Avengers Inc.
Issue #10 – Training Day – Part One
Camp Pym – Arizona Desert – Hidden in Pym Space
"How are you doing?" Janet the Avenger known as the Wasp asked as she stepped into her fiancé's office.
"Not too bad. Just finishing the updates on the new students and then I'll be ready," Henry the Avenger known as Yellow Jacket answered as he quickly kissed her and turned back to the computer.
The two Avengers never believed how big the Academy would grow when they agreed to run it. They had seven staff members and thirty-five students now. With the missing mutants returning Quicksilver has brought Luna back to her mother and then asked to stay. They had both been leery due to his divorce from Crystal and her apparent rekindle with Dane Whitman, but they needed the staff with the added students. So they agreed to let him come aboard and to help teach the students Villains 101 and how to choose the right path. They had also gained Diamond Lil when Alpha Flight folded into Avengers Inc and she came here with some of the younger Alphans. Lil would help teach other activities other than academics.
Not to separate the alpha kids they allowed all seven to be under Lil's squad, especially when three of them were older and had experience with playing with the big leagues. On the team was Puck's daughter, Zuzha Yu who could rebound off objects at a fast speed. There also former Alpha Flight young members, Arlette Truffaet who could control anyone with a touch, Jared Carbo who could generate a personal force field and his brother Adrian who's arms became sharp blades. Also was Brent Styles, a boy who could spit fire, Lili Stephens who could make herself and others intangible and Walter Langkowski's son from his first marriage, Ben who could also morph into a large Sasquatch looking creature. There weren't the only new ones they had found suddenly either.
They added one more new student to Justice's squad. Brandon Sharpe was a former child actor who had been raised to crave the spotlight and fed by a silver spoon till he developed electrical based powers. They also added one more onto Black Knight's team, Jennifer Takeda. The poor girl had been making out with her boyfriend when he went into seizers due to her body emitting a strange radiation. Henry, with the help of his friends and resources had managed to create a suit for her to keep herself and everyone around her safe. That left those last five new students to be placed all on the same squad.
Quicksilver would lead this final squad. Of course his daughter had been placed on his squad at her request and Crystal thinking it would help tame Pietro and not be in her and Dane's business. Henry and Janet couldn't believe how grown up Luna had become. Now in her teens she had manifested her mutant ability, but mixed with her Inhuman side and the exposure to the mist it was yet to see what kind of powers she would exhibit. Also on the team was the sister of the original White Tiger, Ava Ayala who had now inherited the family legacy. She wasn't the only one to be referred to the academy by their friends and colleagues.
The third member of the squad was brought to them by Iron First. As a child, Victor Alvarez had been caught in an explosion that granted him the ability to draw in chi from around him and make him stronger. Very similar to Iron Fist's abilities and that is what drew them together. Iron Fist had spent many months training the teen but decided it was time to turn him over to the Avengers Academy. The fourth member of the team was James Santini, who as a young child was lost in the caverns where illegal toxic waste dumping wad happening when his father was killed and he became lost. During that time he had drank the water to survive until he was found and returned to his mother. Because of the toxic water, James mutated and sprouted wings and his mom called him a demon making him runaway and live on the streets becoming a large bat.
Thanks to Spider-Man, the boy was eventually taken from the streets of crime and eventually returned back to his mother after Spider-Man had convinced her he was still her boy and he reverted back to human form. Now that he has gotten older and reaching late teens he has been using his ability to mutate into a giant bat and wants to be a hero like Spider-Man, so Spider-Man had contacted Pym and brought him to the academy. The final member of the squad was Jeanne Foucault, who was brought to them by Nick Fury himself. All they were told was that her parents used to be criminals and had then gone on the run and lived in hiding. A few years ago, her parents were killed and Nick Fury had spent time training her but felt she was now ready to integrate into the world and the Academy would be a perfect start for her. He didn't know what made him more nervous, that Nick wouldn't give much info about her past or the fact the girl had a photographic memory and reflexes.
"Still hard to believe, after all these years it's finally happening," Janet said with a loving sigh.
"The Academy? Yeah, I know," Henry added as he entered the last update.
"No, silly, I'm not talking about Camp Pym," Janet said with a coy smile.
"What are you talking about?" Henry said turning around and facing the woman he's loved since the dawn of time.
