14 - Team Up
Monday, October 11, 2010 4:47 PM
As Sentinel and Gwen flew away from the site of the battle between the herol and the Alien robot Ultimo, neither of them noticed the figure watching them in the distance. She watched the pair fly away, and even at her distance, could see the pair laughing. Very interesting, the redhead thought to herself, why would a superhero be so friendly with the twelve year old police captain's daughter?
Raven dropped down from her vantage point into the trainyard. She doubted she'd find anything, but perhaps there was some evidence to the hero's true identity left behind. Even if not, the information she had already would pique Doom's interest.
–AoS–
Steven Abrahams sat in the front seat of the corolla. He was typing away at the laptop by his side, adding to the meticulous notes he'd already made. Sentinel seemed to get more powerful by the month. The Canadian government hadn't done much research on the serum they suspected he had stolen, but what he had displayed for his abilities did not match what they had found so far.
Having followed the hero discreetly since his fight with Iron man earlier in the afternoon, he'd made several observations. He seemed to be most active during the weekends and evenings, and had a firm sense of right and wrong. That much was clear from his interactions with other New Yorkers. That was another thing he had noticed; Sentinel - whilst he travelled the globe - seemed based out of New York. It was unlikely, but he wondered if the Superhero - whether he'd stolen the formula or not - was a student. One of his first sightings had been the fight with the gorillas on the ESU campus. It seemed possible that he could have been a student at the college. He switched the key on in the ignition. He'd need to get a list of students and staff on the campus that day to confirm the hunch, but it was a start.
Friday, December 24th, 2010 Castle Von Doom, Latveria
Victor threaded through the lonely halls of the castle, gazing out the windows occasionally at the world beyond. Once, this had been a joyous time of year. That had been before. Before kingship. Before Mephisto and his mother. He twirled his wrist absentmindedly, the whiskey and ice in the glass swishing as he did so. The sound of the ice bouncing against the side of the glass was surprisingly soothing. It put his frazzled mind at ease, reminded him of happier times. Their life in the camps had been a rootless existence, perhaps, but they'd had each other. Of course it was hardly idyllic. No childhood was. Yet he'd been content at the time. Bored, certainly, but content.
Then, mother had seen his potential. She'd had no means of sending him to school on her own, so she'd reached out to other - greater - forces. With Mephisto's help, he'd found himself whisked away to greater and grander things. When he returned, mother was on her deathbed. The rest had abandoned her for witchcraft. Only father had remained at the end, only he and Victor had stayed by her side. He'd sought to save her, even found his own way into Mephisto's realm. The demon had laughed, mocking his hope. The bargain had been struck; her life was forfeit. She belonged to Mephisto. He'd vowed to bring the demon down. He was Doom; nothing was above his skill.
Mephisto had merely laughed louder. The demon toyed with him, forcing him out of his realm, and scarring his face in the process. Victor, distraught and humiliated, had refused to return to college as he had been. Instead, he'd fled into the mountains, intent on living in secrecy and solitude whilst he worked on magic, with no other living human to see his face again. He could free his mother, and he would. Doom was capable of anything. Anything, it had seemed, but avoiding other people. But the old man had shown kindness. He'd brought the starving Victor in from the cold, and given him space to work. Whilst with the old man, he'd forged his armour and mask. To complete the look, he'd taken an old cloak from the stranger's hut. Victor the boy had entered that place. Doom the conqueror had left it.
When his conquest of Latveria had been done, he'd expelled the Romani. They'd turned their backs on him and his mother. Such transgressions would not - could not - ever be forgiven. From the safety of Castle Von Doom he'd begun to study the mystic arts in earnest. Since then, he'd learned much; the ancient one had even approached him as a possible successor. He'd get to give the older sorcerer an answer.
Recently, he'd been noticing several concerning trends in the heroic community. Not only was Sentinel growing more powerful, more heroes were springing up. Worse still, a number of them were beginning to interact and mingle increasingly. He had no intention of following their lead. Let others form teams, if it came to that. There were already whispers of Lensherr forming a 'Brotherhood'. The very idea was ludicrous. After all, Doom needed no one.
Still, pawns were always useful, he reminded himself. He wondered what his students were doing back in New York. He'd surprised himself with how.much he'd enjoyed teaching. Thomas and Parker in particular had impressed him. Both boys had shown promise; neither was near a match for him of course. Yes, he thought to himself, as he gazed out at his people going about their day. Pawns will suit me just fine.
–AoS–
They had transported him here after the defeat at Sentinel's hand. How long ago that had been, he could not say. Time was strange in the dark. It could have been a month, or a year. Perhaps even several years. His only human connection was with the disembodied voice that deposited his food in the slot, and corrected the tag when he was done. At least he had a few books. There wasn't much else in the cell. Just a bed and toilet. Only one thing kept him sane. The knowledge that one day he would escape this hellhole. He would have his revenge. It sustained him.
