Issue #4 by Dan Dolan
January 2018
January 2018
"Loose Ends - Part One"
The Hideout, NYC
The entire team was lined up, roll call style, in full costume, as Josiah paced in front of them: every bit the drill sergeant. The only two in “civilian” clothes were Tommy Maximoff and Riri.
Tommy’s brother, Will, hadn’t chosen a codename yet but wore a red leather/spandex number inspired by his mother’s outfit consisting of a hooded red leather jacket, red gloves, a spandex shirt with bright red in a V-shape over the chest and field of lighter red/pink underneath going into red leather pants and dark red combat boots.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” Josiah began clearing his throat, “Today we will be splitting into two squads.” Some grumbling accompanied this announcement but Josiah raised his hands to silence the teenagers, “We’ve been remiss in a duty that two and two alone have conducted since the team originally disbanded, so with the sheer number we have before us I saw fit to also look into another of our forsaken responsibilities.”
Eli got a smile on his face, which quickly turned sad in nature.
“The Skrulls?” He offered.
“Yes. A group of Skrulls, like Teddy, chose not to fight with their race and remained inactive during the ‘Secret Invasion.’ Ever since we have been monitoring them and making sure they remain that way. Recently however two juvenile Skrulls ganged up on a group of human children. Their parents claim to be dealing with it, but have been tight lipped about what that means and I feel we need to investigate.”
Eli pumped his fist.
“I’m ready!” He shouted.
“You will not be going on that mission Eli.” The boy’s face fell at his uncle’s words, “Instead I want you to lead the second mission.” That however peaked his interest again, “It seems there has been activity in the Freezer.” At this the blood of Kate, Eli and Teddy ran cold.
“The Freezer?” Tommy asked sheepishly, afraid it was a stupid question.
“A facility designed to not only log and file the personal information of juvenile superhumans, but to store those same superhumans themselves. A rogue Norse godling got it into his head to use teenaged crimefighters as his personal army and, believe it or not, managed to con the United States government into going along with it.” Josiah bemoaned.
“I believe it.” Kate rolled her eyes.
“What kind of activity?” Eli asked, suddenly all business.
“Brain activity to be honest.” Josiah said, “At random moments the superhumans in the Freezer’s care have been experiencing high levels of brain activity without waking up. Most troubling these incidents have often been coinciding with blackouts in the facility’s security footage. Now SHIELD took over after many of you routed out Narfi and they claim they have everything under control but guess what? We don’t work for SHIELD and the Freezer started the Young Avengers, so this is our responsibility.”
“Wait, who will be leading the Skrull mission?” Eli asked suddenly.
“Chanté I’m asking you to step up.” Josiah said turning to the young woman.
Eli stared, processing. Chanté for her part nodded subtly, a small smile on her face. Interestingly Riri turned immediately to Kate who mouthed ‘it’s fine’ while caustically shaking her head.
“Teams will be as follows,” Josiah continued, “With Chanté will be Teddy and Will.”
“I assume I’m going as the token Skrull.” Teddy grumbled.
“Yes.” Josiah said simply locking eyes with the blond boy, “You want me to sugar coat that? Because I’m not going to. This is a mediation with a potentially hostile alien species: we will play any card we have to. There’s also the fact that you and Will are two heavy hitters in terms of raw power and versatility in case things go south. That being said, this is a peaceful mission. We are there to temper the Skrull situation not aggravate it.”
“Leaving Kate and Victor to join Eli at the Freezer,” Josiah pivoted, “This is a subtler mission. We need to know everything SHIELD knows and more. If possible get to the bottom of things but I’m not asking you to be Sherlock Holmes, just get the info and make sure the sleepers are safe. It’s the least we can do.”
“Wait what about Riri?” Kate asked.
“Riri has asked to pursue a passion project, I’ll allow her to tell you about it. Riri?” Josiah motioned for her to join him at the head of the room, which she did with only a moment’s hesitation.
“Alright,” She began taking a breath, “This may be a touchy subject but what I will be doing is overhauling the monitor bank and the training room. I say that it may be touchy because, I will be using the Iron Manacle suit to do it.” She finished looking slightly at the floor.
“Go on.” Eli said, his tone even.
“No one’s going to object?” Riri asked looking up.
“We trust you Ri.” Kate smiled sadly, “I’ll admit it’s not what I pictured happening to it but then again I tried not to think about it. Wouldn’t you rather use it yourself? Is that a stupid/bad question?” The brunette looked around.
“No it’s not.” Riri comforted, “But that doesn’t feel right to me, frankly anyone using it but Michael doesn’t feel right to me. I have other plans for myself, ones I won’t be going into just yet but no the Iron Manacle suit is a fantastic piece of technology and I think I can take our amenities here to the next level and this way… it’s kind of like he’s watching over us.”
“That’s beautiful Ri.” Kate said walking up to throw her arms around the other girl’s neck.
“Well done.” Eli smiled, “He’d have loved it.”
“Yeah Riri… it’s perfect.” Teddy said sadly.
Chanté, Will and Victor not having known him smiled and were clearly moved (Well maybe not Will but he was a hard read) but said nothing.
“Alright kids,” Josiah said, clearly touched himself despite his trademark unyielding demeanor, “Let’s roll out.”
# # # # #
The first thing Eli, Kate and Victor noticed about the place is that it was dank, moist and dark: the Freezer was a fitting name.
