Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel
Ultimate Aeon 2
Chapter 23: Mindless Ones
"My exploration of the N-Zone has allowed me to find numerous worlds, incredible variations of our world," Reed began.
He stretched across his lab, where Aeon and the other heroes were already with him. Ben huffed, crossing his arms and shaking his head at his friend's use of words.
"I wouldn't call Zombie Earth incredible," the Thing imagined the rotted, evil versions of their counterparts.
"Fascinating," Beast muttered, jumping up to Reed's platform and looking at his consoles.
Reed landed on the platform, stepping between Hank and his work.
"Alternate histories, but completely different worlds too, worlds that don't even have an Earth in them, worlds where humanity never even evolved as it did," Reed explained.
"Fascinating," Storm and Rogue giggled at Beast's reaction.
Like a child at a toy store he raised his hands, tempted to sift through the data. Reed though shook his head and crossed his arms, eliciting a laugh from Susan. The door opened and Franklin Storm walked in with Thaddeus Ross. Sven quickly put on his cowl and mask, remembering that neither Storm or Ross knew his identity.
"General Thunderbolt," he nodded to the military man.
"It's Secretary Ross now, since Zemo took command of S.H.I.E.L.D. I've been made secretary of Cosmic Empowered Human Affairs," Ross said.
"New branches of S.H.I.E.L.D have been created?" Sven asked.
"My branch CEHA, which as stated pertains to humans or events of a cosmic nature as the N-Zone has been applied as, the Baxter building and the Fantastic Five as the primary researchers of these events and those empowered by them, barring Mr Parker, falls into my jurisdiction," Ross explained.
"Then there is the Space Defence force, an ongoing project to build a series of defence satellites and stations that will ward of possible alien attacks as well as detect them early. Zemo put a man called Franklin Hall in charge of the project, Hall is himself an astronaut and quite a renowned physicist," Storm explained.
"Renowned to physicists at least," Sue corrected him.
"My contacts within S.H.I.E.L.D. also told me he created something called the Magi, some sort of occult based response division, I don't know much about this Agatha Harkness he has leading the branch. Sharon Carter has been put in charge of all the human and 'regular' terrorist response and intelligence division and Erik Masterson has been put in charge of any deity related activity, there's another division he's yet to announce," Ross explained.
"I think it may be related to what I have been uncovering, alternate realities, branch futures, even Earths where certain aspects have been fused together," Reed continued.
"You're talking about Amalgamation right? The history of the Earth remains largely intact but events and people pertaining to the super human and cosmic community had been joined," Hank explained.
"Exactly, even concepts such as Gah Lak Tus and Asgard have become fused with something else, even locations too," Reed elaborated.
"Fascinating," Bobby mouthed the words Beast said and Johnny stifled a laugh.
"Can we get to the point Reed, you said you saw something during your research," Cyclops said.
"Yes, a type of residual ripple, effects resulting in tears being opened to pocket dimensions within our world, much like what Asgard or the N-zone are," Reed said.
"Other dimensions that already exist on our plane, so is it possible for things to come through these tears?" Cyclops asked.
"Things already have," Reed said and a few people in the room gasped.
Ross had his finger to his ear when Reed made his revelation and immediately clicked his fingers to silence people.
"A report from our satellites, the same energy signature you were having them track last night appeared again in New Orleans," the secretary said.
"There is distress in New Orleans," Charles said, putting a hand to his head.
Reed turned to his computer and moved his fingers across the keys, stretching them with practiced precision to type in the commands. Baxter satellites adjusted their positioning, aiming at New Orleans. Inputting more complex commands, the satellite transformed, expanding its range to provide more than just readings, but a telescopic view of what was happening in the city. Energy was surging through the streets, creating ghost like cracks in the pavement. This energy circulated to a point above the French quarter.
"Extradimensional manipulative energy," Reed said and a few of the super heroes looked at him in confusion.
"He means magic," Sue said.
