There was a very special and secretive room located inside the Mayor's office. It was a war-room designed and used specifically for matters involving Mutants. No one knew about this room at all, other than the Mayor, the MRD, and SHIELD. Director Nicholas Fury. At the moment, they were meeting with Mayor Demi Jackson. concerning the mutant purge...
"The purge again?" the Mayor questioned, skeptical, but not to the degree that he refused to believe it.
"As of right now, that's what we're dealing with," Fury expanded, "To be completely honest - and I realize this looks very bad - we have no idea how bad this is going to effect the city."
"Who care there only Mutants for fuck sake," the Mayor stated, "Hell, Captain Marvel there could be one."
"We have to be careful. I'm talking... Precision caution here," Fury explained, "You're right, she could be one but shes not. The problem youve opened the flood gates on this if ypu honestly think these Purifier groups are going to stop after this then your stupid. Whatever we're gonna do, it's gonna be soon."
The Mayor sighed, "What in the world am I going to tell the people tomorrow? You know the people want action."
"Tell them that SHIELD we be dealing with the Mutant problem," Carol offered.
The Mayor nodded his head, "I hope that's the truth. I mean, if this fails... We're going to be up the creek for quite awhile."
"Mr. Mayor," Carol stepped up, " With all due respect... You said it yourself. Mutants with incredible powers and strengths. To handle them we could use a team of supers. Surely, the United Nations will understand how dire the circumstances are."
"Do you remember what Victor Von Doom said?" the Mayor reminded them, "The United States of America having their own government-sponsored team of superheroes would be the equivalent of the world's largest stockpile of nuclear arms at their disposal. They will truly be a superpower and will crush us all."
"You don't agree with that bullshit," Fury countered.
"Of course not. But, the problem is... A lot of very influential and specific people do. Organizing a team would be painting a target right across the United States on the globe. We'll be vilified. Hated. Feared. Targeted. More so than ever before."
"Yeah, that's true, sir," Director Fury agreed, "But, what if we had no choice but to be those things?"
-Queens-
The calm and soothing isolation of Queens. For twenty-five year old Peter Parker, it was just what he needed to make an attempt to find peace. Not outside, but inside. Inside of himself. Once Otto and Peter had swapped minds, Peter had served his purpose in this world through to the end. The world no longer needed Peter Parker. After all, they had Otto the Superior Spiderman.
It took time, patience, and the will not to give up after a relapse, but Otto had conquered parker within his mind. He had now gone three years without an incident. Three long and peaceful years. Inner turmoil remained, however. Parker was inside of his head, coupled by screams inside his mind. Parker wanted control, craved it like a drug. But even one minor slip in concentration could lead to disastrous results.
Otto had traveled to Queens with nothing but the clothes on his back. Seeking a retreat from the Chaos from the Mutant Purge and the green alien in his Alchemax lab. When he had complete control, when he was absolutely certain that it was he who was in command of his own body, then he would return. But for now that was far away.
Ott was frozen in shock at the sight of what was awaiting him. The house Aunt may had owned and where he had been staying these years was reduced to a massive pile of rubble and destruction.
The bags fell from his shoulders to the muddy ground.
Who had done this? Why? What purpose did it serve? These men never harmed a single soul in their lives. They didn't... They didn't deserve this. They were... Innocent and... And peaceful... Never... WHO DID THIS?
His throat producing strangled noises as he fought Parker struggling for freedom, Otto collapsed to his knees, fists clenching in his open-fingered wool gloves. His fingernails practically tore through the material. The shook his body as it began pouring into his veins, filling them with the rage.
With a sharp gasp, Otto fell forward, now on his hands and knees, eyes focused on a rock in the ground. His focal point. Breathe... Breathe... DAMN IT, BREATHE!.
"LET ME OUT!"
"No!" the spit flew from Otto's lips "PARKER FUCK OFF!"
"LET ME OUT! LET ME SAVE THEM!"
