EXCEPTIONALS
Story Arc #3
"Underneath It All"
(A Secret Invasion Tie-In)
Part 1 of 4
written by
Ken Lehman
ISSUE #9
PROLOGUE
The Civil War has ended and Captain America has been assassinated. Having gone back underground, the Exceptionals sought to avenge their fallen ally. However, Paragon, Cryos, Essence, Bruiser, Requiem, Stealth, and Graviton were sidetracked by three powerful men and their hidden agendas: TONY STARK (Iron Man), the current Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., wanted to reform them as a public superhero team within the Initiative; GENOCIDE, the son of Apocalypse, used them as part of his cover for his real agenda: restore the House of M reality; and NICK FURY (the former Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.), the team's handler, tested them in order make sure he could still trust them.
When the Exceptionals thwarted Stark and Genocide's plans and were confronting Nick Fury, Jason Del Toro's ex-girlfriend Lauren steps out of the shadows to reveal that she is a SKRULL and that Fury has been testing them because Earth has been invaded by her shape-shifting alien race.
But Lauren has more to reveal…
INT. EXCEPTIONALS SECRET HEADQUARTERS – DAY
Subtitle: EXCEPTIONALS SECRET HEADQUARTERS
The Exceptionals stand utterly speechless for a while until Bruiser finally says-
BRUISER
Okay, my former friend's ex-girlfriend is actually a Skrull and just warned us that we've been invaded by her alien race.
Standing before them is Lauren, who has just reverted to her true form: that of a Skrull. And behind her, with his arms folded, is Nick Fury.
BRUISER
Is there anything else we should know before I hurl?
Laruen looks to Fury, who gives her a reassuring nod.
She looks back at the Exceptionals and telepathically projects the following memories in their minds...
Flashback: INT. ROYAL PALACE, SKRULL WORLD SATRIANI
Subtitle: SKRULL WORLD SATRIANI – YEARS AGO
DAJEZ (Jason Del Toro), NE'LIU (Lauren), and a couple other purple robbed Skrulls stand together under arrest in a circular energy containment field.
Subtitles: DAJEZ and NE'LIU
SKRULL JUDGE (OS)
Prince Dajez, you and your followers have caused acts of treason against your king.
KING DORREK, his royal subjects, including a JUDGE, and other Skrulls, including a young VERANKE, look at them outside the energy field.
Subtitles: KING DORREK and VERANKE
SKRULL JUDGE
What say you?
Tight shot on Dajez.
DAJEZ
He's not fit to be our king.
King Dorrek looks at Dajez bitterly.
DAJEZ (OS)
He ignores me and my fellow prophets' warnings.
DAJEZ
Our worlds are in danger! We've foretold a coming wave of destruction!
Tight shot of a crying Veranke.
DAJEZ (OS)
A devourer of worlds also brings destruction!
DAJEZ
Only we can bring you all to the world of blue that will be our lasting salvation!
KING DORREK
Enough!
The king looks at the judge.
KING DORREK
Sentence him.
SKRULL JUDGE
As you wish, your excellence.
Dajez and King Dorrek exchange malicious glares.
SKRULL JUDGE
Prince Dajez, King Dorrek sentences you and your followers to banishment to your "world of blue"…
Dajez and his follows are baffled.
SKRULL JUDGE
…but in the permanent form of a human with no memory of your life as a Skrull.
Dajez and his follows are horrified.
Tight shot of Ne'liu.
SKRULL JUDGE (OS)
Ne'liu…
SKRULL JUDGE
Although you have committed no crimes, it is by our law that since you are Prince Dajez's slave and royal servant, you have to be banished along with him.
Tears streams down Ne'liu's face.
Veranke continues to watch in tears.
KING DORREK
Remove them…and have the Priests of Sciences to "make them human."
Suddenly, the energy field goes down and Super-Skrull guards take away Dajez, Ne'liu, and his followers.
DAJEZ
Remember me, my sister!
Tight shot of a crying Veranke.
DAJEZ
Remember my words!
Dajez, Ne'liu, and his followers are black bagged.