"Did you just come up with some science name so that you didn't have to call it magic?" Peter asked.
"It's like a scientists seizure 'no, I REFUSE to call it MAGIC!'" Johnny yelled in mock pain as Iceman, Colossus and Nightcrawler laughed.
"Quiet," Reed snapped, his voice harsher than usual.
He pushed his glasses up and adjusted the setting again. First the screen showed people, then it showed rock like creatures marching through the streets.
"What are those?" Kurt asked.
"A reason to team up," Sven said as he cracked his knuckles, the other super heroes smirking behind him.
New Orleans
The energies flowing through the streets of New Orleans were siphoned from the Externals, the eternals whom made New Orleans their playground and pitted the Thief and Assassin guilds against one another. But so long as the guilds continued to provide them with gifts, it didn't matter to the Externals what would happen to the city itself. Both guilds had since moved from the swamps into the corporate world. That and they didn't dare challenge the man drawing from those energy pools. He floated off of the floor, hands outstretched, both index and pinkie fingers outstretched whilst the middle fingers pushed into his palms. Archaic runes appeared over his hands, glowing with orange energy.
Blurred, ghost like arms formed the same symbols around the grey haired man. His beard was unkempt, having some traces of black on the tips of it. The coat he wore was old, the man himself was old, looking as if he was touching his late sixties. Yet he wielded energies with a truly strong spirit, his eyes opening to reveal the pupils obscured by the yellow light in them. Suddenly, there was a flash of red and a blade slammed into the shield the man conjured at the last second.
"FOOL!" the man yelled.
He was pushed to the ground by his attacker, a man riding on a type of hover cycle. Its head was shaped like the horse emblem of a knight chess piece, the rear bumper having wing blades on it. The rider brought the bike to the ground, brandishing the red plasma blade he wielded. He had a trimmed ginger beard exposed by the painted black Captain America helmet he wore, gold highlights had been added to the helmet, particularly around the eye area. The tactical vest he wore had a red bird painted on it. He wore a black jacket with a fur collar on it and make shift greaves over his combat boots.
"You face the Black Knight sorcerer," the swordsman pointed the lightsab…er, plasma blade, at the older man.
"Great job Dane," a voice spoke from the rooftops.
The sorcerer grit his teeth together in frustration when he looked up. Standing on that rooftop was another pair of costumed fighters. The one who spoke was a woman in a bright yellow top, clawed gauntlets and gloves covered her hands and she wore a helmet with cat like ears on it.
"No names Hellcat," said her companion.
He wore a red cape and a suit of blue armour, the cowl of his mask had padding that made it look like a bird's beak.
"Sure thing Nighthawk," Hellcat said.
He jumped off of the roof, stumbling slightly as he landed.
"This place is under the protection of the Defenders," Nighthawk said.
"Sure it is," the sorcerer said.
He heard the whirl of a wheelchair and turned, behind him was a Japanese boy on a motorised wheelchair. He wore a red jacket with a black collar and a pair of thick framed glasses.
"Nice of you to show up Whiz Kid," Black Knight said.
"Would you guys quit calling me that?" the boy asked.
"We need to use codenames on the field, now focus Whiz Kid, that man was doing something to our city," Hellcat brandished her claws as she approached the man.
"I don't have time for this," he shook his head before clapping his hands together.
Waves of blue energy suddenly flew off of him as he waved his hands like fans. Gigantic versions of those shapes appeared either side of him, blowing Nighthawk and Hellcat back and knocking Black Knight onto his bike. Whiz Kid, or Takeshi Matsuya as he preferred, was the only one who didn't suffer from the wave. Accessing his mutant powers, the machinery across his chair began to expand, hardening the wheels and enabling them to beat the strength of the wave. He did nothing as the sorcerer took to the skies again, instead looking to the rock creatures marching towards him. They had red lines on their heads for eyes and they moved as a singular unit, raising their hands only to attack people around them.
