Jason opened his eyes and looked around the elegant chamber, decorated with elegant columns and filled with ancient weaponry. Struggling he felt a quick electric shock run through his body and saw that he was bound with a thin wire that coursed with electricity every time he tried to breathe. Cyclone, Bison and Glow Worm seemed to be in a similar position while Tempest was nowhere to be seen. Behind him a slab of rock carved to look like an altar or table glowed menacingly under the indigo cealing.
"Well looks like the new recruits are awake," The Beetle mocked, "the boss will be happy with our haul today."
"I don't know I think we could have done better." Stink Bug said stroking Glow-Worm's chin as his armor glinted in the twilight of the chamber.
"It doesn't matter about quality at the moment, the boss needs quantity." the Beetle explained.
"Hell they took you." Wire Worm joked his voice buzzing. Stink Bug responded by smashing Wire Worm around the face with his shield slicing off the bully's arm.
"Stop making fun of me." he ordered, "I was the first and I should be in charge of this little operation, I mean in charge under the boss. My first order is to put yourself back together." Wire Worm crouched down and watched as his arm disintegrated into a swam of maggots and slithered back into his body. Seconds later the grubs were slithering along his arm before hardening to form a human arm and hand.
"That defiantly tops the gross factor." Glow Worm moaned.
"Who said you could talk?" The Beetle asked slapping her around the face, "You might be right Jonas these donors are a little too talkative."
"You know what the boss said though; any body will do until they can get some better quality material." Dragonfly countered, "Doc is the process ready to start?"
"Five minutes," Doc Hopper confirmed, "and then they will be the boss's for ever."
Jason wondered who the boss was; he struggled again only to receive a strong electric shock. Looking over at the others he wondered where Tempest was and if she had either escaped or had led them into this trap. From outside the chamber there was a commotion and the Beetle looked up from one of the mysterious symbols etched on the floor.
"You two," she ordered Dragonfly and Wire Worm, "go check that noise out." The two insect themed super-villains headed out into the corridor just as a breath of wind blew through the door.
"You know what I want to know?" Stinkbug asked.
"I want to know why I have to work with an imbecile like you." Doc Hopper replied.
"Now Doc don't be mean." Beetle chided the doctor, "I'm sure Jonas had a reasonably good reason for his stupid comments"
"It's why the boss chose this draughty fire trap of a ruin as a base. I mean I spent my time running from Spiderman or Daredevil through warehouses and office buildings and I have to say most of them were nicer then this dump." Stink Bug told them.
"I have a question," Cyclone asked, "Is there an opening in your organization because I was thinking of joining if there was."
Stinkbug and Beetle laughed at the proposal before Beetle went over and looked into his eyes, "Don't worry you will be joining just like we did." she slapped him hard around the face, "Now shut up and let the doc think, that goes for you two Jonas." Jason was worried, these guys should have been a cake walk, true the Wire Worm was an unknown and the Beetle at a pinch would be a deadly foe, but Dragonfly was defiantly a C List Villain and Doctor Hopper and Stinkbug would be lucky to be classed as Z listers but instead this team had taken his own in a single move. Cold hands suddenly clamped around his own and he felt the wire's electrical current short out as he covertly broke free.
"Tempest?" he asked
"Shut up." Stink Bug said as he sulked in the corner.
"Yes," she whispered silently, "It took me a while to find this place."
"Get the others." he replied.
"Okay that's it I'm closing that mouth for you." Stinkbug said pulling out a smoke bomb, "this will teach you to speak when you should be silent." he went to stuff the bomb in Jason's mouth only to receive a swift punch to the jaw, "Your not meant to be free." he said in horror.
"Oh but we are." Jason replied as Glow Worm and Bison stood up freed by Tempest. F5 let's cart these guys back to their new home, in the Negative Zone."
"Not today hero." Stink Bug replied emitting a cloud of green gas that blinded everyone in the room. Quickly Tempest cleared the room with a quick gust of wind to reveal that Stink Bug had left Doctor Hopper and the Beetle to fend for themselves.
"You fucking basted." the Beetle called charging up a large cannon like attachment to her suit. Quickly she fired a blast of energy that ricocheted off on of the columns. Glow-Worm flew at her and smacked the armoured super-villain in the face. "That's for slapping me," she replied angrily, "and this," she added activating the suit's cutting laser, "is for kidnapping me" she continued cutting through the canon. The beetle retaliated with a swift punch but Glow-Worm caught it and flipped the super-villainess onto her back before delivering a quick blow to the chest that caused the incapacitated villain to moan in pain.
Meanwhile Bison had dealt with Doc Hopper, the scientist's armor scattered in pieces as Bison crushed the suit's electro gauntlets. Walking up to machine he scratched his head and simply gored it with his horn's the electricity sparking and hissing.
"No what were you doing here?" Jason asked the two insect themed villains, "And who is your boss." From the doorway he heard an electrical whine and a blast of electricity hit him sending his body convulsing.
"Honey I'm home and I brought company." Stinkbug stated flanked by Wire Worm and Dragonfly as a massive Tarantula like creature with massive legs sprouting from its back. Everyone meet Kaine, Kaine kill everyone."
The spider like monster screamed as it lashed out with the massive legs pining Bison to the floor while Tempest was caught by an electrical blast from Wire Worm. The Dragonfly was playing a more seductive game as she grabbed Glow Worm and pinned her to the wall, "You don't want to fight Me." she said seductively using her hypnosis powers on the neophyte super-hero. Jason had a problem albeit a minor one of his own as Stinkbug picked up his own Crossbow and shot a bolt at him, Jason dodged and the bolt flew past meters away from its target. Stinkbug quickly followed up with a flurry of punches and Jason blocked every one until he felt a sharp kick impact with his groin, he retaliated with a quick punch which Stinkbug easily dodged.
