Two Months Later
I was awoken to loud knocking at my door. My half lidded eyes turning to the clock, "Its five in the morning..." I grumbled, rolling out of bed in my pajamas. I stumbled towards the door, pulling it open, "What's up?" Looking up at James Rhodes in the doorway.
"I smell fear."
"Come on, we've got a mission." He sounded worried, already changed out of his own bedwear into the under-suit he'd likely wear while piloting the War Machine.
"Wait," What did he just say? "Mission, for me? Why?" I followed behind him quickly, "I thought I wasn't signed on yet."
"Secretary Ross is calling this one a special case," Rhodes explained, leading me up another flight of stairs. We were heading for the briefing room, I'd only ever been up here once before. Considering I never went on missions, there was really no reason to be here. "All hands on deck."
Stark and Vision were already present, as was a man I hadn't met before. His age given away by wrinkles and white hair, wearing a fine suit. I had a good idea of just who this man was though, based on his cold analytical eyes, "Ah, there she is." Stark greeted me with a smile, "Defense Secretary, this is our newest trainee, Gwen Stacy."
He nodded, offering me a hand, "Stark says you'll be a powerful asset." Before his eyes shifted to my clothes. Yeah a pink t-shirt with pacman pajama pants was a great first impression. "I'm Secretary Ross."
"Nice to finally meet you?" I replied somewhat nervously, shaking his hand while looking to the others, "What's going on? Did something happen?"
"We have an escaped criminal," Ross stated, releasing my hand and turning back to the table. Stark was bringing up images, showing a massive rampaging humanoid. Bone spines sticking out of his back, along with jagged elbow spikes. But aside from that, he was nothing but leathery brown skin and raw muscles, "Emil Blonsky, codename... The Abomination."
I approached the screens, footage repeating of this massive man tearing through trucks and other military ground vehicles. Throwing their wreckage at helicopters while their bullets bounced harmlessly off his skin, "He's... Like the Hulk?" This was all taking place in cold tundra, slowly shifting to dense forests.
"He looks like fun!"
"Something like that," Stark answered, notable distaste in his tone, "Blonsky was a super soldier, not unlike Steve Rogers... But while attempting to capture Dr. Bruce Banner, he injected himself with some of the Hulks blood and well... Wasn't a vert good mix." He explained, shaking his head, "The guy is a nutjob, megalomaniac, violent, and all those lovely qualities were just enhanced when he became this thing."
"How did this even happen?" Rhodes questioned, crossing his arms, "And why are we just hearing about this now? This footage is recent isn't it?"
"We were transporting him to another facility, from his former Vault in Alaska." Ross explained, "More secure, new tech to keep him on ice... But a freak ice storm hit, slowed the transfer and damaged some of our equipment, giving him a chance to wake up." The men on screen didn't stand a chance, they were being absolutely slaughtered. I had to make myself look away. "We tried to contain him, intending to send you in as a last resort considering how... Understaffed you are at the moment, but Blonsky's carved a bloody path all the way down the coast, and we can't have him hitting any major population centers in the states."
"Is our mission to subdue or eliminate?" Vision questioned, finally speaking up after analyzing the footage.
To which Ross replied in quick order, "We want him alive, subdue and contain him and we'll throw him back into his ice box." Before bringing up a map in place of the videos, "Current heading has got him aimed at Seattle, Washington."
"Have you started the evacuation?" Stark asked, "What's our time table here exactly?"
"You'll be leaving immediately, at current speed Blonsky will reach the city in six hours." Ross replied, "We're doing what we can to clear people out, but we can't evacuate the entire city in that amount of time and keep slowing him down."
"So its up to us," I realized, swallowing nervously as I imagined staring that monster in the face. "Heck of a first mission..."
"Time to put the last three months of training to use." Rhodes nodded halfheartedly, I don't think any of these men were too keen on sending me into battle. Despite what I could do now, after all this training, I was still the kid around here.
"Even with the Quinjet we'll need a few hours to get there," Stark looked to the rest of us, "Suit up and meet in the hangar, we gotta go now."
I nodded slowly, "I'll meet you there after I grab something out of the fridge."
To which Ross quirked an eyebrow, "You're going to waste time eating?"
My suit was already forming as I walked away, "My suit never comes off, and Venom isn't fighting on an empty stomach." I was so nervous, making my way to the kitchen quickly. I pulled open the fridge, deciding to let Venom pick whatever he wanted. We would need to be in tiptop shape for this mess. My hands moved on their own, grabbing various leftover foods to scarf down.
"Everyone is so terrified, this is going to be fun..."
