage. The fact that she was being tracked down so easily time and time again suggested to her that she was possibly bugged somehow.
"Citizen V, by the power of authority vested in me by the V-Battalion, I order you to surrender!" came a powerful voice that seemed to echo off the trees around Citizen V. Dallas Riordan sighed. This constant running around, being shot at and kicked around was really beginning to wear thin.
Four members of the V-Battalion's assault squad dropped within view underneath the tree line. They were all riding V-wings similar to the one Citizen V herself used. Of course it, along with most of her other possessions, had been destroyed when her car exploded.* The soldiers hovered for the merest of moments, as if gauging their prey, but when Citizen V pulled her sword, they charged.
(* Happened last issue - Russ)
Citizen V moved fluidly, dodging the energy bolts fired out of the guns of her attackers. She reached behind her back into a special pouch concealed in her suit and removed two razor-edged disks. She threw the disks with expert accuracy and they sliced through the complex mechanics of the V-wings, splitting the devices in half and flinging their riders roughly to the ground. The other two members of the V-Battalion resumed firing but kept a defensive posture, staying out of range of Citizen V as they landed on the ground behind some trees.
"Send out a signal to the base encampment," cried one of the remaining conscious soldiers. "If we don't stop the rogue agent now there'll be hell to pay from the master."
"I've been trying," exclaimed his partner. "There's some kind of feedback that's disturbing the signal."
"Blast," said the first soldier as he returned his attention back to the clearing, but Citizen V was nowhere in sight. He rocketed back into the air to get a higher vantage point when suddenly his vision was blocked by darkness.
"What the..?" started the soldier, but just as he realized that fabric was covering his eyes, he was struck by the hilt of Citizen V's sword and knocked unconscious. The man fell twenty feet to the ground, directly on top of his partner. Citizen V dropped after him and watched with an amused light shining in her eyes as the remaining soldier struggled to bring his weapon to bear upon her.
She placed her foot on his forearm, and with the desired pressure applied, he dropped the gun to the ground. She took her sword and placed the point of it beneath the man's chin.
"Now, about this master?" she said and the man struggled with even more tenacity to get free. Citizen V sighed to herself and pressed the blade of the sword into his neck a slight way. The message was met with the desired reaction as the man stopped struggling. Citizen V knelt down to him and removed his facemask.
"Who are you? Obviously not a true member of the V-Battalion, they'd never go down so easily. I want answers. Who is this 'master' your partner referred to and what is his business with the V-Battalion?"
"I'll never tell you a thing traitor. You're nothing but a..." But the soldier's words were cut short by the blade being pressed with even more force to his throat. Citizen V could see the fear in his eyes. He'd crack. It was just a matter of time. Twenty minutes later, Citizen V was rocketing on her way towards San Francisco on a borrowed V-wing. The soldier hadn't known much, it appeared the 'master' wanted it that way, but what he did know concerned a team she wasn't even sure she wanted to help, the Thunderbolts.
# # # # # # # # # #
"Are you insane?!" yelled Charlie Burlingame at the top of his voice. The entire team was gathered in the conference room at the request of Ogre and was discussing the news report that was currently running. The Masters of Evil were at it again. This time they were causing massive property damage in San Francisco. The villains had focused primarily on the Golden Gate Bridge, literally tearing it apart and tossing pieces of it at civilians and the authorities. The news report stated the Masters were calling the Thunderbolts out, and Ogre had just played the entire thing. Moonstone had suggested they scramble to the Champscraft immediately. Charcoal was understandably upset.
"Charlie, what's wrong? We've got to take care of this," said Songbird as she crossed the table to Charlie's side. She tried to put an arm around him to comfort him but Charlie pulled away harshly.
"No! Screw those people and screw you too Melissa!" barked Charlie in a voice none of the team had ever heard before. Melissa pulled away with a shocked and hurt expression on her face. Charlie didn't seem to notice or care.