Takeshi moved quickly, driving his chair over curbs and picking up at least two bystanders. He knew he couldn't save a third or fourth person, but just as someone was about to be crushed, a blue blur ran into them. Again the blue blur passed through the people, and then some of the rock creatures. This blur carried people across the street and stopped only to reveal himself before slamming a vibrating fist into a rock creature. Takeshi recognised him, despite the new costume. Pietro Maximoff, AKA Quicksilver, he wore a blue bodysuit with open hands and running shoes, the silver block on his chest had a blue symbol on it that was a cross between a bolt and a fast forward sign.
"The last thing we want is for a fellow mutant to be caught in this mess," Pietro said, taking apart a rock monster that tried to attack Takeshi.
"Some of us don't want to be represented by terrorists Maximoff," Takeshi retorted.
Blue energy beams flew into some of the rock creatures and the sound of a rocket booming indicated Iron man's arrival. Takeshi noticed the slight weave in Iron man's flight, indicating his lack of control of his tech, his inebriation. But he was in awe off the red helmet and wide blue eyes flaring on it, the shifting machinery across his chest plate and the grey arm and lower armour. Iron man released a repulsor wave from his hands, destroying a trio of rock monsters.
"I don't think he's a fan Quicksilver," Tony said.
"Understandably," a voice said, zipping by Pietro.
Janet Van Dyne wore a variant of her grey S.H.I.E.L.D. backed Ultimates uniform, the additions being longer sleeves and a cybernetic helmet designed by her ex husband. Raising her hands, she fired yellow sting blasts at the rock creatures, making some crumble apart. Her attack was followed by a wave of red energy, signalling Scarlet Witch's arrival. She floated close to the sorcerer, the red flaps on her waist billowing with the energy she generated. Like Wasp she wore a variation of her S.H.I.E.L.D uniform, though her chest and neck was covered, she also wore opera styled gloves and a red crown on her head. She gathered energy into her hand and launched it at the sorcerer, who blocked it with a simple wave of his hand.
"You have potential," he huffed.
He subsequently grabbed an arrow, glaring down at Hawkeye and Cap. Steve wore the black variant of his costume and Clint's glare was obscured by his purple mask. He knocked back another arrow as Steve drew out a pair of pistols.
"Enough Ultimates, I am not your enemy," the sorcerer said.
The clouds gathered and the sorcerer sighed in frustration. He raised his hand, blocking a lighting bolt and deflecting it towards the monsters. Thor came down from the sky, raising his axe-hammer over his head and recklessly swinging it towards the sorcerer. The man smirked as he whispered a few words, a rune suddenly appeared on the blade of Thor's hammer, before he dropped to the ground.
"WHAT! IMPOSSIBLE!" Thor crashed into the ground, his hammer imbedding itself in the street.
He gripped it with both hands and pulled with all his strength.
"What have you done?" he demanded as the sorcerer landed in front of him.
"Added an incantation to your hammer, a requirement Thor, your power should only go to the worthy, perhaps you should consider what that means," he clicked his fingers together and the rune on the hammer was gone.
Thor picked his weapon up, looking at it as his fury calmed. Another bolt of lightning came down from the sky, only it wasn't the lightning Thor controlled. The clouds parted, revealing the X-Jet and the Fantasticar. Colossus crashed into the street, punching through a few of the creatures. Iceman moved around on his ice slide, letting Kitty and Rogue jump off of it. Rogue had taken some of Kitty's power and the pair phased through some of the monsters, using them against one another, the monsters would try to hit them only to hit their allies instead.
"So apparently you're crazier in the future," Kitty said to Rogue, who huffed.
"Apparently you just randomly were able to get super strength," she retorted.
"Yeah…it was actually increasing my density, which isn't actually how my powers work. It's quantum tunnelling not density control, I don't make myself harder or ghost like, I match my atoms to another object and temporarily…"
"ZZZZ!" Rogue yawned, the fist of a monster passing through her and into another.