DAJEZ
Remember this day!
VERANKE
I will, brother. I will.
Flashback: INT. CHURCH OF SCIENCES, SKRULL WORLD SATRIANI
Subtitle: THE CHURCH OF SCIENCES – LATER
King Dorrek, his royal subjects, including the Judge, and Princess Veranke arrive to see DRO'GE and THE ROYAL PRIESTS OF SCIENCES present to them Dajez now as a cryogenically frozen Jason Del Toro, Ne'liu as a cryogenically frozen Lauren, and Dajez's followers as cryogenically frozen humans.
Dro'ge steps forward.
Subtitle: DRO'GE, ROYAL PRIEST OF THE SCIENCES
DRO'GE
Your majesty, the Prince, his servant, and his followers have had their minds reprogrammed and appearances remade according to your specifications.
KING DORREK
Prince Dajez is no more. Hence forth, he is Jason Del Toro of Earth, a long lost human descendant of the mutant Apocalypse.
Veranke runs away crying.
Royal guards try to go after her until-
KING DORREK
Leave her. She now understands not to follow in her brother's footsteps unless she wants to suffer a similar fate.
The King returns his attention to Dro'ge.
KING DORREK
Head Priest of the Sciences, what of the K-Class mutant Skrull? Does she retain her powers?
DRO'GE
Ne'liu's-I mean, Lauren Flora's powers have been made dormant, your majesty.
Veranke, not far away, over hears the conversation while crying and praying.
DRO'GE (OS)
But all their abilities and memories can be returned if they were ever reverted back to being true Skrulls.
VERANKE
He loves me… He loves me… He loves me…
Flashback: SKRULL WORLD SATRIANI, SPACE
Subtitle: MOMENTS LATER…
A rocket shoots from the planet and heads toward Earth.
Flashback: THE SKRULL THRONEWORLD, SPACE
Subtitle: THE SKRULL THRONEWORLD – YEARS LATER
GALACTUS destroys the planet while his herald NOVA watches.
Flashback: EXT. APOCALYPSE'S SPHINX, EGYPT - NIGHT
Subtitle: MEANWHILE ON EARTH…
OZYMANDIAS and CLAN AKKABA discover a crash-landed ship in the sand dunes.
They look inside the ship to find that the only things fully intact are the cryogenically frozen bodies of Jason Del Toro, Lauren Flora, and some other humans.
Flashback: INT. ROYAL PALACE, SKRULL WORLD SATRIANI
Subtitle: SKRULL WORLD SATRIANI – YEARS LATER
A royal guard kneels before an adult Veranke.
ROYAL GUARD
Queen Veranke, we have found your brother on Earth.
A holographic projection comes up of Jason Del Toro.
Swelled up with emotion, Veranke gently touches the screen.
VERANKE
He loves us… He loves us… He loves us…
Flashback: EXT. POOL HALL, LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK - NIGHT
Subtitle: LATER ON EARTH…
Inside a car, Jason Del Toro has verbally and physically abused Lauren.
JASON DEL TORO
Clan Akkaba sent us to America as a sleeper cell so I could prove myself worthy of Lord Apocalypse's blood!
Tearful and hurt, Lauren is currently unable to speak.
JASON DEL TORO
Not so you could flirt with the local mutant I'm using to blend in!
LAUREN
We're not actually boyfriend and girlfriend, Jason! You've taken the cover way too seriously!
JASON DEL TORO
He actually works for Nick Fury! I'm just a freelance hacker he refers to him every now and then! I need more than that! So if you ruin this for me, I'll-
Just as Del Toro is about to hit Lauren again, his car door is superhumanly ripped open, surprising both passengers.
MITCH COSTELLO (OS)
J.D.!
Outside the car, Mitch Costello (Bruiser) has the door in one of his monstrous hands and yanks Del Toro out with the other.
MITCH COSTELLO
You don't treat women that way!
The hero drops the door and pins Del Toro to the car.
MITCH COSTELLO
I didn't want to believe the rumors about you!
A beaten Lauren gets out of the car to witness this.
