As the final detonation ripped the Quinn Jet apart the shooter lowered the Stinger Missile Launcher and deactivated the active tinting of his armour from matte black to it's usual blue and yellow colouration. Placing his weapon in the black and yellow case that lay at his feet the shooter closed the lid to reveal a pair of red dials clamped to the surface. Bending down he twisted the knobs and stood back to watch lines of scarlet light run across the surface before disappearing leaving nothing but a sharp metallic tang to reveal anything had happened at all. Almost immediately his armour comm link buzzed and the shooter smiled behind his ballistic mask, his current employer must have caught the show and liked it. ''This is Spymaster what's the situation boss"

"The package arrived undamaged and on time." The voice on the other end of the line announced, ''The teleportation network is stable enough to transport non living items. Once again you have lived up to your reputation."

''And the destruction of the Avenger Quinn Jet?" Spymaster asked, ''What are you're instructions regarding that?"

''Leave it and head to point bravo, get into position and support Mysteria with our next objective. Others will take care of the remaining Thunderbolts and Avengers."

Spymaster looked up at the burning halo of smoke where the jet had been intercepted by the missile. ''As you wish boss." Spymaster announced, ''Sierra Mike on the move, ETA at Sidewinder building is in ten minutes. Spymaster over and out."

The Silent Partner turned away from the array of monitors that hung on the walls of his command blister before taking a sip of bourbon and flicking the switch on the left arm. With a whoosh the chair lifted up and emerged from the floor at the head of a long table, the remaining seats taken by a veritable who's who of Chicago's underworld. The closest to the end of the table where little more the street punks, members of the Druid's Sickle street gang and their dreaded rivals the 88s. Having men such as these in close proximity was only possible due to the seniority that the next to figures had. Clad in a suit was the Maggia representative and sitting opposite him in a yellow environment armour was the leader of the local AIM cell. The last two people were being represented by proxies due to their extreme distance from the city. Clad in a red cloak was Carlos Rojas the leader of the Quintos Rojas Cartel a deadly necromancer who controlled the bulk of the narcotics trade while his partner from the Golden Triangle, a heavily tattooed Indonesian man who went by the name of Dragon Eel supplied top line smugglers and mercs to transport the product. And while the Silent Partner knew he couldn't trust them for the moment he, and his employers FACT, needed them under his control.

''Gentlemen I am glad that you all could make it to our meeting" the Silent Partner stated with the warmest smile he could muster in this current situation. ''My proposal is simple I want you to turn you're resources over to me."

''Are you insane." the Maggia representative spat, ''Why would any of us do that?"

The Silent Partner smiled before clicking his fingers, the quick snap causing a TV screen to rise from the floor playing the recent footage of the Thunderbolts. ''Because of them.'' he announced' ''While you believe that these heroes can be brought, convinced to leave you're illicit activities alone or even moved out of town I know that the only solution is to destroy them.''

''So why haven't you killed them?" Carlos asked.

''Because I believe that this is a dream that we all share." the Silent Partner stated, ''For that reason I am willing to give you an opportunity to prove the worth of your organisations."

''Our worth?" the AIM doctor asked, "Surely the one who kills the Thunderbolts should be in charge."

''Something I did take into consideration," the Silent Partner answered' "Hence why I asked that you invite you're best bodyguards and assassins, the one whose representative kills the heroes will be put in charge. The dice are set I suggest that you get moving the Thunderbolts will soon regroup and see to their wounds, you may say that I have given you a perfect scenario to deal with our little problem."

Black Tarantula squatted on the tree branch and stared down at the wreckage of the Quinn Jet,s left control surface lying in a burning crater. Standing below him was the Scarlet Witch, her costume torn and her body bruised, her hands glowing with arcane power. Narrowing his eyes Tarantula sprung off the branch and slammed his fist into the Witch's neck pushing her to the floor before hand-springing off her body and landing on the Quinn Jet ready for a counter attack. With an angry half screech-half hiss the Scarlet Witch got to her feet and fired a hex bolt at the crashed piece of jet causing Carlos to slip forward. At the last moment the Thunderbolt was able to save himself and sprung into the canopy.

