Author's Note: All right I'm back with another chapter. Hope you guys like this next installment as the Thunderbolts are sent on thier first mission to retrieve the last imprisoned supervillain. Enjoy.
Avengers Crusade: The End Is Nigh
Chapter 4
Calm Before The Storm
"So who are we after?" the Swordsman asked once leadership had been established.
Director Osborn pulled out a tablet like device displaying a holographic image of the target from the screen as the team stood around him. The hologram in question showed a shirtless man in his 30s with long hair tied part way back but whose race and other factors were undetermined due to the monochromatic projection. Norman touched the figure and rotated the man in question facing his team.
"His name is Ivan Vanko, a Russian national whose family holds a grudge against the Stark family. Like his father before him, Vanko is a brilliant physicist that was able to perfectly replicate Iron Man's Arc Reactor technology, calling himself Whiplash. Your job is to retrieve him. Vanko is currently being held in the Triskellion Super Max penitentiary in Russia. It is the sole remaining supervillain prison on the planet that hadn't been affected by the mass breakout of said supervillains. Get in and get out, dispatch anyone who stands in your way. I don't care how you do it so long as you get him and the suit back here alive and in one piece. Do I make myself clear?" he asked.
The Thunderbolts nodded in silence as newly appointed team leader Black Widow looked away.
"Think you can handle that Widow?" he asked caustically. The Widow didn't even acknowledge him.
"Because if you cant then I might defer leadership back to US Agent." He added grabbing her attention. A small, surprised gasp escaped her lips as she looked back at the director who flashed a sinister grin at the agent. She scoffed and narrowed her eyes at the director.
"I can handle it." she answered coldly.
"Good. Just what I wanted to hear." He replied coolly patting her shoulder. The Widow flinched and threw off his hand in disgust.
A few minutes later the team was dispatched to the hanger walking side by side with the new Thunderbolts sizing one another up, wondering how well this new team will mesh? None of the agents had worked together, nor had any knowledge of the other's background. How trustworthy any of them may be or if there may be ulterior motifs for joining the team? Yeah this was going to be fun, Black Widow thought.
The guy with the American Flag on his face worried her most through, and seemed to be the unstable from what little she gathered on Nuke. Swordsman seemed descent in that he wasn't willing to fight a woman, and Paladin wasn't that bad either. At least he was a competent fighter. The US Agent was more of an enigma; of all the people here he was arguably the most heroic. Or at least from what she heard he was. So why was he here? She wondered. The girl with the Technicolor hair behind her was another anomaly, she was a reformed supervillain based on the intel she gathered so why would Norman want a reformed criminal on his team? Besides the obvious sonic screech she possessed? The Black Widow sighed and rolled her eyes, she had to admit she'd have her hands full with this ragtag bunch. They hadn't even boarded yet and she already felt like she was in over her head. Suddenly the allure of a cold, dark cell seemed pleasant to her. At least there she knew who to trust, these guys however… Well, there's no looking back now, might as well make the best of it. She thought to herself as they boarded the plane and set a course for Russia.
"So who's flying this thing?" Black Widow asked as she settled into her seat.
"I'll take it from here." US Agent said getting into the pilot's seat and strapped in.
She looked back at her team as the rest of the Thunderbolts were strapped in and US Agent prepared for takeoff. The interior was remarkably silent as the Agent started up the plane and left the hanger. There was noticeable jerk as the jet raced out of the hanger and left the mountain base in Colorado. For the first 25 minutes of the flight nothing was said between any of the Thunderbolts. It was an uncomfortable silence as none of the team wanted to socialize, but would share the occasional glance before swiftly turning away. The first noise was emitted as Black Widow cleared her throat turning to the cockpit.
"So who wants to play a game?" Songbird joked trying to lighten the mood.
The rest of the team looked at her with annoyed glances before turning away.
"Well…let's get to know each other shall we? My name is Songbird." She introduced.
"We already know each other's codenames. Norman introduced us to each other remember?" Black Widow said annoyed. Her teammate's face fell as she bent over in her seat resting her forearms on her thighs.
"I was just…you know for the sake of conversation. It's going to be a long trip." Songbird admitted in an attempt at humor.
"It shouldn't take us very long to get there at this speed." the US Agent said looking forward.
"Oh." She said disappointed. A smile played on the violet clad swordfighter as he addressed her.
"I am the Swordsman, Jacques Duquesne. It is a pleasure to meet you Mon Amie." He said with a gentlemanly air.
"Paladin." The second violet clad man said to her with a nod and smile.
"Name's Nuke." The flag faced man said sounding like a Marine.
"US Agent." The pilot introduced focused on his flying. The team seemed to have warmed to each other considerably as Songbird smiled at her teammates before turning to her sullen leader who remained bent over in her chair across from her.
