"You want to break into Avengers tower? The most impregnable building in the world?" Carol said, incredulously.
Doom crossed his arms before speaking. "By virtue of the aliens occupying it, it is not impregnable."
"That's...a good point," Carol replied.
"Obviously."
Doom, Rhodes and Carol had met in the bottom floor the same abandoned warehouse.
"And what's the objective?" Rhodes said, ignoring the verbal sparring as he leaned against the wall.
"Objectives, Colonel Rhodes," corrected Doom, before continuing. "Firstly, we must access the mainframe and integrate a device with it. This device will allow me to back track the virus the Skrulls used to infiltrate the Starktech systems, and potentially allow me similar access to the alien's systems."
Rhodes pushed himself off the wall and held out an accusatory finger. "And giving you access to the most widely used systems in the world!"
"Which the Skrulls are now using," added Carol.
It was Rhode's turn to be incredulous. "Carol, this would give him access to almost everything... SHIELD, the US government, communications..."
"All of which might as well be called Skrull-tech now," Carol answered, shaking her head. "I just don't see another option."
Rhodes turned his attention back to Doom, scowling. "Alright, but I get the same access; same flow of information and I get to see what you're doing on the networks."
"Do not make demands of Doom," he answered imperiously. "Regardless, the device uses a quantum entanglement communicator to remain undetected. It would be quite impossible to multiply the access, even if Doom were to deign to accede to your…conditions."
"What's the rest of your plan?" Rhodes said through clenched metal teeth.
"We need to abduct a Skrull in human form-" Doom said, lifting up a metal case. He opened it, and picked up what looked like a cell phone and a blood-glucose tester, "-to test these. I believe I have determined the underlying biological mechanisms that enable this hitherto unseen form of Skrull impersonation. More practically, I believe that I have created a method of defeating it."
"That could really give us an edge. If it works," Carol said cautiously.
Doom nodded and held up the cell phone resembling device. "Indeed. This tool will emit a 10 meter sonic pulse tuned to the resonance frequency of the biological machinery that maintains the Skrull's form. When applied, those enzymes will be disrupted, and the Skrull DNA will return to its default state. When that occurs, the Skrull should return to it's original form."
Carol cocked an eyebrow. "Should?"
"In theory," he replied, nodding deliberately.
Next, he picked up the diabetes monitor before continuing. "This machine will be able to test a small sample of blood, and if the after-mentioned enzymes are present, it will tell you."
"Subtle. That's good. And I know just the Skrull to test these on-," Carol said approvingly. "When the Skrulls first attacked, one disguised as Edwin Jarvis led the assault on the Helicarrier. He seemed like a higher up, and if he's still on Earth, I'd bet he's in Avengers tower."
Rhodes nodded, "Alright. Then how do we even get in?"
While sneaking into Avengers tower was not easy, it was considerably simpler than when it was occupied by its previous tenants. Even Doom would not have considered personally infiltrating this place while the Avengers occupied it.
As the trio darted around corners, he felt a slight trepidation. Completing this sort of task was difficult enough when team cohesion was good. Considering the lack of trust between the three, he knew that any errors on the parts of his compatriots put him at considerable risk.
He had constructed an apparatus that bent light and interrupted sound in a small area. Rhodes 'technopathy' allowed him to integrate the device into his own systems. Doom was originally hesitant to allow the cyborg to do so, but decided a small act of trust could go a long way.
Nonetheless, Rhodes appeared to be able use the device to its fullest extent. He was even able to cut off electronic signals from the security systems. Combined with Doom's magical wards to confound organic eyes, they made good progress.
Carol played her part as well. As the one who most recently worked with the Avengers, she was the most up-to-date about the layout of the building, and she was able to point out alternative paths to circumvent risky contacts, or small alcoves and rooms to dart in to allow the aliens to pass.
Doom was even beginning to put some value on these people. In his estimation, they were rapidly moving their way up from hindrances to useful pawns...
The building housed numerous Skrulls, both normal and Super. It seemed that the aliens had taken the building as a headquarters in New York City, and may very well have been using it for a wider area. In fact, Doom hypothesized, given the fact that this was the central location of the Starktech systems the aliens usurped, this building could very well be the ground based HQ for the Skrulls entire operation in this hemisphere.
The trio made their way to the server room easily enough and with no encounters with patrolling guards. The Skrulls seemed lacsidasical and unconcerned, evidently confident that their pilfered technology would detect any intruders. Surrounded by the humming computers, Doom, Carol, and Rhodes made their way to the central hub.
Doom retrieved his surveillance device from a belt pocket before speaking, "Quickly, incorporate this into the server hub."
Rhodes took the proffered item slowly. He acted as if it weighed as much as block of tungsten.
"Now is not the time for doubt, Colonel," Doom said gravely. And it was true; if the man had real objections, he would never have come this far.
