In the middle of the Amazon rainforest, a battle brews as laser bolts whiz by from both sides. On one side S.H.I.E.L.D. the Strategic Homeland Intervention and Logistics Division, and the other is A.I.M. the Advanced Idea Mechanics. S.H.I.E.L.D. has found strange energy signals coming from this sector and one of their agents went in to scout the area to find a hidden A.I.M. base with a lot of guards. Since A.I.M. is infamously known for technological terrorism and providing tech for other such infamous factions S.H.I.E.L.D. sent a strike team to secure the base, neutralize the threats, and prevent them from finishing whatever it is they're making. Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D. only sent their best to take care of this with the utmost professionalism that American tax dollars would be spent on.
"This shit is going to hell fast Coulson!" Agent Grant Ward screamed ducking for cover behind a rock.
A platoon of S.H.I.E.L.D agents were using the surroundings as cover as several A.I.M. scientists in their yellow hazmat suit uniforms. Each one armed with a hi-tech rifle that fired bolts of energy made out of photon particles.
"What did you expect, that this would be a walk through the park? Just be glad we came here with our shots and bug spray. We just got to hold out until the reinforcements arrive. Hey Brock, what's the status?" Coulson says.
Agent Brock Rumlow peeks around a tree and fires a few shots before getting back into cover.
"Not good Coulson, we seem to have seven approaching A.I.M. units all armed with laser rifles," Brock then gets out of his cover momentarily and fires multiple shot and manages to nail one A.I.M. scientist before ducking back "make that six."
Coulson got onto his comm link to see how the other half of the strike team is doing.
"Natasha, what's your status on the other side of the base?" Coulson asked.
Meanwhile in the other side of the forest.Agent Natasha Romanoff's squad is dodging enemy fire while she proceeds to get up close and personal. She punches one in the face knocking them out and even breaking the cover for their helmets, picks him up, and proceeds to throw him at one of his allies. Rolls out of the way and manages to dodge some shots and shoots two A.I.M. goons in their legs with her wrist blasters. While staggered she runs up to them and brings their heads together and knocks both out cold. She was about to be caught by surprise by an A.I.M. guard before he was sent flying into the tree by powerful vibrations reeling from the pain and losing consciousness as their whole body feels as if it experienced an earthquake.
"We're doing well, but we haven't reached the base yet. They used an EMP grenade that disabled some of our tech and weapons for a bit. Nothing we couldn't handle; I don't think these guys even know how to handle the weapons they built." Natasha replied.
"Wouldn't expect any less from you two. We just have some loose ends to take care of, Coulson out." Coulson said.
It was then that Coulson noticed what appeared to be a grenade land next to them and they all ran away as the explosion created a large blast that vaporized the trees and rocks they were using as cover. The A.I.M. scientists looming over them with one of them aiming their weapon in Coulson's face. It was that an arrow flew and hit one A.I.M. goon and the arrow released a tether that ties them with the A.I.M. goon next them. They then pointed their weapons up in the air from where they saw the arrow came from. It was then that the figure that fired the arrow at one of them jumped from a tree with great acrobatic skill managed to fire three arrows at once at each of their weapons forcing them to through them away before the exploded.
It was then that Clinton Barton, better known as Hawkeye and Clint to his friends, landed on the ground causing the A.I.M. scientists to step back a bit. The scientists returned fire at the archer. The target was too acrobatic for them to be able to get a good hit as they rolled away, firing two arrows in their direction. The two stepped out of the way with the arrows hitting the treetops above. Regaining their composure, they attempted to kill him, but before they could even pull the trigger, two arrows hit their ankles. Turns out, Hawkeye never misses, rather, the new and olds arrows got wired directly, and in a sudden jolt the AIM agents were snared by their legs dangling from the canopy above.
The remaining three try to flee, with no weapons to protect themselves. Hawkeye then fires a single arrow that releases a net that entangles the three goons.
"Good to see you Clint, what took you so long?" Coulson asked.
"Family matters for me personally, can't say so much for the others if that's what you're asking. Hope Natasha didn't have too much fun without me." Clint replied.
"Good, we'll be needing the backup. We barely got to the base and who knows what surprises they have for us in there." Coulson replied. "Alright let's move out."
