Chapter 9: The Block
The Avengers:
Captain America (Steve Rodgers): Sentinel of Liberty
Hawkeye (Clint Barton): Unerring Marksman
Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff): Mutant Speedster
Antman (Scott Lang): Size Changing Superhero
Las Vegas. Two men dressed in suits walk down an alley way off the main strip.
Man 1: You sure it's this way?
Man 2: Yeah right up here and then we-UHH!
Something sends this man right up into the air knocking him out, his companion goes to draw a gun but an arrow tipped with a heavy ball flies into his head knocking him out.
Antman returns to normal size and Hawkeye rappels down onto the street.
Antman: Sure nice of them to give us direction before we knocked them out don't you think?
Hawkeye: Contrary to what most people say there is some honour among thieves.
Antman: You would know.
Hawkeye: So would you.
The two grin at each other.
Captain America: If you two are quite finished.
The SHIELD Helicarrier, hovering among the clouds above Las Vegas obscured from the public's view. In the control room Captain America and Maria Hill are overseeing this operation.
Captain America: We don't have long.
On the streets. Antman enlarges a bag and begins taking clothes out of it, Hawkeye drags the two men behind a dumpster. He takes out a iPhone sized gadget and scans their faces, the scanner then drops out two small tablet sized devices. Hawkeye hands one to Antman who is now changed.
Hawkeye: Here, holographic masks. We'll look like these guys.
Antman takes the device and pushes it into his right ear, suddenly his face shifts and he resembles one of the men.
Antman: Nice. Love these SHIELD gadgets.
Hawkeye gets changed and hands Antman his bow and arrows, Antman attaches devices to them that shrink them to pocket size. Hawkeye activates his mask and it's like nothing happened to the two men.
Antman: So now we're all changed does someone want to tell me what's going on beyond "Hey Scott get your ass to the Helicarrier we have a mission for you"?
On the helicarrier.
Captain America: Sorry for the short notice Scott but with half the team in space and Cho at a conference in China you're the best suited for this mission.
Antman: Hey just want to know what I'm walking into, I've got no issues with doing it. Flattered to be asked really.
Captain America: Over the past couple of weeks we've seen an increase in super powered petty crimes.
Maria Hill: The interesting thing about these crimes is that the energy signature of all the perps matched. Which suggests a common origin.
Captain America: SHIELD picked up an energy spike matching the readings here in Vegas. I need you two to find out who's behind this.
Antman: And take them out?
Captain America: No. This a recon mission only, I want you to get as much information as you can then get out. But if things do go south a SHIELD Howling Commando unit is on standby and Quicksilver is a block away.
Quicksilver: Say the word and I'll be there before you can blink.
On the street. Hawkeye and Antman round the corner ahead of them is a doorway guarded by four armed bouncers.
They approach the bouncers. Three of the bouncers raise their weapons at the two.
Bouncer: Invitations?
Hawkeye hands him the two invites. The bouncer looks up and down and waves them inside.
They walk through the doorway and past some more armed guards.
Antman: Lot of security.
Captain America: Scott?...zzz….Clint? We can't…
Hawkeye: Damn, must be jamming the signal, whatever's going on here it's something that they want to keep quiet.
Antman: We sticking to the plan?
Hawkeye: Yeah, we've got this far.
They keep walking and reach a large room filled with people milling around in front of a stage, the curtains are drawn over the stage. Hawkeye and Antman move through the crowd.
Hawkeye: See the guy with the scar on his cheek? He's a known HYDRA agent. And that one with the arm full of tattoo's is one of Roxxon's thugs.
Antman: It's not just organisation workers, I busted that one with the blue hair for dealing drugs in the airport. But he was a small time dealer what's he doing here?
The curtains begin to open on the stage.
Hawkeye: I think we're about to find out.
Four men step out onto the stage. The first is the suited man from the end of Chapter 8. His suit is a dark blue/purple and there is a visor across his eyes. The second man is the runaway man from Chapter 8, he is now wearing a green spandex suit with the Gemini symbol on the chest. The third is the Archer from Chapter 8 who has the Sagittarius symbol on his chest and finally the fourth is a man in shape but has hoofed feet and a ram's head, the symbol on his chest is that of Aries. The suited man steps towards the microphone.
Suited Man: Good evening, ladies and gentleman. My name is Libra, these are my colleagues; Sagittarius, Aries and Gemini. We are the Zodiac.
The other three Zodiac members spread out across the stage and watch the crowd, like they are looking for something.
Libra: I am grateful that you all came. I appreciate that there is a degree of difficulty when it comes to choosing to respond to a blank invitation but rest assured you have made the right choice. So why are you here? You are here to be better, for us to make you better. That is what the Zodiac does. We offer power to those without it.
Items are bought out onto the stage, an ebony blade, a Porcupine suit, an advanced rifle and many more.
Libra: How do you receive this power? It is simple, you have to make a bid.
One man in the crowd steps forward grinning, he lifts a large suitcase.
Man: Easy. Fifty million for everything on stage.
Libra smiles.
Libra: I am afraid that that is not the nature of this auction. We do not bid in money, we bid in favours. We give you power beyond your dreams and we expect something in return. So tell us, what will you do with our gifts and how will it benefit us?
Aries pushes an item forward, it is a syringe.
Libra: This item is a modified mutant growth hormone serum. This will grant you strength comparable to the mightiest of heroes and the ability to heal from any wound. Now what do you bid?
Hydra Agent: Assassination of your enemies.
Roxxon thug: Roxxon is prepared to offer 45% of our Mid-Western offices profits.
