Chapter Four: Land of Missed Opportunities
Carol felt a slight chill in the air as she began to stir. The last thing she remembered was being covered in some kind of ooze that suffocated her and seemed to drain her power.
"Oh dear, she's waking up," said her own voice, but not from her throat.
Fully awakening she found that she was in a white concrete room with a single door and before was her doppelganger Domina Solaris, and a woman who was supposed to be dead, both of them holding her uniform in their hands.
Gasping, Carol looked down and found that she had been stripped naked and was strung up by what appeared to be webbing.
"Hello darling, you've already met Domina, Gwen Stacy-Parker at your service," said the other woman.
"Sister wives?" asked Carol. "At least I don't need help satisfying my man. I guess neither of you are enough woman on your own for your Peter."
Domina formed another energy whip and struck Carol across the chest. Carol hissed in pain, holding back the yell, gritting her teeth, but not giving them the satisfaction of a scream.
"Kinky," Carol gasped. "So what? Am I going to be used as some kind of fetish for the two of you? Or Crawler? How much money you wanna bet that my Peter's bigger?"
"She's a tough one," said Gwen. "Even when drained of power."
"She'll still break though," said Domina, striking Carol once more across the chest.
Carol spat back at her doppelganger, in response Domina took the whole of her uniform, and burned it away with her energy.
"So I'm stuck here butt naked, so what?" hissed Carol.
Domina smirked and from her pocket she pulled out a ring, Carol's ring.
"Not very impressive," said Domina. "Your Peter clearly hasn't capitalized on what his abilities truly can do for him."
"Oppress and terrorize?" hissed Carol.
"Conquer and control," said Gwen. "While we do owe much of the glory that is our regime to old Adolf, we're not as idiotic as he was. His idea of a Master Race based off his little perversions of the great philosopher however have been useful. HYDRA has bred a race of supermen, and superwomen. Stronger, smarter, braver, and more beautiful."
On the last word Gwen copped a feel of Domina's impressive chest and moved to undo her zipper.
"I hear the same thing from my HYDRA," said Carol.
"Even HYDRA is inferior on their world," sighed Domina as Gwen began to play with her tits.
"You guys are just as dull and unimaginative as the HYDRA on my Earth," said Carol. "Always going on about how you're fighting for peace through order when in the end you're nothing but a bunch of lunatics looking for your sick kicks by beating on people you perceive as being weaker than you."
"People just like you," said Domina, whipping Carol once again.
The pain was intense, but Carol held back a scream, feeling as she might break her teeth they were clenched so tightly. Reeling from the pain she shot a dirty look back at her captors, who only smiled sadistically.
"Allow me a chance dear Domina," breathed Gwen.
With a wave of her hand, Carol began to hear the sound of hundreds of crawling legs. Looking up at the webs that held her she saw hundreds of spiders crawling down towards her exposed body.
In the world they knew, the New York sewers acted as home to a group of mutants called the Morlocks. Mutants who were too physically distinct to blend in to society as most mutants could. They had managed to thrive, even build something of a tribal society down there.
Here, they seemed more akin to their literary counterparts as they fumbled along one another. Their bodies were covered in burns and blisters, no doubt due to the exposure to the radiation in the slums.
Their eyes glowed green and lifeless, as if they were mere shambling corpses animated by the radiation.
"You know when I think of mutants in the sewers they're usually eating pizza and talking like 80's surfer boys," said Spider-Man, kicking a Morlock in the face. "Not Re-Animator rejects."
"Those kind aren't so helpful," said Hulk, bashing away some of the larger Morlocks.
"If I have to die listening to anyone talking about those damn kung fu frogs I'm going to come back and kill your ass," growled Logan.
"They're not..."
"PETER NOT NOW," yelled Wasp, blasting away the cockroaches that were surrounding her and Ant-Man.
Ant-Man had summoned forth a swarm of ants to help deal with the cockroaches. As his ant soldiers did battle with the roach enemies he couldn't help but notice how it indeed looked like there was some intelligence coordinating the roaches.
"Seriously, what self respecting person uses Cockroaches?" cried out Ant-Man, riding a flying ant.
"The kind that acknowledges the benefits of vermin in warfare," said a coming from the roaches.
Looking down Ant-Man saw a man in a brown suit riding on a cockroach.
"In times of war enemy soldier would unleash plague rats and other vermin to spread disease and infection upon the protectors of the castle," the man said. "Such a wonderful and effective means. Cheaper and more reliable than any gun or sword."