They were led by two stereotypically brusque and taciturn SHIELD grunts in a large room filled with computer banks only slightly brighter than the pipe laden halls they’d been dragged through. There standing in the center of the room, leaning over a computer was the sole person other person in the room: a tall, statuesque black woman with short sleek hair, neatly styled, in a navy dress suit and bearing a high tech earpiece. She looked up at the group momentarily, gave a withering glance and returned viciously tapping at the keyboard.
“Wow I feel welcome.” Kate sighed.
Eli ignored her and stomped forward, chest out and head up. Hesitantly Victor and Kate followed.
“Who’s in charge here?” Eli demanded.
The wind going out of his sails as Captain America stormed around a corner.
“It’s an LMD.” Kate hissed, “We were briefed remember? This place isn’t considered a priority, only about five human agents are assigned here at any given time… the rest are leftover glitch-y LMDs Shield doesn’t use anymore.”
Eli shook his head, refocusing.
“Who’s in charge here?” The smartly dressed woman echoed, in a crisp British accent, as the Cap LMD handed her some paperwork, “Clearly it can’t be me.” She chirped sardonically, “For if it was I would’ve never let you in the front door.”
Eli met this challenge and locked eyes with the woman, storming forward. Kate rolled her eyes as she followed but Victor was a bit taken aback by the LMDs, watching a Nick Fury one working at a monitor bank pensively.
“We were under the impression that SHIELD had given us priority access to the Freezer, is that not the case?”
The woman stared daggers at Eli for a tense moment, then sighed.
“Anne Weaver.” She said simply, “A pleasure, I’m sure.”
Eli smirked like he’d just checkmated Bobby Fisher.
“We need all your data on the suspicious activity over the past few weeks and access to the computer system.” Eli crossed his arms.
Anne just stared at him for a tense moment, causing his hutzpah to waver ever so slightly. Kate watched them like a tennis match.
Victor however cast his eyes elsewhere: staring at the Captain America LMD, joined in the room by one of Nick Fury himself, missing an arm, and one of a pink coiffed woman in a diamond themed purple costume who seemed to powering down while still standing. Leaving Victor unnerved.
“I suppose…” Anne said, breaking the disquiet in the room with a long sigh, “it is a sign of the times that my education, my years of service, experience and a group of children can walk off the street and give me orders.” Anne scoffed, “The filing room is just down that hall and there’s a computer terminal there you can use at your leisure. Anything else sir?”
Eli opened his mouth but a swift hand on his shoulder from Kate silenced him.
“Do not answer that.” She said half leading, half dragging him down the aforementioned hallway.
“Er… thanks?” Victor said abashedly with a half wave before following.
# # # # #
The home of Evelyn and Mitchell Barber in Greenwich, Manhattan; the very picture of cliché at home elegance and family allure. Behind that visage, was Karis and Mankar: two Skrulls just trying to hold their lives together.
This fragile balance was threatened by Feln also known as Seth Barber, their child.
Chanté took the steps up to their modest townhouse steadily, Will and Teddy lagging only a moment behind. Teddy especially hesitant.
The blonde Skrull picked at his black leather ensemble wishing he had dressed less conspicuously, Will and Chanté seemingly being unbothered by their more flamboyant apparel only made him more anxious.
“Will.” Saying the young man’s name seemed to pain the skrull, as if he had to force the word out of his mouth, “Could you maybe magic us into normal clothes?” He said looking around nervously.
Will turned to Teddy, looking at him like he had just said the stupidest thing possible.
“Uh no.” He turned to Chanté with a disbelieving look on her face, and the young woman’s face clearly laid out how little she wanted to be dragged into this.
“Why not?” Teddy gaped.
“I don’t do magic. I already told you all after we got rid of our demonic doppelganger,” Teddy cringed at that, “I was born with the ability to alter probability, and I am good at it, why would I want to get into all that magical mishegas? Especially after the trouble it brought my mother? Tommy knows everything ABOUT magic but even he does not practice it, shouldn’t that tell you something about how dangerous it is?”
“So Billy didn’t need to study magic because Tommy did it for him?” Teddy mumbled, still struggling to grasp what his ex/late boyfriend was.
“Basically.”
“So is Tommy also the one who is… which of you did he get…” Teddy’s voice petered out and he blushed, “Never mind.”
“No come on now, that thing screwed you over pretty badly too you deserve an answer or two.” Will rolled his eyes, “Let’s get this over with so we can get on with the Skrull drama.”
“Billy was gay and you said he was a mixture of you two, I was just wondering…”
“Who’d he get the gay gene from?” Will laughed, “That’d be me.”
Teddy’s face fell a little but said nothing else.
“Can we go in now?” Chanté sighed impatiently, “Remember, this is not an attack mission, we’re here to ease tension but be prepared for anything.” She added as she knocked gently.
The door swung open, revealing a vibrant middle aged couple smiling brightly. The wife; blonde and dressed to the nines, held a casserole in her oven-mitt garbed hands and the husband; salt and pepper hair and cosby-esque cardigan, held out his arm to usher them inside.
“Welcome!” They enthused in unison.
“Er… thank you.” Chanté smiled awkwardly but followed them inside their home, which as they stepped in appeared to be a Pier 1 catalog come to life. Teddy followed after, seemingly comforted by the couple and their demeanor.
“Chthon take me now…” Will groaned as he stepped inside.