"Black Widow." She muttered showing some hostility and looked away.
"At least we feel more like a team now." Songbird smiled.
"Yipee for us. We're a bunch of criminals and lowlifes that's about to break another lowlife out of jail for Norman Osborn." The leader replied sardonically.
"Why does Norman even need this guy?" US Agent asked looking back at her.
"It does seem odd since he was able to construct a Iron Man armor on his own." Swordsman added. Widow sighed and answered.
"My guess is that Norman doesn't have the know how to repeat it, which is saying something." She replied.
"So we're nothing more than errand runners to him. To do something ole Norman can't be seen getting his hands dirty over. That's encouraging. So now the real question is, do we go through with it?" The Agent asked looking back at them.
"Well what do you mean? He got us out. We have to do this or he'll put us back in." Nuke stated from the back.
"And who says we have to go back?" the Agent asked slowing the jet's speed.
"I do." Osborn's voice said over the intercom.
"And if you don't do as I request then I will have no choice but to blow you out of the sky." He informed alarming the team.
"What?" US Agent said trying to find his frequency.
"As the highest law enforcement official in the land. I make the rules. Before leaving the Raft I had all of you inoculated with nanoscopic probes tailored to my command. If you disobey the slightest order I will activate the probes and your bodies will self destruct." Norman explained to them.
"How did you get it inside us? I was never given any shots." US Agent said in anger.
"The probes were mixed in with your food while you were imprisoned. This break out will go as planned. Now US Agent, I have a special gift for you. Switch to auto pilot for a moment and look behind you." He added as a large panel slid open behind him.
The US Agent looked over his shoulder and saw a large eagle shaped shield behind him. The shield in question was semi circular resembling an American eagle with its wings reaching upward nearly touching. The shield was white with a red circular stripe along the bottom half, highlighting its feathers, and a large blue star in the center of the shield, while inside the shield behind the eagle's head was a double edged sword stationed vertically with the back of the shield acting as a sheath. The Agent stood up as he looked at the shield and sword that was presented to him.
"You will take your new shield and use it in the raid. Strike down anyone who stands in your way and show them no mercy. You retrieve Vanko and I will disable the probes for the time being. Those are my orders, do not deviate from them or you will pay the price all of you. Is that clear?" Norman asked his team.
"Yes sir." The Agent replied numbly. A silence fell over the cabin as the Thunderbolts sat in disbelief. And disbelief turned into anger. The crew didn't have any time to stew on it as their leader brought them out of the fog.
"Triskelion prison dead ahead." Black Widow stated as they looked up and could see it from the front of the cabin.
"Right." US Agent muttered and strapped himself into the captain's chair and retook the controls.
"So how are we doing this?" he asked as Black Widow stood behind him.
"Go in low, draw as little attention to ourselves as possible." She ordered.
"Got ya." He said as he brought the airship in.
"Disregard that order Agent. I want you to create as much noise as possible." Osborn said from his command center.
"What? You're kidding." US Agent told him.
"I never kid. Let them know your there." He ordered. The Agent glanced back at her from the corner of his eye, as she stood silent.
"What do we do?" he asked softly.
"They want noise. I'll give them noise." Nuke said as he headed towards the back.
"Nuke no!" Songbird yelled.
"Stay with the ship Nuke that's an order!" Widow yelled over her.
But the superhuman didn't listen and barged out the back of the jet and dropped to the ground. In the next moment a massive explosion went off as the plane cleared. Agent grit his teeth as did the others and muttered 'dammit' as they continued onward. The prison's security was already aware of their presence through early detection as the searchlights came on and guards took to their gun turrets and opened fire. US Agent veered the jet hard left as the bullets raced under the plane's belly taking evasive action. With no other choice the Agent returned fire with a hail of bullets from the inner wings aiming at the turrets.
On the ground below Nuke made his way forward exploding himself every couple of feet to create confusion and drawing attention away from the jet. On board US Agent fired a rocket at one of the turrets as guards jumped from it consuming the tower in the next instant. The jet then started to climb pulling straight up as the other watchtowers opened fire on them from behind, bullets chewed away at the spine and wings of the jet as it evaded them. Back on the ground Nuke made his way towards the prison's entrance as well armed soldiers raced towards them. His eyes flashed wide with a look of rage and slapped his palms together issuing a massive explosion towards the guards knocking six of them back as the supervillain rushed past them. And grit his teeth as he blew away the front gate, the explosion could be seen from the air. By this time the jet had circled back around and opened fire on the prison itself while Nuke blew his way into the main building.