MITCH COSTELLO (OS)
But now I see they are true…
Suddenly, Veranke in the form of Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman) gets a hold of Lauren.
JESSICA DREW
I'm getting Lauren out of here, Mitch.
As "Jessica Drew" flies away with Lauren, the cops arrive.
JESSICA DREW
Make sure not to kill that scumbag so the police can take him away.
Flashback: INT. UNKOWN LOCATION – NIGHT
Subtitle: LATER ELSEWHERE…
On a lime green lit platform, surrounded by Skrulls, Jason Del Toro and Lauren finish going through the process of being reverted back into their true Skrull forms.
VERANKE (OS)
You are Skrulls. You are Dajez, my brother, and Ne'liu, his servant.
Veranke, in her true form, kneels beside her brother's hunched over, steaming body.
VERANKE
You are no longer a prince. You are a king.
Two "human" cops revert back to their Skrull form.
VERANKE (OS)
We finally found you.
Veranke helps a recovering Dajez rise.
VERANKE
Your people need you to be a part of fulfilling the prophecy you taught me.
Standing, the siblings face each other, Veranke proudly smiling while Dajez still trying to focus.
DAJEZ
Veranke? Sister?
A tearful Veranke beams with joy.
VERANKE
Yes, brother. It's me. We're on Earth. The time has-
Suddenly, all of Ne'liu and Dajez's memories as humans and Skrulls rush to them, causing them to roar in agony.
VERANKE
Brother! What's the matter?
Ne'liu unleashes a powerful psychic blast that knocks out every Skrull in the room.
NE'LIU
Nooooo!
After the blast, a shivering, tearing Ne'liu looks around and sees that she is the only one conscious.
Panicking, she runs to the exit.
EXT. UNKOWN LOCATION – NIGHT
She runs far away from the abandon building until Nick Fury and the Secret Warriors find her.
NE'LIU
Nick Fury, please…
As she faints, Fury catches her.
NE'LIU
…help me.
NICK FURY
I knew I couldn't trust Del Toro.
INT. UNKOWN LOCATION – NIGHT
As the Skrulls recover…
VERANKE
Ne'liu! That mutant abomination!
Veranke turns to some Super-Skrulls.
VERANKE
Find her and-!
DAJEZ (OS)
No, let her go.
They look at Dajez, who is now on his feet.
DAJEZ
I personally will take care of her and all those who have done me wrong on this planet.
VERANKE
But what of the prophecy? The invasion?
DAJEZ
With what I have planned, I'll be doing both at the same time…
Dajez turns to all the Skrulls.
DAJEZ
For the glory!
SKRULLS
For the glory!
The royal siblings exchange smiles.
Flashback: INT. APOCALYPSE'S SPHINX, EGYPT - DAY
Subtitle: APOCALYPSE'S SPHINX, EGYPT
As Jason Del Toro, Dajez is being pumped with Apocalypse's blood while Ozymandias and Clan Akkaba stand around him.
OZYMANDIAS
The Inner Council has decided that you are worthy of Lord Apocalypse's blood.
They give him a relatively sizeable CLAN AKKABA TATTOO on the back of his neck.
OZYMANDIAS
Hence forth, you are no longer a weak human servant of Clan Akkaba.
Del Toro has an evil smile.
OZYMANDIAS (OS)
You are now a strong mutant member.
Flashback: EXT. S.H.I.E.L.D. HELICARRIER, 1000 FEET ABOVE MANHATTAN – NIGHT
Subtitle: S.H.I.E.L.D. HELICARRIER, 1000 FEET ABOVE MANHATTAN
MARIA HILL (OS)
So you're a mutant who used to do freelance hacking for Nick Fury?
JASON DEL TORO (OS)
Yes, I had worked closely with him on numerous jobs.
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM, S.H.I.E.L.D. HELICARRIER – NIGHT
MARIA HILL and Del Toro sit across from one another.
MARIA HILL
Are you still in contact with him? Do you know where he is?
JASON DEL TORO
No and no.
MARIA HILL
Then why are you wasting my time? Don't you realize that a superhuman civil war has just started?