"Bitch," Kitty muttered, though both girls smirked.
Cyclops fired his optic blast as Jean levitated him to the ground. Wolverine slashed through many of the creatures, followed by Beast who kicked them. Nightcrawler teleported people off of the streets, whilst Jean moved people away from the area.
"Who's the old man with the magic tricks?" Spider-man asked, landing on a rooftop in his classic red and blue suit.
"Flame on," Johnny flew off of his place in the car, throwing blame blasts at the monsters.
"Why don't we give ourselves some breathing room, and let's not do that stereotypical thing and attack one another anymore," Sue said.
She put her hands to her head and focused, projecting a wall between them and the creatures. In conjunction with Jean Grey's telepathy, she opened holes for Cyclops to shoot through, or for the other heroes to evacuate people. Aeon landed on the ground, looking towards the sorcerer.
"Stephen Strange," he said.
"No way, did the Doc age up in this new world?" Spider-man asked.
"No, this is the original one, Dr Strange senior right?" Aeon asked.
"Aeon," Cap muttered, looking at the young hero.
"We'll have to catch up later, for Sue's sake," Sven said, motioning his head to Susan.
"Oh no, all of you take your time, this is relaxing to me," she huffed as the creatures punched at her barrier.
"Cool we get to team up with the Fantastic Four, the Ultimates and the X-men, all of Earths heroes are here," Nighthawk said.
Suddenly a blade was pressed against his neck. He looked to his side, seeing Valkyrie, her hair tied back by her brown head band. The light reflected off of her gold sword.
"Not all its heroes Kyle, you don't get to put yourself in the same class, how did you get powers?" Valkyrie asked.
"How did you?" Kyle retorted.
"So someone recognised me, there is something within you boy, and it's older than magic," Strange said.
"What are these things?" Cap asked.
"They are known as the Mindless Ones, they are from the Dark dimension, I came here to try and track down where the portal that brought them here originated from," Strange explained.
"But he's a little too old, and needs some help to do it!" a voice spoke above the heroes.
Strange seemed to grimace as a light flashed in front of the heroes, the billowing cloak that followed was the chorus of the younger Strange's arrival. His elaborate blue and yellow robes complimented his showy movements, his red cloak of levitation allowed him to hover above the other heroes.
"Last time we met son I told you to stay out of this business," Strange said.
"Well here I am, don't make the mistake of believing I'm not up to this, I have endured hardship," Stephen removed his gloves, revealing the bandages wrapped around his knuckles and a few of his fingers.
Strange pulled up his own sleeves and showed off the scar lines up his fingers.
"We match father," Stephen said.
"That doesn't make us equal in life experience or power, you always lacked humility Junior, those talk shows you went on..."
"This feels awkward," Spider-man muttered.
"I know, have they forgotten we're here?" Aeon asked.
"Gentlemen," Cap clicked his fingers, catching the attention of the two sorcerers.
"We don't have time for the family squabble, what can we do to help?" Wasp asked, flying between them.
"The Mindless ones are an army, the opening salvo to an invasion, Dormammu cannot physically enter our world unless he achieves two things, possesses a host or…"
"Weakens the dimensional barrier," Reed finished for Strange.
"My armour has been picking up some odd readings from the swamps, that matches with where these creatures are coming from," Tony said.
Quicksilver nodded to Jean, who relayed an opening request to Sue. Pietro dashed off, a few seconds passing before he returned, his shoes coated in dirt and his clothes and hair soaked.
"Well, I confirmed that there is definitely something in the swamp, near the old thieves hideout," he said.
Rapidly shaking his head, it took him a few seconds to dry of, his hair puffing into a ball much to Wanda's amusement.
"You can see it under the water, it's like there's a ring of fire inside the swamp," he explained, spiking out his hair.
"What do you need to close the portal?" Cyclops asked.
"Oh it should be simple," Stephen said.