Rhodes gave a small shake of his head before kneeling down beside one of the mainframes. He held the device underneath a low protruding panel, and wires grew off, like roots searching for water. Magnetic forces bent the casing and the device sunk into the frame of the computer as if he was planting a seed in soft earth. After a few moments, no trace of the sabotage could be seen.
"Alright, let's check the cameras and find this Jarvis-Skrull," Rhodes said quietly.
Rhodes hit a few keys on a nearby console, bringing security feeds onto the various monitors near the group. Each of them examined the banks of screens as they searched for their quarry. After some time, it was Carol who spoke up first.
"Tony!" she exclaimed, and Doom turned towards her as Rhodes rushed past him.
The feed displayed Tony in his penthouse in the Avengers tower. He was leaning an elbow against one of the windows, looking out at the panorama view, with a drink in hand.
He had a disheveled look about him; his hair was just a little too long and messy, with several days of growth on his chin, and a slight pallor. The Edwin Jarvis-Skrull (presumably) was in the same room, standing a respectful distance back.
Doom was taken completely by surprise. "What trickery is this?"
"Tony..." whispered Rhodes, trailing off for a moment, "Carol, you said he didn't make it out of the Savage Land!"
"I thought he died..! When that virus hit, it affected whatever tech he has inside him-" Carol shook her head. "He started having a seizure. Even when he recovered he was acting weird. He went to a cave to try and…I don't know…engineer something? That was the last I saw of him before we left for the battle in New York,"
"Rhodes, get us volume," Doom ordered. They were all so stunned that he didn't even argue for once.
Stark's voice came over the speakers, "I just don't know why I can't get my memories back," he said with resignation.
"Don't worry, Sir. After the service you did, the Empire will never abandon you," Jarvis answered.
Rhodes turned away, "I'm getting Tony."
"Are you mad!?" hissed Doom, grabbing the cyborg by the shoulder.
Rhodes answered very slowly, "Get your fuckin' hand off me."
Doom disregarded the insult. He knew this was a delicate situation and he could tell the Rhodes' patience was just about at an end. He would have to be very careful if he was to convince him to not do something that risked their lives, and more importantly his plans.
"We cannot take your friend," Doom said, not letting go. He gestured at the screens with his other hand. "Look! He's cooperating with the aliens! They have deceived him somehow; even I know Stark would never cooperate with the Skrulls, but this is not the time!"
Rhodes turned back, clenching his fists. "Oh, but we can take that Jarvis-looking son of a bitch?"
"The alien will perish when we have what we need. What will you do with Stark? Where will you house him, feed him, get him the psychiatric help he obviously needs?" Doom tried to feign some desperation into his voice.
Carol put a hand on Rhodes' other arm. "He's right," she said softly.
"You've been saying that a lot lately," Rhodes replied with a resigned sign. He poked Doom in the chest before continuing. "Fine, but this ain't over."
Doom resisted the impulse to rip the cyborg's finger from its socket.
After their revelation, the trio waited until the Jarvis-Skrull left Tony. As the imposter walked down a lonely hallway, Rhodes tapped him on the head with his electrified baton, stunning the alien into unconsciousness.
They then exhilarated the tower, returning to their original meeting point. Both Doom and Rhodes scanned the Skrull to ensure he had no implanted tracking devices, and the alien was secured in an adjacent room while the three plotted their approach.
To Doom's immense annoyance, the discussion quickly turned into another heated debate.
"You can't just execute him when we're done," Carol said.
Doom was exhausted from the constant bickering from these simpletons and it seeped into in his tone. "What did you expect we were going to do with it? We can't let the Skrulls know about the devices; furthermore, they cannot know of my involvement. After the interrogation, I will put him out of his misery."
"I know how you 'interrogate' people. I won't let you torture him. Besides, with that link to all the Stark-tech, you'll have more information than this guy can give. Rhodey? Back me up here."
"Skrulls aren't humans," Rhodes said, slowly shaking his head, "They don't have human rights." He had been sullen since seeing Stark, and this was the first time he had chimed in since they left the tower.
Carol gave Rhodes a dismayed look as she spoke, "I won't be part of this."
"You don't have to. But it has to be done," Rhodes replied coldly as he pushed himself off the wall. He gave Doom a quick glare, and pushed open the door to where they were holding their prisoner.
The room containing the Jarvis-Skrull was just as sparse as the other room. The alien was tied to a chair facing away from the door, and another bulb on a long cord cast dim light from the centre of the room. They quietly entered from behind the secured Skrull.
The alien spoke up as Rhodes circled him, "You know, it's not too late to get out of this alive. Release me, and I'll make sure you can live the rest of your days in a cell."
When the alien saw Rhodes his tone flattened. "Oh. I don't think even I can help you, James. While your paltry attacks on the Empire have had little effect, we couldn't let you live after all you've done. You understand?"