"Can you not, right now?" I asked as Venom consumed another hefty mouthful.
"So nervous, so afraid... This is what you wanted isn't it? Where did that fire you showed off against the Hunter go?" He questioned me with no small amount of enthusiasm. I hated how much he enjoyed seeing me on edge.
"That was months ago, and this is different," I argued, narrowing my eyes. Deciding we'd eaten enough, I closed the fridge and started heading for the hangar, "Nobody but us was in danger from the Alien... If we didn't win and he killed us, then he'd just leave." I explained, reaching the elevator and selecting to go up, "If we lose now... Then this Blonsky guy is gonna go apeshit all over Seattle."
"Then we will not lose."
"Easier said than done I think..."
But hey, maybe I was wrong and this would all go over fine. Iron Man beat the crap out of the Hulk before right? And the Hulk beat up this guy so... Technically we were in the clear, right?
Please be right...
. . .
"I've got Veronica on standby with some extra tools just in case," Stark was already going over things as we neared the site. Blonsky was somewhere below, making his way down the coast. Looking out the window, I could see the smoke from here, no doubt left behind by military blockades. "I'm gonna deploy our Mk44 immediately, not taking any chances on this one."
"I doubt he can break my Vibranium body," Vision added, standing nearby. He hadn't moved since our flight began, was he thinking or just that calm? "And my phasing gives me an advantage, however..." His eyes drifted to Rhodes, "You may wish to keep your distance."
"Vision's right," Stark nodded, "With his strength he could tear you apart, suit or no suit."
"I'll stick to long range attacks." Rhodes agreed.
"And what about me?" I asked finally, glad the mask could hide my nervous expression.
"You're light and fast, use that." Stark ordered, "While Vision and I take him head on, look for openings to keep him off balance."
As good a strategy as any, "Right, I'll do my best." This was my debut, I was trained and knew my way around a fight much better than that girl who faced off with Cross three months ago.
"Beginning descent." Friday's voice sounded over the Quinjet's PA system. I could feel the shift in my stomach, bracing myself as we neared the land below.
"Alright Avengers, lets go to work." Stark's helmet closed over his face as we touched down. The hatch opened, ramp lowering. While Stark and Rhodes flew out through the opening, Vision phased through the hull to make his way out.
I ran out behind them, grounded as I was. My eyes widened as I looked around the smoking battlefield. I could hear gunfire, explosions, screaming. We were right in the middle of another military blockade. Choppers roared overhead, vehicles were in full retreat. Men who were dead or dying were scattered across the wreckage and ruined countryside. We were in a small stretch of open field, the coast to our left and mountains to our right. A treeline wrapping around much of the area, though some were uprooted or on fire.
"So much blood!" I hated how much Venom was enjoying this. We were only a few miles from Seattle at this point, if we couldn't stop him now...
"Look alive kid!" Stark's voice echoed into my communicator. My eyes shot up to him, as mechanical pieces flew down from the sky above and began attaching to his body. Bulking him up, adding layer upon layer of armor and weapons to his already high tech systems. I felt a twinge of childlike excitement inside of me, as the Hulkbuster deployed to the field. Landing with a thud on the grassy earth.
"R-Right! Sorry," I replied, and continued running on ahead. Passing by bodies and ruined vehicles, fires and pillars of smoke. War Machine flew by overhead, Vision right beside him. "You guys see him?"
"Affirmative," Rhodes replied, I watched him make a hard turn to evade a chunk of molten scrap being thrown his way. "Got eyes on the target, he knows we're here!"
"Well the element of surprise is overrated anyways." Iron Man quipped, flying ahead of me as well with his own powerful thrusters.
Making our way over the next hill, I finally saw him with my own eyes. The monster staring back at Stark as he landed at the base of the hill. I followed along behind him but kept a reasonable distance, remembering my job. The Abomination though, his presence was harrowing. He caused all this destruction, a ten foot tall hulk sized monstrosity covered in nothing but bone protrusions and hardened muscle.
"Is this it!?" He barked at us suddenly, clenching his fists. His eyes darting between Stark, myself, and the other two circling him in the air.
"Whats the matter Blonsky?" Stark demanded, keeping up his sarcastic attitude, "Expecting somebody a little more... Green?"
"WHERE IS THE HULK!?" His voice boomed as he stomped the earth, "I want a FIGHT! I want to fight the Hulk! GIVE ME BRUCE BANNER!"
"Sorry, Doctor Banner is currently on vacation," Stark lied, I knew nobody had any idea where the Hulk disappeared too after Sokovia. But I really wish he was here right now, "If you'd like to quietly return to your cell, I can send him your way as soon as he gets back."