He phased through Susan's barrier. Flying over the mindless ones, he intended to go all the way to the swamp, believing it would be easy to close it out of range of the mindless ones. But ahead of him, he didn't notice a group of Mindless Ones piling on top of one another. They formed a ladder and swung themselves at Stephen. He was barely able to bring up a magical shield before they slammed into him, throwing him towards the ground. More mindless ones moved towards his fallen form. Suddenly, Spider-man and Aeon crashed into the monsters. Peter punched and Sven kicked, blue electricity surging around him. Spider-man gave Aeon a web line and swung him around like a flail, the boy slamming into the rock creatures. Stephen yelped slightly as Kitty phased underneath him, grabbing him. She phased back up through the ground, joining Beast and Wolverine.
"The apple has fallen far from the tree," Logan smirked.
"You've given me the location, now I need to close the portal, provide me with a path," Strange said.
"It's clobbering time!" Ben slammed his fists together.
Susan created an invisible wave, crumbling apart the Mindless ones that piled on top of her barrier. Reed wrapped around Ben, lifting him above the air and slamming him into the Mindless Ones. An invisible barrier covered Ben, shaping itself into a spiked ball. Ben ran through the Mindless Ones inside Sue's construct. Colossus grabbed Wolverine and threw him at the Mindless Ones. Logan released a feral roar and slashed wildly at anything in his path. Thor's hammer glowed with electricity before he threw it, the bladed weapon spinning like a disc through the enemies in front of him.
"Make sure you time it just right kid," Iron man said, flying alongside Jean, who carried Cyclops.
They respectively fired their repulsors and optic blasts, the two beams colliding; the intensive energies surged around them as they moved through the Mindless Ones. Black Knight and Valkyrie swung their swords through their enemies, Hellcat following with her claws. Nighthawk held a few explosives between his fingers and threw them. Storm directed the poorly aimed explosives with her wind, ignoring the thumbs up Nighthawk gave her. Strange flew over their heads, releasing several blades of energy that cut some of the Mindless Ones.
"Let's get you into this fight," Spider-man wrapped a few webs around Sven's waist.
He began to spin, gradually building up his speed for a hammer throw. Then he threw Sven into air.
"Time to make it epic my friend," Kurt said as he grabbed Sven's hand.
He teleported several times, spinning and building up the momentum. Aeon was thrown like a rocket towards the Mindless Ones near the swamp. Fusing with the air and then the ground on contact with it, he created the result of a cannonball, throwing up debris. As the dust settled, Sven looked up, blue markings surging across his body.
"Good to finally remember you kid," Hawkeye zipped by him, being carried by Quicksilver.
Explosive and flaming arrows hit the Mindless Ones trying to attack Sven. Then a wave of red energy threw them back.
"The costumes good Sven, but you don't need it," Scarlet Witch said.
Sven grit his teeth together, yelling as his body flashed with energy. Armour began to form around that body, what seemed to be red fabric wrapped around Sven's arms and legs. A white plate clamped over his chest, followed by grey armour on his belly and hips. Grey padding appeared over his shoulders and he tensed his arms when the grey gauntlets clamped over his wrists. Gold armour formed over his knuckles and forehands. He stepped into grey and red boots, white armour clamping over his chins. His eyes flashed blue as a grey visor covered his eyes, a white helmet covering his head. White fins came out of the back of the helmet and the blue energy surged through the grey portions of his armour. Finally a blue and red crystal appeared on Sven's chest and with a boom against the ground he launched himself upwards, kicking two ladders of Mindless Ones trying to attack Strange. As if he was stepping off of a platform, Sven shot towards the swamp water.
"So underwater huh, Iron-tech satellite, launch underwater armour variants for me and star spangled kid," Tony said.
Platforms flew towards New Orleans, releasing plates of blue, white and red armour. Then they released heavier gauntlets and a back pack, equipment that latched onto Iron man. The armour pieces formed on Cap, also providing him with a helmet with a clear visor.
