I have been pretty busy lately.. I am not sure when the next chapter will be ready, but as I mentioned before, expect Captain Marvel. Hope you guys enjoy...
Wundagore Mountain: REBIRTH
Wundagore Castle
Simple mission supposedly – yes, most likely in and out of the place within a week. Yeah.. right, when has that ever happen?! First, however, locate the energy signature, then observe without, most likely, getting shot at or killed, and finally, get the hell out of there. However, back to the first part, locating energy source means crawling through a dirty, dark, and damp tunnel, dirty as in not just filthy with soot, but also enduring a moldy stench. The musty smell would have irritated most people, but fortunately for Jessica, even with her heighten senses, has become accustomed to such smells due to her training. The odor doesn't seem to be bothering Natasha either. Her partner seems totally unfazed,or at least she is not letting it on that she is bothered. Hydra training involved crawling through mud, and other disgusting sludge. Who knows what Natasha had to go through to become immune to wretched stenches and nauseating muck. Still, the smell was not as bad as other places Jessica has experienced; at least she doesn't feel the onset of a headache. 'I really gave up my private investigator job to be a lofty Avenger,' Jessica thought sarcastically.
The two were making their way through a dark tunnel underneath Wundagore Castle. Both of them had night vision lenses strapped to their faces. 24 hours earlier, the Quinjet had landed in an open area in a forest near a village. Dressed in simple clothing, a robe, and cloth boots. the two made their way through the woods to the village. To say the two were defenseless was an understatement. Natasha, in typical fashion packed underneath her clothing has enough armament to take out an army, figuratively speaking, of course.
Their portable energy scanners have guided the two women across fields littered with flowers. Wundagore Mountain was an older mountain – much similar to the Appalachian Mountains in the Eastern part of the United States. The mountain has been worn down by time, moved further south by plate tectonics activiy – no longer snow covered, but vibrant with vegetation and exotic flowers. With proper cultivation, one can probably place a resort on the mountain. What presently stands out near the peak of the mountain is Wundagore Castle, overseeing a small village below. Decades ago, Dr. Herbert Edgar Wyndham, or better known to the world as the High Evolutionary, performed experiments accelerating the evolution of animals to more advanced beings. With moderate success, he created the the New Men warriors, otherwise knows as the Knights of Wundagore. Wyndham equipped them with advanced weaponry and armor to fend off the the evil demon Chton, sealed within the mountain. Upon defeating Chton, supposedly, the High Evolutionary ended his experiments at Wundogore Mountain, and has taken his New Men to Counter-Earth.
As the two strolled earlier through the forest and fields, the Wundogore landscape also brings back Jessica's past memories, memories of a childhood that never came to be. Before she became ill with radiation poisoning at a young age, she used to play in the mountain areas. Both her parents were scientists exploring the adaptivity of spiders within the region. Jessica remembers the last moments with her parents; her mother crying as she held her tightly, and her father injecting her daily with an experimental serum based on irradiated spiders' blood before being placed in a genetic accelerator. She wakes up decades later to find her parents gone, and under the care of Dr. Herbert Wyndham. She is then some times later ostracized from Wundogore, and brainwashed by Hydra. Parker called his life's misfortunes "Parker" luck. Her past has not been a bed of roses; maybe she should she call her luck, "Drew" luck? Heck, she remembered when she first met Peter as Spider-Man. Peter had caught her returning money that she, in the moment of panic and desperation, had stolen. Once he heard her history, he said her life sounded just as bad as his and let her go. Pitied and released by Spider-Man..is that possible?!
Natasha and Jessica had been crawling for ten minutes in the pitch dark. Ever so often, the two would see large rats scurrying along. Jessica hated rats. More than anything else, she wants to venom-blast these creatures to oblivion. However, the noise from the venom blast would probably give away their presence. So now, she has to bear and endure the pesky little critters.