"Alright you're a total freak," said Ant-Man, urging his and to charge down at the man riding the roach.
As their two mounts attacked one another, Ant-Man leaped on the Cockroach man, wrestling him to the ground. Wasp went to aid her partner when suddenly a new insect invasion threatened to overtake her. A swarm of mosquitoes surrounded her and before she could respond, Wasp was grabbed from behind and forced to the ground.
"Such a pretty thing," a feminine voice said above her.
Forcing her head to turn Wasp saw the woman was wearing a similar suit to hers, but with a long needle on the mask.
"So pretty, so sweet, so cute," said the Mosquito woman. "I bet you taste so nice, so yummy."
"What the hell?" strained Wasp, attempting to get the woman off of her.
Her enemy struck her back with the needle and began to drain the blood out of Wasp's body.
"Hope," yelled Ant-Man, distracted from his fight with Cockroach, allowing him the time to strike.
"Better to yell out 'No, Hope', it works better," said Cockroach, getting on top of Ant-Man.
"Mosquito will drain her dry, she does like to taste things that bleed so," said Cockroach.
"Alright, I've decided I've had enough of you," said Ant-Man.
Activating the growth switch on his suit, Ant-Man grew at an accelerated rate, and slammed Cockroach against the roof of the tunnel, knocking him out. He then shrank just as quickly and kicked Mosquito off of Wasp.
Without a figure to command them the Cockroaches scattered away as Hulk, Logan, and Spider-Man finished off the remaining Morlocks. Ant-Man quickly found the switch for Mosquito's size changing suit and once she reached normal size Spider-Man webbed her up and Logan knocked her unconscious.
Ant-Man had Cockroach grow and Spider-Man webbed him up as well.
"A guy with a fascination with roaches and a crazed woman who likes sucking blood. Are all our doppelgangers complete lunatics?" said Wasp, growing to her normal size.
Ant-Man supported her weight as she had been weakened slightly by the blood loss.
"Could be worse, they could all be incestuous cannibals," said Spider-Man.
"Don't make this more uncomfortable than it is Spidey," said Hulk, brushing off a few remaining roaches.
"Killjoy," said Spider-Man.
"Cool it you two," said Wasp. "Let's get upside before we run into any more trouble."
"If this New York's sewers are like ours we should be able to get to the river fairly soon," said Spider-Man.
"Then we get Carol," said Wolverine.
"What about Cap and the others?" asked Spider-Man, not too surprised that Wolverine could tell what was first on his mind.
"They either know we can hold out and are going along with the mission or are ready to help us out the first chance they get," said Wolverine.
Osborn led the Avengers to Boston, Massachusetts. And upon their arrival it appeared there was another tea party going on. Ships bearing the HYDRA log were burning and being overrun by men in what appeared to be painted faces. Unlike the Sons of Liberty of the days of the Revolution, these men were not simply destroying tea. They acted with brutality and mercilessness. Killing and executing HYDRA soldiers without any mercy or restraint.
"Are those the Resistors you were talking about?" asked Cap, not entirely hiding his disdain.
He was no stranger to war, but these were no soldiers fighting. They cackled and laughed as they took blades to the heads of HYDRA soldiers and shot men on their knees. This was nothing short of a mob.
"No," said Osborn. "However...I can't really say we aren't at the cause of this."
"Mind explaining?" asked Cap.
"A while back I came up with a chemical that would increase people's aggression," said Osborn. "We've were able to get doses into people's food supply and the results have been useful as a means to distract HYDRA forces."
"You're drugging civilians and using them as bait?" gasped Spider-Woman.
"A necessary evil," said Osborn.
"You may not wear the green of the Goblin but as with out Osborn you have no honor," said Thor. "Captain, we must stop this madness."
"We don't have time," said Osborn. "Those people are so hopped up on my drug they're likely to attack us as well if we interfere. We need to meet up with my contact, Jim Hammond and his branch known as the Artificial Independents."
"Does Jim know about this drugging?" asked Cap.
"Of course," said Osborn. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's the one who okayed this recent drugging."
Cap clenched his fist tightly, both out of Osborn's callous sacrifice of civilians, and by the fact that his old friend Jim Hammond, the original Human Torch, even on a world as backwards as this, would agree to such methods.
"We'll go with you Osborn, but I want you to know that any trust I could have held in you is gone," said Cap. "If you want us to continue helping you these drugs stop being given to civilians."
