Puffs of smoke surrounded the area as fires licked the ruins of what was once one of the safest neighborhoods in New York. Sam watched with panic as their enemy progressed. His heart rate increased as he dodged another blow. He landed on the ground with wobbly feet, groaning when he felt his muscles spasm. Just as a hybrid was about to jump on Sam's head
a familiar glowing fist came into contact with its skull and a sickening crack was heard. Sam jumped out of the way as a few other hybrids were thrown his way, followed by a late warning to get out of the way.
Nova gasped. He could not believe his eyes. Before him were Luke and Danny, fighting with the enemy as though it were just another normal day on the job; as though humanity were not endangered by an unknown evil; as though they were still teens trying to prove themselves so that they could score better missions.
But they were not. Sam had to repeat that to himself especially once a few profound details settled in. Both were covered in mud and blood. Both of them were probably horrified at what they were doing. After all, they were fighting humans who had been transformed into monsters and were trying to kill every hero those creatures laid eyes on, but…In the end, the heroes were killing them in order to ensure humanity's survival. With a shudder and clenched fists Sam realized just how fucked up this world actually was.
A sudden wind bit at his exposed skin as one of Batman's weapons wheezed by. Sam blinked rapidly, but otherwise there was no indication that he had been startled. Taking in the Bat's disgruntled appearance, Nova bit back whatever harsh response his brain had cooked up. He growled, reminding himself that this was a battlefield and therefore not a place for daydreaming or brooding.
Batman soon landed next to him, panting, but otherwise there was nothing too wrong with his body's condition. Sam looked at him when Gotham's protector asked him, "You okay, kid?"
Sam blinked once more, surprised that the other hero actually cared about his well-being. Apparently, despite his initial cold façade, deep down Batman was concerned about his comrades. With a nod Sam managed to ease some of tension off the Bat's shoulders.
"I think I know what we should do." Sam mumbled as he stared at the fighting forms of his friends. He swallowed thickly before he whispered, "We should use them as a diversion. It seems that these creatures are attracted to them. I don't know why, though."
Sam expected a glare from Batman. He also anticipated that he was going to be punched and lectured on the lesson that had been grilled onto the backside of his skull from day one – never leave your teammates behind. However, for the record, he was not leaving them behind. He was just making do with what he had. Sam was well aware that he and Batman had to get inside ruins of the Zoo and search for clues. Their mission was to gather as much information as they could about the hybrids regardless of the circumstances and prices they had to pay. In reality, Sam was following the most important rule that both the Nova Corps and S.H.I.E.L.D. had ordered him to abide – the success of your mission comes first.
"I am surprised, kid." Batman suddenly said, startling Sam from his daze. Nova flinched when he noticed the glare that the Bat sent his way. Sweat poured down his body and he closed his eyes, bracing himself for the hit that never came. Instead, Batman simply enquired, "Are you sure? From what I have heard you have worked alongside these two for years."
Sam swallowed thickly once more. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists. The gears in his mind turned. The past three years had turned him into something he probably would not be able to recognize. If he had to be honest, Sam would definitely shake his head. Who was he to meddle in the business of the higher-ups? Who was he to take charge and risk jeopardizing the mission on which everyone and everything depended? Who was he to say that something was worth risking his friends' lives for? What right did he have to leave them here alone to fight enemies the numbers of which were constantly growing?
No one. He was no one. Yet… at the same time… he was someone. He was just another hero who had been given a mission and instructed to follow through with his leader's orders. He could easily die and probably no one would mourn for him aside from a few close friends and a mother who would be left all alone. However, he would be able to join his family. If there was heaven and he was lucky enough to glimpse it for a second, then Sam might have the chance to see his sister and father for a small while. He allowed himself a few seconds to entertain the idea. He allowed himself that small second to wish for someone to take his life now and end it all so that his burden would be eased; so that humanity's burden would not fall on the shoulders of a boy who had yet to mature enough to even know what exactly was going on.
With shaky knees he stepped forward and looked ahead at the smashed bars of what were once the cages of the lions and said, "I'm sure." He then looked at Batman and asked, "What's with the bewildered expression, if you don't mind my asking?"
Batman seemed to come out of whatever stupor he had been experiencing. He merely smirked and shook his head before he replied, "Nothing, kid. I was just checking. You know, children should not say such things. At the very least, they should not be compelled to make such decisions."