Natasha looks at Jessica with an air of concern. She was quite aware of Jessica's dislike for rats, and her propensity to be impulsive at times. However, on this trip, she sense additional anxiety in Jessica – bad memories, or perhaps she is worried about Spider-Man? "You used to play here as a child?" Natasha whispers.
Jessica nods, "Except there weren't as many rats back then."
"Lovely.." Natasha responds.
The two deadly assassins come upon a iron grate separating them from a dimly lit hallway. Beneath the grate were littered some of the colorful mushrooms they encountered in the wooded areas they transversed; Jessica brushes them aside Both of them then remove their night vision goggles so they can peer through the grate. Down the hallway, they see a large oak door with light shining underneath the door – the most likely source of the energy readings. The two also see an armored figure walking through the hallway away from the oak door; the figure was carrying … a pink sword?
Hoping that the person walks past them and leaves, the two stay silent and motionless behind the grate. The person, however, stops, leans against a wall, removes his helmet, takes out a device, and starts playing with it.
'Great! We have to encounter someone addicted to Candy Crush!' thought Jessica.
Without the helmet, Jessica can make out the physical features of an evolved hog. Recalling the Avenger's database, she recognizes the evolve being as the one called "Sir Hogg," one of the New Men, who is supposedly last reported to be at Counter-Earth. The Avengers database reports Sir Hogg as an expert swordsman, but really.. a pink sword?! Jessica had to bite her tongue to refrain from making a sarcastic remark – unfortunately, her time with Spider-Man and his annoying bantering seem to have an adverse effect on her. When she first came upon the hero scene, witty and sarcastic comments were not her forte, but after hanging out with Parker, and watching Looney Tunes with him – she now has the urge to scream "Hey Porky!"
Jessica looks at Natasha and rolls her eyes. It doesn't take much for Natasha to read the annoyance in Jessica's face. The two wait for Sir Hogg to leave. ½ hour, 1 hour, then 2 hours pass. During that time, the light underneath the large oak door disappears for an hour, then reappears.
Jessica looks at her scanner. Definitely a strong energy reading was coming from behind that large oak door. Scanner readings correlate with the light source. What type of energy, she can't tell – these portable energy scanners are limited in sensititvity. Maybe if Stark increased the size of the antenna design within the unit and increase the S/N ratio.. 'God, what am I thinking. Antenna, signal to noise ratio, I can't believe I'm geeking out like Parker! Speaking of Parker, he probably is swinging around as Spider-Man – disobeying my request. Men! They never listen. He probably is going to get himself in deep trouble, and I have to drag his sorry butt out of the fire..'
As the many thoughts race through her head, Jessica sees that the light is still eminating from underneath the oak door – how long will it be before the light source behind the door stops? She feels an urgency to make a move before the light source is gone. Hydra had trained Spider-Woman well in seduction, assassination, and black ops; one class she never did well in was patience. In fact, Madame Hydra reprimanded her many times for impulsively venom blasting the the target when she should have been practicing strategic patience. And now in a dark tunnel, kneeling uncomfortably within a tight cramp space, and irritated by a less than pleasant odor, Jessica starts to rub her finger tips, producing green sparkling energy from her fingers.
Black Widow sees the sparkling energy and motions to Spider-Woman to hold back with her palms up. She points to the top of her wrist – signaling patience. At the same moment, a rat walks over Jessica's sandals…breaking point.
Within seconds, the sound of iron giving way, and "ZAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPP," a green bioelectric discharge fills the air. Black Widow stares at Jessica wide-eyed; Jessica had ripped open the grate and venom blasted Sir Hogg into unconsciousness; she had aimed her venom blast at an opening in his armor.
"Easier to ask for forgiveness than permission…" Spider-Woman replies with a smirk. Natasha can only roll her eyes and sigh as the two step out into the dimly lit hallway. Cautiously the two head towards the oak door. When the two are within an arms distance, the sound of multiple footsteps and the clanking of armour can be heard echoing from the opposite end of the hallway. Evolved creatures, the New Men with advanced weaponry and amour, appear at the end of hallway and rush toward the two Avengers.