"I've been following this team from place to place time and time again and I'm sick of it. Do any of you care that Hallie is still missing? She's a member of this team and she's disappeared and it's like nobody around here gives a crap!" Charlie was beginning to radiate heat as he spoke and his eyes began to smolder.
"Charlie, c'mon man. We all care about Hallie, and we definitely want to find out what happened to her. But the people in California need us, Briquette. We've got to take care of the Masters of Evil first. The baddies are the major threat here, when we have 'em handled, then you know Jolt will be our first priority," Atlas said in a soothing tone.
"Atlas is right Charcoal. San Francisco is our main objective right now. Jolt will be found, but we've got to take care of the business at hand," Moonstone said with a firm tone she hoped would temper Charcoal.
"You know what? You all sound like a bunch of robots. You don't even sound like people. Hallie is my friend, even if she isn't yours or this stupid team's. She's my top 'priority' and I'm not wasting another minute with you jerks while she's still missing. If you're not going to help, then to hell with you!" Charlie screamed at the top of his lungs. He could hear himself and he sounded hysterical but he didn't care. These were supposed to be his friends and they were all looking at him as if he were some sort of monster.
Then he realized it, he had reverted to his Charcoal form without even trying. His rage had made the transformation for him. He was disgusted and hurt and angry. He couldn't stand the looks he was getting from his team. He fired up his energies and blasted away from the conference room, slamming through the door and out the hangar into the open air. He'd find Hallie himself and then return in triumph, no matter what they thought. He'd show them he wasn't just some dumb kid. He was a hero.
# # # # # # # # # #
The fire had long stopped burning, but there were still obvious signs of the explosion that had taken place in this desolate area of the South American jungle only twenty-four hours ago. The natives that had lived throughout the area had long feared the man who'd dwelled in the destroyed compound. Now, apparently, he was gone and the threat he posed along with him. Still, the natives avoided this place of charred wood and broken concrete because there were tales of a green-skinned demon that had come to claim the evil masked man. It was said that the demon still wandered the jungle, howling with rage because he'd been trapped here. Some spoke of seeing him and all had heard his cries. None knew who he really was.
The Scorpion was still alive. When the Taskmaster had thrown the blade that penetrated his stomach, the Scorpion had hit the ground and played dead.* He didn't want to fight it out with the Taskmaster while he was injured, so he played possum until the skull-wearing freak had disappeared. The Scorpion had snuck out the same hole in the wall Zemo had gone through but didn't even make an attempt to catch up with the megalomaniac. If he had, he wouldn't have been surprised if Zemo blamed him for the destruction of his base. Zemo seemed pretty adept at blaming his underlings for mishaps.
(* Thunderbolts #4 - Russ)
Even if the Scorpion had wanted to find Zemo he doubted he would have been able to. His stomach wound wasn't a laughing matter and like it or not, he had to admit he was lost. The jungle was huge and the Scorpion wasn't even sure what jungle, country, or even continent he was on. He walked blindly for what felt like miles. He'd managed to patch his wound up pretty well, but the jungle was damp and it wouldn't stop bleeding. If he didn't find help, or at least a way out of here, he was as good as dead.
# # # # # # # # # #
Mach-1 alighted upon an outcropping of rock and looked down on the heavily guarded retreat and home of Justin Hammer. The Commission had ordered him to gather evidence to bring Hammer to justice and in return, the Thunderbolts and Mach-1 would be granted freedom.* Abe wasn't one to pass on a golden opportunity when it was placed inches in front of his face. That line of reasoning had gotten him into quite a bit of trouble when he was on the other side of the law as the Beetle, but this was different. He didn't trust the Commission, but the only other alternative was to rot in prison for a few more years and he wasn't ready to continue doing that if there was a viable alternative.
(* Last issue again - Russ)
His sensors were picking up quite a few heat signatures from the guards patrolling the compound, so he switched his armor into stealth mode. The Commission had made quite a few improvements to the overall design and it seemed to be running more smoothly than the original armor Techno had designed ever had. He lifted off with relative silence and hovered for a few seconds, gauging in his mind what the best point of entry would be. The guards kept crisscrossing, and Mach-1 finally decided that a frontal approach, although dangerous, would be as good a bet as any.