''The trees won't save you Thunderbolt." the Witch hissed, "The odds always work against people like you.''

''Then you should have no problem finding me." Black Tarantula replied as he silently moved position. Seconds later a hex-bolt flew towards where he had been causing the leaves to fly off revealing dark branches but little else. "Still no joy.'' Carlos mocked before a wave of hex bolts flew around the clearing and defoliating the trees in a wave of gold and red. Blinded by the falling leaves the Scarlet Witch only knew where Black Tarantula was by the rapid strikes and the rippling eddies of foliage created when he moved, it was clear to her that she would never be able to catch him but there was another way to defeat thus opponent. Focusing on the foliage itself Wanda cast a single hex bolt that struck the first leaf before chaining through the whole storm of falling foliage. As the light dimmed the cry of pain left Carlos's mouth as his cover became a swarm of razor sharp daggers all biting at him at once. Dropping to the floor he saw that his opponent was terribly bruised and like him running on pure adrenaline. Racking his brain he realised that there was no way to win against a foe as determined as he was.

''So Black Tarantula is it?" The Witch asked, ''With out you're cover how do you expect to beat me?"

''I don't," Carlos answered, ''But since none of my teammates brought down you're air plane then I suggest we cast the net wider, think of who may benefit from our continued conflict."

''To many people to name." Wanda answered.

''Then it is even more urgent that we find our friends before our enemies do." Carlos suggested.

Wanda smiled bitterly before opening her arms in a gesture of peace, ''So where do we start?"

Open sky greeted the fully armoured soldier as she looked into the void, the down-draft of the Blackhawk threatening to knock her out of the craft. ''Okay Amazon Squad get ready." she ordered the five other women in the chopper. ''Okay everyone sound off." she bellowed, "Juno clocking in"

''Kali loud and ready to go.'' An Indian woman yelled.

''Pele bringing the heat.'' A third woman barked.

''Nemesis locked and loaded.'' The next hissed.

''Ritona ready for splash down.''

''Mari ready to unleash the Thunder.'' The last added in a horse voice. Juno nodded before stepping out of the chopper and falling before feeling the impact with the ground shudder through her legs. Looking around she saw a body lying prone in-front of her. Cautiously knife in hand she advanced and rolled the body over only to see three blades slash towards her. Flipping backwards Juno watched as the open countryside rippled to form white walls and the corpse morphed into the stocky form of Wolverine heading towards her. Vaulting over a bench Smokescreen pulled out her Glock and opened fire, mercy rounds striking the Canadian mutant before heading to the next bench as Logan slashed through her cover.

''Alright so you know that you don't want to get near my claws.'' Wolverine snarled, ''Don't know who you are but you just proved that you ain't stupid just an idiot.'' He added as Juno swapped out her empty clip and removed a tactical knife and charged her attacker, the furry of her assault catching Logan off guard as the blade stabbed through his neck. Stunned he barley blocked the follow up attack as Juno stabbed a pair of spiral knives into his knees before firing a shot through Wolverine's skull.

''Problem solved.'' Juno stated as she left Logan lying on the floor of the mall.

''Problem?" Logan snarled as he got up, "You don't know the meaning of the word.''

Flashes of light and blasts of solid sonic energy flew around the docks, the brunt of the attack being adorned by the armoured form of Interceptor, the pilot inside hunkering down as he watched the pair of Avengers focus their attempts on his partner Boomerang as he ran from cover to cover occasionally throwing his trademark projectiles only to see the shatter before they reached their targets. Looking up Abe saw Rouge streak past on sonic butterfly wings throwing a shower of sonic daggers across the concrete, each blade leaving pink craters to match the temporary tinting of the Avenger's hair.

(Rouge stole Songbird's powers last issue - Issues finally in Order Impurest Cheese)

''So you're the Thunderbolts.'' Havok sneered as he continued to fire energy blasts at Abe. ''From what I heard you were somebody that could actually do something. ''So far all the big beetle could do was sting me.'' Opening fire again Havok watched as he fired of plasma at Interceptor, the beam striking his armour before running over the surface and discharging off the wings in little red ion storms. ''That blast should have melted that armour off you within seconds?"

