Sorry 'bout the gap there, folks. Won't happen again, I swear.
Hulkling looked around. Wherever they were now, it wasn't the building site. It was a holding pen in metallic blue walls, with strange grey dirt on the floor. One wall was a little shinier than the rest, so he assumed that was how they would walk out.
They… with a stab of panic realised that Cassie, Kate and Tommy weren't with them. "Guys?" he said. "Wasn't there more of us before the flash?"
Patriot looked up from Vision, who had gone into some kind of involuntary system shock during the teleport. "What the – damn it, Kang must have sent them somewhere else!"
"Oh, they're quite close," said Kang. His voice in the silence, but didn't sound like a recording. The wonders of 30th century technology, thought Hulkling.
"So give them back, you clown!" said Wiccan, looking around the room for something resembling speakers.
"Temper, temper, Wiccan," came the voice, "Save your rage for the fight ahead. When it's over, you and your friends will be returned safely then. In the meantime, your friends will merely serve as reinforcements, should it prove necessary – "
There was a bang as Wiccan blasted a small black lump on the side of the wall, and then Kang went silent.
Hulkling began rolling his shoulders. Like it or not, they were here, wherever or whenever here was. And they would fight whatever foe Kang had dredged up, and they would go home.
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Chas looked at the three kids in the blue room with him. There was a girl with a weird helmet, who kept clenching and unclenching her fists, trying to relax. There was a blue guy with a metal mace, checking the contents of various pouches on his military-style utility belt. And a burly white guy who was unpacking a suit of armour from a weird briefcase.
He looked down at the little leather bracelet the Grandmaster had given him before he'd come here. It was supposed to help him, allow him a measure of control when he changed. One fight. One fight, and he got the other bracelet, that would suppress the thing altogether.
He looked at the blue guy. "So, what're you in for?" he said light-heartedly.
The blue guy looked at him blankly. "I do not understand your idiom."
"Will you two be quiet? I'm trying to concentrate," said the girl.
"Why?" sad the guy with the suitcase. He had put on the chestplate, and was attaching the arms, legs and helmet. "It's not like this thing needs much thought. We're here. They, whoever they are, are out there. Take a deep breathe, run, and don't look back." He finished putting on the armour, and stood there, looking down at his armoured fists. "Does anyone know how to turn on the power in this thing?"
The blue guy looked at him for a second, and then pointed his mace at the guy in the armour for a second. There was a bang and a flash of light. Suddenly, all the lights on the armour lit up.
"Hey thanks. How'd you know to do that?"
The blue guy shrugged. "Mobile offensive armours must have an obvious 'on' switch, or they become useless. I attacked the machine, and it activated. It hopes that you will now use it to defend yourself."
"Hey, cool!" said the guy in armour. He extended a hand. "I'm the Cobalt Man."
The blue guy looked at his hand for a second, smiled, and shook it. "I am Nal-Rogg, Cadet of the Kree Public Accuser Corps."
"Um… hey," said the girl. "I'm the Meltress."
The three of them looked at Chas. Chas shrugged. "I'm the guy who was dumb enough to get bitten by a magic gorilla, and unlucky enough not to walk it off. You can call me Charles."
Cobalt Man sniggered. "You got bitten by a radioactive gorilla?"
"No, you moron," said the Meltress, "he just said it was magic."
"Hey, whatever, Brain Trust," said Cobalt Man, "but whatever's coming, just stay out of my way. If it's a choice between you, the alien, and Magic Gorilla Man, I think I might do my best work alone."
Suddenly, one wall of their cell began moving. It slid neatly into the ground. Beyond it was a large arena with a network of platforms in the centre, and another opening on the other side.
Suddenly, a booming voice coming from nowhere in particular said, "WELCOME TO THE ARENA OF ZENN-LA! FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY, THE ARENA WILL PLAY HOST TO A BATTLE ROYALE FOR THE VERY FUTURE OF THE PLANET EARTH ITSELF!"
Chas stepped out into the light and instantly regretted it. He'd assumed it was a spotlight, but beyond the spotlight he could see a moon, turning in that unfamiliar sky. He doubled over in pain as he felt his body changing.
"IN THIS CORNER, WE HAVE – PATRIOT! VISION! WICCAN! AND HULKLING! TOGETHER, THEY ARE – THE YOUNG AVENGERS!"
There was silence from the empty arena, and then the Meltress said, conversationally, "I thought there were more members in the Young Avengers…"
"AND IN THIS CORNER," the voice continued, "WE HAVE – THE WERE-APE!"
Chas realised the pain had stopped. He got up. He still felt like himself, but there was a deep urge to grab something and tear its throat out. He looked down at his heavily muscled forearms, and grinned under silvery fur.
"THE MELTRESS!"
Abigail looked at the platforms. She'd heard stuff about the Young Avengers, but she was willing to bet that she could spring a trap with those to work with.
"COBALT LAD!"
"Cobalt Lad? Excuse me?" said Hal. "Cobalt Lad?"
"AND NAL-ROGG! TOGETHER, THEY ARE – THE YOUNG MASTERS OF EVIL!"