His thrusters pushed him in a descending arc towards the complex's plate glass windows. He wasn't sure if they were bulletproof or not but the best way to find out was to test them. His arm gauntlets were equipped with more lethal equipment than he'd ever had before, another advancement supplied by the Commission. He supposed it made him seem more menacing and therefore more appealing to Hammer, but he was still uncomfortable with it. The gauntlets fired twenty-millimeter rounds at the windows and to Abe's and the patrolling guards' surprise, they shattered forcefully.
Mach-1 wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth and he rocketed past the guards who were trying to regain their composure and level their weapons at him. Mach-1 activated his proximity sensors and scanned the building, hoping for some sort of movement to pinpoint Hammer's location. He twirled as the guards fired into the window after him and launched two spherical projectiles that opened into electrical nets that stunned his opponents into unconsciousness.
Suddenly Mach-1 was struck from behind by something hard and heavy. He hit the ground with enough force to crack the tile and skidded across its polished surface. He didn't even have enough time to rise before strong coils that wrapped themselves around him hoisted him up into the air.
"I don't know what you're doing here Thunderbolt, but I don't think you'll be staying long," said the Constrictor as his adamantium coils began to squeeze. Mach-1 felt the crushing pressure through his suit and instinctively twisted his body so he could get a bead on his enemy. Before he could level his arm at the Constrictor though, the villain released him from the coils' grasp. Mach-1 was caught off guard by the action and didn't even register the strike coming from below.
"Not long at all Constrictor, in fact, I'd say this little boy's time is most definitely up," said Coachwhip as she lashed Mach-1 with a strike from her whip. As soon as the whip connected with Mach-1's suit, he felt electricity course through the entirety of his systems, blanking them out. He fell in an immovable heap on the ground as his armor seized up around him.
Mach-1 was still facing up and therefore was able to see as Justin Hammer and Blizzard stepped into the room with the two other villains that had so effectively taken him out. Abe groaned inside his head, this was definitely not the way he wanted to infiltrate Hammer's compound.
"Ah, I see one of my former employees has come calling upon me," said Hammer in a voice that commanded respect and exuded confidence. "I'm not sure why you've come here Abraham, but I assure you it was a mistake."
"Mr. Hammer, you don't understand," pleaded Abe in a voice he hoped was pathetic enough to grant him at least a minute or two to bring his suit's systems back online. "I only came here because I'm looking for work. I've heard you've got your hands in something big and I want in."
Hammer eyed Abe for a long moment without saying a word, as if contemplating the validity of his statement. Then he spoke.
"At one time I required the services of the Beetle of course," Hammer said with a grin playing around the corners of his mouth. "However, he fashioned himself as a bit more discreet. I don't take kindly to the destruction of my personal property. If this is your idea of a job interview, I'm afraid you've failed miserably."
"So I was ambushed by a couple of second stringers and went down, big deal. Wouldn't happen twice," Abe said and when the Constrictor seemed ready to respond, Hammer raised a hand to silence him.
"Perhaps it would, perhaps not," said Hammer with the grin still etched on his wrinkled face. "I might even consider employing you despite your failure, but there is the matter of the master informing me of your allegiance to the Commission for Superhuman Activities."
Mach-1's eyes widened underneath the crimson visor he wore over them and Justin's smile deepened. How could Hammer have known about the Commission's plan for Mach-1 to infiltrate his super-villain task force? Mach-1 wasn't sure, but as the chime rang through his helmet informing him his armor was back online, he didn't waste any more time pondering. He swiveled his arms towards both Blizzard and the Constrictor and fired his impact concussion grenades.
The blasts threw both villains across the room and Mach-1 jetted into the air before Coachwhip could strike at him with her whip again. Instead of turning tail and running though, Mach-1 twisted in the air and dove directly at his adversaries. Both Hammer and Coachwhip took a step back at the unexpected move, but Coachwhip recovered relatively quickly and drew her whip back for another strike. Mach-1 didn't give her a chance to swing at him again as he fired another projectile that opened into a net that wrapped around the villain.
