Avengers Inc: The Doominators
Issue #3 – Origins – Part Three
Manta
Many Years Ago ~ Armor Wars Aftermath
"Why are you so angry?" Walter Newell asked as he limped towards the woman he had married not to long ago.
"Because, you were almost killed," Diane Arliss-Newell said through tears.
"I was not, I was just fine. The Avengers were with me," Walter responded with a wave of his hands.
"Like that makes me feel any better," Diane said glancing at the television that was recapping the battle on Hydro-Base and the public firing of Iron-Man who had falsely accused a Hero and allied member of the Avengers of steeling Stark technology.
"Stark had made a mistake, no damage done," Walter said as he picked up the remote and turned off the television.
"No damage? If you'd been around you would have received your message that after that accusation with leasing the Hydro-Base to the Avengers and aiding them your funding has been cut. You've been let go Walter," Diane cried.
"Hey, we'll be fine. We got money saved and money coming in from the Avengers using Hydro-Base. Everything will work out. You knew the life I lived before we got married and it was the same life that helped protect people from Tiger Shark," Walter said regretting the dig he just made.
"You leave my brother out of this. I am fully aware of all the decisions that have been made. It just scares me so much now," Diane said.
"There's more to this, what's got you so upset?" Walter asked stepping closer to his wife.
"Walter, I need you to quit being Stingray and promise me you won't battle villains again," Diane pleaded.
"Why?" Walter asked as he took his wife's hands.
"For the baby," Diane whispered with a smile through her tears.
"I can't believe this. Don't worry. I will always be here for the two of you. No more Stingray, I promise," Walter said dropping to his knees and kissing his wife's belly.
Few Years Later ~ Pre-The Crossing
"Mommy, Mommy!" A child screams at the sound of two people fighting.
"Stay in your room, honey. Walter, you promised," Diane said as she closed her child's door and then walked back into the living room and brought her voice down.
"They need me. I can't turn my back on them," Walter said as he glanced to the right at his red and white suit lying on the sofa.
"What about us? We need you. You made a promise to me that you would quit. There's so much I can take. I looked the other way when you were sneaking out as Stingray and pretended you were at work. Then the Hydro-Base was destroyed during your battle with the Avengers during that acts of vengeance. You lost everything including the money that place helped bring in," Diane started to yell and had to calm herself as to not frighten the little ears listening behind closed doors.
"Honey, I apologized for that and I haven't worn the suit since," Walter said wishing his wife would understand the role a hero has to play.
"Yeah, only after I decided to give you another chance. I told you, after your fight with my brother and then working with him to save me from that cave-in, that you had to make a choice, your family or Stingray. No more chances and you said you chose me, us," Diane said.
"I did, and I haven't worn the suit since, but you have to understand, I am needed now. When the Avengers need you it isn't' a call you can ignore," Walter said picking up his suit.
"Then make your choice," Diane said flatly.
"Diane, stop this. I promise I will be back and we can talk about it when I return," Walter said.
"If you go out that door we will not be here when you return," Diane said.
"Diane, I love you. I'll be back soon," Stingray said as he had his suit on, blew a kiss to the little face peaking out the bedroom door and then flew off.
"Love you too," Diane whispered after as she turned, grabbed her child, suitcase and car keys and left the apartment for good.
Present Day
Stingray Aquatics
"Why are we stopping here? This building has been abandoned for month," Norbert asked as he and Doom approached the run down and boarded up office space near the bay.
"Our next recruit is finally ready," Doom said as he pointed up and they saw a man in a wheelchair sitting on the edge of the roof.
"Who is that? He looks ready to jump," Norbert questioned.
"That is Walter Newell, the ex-Avenger called Stingray. After his wife divorced him and moved across the country, he continued to bury himself in Heroics and fighting with the Avengers. Then the Avengers and Stingray had parted ways and he had decided he wanted to get his life and his family back.
"Despite his wife saying no and refusing to let him see his son, Walter began researching and had started rebuilding Hydro-Base, keeping it underwater, and began the stages of getting his carrier and reputation jump started. Just as he was getting on his feet, the Avengers went to war with Ultron. Thanks to me, I blew up the base with him in it and made it appear as if it was due to the Avengers.
"He made it out alive but he lost the Hydro-Base, all his money invested in it and his ability to walk due to his legs getting crushed. Because the Avengers had disbanded for good and they claimed they had no part in the destruction, they refused to financially reimburse Walter but Tony Stark did pay for all his medical expenses. Walter was furious and with the news this solidified his wife's case to revoke his visitation rights to their son due to dangerous lifestyle.
"Walter decided to try one last attempt. He took his insurance money, the money he made from selling what was left of Hydro-Base to Dwayne Taylor **See Current Issues of Power Pack/New Warriors Back Up Stories to see what Dwayne uses it for now** and the last of his saving and built Stingray Aquatics, a new company for manufacturing and selling technology for underwater usage. The company started off and was doing well and till recently when I, appearing to him as a subsidiary of Stark Industries, bought out his suppliers and forced his company into bankruptcy leaving him with absolutely nothing," Doom said with a laugh.
