Red Zone, New York, 1pm
After dropping Karen off at the safehouse Alex left immediately for the Red Zone. Leaving Ragland and Dana to fill Karen in on what was going on. Getting past the Blackwatch troops patrolling the Red Zone had been easy. A couple of shapeshifts here and there and he was in the Red Zone with Blackwatch none the wiser.
He ran along the roof tops at breakneck speed, jumping from building to building with ease. Alex's control over his abilities was getting a lot better. Now he was even able to glide small distances by lightening his bio-mass. As he landed on the roof of a large building he peered over the edge. The streets were crawling with infected. As he looked closer Alex realized the mutagenic properties of the virus must have started to set in as quite a few of the infected had turned a sickly shade of red and instead of arms, long chitinous blades seemed to have formed to replace them.
As Alex continued towards the station he began to comprehend just how many infected there were. "Jeez she could break out of the red zone easily with all of these" he thought as he drew nearer. To his surprise the area outside the station was deserted. "Is this a trap?" Mercer thought as he walked into the station.
The area inside the station had become an alien landscape. The walls were covered in some kind of red fungus. As he went deeper into the station he saw that the fungus or whatever the hell it was seemed to be getting thicker. Blacklight must be causing this and perhaps if he found were it was originating that would be the sample he needed. He followed the substance to a point on the floor.
"So this was on purpose" Alex thought as he bent down and picked up a few shards of glass from what looked like a broken vial. Blackwatch had released the virus here on purpose. Quickly he scraped some of the red substance from the floor, placed it in a vial given to him by Ragland and turned to leave.
Alex heard them before he saw them. The familiar snarling sound caused him to step back and his arm shifted into the long crescent blade he was now so familiar with using. The three hunters crawled out of the shadows towards him but to his surprise they stopped a few meters in front. As Alex stepped forward, they snarled but took a step back.
"Are they scared of me?" he thought looking at the snarling creatures.
"I hope my pets didn't scare you."
The voice sent a shiver up his spine. Turning he saw Elizabeth sitting on a bench near the back of the room. "Crap" Alex thought, he was in her own backyard. He knew he'd probably encounter her in the Red Zone but he'd counted on the fact this would have been outside, where he had room to maneuver.
As she got up and stepped out of the darkness he gasped. She looked a lot different. Her skin was no longer the sickly shade of white it had been, her long red hair seemed brighter and the yellow iris's that denoted she was an infected where now a deep shade of green.
"You like my new look I see" she teased, moving towards him. "This is what I look like after I've fed. An improvement isn't it?" Greene asked as she stopped infront of him, placing her hands on her hips and looking at him suggestively. Alex was still taken aback by how human she looked. If he passed her on the street the fact she may have been infected wouldn't have crossed his mind.
"Listen Alex" she began, pushing some red hair from her eyes. "I've been following you since you entered the Red Zone. Did you really think I wouldn't know you were here? This is my kingdom after all."
"Oh shit" he thought realizing he'd badly underestimated her. Well if this was going to be it, he wasn't going to be taken without a fight.
"At first I'd been angry at the fact you thought me so stupid that I wouldn't be able to track you in my own territory" Greene continued, not noticing Alex's change in posture. "Then it hit me. What if you wanted to be found?"
Alex stopped dead "What is she talking about?" he thought confused.
"You never came here to attack me did you? You came here because you wanted me" Greene finished locking eyes with him. Then Alex realized what she was talking about.
"She thinks I'm here to agree to be her mate. To join her. No wonder there were no infected outside and the Hunters didn't attack me. What slave would be stupid enough to attack their new king?" he thought.
For once he thanked his own stupidity and recklessness. Had he come in stealthy Greene would have instantly realized that Alex wasn't there for her and attacked without giving him time to get the sample. He stood there in silence trying to quickly think up a plan on how to proceed. Alex was snapped out of his thoughts by Greene's lips smashing into his. As she deepened the kiss he could feel Redlight trying to break into him. Suddenly Greene stepped back looking at Alex in bewilderment.
"What now?" he thought eyeing her warily.