Coachwhip's own electrified whip came in contact with her and shocked her into a state of unconsciousness. Justin Hammer had turned and begun to flee but Mach-1 simply rocketed around him, blocking his former boss' way.
"Now, I want answers Justin. Who is this master you're working for and how did he know about my involvement with the Commission?" growled Mach-1 as he lifted Hammer off the ground. Justin Hammer wasn't one to be intimidated easily but if there was any chance for Mach-1 to redeem himself or the Thunderbolts, he had to find out anything he could about what was going on.
"Do you honestly think I'll reveal the well-laid plans my master has developed simply because you're using an angry tone of voice with me?" asked Hammer in a mocking tone that grated on Abe's very soul. "You're pathetic. You were nothing more than one of my underlings not long ago. A flashy new suit and a new calling haven't changed you Beetle. You're still as miserable a wretch as ever."
Mach-1 took in every word Justin Hammer had to say to him and as each word registered in his brain, his rage increased. He dropped Hammer to the ground and reared back his fist to strike the villain. Hammer threw up his hands in a weak attempt to shield himself and cried out. Before Mach-1 could hit him though, he was struck from behind by automatic weapons fire. The Mach-1 armor stood up to it well enough, but as Mach-1 turned to face his new adversaries, he found that there were about twenty of Hammer's private guard entering the room.
"Kill him!" yelled Hammer at the top of his lungs as he dove for cover. Mach-1 didn't waste any more time fighting Hammer's crack troops. It was obvious the Commission's plan to infiltrate Justin Hammer's cartel had failed miserably. Mach-1 blasted out of the window from which he'd entered and sped off for the rendezvous point specified by the Commission for meetings.
Thoughts raced through his head as he flew. Could the Commission have wanted him to join up with Hammer for the specific reason of finding out whom this master was? If that was the case, it made more sense to Mach-1 that he could earn his freedom by exposing whomever the master was. Bringing down Justin Hammer hadn't seemed like a task that would have earned both his and the Thunderbolts' freedom. Still, if the Commission wanted this master taken out and exposed, Mach-1 had an idea of how he could do it. It would require a bit more freedom and a bit of trust from the Commission, but all endeavors in life required a modicum of trust. Mach-1 smiled. If his plan worked, his reunion with the Thunderbolts would be sooner than anyone expected.
# # # # # # # # # #
"How do you know the Thunderbolts are even gonna show, Gargoyle?" said Mr. Hyde as he picked up another loose piece of concrete from the shattered section of the Golden Gate Bridge and tossed it into the air towards the authorities and gathered news crews filming the Masters of Evil's rampage.
"Because the master said they would come Hyde, that's how I know. Besides, the Thunderbolts are heroes aren't they? Believe me, heroes are all the same. They wouldn't pass up on a chance to get us back for setting them up on that comic book convention fire."*
(* Thunderbolts #4 - Russ)
"I still don't understand why we're implicating them for all of these crimes instead of simply destroying them," said Electro as he fired electrical bursts at abandoned cars, and watched with glee as they exploded.
"And it's not your place to know Electro. All you need to do is follow orders, and our orders are to destroy as much of this bridge as possible and when the Thunderbolts arrive, topple it into the bay."
"Easier said than done, friend," called a voice from above the Masters and they all gazed up simultaneously. Moonstone rocketed down and tackled the Grey Gargoyle head on, striking him and sending him toppling off the side of the bridge. Soon she was out of sight as she flew down after him. The rest of the Thunderbolts left the Champscraft and spread out, picking their opponents.
"Hey Hyde, long time no see my man," said Atlas as he struck Mr. Hyde full-force with his fist. Atlas shot up to thirty feet and stared down at the shaken Mr. Hyde amusedly. "Where're the Absorbing Man and Titania this go 'round?* I was hoping for a challenge."