Earning a deep, guttural chuckle from the Abomination. That twisted smile on his face made my skin crawl, "No, if he's not here... Then I'll just rip apart more people until he decides to show up!"
"Well... It was worth a try," I watched as the back plating on Stark's armor opened, dozens of miniature, high impact missiles began to fire off into the air. Heading straight for Blonsky while War Machine opened fire as well, putting all that ordinance to use. Explosions and fire roared in the field, as the Abomination was consumed in smoke and dust. "I doubt that did it, get in their Vision!"
"Yes sir." The artificial life form dived straight in, but no sooner did he enter the cloud did his body come flying back out. Flipping backwards through the air before leveling out. My eyes widened, as that gem on his forehead unleashed a beam of pure energy.
It struck the Abomination dead center of the chest, making him slide back across the ground while he attempted to cover himself with those big meaty arms. At the same time, Rhodes unleashed more from his arsenal, bullets and missiles striking his exposed back.
"Lets get in there!" Venom shouted suddenly, shaking me from my stupor.
"Dammit, what am I doing!?" I shook my head and started running. Circling the center and trying to get into a position to attack, though even if I found one I'd have to wait because charging in under War Machine's explosive attacks would just hurt me.
Abomination knelt down suddenly though, digging his hands into the earth. Before launching himself into the sky, taking Vision off guard and slamming into him. The impact carried them both further towards the treeline, before Vision phased through him leaving Blonsky to crash and roll across the dirt. He was back up almost immediately, eyes darting around for a new target before landing on Stark. Like a bull running wild, that big red armor looked like a great target to him.
He was so fast, Blonsky charged Stark like a bat out of hell. Lunging at him as Stark cocked back one of his mechanical fists. Both swung at the same time, and on impact a concussive shockwave was released from their knuckles. "Give me a REAL fight!" The Abomination demanded, before uppercutting the Hulkbuster suit with his free hand.
Stark was sent flying upwards, using his repulsors to level out before charging right back into the fray. His mechanical fist slammed into Blonsky's face, causing him to recoil briefly and giving Stark an opening. He planted his massive hands on his chest, firing up the high powered hand cannons and blasting him at point blank. The blow sent the Abomination hurdling across the dirt.
As he stood back up, growling and licking his lips, "I'm going to tear that suit apart!" He roared, charging Stark once again. And that was wear I saw my opening, as Iron Man braced for impact.
I was running towards him, staying low to the ground and hopefully avoiding detection. My left arm was morphing, shifting into a razor-sharp blade, "Lets hamstring this bastard!"
Just as Iron Man and the Abomination locked grips, trying to overpower one another with brute force, I made my impact. Dragging the blade across the back of his left leg, I could feel the muscles just barely giving way. His hide was tough, I didn't get very deep. But it was enough to throw him off balance, and Iron Man took advantage of it. Forcing him back as I jumped out of the way, he delivered a thunderous punch to the side of his face. I could see blood fly from his mouth, proving that he wasn't invincible.
But he retaliated in brutal fashion, grabbing a hold of one arm with both of his own. His massive foot raised and kicked Stark in the chest hard, ripping the arm clean out of its socket before throwing it aside. Leaving him with a large opening for attack, he charged forward elbow first. Driving the bone spike deep into the chest cavity of the robot. If it went too deep-
"What the-" Both me and the Abomination was surprised as Vision phased through the Hulkbuster from behind, appearing right between the suit and the monster. His gem glowing brightly, before firing off another massive blast.
As the two were separated, Stark falling back on his ass and the Abomination sent flying, I raced over to the damaged suit of armor. Fearing that the bone spike might have penetrated too deep, "Mr. Stark are you alright?!"
"Ngh! I'm good, just scrambled the power a bit," He answered, sounding a little rattled, "Gonna need a second to reroute and repair, better stand clear." He added, to which I obeyed as mechanical pieces began to rain down from above. Bits of the Hulkbuster suit were popping off, damaged platting or broken electronics, quickly being replaced by the new parts.
"How many replacement parts do you have?" I asked curiously, blinking in surprise.
"At this rate? Not enough."
And there you go! We've got the Abomination stepping up to the plate!
For those who might not know, because the movie was literally like 11 years ago now, The Abomination was the pseudo-antagonist in the 2008 "The Incredible Hulk" movie. While doing some research for the story I found that apparently he is alive and well locked up in a cryo-cell. So figured he'd make an excellent enemy for this ragtag group to face :D
Plus it gave me a chance to use the Hulkbuster armor lol