"Incredible. You're perfect" she breathed "Do you have any idea what you are?"
"What are you talking about?" Alex asked looking even more confused now.
"How is that even possible?" Greene muttered, looking at him confused.
"Ok this getting weird I need to get back to Ragland as soon as possible" Alex thought trying to see a way out. Suddenly Greene's head snapped round in the other direction.
"Looks like our first act as king and queen is to stamp out all resistance" she said turning her eyes back to Alex. "I was attacking part of the blockade to the Red Zone and it seems Blackwatch have sent reinforcements" she continued. "Let's go show them what we're capable of" Greene finished, wrapping an arm around his neck and kissing him again.
"This is perfect. She'll lead me straight to the outskirts of the Red Zone and I can break-away there" Alex thought smiling as Greene broke the kiss.
Red Zone frontline, New York, 1:30pm
"By the god's. How many of these things are there?" Ares asked as his axe cut through a pair of infected.
The Avengers and the Dark Avengers had been pummeled relentlessly by wave of after wave of infected for the past 20 minutes and the tide didn't seem to thinning. The Blackwatch soldiers where frantically trying to repair the blockade while the hero's held off the infected.
"Whats going on? These guys are different" Logan said as an infected with long talons lunged at him. Before quickly losing an arm as Wolverines adamantium claws cleaved it from from its body.
"Remember what Spider-man said. If the infection goes to long untreated mutations set in. I guess that's what we're seeing here" Spider-woman replied, as an infected with long blades for arms narrowly missed taking her head off.
"Avengers fall back. We have the defenses repaired and more men have arrived" a soldier shouted from the blockade.
They quickly retreated behind the defenses and Blackwatch let out volley after volley of bullets into the approaching horde before throwing multiple explosives. The explosions shook the street and the Avenger's squinted as the light of the blast lit up the road.
After a few minutes the smoke began to clear to reveal that the street was littered with bodies and blood coated the ground with a sickly red color. Jessica put her hand to her mouth to prevent vomiting. Even Carol looked shocked and she had experience in war.
"Anyone want a coke?"
"Wilson do you have any tact at all?" Wolverine growled as Deadpool began rummaging through the Blackwatch supply case.
"Multiple tango's approaching, 100ft" one of the soldiers said raising his weapon as the silhouettes appeared in the fog.
"Take them" the soldier replied next to him. The muzzles of their weapons flashed as the bullets sped from the barrels. The Avengers flinched as they saw the bullets rip into the figures.
"Well that's not good" Ronin said as the figures didn't even slow in their stride as the bullets tore into them.
Mercer and Greene both stepped out.
"Well that really isn't good" Ronin continued looking at the pair together.
"So which ones do you want?" Greene asked turning to Alex curiously.
"I couldn't care less" he replied looking at the blockade and the Avengers behind it. Suddenly another volley of gunfire resonated from the blockade, hitting them head on.
"You'd think by now they'd realize bullets don't work on us" Greene sighed as the bullets tore into them "Although they are annoying. I'd grown to like this shirt" she finished looking at the holes in the black material.
Alex looked at himself. This was another difference he'd noticed. Greene's clothes where separate from her whereas when he put his clothes on they seemed to become part of him. He'd been shot multiple times and yet his clothes weren't even damaged.
"You people are starting annoy me" Greene sighed as she neared the blockade. "I've decided now is the time to expand my territory" she continued approaching the Avengers. As she said this shrieks erupted from behind her. Infected appeared out of the alleyways as if from nowhere and hunters appeared running along the sides of the surrounding buildings.
"How many of these things does she have?" Ms Marvel asked as she began firing energy blasts into the infected.
"Captain Cross this is sector 3. Both Greene and Mercer are attacking us we can't hold out much lo.." the soldier was cut off as the mountain of infected hit. The Blackwatch soldiers instantly fell back firing into the oncoming horde. They couldn't win here and they knew it so they were falling back to a more fortified position further down.
Carol flew at Mercer as fast as she could. As she grabbed him and flew into the air Carol could have sworn she saw him smile. Tossing him into the top of a building she released volley after volley of energy blasts into the area he crashed into. Ms Marvel landed on the rooftop and Spider-woman carrying Wolverine landed beside her.