(* The Absorbing Man and Titania were with the MOE in T-Bolts #4 - Russ)
"They had business elsewhere, Thunderbolt,"* said Mr. Hyde as he gingerly touched his jaw. "But I'll be sure to give you all you can handle."
(* The Absorbing Man showed up in Thor #5 and Titania's around, trust me - Russ)
"Dream on pal," said Atlas and stepped on Mr. Hyde with all his might. Knocking the villain unconscious and imbedding him partially in the concrete of the bridge.
Atlas looked over towards his teammates and saw She-Hulk fighting the Molten Man and Songbird struggling to knock Whirlwind out of the sky. Living Lightning and Electro were trading electrical bursts but seemed to be in a standoff. Karla had given them the battle plan on their way over and it seemed to be working well enough. Atlas began to lumber over towards Electro and Lightning, hoping to turn the tide once and for all.
"You're not nearly as strong as I would of thought Molty," said She-Hulk as she took another one of the Molten Man's shots. "Not all that hot either if you don't mind me saying so. I doubt you could even give Spider-Man a run for his money strength-wise. You're just out of my league honey."
"Not that hot? I'll have you know I've been known to turn quite a few heads in my day," said the Molten Man with a snide smile on his face. Suddenly it turned to a sneer. "And believe me, I'm more than a match for you or the wall-crawler, you green-skinned behemoth. And I'm much more than I appear to be."
To She-Hulk's surprise, a compartment in the villain's chest opened up and wires streamed out. They wrapped around She-Hulk and electric current flowed into her. The pain was tremendous but She-Hulk wasn't about to relent.
"Nice trick ugly, but can you do this?" She strained against the bonds and they snapped, sending feedback into her enemy. The Molten Man howled in a mechanical voice and hit the ground. He didn't get up.
Electro wasn't paying attention to Atlas as he continuously fired electrical energy at the young upstart trying to outdo him. No young punk was better at manipulating the electrical force than he was and he was determined to prove it. Suddenly a shadow passed over him and Electro only managed to barely glace back before a massive fist struck him dead in the face. Everything went black.
Whirlwind was dancing rings around Songbird and no matter how hard she tried, Melissa Gold couldn't hit the villain with anything. She knew that just one lucky shot would be all she needed to throw Whirlwind off balance so she could deal the knockout blow, but it didn't look like he was going to slow down anytime soon. Suddenly something came hurtling past Whirlwind at fantastic speed, nearly colliding with him. Whirlwind hesitated for the briefest of moments, but it was all Songbird needed. She trapped Whirlwind in a sonic bubble and then formed it into sonic bonds to hold him. A large pink boxing glove materialized in front of the villain's face.
"Oh hell," Whirlwind muttered. And the fight was over.
"Thanks Moonstone," said Songbird as Moonstone had just returned from retrieving the Grey Gargoyle from the depths of the bay.
"No problem Melissa. I probably could have thrown a rock instead of Mr. Ugly here, but it just felt so dang good," Moonstone replied as she landed amidst the Thunderbolts.
"A fleeting feeling at best Moonstone," said a voice from overhead and this time it was the Thunderbolts' turn to look up in astonishment. Baron Zemo was there, swooping down like a vulture on a flying platform that looked a lot like a V-Wing. He grabbed the Molten Man's wrist and continued on, ignoring the Thunderbolts entirely.
"I fear I must leave you Thunderbolts, but I swear that one day you will feel my wrath and my vengeance will hold no bounds."
"You're gonna feel our wrath right now pal," cried Atlas as he shrunk back down to a manageable size." Melissa, grab me up, we've gotta go get Zemo, now!"
"Eric no!" yelled Moonstone and the Thunderbolts turned to look at her in shock. "We've won today Eric, but the threat isn't over. This bridge is on the verge of collapse and if we don't stop it, we'll be blamed for another disaster. Zemo can wait for another day."
"But Zemo just..." Atlas started, but was cut off forcefully.
