"Simon Williams. The Wonder Man. The latest Avenger … and the first to fall in battle."
Video. Images of a man in a green and red costume. Tall as Captain America. Muscular as Thor. Strong enough to hold his own against the man-monster Abomination.
Fighting alongside the Avengers. Ripping open an overturned burning semi truck to get the driver out before it blows up. Holding up a wall while Captain America and Black Widow evacuate the building before it falls down. Doing half a dozen heroic things in as many minutes.
Yep. No doubt about it. The guy had been a real hero.
But Dear Lord … that costume? It looked like a Christmas Tree!
I'm looking at the video while the Avengers are watching me. Wanda- the Scarlet Witch- is in uniform now. Clint Barton- Hawkeye- is running the computer that's showing me the video. Captain America is watching me. So's the Black Widow.
I pretend not to notice.
"Does any of this ring a bell?" Hawkeye finally asks me.
"No." I look again at the images on the screen. "I don't remember any of this."
The Vision floats through the wall to join us. Somehow it seems creepy when he does it. "I warned you all there was a risk that his memories would not transfer when I made the attempt."
We're not identical. His skin's more purple than mine. His facial features are different.
I look back at the screen. Hawkeye's done something and another picture comes up. This time Wonder Man isn't wearing that goofy helmet. He looks pretty young … we have the same nose.
Of course he has hair …
"How did he die?"
"What?" Wanda asks softly.
"How did he- I?- die? He looks to be nearly as strong and tough as the Hulk. How does someone like that die?"
"You're certain you don't remember?" Captain America asked me.
"Super hero's honor." For whatever that's worth.
The Avengers exchange glances with each other. I try not to act offended. I mean, they apparently did save my life. Or give me life. Or both. I'm not totally sure.
"He was killed in battle with the Masters of Evil," Black Widow says finally.
"You're kidding."
"What?"
"Someone actually calls themselves the Masters of Evil?"
"It's no joke!" Suddenly I'm pinned against the wall by red energy. Wanda (why do I keep calling her that?) is glaring at me with eyes that are burning with the same light. "Simon died for us! He died for me!"
Be like smoke …
Energy is a lot less easy to get out of than steel in case you're wondering. It actually hurt. A lot. But I didn't think it was a good idea to be pinned like a butterfly …
"Wanda," Vision says gently. "He is Simon. He is all that's left of Simon..."
"He is nothing like Simon." Wanda's eyes return to normal. "Simon was a hero. Simon was my … friend." She casts a withering glance at me. "You will never be Simon Williams."
And she walks away.
Oh crud.
She hates me.
God, I'm depressed.
I'm an artificial man, a duplicate of a dead hero, and the thing that's depressing me is that the hot girl I just met doesn't like me...
I'm a sick sick man … android. Robot. Whatever the heck I am.
"You're not what I was expecting," Black Widow tells me. She's certainly pretty, and not all that much older than Wanda … but she's far too scary for me to be attracted to her.
Much.
"What were you expecting?" I asked her.
"I expected you to be like Simon. Or not to be here at all." She glances over at the Vision who's hovering in mid-air. "Or like Vision."
"What was Simon like?"
"He was ..." and she looks at Captain America.
"Simon Williams died a hero," Captain America finally announces. "Like Wanda said, he saved us all. He was a good man."
So … anyone else get the feeling they're hiding something or is it just me?
"So … Simon 'Wonder Man' Williams died saving the rest of you, and the Vision decided to backup his mind." I looked down at myself. "And you just happened to have a spare body lying around?"
"We had the Cradle that was used to create the Vision's body. The process that created you was a bit more … involved."
"We didn't have a Thunder God to jump start the process," Hawkeye says. "So it took a long time. We weren't even sure it worked until you showed up in Wanda's bathroom."
I look back at the door. "She doesn't like me much does she?"
"She and Simon were getting … close when he died." Black Widow looks over at the Vision. "Is there any chance that he will recall his life as Simon later?"
"I really have no idea," Vision confesses. "I've never tempted anything like this before. The human mind isn't like a data file that can be downloaded at will. We were perhaps more fortunate than we had reason to hope for. Wanda has telepathic abilities. Perhaps she will be able to help Simon recall his old life ..."
"Yeah. I don't know that letting her into my brain is a good idea just now. Maybe later." I suddenly yawned. "Whoa. Suddenly I feel all … tired ..."
"Your body needs energy," Vision tells me, taking my arm. "Come, Simon. I will instruct you on how to recharge."
"That sounds like a good idea," I agreed, letting him lead me toward the door that Wanda had just left. As we left, I heard the Avengers whispering to each other. I didn't let on because what they were saying was very interesting … and disturbing.
"Do you think he's faking?" Hawkeye murmurs.
"No," Captain America says firmly. "I don't think he remembers a thing about what really happened."
"And if he does remember later ..." the Black Widow asks quietly.
"If he remember in time we'll deal with it." I'm not looking back at them, but I can feel Cap's eyes on me. "We'll deal with him..."