"Sorry Cap, didn't have time to change the colour scheme," Tony said as he and Steve dived downwards.
Iron man blasted Mindless ones, whilst Steve and Sven used their shield and fists respectively to smash Mindless Ones emerging from the portal.
"Whatever you're going to do Strange, do it now," Hawkeye said, his arrows getting low.
Strange simply dived into the water, an aura of magical energy surrounded him, providing him with protection. He floated down, calmly hovering over the fiery circle that was the portal to the dark dimension. Strange put his hands together, a movement he hoped would close the portal. When he realised more complex spells needed to be cast, he began forming the intricate runes with his fingers. Star and runic patterns appeared in front of him.
"Not without me," Strange junior said, blasting a Mindless One on the street. "I am the son of Dr Strange, I am the sorcerer supre…" he was silenced by a Mindless One's fist catching the side of his head.
The force of the blow knocked off his cloak, which flew away from him. Wasp quickly blasted the Mindless One and grew to her full size, checking the dazed man over.
"I think he's got it," Aeon said, stomping a monster to pieces.
"Hopefully, wait a sec, pretty big heat source is coming up through that portal," Iron man said.
Cap, Aeon and Tony looked towards the portal. At the moment they did, a massive hand emerged from it, grabbing Strange and pulling him inside.
"My god," Tony muttered.
"More like the devil," Steve said.
"Nope, that would be the other guy," Sven took a step towards the portal.
"What are you doing?" Tony asked.
"Jumping in to go and save him of course!"
Tony rolled his eyes, but still stepped forward with Cap.
"Not alone you're not son," Cap said, clasping Sven's shoulder.
"Let's hope we don't all get banished to the shadow realm," Tony chuckled.
"Wait a minute, are you a Yu-Gi-Oh fan?" Sven's eyes widened, growing as wide as saucers.
"Only of the drinking game, now, let's go be heroes kid!"
Next Chapter 24: The Dark Dimension
Ultimate One-Shots: The Hitchhiker
He drifted from place to place, never staying anywhere for long. Connecticut had been the closest place to being his home, but he gave that up. The marriage was a trouble to maintain, and though he loved the kids, they had been better off without him. It allowed him to get back to the freedom that truly made him happy, and didn't restrict his hobby anymore. He left the roadside diner, just as he heard of the bodies that had been found on the road lately. The world was a truly terrifying place, but he wasn't scared. He carried out his long walk to the next state. His back pack held a tent, but he would have preferred to hitch a ride. One car after another drove past, some delinquent on a motor cycle nearly took him out, but he just brushed the dirt off of his jeans. He kept his thumb out, hoping, praying that someone would pick him up. Finally he heard the sound of a horn.
The man couldn't resist the whistle that came out of his mouth. An impressive, black painted 1969 Dodge charger rolled up to his side. The drive rolled up the windows, leaning across the seat. He would have preferred an attractive woman to be driving, not the young man in the seat was bad. His features and hair hinted at a mixed Latino background, the drifter knew cars better than people. The driver had a tuft of dyed white hair though, thick piercings in his ear and an old leather jacket he wore over a white hoodie.
"Need a lift?" he asked him.
"Is it okay if you just drop me off at the next town?"
"It's on the way to where I'm heading," the driver said.
He popped open the door, letting the hitch hiker in. As soon as the belt was on he drove forward.
"Thanks for stopping, no one else was, not that I can blame them," the hitch hiker sighed.
"Of course, you can never too careful, there are some sickos out there, but I'm not afraid I've got a good radar when it comes to character," the driver said.
"Well I appreciate the faith, Kevin," the man tipped his glasses before offering the driver his hand.
"Robbie, nice to meet you, no, I've got no fear of picking up a stranger, we all need to get to where we're going, besides I've got protection," after shaking Kevin's hand, he reached under his collar and took out a rosary. "Angels watch over me brother as they watch over all except a chosen few."