"I'm talking about our wedding," Janet said as she leaned in and kissed him.
Office – Dane Whitman
"How's it fit?" Dane asked as a girl wearing a large grey suit that looked like an old diver man's suit with large helmet included.
"I don't see how this is going to help me fit in let alone feel normal," Jennifer Takeda said as she raised her arms shrugging, surprised at the light weight it felt when it looked so big and heavy.
"Now, now, you haven't activated it yet. Pym and Reed Richards worked hard on that. They are still trying to find a way to cure you but it's been hard. Whatever caused your body to give off radiation, it has infused with your body's natural system. Power dampeners are useless and nanites are too risky. It would be like trying to make your heart stop pumping blood or your lungs stop allowing you to breath," Dane said as he felt bad for this girl.
"I understand," Jennifer signed as Dane walked over to her.
"Now, let's see here," Dane said as he pressed a button on her belt activating the suit and then pointing to a full length mirror that had moved down long the wall.
Jennifer gasped as the suit seemed to shift and shrink and change color till she was standing there looking in a mirror at herself. She looked and saw her face and arms and she was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. She looked normal, where did the suit go? Then she realized she still felt the suit. As she looked down she could see a clear translucent layer covering her arms and hands. Then she looked at her legs and saw that where her shorts would end, it actually became clear and translucent and it bent in and appeared closer to her body. So, from a distance she looked normal but if you got real close you could make out that she was wearing a full body suit. Despite this, she still smiled.
"You may still be in a suit, but this way you can appear not to be. This way you can wear what ever you want underneath with the translucence effect of the suit and its adjusting to closeness to your body. The suit is very durable and if ever in a fight or battle situation, you press the button on your belt and it will expand and shift into a costume for you with even more reinforcement as well as allowing you focus and use your powers at will," Dane said as Jennifer pressed the button and was now wearing a yellow body suit with black stripes on it and a helmet that was circular with the same colors except for the middle front and sides of her face that was clear so you could see her face.
"Hey, it's better than nothing," Jennifer said with a smile as she thought of the only place she could be to live free from a suit, her room which was sealed and still felt like a giant containment suit.
"Yes, and now you are all set, better join the others outside," Dane said as she nodded and left.
"Don't worry, she'll get used to it and I will help her in our one on ones to use the suit and her abilities in an offensive and responsible way," Crystal said as she walked stepped into the room.
"Yeah, but it seems not everyone here is training to be heroes or Avengers. Some just want to learn enough to live a normal life," Dane said.
"So what are your plans for the next hour?" Crystal asked as she knew all cadets were going to be busy with some training lessons.
"Absolutely nothing," Dane said with a smile as Crystal waved her hand and a gust of wind slammed his office door.
Boot Camp Training Field
"Halt and fall in!" Sergeant Green screamed as thirty four bodies in white shirts and camouflage pants and black boots fell into six lines representing their squads.
"Glad you could finally join us!" Joe "Gauntlet" Green shouted as he saw Jennifer Takeda quickly run onto the field and step inline with her squad.
"Take it easy, she was getting fitted for her new suit," Vance Astrovik said as he stepped up to the drill sergeant.
"No excuses. They're all yours," Joe said as he saluted and excused himself.
"Okay, for today's lesson you will each have to get over this wall and to the other side. You may use your powers and the only restriction is you can not completely destroy or breakdown the wall," Vance said as he eyed the each cadet and readied his powers incase as a large brick wall rose up from the ground about ten feet high.
Vance knew this task would be easier for some than others but he couldn't wait to see how this went. Immediately the fliers were the first to go up and over the wall to the other side which included Nahrees, Marcia Daniels, Greg Willis, Sylvie Lushton, Tara Olson, Brandon Sharpe, Maria Santiago turning into an animal with wings, Victor Mancha, Humberto Lopez sprouting wings, Abigail Boylen and James Santini. That left the twenty-four cadets standing there staring at the wall. He was glad to see some get creative like Roger Brokeridge generating his energy balls downwards and allowing their momentum to carry him up and over the wall, Martin Lee calling his energy horse to fly him over, Jamesy Braddock creating plants to sprout up and carry him up and over and Pierre Sullivan causing a portion of the wall to turn to stone, separate, let him walk through and then close back up. Many called that cheating but Vance couldn't disagree with the young Mortar as he didn't destroy the wall.