''Well maybe you should have paid more attention.'' Abe replied, ''That sting injected nanites into you're bloodstream. Right now tiny machines are attaching to you're DNA and inhibiting the mutated strains. For the next twenty minutes you are a normal human like the rest of us.'' he added charging up his shoulder mounted lasers. ''With all the energy blasts you fired at me the energy siphon in my suit is overloaded and ready for action.'' Activating his firing systems Abe opened fire cobalt beams of light flying towards Havok only for the energy to be blocked by a hastily erected sonic shield summoned up by Rouge.

''Did you really think it would be that easy sugar?" Rouge asked as a pair of sonic throwing stars hovered above her shoulders. Abe shrugged before resuming his laser fire, the blasts of energy destroying the incoming projectiles before they reached him. As the last star dissipated Rouge took flight, bombarding Abe with new constructs now seemingly unaware of Boomerang as he climbed onto the cab of a crane, one of his trademark weapons drawn and ready to be released. As Abe dodged a wave of sonic blades he saw a boomerang whizz past followed by a second projectile, the pair of rangs detonating in a flash of brilliant light only inches from Rouge's face. Lasing out blindly Rouge fired a sonic field at the crane bisecting the base and causing the structure to topple and Boomerang to spring off the tower and jet away from the collapsing piece of structure, his path leading him straight towards Rouge. Diving on an intercept course and ducking through laser fire Rouge trapped Boomer by the neck and dragged him down to the deck only to see Abe holding Havok close to him, a modified wing blade held at the Avenger's throat.

''Well this is an interesting situation.'' Abe stated.

''Surrender Thunderbolt or you're man enters a comma that he will never wake up from.'' Rouge retaliated, inching her hand closer to Boomer's throat.

''Any time you want to save me mate.'' Boomer yammered, ''I can't believe that a simple stop and save the day mission turned into this.''

''Save the day?" Rouge asked.

''We were called out to stop you're jet from crashing, Mel even hailed you but we got no answer.'' Abe explained, ''Shit what happened to her, if you got her powers then she was unconscious when she fell.''

Melissa opened her eyes to see the bleak warehouse space around her, empty save for the chair opposite her and the man sitting on the chair holding his trademark shield. Jerking into a sitting position Melissa realised that her arms and legs weree bound and that a sonic harness much like her old on was draped across her shoulders.

''What the hell is going on?" Melissa snapped.

''Relax Melissa and listen for once.'' Captain America stated, ''Ever since our last encounter I asked Hank to make that new harness to inhibit any sonic abilities you have. Ever since Dorcas restored you I have feared that I might have to use this on you. For so long I held hope that you could eventually join the Avengers but then you do something like protecting Jenkins after he tries to murder a whole town. It is clear Melissa that you are to self destructive to truly be an Avenger.''

(Songbird and Captain America last fought in New Thunderbolts #13. In Thunderbolts #171Lumeal Dorcas restored her old Screaming Mimi abilities. It still appears that Abe is being blamed for Revenant's attack on Burton Canyon.)

''The only destruction going on is the damage you're Quinn Jet was going to do when it crashed into the city.'' Melissa snapped pushing back and causing the chair she was tied to smash. With a quick handspring Songbird had flipped into a standing position her arms raised ready to fight. Angrily Captain America balled his fist ready to strike, with a smile Melissa ducked under the blow and caught the Avenger in an elbow lock before being repelled back by her enemy. With a low hiss Melissa launched herself at Rogers locking an arm around his shield and blocking a follow up punch before springing off Captain America ripping his shield away.

''I am more then able to protect myself without relying on my powers.'' Melissa announced as she threw the shield away as Captain America ran towards her. Elegantly Melissa ducked under his strike and flipped Steve onto his back before ripping the inhibitor harness in half. ''Now why don't you tell me what you were doing in Chicago?" she asked as she fastened Captain America to the floor with sonic staples.

''We got a call from you're boss Volkner.'' Captain America announced, ''Something about an Atlantean criminal needing pick up.''

