BLACK WINGS Chapter 21 - Mindset by Justin Anderson
Wednesday, February 19th, 2003. Europe, 8:11 AM Victor Von Doom stood before the European Union. "I have had enough of you. You are all weak. It is time for Iraq to suffer for their crimes, it is TIME for the whole of Al-Queda to be crushed! Germany has suddenly forgotten what Hitler had done, unless they are suddenly reverting!" Shouts echoed through the room. Von Doom was not winning allies. But this was not his purpose. He continued, "and France, the second Al-Queda attacks you, you will snivel to the United States for help! You are a nation of worthless, spineless idiots! It is no wonder Latveria will not join this Union, it is no wonder Latveria will not join the United Nations, you are all weak! "The time has come. Latveria will stand with the United States, for the right reasons. I rule Latveria with an iron fist, but my people are taken care of! I do not starve them, I do not mistreat them, Saddam Hussein does, and you do not care. Will you care when he crushed your corpses? Will you care when he poisons you? I will not wait for him to strike! And those who stand in my way shall be crushed accordingly. So says DOOM!" 1:34 PM, Manhattan "The evidence in this case in insufficient. There is no proof this game is in any way detrimental to society, nor is there any proof that this game supports terrorism. Regardless of the subject matter, the protections of the First Amendment still apply. Case dismissed." General Peterson was not happy with the ruling. The "Carnage: Unbound" videogame would be released to stores, and the legal channels were unable to stop it. 5:53 PM, Washington, D.C. General Peterson threw open his office door. "Have that trial judge thrown in jail. Plant drugs on him, do whatever you have to," he said. "Sir?" the agent asked. "A game where the player takes the role of Carnage to kill innocent people, and he insists it's harmless. Just do it, ruin him, I don't care, just make sure he never practices law again!" He sorted through a stack of fresh envelopes on his desk. Petitions from hate groups for support, various letters from his colleagues. He opened the first one. Inside was a piece of paper with a single chemical formula drawn on it. The words "Carnage - 2/01 -experiment" were written below. 6:25 PM "We analyzed the compound written on the letter," the lab technician said. "It's a chemical compound which could theoretically alter brain chemistry, possibly permanently." General Peterson looked over the message again. "Carnage... what does this have to do with him? Wait- February 2001, the Jacobs Labs..." Thursday, February 20th. 9:10 AM An aged Cletus Kasady was extracted from his cell. He was dragged to the medical facilities of the Vault. Scientists lined the walls, as did Vault Guardsmen and various men in black suits. General Peterson and the Black Wings were waiting. Cletus was strapped to a table. The Black Wings stood above him. "You're still around? Can't stay away, can you, CLETUS?" he taunted. "Don't worry," the Black Wings replied, "I'm not here to kill you. We found something worse than death for you. I hope you like it." Cletus was injected with the serum. "Oh, I get it, whatever changed you into a hero was just fed ta me..." 10:14 AM They monitored Cletus Kasady's behavior. Sobbing uncontrollably, huddled in a corner. "Yep, same stuff I went through. SO? What was the whole point of this, anyway? Fine, the stuff worked, I'm THRILLED!" the Black Wings said. "I thought this would happen... there's a nearby church that's agreed to take him, put him to work. Who knows? Maybe it'll work... and it'll shut the damn ACLU up about how he's been treated. Should have let him loose on them, myself," the General replied. "You still couldn't stop that game from coming out. Now it's more people I'm gonna have to shoot," Kasady said. "I know," Peterson remarked. "Just as well, I knew the trial would be a waste of time." 3:08 PM General Peterson led the aged Cletus Kasady through the church. They met Father McNeill in his office. "This is the prisoner," Peterson explained. "Yes, Mister Kasady. How are you feeling today?" he asked. "Umm... okay, I guess..." "That's good," Father McNeill said. "I think you will like it here. We will feed you, give you shelter, and put you to work. It should be good for you, I understand you have much to repent for." The Black Wings waited for General Peterson outside. Henry Johnson waited with him. "What I don't get, is why no one's capped him yet," Cletus said. "I don't know..." "You don't look like you're happy about this, either," Kasady said. "I'm not. I don't trust your clone. I'm not entirely sure I trust the church either, I'm fully aware of the history behind it. The Ancient Order has never been friendly with the Catholic Church. But, I have no say in this." General Peterson met them outside. "Well, that's taken care of, anyway." 8:21 PM The Black Wings entered Father McNeill's office. "Ah, you came to check on Mister Kasady, right?" "Yes," Cletus replied. "You two look a lot alike. Is he related to you, by any chance?" "You could say that," the Black Wings answered. "He's a clone. I used to be Carnage until an accident reformed me. He was cloned to bring Carnage back. He was rapidly aged like that due to a bad chemical reaction. We found out the drug that changed me, he got pumped full of it. But he's not like me, I don't trust him." Outside, the clone swept the floor. Dutifully, he made sure to sweep all the dirt tracked in, making sure the floor was clean. Saturday, February 22nd. 4:11 PM The Black Wings met once again with Father McNeill. "I believe your fears may have been misplaced. Mister Kasady has done well these past two days. Well behaved, polite, and obedient. I believe his past is behind him, and he has found his calling. Nearby, Cletus swept once again. An altar boy stood nearby. Pausing, he stepped on the broom handle, breaking it. He swung, cracking the boy over the head. He drove the splintered end through the boy's chest. The Black Wings drew his gun. "NO!" Father McNeill screamed. The clone jumped the Black Wings. Father McNeill was thrown back. "You moron! No drug can change me! Nothing can bring out my good side. You ARE my good side, and I'm gad I don't have to put up with you anymore. Now, if I can just-" Kasady sprang for the exit. He was met outside by Henry Johnson, a gun trained on him. The Black Wings had a pistol to the back of his head. "Go ahead, shoot me. Shoot me, enjoy it. Enjoy killing me, enjoy KILLING! KILL ME!" The Black Wings slugged him. 5:23 PM The blood tests and chemical tests had come back. The drug hadn't worked. "So, we got screwed. Either the chemical was a fake, or..." "Or?" Peterson asked. "Nothing. I should've shot him. He goaded me, told me to pull the trigger, and I couldn't do it. He wanted me to kill, I couldn't play his game." "I know," Peterson said. "But, he won't do this again. He's being executed tomorrow." Notes: Set within the Marvel universe, I will be using my own continuity, mixed with new characterizations for some established characters from Marvel's story universe. These stories are a sequel to my fiction series Maximum Carnage. Cletus Kasady, Carnage, and others are copyright Marvel Comics. Jack Arden, Raicaak, and others are copyright myself. Other characters appearing may be owned by separate parties. I make no claim of copyright on any character I do not own, only on these stories and those I do own. Characters used without permission/not for profit. These are strictly fan stories. Permission to reprint extends to placing this text, unaltered, elsewhere online. It may not be altered, and especially NOT TO BE SOLD, unless Marvel wishes to license this series from me. Black Wings song and lyrics copyright Tom Waits.