–AoS–
He and his mother meandered through the mall. As usual, Christmas in Manhattan was incredible; each store had spared no expense. The lights and decorations all over the mall were as awe inspiring as ever. Bright splashes of colour everywhere; cherry reds, jade greens, and half a dozen shades of blue, purple and pink. His mother grinned at him as they gazed at all the different storefronts. "Do you remember your first Christmas with me, the year I adopted you and your sister?"
He smiled softly, meeting her eyes through the pane of glass in front of them. He could feel the light pin prick tears in his eyes as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Of course he remembered, he thought, not saying a word. How could he ever forget? He took a shuddering breath, nodding discreetly. He stared at the mural on the wall. Father, mother, and three little children. The perfect nuclear family. He'd never fit in with that. Try as be
might, he'd never been able to forget who he really was. Seemingly everyone else but him knew who they were and where they belonged. Everyone but him.
Abandoned. Unwanted.
Foster child. Orphan.
Didi's son.
She'd given him more than a home. More than a family. She'd given him an identity. A purpose. Something worth fighting for. Everyone had always had an idea for who he was, who he should be.
Child genius.
Harridanite.
Champion. Saviour.
There were only a handful of people who would just let him be Nate. Even Gwen, his best friend, who he adored, had piled expectations upon him. Didi had never asked him for anything but love, no more than she offered in turn.
"I remember," he assured her. "We'd only been with you a few months. I was doing everything possible to push your buttons. I think - no, I know - I was doing it to test you. Test your limits, make sure you weren't going to go anywhere. That you weren't going to dump my baby sister on a doorstep like my mom did". She chuckled.
"Remember that AWFUL Christmas dinner? You invited everyone in my building. I thought Mr Roberts and Jaime were going to kill each other over the turkey and coleslaw issue. "I won't lie to you, a small part of me wanted to return you. But I knew I couldn't".
"Why not?" He asked. She tightened her grip on his shoulders, as though to remind him she wasn't going anywhere. He smiled at her. He knew where he belonged now. Neither of them needed to worry. "Alexis?"
"Yeah. But not for the reason you think. I remembered a conversation I had with the matron at the orphanage. She said thirty parents wanted you, but you'd refused to go with any of them. Said you wouldn't leave, until you and your sister could both leave together. I realised that if a five year old was so capable of love he'd stay in one of the most desperate, awful situations I could imagine for the sake of someone else, that boy was someone I knew I wanted in my life. He smiled at her as she tugged him closer, and they continued on through the mall.
"What time are you supposed to be meeting Gwen for the movie?" He glanced at his watch before responding.
"Another twenty minutes". She nodded.
"Well,"she replied, smoothing his hair. "I don't want to cramp your style. Text me when it's done, and Ill come and get you." He nodded as she kissed his cheek.
"Bye mom"
"See ya soon, son". With that, she was gone, walking away and melting into the crowd. He stood in the middle of the press of shoppers until he could no longer hear her footfalls.
–AoS–
They sat there silently in the dark of the theatre. Beside him, his best friend was chewing on the popcorn between them. He took a sip of his coke, watching the action on screen unfolding. They'd been unable to decide between the two different options, and flipped a coin. Already he was starting to wish the coin had landed on tails. It's alright, he reminded himself as he rested his fingers against his temple. It's not about the movie. It's about spending quality time with your best friend, you almost lost her. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that things would be better for her if he wasn't around. He knew logically that she was safer because of his powers, that he could protect her. And yet, he had put her in danger. Ultimo had specifically been looking for him. She wouldn't have even been involved if it wasn't for him.
Screams rent the air. Nate tilted his head in that direction, before turning back to Gwen. "I have to go," he whispered softly in her ear. "Someone's in trouble". She nodded silently. In the dark, he could see the slight frown on her face. He stood up, slowly moving his way down the row of seats and downstairs towards the exit of the theatre. Rushing out into the mall, he hurried towards the nearest exit. Swapping his watch once he was outside, he soared off in the direction of the screams.
–AoS–
The door to his cell slid open. He raised his Head, gazing at the newcomers. Standing directly in the doorway were a man wearing a crimson cloak with a deep hood, another taller man with a metallic arm, and three gorillas behind the pair. He raised his eyebrow as the one in red flicked his hand.
"And where is it we'll be going, mortal?"
"Freedom".
–AoS–
When he arrived in Harlem, he found four figures he'd hoped never to see again. Franklin Hall, Parker Robbins, Cain Marko, and Vladimir Petrov. The four villains had apparently put aside their differences long enough to tear New York apart rather than one another. In addition to the four men there were half a dozen Gorillas. He sighed as he floated slowly down behind Hall, tapping him on the shoulder.