Inside the jail Nuke started to eradiate with orange energy as more armed guards raced towards him. The guards wearing body armor and wielding assault rifles took aim yelling at him in Russian while others grew disturbed at his glowing orange aura. Electricity surged throughout his body as his eyes turned white and seemed ready to burst. But the Russians stood their ground despite the urge to flee from some of the other prison guards. The irradiated supervillain took a step towards them as they took one step back, and then another as Nuke started walking towards them. The radioactive nightmare grit his teeth as he continued towards them summoning spheres of orange energy in his hands as he held them up threatening to blow all the guards and possibly the prison itself away.
White swirls of energy surged over his body and roared as the beams of light raced out of his body finally prompting the guards to retreat. Instead of detonating he punched the floor with both fists causing it to collapse before him and sent the fault towards the nearest wall where the guards had retreated to as they vacated up a flight of stone stairs, causing them to collapse when it reached the wall near them. The guards fell in a heap on the ruined staircase as a pit opened up beneath where Nuke stood. On the upper levels two, three floors open guards opened fire. Streams of red plasma flew past him on all sides as several guards hit their mark getting him from the back and sides.
But the lasers did little more than agitate him as the barrage continued with one hitting him in the temple. The last beam did its job and momentarily stunned him as a tiny stream of blood poured from his temple. Enraging him all the more consuming him in a large sphere of energy. Nuke roared as he powered up ready to deliver the fatal blow to the prison and was ready to expend the energy illuminating his skeleton, a sudden screech hit him from behind as Songbird used her powers to subdue her teammate. The hypersonic scream was effective as he was weakened by the deafening shriek and fell to his knees canceling out his attack. Songbird continued the assault until it was safe and Nuke was no longer a threat. The villain groaned supported only by his knees and elbows as Songbird and the others stood over him.
"Why did you do it?" the nuclear madman groaned.
"Because we haven't gotten the prisoner yet. And we don't need you blowing up this place." Songbird stated softly.
"If anybody shoots this man, this whole place goes up. He has nuclear powers." She said aloud so that the guards heard her. Songbird was bluffing since he had taken hits from them just fine. But figured it wouldn't hurt to have a contingency if things went south.
The guards seemed to understand this and Nuke himself was encouraged at the prospect but was talked out of it by his teammate as they went to retrieve the prisoner. Down the hallway US Agent led the charge brandishing his new shield with Black Widow, Swordsman, Paladin and Songbird following close behind. Halfway up the hall they were met by a handful of guards who were stunned to see a figure resembling Captain America racing towards them. The guards opened fire in close quarters with US Agent blocking the laser artillery with his shield while Black Widow shot back at them with her gauntlet. The Black Widow's bullets pierced a guard's shoulder as she and US Agent rammed the guards at full burst knocking them back and headed into cellblock.
The team raced into a wide-open circular space and found themselves surrounded by hundreds of guards stationed on a round catwalk overhead cocking their laser rifles, as more of them stormed the floor. The five supervillains huddled together with their backs to each other ready to battle. The guards on the floor started to advance with one of them yelling in Russian for them to surrender. Faced with over 200 prison guards and no way out, the Thunderbolts went for their weapons. Paladin drawing his pistols from his waists, Black Widow prepping her gauntlet and US Agent drawing the sword from behind his eagle shield, while Swordsman gripped the hilt of his saber. Again they ordered them to surrender but the Thunderbolts wouldn't yield as one of the guards standing on the catwalk yelled in Russian to open fire.
US Agent raised his shield while Black Widow got down and shot with her wrist-mounted crossbow, while Swordsman drew his blade slicing at the laser beams and the mercenaries split up. Songbird took off in a black, white and pink blur absconding the guards of their rifles as she raced past them in a semi circle. Unleashing her sonic scream on the guards ahead of her as she raced towards them. The bright pink soundwaves decimated the soldiers as they went down in agony cutting the swell of laser fire down to half. The US Agent saw his chance and hurled the semi circular eagle shield at the upper level of guards striking those on the balcony and flew up towards the ceiling before making a return to its master who caught the shield.
"Not bad." He smiled. The Agent looked up as a horde of guards confronted him one on one. And defended himself using his sword and shield as the guard used his rifle as a club.
The blade made contact with the underside of the laser rifle and struck several more times in rapid succession before US Agent hit him in the face with his shield and another one quickly took his place. Seeing something from the corner of his eye he looked up and saw a guard on the balcony brandishing an RPG and fired at him. The Agent threw up his shield as the rocket hit taking the brunt of the explosion the large gap at the top of his shield however blew past it hitting his face and shoulder and went down to one knee.