"This is a set up!" Natasha yells. The narrow hallway did not leave much for movement. Natasha is right, this is a trap, and she, Jessica fell for it. She hears Natasha jump onto the wall and proceeds to bounce from wall to wall – a good tactical move. Natasha readies her stingers, and within seconds, the sound of the Widow's bite can be heard cutting through the air, followed by the sound of energy weapons.
Tactical analysis –the two won't be able to reach the grate in time before the crowd reaches them. And with their opponents possessing long distance weaponry, the two female Assassins are sitting ducks in the narrow hallway; but there is another option, the heavy oak door in front of her. Time to use her spider strength - Jessica kicks the door in front of her as hard as she can – "Krack!" The door cracks open; pieces of splintered wood fly everywhere - and behind the door, a blinding light?! Jessica shields her eyes, but too late, she can't see. "Argghh!" A sudden pain permeates her entire body originating from her back – she has been shot. Then another shot. Spider-Woman feels her body go into shock. Natasha has already fallen and is unconscious in front of her. Struggling, she tries to identify her assailants, but only can make out some of their voices.
"We have intruders!" a voice shouts from the crowd.
Jessica, semi-consciously watches, as everything before her appears in slow motion. New Men are scrambling to secure the area. One has his weapon pointed at Natasha, and the two more are approaching her with weapons drawn.
"Don't harm them! One of them may be the one whom our Lord is expecting."
Jessica's body gives out and blackness ensues.
New York Waterfront:
'Cripes!' thought Spider-Man as a tentacle just missed decapitating him. Immediately, he jumps to the right - Crash! His heart is pounding rapidly. Spider-Man had avoided another tentacle as it came smashing down on him. He was getting tired. 'I knew it was too easy.. " He wasn't ready for a prolonged fight, not to mention against 5 robots. There was a reason why Jessica didn't want him to face any major villains, and why she kept pushing him to train at Avenger's tower. Back then, he thought she was just trying to get even with him for all his bantering. Now he regrets not listening to her.
Still, Spider-Man noted that the 5 robots were keeping their distance from another – probably so he can't turn one against the other, a method he would often use on the sinister six. Tactical, not strategic.
Still, there was something different with the attitude of these robots. If Octavius was controlling them, he would keep bragging about his intellectual superiority as he tries to kill him, but the action of these robots were more brutal – these things just want to kill him. No bragging, no perception of an intellectual challenge, just anger and rage.
"Perhaps after doing away with you, I will pay a visit to that old lady and red-headed friend of yours," threatened the voice from the robot.
'No. Not Aunt May and Mary Jane! No, no one else will die because of me!' Memories of Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacy fill his mind, along with anger and guilt. Spider-Man webs up his two fists as he avoids another tentacle that pounds the ground on which momentarily stood on. He somersaults onto the top of the robot, and stands on its shoulders. Furiously, Spider-Man punches the glass dome as hard as can. Smash! Pieces of glass fly everywhere. Spider sense goes crazy – all angles – Wham!
"Arghh!" – Spider-Man is swatted hard away from where he stood, and is knocked 10 feet way. 'My sides hurts – probably cracked a couple of ribs.' Probabilty of defeating this merry bunch has dropped to less than 10% - crappy odds; time to retreat. 'Look like I failed you Jessica….' He realizes that instance of anger has led to a poor judgement that may have cost him his life – something that Spider-Woman has been warning him about.
Spider-Man, shielding his side. looks around. No escape. The nearest building is too far for his webbing. If he jumps over one, the others will merge and attack. However, there is the water behind him; time to go for a swim. Spider-sense again Smash! he jumps to one side as a tentacle crashes upon the ground on which he was kneeling.