Meanwhile within the A.I.M. baseVarious scientists are frantically working on various instruments as the intruders continue to close in on them. All sweating under the NBC suits that all wear for protection and as their uniforms. But with things becoming very hectic outside, there is not much time for them to be able to relax. Working under this much pressure is not easy. Especially considering what exactly they are working on and with.
"Mr. Getz, may I remind you that Unstable Molecules are, well unstable. We had to use all of the Cosmic Cube energy we had saved to not only power this creation, but to able to mold it into this shape. Especially for something as ambitious as this. We barely have enough time as we do currently to finish the AI." An A.I.M. scientist said.
"With S.H.I.E.L.D. intervening and their backup arriving soon we don't have as much time as we thought so we must make an earlier test run then anticipated. We can always make improvements after it takes care of our guests. Then nothing would be able to stop us." Getz responds.
The two A.I.M. agents then look at what they are creating a green robot being constructed. It's body rippling, shifting, and morphing as if it's made out of liquid.
Back outside Black Widow's squad was nearing the base, one of the agents with a metal detector is finding multiple signatures in the ground. No doubt a minefield that was placed. While trying to find the best route around the mines Agent Daisy Johnson drags the agent away from the minefield and proceeds to use a minor vibration in the ground with her powers causing all the mines to be blown up prematurely.
"For geniuses you think they would put better security up then just landmines." Daisy would say.
"Well what exactly were you expecting?" Natasha would ask.
"Robot soldiers, laser grids, stuff like that." Daisy would reply.
A sound emanated from the trees as holes opened one by one to reveal turrets from each of them.
"Like that!" Daisy exclaimed.
Quake used her vibration powers to break apart the turrets from the inside. Unfortunately, there were too many for her to destroy all at once and they began to fire at her. She began releasing a powerful wave of vibrations at the rapid-fire laser blasts to cause them to dissipate before they could reach her. However, the rate of fire is so excessive that it's beginning to tire her out. It was then a circular shield, in red white and blue colors, whizzed by and ricocheted off each turret destroying them.
It was then caught in the air by a man wearing an American themed suit with hard light wings attached to sleeves who then landed on the ground. It was Sam Wilson, better known as Captain America. Several drones came by with weapons before being webbed up by some strange substance. It was then that a man in a red and blue suit swung in, Peter Parker or as he is known in this persona Spider-Man.
"We would've been here sooner, but I had to get some allergy medication before coming here." Peter quipped.
"Tony had to fix up the Quinjet after the damage it got from our last mission. How have you guys been holding up?" Sam asks.
"So far, my squad has no casualties don't know if I can say the same about Coulson's." Natasha says.
"I'm sure we'll meet him at the base. He's too stubborn to die." Sam replied.
Sam flies ahead as Peter swings by using the trees, as Natasha and the others must follow on foot.
Meanwhile with Coulson's teamThe agents hide in some foliage as they are looking at the exterior of the A.I.M. base trying to spot any defenses if any.
"Doesn't appear to be any exterior defenses, though we can't say for certain. Coulson?" Ward said.
It was then Coulson turned to take a call on the commlinks. He then turned to his comrades.
"We don't need to do anything; we got a man that can take care of it." Coulson said.
It was then that multiple defense turrets in the base activated, all aiming at an unseen figure in the sky before being destroyed by several blasts of energy. A man in a red and gold suit of metallic armor descended from the skys.
"An Iron Man." Coulson emphasized.
The helmet of the armor opens to reveal a rugged man with a beard and goatee, Tony Stark billionaire playboy philanthropist, the bright mind behind StarkTech Industries, and the creator/user of the Iron Man armor.
"So, you found similar energy signatures to the Cosmic Cube from this base?" Iron Man asked.
"Yeah although not as strong as the one we dealt with before, we think A.I.M. maybe trying to create a new one. You and I both know what will happen if they succeeded." Coulson.
"Yeah, a bunch of nerds who probably got expelled from college from trying to build a super collider in the science fair messing with reality." Tony replied.
"That's the abridged version yes." Coulson replied.