Doom had remained behind the Skrull, and triggered the sonic tool. Within a moment the Jarvis-Skrull began to revert to his original form. A look of horror crossed his features and he let out incoherent sounds as he warped and morphed. The uncontrolled change appeared to be quite painful, though within a second it was complete.
The Skrull gasped for air after he was forcedly reverted, and Doom could see an ever so slight smile peak on the corner of Rhodes mouth. It seemed even amongst the 'heroic', one could never escape the joy of seeing one's enemies laid low.
Next, he took his other invention and made a tiny pin prick on the alien's neck. He fed the small drop of green blood into the tester. After a few moments, the screen on the device changed green; a positive reading.
Doom smiled triumphantly as another challenge was laid low by his genius. He slowly walked in front of the Skrull, and alien looked at him in fear. Rhodes even took a step out of his way. He stopped in front of the captive, and looked him over before speaking.
"As you can see, Doom has defeated your shape shifting. I'll admit, it took some work," he said, self-satisfaction hanging from every word. "Now, you will answer my questions. Honesty will minimize your suffering." He raised his gauntlets as electricity cracked about his palms. "Why did you invade the Earth?"
"This world is prophesied to belong to the Empire," the alien defiantly replied.
"I can't imagine such a prophesy involved living amongst the local population; yet you brought so few..."
"Unlike you human barbarians, we uplift the people's we conq-AGHHH-" The Skrull was interrupted as electricity leapt from Doom's gauntlets and coursed through him.
"Be careful with your tone, alien," Doom, cutting the arcs off. "But still, you spent years subverting our world. The new Super-Skrulls must be very intensive to produce. What state is the Skrull Empire in?" he demanded.
The Skull looked away before answering. "The Empire is eternal."
"I find that answer...unsatisfying," replied Doom, as he electrocuted the alien. "Where are the waves of colonists? Why would the Empress relocate to newly conquered territory? How is it that there is no further Skrull ships arriving to this system?" Menacing arcs cracked along his fingers.
Smoke wafted off the alien, and he bowed his head before answering. "There was a cataclysm...the home world was destroyed...our empire was destroyed."
Finally; some truth. "How many Skrulls are left?"
The alien turned his head away.
"Answer me, damn you," Doom said as he grabbed the alien's skull with both hands, forcing him to look up. His gauntlets heated, and the Skrull screamed as the smell of cooking flesh filled the room.
"All of them are here! Nearly 30 million-!"
Doom released his grip in surprise. "The entire population is on Earth?"
The Skrull nodded.
Doom suddenly turned away in thought and the Skrull flinched at the sudden movement. An ancient star-nation reduced to mere millions? It at least explained why they wanted the planet intact…
He turned back, "Why have you left the local populations intact?"
"I don't know! The Queen was certain in her orders, and we are bound to obey her!"
Doom believed the creature.
"Where are the abductees; the ones you captured before the invasion and impersonated?"
"They-" the alien stuttered, "…they are housed on a ship; Kylkars Justice. They are in stasis."
Doom turned and gave Rhodes a wave. He had everything he needed, but he was at least a little curious as to how Tony Stark had been humbled so.
Rhodes picked up the Skrull, chair and all, as if he weighed no more than a book, and flung him into the nearby concrete wall. The old wooden seat splintered as it snapped into pieces. The Skrull was shaking his head as Rhodes grabbed a hold of his collar and pushed him up against the wall.
"What the hell did you do to Tony?" he said, lifting the creature off his feet.
"Veranke..." the Skrull said, taking a big gulp, as if he didn't want to explain to the irate cyborg, "She…broke him"
Rhodes head-butted the alien in the nose and green blood splattered over his gunmetal visor, "What did she DO?"
The Skrull coughed up a wad of blood as he spoke, "She convinced him…he was one of us; one of our infiltrators. I don't know how, but he thinks he lost his memories."
Rhodes let out an angry howl and punched the alien in the mouth, before throwing him on the ground, "And what's your part in this?"
"I serve him as Jarvis would have! I keep him safe and tend to his needs as he recovers-!" the Skrull answered as blood poured down his face.
"RECOVERS!?"
Doom watched aloofly as Rhodes took out his rage on this pitiable creature. More questions followed, but they were essentially repetitions and the Skrull clearly didn't know anything else.
After a number of minutes, it seemed that Rhodes also came to a similar conclusion. He lifted the Skrull with one hand and smashed him into the wall again. He stuck the barrel of his 9mm under the alien's chin.
"Got any last words?"
"He…loves…you…" the bleeding Skrull managed to say.
This piqued Doom's interest; he had caught many reports of the Skrulls saying the same phrase during the initial invasion, but he had been unable to discern the purpose of it.
Rhodes pushed the weapon into the Skrull's chin as he spoke, "And who's that?"
"God; despite all you've done…he still loves you."
"Guess we'll see if he loves you as much," Rhodes said as he pulled the trigger.