# # # # #
As Riri disassembled and reassembled the Iron Manacle armor, Tommy knelt nearby handing her things in an effort to feel helpful. The renovation was going rather quickly, tendrils of technology now winding their way up the walls.
Josiah sat off to the side contemplatively.
“What’s troubling you?” Sister Irenia’s gentle voice broke his reverie, he looked up to see her smiling at him holding out a tray of tea. He smiled back and took the cup.
“I’m fine Irenia. Thank you.”
She knelt down and nudged at his collar with her hand, inspecting his neck. Tutting at the bruises she saw there.
“I’m fine Irenia.” He repeated softly as the older woman frowned.
Any reply she had was cut off by a horrible beeping noise.
Josiah jumped to his feet and looked to Riri.
“What is that?”
“I don’t know I literally just jerry-rigged the alarm system and it was already going off.” Riri started running her fingers over the surface of the device, which reacted to her movements with beeps and blinking lights, “The network I’ve wired into the Hideout.” She waved to the columns of Manacle tech on the walls, “Is supposed to detect any anomaly in this place. Something is off.”
“Can you tell what it is?” Tommy asked in a nigh whisper.
“No. Not everything’s online or even built yet… It’s just “something”.” She said exasperated, using actual air quotes, “But it seems to be centering in on a location… right… over…” She started pointing her hand in various directions, “THERE!” She shouted looking up along the line of her own outstretched hand pointing directly into the training room.
At first there seemed to be nothing wrong or even different but the more the small group looked at the spot, the spot Michael and Billy vanished ominously enough, there seemed to be something off… like waves of heat… or some kind of localized vertigo radiating off that spot.
Irenia crossed herself, more out of habit than anything else.
“What do we do?”Riri looked to Josiah.
“We take care of it.” He said solemnly, “This could be something left over or started by “Billy”… We need Strange but I doubt we’ll get a hold of him… Tommy,” He looked to the petrified boy, “Try to get ahold of that girlfriend of Victor’s. She said she was a practitioner. She’ll have to do on a moment’s notice.”
Tommy ran off, looking grateful for the excuse to escape.
“Irenia go to your room, lock yourself in.” Josiah said kissing the top of the old woman’s head.
The former nun looked at Josiah worryingly returning the sign of affection by kissing his cheek before exiting the room.
Riri grabbed a bit of machinery she had been working on, which appeared to have originally been part of one of a glove and held it out in front of her like Geiger counter as she, and Josiah, stepped toward the training room apprehensively.
The closer they did so the more the air in that spot, or was it reality itself, seemed to distort but with only a moment’s hesitation they pressed forward.
# # # # #
“This is boring.” Eli sighed as he scrolled through the computer in front of him, his head barely held up. Victor and Kate were doing the same but at Patriot’s words Kate stopped, her head springing towards Eli with a livid look on her face.
“What is your deal?” She snapped.
“What?” Eli asked genuinely perplexed at how she was suddenly mad at him.
“Ever since we reunited and your uncle became our “token adult” you’ve been acting like Princes Caroline or something. Stop being a spoiled brat. You want to be the next Captain America? Put in the damn work.”
Victor’s eyes bulged in awkwardness as he suddenly found his paperwork far more interesting.
“I don’t act like that.” Eli said, a pout in his voice if not on his face.
“Guys maybe we should…” Victor started but was cut off.
“I’m a Young Avengers founder just like you and I think I’ve put my time and effort in and guess what: We were split up into teams and your uncle picked a newbie, who may actually deserve it, and you to lead the teams and guess what I don’t think leadership potential is why he picked you… I think he just didn’t want to deal with another embarrassing tantrum for his family.” Kate seethed.
“Guys!” Victor cut off any reply Eli may have had, “Why don’t we get back to research and I’ll help by admitting something awkward myself; I’ve been holding back.” Victor sighed, successfully pulling their attention away from their verbal joust.
“What?” Eli stuttered.
Victor put a finger up to a port on a nearby computer and an electric blue light jumped from his finger to the port. The thrumming of the computer kicking into over drive filled the room and soon the light enveloped the whole of the machine and part of Victor’s arm, projecting outward.
Images, data and more flashing light followed and soon files were being projected full size for their viewing pleasure. Victor began flipping through files seemingly at a thought.
“Well this would have saved a lot of time…” Eli sighed, Kate throwing him a dirty look, “Why didn’t you do this before?”
“Truthfully it makes me feel… like a robot.” Victor said, his tone a mix of several emotions.
The trio fell silent after this admission and resumed reading files.
“Wait go back.” She motioned with her hand, Victor complied and brought up a file labeled: Young Avengers.
“This is it, the original file that brought us together…. But it’s been updated.” Eli gasped.
“They’re still keeping tabs on us? Did we know this? Did Josiah know?” Kate asked aghast.
“Click on me.” Eli said dropping the cue to where he would normally launch into a passionate defense of his family legacy, his eyes caught on something.
Victor pulled up Eli’s personal file.
“What’s that?” Eli asked pointing to an attachment, something none of the other individual files had, fixed under the text: ‘*for further information see, ‘True Blue’ addendum’
“That’s not what I would be worried about.” Kate said her tone still hard, but softening with some genuine pity in them.
“What do you mean?”
“Look.” She pointed to the legacy column where it said: ‘Legacy of: Captain America*’
“So?”
