Chapter One
Location: Huntsville, Alabama
The shadows of the night had already fallen away as the sun rose once more break the dawn and bring another day to this city. However, while the sun may've been bringing warmth, something or someone else was still bringing just as much chill. The big spring park in downtown started to freeze up out of nowhere until it fully became nothing but thick solid ice. The few several bystanders stood by and observe this strange occurrence, all wondering who or what could be causing this.
Just then, something began to emerge from the frozen lake, a tall and seeming feminine figure formed from pure living ice, a colour scheme of white, cyan, azure, and blue. With a stare that could strike fear into the hearts of innocents, this figure slowly marched on her way, continuing to deliberately spread her frost even further out, even on the grassy land. Under natural and expected instinct, the bystanders ganged way and fled the scene.
However, two other figures didn't choose to run and hide, figures standing on top of one of the nearby buildings, figures more distinct and most certainly familiar. Both dark-green in skin and very thick and muscular, the older and larger of the two wore nothing more than a simple pair of bright-purple shorts that stretched and wrapped tightly around the thigh muscles, while the short and younger of the two wore a sleeveless suit, leggings, and boots of matching black and a big trim of bright-purple around the chest.
Together, the two Hulks leapt of the ledge of the building and landed just on the grassy edge of the big spring park with a crumbled thud, instantly catching the attention of the icy mutant.
"Who's this?" the Hulk questioned.
"Whoever it is, it's certainly not Iceman..." the Hulkling replied. "...or Elsa".
"Call me Cryo," the ice-woman announced herself. "Princess of the Cold".
"Yup, definitely not Elsa," Hulkling snarked some more behind turning to Hulk. "You know what time it is right now?"
"Oh I do..." Hulk replied quietly, then paused before taking a mighty step and roaring forth. "It's smashing time!"
Releasing his force and fury, the Hulk charged ahead towards the self-proclaimed "Cryo" with fists sealed tightly enough for a punch. Taking a brief step back, Cryo waved up her arms and summoned a thick wall of chunky ice, which barely even did much to deter the incredible green beast. He threw his fists forth to smash through the ice like a wall of glass. Before Hulk could deliver his proper punch, Cryo took a quick skid to the side from line of attack, only to leave herself to be kicked from behind by Hulkling, tumbling over and slipping down.
"Remember, Hulking," Hulk said to his young sidekick. "Be sure to keep collateral damage to a minimum".
"Like that ground we landed on?" Hulkling commented.
"Like I said, minimum," Hulk said back before he noticed Cryo groaning and getting back. "Come on, kid".
"Allright, let's just make this quick," Hulkling said and prepared. "We got a big day ahead of us today".
Location: Springfield, Illinois
Meanwhile, over at another part of the States, just as the dawning sun also shone its rising light over the State Capitol building, another source light was already starting to make its presence known as well, one more close by, a man-made one. A mysterious yet familiar masculine figure in bright red, orange, and yellow, both the suit and the flames blazing from the man's closed fists. The dark coal-dusted mark on his face, vaguely resembling a skull, was enough to give him an intimidating expression.
However, somewhere close by enough, stood two other individuals donned in very similar enough suits. While both had short pure-white albino hair and wore orange goggles, the taller and older of the two wore a simple suit of bluish-grey with white gloves, belt, boots, and a lightning bolt running down his torso diagonally. The shorter and younger of the two wore an identical suit, but of mostly dark-green with trims and streaks of bright-white running down the sides.
"That who I think it is?" The boy asked.
"Yup, that's Pyro," the man confirmed. "What he's here for, I don't know".
"I guess we oughta find out,"
"That's a given," "Ready, Speed?"
"I was born ready, Uncle Quickie,"
And so, Quicksilver and Speed set off in a quick dash, their short silvery white hairs blustering in the velocity. Within an instant, they stood right in Pyro's way, stopping him dead in his tracks.
"Oi, firehead," Quicksilver called out. "Remember me?"
"You?" Pyro recognised. "What are you doing here?"
"I was thinking about asking you that very same question," Quicksilver said back.
"Just thought I might make my way into the State Capitol, have a little with the governors inside, and have myself elected as the mayor," Pyro pretty much explained and gave away his plan. "Y'know, maintaining the status quo and all".
"So basically arson, hostage, and blackmail, I take it?" Quicksilver summed up in his own way. "If so, then that would seem a bit cliche, even for you, Pyro?"
"Not as cliche as you stopping me as usual," Pyro boasted before throwing a blaze of fire from both hands towards the two speedsters.
Of course however, Speed and Quicksilver immediately sped off out of sight and out of fire. Scowling, Pyro threw his flames all about, vainly hoping to catch up and blaze down the two opponents. Then the speedsters began to surround the foe and circle around him endlessly, under intent of distorting his view and possibly deflecting his fire back at him. No matter how much Pyro projected, Speed and Quicksilver kept on dodging.
"Come on, we don't have much time for this," Speed spoke with a faint groan, even when at high velocity. "We gotta get this over with".
"Chill, kid," Quicksilver eased while still maintain top speed. "We may be fast, but the job itself isn't. Gotta have patience".
"Oh please, you'll chat it up with the cops, with bystanders, even with Pyro here as well," Speed dismissed. "But no way, not today, because today's the big day".
Location: Unknown
Somewhere deep in a vast underground room, a large circular table housed about sixteen chairs, one of which had already been taken for the moment and time-being. A thin pale man in a black suit and mask with white gloves, boots, scarf, and target symbol on his head, slouched back and tapped rhythmically on the armchair with one hand, sending off an echo that reverberated off the walls all around while carelessly playing with one of his throwing knives. His feet and legs rested easily enough on the table itself.
"So where's everyone really?" The masked man questioned out loud, not too loud but loud enough. "Am I late for the session or something?"
"Oh on the contrary, my old friend Bullseye," a deep and familiar voice echoed ever slightly louder. "You're quite early, much earlier than I would've expected from someone like you". The figure of which the voice belonged to soon stepped out from the pitch darkness, a towering foe in armour of cold grey steel, a mask that hid away any hint of humanity, and a hood and cape of dark-green.
"Hey, Doc Doom," Bullseye instantly recognised with his typical wide grin as he moved his legs and feet off the table. "How ya doing, ol' pal? Little late for the tea party, aren't cha?"
"I am never late or early," Doctor Doom retorted. "Anyone and everyone else are".
"I mean, when you put it like that..." Bullseye mumbled off for a bit.
"Now then, since you and I are here..." Doom paused as he took a seat of his own, opposite to Bullseye. "We may discuss current situations at hand".
"Wait, as in now? Already?" Bullseye questioned. "You sure you don't wanna wait for the others?"
"Oh I am fully capable of the utmost patience," Doom raised a hand. "And I've faith that our fellow members will have more than enough time to catch up".
"Whatever you say, boss," Bullseye said while spinning a throwing knife around his finger. "So what's the talk of the day today?"
"Since you asked, and I happen to have good faith within you as well, I might as well let you in on something," Doom spoke cryptically, slowly leaning forth on the table and staring straight at the fellow supervillain. "Do allow me to discuss to you about..." He paused dramatically once more. "...Project Weapon XVII".
To be continued...