Kevin resisted the urge to roll his eyes, he never did believe in god. It was an annoyance for him to have to listen to such drivel, but he was quite happy too. He didn't have to feel bad about what he'd do to the driver.
"So who are the chosen few?" he asked.
"It can get complicated, but sometimes it's quite simple, like say a guy who murdered his not so perfect parents with a not so accidental fire. Of course since then he gets a bit of a taste for death, but he needs more, he needs blood on his hands, but he can't stay in place for too long so…he hitch hikes, and he kind of proves why you shouldn't pick up a random guy on the side of the road," the driver explained.
Kevin took the knife out of his pocket, the waitress from the diner's blood was still on it.
"What the fuck," he muttered.
He put the blade to Robbie's neck when he reached across.
"Take it easy man," the driver wasn't deterred though. "Not my favourite but it seems fitting," he pulled from the glove box an AC/DC CD.
"There should be a clearing in the road ahead, pull up there," Kevin kept his blade to Gabriel's neck.
"No can do Kevin, we can't afford any delays, well I know you don't have to worry about schedules anymore but I have to be back home to pick my brother up from school, before that I've got a paedophile in Atlanta to pick up," Robbie explained.
"What are you talking about schedules?" Kevin asked as Robbie began to play 'Highway to hell' on his player.
"Well on account of the fact that you've just died," Robbie said.
"What the fuck do you mean?"
"Language please sir, what the fuck I mean is that you've just suffered a violent seizure from the chicken in the meal you ate, a nice bit of karma, justice in a way, your blood lust and pride led you to ignore the warning that that chicken was marinated in peanut butter," Robbie explained.
"You're lying," Kevin still rubbed his finger across his mouth.
"I don't lie, it's kind of a big no, no, now hold on tight," Robbie suddenly slammed his foot into the throttle.
Kevin was thrown back into his seat, his eyes wide in shock, as the car was driver faster. It moved beyond its top speed, just as the song reached the high point, the speed dial began spinning around wildly. The inside of the car felt hotter and Kevin reached for the door handle. He yelled as the skin on his hand burned. Looking at the road ahead of him, he saw that they were no longer on the road, or at least not one Kevin recognised. The road was in ruins, like something out of the apocalypse.
"Sit back Kevin, enjoy the music," a demonic voice spoke beside Kevin.
He looked towards Robbie, his sweat evaporating from the heat that came off of Robbie's head. A skull looked back at him, surrounded by white flames.
"I'll get you to your new home in no time," a demonic version of Robbie's voice echoed out of the skull's maw.
The car, its wheels burning, engine spewing fire, increased speed again. And Kevin screamed the rest of his way to his inevitable finish line.
Ultimate Robbie Reyes will return
Zemo: Director of Ultimate S.H.I.E.L.D.
Years ago, Helmutt Zemo served in what people liked to refer to as the most evil organisation on the planet. Those people considered themselves the victors, and the victors had the right to decide what truth and goodness was. Helmut however knew the truth, he knew that the allies had lied to the world, that S.H.I.E.L.D. had lied to the world. The alien Chitauri, Asgard, there was more to it all, perhaps his master would show them the truth.
"Steve Rogers was found in ice, as impossible as it sounds it's true, a miracle of the super soldier serum, with Rogers's help we at S.H.I.E.L.D. will recreate the formula so that the Ultimates and an army of super soldiers can protect American interests and the world itself from threats no single hero can with stand," the girls had been watching American TV.
He hated the channel, hated the fact that his grand children worshipped American heroes. Then again he hated them, he hated having to pretend to love an impure woman, hated having to sire impure children. Once they and their mother left, he would go to bed for a bit, fantasise about killing them as he often did. But he had something to do tonight, a task given to him by his master. The woman changed the channel, but it was just a repeat of the Ross woman's speech to the press. Words probably given to her by that first super soldier Nicholas Fury, or at least that was what the world called him.
'God, I thought America hated black men, yet he becomes a general and director of the world's most powerful spy organisation,' Helmutt grimaced and then put on a smile when his daughter brought out the tea.