"Peter," the weakened cry of Gwen Stacy as she staggered forward, falling to the ground, body littered with gruesome wounds. It was astounding that she was even still alive.
Otto's head snapped forward, eyes widening at the sight, "Parker!" the voice inside his mind didn't respond, "Parker!"
"FINE! BUT... NOT OVER. I'LL SAVE THEM."
With a long and forceful gasp, Otto's body suddnely plopped face-first down into the mud with a smack.
-Leaving The mayor's office-
"That went well," Carol's dry and sarcastic words as she and Director Nick Fury sat in the back of a limousine that would be taking them to the Triskelion after their meeting with the mayor of New York.
"He knows it's a good idea," Fury stated, "He wants to do it. If he wasn't under a damn microscope all the time, we'd probably be assembling a team right now."
They both understood why the Mayor chose to decline assembling a team of superheroes. But, in this day and age, with everything happening in the world, it seemed the most logical thing to do. The world needed the Avengers. The world needed its mightiest heroes to assemble together for the greater good. Especially now. Especially when we need them the most again.
Which made Carol think of something, "Sir, Maria wants Alchemax to head the investigation into the Alien," it was beginning to make sense, "No one agreed with her, and now it makes perfect sense..."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying... She might be one of them," an ominous statement from Captain Marvel, "It makes sense. No wonder she was so adamant about sending the three of them. She knew it was a trap."
Fury thought it over silently. For just a talk with Parker, he definitely would not have allowed Alchemax to take charge, Fury would have given that to Oscorp or more of likely to Stark Industries. So... Carol's accusation did make sense. But, he couldn't be sure. He couldn't jump to conclusions, either. The accusations had to be kept to a minimum until they could learn more.
"We need to watch everyone closely," he suddenly found himself not trusting the woman beside him, "Closer than thought possible. Microscope close."
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she questioned the look in his eye, "You... You're not thinking that I'm..."
"We don't know the extent of what we're dealing with," he said, "Until we do; Everyone's a suspect."
Carol didn't feel disprected or anything of the like. In truth, she understood completely. Thing is, just as much as everyone was a suspect...
"So are you, Director Fury."
" So about you helping the So Called Mutant Problem"
" Me? sir?"
" You made the suggestion we agreed now your heading it got it "
" Yes sir"
-Residence of Hank Pym-
There was a lot more to Hank Pym than met the eye. Just underneath the surface, beyond the veil, there was a lot to discover and learn. Although, if he had it his way, no one would ever know his secret.
Ha m looked at himself in the mirror. Bright blue eyes the color of crystal. His grey hair, a somewhat still masculine physique, clean-cut, not a hair out of place. His suit and tie, fine pressed slacks, the shoes he wore. Nothing out of place. He was a man with all his ducks in a row, everything laid out in front of him. Under control, from one end of the spectrum to the other, everything in absolute and complete order. Not a hair out of place, nor a thread. That was Hank Pym.
But, Hank Pym wasn't Antman.
The television in the background, reflecting off the mirror he was looking in, Hank took a breath and closed his eyes...turned away, walking across creaking floorboards to the television, which turned out Scott and Hope were watching.
"This Mutant purge is bullshit" his voice was strong.
"We know but can we do?" Hope asked.
"We should do something, we could help with..."
"Your Antman Scott, Hope os Wasp. And Im your boss . You do as I say, without question. Otherwise we could have a real problem, besides i dont want either of you out there in the chaos of that shit got it?"
Scott was quiet for a moment before speaking, "Please accept my apology."
Hank let the moment linger just a little for intimidation purposes, "Accepted. Now... Do you really think we could help at all?"
"Gathering information, waiting to see if anything else happened... There isnt mant sightings," Scott finally answered
"Perhaps, We should prepare for..."
"No," Hank interrupted his daughter, "This is leading to an all-out war and that will lead to collateral damage. It may only be New York, and they may be just humans and Mutants, but they have just as much right to live than we do,their safety should come first and be taken into account."