Hall spun around, sneering as he spotted him. Nate smiled with a shrug as he dodged the man's meaty fist. The former professor bellowed, shouting for the others to join him. Nate smiled. "So I guess we aren't friends anymore?" He asked. Hall snarled, flicking his fist out once more. Nate kicked the other man in the chest, sending him slamming into one of the gorillas. Marko rushed towards him as Petrov and Robbins opened fire. He dodged Robbins magic bullet, Petrov's own bouncing off his chest. He cocked back a fist, delivering it into Cain's cheek even as the other man's momentum sent him flying backwards.
–AoS–
The Empire State University's security footage would have the information she needed. If there was any proof of Sentinel's true identity, she knew, it was here. As ever, taking the form of a man was a strange experience. A shifting physiology necessarily led to shifting reactions from others, and an altered perspective for herself. Other staff members greeted her politely, nodding in her direction respectfully. She swiped her stolen ID card across the door to the security office, pushing open the heavy door as she stepped into the undersized office.
The empty room was illuminated in sickly yellow light as the ceiling lights switched on at her entrance. Tasers and security guard uniforms lined one wall of the tiny cubicle. The floor, walls, and desk directly against the plexiglass windows were all cold, silver metal. She dragged the chair out from under the desk, plopping down in front of the virtually archaic computer. She hit the power button, waiting for the machine to slowly boot up. Finally, pale blue light shone in her borrowed eyes, and she loaded the necessary program to check the security tapes.
–AoS–
She made her way out of the theatre, dropping the empty box of popcorn in the bin as she did. As she stepped out into the street, light assaulted her eyes. She blinked, rubbing her forehead and brushing her fringe back. With no idea where Nate was, she wondered
whether it was worth calling Peter. Digging around in the pocket of her jacket, she retrieved her phone. She turned the device on as she started walking towards the food court. First she'd ring her mom, she thought, to let her know she was finished with the movie. Then she'd call Pete to see what he was doing.
She bumped into a taller figure, apologising profusely as she did so. She slipped the phone back into her pocket so she could better pay attention to what she was doing until she made it to a seat in the food court. She glanced up, apologising once more. The man she had struck laughed. "It's quite alright. How have you been, miss Stacy?" She blinked.
"Mr McNorman?" Her former teacher nodded.
"Yep. In the flesh. I'm doing a bit of last minutes Christmas shopping. And you? Where are Mr Parker and young Atlas? The three of you were almost always together. Musketeers, the other teachers called you. He laughed. Gwen sighed.
"I just came from a movie. Nate was with me, but he had to bail out. Pete couldn't make it". Mr McNorman nodded thoughtfully. He gazed out at the street, seemingly ignoring her. She cleared her throat. The teacher blushed, attention snapping back down to her.
"Well sorry about that Miss Stacy. Something just occurred to me I think, that's all. I hope I'll see you again soon." He extended a hand. She took it hastily, and they shook. "Say hello friends of yours. Especially Nate. Tell young Atlas I've missed having him at ESU". She nodded as he walked off, shaking her head in confusion as she made her way over to the nearest table. Taking a seat, she slipped a hand into her pocket, only to panic as she realised her mobile was gone.
–AoS–
He'd managed to subdue both Robbins and Petrov, delivering them both to the NYPD. Marko and professor Hall were providing more of a challenge. The juggernaut was barreling through the city. Graviton had worked his powers on the massive man, reducing the gravitational effect on the other villain and making him even faster and more dangerous. Nate had been forced to transition from fighting the two criminals to simply rescuing civilians from harm. Juggernaut kicked a truck in his direction. It skidded across the pavement, flying
uncontrollably towards a minivan with a mother and three children. Nate leaped between the two vehicles, pushing the minivan and careening truck away from each other carefully as he waited for the truck to come to a stop. Marko leaped through the air, landing on the bridge in front of him.
The taller man seized him by the cape. He felt his stomach lurch as Marko slammed him against the cement, before lifting him into the air above his head and driving him once more into the ground. Over and over he bit the ground, before Marko tossed him into the river below. Gravity forced him down towards the riverbed, and he felt the pressure increasing on top of him as he hit the rocky river bottom. Even without the need to worry about breathing, he knew he was still in danger. If the pressure kept up, eventually he would either be ripped to pieces or simply pass out, with the suit deactivating. If that were to happen, he would surely drown.
He needed to get out of here, but as things were, he was trapped.
–AoS–
Victor flicked through the list of contacts in the girl's phone. Guessing her passcode had been even easier than removing the phone from her jacket pocket. In truth, when he'd returned to New York in the morning, he'd not planned on meeting her. Running into her in the mall had been a coincidence. Or so he thought. Now, he was beginning to wonder. He found the name he was looking for, and hit the dial button. The phone rung once, twice, three times. Then, the telltale beep before the ring tone cut out and the automated voice message played. He fumed, before trying again. The same result.