"Why so silent now Spider-Man? Are you feeling the anguish of defeat?!" followed by a maniacal laugh.
Spider-Man recognizes that laugh! He leaps for the water - if he can just make it to the water – Spider-sense goes off - he suddenly feels a steel cable wrap around his ankle. 'No!' The robot drags Spider-Man away from the seashore. No leverage – can't break free. Zaapp! A huge jolt of electricity surges through the cable – "Argghh!" Another tentacles comes swinging. Then there was only darkness.
Wundagore Mountain:
Laboratory within Wundagore Castle
"Daddy, the larger wasp looks like its going to attack the spider – won't it get trapped in the spider web?" Five year old Jessica was eyeing the black arachnid near the center of a web on the trees, as a larger spider wasp flies closer and closer to the spider. In response, the spider seems to be fidgeting on its web. The spider wasp finally lands on the web ready to strike and feed on the spider.
Dr. Johnathan Drew looks at what his daughter is watching, "Honey, the spider wasp is a natural predator of the spider. The spider wasp is going to kill the spider to feed her babies."
Suddenly another spider enters the web and both engage the spider wasp.
"Daddy how did the other Spider know to help the other one?"
"Honey, they can communicate through the web lines." The two watches as the two spiders fight for their lives against the invading spider wasp. Both spiders spray web silk onto the invader. The new spider distracts the spider wasp enough for the the other spider to jump on the spider wasp and inflict a fatal bite. However, not before the spider wasp stings the new spider and paralyzes it.
"Daddy, is that other Spider going to die?"
"That depends on how strong the spider and its companion are. Don't worry about them, honey. It is all part of nature. We need to go back inside for your shots."
Jessica continues to watch as a second Spider Wasp approaches the web, "I hate the shots. They hurt."
"Come on, let's go, " Johnathan Drew pulls at his daughter, who reluctantly gives in. "I know they hurt. You will get very sick if you don't get these shots. Dr. Wyndham and I are trying to make these treatments as painless as possible for you. I am sorry you have to go through this.. but you have to stay awake and tell me how you are feeling as I administer the shot. So stay awake.. don't fall asleep.."
"Wake up Jessica…"
Jessica finally awakens from the throbbing in her head. She feels groggy and weak. The stench is gone from her nostrils; she is definitely no longer in the tunnel. At least she isn't naked - she finds herself still dressed in the same clothes she was traveling with, but she is now bounded in a status chamber, one that is very similar to the one she awaken from many years ago.
She hears the an electronic humming nearby, and the sound of metal tapping. She makes out odd electronics – she is in a laboratory. Tired – must be drugged or the lingering effects of the weapons used on her.
"Ahh.. my greatest accomplishment has awaken. Welcome to Wundagore Mountain Jessica Drew. I apologize for the abrupt way that you have been brought here but time is of the essence!"
It was a voice Jessica was familiar with, and haven't heard from in well over a decade. The voice was monotonic, emotionless, an almost computerized. It was the High Evolutionary. He approaches Jessica, and she sees the all familiar red robotic face. "What are you doing to me?" Jessica weakly asks.
"Fear not child. I am merely keeping a promise I made to your father and Cassandra Web."
"Cassandra? What does she have to do with this?"
"All your questions will be answered in due time, but you must be ready for what is yet to come. Unfortunately, I have no time for formalities. The binding process will take a few days; it must start now."
'No!' Jessica struggles to break free of her bonds, but to no avail.
The High Evolutionary turns around back to his computerized machinery. Jessica hears an increasing high frequency pitch, and then a bright light encompasses her body. She closes her eyes from the light and feels a burning sensation throughout her body. The burning sensation turns to pain, so much pain. 'Why is he doing this to me?' She struggles to stay consciousness. She sees images of an old woman and man, then the old man's death, and finally a dead young girl in her arms.
Just as unconsciousness overtakes her, she hears the High Evolutionary's voice in the distance, "Good luck, Jessica Drew!"