"Well, thanks to Tony and the Avengers I have officially lost everything and have nothing to live for," Walter said with a drunken slur as he waved his bottled and moved his chair closer to the edge of the roof.
"Now, Dr. Newell, I wouldn't say that," Doom said causing Walter to roll back from the edge as two floating men rose in front of him.
"What do you two want with me?" Walter slurred throwing the empty bottle at them.
"How about giving you a reason to live and get revenge on those that wronged you and took your family from you?" Doom asked as he and Norbert recruited their next victim.
Giganta & Moonraker
Somewhere Between Time & Space
"Finally," Doom said as stepped into a strange glowing space of white nothingness.
"Where are we?" Norbert asked.
"We are in a pocket dimension resting somewhere between time and space," Doom answered.
"Why are we here?" Norbert asked.
"To retrieve another member of the Dominators. During one of my experiments I discovered this pocket and registered a human life form. I used up a lot of resources and discovered who was here and we better make it fast, for we only have thirty minutes before the portal here is closed forever," Doom said as they moved slowly through the white void.
"Who's there?" A voice called out.
"Friends, we mean you no harm," Doom called back to see a woman wearing a yellow and purple costume that was torn and seen better days.
"How can this be? She died years ago and she looks to have not aged a day," Norbert said in shock.
"I thought you might like this one. As for her age, this pocket dimension seems to freeze the advancing of time," Doom said with a smile.
"Paul?" The woman questioned using the name only certain and very few individuals were allowed to use.
"Rita DeMara, the Yellowjacket!" Norbert exclaimed seeing the woman he had once loved, vowed to kill after being rejected and continued to think about ever since.
"How is this possible? Why are you here?" Rita asked very confused emotionally as she has been sitting in this white place for longer than she could keep count.
"When you vanished after the Infinity War I swore I would never give up till I found you again. Doom here, discovered this place and we came in to investigate and here you are. How did you get here?" Norbert asked using his old feeling and taking advantage of the situation.
"I don't know. Last I remember is being in the future with the Guardians of the Galaxy and then returning home to the present. I was at the Avengers mansion when I remember turning around and there was Iron-Man who opened fire on me and then I woke up here, wherever here is. I know I've been here for a very long time but yet I've not aged or even eaten now that I think of it," Rita explained still very confused.
"That is because you are in a pocket dimension that is void of aging, almost as if in suspended animation. Since your body does not advance in time, it doesn't use resources and doesn't feel nor requires food or water. It seems when Iron-Man tried to kill you, his power must have triggered the residue of your time travel and sent you here while making it look as if you were vaporized," Doom half-lied not revealing to Rita that Iron-Man was under the control of Immortus and it was his time aura that conflicted with her time aura causing the reaction that sent her here.
"I am trying to remember, but I can't place why Iron-Man would want me dead," Rita said.
"Because he has turned evil. As you have been here, many, many years have passed on Earth. Tony and his large army of Avengers Inc have taken over the world. No one dares stop their attempt at world domination but us. We are forming a group of those opposed to the Avengers, want revenge against them and simply want to bring them down," Norbert said dropping a few names of recruits that raised her eyebrow confirming to her that this must be a legit and a group wanting to battle evil.
"We don't have much time. Agree to join us and leave with us," Doom said heading to the portal out.
"Yes, Rita, please join us, me," Norbert said as he held out his hand to Rita DeMara.
Another Part of the Pocket Dimension
Doom held back as Norbert and Rita vanished back to Earth. Rita was an accidental find but what he didn't tell Norbert was that there was someone else he had discovered that brought them here. During a battle he had vanished, to almost all he was presumed dead, to very few he was stuck in the Between, but to Doom he now knew he was alive and residing right here in this pocket dimension. Doom approached the bald headed blind man.
"Stop, who's there?" The blind man asked turning his head towards Doom.
"I am a friend," Doom said checking his watch for the time left.
"You are no friend," the man laughed.
"But I can be, Gustav Brandt, or should I call you Libra?" Doom asked.
"I may be blind but I can see that you are posing an interesting path," Libra said with strange smile.
"That I am, and I must say you do look good for a man thought dead and missing," Doom chuckled.
"It seems that when I used my abilities in my last battle with the Avengers I was sent here instead of the Between and in that process I lost all my powers except psychic senses that still work in a fashion. I am assuming that time has moved on outside of here, have I missed much?" Libra asked.
"Well, your daughter, Mantis, is somewhere off in space in parts unknown, and I am putting together a team to bring down the Avengers," Doom said as he gave a brief run down of world events since he has been dead from the world, including the employee and Force Works member Moonraker that had attempted to pose as Gustav.
"Then I guess it's only fair to return the favor," Libra said as he took Doom's hand and accepted his offer and way home.
Next: Issue #4 – Origins – Part Four