"That's an order Atlas!" Moonstone stated and as Atlas nodded his head, Moonstone gave orders for the supporting of the bridge. None of the Thunderbolts saw Whirlwind regain consciousness and reach out to touch his comrades, the Grey Gargoyle and Mr. Hyde. He spoke to himself silently and in a flash, they were gone, leaving only Electro behind.
# # # # # # # # # #
"Blast it all! Look at this place!" vented Justin Hammer towards his underlings. "You bungling fools nearly got me killed by that maniac. And my home, my home was nearly destroyed!"
The Constrictor, Blizzard, and Coachwhip weren't saying a word. They knew full well a single man had beaten them when it seemed victory had already been in their grasp. That was a failure Justin Hammer didn't take lightly. Still, the verbal storm Hammer was spewing wasn't nearly as bad as others that had come before it. They all knew the master had things under control. A simple assault on Hammer's estate wasn't that serious, especially considering the perpetrator hadn't seemed to know a thing about their plans.
Suddenly an eerie light filled the room and it took the four men encapsulated by it a moment to realize they were being transported; much in the same way colleagues of theirs had been transported before. Within moments they found themselves in a great hall, richly decorated in treasures and luxurious artifacts. They had been to this room before and knew the master had summoned them. Justin Hammer stepped forward and humbly bowed down before the figure seated in the throne before him.
"Master, we have been transported here by your great and all encompassing power and are ready to do your bidding," said Justin Hammer in a tone that seemed mechanical and submissive in nature. The other villains bowed themselves down as well and the figure sitting on the throne rose and walked down to them.
"There has been resistance to my rule of this planet and the destruction of any super-humans that might oppose me," said the figure as he walked until he stood before the bowed heads of his servants. "This Commission that you warned me of has made itself into quite an obstacle. I hesitate to take more of a role in this war until it is time and I have crushed the more powerful adversaries that might bring true opposition."
"I humbly beg your permission to crush the Commission, master," said Justin hammer in the same monotone voice.
"You who have not even been able to destroy the upstart Thunderbolts or Zemo dare to believe you could take on another responsibility. I should kill you now," said the man as he flung the four men before him back through the air without even touching them. "Arnim Zola believed the destruction of the Vault would hamper the Commission by depriving them of Gyrich, but they've thrived on nonetheless. I grow weary of these trivial mistakes."
When Justin Hammer hit the ground his head momentarily cleared and as he looked upon the man he called master, he shook with fear. There before him, was a creature with a powerfully sculpted humanoid body. His head however was in the horrible shape of a wolf's. His eyes were blood red, as was the body armor around his frame. His long, flowing, dark green cloak ran out behind him and he seemed to radiate a sense of sheer and utter power. Within seconds Justin Hammer was back under the creature's thrall, the thrall of the Man-Beast.
"My Masters of Evil have failed to destroy the Thunderbolts for now, and you have failed to destroy a simple adversary such as this winged Mach-1. However, my control over the super-human contingent on this planet grows ever stronger. Soon all the pieces will be in place and the time to strike will be at hand. On that day, the entire world will tremble before the might of the Man-Beast."
# # # # # # # # # #
Next Issue: The master has been revealed as the nefarious Man-Beast. This guy has gone toe to toe with the likes of the High Evolutionary and Adam Warlock and come back for more. What hope do the Thunderbolts have against him and his underlings? What is the Man-Beast's plan and why has he focused so much effort on the destruction of super-humans? All this revealed and more, next issue.
# # # # # # # # # #
Lightning Strikes
Greetings to all my fans. What? I don't have any fans? Well, ok then, greetings to all the readers of Ben Jolley's Thunderbolts. As I'm sure you've figured out by now, I'm not him. My name is Michael Exner III and I'm the new writer of everyone's favorite bad-guys turned good-guys, the Thunderbolts. I've been a fan of Marvel's Thunderbolts since their inception and this is a fantastic opportunity for me to put my own personal spin on them. I hope every single reader of Jolley's Thunderbolts sticks around for my run on the title and I hope I can attract a few other readers as well. If you like (or dislike) what you read here in the book, drop me a line and let me know about it. Why else would I have a letters page?
Mike Exner III