''Wait what?" Melissa spat, ''Volkner what the hell is going on?"

''Melissa we have a problem over here can it wait?" Volkner announced as alarms sounded in the background.

''What's with the alarms Volkner?" Steve said in a accusing voice, ''What are you stealing?"

''Nothing but we are in the process of a break in ourselves, security reported seeing Mysteria, Spymaster and Speed Demon in personnel and in the main lab.'' Volkner explained, ''I need you back here now.''

Melissa looked down to where Captain America lay before dissipating the sonic staples that kept him pinned to the floor. ''If you give us a hand then we'll get to the bottom of this.''

''Agreed for now.'' Steve answered before looking at Melissa as she cocked her head to one side. ''What is it?" he asked as the whole warehouse begun to shake.

''It's trouble.'' Melissa answered.

Lightning flashed as the wind swept the falling combatants around, wisps of sand weaving through the hair of Thor as it blew around. Raising Mjolnir he watched as tendrils of sand restrained his legs, her body dragging him towards the ground. Angrily Thor roared and sent lightning down his body causing the sand to harden into glass just as the rest of Quicksand's body detached, her body waving in the wind as the silicon shattered into long glass daggers.

''What doth you're attacks really hope to achieve.'' Thor asked as Quicksand morphed her hands into hammers and dived after the shards of glass. With a mighty swing she smashed the shards into sand and absorbed it back into her body. Looking up she saw lightning flash again as Thor dived towards her slamming Mjonir through her body and crashing through the roof of the building below. Diving after her attacker Quicksand looked around the church the pair of them had broken into and the terrified church goers hiding behind the pues, the two heroes seemingly ready to go another few rounds. With a thunderous roar Thor charged towards Quicksand as she morphed her arm into a bladed sand saw, the teeth made from gleaming silicon crystals. As Mjolnir slammed down Quicksand dissipated her weapon before hardening her arm trapping the God as he attempted to wrench himself free.

''Please both of you stop.'' the Padre asked, ''You are frightening my parishioners.'' he added as Thor sent lightning up and down the Thunderbolt's body causing her to collapse and slither away from before reforming in front of the Padre. Whirling his hammer around Thor bellowed as he released Mjolnir at Quicksand as the Thunderbolt peered behind her before hardening her body, the force of the hammer shattering her body revealing the Padre who had been standing behind her. Walking over to the collapsed form of Quicksand, Thor grimace before raising his hammer, ''I will end you villain, you're reign of terror ends now.'' Before he could slam Mjolnir down their was a high pitched whistling sound before a purple tipped arrow sparking with energy stabbed through Thor's chest, the god falling to his knees to reveal the shooter, a dark skinned elfin figure with glowing amber eyes and fang like teeth fitting another energy arrow in his bow.

''Err thanks.'' Quicksand purred as she reformed.

''Silence Thunderbolt my master demands you're head.'' the elfin figure hissed, ''But the death of the Asgardian will make the name Dracorous of Svartalheim known across the nine realms.''

Volkner thundered down to the lab and stopped the bodies of his dead security team sprawled across the room. Looking inside he saw Mysteria and Speed Demon loading blood samples in a pair of lead cases while Spymaster stood and supervised the process, a pair of red dials in his hands. Turning the villains smiled at him before Speed Demon took off carrying the first case. Unholstering a stun-gun Volkner crashed through the door and aimed it at Spymaster, the villain slamming the dials into the case and twisting the dials. Within seconds the box was engulfed in red light before vanishing right before Seth's eyes.

''Be seeing you Sidewinder.'' Mysteria purred before vanishing in a cloud of smoke dragging Spymaster with her. Lowering his stun gun Seth walked over and looked at the rack that had contained the stolen vials.

''Thunderbolts we have a problem.'' he groaned as he picked up the card marked 'Thunderbolts Blood Samples'.

New Thunderbolts #31

As the forces of the Underworld close in on the Thunderbolts and Avengers a more deadly enemy emerges as a far more deadly foe attempts to finish our heroes once and for all. Prepare yourselves for the return of the new and improved Super Adaptoid.