STEPPING INTO THE MADNESS

The victorious Atlas returned to the Garden with the crowd greeting him with a mixture of cheers and boos as he walked back to his fellow Thunderbolts in their corner.

As for the Avengers themselves, they all stood worried and disappointed over the loss of another one of their teammates, Yellowjacket. Though true, the new aggressive personality of the man many of the Avengers once knew as Hank Pym rubbed them off the wrong way, some of them were still worried about his well being, even his former partner the Wasp, who despite severing ties with him, still had some love for him and worried what the mind controlled S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were doing to him now that he was their prisoner.

Spidey noticed the Wasp's concern was that of Spidey, who decided to comfort her the way she and his fellow Avengers did for him when he found out that Gwen was now, and still was, in trouble. "Hey, don't worry, Wasp, we'll get Dr. Pym out of there."

Not all of the Avengers were as enthusiastic on saving Yellowjacket as the Web-Head. Namely, Hawkeye, who responded the Wall-Crawler's words with a cynical expression, while at the same time, crossing his arms. "I think 'we' is a strong word, kid."

Cap, on the other hand, stepped in and confronted Hawkeye after hearing this remark. "I'm not too fond of him either, Clint, but he's still a human being whose in danger. As far as his membership is concerned, he'll still have his court-martial, but not if he's dead!"

Hawkeye let out a sigh of frustration as he reluctantly agreed with Cap. "Okay fine, but still, if Osborn is holding Pym, how can we be sure that he's alive?"

The archer's blunt left his fellow Avengers unsettled, especially his old partner, Natasha, for while she did understand his point, she knew that his cynicism would not only lower the morale of the team but also upset the Wasp even further, all in which led the spy to walk in and try to calm Hawkeye down.

However, it was Iron Man who answered Hawkeye's question while looking at some of the S.H.I.E.L.D. files he managed to collect via the eye lenses in his helmet. "He is," said the armored Avenger, getting everyone's attention. "From what I see in the S.H.I.E.L.D. files that I managed to gather, it turns out that the contestants who lose their matches, even the Thunderbolts, are placed in holding cells."

Back in the S.H.I.E.L.D. helocarrior, Iron Man's statement is confirmed, for in the holding area of the ship, the Thunderbolts such as Magus, Silver Samurai, Batroc, Two-Gun Kid and Songbird were all in cells with invisible, electrified force fields, as punishment for losing their matches. Among those imprisoned was that of Ant-Man, sitting in shame in his cell bed, and Yellowjacket, and due to his allegiance to the Avengers, as well as his size-altering abilities, he is given the 'special treatment' by being strapped to a metal gurney in his cell.

As one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents passed by, the imprisoned Magus, who by now removed his mask to reveal the ace of Quentin Beck, spoke up. "Hey, can't we at least give us something different to wear? I'm starting to bake in this costume Osborn gave me!"

An annoyed Songbird, whose cell is right next to Quentin's, grew tired of Quentin's constant whining. "I don't think these guys are going to listen to you, Beck. Especially after how you lost to a teenager."

This retort did not sit well with Quentin's whose pride was still wounded from getting best by Spidey once again. "Really?" he replied defiantly. "This coming from the one who lost to a pixie?"

Meanwhile, back in the Garden, the Avengers all stood in shock and awe upon hearing Iron Man tell them that Osborn was holding his own teammates, as well as their fellow Avengers. And though he felt just as uncomfortable about this as everyone, Spidey still chose to put on a positive demeanor for the sake of his team. "But hey, if Yellowjacket's really alive, that means we can still save him!"

At this point, the Hero for Hire, Luke Cage stepped forward and joining in boosting the team's spirits. "Yeah, well, we can only do that by pounding fools brains in, not moping."

After watching Atlas return to his corner, the announcer once again took center stage to continue with the tournament's proceedings. "Ladies and gentlemen," he shouted, successfully catching everyone's attention, being the crowd or both superhero teams. "Let us proceed with our next hard-hitting match-up! For we having the Avengers' Hero for Hire, Luke Cage, taking on the Thunderbolts' Molten Man!"

Upon hearing his name being called out, Luke Cage took a moment to pop the cricks out of his neck, as well as those in his knuckles. "Showtime."

With that said, Fist nodded and smile at his partner. "Good luck, Luke."

The net to speak to to the Power Man was Spidey, who looked straight ahead to see Molten Man, someone he fought in the past but knew he was just misguided and probably fighting alongside the Thunderbolts against his will. "And Luke, try to go easy on him!"

Luke couldn't help but be a little confused by Spidey's request. True, he knew that the young Web-Head often referred to himself as the 'Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,' but what did it have to do with watching out for villains. Nevertheless, Luke had no time to question this and thus gave the Web-Slinger this quick reply. "Yeah, I'll try, little dude. That's the only thing I can promise." With that said, he walked over to the teleportation pad to begin his match.

Meanwhile, back in the skybox, another person just as shocked by Molten Man was that of Gwen Stacy, who looked at the fiery young man with confusion. "Wait...isn't that the Mark guy that MJ told me about it? How did he get mixed up in this?"

Back on the stage, just as the Molten Man was about to stand on top of the teleportation pad, he soon received a message in his specially made com-link earpiece in his right ear by none other than the voice of Norman Osborn, who contacted him via the intercom system in his Iron Patriot armor. "Remember Allen," said Osborn in a stern tone. "You've already failed me once. Don't make it a habit."

Molten Man felt sick every time he heard the voice of the man who manipulated him into becoming the monster that he was today. A monster that not even his own family, especially his sister, could face. But still, with a clenched fist, he turned to his armored superior and gave him a brief nod of acknowledgment, then turned and stepped on top of the pad.

At that moment, the teleportation pads activated, and both Luke and Molten Man are sent to an unknown spot in the world to have them match.

Meanwhile, inside an abandoned police station now turned secret lab, the shady scientist, Miles Warren, sighed in disappointment when he saw his lab mouse died of another failed test of a Super Soldier serum and noting its failure in his iPad. Suddenly, through the corner of his eye, he saw Luke and Molten Man being transported on his digital screen TV. As such, he pressed an icon on his iPad to save his findings, then turned and sat on his chair to watch the match. "So, that molten disappoint is up next, eh?" he said, crossing his arms. "Well, let's see if he's learned from his last mistake."

Elsewhere in the United States, the green-skinned powerhouse himself, the Hulk, is seen leaping his way through the Arkansas Ozarks on his way to New York. But little did the Green Goliath know, however, he was about to engage in yet another life or death battle of his own, namely that while in mid-air, the Hulk is hit by a tree that was ripped from out of the ground and thrown. The Hulk himself fell and crashed into the Earth, making a massive earthquake upon impact. As the dazed Jade Giant shook his head, he heard and felt loud, powerful footsteps coming his way, and as he sat up, he looked straight ahead to see his attacker.

Sure enough, it was that of the brown-skinned, collar wearing, cone-headed giant monster that at one point was known as Phillip Sterns, but was now known by the Hulk, as well as the rest of the world, as Madman! "Hey there, Jolly Green!" said Madman with a sick, evil grin. "It's been a long time."