Avengers Inc.
Issue #3 – A New Beginning – Part Three
Avengers Academy – Camp Pym, Arizona
Outside Training Grounds
"Fall in line!" Sergeant Green shouted as twenty-one students fell in line, some more cooperative than others.
"We gained a student last minute but that is okay. Jennifer can handle one extra," Wasp said with a wink.
"So weird seeing them all in white shirts and army pants," Justice said.
"Because you have not earned that right. Once you graduate from this academy you will be given costumes and only then will you earn the right to wear them and be given your codename. If you had one prior to coming here, it no longer exists in this Camp, do I make myself clear?" They heard Sergeant Green shout and the students shout yes sir after several screams from Gauntlet till they all shouted in unison.
"They won't have costumes while they are here but those who use weapons will still have them but only allowed to use them with permission when in training, lessons or battles, just like those with abilities," Janet said.
"And with the help of Jocasta 2.0 I have installed fail safes around here that any of us can activate to depower or pull any of them in-line if we need to," Hank said as his staff nodded, some nervously others with approval.
As Gauntlet shouted drill instructions the Staff of the Avengers Academy watched and got a good look at their recruits. First there was Roger Brokeridge a very in shape guy who was twenty-one with the ability to create energy balls. Next to him was Nahrees, the Inhuman that had been left behind with Crystal. The girl looked sweet with her long dark hair but had the ability to generate electricity along with her Inhuman enhanced abilities. Next in line was Marcia Daniels, the former Bastard of Evil known as Darkstar. She wasn't thrilled to be here but her powers were just as formidable as her late father's Blackout.
Next to her was Martin Lee, who was from the future and went by the name Lionheart, named after the one time Avenger that had given her life. He had her same basic abilities with a few extra weapons. He knew he was from the future but he couldn't remember how he had gotten here until recently. He had come here with Black Knight and had proven himself in the eyes of Steve Rogers. Next to him was his boyfriend, Jamesy Braddock who was also from the future and went by the name Geo. Geo had come here in search of Martin and when he found him all Martin's memories flooded back. After talking with Captain Britain he was filled in on their adventures in the future and their kids who had come back with them. Both boys wanted to stay with the Academy and Brian had given his blessing. Geo had the ability to control nature and plants and carried a robot-like pet with him called Widget. **See X-Calibur series for more on X-Calibur and their journey into the future**
Those five made up Crystal's group. The next five were assigned to Justice. Standing first in the second row was New York University student Greg Willis, a fairly new hero going by the name Gravity. He had the ability to manipulate gravity after being sucked into a mysterious black hole while on a yachting vacation with his parents after he graduated from high school. He then moved to New York to go to school and to become a super hero but his continuous mishaps had shaken his confidence to be one. The next two in line were also former members of the Bastards of Evil, Mortar and Miss Enchantress. Pierre Sullivan was the son of Grey Gargoyle who could turn himself into stone and turn inanimate objects to stone and manipulate and control them while Sylvie Lushton claimed to be the daughter of Loki and demonstrated magical abilities.
Because of this connection they thought putting the next girl with them was a good idea. Modeled after Thor and with similar abilities, Tarene came to Earth took on the mortal identity of Tara Olson calling herself Thor Girl. With Thor gone missing with the Asgardians, Thor Girl had found herself lost and roaming, and since Thor had been a great Avenger they knew she would fit in here. Last in line was a former high school senior and all American boy named Michael Van Patrick. Everyone thought he was the perfect athlete and naturally gifted until Steve had discovered that Micahel was actually the great-grandson of Abraham Erskine, the inventor of the super soldier serum but tests done so far seems to show that the boy gained his abilities naturally and not by a serum.
The third row made up Black Knight's group. The first recruit was no one's favorite pick but that was because Steve Harmon, the former New Warrior known as Slapstick was consistently thinking himself the class clown. He never acted too serious and if it wasn't for his unique ability to turn into his ectoplasm and indestructible form he'd be out of here. Of course Gauntlet viewed him as an easy challenge to break and whip into shape. Next to Steve was another two members of the Bastards of Evil, Aftershock and Slayer.
Allison Dillon was the daughter of known villain Electro and was proving to be a chip off the old block. Word had it that Maxwell was trying to reform and had joined Salem-X. **See current issues of Salem-X** With Wanda still counted among the recently missing mutants, Hank and Steve thought it best to keep Allison here and not introduce Max to his unknown daughter will Wanda came back and they had a chance to talk. Now Slayer, Danny DuBois, was the son of Serpent Society member Princess Python, or he says. With Python rumored to have been killed and missing there was no real way to prove or deny his claim. Danny had no super powers but has a very good fighter and skilled with weapons, especially with the two axes given to him by Miss Enchantress.