"Very well," said Osborn. "Now let's get moving."
The Iron Patriot flew off with the rest of the team following behind him, Cap looking back again towards the madness on the ships as HYDRA reinforcements began to march in to quell the mob.
In what was once Washington D.C, HYDRA Supreme Steve Rogers sat upon his throne, hearing the reports of the day. The terrorist known as the Iron Patriot had indeed returned and with reinforcements from another world.
Reports indicated it was just as his strategists had indicated, Osborn had brought in alternate version of them. No doubt from some backwards and chaotic world. Best tracked by using DNA from their own forces, double signals determining the locations of these invaders. One of their number had been captured by Crawler's forces, no doubt being placed under Crawler's extreme brand of interrogation.
Rogers often got a stomachache when thinking of Crawler. Hedonistic and half-mad with his own power and glory. He also had a streak of sadism that Rogers feared would spread throughout the Regime if left unchecked. He had already attracted mad people like Cockroach and Mosquito, unstable and disgusting in both personality and mentality. He was beginning to become difficult to control
'I've put too much trust in him,' thought Rogers.
If there was a double of him among the invaders, things could get difficult for the Regime. Osborn was a ruthless terrorist who had managed to stir more than his fair share of trouble, but none the less he could be dealt with. That beast in the southwest was more troublesome, and not just because of his own incredible strength. But an alternate version of himself could cause true trouble for the order he had sought to create.
"Ready my transport, I'd like to speak with the prisoner Crawler has captive," said Rogers. "If she still has a jaw."
Osborn led the Avengers to an abandoned old tavern. Twisting the nozzle of one of the taps the back of the bar retracted, revealing a secret elevator.
"Used to be a speakeasy in the days of Prohibition," said Osborn. "Makes a good hideout for a resistance cell too. And don't worry, I let Hammond know not to kill you."
"I feel so much better about that," said Hawkeye as the team entered the elevator.
"I only prey there is one man of honor among your fellow Resistors Osborn," said Thor. "Your actions have shown close to none so far."
"In a world under control of tyranny honor is a commodity," said Osborn. "Whatever means are available to restore America to its former glory, no matter how deplorable, are made just by that end. This isn't like how you're used to fighting petty criminals on your Earth. This is a war against a dominating government that's more than willing to use even more deplorable methods to hold onto their power."
"You forget Osborn, I fought HYDRA when it was under control of the Red Skull, in its prime," said Cap. "And my team has battled enemies far more powerful and far more oppressive with odds even more stacked than you can imagine. Don't think we're not used to the risks and sacrifices we have to make. And don't think we're just going to stand by while you play fast and loose with civilian lives, no matter your cause."
"Those kind of words coming out of the mouth of Steve Rogers, you're definitely not our guys," said a man standing at the end of the elevator's run.
He was a blond man standing in a red and gold uniform similar to one of Steve's suits, the one he wore when he had to briefly take over for Nick Fury, his 'Top Cop' suit as Spider-Man had called it. Only this man's uniform held flames in the place of stars as well as the red and gold replacing blue and white. This was indeed Jim Hammond, whom Captain America had fought beside in the original war on his world. He was the first to bear the name of the Human Torch, and in many cases he was the first superhero, an honor many falsely gave to him if only because of how he had been promoted by the government at the time.
At his side stood familiar faces to the Avengers. The Vision, the Awesome Android, the Super Adaptoid, and a woman dressed in rags with excessive burn marks on her skin and head.
"Wanda, give them a sweep just to be safe," said Hammond.
"Wanda? Dear god what..."
"Quiet and let me work," said Wanda, interrupting Tony.
She ran a crimson hand across her view of the Avengers and the team felt their minds being infiltrated. Hammond brought up names and dates of people and incidents that the Avengers could not give answer to.
"That's enough Wanda," said Hammond. "These really aren't them."
"Told you so," said Osborn.
"Doesn't make it easier to work with people bearing the faces of the enemy," said Hammond.
"Believe me I understand," said Cap, throwing a glare at Osborn. "Although I'm familiar with your doppelganger. One of the finest men I've had the honor to serve with. And he would find your approval of drugging civilians just as deplorable as I do."
"Deplorable yes, but necessary," said Hammond. "We needed an opportunity to raid HYDRA storehouses and having a reenactment of the Tea Party seemed like a perfect distraction for the mission. We're not much here and with the Star Spangled Six gone...oh, Norman...I'm sorry. None of them survived."