Night couldn't have come fast enough, he bid his 'family' goodbye, set out his clothes, showered (to get their smell off of himself) and then went to bed for a bit. He didn't know how much time had passed until the tapping began, waking him up. It was probably a mouse, the woman said she'd get a pest control agent out.
"Herr Helmutt," a voice whispered out of the darkness.
Helmutt felt the arthritis on his neck as he turned his head around fast, seeing an intruder sitting in the corner. He reached into his drawer, taking out the pistol he kept near. But when he pulled the trigger, the luger simply clicked.
"A common malfunction when you take out the firing pin, a good Belgium vintage," the man hummed, putting down the glass of wine he had been drinking.
His accent was flawless, suggesting purity.
"No doubt taken from your time gathering non desirables for Hitler's solution," then he spoke in English with no trace of his German heritage.
The voice was familiar to Helmutt, yet the silhouette was completely different.
"I don't know what you're talking about, I fought in the regular military, and I was never party to mass slaughter," he was taken further back by the man's appearance.
He was wearing some kind of suit, a purple suit of all things with fur on his shoulders and on the shins of the yellow boots he wore. His hands were covered by yellow gloves and he had a gold belt wrapped around his waist. But then Helmutt looked at his face, blonde hair, blue eyes, Arian perfection. His face also seemed familiar, though toned with muscle like his body, Helmutt imagined this was the kind of man he would have been if he dedicated himself to intense fighting and training. So he dismissed it as a dream, it had to be.
"I'm not judging you for your life in the service of that fool, my own father served, or was it my grandfather?" the man stroked his chin. "Forgive me, time and its passage are difficult things to keep up with in my world, one moment the good Captain is waking up in the sixties, then the eighties, and then the nineties…one can't trust time in my world. But here, it is slightly different, everything is so different like a Zemo who allows himself to be a servant, even if it is to a god," he explained.
He sat on the edge of Helmutt's bed, showing his face fully.
"Like looking into a mirror but not, as I said time can't be trusted in my world, it isn't just good aging you're seeing," the man part smirked before placing the wine glass on Helmutt's side table. "Any kind of forensic evidence they might find will lead back to you. So here's the choice you have to make, you can either die in your sleep having drunk a wonderfully tasty rosé that unfortunately was not good for your health, but you felt that today was the day after a good day with your beloved family," the man explained.
Helmutt spat at the man, showing his contempt for both him and his family. It didn't matter, his god would avenge him.
"That's a shame, I was hoping you genuinely loved them, they're good people, better than we deserve," the man cast his eyes to the floor with a moment of remorse.
Then his face hardened and he took Helmutt's pillow.
"Your choice is made, but perhaps a face from the past as a final comfort," the man suddenly put a pink mask over his face, one much like what his master wore, though it was tighter and had a type of crown built into it.
Five minutes, it probably would have taken less time, but Zemo wanted to be sure. He left the old man's house, his only regret being the possible trauma the man's grandchildren would suffer when they went to check on him tomorrow. Loki probably had another way of coming to this world, but at least he wouldn't be using the Norn stones. Helmut Zemo looked at the seemingly benign pebbles in his coat pocket, he'd keep them for later, just in case his other plans didn't work out.
A new world and a new life, Zemo smiled and enjoyed the fresh air, it was time he got to work saving this world.
To be continued
Hope everyone enjoyed the update, I particularly enjoyed writing the Ghost Rider One-shot, I chose Robbie Reyes as this universe's Ghost rider, though he'll get a new spin as most characters in the Ultimate universe do.
Next time Cap, Iron man and Aeon face off against the denizens of the Dark Dimension and in the next One-shot: The survivors of the old Earth face the denizens of Counter-Earth and a new team is formed. And Aeon in the Multiverse continues as he joins an Earth's Ultimates against the Masters of Evil and their leader...Peter Parker!