Sam did not respond. Before he would have been ticked off that someone had questioned his prowess based on the loose definition of age. Right now all he could care about was wrapping this case closed. This was why he merely shrugged and whispered, "I wish you were right. Unfortunately, it cannot be avoided."
Batman appeared to have been stunned speechless and for a split second Sam entertained the idea that he had managed to shock such a legendary hero with a few words, but Nova was no fool. He could easily tell that Batman's mind was on a completely different train of thought, probably formulating what course of action they should take next. Just as he had guessed soon Batman's eyes were on Sam's own once more and a superior smirk twisted the hero's face. With a final glance at the other two, Nova and Batman took off toward the Zoo.
"The fuck do they think they're doing?!" Luke yelled as he threw a hybrid toward Danny who knocked him out. The two continued their tango with the devil's minions as they watched Sam and Batman leave them behind. Danny resisted the urge to widen his eyes and scold Sam in his mind. Unlike him Luke was too busy spilling curses and professing how betrayed he felt to be left here to die by his own teammate.
Soon the hybrids ceased coming and Batman and Nova were long gone. Danny spit some blood on the ground and then wiped his mouth as Luke was punching the ground. Iron Fist watched for a while and soon decided to intervene. After all, he had given his friend enough time to vent.
"Why don't you cut it out already?" Danny asked as he gripped his friend's arm. Luke merely pulled his hand away and glared at Danny for daring to break his tirade.
"Aren't you pissed? He fucking left us here to die!" Luke raged as he spit the ground. Danny did not respond. However, he shivered once Luke uttered, "I can't believe he is back to his old self again."
"You don't know that." Danny countered. Luke chuckled humourlessly as he watched a strange cover the ruins of the Zoo. Power-man sighed before he looked at Danny and said, "You heard him, Danny. I heard him, too. Sam, our so-called friend, suggested that we should be left behind! It was not Batman. It was him. Plus…You saw the way he was fighting. I've never seen him so emotionless before. Usually he shows anger or contempt toward his opponents. Other times he is laughing because our enemies literally suck. Then…when we are up against tougher and more serious criminals he is afraid. He fears that he might lose us. He is afraid that he might die, but now… Now I did not see my friend, Sam, who will defend me with his life. Now… I saw some cold-blooded murderer who will do anything to follow through whatever shitty command some idiot gave him."
Danny did not say anything. He kept quiet during their journey back to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters. After all, their objective was to help Batman and Nova get inside the Zoo and leave the rest up to them. After Danny finished his report, he went to his room to sleep. If he were lucky, he just might get some sleep. However, just as his head hit the pillow he could not help the choked sob that escaped the confines of his heart. He covered his mouth and tried to calm down once he heard a punch from the other room. It seemed Luke had chosen a different way to express his anger. With a shaky intake of breath Danny decided to join them.
The next morning all four of them were gathered in Danny's room. Peter was pacing from one end of the room to the other. Ava was watching him, while Luke was glaring at one of the open walls. Danny sighed. He knew that it would take a while for the new information to sink in, but since they were about to be called for another mission, he needed to discuss the current problem with Sam as fast as possible. This was why he stepped forward and stopped Peter's pacing. Spiderman pushed his hands away and seethed, "Don't touch me."
He then made a beeline for the bed. Danny rolled his eyes at the childish response. He had expected more from Peter. He was supposed to be their leader, but it seemed that he had a hard time coping with what he had just discovered about his new buddy, Sam.
"Peter, I know it is a lot to take in, but you need to listen." Danny tried to pacify him, but to no avail. His words fell on deaf ears. Luckily, Luke made everything better with his new comment.
"He should have left our team two years ago." Luke uttered.
Danny and Ava glared openly at him as Peter clenched his fists and asked, "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!"
"I think what Peter meant to ask was what happened two years ago." Danny clarified, eyeing Peter's shaking form. At the mention of an explanation Spiderman's ears perked up and he seemed to have calmed down. Danny thanked the heavens for the lack of insanity Peter demonstrated.
"Has Sam shared with you what he did before he joined our team?" Ava asked.
Peter shook his head, making Ava sigh before she explained, "He was part of the Nova Corps. That's an intergalactic military/police force. We don't know exactly what he experienced. All we know is that when he came to S.H.I.E.L.D. Sam was….like a machine. He did exactly what he was told and behaved as though he had been programmed to serve his commanding officer. As time passed he became sort of normal, but…there was this one time when he was called back. Sam told us it was an emergency and that his departure could not be avoided."
