Fixer sat in the rented Ford Transit van, a mile outside the military cordon, running the diagnostics that Melissa had got from the comatose Mockingbird. The situation that was unfolding was confusing to say the least, Mockingbird seemed to be surrounded by not only the strange mist but an energy source that pulsated and vibrated in an odd manner. Whatever it was needed further spectral and entropic analysis. He was just about to ask Melissa to set up the electro-magnetic sampling poles he had packed when the gunshots sounded.

Deep underground the sound of an M16 buzzing as it sprayed bullets into the shadowy figure filled the silent hall. Cursing under his breath Abe struggled as the weapon bucked, his lack of skill evident, although he had scored a few lucky hits. Not that it mattered whoever or whatever the thing in the doorway was seemed to shrug off the projectiles and took a step into the room. Almost immediately all the shields and swords hung on the walls dropped shattering into brilliant blue sand that hung in the air creating a glowing blue ceiling. The attacker roared and ran straight at Abe, covering the ground in an impossibly quick time considering his bulk and the cloak he was wearing, and struck him with a powerful blow knocking him towards the alter. Just in time a glowing pink wall materialized in front of the comatose Mockingbird preventing Abe from smashing into her. Turning Abe saw Melissa erupt with pink light, her wings shredding the shirt and combat trousers she had been wearing revealing her Songbird uniform.

"Abe get dressed." Melissa ordered, "I'll cover you."

Abe didn't need to be told twice running to the bag as Melissa fired a volley of pink darts at the figure that was now targeting her. Opening the duffel bag he found what he needed, the cut down version of the MACH V armor he had been working on. Slipping the visor down the system's electronics glowed green indicating that it was now online. Abe strode into battle only to see Songbird flying towards him, thrown by her attacker who now stood between the altar and the two Thunderbolts.

"Your turn." she said sweetly before getting to her feet.

"Let's see if he can handle this." Abe replied switching the weapon system to the arm mounted flamethrowers. In an instant the figure was surrounded by bright orange flames that swirled underneath the blue ceiling. With a roar the attacker stepped from the fire, it's cloak smoldering, revealing a craggy orange body and bright blue eyes.

"Is that the Thing?" Melissa asked, "Because if it is he obviously has been taking anger management classes from the Hulk."

"Radiation Signature is a match." Fixer confirmed, "He's been in here a lot, as soon as her arrived I picked up a forth set of footprints across the entire room."

"Interesting Fixer, but he's trying to kill us." Abe said, "Do you have any suggestions?"

"Looks like he's just protecting Mockingbird." Melissa commented, "Maybe a little diplomacy is what we need." she added.

"Hey er The Thing we are here to help?" Abe shouted to no avail the rocky being staring blankly at them.

"Maybe this will work?" Melissa replied throwing the burnt shield towards the Thing. The shield flew a little low impacting on the rocky beings shins causing him to grunt in pain. Abe quickly swapped the weapon system and fired a hail of Flachettes from the shoulder mounted launcher. The darts fared no better then the bullets, despite the modifications that Abe had made to the design, and were simply deflected in all directions. One or two deflected up combining with the blue mist the impact points turning violet as the corruption spread until the ceiling looked like menacing storm clouds as fingers of mist solidified around Mockingbird's sleeping frame. The Thing roared and grabbed the hand only to be struck by a second hand from behind as a third and fourth joined in throwing the giant into a pillar before turning back to Mockingbird. As they closed in around her a pink bubble formed shielding Mockingbird and causing the hands to dissipate into wisps of smoke and the 'ceiling' to collapse into piles of white sand.

"What just happened?" Melissa asked retracting the pink bubble shield.

"Don't ask me I just work here?" Fixer answered.

"Watch it the Thing's getting back up." Abe replied as the Thing got to his feet.

"Uh are you guys okay." The Thing groaned,

"Why did you attack us, we only came to help." Abe spat

"Technically you attacked first" the Thing grunted "this place kinda changes people if they spend too much time here. I was employed as sort of a guardian of the fallen after I arrived. I was ordered to attack anyone who entered until they proved themselves a worthy ally of the Asgaridans. What are you two doing here anyway?" he asked scratching his forehead with a giant palm

"Property Hunting." Fixer said sarcastically, "What do you think you giant piece of gravel."

"We're looking for survivors." Songbird said hastily glad that the Thing couldn't here Fixer's sarcastic comment.

"Did Osborne send you?"

"No we are independent at the moment." Abe stated, "I don't suppose you can tell us what's going on?"

"Yeah I can but not here." The Thing answered, "But you need to be quiet, especially you Mimi, things are sleeping here and I would rather not wake them up again."

"Is it safe to leave her?" Melissa asked gesturing to Mockingbird.

"Yeah as long as you're quiet now come on before I leave you here with her." The Thing replied agitation creeping into his voice.

Shrugging Abe and Melissa followed the Thing out of the room carrying the bag of tools and the Shield. It seemed like ages as the three of them traipsed through half collapsed galleries and trashed halls before reaching a set of seemingly intact stone stairs flanked with flickering torches.

