BLACK WINGS Heir To The Throne by Justin Anderson Tuesday, April 1st, 2003. 2:07 PM, Washington, D.C. "Hand me that container. Be careful with it." The lab tech took the cylinder, carefully placing it on the table. The black liquid inside seemed like a void against the white and silver lab. "Sample 138-B6, Screelak blood. Extremely volatile, avoid contact with skin," he read from the notes. Sirens began blaring throughout the lab. Men with guns stormed through the halls, breaking into the laboratory. Shots rang out, killing several scientists. One remaining. A man stepped out from the crowd, swastika armband and massive red skull terrifying the lone survivor. "Where are the book and sword?" he asked. "What?" The Red Skull slapped him. "The book and sword of Domientius. I need them!" the Skull shouted. Grabbing his hostage, he contemplated how to extract the information. "I found them!" one of the troops shouted. "Excellent," the Skull said, tossing his hostage. His body hit the table, knocking over the canister. The glass cracked, the liquid pouring out. The Red Skull drew his gun, firing a burst of red dust into the man's face. The small army left as quickly as they had arrived. The lone hostage was dying quickly, the skin on his face tightening, blood red like his killer. However, before life left his body, the black blood dripped on him. Seeping in, the poison began working, taking over the man's body, changing it. In minutes, the change was complete. A Screelak rose from the floor. Examining itself, it quickly fled the lab. 2:38 PM General Peterson was having deja vu. "The Red Skull, alive. Does anyone know where he went?" "No, sir," Agent Johnson replied. "And if that wasn't bad enough..." He rewound the tape, playing the scene again. "If that was what I think it was... Red Skull may not be our only problem." 3:42 PM, Boston The Red Skull checked each man. Skinheads mainly, dressed in uniforms, Nazi armbands adorning each one. 'Outdated as the ideals may be... they still serve useful,' he thought. A single soldier approached him, saluting. "Globocnik! I see the cloning procedure was successful!" "Yes... I've been reading about the modern world. No matter. Let them do as they wish, we will crush them," Globus muttered. "I don't doubt it. I assume you read the material on the man known as Carnage that I supplied you with?" "Yes. It's a shame he is dead, he would have been valuable to us." "It's not the man, Globus, it's what he did! It's what the terrorists do! They show that the superpowers are vulnerable! Let them all fall! And Globus..." "Yes?" Globicnik asked. "...do not forget who is in charge here. There is no Hitler, nor is Himmler present. I am in charge here. I created you, and I can destroy you!" 4:57 PM The van unloaded, troops filling the parking lot, gunning down innocent people. Others were gathered, forced to kneel. The Red Skull held a bullhorn to his mouth. "This is merely an example of what we will do to all who stand in our way! You will never defeat us! Look at this!" He inspected each hostage. "Blacks, Jews, Arabs... you let them run around as if they are people! They are beneath us!" Globus pulled a tire iron from his coat. "An interesting tool," he said. "Useful for changing a tire, I admit. But it is hard enough to crack bone, and has a sharp point to it... who should I test this on first?" Before Globus could select his victim, the Nazi gunmen began flying through the air as something cut a path through. Standing before the Red Skull stood a monster. A Screelak, the skin over the face red and shrunken. "You should have made sure I was dead, human!" Globocnik drew a pistol, but the creature punched him in the gut before he could fire. The Screelak picked the Red Skull up, lifting him to face the seven foot monster. "How can YOU speak of inferiority, and superiority over others? You are a human! You should bow to me! Now give me the artifacts! This world belongs to Domientius, you will not take that from him!" The shot ran out, catching the creature in the arm. It didn't flinch, even as the blood gushed from the wound. "Very well," it said. Holding the Red Skull further in the air, it held its other hand over one of the hostages, letting the wound drip the black blood. Each in turn, soaking each hostage. The writhed in agony, their skin turning a sickly shade of orange, man and woman changing into genderless abominations. Each rose, quickly attacking their Nazi captors. "Go ahead! Shoot us! It will do you no good!" the Screelak shouted. The shots did no good, the creatures never reacting to their wounds. "Make them pay! Spread your blood, make these humans deny their forms, become like us, the true owners of this world!" Nazi troopers began gathering in the van. Globus stabbed the creature with the tire iron. "Pathetic..." Tossing the Red Skull aside, it picked up Globus, slamming him into a van. The Red Skull dashed for the van. turning to follow, the creature ignored Globus running. The Nazis piled into the van, leaving the scene. "Come with me," the Screelak ordered to its followers. 