A/N – Sorry if I didn't make it clear, this story takes place before Ultimates 2.
Carol Danvers sat in her office pouring over the psychological evaluations of those lucky individuals who might be on the team she had been ordered to form. Aside from having to judge whether or not these freaks were stable enough to actually be let out of their cages, Danvers also had to assess which power sets would offset each other, which personalities would mesh, and most importantly who would lead the team.
"The Thunderbolts? What kind of fucking name is that anyway?"
She paced around her office in frustration. It wasn't the name that bothered Danvers. It wasn't the risk she ran of losing her job. It wasn't even what the Thunderbolts candidates had done.
What was bothering Danvers the most was what she knew the team was really for. Fury could tell her a hundred times that this team was only going to be used for black ops suicide missions. But she knew that what she was really putting together was a team to rival the Ultimates.
This was the world's insurance policy. A back up plan just in case the Earth's mightiest heroes ever went rouge. That is what was making her so sick. What would stop S.H.I.E.L.D. from sending the Thunderbolts after the Fantastic Four? Or the X-Men? Or even Spider-man?
"The Cape-Killers is what they should be called."
The next day Danvers got the call to report to General Fury, but she was more than ready. She had eight excellent candidates, whose combined might would be more than a match for any threat. When she strode into his office this time he was already sitting at his desk, a serious look on his face. She snapped to attention, arm moving into a stiff salute.
"At ease Danvers, sit down."
Carol sat down, carefully setting her files down in front of her. Fury leaned back in his chair interlocking his fingers. He was ready to hear Danvers presentation.
"Well General I tried my best to assemble a team with the powers that would work well together, and frankly sir I think I've done a hell of a job and…"
"I'll be the judge of that."
Danvers nodded, she was a little taken aback but she didn't let it show. She nodded her head and pushed the files towards Fury. She spent the next half hour studying Fury's face for any sign of dissatisfaction. Finally he set down the last folder and stared at her.
"Some interesting choices."
"Which in specific sir?"
General Fury laughed to himself, quickly thumbing through the files before picking one out and pushing it back towards Danvers.
"The Spot for example."
Danvers looked at The Spot's file. His real name was Frank Ohnn. He had obtained his powers following a lab accident at Roxxon Industries. The accident permanently disfigured him, turning him chalk white with constantly moving black spots, but they allowed him to open portals anywhere through which instant travel was possible.
"Well General, since the Triskelion isn't currently housing any metahumans with super speed, The Spot allows us to cover vast distances in a short time. And of course he isn't limited to the number of people he can carry."
Fury nodded, putting Ohnn's file at the bottom of the pile, but he wasted no time tossing another one towards Danvers.
"Robert Reynolds?"
"Yes, Void…"
"Or Sentry depending on what day you ask him Danvers."
Robert Reynolds had the potential to be one of the most powerful beings on the planet. His powers came from a failed attempt at recreating the same super soldier serum that created Captain America, but the serum Reynolds took had photosynthetic properties, meaning his cells created energy at an amazing rate.
Unfortunately the serum's effect caused Reynolds mind to split in two. He became an agoraphobic schizophrenic with two distinct personalities, Void and Sentry. His Sentry persona was a hero, but it was seemingly destroyed after Reynolds failed to save his wife from a home invader. Void was the only one left, and all he was interested in was causing as much death and destruction as possible.
"He only answers to Void now General Fury. Now while his mental stability is questionable, the amount of physical strength he brings to the team is to great to pass up."
"And if he completely loses it? What then?"
"Cain Marko, Juggernaut as he's better known, is more than capable of handling him until the Ultimates arrive."
Fury threw another folder to Danvers. This is was the one Danvers was going to have the most trouble explaining.
"Tell me Danvers…why in God's name would you want Nightmare on your team? You did read his file correct?"
"Yes sir."
"Then you know what he did at that diner?"
"Yes sir. But you have to understand…"
"Understand! He made those poor people do the most grotesque things to themselves. For a whole twenty-four hours Danvers!"
Nightmare, John Dee. Danvers almost threw up reading his file. He was a mutant, born with the power to influence people's minds through dreams. As he grew older he mastered his powers and was able to pull people's dreams from their minds while they were still conscious and warp small pockets of reality to mimic them. Around the age of twenty-six however he had an accident while using his powers which made him unable to sleep, unable to dream. The accident eventually cost him his sanity.
Fury was referring to the atrocities Dee had committed a year ago. Knowing the X-Men were on there way to apprehend him, Dee stopped at a diner and waited for them. In the twenty-four hours it took to them to find him, Nightmare forced the unlucky patrons of the diner to commit acts of self-mutilation, necrophilia, murder, and even cannibalism. When the X-Men discovered him, Dee was lounging in a pool of blood, conversing with a severed head.
"If medicated properly General…I mean Nightmare could be the most valuable member of the team."
"And I suppose you'll tell me if you properly medicate Gwen Stacey and Benjamin Poindexter then they will be fine too right?"
Carnage and Bullseye had both in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody for some time, and both had attempted escape multiple times. And while Stacey had minimal control over whom she hurt because of the symbiote in her bloodstream, Bullseye did…and he killed as many people as possible.
"Maybe, maybe not sir. But you told me to put a team together. You told me to get you black ops team together, your Thunderbolts and here they are."
Fury set the files down and leaned back in his chair. He stroked his beard, obviously in deep thought, before leaning forward once more and setting his hands on the table.
"And who are you going to get to lead this team of thugs and psychos?"
Danver smiled to herself. She knew what she was about to say would send Fury over the edge.
"Abner Jenkins and Melissa Gold. Both are fliers, both are experienced fighters, and even more experienced leaders, and…"
"Both are ex-HYDRA!"
Danvers quickly ran down the other reasons The Beetle and Songbird needed to be on the team. The Beetle has a high level of intelligence and was an extremely skilled mechanic and engineer, and Songbird could manipulate sound and create solid sound constructs. The fact that they were former HYDRA agents was of little consequence.
"I understand that General, but both of them are ready to defect. I need strong leaders for this team, and these two are the only one who can do it."
Fury stood up and walked to the window, letting out a deep sigh.
"You really want a team of The Spot, Juggernaut, Nightmare, Void, Bullseye, Carnage, The Beetle, and Songbird?"
"Yes sir," Danvers said standing up.
Fury turned and looked at her before giving her a nod of consent. As Danvers left Fury sighed again.
"God help us if this ever gets out of control…"