Steve Harmon used his rubber mallet and glove to create a spring force to send him flying over and crashing unhurt in the other side. Allison Dillon generated enough electricity to push her up and over. Violet Lightnor had her arm turn into a rocket like weapon that blasted and carried her over. Victor Alvarez began to glow red as he absorbed chi and became very strong. Strong enough to leap up high and slam his fists into the wall, hold on and then propel himself up higher and then to the top and over. Zuzha Yu ran at the wall and bounced off, hit the ground and kept bouncing form wall to ground till she was up and over the wall. Lili Stephens went intangible and walked through the wall. Ben Langkoskwi turned into a large white beast and leapt using his claws and strength to climb up and over the wall as Ava Ayala used her claws to scale up and over the wall even though they didn't wear costumes, but those that used weapons or gadgets were allowed to have them and use them during super power training.
That left twelve cadets left to complete the training challenge. Vance watched to see what they would do. Danny DuBois raised his axes and used them to slice into the wall and climb up and over. Adrian Carbo used the same idea and turned his arms into sharp blades and climbed the wall as well. Many were upset when Arlette Truffaet walked up to Vance, touched his cheek and asked him to lift her up and over the wall. She got docked a few points but Vance said it didn't break a rule and he then moved himself farther from the field so no one got any other bright ideas. He was surprised when Brent Styles took in a deep breath, looked down and then blew out with all his might causing a stream of fire to hit the ground and propel himself up and over the wall. Jared Carbo also got clever when he used his force field to extend down and push him up onto the wall ledge and then jump down and using the field downward to cushion his fall.
Terrence Ward walked over to Jennifer Takeda and stared her dead in the eyes and then invoked his powers. He found what she was afraid of that was useful and caused Jennifer to scream as he transformed into a large giant spider. Terrence then quickly climbed up and over the wall before the effects wore off and he turned to normal. Ken Mack said a few choice words as he comforted the girl while Jeanne Foucault, Michael Van Patrick, Delroy Garrett Jr. and Luna Maximoff stood staring at the wall. After a few minutes Luna walked up to the wall and stared at it as her eyes seemed to glow with a strange electromagnetic energy and then she began to climb the wall with ease as if she knew exactly where to place her hands and feet. Vance would have to look more into how her powers work.
Michael and Delroy, using their enhanced abilities to use the gashes made to the wall by other cadets to assist their strength and agility to scale the wall as well. Jeanne stood there as if she was staring off into space and then she ran at full speed at the wall. Using her battle staves, she hit the wall and propelled and moved up and over the wall just like several had done before her, every move copied exactly. That only left Jennifer and Ken.
"There is no way I can get over that wall," Jennifer said.
"Why don't we help each other out?" Ken afforded.
"What do you mean?" Jennifer asked as Ken told her his idea.
Vance watched the two talking and was about to say something when Ken grabbed Jennifer and threw her up into the air and onto the top of the wall. She then turned and looked down as Ken began to run with all his might at the wall. Jennifer then remembering what she had been told about her suit concentrated and sent her power out of her hands and hit the ground with force causing an explosion right in front of Ken's feet. Ken then used his strength and the force of the blast to ride the momentum up and at the wall where he barely caught on the top. He then crawled up, with Jennifer's help and then leapt down with a thud on the other side as Jennifer jumped down being caught safely in his arms.
"They cheated," Humberto declared.
"No, they actually are the only ones successfully pass this training exercise with flying colors," Vance said with a smile and applauded.
"But they helped each other," Michael said as he hated someone getting the best of him.
"And that is why they won. I teach how to use your powers in battle effectively and as a team. As you all fended for yourselves, they were the only ones that worked together to make sure everyone made it over. Great job," Vance said again as the two smiled at each other as Ken realized he was still holding Jennifer and quickly put her down.
"Okay cadets, its chow time. That's thirty minutes to gulp your food down and report back to training," Sgt. Joe Green shouted as the cadets marched back into the building.