The team then entered carefully within the facility as Natasha's team enters through the back. Several A.I.M. agents try in vain to stop S.H.I.E.L.D. and their backup only to be knocked out or ensnared. It was then that they entered a spacious room, it was a highly advanced laboratory with all kinds of advanced equipment and tools. However, it appears that no one was here.
"Welcome S.H.I.E.L.D.!" a voice would say to them atop a platform looking down at the lab from above.
The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and the Avengers would all look up at who this voice said.
"I am Lyle Getz, creator of M.O.D.O.K. and one of the most brilliant minds in the Advanced Idea Mechanics. I thank you all for bringing the Avengers here, it will make this much more interesting." Getz declared.
"Look, you guys are all brilliant. Look at all this equipment, you could have all used your talents to make things that could help the world!" Peter said trying to reason with the man.
"Why do you think I joined A.I.M.? I had great ideas for the benefit of the world but were deemed too extreme and I was blackballed from the science community. We are starting a technological revolution, and it all starts with this." Getz said.
He then presented a green robot that rose out of a hidden compartment in the floor. It appeared to no face or features, and it's green body rippled like when a pebble hits a pond.
"Meet the Super Adaptoid!" Getz declared.
"You wasted Cosmic Cube energy on a robot? Would be a shame if we were to, break it." Tony said blasting a repulsor blast at it.
However, the Super Adaptoid's hands end up turning into copies of Iron Man's gauntlets and deflected with its own repulsor blasts shocking Stark.
"Well I guess that's why it's called an Adaptoid, Avengers, assemble!" Sam Wilson declared as he threw his shield at the Adaptoid.
The Adaptoid caught the shield with one of its hands and proceeded to use to block Hawkeye's arrows and shots from Natasha's Widow's Bite. Peter swung in and snagged the shield with one of his webs as Daisy sent a vibration that sent it crashing into a wall. It then made copies of Spider-Man's web shooters and shoots webs at Natasha trapping her. Peter threw Cap's shield at it, before it ended up making a copy of it at of its own body that the block the Vibranium enhanced shield with ease.
While it was blocked it found several arrows lodged in it's back courtesy of Hawkeye. The arrows then exploded, but as the smoke clears the Adaptoid reveals that it has copied the Iron Man armor to protect its body, along with the wings on Captain America's suit. Making it into an odd mishmash of several of the Avengers. Peter then caught it's shield less arm with his web and began to yank on it as the several SHIELD agents began to fire weapons at it forcing it to use the SHIELD to protect it. However, it ended up leaving it wide open for Quake to unleash a powerful vibration into at point blank.
At first it appeared to have done some damage, but the Adaptoid gets up and uses Quake's own powers against her knocking her back as Spider-Man is trying to get Natasha free from the mimicked webs.
"Tony you're the tech guy what are we dealing with?!" Sam asks Stark.
"It appears to be a robot made out of Unstable Molecules. That's how it's morphing its body and might be how it's copying all our abilities and equipment. Don't worry though I have a plan, you guys distract it while I then deal the killing blow." Stark explained.
"That sounds like a terrible plan, but it looks like it's the best we got." Sam said.
As the robot is currently holding Pete by the throat and choking him, a shield hit's it's head as Captain America comes down from above catching the shield and ramming it the shield into its head repeatedly causing several dents in the robot's head. Peter shoots webs at its face and essentially blinds it. Daisy causes a vibration in the ground to break the foundation under the robot causing it to fall into a floor below it as Hawkeye fires multiple bomb arrows at. Natasha then throws a grenade at the ceiling causing debris to fall on the Adaptoid. They all looked down at the hole to confirm if that actually managed to destroy it.
It then flew out of the pit it was thrown into and attempts to attacks Natasha with a repulsor blast. However, Sam jumps in and blocks it with his shield. The Adaptoid then combines Quake's vibration powers with the repulsor blast. Causing some strain on Sam's body as he is slowly being pushed back.
Meanwhile Tony is floating by watching the whole thing.
"J.A.R.V.I.S.? Are you linked yet?" Tony said.
A British digital voice speaks in Tony's armor "The Adaptoid copied your suit's systems perfectly just as you hypothesized. We have made a link to the Super Adaptoid."
"Alright, activate the failsafe!" Tony declared.