JASON DEL TORO
I do. That's why you should know that you have had a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who are not only superpowered and black ops, but they also still work for Fury right under your nose.
MARIA HILL
What proof do you have of this?
Del Toro holds up a disc.
JASON DEL TORO
This a disk full of Fury's classified information on the Exceptionals-that's what they're called, by the way.
Del Toro puts the disk down and passes it to Hill.
JASON DEL TORO
Also on there is a program that I personally created that uncloaks them from your scanners and plain sight.
Hill takes the CD.
MARIA HILL
Why are you doing this?
JASON DEL TORO
Revenge, Director Hill.
EXT. FLIGHT DECK, S.H.I.E.L.D. HELICARRIER – NIGHT
The Exceptionals are disguised via holographic image inducers.
JASON DEL TORO (VO)
I want revenge on the one they call Bruiser.
Suddenly, they are reverted to their true forms when the holographic image inducers are automatically turned off.
PARAGON
Nick, our holographic image inducers have turned themselves off. What's going…
The Exceptionals turn around stunned to see what's before them: Maria Hill leading some of the PRO-REGISTRATION HEROES (Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel, and Wonder Man) and a small army of CAPEKILLERS before them.
PARAGON
…on?
CRYOS
Oh $#%.
MARIA HILL
Exceptionals, you're agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. If you haven't heard, Nick Fury isn't the acting head of S.H.I.E.L.D. I am.
Paragon and Ms. Marvel exchange stunned looks.
MARIA HILL (OS)
You don't take orders from him anymore.
MARIA HILL
You take orders from me now.
Hill locks eyes with Paragon.
MARIA HILL
You and your soldiers will obey the will of the American people, General.
The Pro-Registration Heroes power-up while the Capekillers cock their tranquilizer guns.
MARIA HILL
As legitimate superheroes, it is now your duty to takedown and to bring in the rebels with us.
Paragon looks at his troops and gets their general feeling.
MARIA HILL
If you refuse, you will be considered enemy combatants and there will be no amnesty for having worked for the fugitive Nick Fury.
They look seriously determined at Hill.
PARAGON
Maria Hill, is it?
Hill frowns.
PARAGON
Go $#% yourself.
Suddenly, the Exceptionals power-up and charge at the enemy, who charges right back.
Hill leaves the scene, looking angry.
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM, S.H.I.E.L.D. HELICARRIER – NIGHT
Del Toro watches Hill and the battle with an evil smile.
JASON DEL TORO
Revenge is the best when-
He reverts back to being a Skrull while his alien computer virus uploads into the S.H.I.E.L.D. mainframe via his CD.
DAJEZ
-you don't see it coming.
He laughs sinisterly.
Now: INT. EXCEPTIONALS SECRET HEADQUARTERS – DAY
Ne'liu ends her telepathic memory projection in the Exceptionals' minds.
Our heroes are left shaken to the core.
Bruiser runs to the nearby bathroom and hurls in the toilet bowl.
Fury unfolds his arms.
NICK FURY
This is why I tested you.
Speechless, the other Exceptionals look at one another suspiciously.
NICK FURY
I needed to see you were who you were and not alert the enemy in the process.
Fury and Ne'liu notice this.
NE'LIU
Don't worry. None of you have been switched out.
Bruiser comes out of the bathroom, looking sick.
BRUISER
Lucky us…
NE'LIU
Mitch, you and your friends have managed not to be taken by undetectable Skrull infiltrators, who by the way are religious fanatics.
The Exceptionals remain speechless.
NE'LIU
You've become their elusive enemy.
BRUISER
Like I said, "lucky us…"
Suddenly, the Secret Warriors enter and stand by Fury.
NICK FURY
Together, we will be a united force that those #$%#$% never saw coming.
The Exceptionals stand opposite the Secret Warriors.
NICK FURY
Exceptionals, meet the Secret Warriors. Secret Warriors, meet the Exceptionals.
Tight shot of Nick Fury with a sly smile.
NICK FURY
We're all gonna be working together to save the planet.
TO BE CONTINUED