5:16 PM The Screelaks gathered in the sewers below the city. Each waited for orders. The red skulled Screelak adjusted the chains on his armor. "Fools... humans believe they have a right to ANYTHING? They are arrogant. Lord Domientius will rule this Earth. We must find the stolen artifacts!" "Yes," one replied. "May I ask, why are you not like us?" "It was something the red skulled human did to this body before I was created. The change was unable to repair the damage. I also seem to have certain human knowledge... which may prove useful to us." 5:19 PM Gunshots rang out in the warehouse. "What the hell are you doing, Globus? Do you wish to alert everyone we're here?" the Skull demanded. "You worry too much," Globocnik replied. "I like this weapon. Very nice. I think I like this century, despite its flaws," he said. "Yes. The Colt Commando, a variation of the M-16," Red Skull explained. "Much better than what we used in the camps," Globus muttered. "What do you intend to do about those creatures that attacked us?" "I don't know yet," Red Skull answered. "I don't even know what the fucking things are!" Globocnik reloaded the weapon. "Then I shall deal with this. We lost six men today, six men we have to replace now." "And how do you intend to find them?" he asked. "I don't. They want us, let them find us!" 8:11 PM Globicnik led his troops through the streets firing. "Here they come!" he shouted. The Screelaks made a beeline for them, shrugging off their wounds. The Nazi troopers were ripped to shreds, some mutating as the blood soaked into them. The red skulled Screelak grabbed Globus by the throat. "Lead me to the artifacts, and I may let you live, human!" "No you won't," Globus spat. He was carried into an alley. "You are not as dumb as I would have thought, human," it replied. The others gathered. "What does the Red Skull want them for?" "How should I know? He merely cloned me, for God knows what! I don't even think he shares our beliefs anymore!" The screelak squeezed Globocnik's throat. "I can torture you for years! Now tell me what he stole them for!" "I honestly don't know... I'll take you to him." "Yes, you will. Then your death may be quick. Otherwise, you can join us. In fact, you just may." 8:27 PM General Peterson tried to read the reports in the limo, the bumps in the road distracting him. Agent Johnson studied another. "We identified the man the Red Skull was with, leading the stormtroopers. We think." "I'm going to hate this," General Peterson muttered. "Odilo Globicnik. head of the concentration camps in Poland during World War Two... he committed suicide in 1945. This has to be a clone, not impossible, we do knwo the Red Skull used to work with a clone of Hitler, called himself the Hate Monger." "Wonderful... how do I tell President Powell that we have a dead Nazi officer running around killing people? At least the Screelaks we can explain, I hope?" "Yes," Agent Johnson replied. "A smaple of Screelak blood was spilled when the Red Skull broke into the labs... If the security footage was correct, whoever mutated took a hit of the Red Skull's dust first. It would explain the red skull the thing has." 8:43 PM The warehouse door shattered as the van sped through. Nazis were crushed in the van's path, the vehicle stopping short of a stack of crates. Screelaks poured from it, Globus held hostage. "Hold him," the red skulled monster ordered. Soldiers fired, the bullets doing no damage. The creature picked up a large crate, tossing it. The impact killed and maimed several Nazis. The remaining few began to panic, dropping their guns and running. the Red Skull stood his ground, his shots doing no good. It grabbed him by the throat. "The Red Skull... intimidating name. Not one a human deserves, though. I believe I shall use it." "TWO Red Skulls? Please-" The creature squeezed his throat, cutting off the air. "You aren't going to live, so it doesn't matter, does it? I want the artifacts!" Quickly and silently, Globus drew a pistol from his coat. He fired blindly into the face of the nearest Screelak. Taking his chance, Globus ran. "We'll hunt him down later!" The Screelak ordered. "Now, the artifacts!" "NO!" The Red Skull shouted, punching the monster in the stomach. It flinched, dropping him. The others began to approach. "Stay there!" it ordered. "You are stronger than I would have imagined!" The creature laughed. It grabbed a steel pipe, thrusting it forward. Through his chest, into a crate. The Red Skull died quickly. Military Jeeps flooded the warehouse, firing. The Screelaks, tough as they were, dropped in the hail of gunfire, too much for them to take. Itself remaining, the red skulled Monster charged, brought down in a hail of gunfire. The warehouse was filled with soldiers, scanning for any remaining hostiles. "Dont touch any blood!" Agent Johnson ordered, slipping on a pair of gloves. He examined the Screelak. "Red skin, shrunken over the skull. Definitely hit with the dust. The mutation probably saved him. Like it mattered." He moved to the Red Skull's impaled corpse. "Maybe he'll stay dead this time... hey, what's this?" "What is it?" General Peterson asked. "The skull... looks like a mask," he explained. "Think you can get it off?" He pulled on the rubber mask, grabbing the edge. He lifted it slowly, pulling it off. They gasped. The face stared at them, eyes evil in death as they were in life. "This day keeps getting worse and worse..." General Peterson muttered. The mask had come off to reveal the face of Cletus Kasady. "Why would a clone of Carnage become the Red Skull?" "I don't think he did," Agent Johnson replied. "I think it was just a vessel. His last body was a clone of Captain Anerica's." "All right. So, we find who did the cloning job. What about Globicnik?" He asked everyone. Globicnik's body had not been found. 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.