"I figured as much," said Osborn. "No time to mourn for now. We would have been sooner with some greater number but they got the jump on us somehow. The enemy knows we're here. If anything this location isn't safe anymore."
"They'd find us sooner or later," said Hammond. "I'm just glad that mad plan Victor came up with worked."
"Victor?" asked Spider-Woman. "Don't tell me you're talking about Victor Von Doom?"
"A different man than the one you know," said Osborn. "The best example of successful rebellion we have. He led the Latverian Liberation Front and thanks to his scientific and strategic brilliance led to the complete liberation of Latveria. And he's managed to keep HYDRA out of his nation for years now. He was the one who was able to map out a universe with the kind of help we need and observe it. He passed on that data to me since I was already in New York and with Otto's help we were able to enact upon it. He had been able to hid the necessary information in HYDRA's own data banks. Retrieving the data was the last mission of the Star Spangled Six. Their final sacrifice for the cause."
"Okay so even Doctor Doom is a good guy on this Earth, what's next?" said Hawkeye.
"That's enough alternate history for now," said Osborn. "Jim we need a way to get to New Mexico. We're need to carve out a stake here with these people's help and we need the best and strongest to do it."
"You really think the good Sergeant will even give you the time of day?" asked Hammond.
"Sarge and I have our differences but he's the biggest hero we've got on our side and he's been an even bigger pain HYDRA's neck than I have," said Osborn. "If anything he's the one to get them and others on our side more than I am."
"Uh, hey we're still here. Don't talk like we aren't," said Black Widow. "Who are you guys talking about?"
"The biggest, strongest, most...charismatic man we have," said Hammond. "The best man to show you we are in the right despite what we've been forced to do. Sergeant Smash."
"Sergeant Smash? With a name like that you know that's got to be old Jade Jaws," said Spider-Woman.
"Big and strong I get but charismatic? I'd love to see that," said Hawkeye.
The venom of the spiders hadn't been deadly, but it was enough to hurt Carol and severely deplete her strength even more. To a point where she could not longer hold back her gasps of pain at Domina's whipping of her body.
"So plump and yet so tender," said Gwen, taking in Carol's beaten right breast in her hand.
"Hardly as fine as I am," said said Domina, gripping Carol's left breast.
The two women squeezed tightly and Carol could only groan in discomfort.
"Adolf was a fool, discounting so many genetic qualities in people, narrowing them to his foolish idea," said Gwen.
"Though he did have a point in the attractiveness of blondes with blue eyes," said Domina. "He foolishly discounted the potential of others. Not to mention condemning certain sexual appetites people might have."
The two women continued to fondle Carol, who only grimaced at them.
"Man and man, man and woman, woman and woman, all welcome in HYDRA," said Domina. "All colors as well."
"So long as they have strong qualities," said Gwen.
"So you're just using the idea of a Master Race so you can lessen the resistance you'll get from super-humans," groaned Carol. "Hitler's ideology taken into your own."
"All great forces need a strong ideology to rally behind," said Gwen. "Hitler may have been a fool but he knew how to rally people. And now we have used his idea of a Master Race, free of the restrictions he foolishly placed on it, and as all people have a natural desire to feel superior the only ones who fight against us are those who are misguided by the chaos of this land's history."
"This is still the Land of Opportunity, but only for those who are brave enough and strong enough to take it," said Domina.
"And what about the people you stepped on to seize this nation?" groaned Carol. "The people who don't have superpowers and live in fear beneath you."
"They will thrive so long as they obey the orders of their superiors," said Gwen. "You believe we are tyrants because we hold such a tight leash upon the world. But recall how even we of HYDRA consider Hitler a madman. In a world in which the common masses have choice of who might rule them they leave themselves vulnerable to the influence of madmen like him. Even Benjamin Franklin warned of the danger of democracy, wolves and sheep arguing over who is dinner. And there are always more wolves than sheep. We are the shepherds keeping the flock safe."
"Equal parts male and female shepherds, and yet all your choices at the end will wind up just screwing you over," said Carol, regaining a bit of her strength to speak. "Reminds me of a video game Peter and I played. We both wanted to tell that sparky kid to shove it."
"I think she's getting a bit delirious," said Domina. "Talking nonsense already."
"It was nonsense," said Carol. "All I get to choose is which color the universe ends in after fighting like hell against what is essentially H.P. Lovecraft's idea of a robot rebellion."