“Do you not see that freaking asterisk? It matched the one right by your precious addendum.” Kate snapped but soon schooled her tone, “It may mean there’s more to you than just being Isiah’s grandson. If you even are that.”
“WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?” Eli snapped turning on her.
“I’ve always wondered…” Kate mused.
“Wondered what?”
“Guys maybe we should…” Victor tried to interject.
“You’re literally bullet proof,” Kate replied, ignoring Victor, “You know who isn’t? Captain America, also Isiah and Josiah Bradley. Why do you think your legacy is known for their shields? Where did that power come from?”
Eli just stared at her.
“Eli do you want me to click on the addendum?”
After a moment he walked towards the door.
“I need to ask Anne some questions.” He snapped before storming out, ignoring their cries for him to return.
# # # # #
“Seth is grounded.” Mrs. Barber said in a hushed voice as they neared the boy’s room. Chanté listened intently while Mr. Barber followed chatting up Will and Teddy.
“So you are also a Skrull young man?” Mr. Barber nodded paternally to Teddy who looked almost embarrassed but nodded in response, “And you have assimilated as we have?”
“More or less…” Teddy mumbled.
“It was perhaps the hardest decision we had to make.” Mr. Barber continued, “But we knew our home was here. This planet. We had built a life here. We were more than the “Power Pack Super-Skrull” and the “New Mutants Super-Skrull” we were a family. And Feln… Seth,” He corrected himself, “This is the only home he’s ever known.”
“I don’t even have my parents anymore. They left with the other Skrulls…” Teddy started but his words died out realizing the rush of empathy he felt with these people could be making him confess too much, “It’s been hard.”
“Well if you ever need anyone to talk to…” Mrs. Barber rested a comforting hand on Teddy’s arm but the moment was broken by Will clearing his throat.
“Mr. and Mrs. Barber I hate to be indelicate,” Will said, earning a disbelieving glare from Teddy which went unnoticed, “but your son attacked a young girl did he not? Isn’t “grounding” him a bit lenient of a response?”
“He didn’t assault Tiffany.” Evelyn said with a false laugh, trying to play it “casual”, “They had an argument and he momentarily lost control of his shift. It got overblown.”
“May we speak with him?” Chanté asked softly.
Evelyn and Mitchell shared a pensive look but nodded. Mitchell reached into his pocket and took out an ordinary looking keyring made conspicuous only by one key that looked like something more out of Star Trek than you’d usually find. He walked over, followed closely by his wife, to their son’s door and knocked gently.
“Seth… we’re gonna come in now. Some of the Avengers are here, they want to talk to you.” Mrs. Barber said pacifyingly, Chanté decided now was not the right time to correct her.
Mr. Barber held the key to the very normal looking lock and suddenly it morphed to match the futuristic key. The older Skrull turned the key slowly and very cautiously opened the door.
“Son?” He called but there was no answer. He slowly leaned into the darkened room only to grunt as he viciously pulled inside by a verdant tentacle and the door burst open; revealing a Skrull fully transformed into a mass of bizarre limbs and monstrous appendages.
Mrs. Barber started to transform but Will was faster, he leapt passed her and Chanté hands out. Crimson light swirling off them towards Seth, the adolescent Skrull’s transformed body going haywire as a result.
“Teddy! Contain him now!” Chanté ordered firmly.
“Wait!” Mrs. Barber wailed.
Teddy stepped forward but stopped, he looked at Seth and then to Will and how with a simple gesture the acerbic boy had undone any bit of control Seth had over his form and he hesitated, just for a second but in that moment Seth managed to gain enough power over his body to jump. His body becoming aerodynamic and gliding over their heads in a manic moment and out the door, knocking Teddy violently into the others in the process.
“Get off of me Klaatu we gotta go after your buddy!” Will snapped as he shoved at Teddy. The three Young Avengers raced after the Skrull but sure enough as the spilled into the hall, it was empty and from where they stood they could see the front door they had just entered themselves… wide open.
# # # # #
Back at the Hideout, the mysterious disturbance had only increased. Riri’s alarms still blasting and the vague sensation of something being wrong had materialized into something now very visual. The air in the spot of the final confrontation with “Billy” seemed to churn.
Nico Minoru, the young woman they had met only briefly when Victor first showed up, had arrived and frankly was only stressing them out. Mumbling about omens and dimensional ripples. She was attempting to set up wards around the room in order to either protect them or keep anything that might come out the aperture contained… suggesting something may come out was one of the many things she was doing that was stressing the Young Avengers present out.
“Miss Minoru.” Josiah deadpanned as the girl seemed to be dancing with a ceremonial gourd, “Is it possible you’d be able to contact Stephen Strange? We have tried but he is not answering any official channels at the moment. Is it possible you can communicate with him in an arcane way?”
“Perhaps.” She muttered with not a small amount of false confidence.
“What do you think it is…? Is it the Demon again?” Tommy asked horrified. He had only told Will but this was a fear that still haunted him.
“Maybe?” Nico shrugged, “To tell you the truth people… I’m still pretty much an amateur.”
“No kidding.” Riri rolled her eyes, still scanning with her device.
Suddenly the disturbance flared out, sparks of color exploding into the air. Josiah went into alert and bolted in front of the kids, firmly placing himself between them and the phenomenon.
“Josiah be careful!” Riri cried but the soldier remained steadfast, raising his shield as shape began to form in the center of the swirling mass.
“Stay behind me.” Josiah decreed strongly.