The next in line was a young kid by the name of Ken Mack. Steve Rogers had found him when news reports came in that a high school student during a wrestling match had started going into convulsions and had transformed into a large red metal monster. Steve brought him here so he could be taught that he wasn't a monster and that his metal skin that gave him super human strength could make him a hero. With nowhere else to go and his family disowning him in fear, Ken decided to give the Academy a try. The last member in line was a girl named Violet Lightner. She was the one that they had been told about that possessed one of the alien weapons like Gauntlet. The Tactigon on her left arm could become any weapon she needs at the time of battle. She had just started her life as a super hero called Armory when they had found her in San Francisco and brought her here.
The final row of recruits belonged to She-Hulk. The first two were former Avenger's In-Training. Delroy Garrett, Jr, known as Triathlon had recently regained his powers and inherited the goggles from the original 3D Man. Wanting to be taken serious as a hero and inspiring Avenger he jumped at the chance to join the Academy. With him he brought his girlfriend, and Jarvis' "adopted" daughter, Maria Santiago the Silverclaw. Jarvis was glad to have her here since he felt she really needed to learn to control and master her ability to shift into metal were-animals. With these two slightly experienced heroes, there help would be needed with the final four rounding out the team.
Next was he final member from the Bastards of Evil, Victor Mancha, Kid Ultron the so called son and sleeper body for Ultron but when Victor was taken over by an Ultron from the future things had gone slightly wrong. The future Ultron had been defeated and from what Hank could tell, purged from Victor. What was left was a boy who had to deal with the fact he was a cyborg of sorts with enhanced abilities including self healing or repairs, talking with and controlling computers and had electromagnetic manipulation that gave him similar powers to Magneto. Victor now wanted to do everything he could to make his mom proud and never become like Ultron. So did Hank and the Avengers and no better way for that than to keep him close to Pym himself.
The next kid was a very hyper high school kid by the name of Humberto Lopez. Pym knew the boy's parents, both Paleontologists. They had called Pym when, during a dig in the desert, Humberto had found a crystallized medallion that embedded itself in his chest. At first they tried to keep it secret until their son started to demonstrate the ability to take on abilities and shift parts of his body of that of dinosaurs'. As a favor to his friends and knowing the Academy was the best place for Humberto, Pym had recruited Humberto who was very ecstatic about becoming a super hero and an Avenger one day. Pym just wished the last two had the same kind of energy.
Nest to Humberto was a young and very shy high school girl from Evanston, Illinois. Hank had learned about the girl from Tony Stark when War Machine, bringing in a villain and passing through Illinois, spotted a girl flouting atop a cloud in the sky. It seems she can manipulate a loud-like gas and ride upon it. Abigail Boylen was living in a foster home and never really had a home. Being shy, Janet had easily connected with the girl and convinced her to join the Academy where she would find a home and place where she would fit in and not be alone anymore. The last recruit was also an outcast.
Terrance Ward looked very dark and scary with his black foppish fringe he wore and the dark circles around his eyes. The kid came form a dark place as did his powers. Terrance had dropped out of school and took to living on the streets after his powers manifested and drove him away from his family and had sent his own mother into an insane asylum. It seemed the boy had the ability to shape-shift into his opponent's worst fear. Hank wasn't sure where the boy's powers came from but he had been able to rule out mutant. The boy was very introverted and had no control over his abilities, even fearing them. Hank hoped they could change that because with his powers the boy had great potential to be something great.
"Wow, quite the group down there," Dane said as the others nodded.
"Yes, and I think all of them have the potential, with our help, to become great Heroes or even Avengers one day," Janet said with a smile.
"Okay, we better head down. I think they've had enough of Sgt. Green's introduction to the Academy for now. This way each of you can get to know your groups before we start classes tomorrow," Hank said as they all moved down to the camp grounds.
Epilogue
"What're your thoughts? You think were crazy now?" Baron Zemo asked as he and Norbert Ebersol, the villain known as Fixer and Techno finished watching the images of the formation of the Mighty Avengers and the New Thunderbolts.
"As you can now see what Zemo has been trying to convince you of, I have sources that say that not only is there another secret team of Avengers but there is an Academy they've setup to train new heroes and expand the Avengers into a fifty state team," Norbert added.
"Yes, and we can't have that now can we?" A man asked sitting from a large throne behind them.
"We have plenty of tech stolen from Stane and with your resources combined with ours we should easily build a weapon to take them all down," Zemo declared with excitement.
"A weapon? No, we can do so much better than that," the man in the throne said with an evil grin.
"What do you have in mind?" Zemo asked.
"If Captain America can do it so can we, and we can do it better," the man said sitting up.
"Do what?" Norbert asked already knowing where this was going and getting excited.
"You had the right idea Zemo when you tried to disguise yourselves as heroes. Now, if they can create heroes and turn villains into heroes we can do the same. We will take petty thugs and turn them into super villains," the man said as his voice began to get louder.
"Yes, we can equip them and train them to take the Avengers down," Norbert said as Zemo nodded.
"Oh, we won't stop there," the man interrupted.
"Oh?" Zemo asked with intrigue.