"Wait here." The Thing ordered disappearing down the stairs. A few minutes later he returned and beckoned for them to join him as he disappeared back down the stairs. Following Melissa and Abe strode into a massive octagonal chamber with multiple alters surrounded by wispy mist. Each alter was occupied with a hero placed on them seemingly clothed in the same Asgardian style clothes as Mockingbird. At the far end of the chamber an Iron Man suit of armor was slumped against the wall as a young woman with cropped brown hair streaked with magenta worked on it with a battered palm-top computer.

"There here; Hawkeye, Mrs. Marvel, one of the Captain Americas." Abe said as he went around the room. "Spider Woman, Luke Cage, Nick Fury and Clint this is the A-Team alright."

"If we could wake them we could end this now." Melissa added

"You can't." the woman replied, "We tried that and it cost us Mister Fantastic as well as our sanity."

"These are the guys I was talking about Rach." Ben stated, "MACH V and Songbird."

"Songbird doesn't have red hair Ben." Rachel replied without even looking at Melissa or Abe

"I'll vouch for her, she saved Bobbi upstairs from those hand things."

"Is Tony here?" Abe asked. Rachel shook her head and walked up to the Thing who placed an arm around her in comfort.

"No Rach and I are the only one's still awake from our side. Tony's body is still missing as is Cap's," The Thing stated, "and call me Ben."

Melissa saw that Rachel had tears in her eyes as she stared at the shield in her hand.

The four of them talked for a while; long enough for the torch's to change from warm orange to a deep shade of blue. Rachel talked about how she survived the initial fall; she had awakened trapped in a giant diamond. Ben told them about the doomed rescue mission that the Fantastic Four had been on with the very walls of Asgard coming alive and turning them against each other. They explained how the chamber they were in and the one that contained Mockingbird were used for the Odin-sleep by the Allfather and that the unconscious or dead bodies of the Heros in the room were regenerating. Melissa and Abe responded by telling Rachel and Ben about what Norman Osborne and HAMMER were up to on the surface.

"We need help, Osborne will continue this cycle until there is nothing left." Melissa explained, "We are trying to re-forge the Thunderbolts to offer some resistance, maybe even stop him before he strikes again."

"Why not call yourself Avengers, there's nothing but shame associated with the Thunderbolts." Ben asked before adding sheepishly, "No offence guys."

"Because it's who we are." Melissa replied, "The name doesn't matter anyway Avengers, Thunderbolts as long as we are pointed at Osborne and ready to fire."

"I can't come with you." Ben responded after a long pause, "I need to stay here and keep these guys safe. When they wake I'll let you know though."

"How about you Rachel?" Abe asked.

"I'll help you, Osborne took Steve away from me, turned Frank against me and left me down here to die. Payback's a bitch and I'm her."

"Hey Fixer good news, we got Diamondback and found the cavalry when they wake up." Abe said cheerfully, "It's not exactly the cavalry but it's a start."

"I've got some bad news guys." Fixer responded, "X-Ray called in the reinforcements. About twenty HAMMER shock-troops just turned up and they didn't come alone."

"Who did they bring?" Songbird moaned

"Vector, Scorcher and somebody I don't recognize. Plus it gets worse."

"How much worse?" Abe asked

"They know that you're down there," Fixer replied, "and there coming in after you."

"What's the fastest way out of here Ben?" Abe asked, "I'd rather fight Osborne's creeps outside."

"I'll try and stall them but I'm not promising anything." Fixer offered

"There is a way but you have to be quiet and try not to touch anything." Ben replied, "Rach knows the way and the rules."

"Thanks Ben for everything." Melissa said touching Ben's arm, "Fixer we're coming up." she added but got no response but static.

"Get out of here." Ben said softly, "Oh and clobber them extra hard for me will ya."

Melissa nodded as Rachel led them into what seemed to be a covered well with glowing purple crystal spikes sticking out of the shaft.

"This well leads to anywhere in Asgard." Rachel explained, "The shaft goes through a particularly nasty part of Asgard that can be entered and exited through these crystals. When we enter the field try not to touch anything and don't say a word, the field has one resident who won't be thrilled that we are moving through. Okay shield your eyes I'm about to cut a hole into the field and it can be a little bright."

Melissa covered her eyes and Abe activated the filters to tint 90% as Rachel produced a pair of foot long diamond blades from her arms. Quickly she stabbed into the wall and cut a symbol releasing a bright light that caused Abe to lose focus despite the tinting. When he regained his vision he could hardly see and reversed the tint back to 0% revealing a narrow tunnel made of a silken material with a pair of indents in it. He reached out to touch the wall but received a quick slap on the hand from Melissa who shook her head in disproval. Quickly the three headed for one of the exits carved in the silk, as they entered Abe thought he saw something red and blue move behind him but quickly dismissed it as they entered a chamber that looked like it was made of pink glass with a round structure, similar to a sun-dial mounted in the center also carved our of pink glass. Rachel quickly interacted with the sun-dial before being engulfed in sparkling pink lights that whirled around her before moving on to Abe and Melissa, closing his eyes Abe felt a jolt that forced them open again. Looking around he realized that they were at the base of the lift shaft they had come down in.

"Well well." a female voice said mockingly, "Looks like my brother was right, little Melissa has come out to play." Standing at the bottom of the lift was Rhonda her arms folded with a scowl on her face. Suddenly green smoke began to billow from her mouth as her form turned into a thick poisonous fog that smothered them. Coughing Melissa fell to her knees, her vision seeing nothing but green as her lungs began to burn.