"The mission took him a week and a half to complete. When he came back he was…" Danny tried to complete the explanation, but found himself at a loss for words.
"Horrible." Luke uttered.
"Watch your mouth!" Ava reprimanded him, making Luke roll his eyes.
"Like you don't agree. As far as I remember you two were thinking of kicking him off the team as well." Luke countered, making both Ava and Danny adopt guilty expressions.
"Wait… what exactly happened?" Peter made the mistake to ask.
"He killed a man. He claimed it was self-defense, but…" Ava bit her lip.
"We know better." Luke growled out.
"What do you mean?" Peter deadpanned.
Luke locked gazes with him and responded, "He did it for revenge."
"What?!" Peter exclaimed, "Sam would never…"
"Oh, he would. Believe me. He was so fucked up after that… don't even get me started on all the nights he cried, punched the walls, broke the mirrors, threw furniture around and worst of all – had nightmares." Danny professed. He ran a hand through his hair and added, "He refused to be part of our team. He wanted to get out. I still don't know how Sam managed to put himself back together. But…this time it might…the damage can't be undone. He's already reverted back to the cold murderer he once was."
"Sam is not a murderer. He can't be…" Peter whispered as he covered his head with his hands, looking at no one at particular.
"You're right." Danny suddenly said, startling everyone in the room.
Before either of them could respond an agent knocked on the door and informed them that Nick Fury wished to speak to them.
Two pairs of feet moved in sync with one another as two pairs of eyes took everything in about their surroundings. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. There was mostly smoke and fire licking away at some fallen wooden particles. There were pieces of broken chains and cages scattered around. What was once a little paradise in the otherwise busy concrete jungle had been ruined and turned into barren lands which were the product of human destruction.
Sam clenched his fists. He could remember coming here with his mother two years ago. It had been one of the most wonderful days of his life even though a monkey had stolen his ice-cream because he had got too close. Unfortunately, now nothing remained. He shook his head. Now was not the time for happy memories. In fact, he should not even have the audacity to focus on such trivial matters. With a calm intake of breath he followed Batman as the hero went toward an opening in the ground. The space left open was small, but it was enough to draw attention. Sam narrowed his eyes as did Batman. It seemed whoever was down there was expecting them.
Nova and Batman locked eyes and nodded. Just before he went in, however, Batman put a hand on Sam's shoulder, directing the boy's attention once more to his eyes, and said:
"Now is the time to turn back, kid."
Sam glared at Batman and replied in a dangerously low voice:
"Don't you think that the little kid that got scared shitless died a few hours ago? In case you haven't noticed I am different now. Use it, while you can. It may not be long before I lose my self-control."
Batman shook his head before he whacked Sam on the head. He dodged the aimless punch the boy threw him and grabbed the other with his hand. He then pulled Sam forward and kicked him in the stomach. The boy kneeled before him and coughed, trying to regain his breathing. The kick had not been strong enough to do permanent damage, but it had been surprising enough to knock some sense back into Sam. However, just for good measure, Batman grabbed the boy's head by the helmet and tilted his whole frame at such an angle that his spine started hurting. Sam did not whine, but the pain in his expression was evident. Batman's face was a few inches away from Nova's as he whispered:
"Listen to me and listen to me well, brat. I do not know what hell you have been through, but I will not allow the monster you turned into return unless it is absolutely necessary." He then pulled back and released Sam, glaring at the boy once more as he tried to regain his breath. Gotham's hero stepped past him and eradicated whatever wooden chunk was covering their only way in. Just as Sam rose and locked eyes with Batman, the dark knight added, "You were lucky enough to come back. Do not waste it."
He then went in. His words and actions had startled Sam enough to make him freeze. However, after a few seconds the Bat returned and glared at Nova once more before saying, "I thought I did not tell you to stand guard."
Sam chuckled, choosing to ignore the spite in those words. Instead, smiled and uttered, "Thank you."
Batman's eyes widened with just a small fraction before he closed them, chuckled, then opened them and smirked. "You're welcome, kid. Now get in before a hybrid decides to feast on you."
Sam rolled his eyes, knowing full well that whoever had led them here would not allow his babies to devour his prey. He then took a breath in, praying to whatever deity was protecting him not to allow him to lose control. After that Sam jumped inside, missing the piercing cackle that followed once their only opening had been closed.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. No profit is made from writing this story and using characters that obviously do not belong to me.