Alex pulled himself from the debris and brushed some dust off himself complete unphased by the attack. It had worked out perfectly. Now he was separated from Greene he could run. He turned his attention to the people in front of him.
"We've already been here and done this. I beat you down remember?" Alex said looking at Spider-woman and Ms Marvel. "I have no desire to fight you" he finished turning his back on the trio.
"Where do you think you're going?" Carol demanded, appearing in front of him.
"Out of my way" Alex growled at her.
"Can't do that" Carol replied curtly "You're a monster. How many people are dead because of you?"
"That's rich coming from a Blackwatch attack dog" Mercer smirked as the trio surrounded him.
"We know what you did" Jessica said as Alex turned to look at her. Now it was Alex's turn to be confused.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Alex asked glaring at her.
"Blackwatch told us everything. How you released the virus and now you're just trying to slaughter everyone in blind rage."
Alex blinked not quite believing what he was hearing. "Me releasing the virus? How low have Blackwatch sun to come up with an excuse like that?" he thought. "And you believed them? The very same organization that robbed a whole town of life just to try out a theory" Alex countered.
"Something's wrong. He really doesn't have any idea what we're talking about" Logan thought looking at him. He could tell if people where lying by a combination of his mutant abilities and body-language and this guy really had no clue what they were accusing him of. Before he could say anything Alex leapt into action.
"I've got to get this sample back to Ragland" Alex thought as he punched the blond woman in stomach and threw her over his shoulder into her two team-mates.
"Son of a b****!" Ms Marvel growled getting to her feet and quickly began flying after Mercer who was now running full pelt across the rooftops.
"Go help her. I'll only slow you down" Wolverine said, getting to his feet and jumping off the building to go help the others.
Alex stopped for a brief second to see if he was still being followed and was knocked off his feet as Ms Marvel's fist collided with his back. He rolled with the blow and landed on his feet. As he was about to engage the blond woman a flash of green light struck Alex in the flank propelling him sideways. Spider-woman landed not far from Carol, her hands still glowing from the blast. Alex got back to his feet, teeth clenched.
They had learnt their lesson from last time. The two hero's where keeping their distance, not allowing him to get his hands on them and put all of his destructive power into play. Carol hit him with an energy blast and Jessica followed suit firing another venom blast.
"Shit" Alex thought as both bolts of energy struck him head on and exploded in a flash of light and smoke.
"Do you think that did it?" Jessica asked, turning to Ms Marvel.
"Well that hurt" Alex replied, stepping back out of the smoke.
"What the?" Carol gasped looking at the thing infront of her.
Alex looked at her, slightly perplexed at her reaction. It was then he noticed his hands. His skin had become a sort of armor. It was black and chitinous almost like an insects carapace. Bringing his hand up to his face he could feel the armor covering it in a protective layer.
"Well that's new" Alex thought out loud, looking at his hand curiously.
Ms Marvel took advantage of his distraction to fly at him. Alex looked up and Carol's fist collided with his head. He didn't even flinch as the blow hit him. Alex couldn't work out who was more shocked, him for not feeling her blow or Carol who realized he hadn't even felt it. "The mutation must have occurred from all the damage I've been taking" he thought as he grabbed Ms Marvels arm and threw her over his shoulder. His claws snapped from his armored hands and he turned ready to face the other opponent.
It was as Alex did this that he realized although this armor gave him incredible durability it came at the cost of his speed. He was definitely moving slower than before. Spider-woman shot a few blasts at him as he ran towards her but he either didn't feel them or ignored them as he plowed through the green light towards her.
Alex took a swipe but Jessica leapt over his blow narrowly avoiding disembowelment.
"Not good" she thought as she landed a few meters from Mercer. This form he currently had was new and they had no knowledge of it. Carol was back on her feet also eyeing Mercer.
"He's slower in that form maybe we can speed blitz him" the blond heroine suggested.
"Seems as good a plan as any" Spider-woman replied. They both leapt into action using their superior speed to out-maneuver Alex and dodge his blows.