Hand ninja: We offer a resurrection of a loved one.
Libra: No, no, no. You still do not understand. What will you do?
Libra points to the drug dealer Antman singled out.
Libra: You. What would you do with this power? Speak.
Drug Dealer: I…..um, well…I'd get my landlord of my back, even some scores I guess but I wouldn't-
Libra: There. That is the answer we seek. Come, come.
He waves the dealer to the stage, Gemini hands the dealer the serum and waves him out the back entrance.
Antman: It's a power auction. But why are they doing this? What's the endgame?
Hawkeye: If I had to guess maybe to show that they can.
Libra: You are correct Clint Barton. What is the point of possessing power if you cannot lord it over others? Yes I did say Clint Barton. We are not alone this evening, we have very special guests; two of Earth's Mightiest, two Avengers: Hawkeye and Antman.
The crowd turn and begin to surround the two.
Hawkeye: Not good, not good!
Libra: I would like to extend a special offer to all those present. Kill these two meddlers and whatever you desire is on the house!
With a roar the crowd charge at the two.
Antman reaches into his pocket and grabs the shrunk down bow and quiver and throws it at Hawkeye. In the air it enlarges and Hawkeye grabs it. In a blur he draws an arrow and fires it, it explodes in a flash bang stunning several of the crowd.
Antman shrinks down and suddenly several crowd members are thrown around seemingly by nothing. The crowd hesitate.
Crowd Member: What are you doing? Get em!
Roxxon Thug: And get taken out? No thanks!
Hydra Agent: It's just the weak ones!
Hawkeye: It's not just us.
Quicksilver speeds inside and grabs the Hand Ninja who was sneaking up on the two, he slams the Ninja into the wall knocking him out.
Quicksilver: Saved you again Hawkeye.
Hawkeye: I was waiting for a clean shot!
Antman enlarges as he does a flying kick taking out the Hydra Agent.
Antman: Guys can we save the bickering until afterwards? Because I was going to shrink the Ninja!
On the stage Libra smiles.
Libra: Look at them, so high and mighty and secure in their own power. They take nothing seriously do they? That's their mistake, shall we show them the power of The Zodiac?
The Avengers have finished dealing with the crowd, the few that aren't knocked out are making for the exits.
Antman: They're getting away!
Quicksilver: SHEILD's got the place surrounded they won't get far. And neither will you, whatever you're doing ends now.
Libra: Does it now?
Aries, Gemini and Sagittarius step forward. In a blur Aries speeds forward smashing into Quicksilver slamming him through a wall.
Hawkeye: Quicksilver?!
Sagittarius: Don't worry about him, you've got more important things to worry about.
Sagittarius draws an energy arrow and fires it at Hawkeye, Hawkeye also fires an arrow but in the air the energy arrow splits into several smaller arrows, one of the arrows destroys the arrow in the air while the rest of the arrows fly towards Hawkeye, Hawkeye dives into cover but two of the arrows do graze his side!
Hawkeye: AAAAHH!
Antman shrinks down, Gemini steps of the stage towards him.
Gemini: So here's how this is going to go. I can't see you shrunk down like that and you get me by surprise taking me out yeah?
Wham! Antman enlarges knocking Gemini to the ground.
Antman: Pretty much yeah.
Gemini grins.
Gemini: Thing is, there's a lot more of me.
Two identical copies expand out of him and run at Antman, Antman knocks down one of them before the other tackles him, in mid air Antman shrinks down causing Gemini to hit the ground. But out of the two copies come two more copies. They help each other up and run at Antman.
Behind cover Hawkeye takes out an explosive arrow.
Hawkeye: Nice trick you got there. But I've beaten people like you before.
Sagittarius: There's no one like me.
Hawkeye fires his arrow at Sagittarius, Sagittarius fires his energy arrow through the arrow but as the two arrows connect the explosive arrow comes apart firing lots of shrapnel at Sagittarius. Sagittarius simply holds up his bow which expands into a forcefield protecting him from the shrapnel.
Sagittarius: World's greatest marksman? Ha!
He fires his arrows through the cover and into Hawkeye. Hawkeye falls to the ground.
Sagittarius walks towards Hawkeye, his bow shifts into a sword.
The wall explodes and Quicksilver and Aries slam into the room, at super speed they battle all over the room, a blur too fast for eyes to follow until Quicksilver is thrown against a pillar and falls to the ground unconscious.
Aries: For so many years I was afraid of being caught by you people.
Libra: Now show them how you've changed.
The two members of the Zodiac advance on the beaten Avengers. Across the room Antman has been swarmed by fifteen copies of Gemini who have pinned him down.
Antman: Clint? Pietro?! No!
Suddenly Antman enlarges to thirty feet in height throwing off the Gemini's. He steps forward and throws the two Zodiac across the room.
Antman: GET AWAY FROM THEM!
He puts himself between the Zodiac and the Avengers.
Aries: A giant? Cool, it'll be fun killing a giant.
Sagittarius: Won't it just?
Libra: I'm sorry gentleman but that will have to wait until another time. SHIELD have just breached the perimeter. It is time we took our leave. Avengers remember this and think twice before you interfere in our affairs again.
The Gemini copies are absorbed into Gemini and the three members of the Zodiac head next to Libra. The four of them vanish in a flash of light. Antman shrinks down and falls to the floor as SHIELD commandos and Captain America run inside.
Captain America: We came as soon as we could! Are you all alright? What happened here?
Hawkeye sits up bleeding and shakes his head.
Hawkeye: We got our asses kicked that's what.
Captain America: Did you find out who they are?
Antman: They called themselves the Zodiac.