"Very well," Hope answered, Hank sighed, running a hand over his head, "There has to be something more that I can do. I can't simply wait around for a disaster to happen before I act. I have to do... Something. But, what?"
-New York-
A tremendous feat, traveling to the Alchemax Tower from Queens in such a weakened state. There was the Spiderman he was taking Gwen Stacy to heal her he had covered the distance quicker then Quicksilver and was now placing her in a regeneration pod courtsey of Miguel O'Hara aka Spiderman 2099.
-Elsewhere-
Plain and simple, Reed Richards didn't know what to do with himself. Twenty-seven years old and no job, no money, no girlfriend, and very soon... No place to live. It was times like this that he would take a trip down to an old fishing hole he used to come to with his dad and grandfather when he was a little kid. His father always used to say that the best way to really concentrate on issues in life was to go fishing. Well... Reed didn't have the pole or patience to fish anymore, but that didn't mean he couldn't still sit in the spot he always used to when he was younger.
What the hell was he going to do? The way everything was these days, it was damn near impossible to find a decent job, let alone one with a solid paycheck every week. He was already late on the rent, and his last check from the pizza place was only good enough to pay off half of it. Never-mind the cold fact that he had no clue how he was going to come up with the money for the 1st of next month.
He needed a shooting star. Something. Anything. A stroke of good luck. Something to give him the confidence that he'd be okay in life. That he wasn't simply a complete loser and screw-up. That he was worth something. That he was capable of taking control in his life and accomplishing something substantial. He needed a sign. A second wind. A...
What the hell was that?
Reed had casually glanced up to the night sky and spotted something falling. Looked like a shooting star. He instantly began thinking of wishes coming true when he discovered it wasn't just a star. It was something on fire, burning off thick black smoke that tailed behind it. And... Oh no... It was heading right for him!
Reed scrambled to his feet and dove for shelter behind a fence post, all he had at the moment. There was a loud and resounding crash as this thing landed in the water, making it feel as though it were raining outside with how much it had splashed out of the small area. Reed didn't know whether to run or merely hide. However, curiosity got the best of him and he decided on ignoring those options and doing a bit of exploration.
Reed stepped silently and slowly to the edge of the water - or, at least where it used to be. Were his eyes deceiving him? It couldn't have been... But what else could it be? It looked like... Some sort of spaceship. The fire was gone, as was the majority of smoke. A hatch opened vertically on the side, revealing a being who had sustained lethal injuries. Richard's good Samaritan instincts kicked into gear, and he quickly ran over...
"Are you okay?" he asked, not realizing the absurdity of the situation in the heat of the moment.
The being appeared human, but something about him seemed destined to beg to differ. He opened his eyes to the size of slits, just barely tilting his head, "Sk... Skr..." discolored blood spilled from his lips. His eyes then rolled into the back of his skull as his head dropped lifelessly.
Reed tried to think, his mind frantic as Ben Grim Sue and Johnny Storm run upto him, "Hold on! I got a phone in my truck!" Ben Grim said as he made a dash for his vehicle, only to be suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. He couldn't move a single musicle. What in the... "WHOAH!"
The four was suddenly pulled through the air back to the spaceship. They felt an invisible force holding them in place as some kind of mysterious blue and gold light beamed from the being in the ship right into . It was like had been punched directly in their Bodies the chest by a slab of solid granite. The light poured inside of them, the pain blinding and unreal as he was thrown higher into the air, above the trees around the pond.
This... This... Whatever the hell this was... It was filling them, moving around, worming its way through their systems. The four of them were flooded by this energy, consumed by it. The pain was excruciating. Sparing no expense, their minds was violated, filled to the brim with images and words they didn't understand, yet mysteriously realized they were learning. Different languages that didn't make an ounce of sense, suddenly made all the sense in the world.