As the light radiated outward a seemingly human fist burst forward.
The entire team was lined up, roll call style, in full costume, as Josiah paced in front of them: every bit the drill sergeant. The only two in “civilian” clothes were Tommy Maximoff and Riri.
Tommy’s brother, Will, hadn’t chosen a codename yet but wore a red leather/spandex number inspired by his mother’s outfit consisting of a hooded red leather jacket, red gloves, a spandex shirt with bright red in a V-shape over the chest and field of lighter red/pink underneath going into red leather pants and dark red combat boots.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” Josiah began clearing his throat, “Today we will be splitting into two squads.” Some grumbling accompanied this announcement but Josiah raised his hands to silence the teenagers, “We’ve been remiss in a duty that two and two alone have conducted since the team originally disbanded, so with the sheer number we have before us I saw fit to also look into another of our forsaken responsibilities.”
Eli got a smile on his face, which quickly turned sad in nature.
“The Skrulls?” He offered.
“Yes. A group of Skrulls, like Teddy, chose not to fight with their race and remained inactive during the ‘Secret Invasion.’ Ever since we have been monitoring them and making sure they remain that way. Recently however two juvenile Skrulls ganged up on a group of human children. Their parents claim to be dealing with it, but have been tight lipped about what that means and I feel we need to investigate.”
Eli pumped his fist.
“I’m ready!” He shouted.
“You will not be going on that mission Eli.” The boy’s face fell at his uncle’s words, “Instead I want you to lead the second mission.” That however peaked his interest again, “It seems there has been activity in the Freezer.” At this the blood of Kate, Eli and Teddy ran cold.
“The Freezer?” Tommy asked sheepishly, afraid it was a stupid question.
“A facility designed to not only log and file the personal information of juvenile superhumans, but to store those same superhumans themselves. A rogue Norse godling got it into his head to use teenaged crimefighters as his personal army and, believe it or not, managed to con the United States government into going along with it.” Josiah bemoaned.
“I believe it.” Kate rolled her eyes.
“What kind of activity?” Eli asked, suddenly all business.
“Brain activity to be honest.” Josiah said, “At random moments the superhumans in the Freezer’s care have been experiencing high levels of brain activity without waking up. Most troubling these incidents have often been coinciding with blackouts in the facility’s security footage. Now SHIELD took over after many of you routed out Narfi and they claim they have everything under control but guess what? We don’t work for SHIELD and the Freezer started the Young Avengers, so this is our responsibility.”
“Wait, who will be leading the Skrull mission?” Eli asked suddenly.
“Chanté I’m asking you to step up.” Josiah said turning to the young woman.
Eli stared, processing. Chanté for her part nodded subtly, a small smile on her face. Interestingly Riri turned immediately to Kate who mouthed ‘it’s fine’ while caustically shaking her head.
“Teams will be as follows,” Josiah continued, “With Chanté will be Teddy and Will.”
“I assume I’m going as the token Skrull.” Teddy grumbled.
“Yes.” Josiah said simply locking eyes with the blond boy, “You want me to sugar coat that? Because I’m not going to. This is a mediation with a potentially hostile alien species: we will play any card we have to. There’s also the fact that you and Will are two heavy hitters in terms of raw power and versatility in case things go south. That being said, this is a peaceful mission. We are there to temper the Skrull situation not aggravate it.”
“Leaving Kate and Victor to join Eli at the Freezer,” Josiah pivoted, “This is a subtler mission. We need to know everything SHIELD knows and more. If possible get to the bottom of things but I’m not asking you to be Sherlock Holmes, just get the info and make sure the sleepers are safe. It’s the least we can do.”
“Wait what about Riri?” Kate asked.
“Riri has asked to pursue a passion project, I’ll allow her to tell you about it. Riri?” Josiah motioned for her to join him at the head of the room, which she did with only a moment’s hesitation.
“Alright,” She began taking a breath, “This may be a touchy subject but what I will be doing is overhauling the monitor bank and the training room. I say that it may be touchy because, I will be using the Iron Manacle suit to do it.” She finished looking slightly at the floor.
“Go on.” Eli said, his tone even.
“No one’s going to object?” Riri asked looking up.
“We trust you Ri.” Kate smiled sadly, “I’ll admit it’s not what I pictured happening to it but then again I tried not to think about it. Wouldn’t you rather use it yourself? Is that a stupid/bad question?” The brunette looked around.
“No it’s not.” Riri comforted, “But that doesn’t feel right to me, frankly anyone using it but Michael doesn’t feel right to me. I have other plans for myself, ones I won’t be going into just yet but no the Iron Manacle suit is a fantastic piece of technology and I think I can take our amenities here to the next level and this way… it’s kind of like he’s watching over us.”
“That’s beautiful Ri.” Kate said walking up to throw her arms around the other girl’s neck.
“Well done.” Eli smiled, “He’d have loved it.”
“Yeah Riri… it’s perfect.” Teddy said sadly.
Chanté, Will and Victor not having known him smiled and were clearly moved (Well maybe not Will but he was a hard read) but said nothing.
“Alright kids,” Josiah said, clearly touched himself despite his trademark unyielding demeanor, “Let’s roll out.”
# # # # #
The first thing Eli, Kate and Victor noticed about the place is that it was dank, moist and dark: the Freezer was a fitting name.