"I can't keep this up for long" Alex thought. Although the armor dulled the blows it didn't make him invincible and the volley of attacks he was currently receiving were starting to put a strain on his body.
Ms Marvel struck him hard and he crashed to the ground. Carol quickly followed landing on top of him, she pinned him to the ground and punched him hard in the jaw. Jessica stood a few meters away poised to hit him with a venom blast should he try to attack. To Carol's surprise the armor retreated into Alex's skin and returned to the familiar hoodie and jeans.
"We beat him?" Carol thought looking at the man beneath her. Then she noticed the smile creeping across his lips. Looking to the left she saw Alex's fingers where embedded into the concrete. "JESS MOVE!" she shouted turning to her team-mate but it was too late.
Spikes erupted from the ground all around them. One of them tore through Spider-woman's shoulder and another penetrated her leg impaling Spider-woman and lifting her from the floor. Alex took advantage of the temporarily distracted Carol and his hand shot out grabbing her by the neck. Her eyes widened as her airflow was suddenly cut off. Ms Marvel aimed a blow at his chest but Alex's armor reappeared and he didn't loosen his grip.
"You've been lied to" Alex hissed in her ear as she began to pass out from lack of oxygen. Alex released her and she collapsed unconscious to the floor. His armor retreated into his skin again and he turned to the other woman. She had propped herself up against what looked like a weather vane, one hand clasping the wound to her shoulder.
Jessica glared at Alex but she knew there was nothing she could do in her current condition. Alex simply returned her glare and began to walk away. He would gain nothing from killing them. It was as Alex was about to jump to the next building that a bullet ripped through his shoulder causing him to turn.
"Let's finish this Alex" Cross growled pointing the still smoking weapon at him.
"Pathetic" Greene smirked, dodging a blow from Iron Fist and quickly countering, causing Danny to fly backwards into a nearby building.
The Blackwatch soldiers had made it to the more heavily fortified position but the infected were pummeling their defenses relentlessly and they had lost a lot of ground to them. Greene was currently fighting the remaining Avengers.
Elizabeth struck Wolverine in the head and used him as a human shield to protect herself from a barrage of arrows from both Ronin and Bullseye.
"Damn sorry Logan" Clint shouted as Greene threw the mutant to the side riddled with arrows. Greene looked at the Avengers as they regrouped.
"Six against one huh?" she asked raising and eyebrow. "It's not fair on you" Greene finished as spikes erupted from the ground forcing the Avengers to jump back.
"She's right. We need a powerhouse. Someone who can absorb the damage while we think up a plan " Mockingbird said as Greene recommenced her attack.
As she narrowly avoided a blow from Greene, Mockingbird noticed a group of people running to the barricade.
"Damn it" she cursed. When they lost ground to the infected it had put all the people in that area at risk. At least they had the sense to run to the next line of defense. Just then two hunters leapt in front of the terrified civilians and some of the other infected also broke off from attacking Blackwatch to attack the easier prey.
"Dear god, no" Barbara thought, realizing there was nothing anyone could do to save them. Greene would beat them down if they let their guard down even for an instant.
A whirring noise ripped through the air and chain whipped out from nowhere slicing the two hunters in half. They collapsed in balls of fire that quickly turned to ash.
"Who the?" Greene growled in surprise, looking past the Avengers at something behind them. Fire erupted from the ground surrounding them. Burning the infected it touched, instantly reducing them to ash.
"What's going on?" Bullseye asked nervously as the fire grew in intensity. The whirring noise grew louder and the Avengers turned. A motorbike burst through the flames. Flying over their heads and landing in front of them placing itself between them and Greene.
"Is that who I think it is?" Mockingbird asked nervously, looking at the man as a black boot hit the floor to stabilize the flaming bike.
"God I hope he's in control" Logan thought looking at the man in front of them.
It was inevitable that he would appear. All of these people dying unjustly and without cause was probably causing him immense pain. The black sockets illuminated by the fire that surrounded the skull fixed their lifeless gaze on the infected.
"Vengeance has come" the Rider hissed as the fire around him began to increase violently.