They saw intergalactic warriors wearing blue and gold armor with a red star like design on the center of their helmets. Then he discovered they weren't warriors. They were peace-keepers.
Reed, Sue , Ben and Johnny were thrown, thrashing about in the air, arms and legs stretched, nose bleeding, spit flying from their lips as the physicality of this bizarre event took its toll.
They saw a giant Purple alien attacking a base called the Xandar Cluster. They saw the alien in the spaceship barely getting away, determined to inform Earth that destruction was coming their way. They saw super powers, they saw them flying through space without a ship. They saw so many... So many images that it felt like their minds would explode from the wealth of information being pushed into their brain.
Within a bright and rather abrupt sphere-like flash of light, Reed , Sue and Johnny was outfitted in the blue and gold armor, minus the helmet while Ben had gained rock like skin. The pain began subsiding, but they experienced a tremendous exhaustion. They could barely keep their eyes open. And, just when they finally closed, they was violently thrown backwards, crashing through a number of trees until landing hard on the ground, unconscious.
-Alchemax- Parker's Office-
It was only Nick Fury, Beast, Peter Parker, Captain Marvel and Bruce Banner alone in the room. Fury didn't want to risk too many people around Banner at once. The last thing SHIELD needed was Banner's gammadrenaline running too thick, too fast, forcing him to Hulk-Out in the middle of their headquarters.
"How much longer till the purge ends?" Carol wondered.
Bruce nodded his head, "About two hours. We should get the city under control this purge wont just stop just cause they say its over ..." his teeth gritted before looking through the window at the green alien, "... Then that happened."
"We'll do what we can," Fury assured, "But, to be honest, our plate's pretty full right now."
Captain Marvel explained in better detail, " They can mimic anyone, even those with powers."
Fury finished the thought, "As of right now, the only case we know is Simon Williams."
"Maybe it's linked?" Carol raised an interesting thought, "The purge... The invasion? What if they're connected?"
A thought danced in Fury's mind. What if One of them was one of these green things? However most of New york is in chaos. Still... Better to keep in mind that everyone was a suspect. For all intents and purposes, even Nick Fury himself.
Beast was determined to stop the purge, "We have to stop this. I can't do it by myself, though. I need someone to keep me in check."
"If you'd let me, I'd like to help you," Otto stepped forward, "I have a few things I've been working on."
"Just a second," Fury said, holding a hand up, "We'll help you out. But, we need something in return."
"Always a catch with SHIELD," Beast remarked.
Fury chose to ignore that statement, "We're on the brink of finally being able to put together a team if we stop this i want you all to join this team."
"No," Beast instant answer, standing up, ready to walk out of the office, "I told you before; I don't want any part of SHIELD. I'm just here asking for your help one time, and one time only."
Captain Marvel blocked the exit, but not in an imposing or threatening manner. She looked Beast in the eyes, " You're not a military man. You're a mutant of the people. A man who understands the other side of this new superhuman world. A man constantly willing to stand up and fight for what he believes in. A man that can't be pushed aside or down. A man to be admired and respected. A man that holds a monster inside of him, but never forgot what it was like to be human..."
"... A man that would make a great asset to the team, and that I would be proud to serve next to."
"Beast," Otto put a hand on the young man's shoulder, "I know that you have a war being waged inside of you. I know that you're constantly at odds with yourself. I understand how much of this world you hate. But, this is an opportunity for you to help change things. Make the world better. All the while, possibly putting an end to the war you've been battling."
Beast took a deep breath, and momentarily responded... By pulling away from Otto and walking by Captain Marvel, out into the hall, moving toward the nearest exit out of the Alchemax. He couldn't get out of there soon enough. He wasn't ever going to be a part of any team. Coming here begging for help was a mistake. One he was already regretting he had even thought of.
Beast walked right back into the room he was just inside of. They all looked at him, waiting for him to speak, unsure of what he would say, but hopeful of a positive answer...
"I'm in."