They were led by two stereotypically brusque and taciturn SHIELD grunts in a large room filled with computer banks only slightly brighter than the pipe laden halls they’d been dragged through. There standing in the center of the room, leaning over a computer was the sole person other person in the room: a tall, statuesque black woman with short sleek hair, neatly styled, in a navy dress suit and bearing a high tech earpiece. She looked up at the group momentarily, gave a withering glance and returned viciously tapping at the keyboard.
“Wow I feel welcome.” Kate sighed.
Eli ignored her and stomped forward, chest out and head up. Hesitantly Victor and Kate followed.
“Who’s in charge here?” Eli demanded.
The wind going out of his sails as Captain America stormed around a corner.
“It’s an LMD.” Kate hissed, “We were briefed remember? This place isn’t considered a priority, only about five human agents are assigned here at any given time… the rest are leftover glitch-y LMDs Shield doesn’t use anymore.”
Eli shook his head, refocusing.
“Who’s in charge here?” The smartly dressed woman echoed, in a crisp British accent, as the Cap LMD handed her some paperwork, “Clearly it can’t be me.” She chirped sardonically, “For if it was I would’ve never let you in the front door.”
Eli met this challenge and locked eyes with the woman, storming forward. Kate rolled her eyes as she followed but Victor was a bit taken aback by the LMDs, watching a Nick Fury one working at a monitor bank pensively.
“We were under the impression that SHIELD had given us priority access to the Freezer, is that not the case?”
The woman stared daggers at Eli for a tense moment, then sighed.
“Anne Weaver.” She said simply, “A pleasure, I’m sure.”
Eli smirked like he’d just checkmated Bobby Fisher.
“We need all your data on the suspicious activity over the past few weeks and access to the computer system.” Eli crossed his arms.
Anne just stared at him for a tense moment, causing his hutzpah to waver ever so slightly. Kate watched them like a tennis match.
Victor however cast his eyes elsewhere: staring at the Captain America LMD, joined in the room by one of Nick Fury himself, missing an arm, and one of a pink coiffed woman in a diamond themed purple costume who seemed to powering down while still standing. Leaving Victor unnerved.
“I suppose…” Anne said, breaking the disquiet in the room with a long sigh, “it is a sign of the times that my education, my years of service, experience and a group of children can walk off the street and give me orders.” Anne scoffed, “The filing room is just down that hall and there’s a computer terminal there you can use at your leisure. Anything else sir?”
Eli opened his mouth but a swift hand on his shoulder from Kate silenced him.
“Do not answer that.” She said half leading, half dragging him down the aforementioned hallway.
“Er… thanks?” Victor said abashedly with a half wave before following.
# # # # #
The home of Evelyn and Mitchell Barber in Greenwich, Manhattan; the very picture of cliché at home elegance and family allure. Behind that visage, was Karis and Mankar: two Skrulls just trying to hold their lives together.
This fragile balance was threatened by Feln also known as Seth Barber, their child.
Chanté took the steps up to their modest townhouse steadily, Will and Teddy lagging only a moment behind. Teddy especially hesitant.
The blonde Skrull picked at his black leather ensemble wishing he had dressed less conspicuously, Will and Chanté seemingly being unbothered by their more flamboyant apparel only made him more anxious.
“Will.” Saying the young man’s name seemed to pain the skrull, as if he had to force the word out of his mouth, “Could you maybe magic us into normal clothes?” He said looking around nervously.
Will turned to Teddy, looking at him like he had just said the stupidest thing possible.
“Uh no.” He turned to Chanté with a disbelieving look on her face, and the young woman’s face clearly laid out how little she wanted to be dragged into this.
“Why not?” Teddy gaped.
“I don’t do magic. I already told you all after we got rid of our demonic doppelganger,” Teddy cringed at that, “I was born with the ability to alter probability, and I am good at it, why would I want to get into all that magical mishegas? Especially after the trouble it brought my mother? Tommy knows everything ABOUT magic but even he does not practice it, shouldn’t that tell you something about how dangerous it is?”
“So Billy didn’t need to study magic because Tommy did it for him?” Teddy mumbled, still struggling to grasp what his ex/late boyfriend was.
“Basically.”
“So is Tommy also the one who is… which of you did he get…” Teddy’s voice petered out and he blushed, “Never mind.”
“No come on now, that thing screwed you over pretty badly too you deserve an answer or two.” Will rolled his eyes, “Let’s get this over with so we can get on with the Skrull drama.”
“Billy was gay and you said he was a mixture of you two, I was just wondering…”
“Who’d he get the gay gene from?” Will laughed, “That’d be me.”
Teddy’s face fell a little but said nothing else.
“Can we go in now?” Chanté sighed impatiently, “Remember, this is not an attack mission, we’re here to ease tension but be prepared for anything.” She added as she knocked gently.
The door swung open, revealing a vibrant middle aged couple smiling brightly. The wife; blonde and dressed to the nines, held a casserole in her oven-mitt garbed hands and the husband; salt and pepper hair and cosby-esque cardigan, held out his arm to usher them inside.
“Welcome!” They enthused in unison.
“Er… thank you.” Chanté smiled awkwardly but followed them inside their home, which as they stepped in appeared to be a Pier 1 catalog come to life. Teddy followed after, seemingly comforted by the couple and their demeanor.
“Chthon take me now…” Will groaned as he stepped inside.