And just like that the Adaptoid just stopped moving, as if it powered down. Before falling over with a large thud.
"But how?! It couldn't have run out of power?!" Getz said in shock.
"Well you're Adaptoid has about an advanced of an AI as Siri for one, second it made the mistake of copying everything my armor has. Including a failsafe that allows me to shutdown anyone who would have the balls to steal one of my suits. So yeah, game over Getz." Tony explains.
Getz tries to escape before being quickly tied up by Peter Parker who puts one of his hands up for a hi five although no one stepped in to give him one, before Sam walks to him and slaps his hand.
A few hours laterMultiple S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and the Avengers were cleaning up the mess that A.I.M. made and taking all of the A.I.M. members into custody. All being taken into helicopters using the helipad of A.I.M.'s own captured base. Lyle Getz was shouting about how they're good guys and they will revolutionize the world into a new age of technology. Before Clint shuts door on him mid sentence walking away with a smirk on his face. Back at the lab, Tony is checking out the equipment and helping some agents know what exactly each one is before they remove them from the premises.
Tony's eyes move towards the lifeless body of the Super Adaptoid, still in the mish mash form it cobbled together after mimicking the Avengers, and aims a hand at it determined to destroy it.
"I don't remember giving you orders to destroy that?" a voice said.
A bald man in black attire and an eyepatch walks into the room staring down Stark.
"Nick Fury, I thought I didn't need to. On the list of things that need be neutralized I am pretty sure doppleganger robot should be on the top ten." Stark barked back.
"That is precisely why we're taking that thing in to be studied. If we can figure out how it managed to copy your powers and abilities, we can use that tech for our non superpowered agents to be able to have them fight against even the biggest threats." Fury replied.
"With all due respect Fury, when it comes terrible ideas, that probably has to be the worst you ever had." Tony said.
"That's a bit hypocritical coming to you don't you think Stark?" Fury replied.
"And what the hell's that supposed to mean!" Tony burst out.
"Enough with the asshole pissing contest you two." a female voice said.
"Look Tony, A.I.M. is not the only big threat in the world. There are tons of threats with or without superpowers just coming out of the woodwork. The Avengers can't be able to handle all of them. We need this Tony, not just to protect our agents, but the world." she said.
"Thank you Maria Hill, sorry about that Tony I know you're probably still having trouble getting over the...incident I am too. But you can't keep just doing your own thing on a whim that's what you signed for when you and the Avengers registered for S.H.I.E.L.D." Nick explained.
Tony sighed "You're right Fury, although if that thing blows up in your face or whatever while your scientists are probing it you know where to find me. I'll be at my tower." he huffed as he was walking out of the room.
"Hey Tony, just remember. I got my eye on you." Fury shouted on him.
"Oh cute, thanks, bye." Tony said as he flew off into the sky after walking out of the building.
Meanwhile in ManhattanIn an apartment in the New York neighborhood known as Hell's Kitchen. A man is cleaning his collection of guns as a rock and roll song plays in the background. Suddenly his cellphone the table begins to ring. Without hesitation he puts the gun down and picks it up.
"Talk to me, oh it's you again. A new job? Who is it this time? A politician you couldn't bribe, a rival, someone who spilled your drinks all over you at a Chick-Fil-A?" the man asked.
He then had a serious look after hearing the man's reply.
"Really? No I'm not going to say no it's nothing can't handle. Money's no object, well this is a very high level target it's going to cost a lot more than usual. Sending me backup...I don't need backup for this dude! Yeah I heard the stories about how he has the world's best aim, but he hasn't met me yet. Look I don't usually work with anyone, I never even heard of this Australian guy!" the man shouted
"You'll pay me in advance you say? Well, guess I make an exception for but this guy better be damn good if he's going to help me kill this bastard. Alright, I'll meet him at the rendezvous point." the man said hanging up the phone.
He then picked up a toothpick playing with it and looked at his fruit bowl, with a deadly precision and accuracy he threw the toothpick like a dart at the apple in the owl as toothpick is lodged deep inside it. Stretching himself he then goes into a closet revealing a black and white outfit with a target on it.
"Alright Lester, let's do this." he replies.
End of Chapter 1