Marvel Comics 1000 Addendum

Disclaimer: "They make TRON cake?" - Greg Wilmot, The Completionist

Chapter 3: Recruitment

Lansing, Michigan

In a bar, a brown-haired man finished his drink, glancing at the two women sitting at the table with him. One was a blonde, the other was a tanned Asian brunette.

"...You two are kidding, right?" Christopher Bradley, once known as Bolt and the second Maverick, snorted.

"No, we are not." The blonde, Petra Kristensen, answered.

"Look, I get that you guys have a grudge against the X-Men, but I was never a member of the group." Chris reminded. "I was a New Warrior once, but that was a long time ago."

"Precisely why we want you on board." The Asian woman, Suzanne Chan, pointed out. "You weren't suckered into Xavier's group like we were. Also, the three of us have something in common." She smirked. "We all came back from the dead. You thanks to Selene, and us thanks to Erebus." [Author's Note: Erebus is a region of Hades, the Greco-Roman underworld. In Incredible Hercules #129 (January 2009), Erebus took the form of a casino where heroes could gamble for a shot at retuning to life.]

"Yeah, we mutants just can't stay dead, can we?" Chris chuckled. "Look, I get why you two have a grudge against Xavier..."

"We gave our lives for that bald monster." Petra reminded, bitterness tinging her voice. "And he just pretended we never existed."

"And now there's this whole Krakoa thing going on." Suzanne added. "It feels like he's spitting on our graves. But on a less personal matter..." The Hong Kong native sighed. "Thanks to the X-Men, people fear our kind now more than ever."

"Yeah. I had to assume a new identity when I came back." Chris shrugged. "Nothing new to me, I've done it before." He looked at the two women. "You two are insane if you think that you can wage a war on the X-Men on your own. They have an island now. Not to mention a practical army of mutants. You may have righteous anger on your side, but the two of you are way outmatched."

"We're not stupid." Petra snorted. "We're not going to outright engage them."

"I'm personally hoping that the X-Men and Orchis end up destroying each other." Suzanne joked darkly. "As our new boss says, 'they're both extremes'."

"Yeah, I have noticed you guys have mentioned getting some...employment." Chris frowned. "Who are you working for? SHIELD?"

"No, a different outfit." Petra explained. "One that is actually interested in the human and superhuman co-existing."

"They're good people, Chris." Suzanne added. "And we could use a man like you on the team. I'm sure you had some combat training from your time working with the original Maverick..."

"Yeah, a little." Chris nodded. "I've got to remember to track him down. I'm sure he'd appreciate knowing I'm alive again."

"He goes by Agent Zero now, from what we understand." Petra told him. "We're not sure what he's up to at the moment, I'm afraid. We'll look into it, though."

"I understand that..." Chris sighed. "But as for your offer...I've gotten myself a nice little life here. I've managed to settle down. I'm actually pretty happy."

"That's very nice." Suzanne smiled.

"Yeah, it is." Chris smiled back. "I do appreciate the offer, though."

"Well, if you change your mind..." Petra handed him a small black business card. "Give us a call. Anytime."

"Thanks." Chris pocketed the card. "Nice meeting you ladies." The two got up and left the bar. "Oh." They tuned their heads. "You said that David was going by Agent Zero now, right?"

"Yes." Suzanne nodded.

"...you can say no if you want to, but could you...find him for me? And let him know I'm alright?"

The two women smiled. "Sure." Petra said. "Hope things work out for you, Christopher. Be careful."

"You too." He answered. With that, the two mutant women left the bar, Chris staring at the business card.

The two walked into an alley, and Petra pulled out a phone from her pocket. The blonde Dane dialed a number on it, and a three-dimensional holographic image popped out from the screen. The image was of a woman with dark hair in a bob.

"Did you meet him?" The woman asked.

"Sorry, boss." Petra shook her head. "We met him, but he was..."

"He was happy here." Suzanne supplied. "But we did give him a card, and he may join up in the future." The woman nodded in understanding.

"It's fine." She assured. "We'll keep an eye on the former Bolt just in case. After all, Krakoa will want him to come 'home'. And God help him if Orchis gets their hands on him..."

"No kidding." Suzanne agreed. "We're looking into another name on the list..."

Petra sighed and shook her head. "I can't believe he'd turn it down."

"Can't blame him, Petra." Suzanne explained. "After all the craziness he went through...yeah. I'd want to just be a civilian myself."

"If he truly wants to stay a civilian, there is nothing we can do about it." The woman told the blonde. "I have no desire to force this on him. Besides, there are other superhumans out there that we can recruit."

"I was hoping he'd join up." Petra said. "The X-Men are just as much of a threat to mutantkind as Orchis is."

"It's not surprising, really." Suzanne nodded in agreement. "A shame, though. His electrokinetic powers would have been helpful."

"Speaking of helpful..." Petra remembered. "Hey boss, has your mole in Orchis given us any useful info on their latest activities?"

The woman shook her head. "Nothing much, I'm afraid. She has to be careful. I also haven't gotten much from any of my spies in Krakoa."

"...you don't think they've been discovered, do you?" Suzanne asked in worry.

"It's possible..." The woman admitted. "But they're careful. Especially in Siryn's case. The X-Men aren't even aware she's ascended to godhood, so that's handy."

"To think we have a goddess on our side." Petra grinned. "I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they learn that about her. And even better? She's a war goddess."

"Careful, Petra." Suzanne warned. "I want Xavier's head just as bad as you, but we can't let that consume us."

"Indeed." The woman nodded. "We still have a task force to build first."

"Yeah, you're right." Petra nodded. "Okay, who's next on the list..."

2006 – X-Men: Deadly Genesis is released.