# # # # #
As Riri disassembled and reassembled the Iron Manacle armor, Tommy knelt nearby handing her things in an effort to feel helpful. The renovation was going rather quickly, tendrils of technology now winding their way up the walls.
Josiah sat off to the side contemplatively.
“What’s troubling you?” Sister Irenia’s gentle voice broke his reverie, he looked up to see her smiling at him holding out a tray of tea. He smiled back and took the cup.
“I’m fine Irenia. Thank you.”
She knelt down and nudged at his collar with her hand, inspecting his neck. Tutting at the bruises she saw there.
“I’m fine Irenia.” He repeated softly as the older woman frowned.
Any reply she had was cut off by a horrible beeping noise.
Josiah jumped to his feet and looked to Riri.
“What is that?”
“I don’t know I literally just jerry-rigged the alarm system and it was already going off.” Riri started running her fingers over the surface of the device, which reacted to her movements with beeps and blinking lights, “The network I’ve wired into the Hideout.” She waved to the columns of Manacle tech on the walls, “Is supposed to detect any anomaly in this place. Something is off.”
“Can you tell what it is?” Tommy asked in a nigh whisper.
“No. Not everything’s online or even built yet… It’s just “something”.” She said exasperated, using actual air quotes, “But it seems to be centering in on a location… right… over…” She started pointing her hand in various directions, “THERE!” She shouted looking up along the line of her own outstretched hand pointing directly into the training room.
At first there seemed to be nothing wrong or even different but the more the small group looked at the spot, the spot Michael and Billy vanished ominously enough, there seemed to be something off… like waves of heat… or some kind of localized vertigo radiating off that spot.
Irenia crossed herself, more out of habit than anything else.
“What do we do?”Riri looked to Josiah.
“We take care of it.” He said solemnly, “This could be something left over or started by “Billy”… We need Strange but I doubt we’ll get a hold of him… Tommy,” He looked to the petrified boy, “Try to get ahold of that girlfriend of Victor’s. She said she was a practitioner. She’ll have to do on a moment’s notice.”
Tommy ran off, looking grateful for the excuse to escape.
“Irenia go to your room, lock yourself in.” Josiah said kissing the top of the old woman’s head.
The former nun looked at Josiah worryingly returning the sign of affection by kissing his cheek before exiting the room.
Riri grabbed a bit of machinery she had been working on, which appeared to have originally been part of one of a glove and held it out in front of her like Geiger counter as she, and Josiah, stepped toward the training room apprehensively.
The closer they did so the more the air in that spot, or was it reality itself, seemed to distort but with only a moment’s hesitation they pressed forward.
# # # # #
“This is boring.” Eli sighed as he scrolled through the computer in front of him, his head barely held up. Victor and Kate were doing the same but at Patriot’s words Kate stopped, her head springing towards Eli with a livid look on her face.
“What is your deal?” She snapped.
“What?” Eli asked genuinely perplexed at how she was suddenly mad at him.
“Ever since we reunited and your uncle became our “token adult” you’ve been acting like Princes Caroline or something. Stop being a spoiled brat. You want to be the next Captain America? Put in the damn work.”
Victor’s eyes bulged in awkwardness as he suddenly found his paperwork far more interesting.
“I don’t act like that.” Eli said, a pout in his voice if not on his face.
“Guys maybe we should…” Victor started but was cut off.
“I’m a Young Avengers founder just like you and I think I’ve put my time and effort in and guess what: We were split up into teams and your uncle picked a newbie, who may actually deserve it, and you to lead the teams and guess what I don’t think leadership potential is why he picked you… I think he just didn’t want to deal with another embarrassing tantrum for his family.” Kate seethed.
“Guys!” Victor cut off any reply Eli may have had, “Why don’t we get back to research and I’ll help by admitting something awkward myself; I’ve been holding back.” Victor sighed, successfully pulling their attention away from their verbal joust.
“What?” Eli stuttered.
Victor put a finger up to a port on a nearby computer and an electric blue light jumped from his finger to the port. The thrumming of the computer kicking into over drive filled the room and soon the light enveloped the whole of the machine and part of Victor’s arm, projecting outward.
Images, data and more flashing light followed and soon files were being projected full size for their viewing pleasure. Victor began flipping through files seemingly at a thought.
“Well this would have saved a lot of time…” Eli sighed, Kate throwing him a dirty look, “Why didn’t you do this before?”
“Truthfully it makes me feel… like a robot.” Victor said, his tone a mix of several emotions.
The trio fell silent after this admission and resumed reading files.
“Wait go back.” She motioned with her hand, Victor complied and brought up a file labeled: Young Avengers.
“This is it, the original file that brought us together…. But it’s been updated.” Eli gasped.
“They’re still keeping tabs on us? Did we know this? Did Josiah know?” Kate asked aghast.
“Click on me.” Eli said dropping the cue to where he would normally launch into a passionate defense of his family legacy, his eyes caught on something.
Victor pulled up Eli’s personal file.
“What’s that?” Eli asked pointing to an attachment, something none of the other individual files had, fixed under the text: ‘*for further information see, ‘True Blue’ addendum’
“That’s not what I would be worried about.” Kate said her tone still hard, but softening with some genuine pity in them.
“What do you mean?”
“Look.” She pointed to the legacy column where it said: ‘Legacy of: Captain America*’
“So?”
“Do you not see that freaking asterisk? It matched the one right by your precious addendum.” Kate snapped but soon schooled her tone, “It may mean there’s more to you than just being Isiah’s grandson. If you even are that.”
“WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?” Eli snapped turning on her.
“I’ve always wondered…” Kate mused.
“Wondered what?”
“Guys maybe we should…” Victor tried to interject.
“You’re literally bullet proof,” Kate replied, ignoring Victor, “You know who isn’t? Captain America, also Isiah and Josiah Bradley. Why do you think your legacy is known for their shields? Where did that power come from?”
Eli just stared at her.
“Eli do you want me to click on the addendum?”
After a moment he walked towards the door.
“I need to ask Anne some questions.” He snapped before storming out, ignoring their cries for him to return.
# # # # #
“Seth is grounded.” Mrs. Barber said in a hushed voice as they neared the boy’s room. Chanté listened intently while Mr. Barber followed chatting up Will and Teddy.
“So you are also a Skrull young man?” Mr. Barber nodded paternally to Teddy who looked almost embarrassed but nodded in response, “And you have assimilated as we have?”
“More or less…” Teddy mumbled.
“It was perhaps the hardest decision we had to make.” Mr. Barber continued, “But we knew our home was here. This planet. We had built a life here. We were more than the “Power Pack Super-Skrull” and the “New Mutants Super-Skrull” we were a family. And Feln… Seth,” He corrected himself, “This is the only home he’s ever known.”
“I don’t even have my parents anymore. They left with the other Skrulls…” Teddy started but his words died out realizing the rush of empathy he felt with these people could be making him confess too much, “It’s been hard.”
“Well if you ever need anyone to talk to…” Mrs. Barber rested a comforting hand on Teddy’s arm but the moment was broken by Will clearing his throat.
“Mr. and Mrs. Barber I hate to be indelicate,” Will said, earning a disbelieving glare from Teddy which went unnoticed, “but your son attacked a young girl did he not? Isn’t “grounding” him a bit lenient of a response?”
“He didn’t assault Tiffany.” Evelyn said with a false laugh, trying to play it “casual”, “They had an argument and he momentarily lost control of his shift. It got overblown.”
“May we speak with him?” Chanté asked softly.
Evelyn and Mitchell shared a pensive look but nodded. Mitchell reached into his pocket and took out an ordinary looking keyring made conspicuous only by one key that looked like something more out of Star Trek than you’d usually find. He walked over, followed closely by his wife, to their son’s door and knocked gently.
“Seth… we’re gonna come in now. Some of the Avengers are here, they want to talk to you.” Mrs. Barber said pacifyingly, Chanté decided now was not the right time to correct her.
Mr. Barber held the key to the very normal looking lock and suddenly it morphed to match the futuristic key. The older Skrull turned the key slowly and very cautiously opened the door.
“Son?” He called but there was no answer. He slowly leaned into the darkened room only to grunt as he viciously pulled inside by a verdant tentacle and the door burst open; revealing a Skrull fully transformed into a mass of bizarre limbs and monstrous appendages.
Mrs. Barber started to transform but Will was faster, he leapt passed her and Chanté hands out. Crimson light swirling off them towards Seth, the adolescent Skrull’s transformed body going haywire as a result.
“Teddy! Contain him now!” Chanté ordered firmly.
“Wait!” Mrs. Barber wailed.
Teddy stepped forward but stopped, he looked at Seth and then to Will and how with a simple gesture the acerbic boy had undone any bit of control Seth had over his form and he hesitated, just for a second but in that moment Seth managed to gain enough power over his body to jump. His body becoming aerodynamic and gliding over their heads in a manic moment and out the door, knocking Teddy violently into the others in the process.
“Get off of me Klaatu we gotta go after your buddy!” Will snapped as he shoved at Teddy. The three Young Avengers raced after the Skrull but sure enough as the spilled into the hall, it was empty and from where they stood they could see the front door they had just entered themselves… wide open.
# # # # #
Back at the Hideout, the mysterious disturbance had only increased. Riri’s alarms still blasting and the vague sensation of something being wrong had materialized into something now very visual. The air in the spot of the final confrontation with “Billy” seemed to churn.
Nico Minoru, the young woman they had met only briefly when Victor first showed up, had arrived and frankly was only stressing them out. Mumbling about omens and dimensional ripples. She was attempting to set up wards around the room in order to either protect them or keep anything that might come out the aperture contained… suggesting something may come out was one of the many things she was doing that was stressing the Young Avengers present out.
“Miss Minoru.” Josiah deadpanned as the girl seemed to be dancing with a ceremonial gourd, “Is it possible you’d be able to contact Stephen Strange? We have tried but he is not answering any official channels at the moment. Is it possible you can communicate with him in an arcane way?”
“Perhaps.” She muttered with not a small amount of false confidence.
“What do you think it is…? Is it the Demon again?” Tommy asked horrified. He had only told Will but this was a fear that still haunted him.
“Maybe?” Nico shrugged, “To tell you the truth people… I’m still pretty much an amateur.”
“No kidding.” Riri rolled her eyes, still scanning with her device.
Suddenly the disturbance flared out, sparks of color exploding into the air. Josiah went into alert and bolted in front of the kids, firmly placing himself between them and the phenomenon.
“Josiah be careful!” Riri cried but the soldier remained steadfast, raising his shield as shape began to form in the center of the swirling mass.
“Stay behind me.” Josiah decreed strongly.
As the light radiated outward a seemingly human fist burst forward.