Bison wrestled with Kaine the Spider Monster spluttering and spitting as he tried to hold back his opponents extra arms.
"Why are you doing this?" Bison asked, "Aren't you a clone of Spider Man or something?"
"I was but now I am just a cog, part of something greater, something you will soon be part of as well." Kaine replied pressing a hand against Bison's chest, the burning mark eating through leather armor and leaving a burning print on his skin. Bellowing in pain Bison lifted the hand off and broke his attackers arm before receiving four stabs in the face. Enraged Bison roared lifting Kaine off the floor and throwing him back towards the door way where the hideous spider-man amalgam twitched before getting back to his feet.
Tempest summoned a wind storm the powerful gusts absorbing the blasts of energy fired at her by Wire Worm. The super villain wrapped in swathes of black even across his face advanced and Tempest watched in horror as he transformed his left hand into a massive hook. Slashing with the weaponized hand Tempest had just enough time to turn intangible as the hook passed through her before smashing on the floor. Turning solid again she realized that she hadn't completely dodged the attack as several maggots begun to crawl oh her skin. Angrily she brushed them off with a quick gust of wind before squashing the crawling creatures. As she did Wire Worm shook with pain as the swarm of maggots fell away from his body revealing a robotic form underneath. Continuing her assault Tempest continued to strike the robot until the pressurized air blast she fired at him severed his arms and legs leaving his torso writhing on the floor.
Glow-Worm looked into Dragonflies eyes with a longing desire, the woman in front of her was beautiful and she would do anything she wanted.
"Now stand their and wait." Dragonfly instructed. Glow-Worm nodded as Dragonfly helped the Beetle to her feet the latter pulling out a smaller hand-gun sized weapon. Something in Glow-Worm's brain clicked and suddenly she realized the danger she was in. Flying at the Beetle she roughly tackled her into a column causing her to drop the gun as Dragonfly tried to pull her off. With an elbow to the face followed by a round-house kick Dragonfly was sent sprawling on the floor. Emerging from the door-way the Spider Creature Kaine emerged leaping towards Bison its spider like legs outstretched. Punching it away Bison continued the counter-attack slamming Kaine into an altar marked with ancient symbols, for a moment his opponent struggled before falling unconscious. Glow-Worm flew over and quickly checked for a pulse as Stink Bug and Jason continued to trade blows.
"He barley has a pulse." she said horror on her voice. "He's breathing but some how he's just entered a coma."
"What have I done?" Bison asked sadly.
"Listen to me, if we can get him to a hospital we can save him." Glow-Worm told Bison, "Tempest where is the nearest hospital?" she asked, "my armour's computer systems are going hay-wire where ever we are." she added as Jason slammed Stink Bug to the ground next to the dropped pistol.
"Anything else left up your sleeves Stink Bug?" Jason asked slamming the criminal's head against the floor.
"Only this." Stink Bug replied reaching for the pistol, Jason stepped on his hand but it was to late, Stink Bug fired a shot that smashed into the ceiling of the chamber they were in. For a second nothing happened but slowly the ceiling darkened and wisps of darkness dropped to the floor transforming into man shaped clouds of darkness their arms ending in cutting blades.
Instantly the new group of attackers lunged at the alter where Bison was trying to move Kaine and stabbed him in the back with his sword causing the former to convulse in pain before dropping to the floor. Tempest and Glow-Worm charged to their fallen team mate's aid as Stink Bug kicked up his boots impacting with Jason's chin as two dark figures turned away from Bison. Glow Worm went down quickly her armour's protection seemingly bypassed by the shadow's sword. Tempest dodged her attackers their blades passing through her as a shadowy figure stabbed Cyclone causing him to scream, "I was going to join you." before falling unconscious. Tempest watched as she dodged her attackers before being tackled by Kaine now seemingly awake and back to full strength.
"Tempest get out of here, warn the others." Jason ordered, "Quickly Tempest flew through the room's ceiling dodging a swarm of grouping hands that were dangling from the roof. Jason threw a punch at Stinkbug only to fall flat on his face as his attacker dodged. Behind him Kaine grabbed him and held him so he could face the door. Emerging from the entrance a woman dressed in Green flanked by men dressed in Asgardian Armor and HAMMER uniforms emerged.
"The Enchantress." Jason spat, "What have you done here?"
"Nothing that should concern you my new thrall, you and your friends are fresh unlike the bulk of Asgard's new army. You will make a good foot-soldier my new thralls." she announced.
"We won't work for you." Jason replied, the Enchantress smiled and Stink Bug smashed him in the ribs.
"It's exactly what the group calling themselves the Swarm of Terror said yet now they are mine." she announced, "Is the machine ready?" she asked as Doctor Hopper coughing got to his feet.
"It's damaged but the extra-dimensional energy siphon is still online." he announced, "We should have enough power to start the conversion."
"Good, place them on the alters, F5 will be the first of many new converts for Lord Loki's Occupation Force." The Enchantress said as Kaine slammed Jason onto the alter he had woken up in-front of. The chamber's walls began to glow purple as black mist crept up from the alters, Jason closed his mouth and held his breath but it made no difference, the mist crawled into his eyes preventing him from seeing anything. Slowly his brain began to die, the only thing he could remember was that he had to obey his new masters and that was all he would ever need to do.