Secret Avengers
Exiled – Part Four
Planet Mars
Open Wastelands
Super Soldier was glad that his suit protected him from the blowing red dust storm but it didn't make it any easier to navigate and push through. After everyone on his team and the Exiles had rested and healed up they had spilt into two teams. It seams they had two different readings on different ends of the planet, one for Blade and then one for Mimic, Dazzleshot and Blaze. Steve figured his three missing Avengers were with Blade but he knew he couldn't leave the Exile's other missing abandoned. So they would split and rescue both sets of team members. So Steve would lead a team of Sunfire, both Moon Knights, Nocturne and Silhouette to retrieve Black Crow, Hellcat, Ant-Man and Blade while Iron-Girl took Red Queen, Twilight, Quake, Switchblade, Arachne and Gambit to find the three other missing Exiles.
"Look, there!" Silhouette said as the group of six stopped and turned to where she was pointing.
What seemed like some kind of entrance rising up from the sand opened up to allow several figures to step out of it. In front were four green skinned creatures that had an insect like body with four legs and a more humanoid body from the waist up. They each more red colored armor and each carried a spear with a glowing red tip. Then there were two more of those creatures on each side and then four more taking up the back forming a circle around five figures. One figure looked like the green creatures but wore a strange rope and looked as if it had white skin. This creature stood behind the other four figures that once they came a little closer they saw were their friends and teammates.
"What do you think they're doing?" Super Soldier asked to no one in particular.
"I bet they are transporting them as prisoners to somewhere," Moon Knight of the Avengers said as he watched the group moving across the dust windy plains.
"The look like nothing of the creatures we have battled. They are not red skinned and look less feral," Moon Knight of 2099 countered as she moved closer.
"I say we attack. Martians are Martians," Sunfire said as she saw Blade and felt a strange hunger build inside of her.
"Wait, we can't just go charging at them when we know nothing of what they can do or what they might do to our friends," Super Soldier declared to the group.
"I agree with Sunfire, if we charge we can get the element of surprise," Nocturne countered.
"A group can attack form the front and I can bring the other group from behind," Silhouette added as Steve looked at everyone and made a decision.
"We appreciate you escorting us this far," Black Crow said as he glanced over to the leader of the Martians.
"I just hope you are able to save your friends form my brother. I wish I could help more but I can't risk ending our truce," St'v began to say when a commotion suddenly broke out.
"Sire, we are under attack," one of the guards reported as he pointed to a large red dust cloud stirring up in the distance with a strange red glowing figure in the center of it.
"The Red Martians are attacking, the truce is broken," another added.
"Then we fight," St'v sighed with a heavy fight.
"And we fight with you," Blade said as his wings expanded and he drew out his blades.
Another Part of the Planet
Out of the red dust storm a small black dot forms and then continues to grow and unfold until it takes the shape of a black hooded cloak. From under the hood two glowing red eyes can be seen as the cloak opens wide to reveal a portal of pitch darkness. Suddenly a bright light can be seen form within. The light grows brighter as the source is clearly coming from two figures. The light seemed to keep the darkness at bay. Sandwiched between the two glowing figures are three more figures about the same height and a fourth figure that is tiny enough to be sitting on the shoulder of one of the other figures. The figures all step out of the dark cloak as the cloak closers and then blows back to now reveal not a portal but a human body underneath. The cloaked man smiles as the two figures stop glowing and the tiny one jumps up and grows to full height to stand with the rest of the group.
"You're lucky your devices on your wrists allow you to survive in any environment," Arachne said as she was growing to hate the armored suit she was wearing.
"They let us breath and survive in any environment, but they do not completely protect against the elements," Twilight said as the wind and dust hit against her body.
"So where do we go from here?" Red Queen asked as she looked at Iron-Girl.
"According to the Tallus, Mimic and the others are somewhere close," Iron-Girl said as she looked at her arm and around them.
"If it was somewhere I've been before, see or know of I could take us in but this strange planet is to risky for me to take us blind," Gambit said as his mind began to think of Dazzleshot and missing her and her light after the light he just absorbed from Iron-Girl and Twilight when they had been in his cloak.
"Maybe it's where we can't see?" Switchblade suggested as she pointed down.
"I can handle that, give the word and I can rip the ground up," Quake said itching to use her powers.
"No, if we do that they will definitely know we are coming," Iron-Girl said.
"I think they already know we are here," Gambit said with a laugh as they all turned to see the ground all around then start to rise up and the savage Red Martian creatures began to take shape and then advance on the group.
"About time!" Quake said as she prepared to meet their attackers.
Next: Issue #12 – Training Day – Part Two & Secret Avengers: Exiled – Part Five