Guards and Thunderbolts looked back at the fireball in the center of the room. Smoke and flames cleared showing the US Agent alive and in one piece crouched down on one knee his shield held defiantly overhead. The Agent's sword clattered to the ground as he groaned having survived the hellish blast with bits of his mask torn away with clumps of hair peeking through the rips in his cowl. The Agent groaned raggedly out of breath as he looked up at the prison guards and picked up his sword and stood a moment later unfazed as he assumed a fighting stance.
"Who else wants a piece?" he asked pointing his blade at the guards. The Agent staggered forward it was clear the blast had taken its toll on him but was still willing to fight.
Alarmed at his determination the guards shot him at from close range. With beams striking him as he moved forward. The Agent grit his teeth and threw his shield once more at the ground operatives taking them out in one sweep. While the guards above him were thunderstruck. A fellow guard broke them out of their stupor as they rained down laser fire on him from above. The US Agent looked up at the offending party after his shield had returned to him and threw it again taking out the supporting braces underneath the catwalk the troopers were standing on and gave way. The guards yelled as the bridge collapsed taking them down with it and landed before the US Agent as he continued toward the next hallway, into the cellblock where the target was kept.
The Agent sheathed his sword in his shield and walked down the hallway dispatching those that had intercepted him, and took them out with a few quick moves. The Agent strapped his shield to his back standing infront of the cell, and seemed to have a luminescent green force field for a door. The Agent tried hacking the control panel before smashing it with his fist, and the shield vanished. He looked up and saw the prisoner sitting on a bench.
"Ivan Vanko?" he asked.
"Who wants to know?" the man asked cloaked in shadow.
"Your get out of jail free card has just arrived." the Agent said.
"And to whom do I owe the pleasure of freeing me?" he asked.
"Norman Osborn is in need of your services." He explained.
"And what if I refuse this generous offer of his?" Vanko inquired from the shadows.
"You don't." the Agent replied narrowing his eyes at him. Vanko stared back at him before responding.
"I'll need my stuff." he said.
"Done." the Agent replied.
Outside the jail several large explosions went off rattling the Triskelion before an enormous blast in its center decimated the supervillain prison while the Thunderbolts walked out the front entrance with Vanko clad in his Whiplash armor in tow as flames engulfed the front entrance and was blown apart as they left. That evening they returned to Thunderbolts Mountain in Colorado.
"Well done team you have all performed admirably. But special mention goes to US Agent, I like what you did tonight Johnny. I really did. Only maybe next time you can actually kill someone? Regardless you brought me the person I asked for." Norman congratulated his team. Whiplash scoffed behind his iron hockey mask as he addressed Osborn himself.
"So what's the real reason you brought me out here Osborn?" he asked speaking in a heavy Russian accent.
"I need your expertise in building a new armor for me. You see Iron Man managed to devestate my last suit and I as hoping you'd be able to improve its design." the director smiled touching Vanko's shoulder. Vanko's beady red eyes narrowed into slits as he threw off the director's hand.
"This is joke you seriously bring me all the way up here just to repair your armor? I had expected better from you Osborn. I am going now, don't bother to contact me again." he said storming out. But Osborn merely smirked and answered taking a step towards him.
"You misunderstand me my friend. What I'm offering you is so much bigger than a simple repair job. I am offering you a chance to destroy Iron Man and the superhero community at large. One from which they will never recover from." the villain clarified. Vanko stopped dead in his tracks on the far side the room and looked back at the director.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"With your intellect and my resources we will raise an army of Iron Mongers that will decimate the Avengers, along with every other hero that stands in our way." Norman said clenching his fist.
"You will finally have your revenge on Iron Man, and kill all those he ever held dear in his life. His loved ones and his teammates then when its finally over, and you stand over him triumphant. He will beg you to kill him." Osborn stated.
The proposition was too good for him to pass up, as he imagined taking away everything from the man that had ruined his life. Whiplash narrowed his eyes at him.
"Okay. I will help you." Whiplash answered.
"Good, let's get started then." Norman said flashing a sinister smile.
Author's Note: All right so what'd you think of that? I know alot happened in this chapter. But I dont feel like I accomplished much in this chapter as far as the story pacing is concerned. I dont know what do you think? I imagine by now some of you have figured out who the villain Ivan Vanko is though it wasnt exactly that hard to guess. That's right the prisoner the Thunderbolts were after was the main villain from Iron Man 2 better known as Whiplash, who made an appearance in the comics around the same time the movie came out. If you go to Wikipedia and type in 'whiplash (comics)' and click the last name you'd see what he looks like in animated/comic form. So does it feel like I accomplished anything worthwhile in this chapter? I'm just curious I dont mean to complain or anything. One of the things I loved abotu this chapter was having an awesome fight scene with the Thunderbolts. All right well that's it for now. Let me know what you guys think of it.
Please review,
Green Gallant.