"We will turn friends and heroes into villains and unleash them upon the world, starting with him!" Victor Von Doom screamed as he stood up, hit a button causing a panel to retract and reveal a tube holding the ionic form of Simon Williams.
Secret Avengers
Operation Canada – Part Three
Canada
Flight Industries
"That was easy. Whoever they were they didn't far too well," Tech-Noir said as she looked at the hole the intruders had fallen in.
"Now to finish off the other," Sinew growled as he looked over at Moon Knight on the ground.
"Don't count us out yet," Ant-Man said as he flew back out of the hole atop a flying ant followed by a large black crow.
"And good thing I healed and finally got control over my new form," said a man made of wind and air pushed upwards with a large gust of wind propelling Quake out of the hole with him.
"How can you side with them, Windshear when they left you in a tube for dead like us?" Miss Mass said as she jumped up and landed sending a wave of cracks into the ground.
"You four, can't you see, none of this is real," Black Crow said as he transformed from a bird to his human warrior form.
"Oh, this not real?" Tech-Nor said as she began firing off laser blasts non-stop at Ant-Man.
"Let them have it!" Miss Mass said as she began stomping and shaking the ground while Sinew launched at Quake and Strong Arm grabbed Black Crow.
While the team was busy, Moon Knight playing possum took what Black Crow said and switched his lenses to thermal scans to see body heat. To his surprise all he saw was his teammates. As he glanced over to the far side he saw four body signatures lying on the ground. He heard a scream and glanced and saw that Omega Flight was winning and they were going to kill at all costs. Moon Knight took a deep breath, leapt into the air and threw four crescent moon daggers with all his might.
"No!" Miss Mass screamed as she turned and saw the dagger vanish into the woods.
"What going on?" Quake asked as she saw their four opponents stop and go still.
"A very tragic victory," Black Crow said as he glared at Moon Knight not knowing how he felt about this move.
Moon Knight joined his other teammates as suddenly all four members of Omega Flight vanished form sight. After a few seconds, the forest wavered and then they saw that they were standing in the middle the infirmary. Lying on the floor of their medical cells were all four members of Omega Flight, each of them with a dagger sticking out of their heads with part of their face blow off. It appeared that Moon Knight's daggers had explosives on the tip that detonated once they struck.
"So it was all projected from their minds?" Ant-Man asked as he grew to normal size.
"Yes, it seems it was their dreams come to life and from what I can tell we are definitely dealing with the Dream Queen, an old foe of Alpha Flight," Black Crow said as he looked at his informant, the ghost John Giles.
"So, this is a dream form too?" Windshear asked as his they saw the figure of a man made out of solid air.
"I'm afraid so. I can see your soul still attached to your body," Black Crow said as they all turned and saw a tube with an airy-smoky substance inside that almost looked like a man.
"So, I'm caught up in her power?" Windshear asked as suddenly he vanished.
"Is there anything we can do for him?" Ant-Man asked.
"I'm afraid not," Black Crow said.
"We better get moving," Moon Knight said as he started to head towards the door.
"What about?" Ant-Man began to ask when suddenly Quake called on her powers causing the floor to rip apart and swallow the four members of Omega Flight into the ground and then cause the ground to shake, cave in and reseal the gap.
"There, they're buried let's go find the others," Quake said as she followed after Moon Knight.
Subbasement
"I will kill you," Switchblade said as she leapt into the air with two blades instantly in each hand.
Flex, with a command from Murmur moved to meet Switchblade as his arms and hands shifted and became long sharp blades. Blade met blade as the two fought powerfully, one fueled with anger and revenge and the other fueled with the Dream Queen's powers. Hellcat and Arachne moved forward but were quickly met with Box and his machine gun-like arms that began sending off rounds causing the two to move rapidly to keep from being hit. Super Soldier and Silhouette went to move in when a shadow fell behind them. They quickly turned around to a very large white furred Sasquatch standing behind them next to a ghost-like girl.
"I don't know the white creature but the girl is Lilli, codenamed Ghost Girl. Sil I," was all Steve got out when the white furred beast brought down both fists and Steve generated his energy shield just in time to absorb the brunt of the impact.
"You aren't escaping me," Ghost Girl said as she reached into the shadow and pulled a vanishing Silhouette back out and throw her hard against the wall.
"Sil!" Steve shouted as the distraction allowed the white beast grabbed him and lifted Super Soldier high above his body ready to snap him in two.
"Soon, my ritual will be done and no one will be able to stop the Dream Queen," Dream Queen's laugh began to carry over the battlefield.
"Then we got here just in time," Warbird said as she stepped in the room, her costume torn and looking worse for wear with Feedback and Groundhog right behind her, their out fits also battle torn.
"I thought I killed you, never less, I won't make that mistake twice," Dream Queen said as she sacrificed some of her stored power and released it as dozens of demons poured into the room and charged the group.
Next: Issue #4 – A New Beginning – Part Four & Secret Avengers: Operation Canada – Part Four