Perhaps he could scry the boy, using her phone, he realised. Certainly, the phone didn't belong to the boy, so the connection might not have been made. Yet the two were closely bonded. The phone should have at least some psychic trace binding itself to the boy. If he were right in his assumptions, and the ritual actually worked, he had a good idea where his target would be. Making his decision, he turned in the direction of his apartment. Despite no longer living there, he was glad he'd made the decision to maintain the property.
After a twenty minute stroll, he found himself once again sat in the lounge of his penthouse, nursing a glass of vodka and preparing a ritual circle. Once the scrying circle was complete, he dropped his newly procured mobile phone in the centre. Beginning the litany of spells, he
closed his eyes as he felt the familiar tug against his magic. He swallowed the last of the drink, placing the glass on the coaster beside the edge of the circle. The phone glowed a faint emerald green. His mind was cast open, a trail of green energy extending outwards across the city. He summoned his suit and cape, and with a casual flick of his wrist, the window snapped open. Stepping out onto the balcony, he soared across the city skyline, following the tendrils of energy.
He found himself floating over the Hudson River. Cain Marko was terrorising the nearby people. Franklin Hall was floating in the air above the river, applying pressure on the water with his powers. A massive indent could be made out in the water, radiating outwards for miles. Neither of them had noticed him yet. The tendrils of energy floated down under the water. Victor narrowed his eyes. Either this assumptions were correct, or the boy was dead. He raised a hand, firing a blast of emerald lightning at Hall. The energy struck him in the back of the head. The gravity on the water returned to normal as the former professor rumbled towards the earth below. Victor opened a portal below the other man, sending him straight back to his cell. the water of the river spurted upwards in a massive spout. Marko let out a stunned shout as Sentinel shot into the air before driving both fists into his back from behind. The juggernaut slammed into a concrete wall, instantly unconscious. The Superhero floated down, lifting the criminal over one shoulder. Their eyes met, and Thomas - for of course, it was Thomas - flew up towards him. He halted when they were five to ten feet apart.
"I assume you're the one I have to thank for getting me out of that water?" The hero asked. Victor nodded. Nate cast his gaze around, hunting for hall. "Where is he? Graviton?" Victor smirked. Always responsibility first. Definitely Nathaniel Thomas.
"Don't worry. I sent him straight back where he started". Sentinel nodded. The boy was clearly uneasy.
"I can't see through your mask with my X-Ray vision". He stated, more to himself than Victor. Despite himself, Doom nodded.
"Magic. You shouldn't be using your powers for stuff like that anyway. It's disrespectful." Sentinel nodded.
"Good point. Thanks for your help. And thanks for the tip." He offered a hand. Amused, Victor took it. They shook hands. "Will I see you around more often, magic man?" Victor felt his eyebrow twitch. He nodded.
"We'll meet again. I'll be in touch". He teleported away without another word.
–AoS–
The man who claimed to have magical abilities disappeared with a flash of green light. Nate shook his head, stunned by the day's revelations. With a chuckle and grin, he flew off in the direction of the raft, prisoner in hand. He delivered the Juggernaut over to the authorities, before flying back towards home. Landing on the roof in front of his own bedroom window, he carefully pried open the window. Stepping into his room, he transformed back into his regular form, making his way down stairs as he did so.
–AoS–
When he returned to his study, there was already someone waiting for him. She grinned, sliding over a thin folder across the desk. "Hello Victor," she purred seductively. It was all he could do to keep from rolling his eyes.
"What do you want, Raven?"
"Who, little old me? I don't want anything from you. I just wanted to deliver the information I promised you. I found out something very interesting. Those kids you had me follow? One of them - the boy, obviously - was Sentinel. The Thomas kid". Victor nodded as he removed his helmet, dropping it on a nearby chair. She raised an eyebrow. "You don't seem like a very grateful man, Victor. Or very surprised, for that matter". Victor shrugged.
"That's because I'm not," he stated simply as he poured two glasses, sliding one across the table to her. "I figured that out for myself. Your efforts are appreciated however. I may need you for another job soon. A little more than information to retrieve, this time.
A/N:
Well, now both Victor and Mystique know Sentinel's identity. This should prove interesting for Nate and co, to say the least. Two more things;
1 ) So I can't decide what I want to do with the Nate and Gwen dynamic or where I want it to go anymore. Originally, the two of them were just supposed to remain best friends. Nate was supposed to either remain single or end up with someone else. Now though, I'm no longer sure what I'd like to do with them. I still think it works with them as just friends, but I don't know. What do you guys think? I'd like to hear from you.
2) This is the beginning of the arc that will lead to the Avengers' first official team up.