"I think the poor dear is ready for a bit of rest," said Gwen, pulling out a black hood.
"Good night my dear twin," said Domina as Gwen put the hood over Carol's beaten face.
Eventually Spider-Man and his group had managed to find an exit from the sewers and found the river.
"Not exactly fresh air but I'll take it," said Spider-Man.
"At least we're not being swarmed," said Ant-Man, still supporting Wasp.
"We should find a place to hunker down before going any further," said Wolverine. "Hope needs to rest for a bit."
"I'll scout ahead to make sure the coast is clear," said Spider-Man.
Swinging off, he found the streets empty, no sign of either civilian or soldier. Spreading out for several blocks and with his spider-sense warning him of no danger he began to head back to the group when sure enough the old Parker luck struck again with a ringing in his skull.
Leaping out of the way of a web line Spider-Man once more faced the Crawler.
"Nice reflexes," said Crawler, pulling off his mask.
There was a mad look in the eyes of the Crawler, a look Peter never thought to see in his own eyes. Pulling off his own mask, the Crawler could see the hatred and anger in the eyes of his doppelganger.
"Amazing isn't it," said Crawler. "Across the multiverse where worlds can be vastly different, Peter Parker still wound up with Carol Danvers. Only I actually managed to wed mine. You must lack the courage to do so. Tell me, are you enemies with the Norman Osborn on your Earth?"
"I am," said Peter.
"Is he dead?" asked Crawler.
"No, I don't use my powers to kill," said Peter. "Not even someone like my Osborn."
"All that power and you hold back?" asked Crawler. "Why?"
"Because of a lesson I learned long ago," said Peter. "One that I have lived by for years. With Great Power comes Great Responsibility."
"Responsibility?" laughed Crawler. "Responsibility to what? The greatest responsibility for any man is to secure his status and legacy among those whom he power places him above, to seize the opportunities to earn even greater power. That is the philosophy I have lived by for years. With Great Power comes Great Opportunity."
Fundamental opposites despite being the same man, the two realized there could be, and there would be, no attempts at negotiation between the two of them.
"I thought like that," said Peter. "I lost someone I loved because of it. You've never lost anything have you? Only ever stealing the lives of loved ones from others."
"Don't assume to know me simply because we bare the same face," yelled Crawler. "My joys are not for you to understand nor are my sorrows. Speaking of joys does your Carol like to..."
Peter webbed shut the Crawler's mouth, for once in his life tiring of his own voice. He then leaped towards Crawler who dodged and attempted to kick Peter while he was in the air. However Peter was able to maneuver himself enough to catch Crawler's leg and throw him aside.
"Believe it or not this is not the first time I've had to fight someone bearing my face," said Peter. "I'm guessing you don't have many clones on this Earth."
Tearing off his gag, Crawler yelled, "Why mess with perfection?"
The two Spider-Men then charged one another striking each other in almost perfect synchronization. Despite their ideological differences they were the same man, of the same age, and with equal combat experience.
Crawler anticipated this and had a back up plan in case combat with his doppelganger didn't go as he believed it would.
"You know, Osborn thinks he's pretty clever," said Crawler. "He developed a fairly clever drug though with interesting side effects. He's used it to distract me on more than once occasion."
"Yeah, I get troubles like that from my Osborn too, so what?" asked Peter, keeping a fighting stance.
"So I'm wondering if your Osborn likes to use civilians as his pawns too," said Crawler.
"What?" asked Peter, not liking what his 'evil twin' was saying.
"I wonder do your comrades care if civilian lives are lost int he pursuit of whatever justice they fight for?" asked Crawler in a mocking tone.
"What have you done?" yelled Peter.
"Osborn likes to use a special drug he developed to turn ordinary civilians into a pack of ravenous animals," said Crawler. "Pity your friends will probably think that they're HYDRA made. If you care about the lives of civilians, on any Earth, I recommend you warn your friends. But then again that would leave a golden opportunity to rescue your Carol to slip through your fingers. The choice is yours my twin."
Peter debated internally on whether or not Crawler was lying. But when he heard the sound of heavy convoy he felt that there might have been some truth. He knew Carol was tough and he knew what she would do in the same situation.
Putting his mask back on Peter left to warn his friends while Crawler stood smirking.
"A missed opportunity for you," said Crawler, activating the nanobots that made up his suit, changing them to the pattern of his doppelganger. "But one for me."