Chapter Two
Location: Wichita, Kansas
Elsewhere, Quicksilver's sister and Speed's brother went along the Arkansas River rather peacefully, a fairly simple time together as mother and son. Both of which seemingly dressed in normal civilian clothing to hide their costumes and their identities.
"Mum, you think Tommy and uncle Pietro will be allright?" The boy asked his mother.
"I'm sure they would be anyway, William", Wanda assured her son. "Though then again, knowing your brother and my brother, they're probably in some little race of theirs just to see whoever can be the fastest of the two".
"And who you think is faster than the other?" William questioned.
"Honestly, it doesn't matter to me personally who's faster than either", Wanda answered. "What matters more is how we use the things we have".
However, just then, a strange light flash just on top of the bridge up ahead, nearly blinding the two mutants and any other civilian nearby to witness this. This was soon followed up by a deep rumbling boom As the light dimmed, Scarlet Witch and Wiccan looked to see what might've caused such, or rather who.
"What could that be, mum?" William asked.
"Or rather who could that be", Wanda replied. "We better find out before anything else happens".
With that, the mother and son took a dash for the bridge up ahead, unveiling their super-costumes as the Scarlet Witch and Wiccan, their red capes flowing fierce with the rushing wind and speed. As soon as they made it up to the bridge, the two spotted the source of the occurrence, a strange and almost unfamiliar foe levitating right above the very middle of the bridge. A slim pale-skinned woman with long dark-blue-dyed hair and in a bright-blue dress and crown.
"Greetings, Avengers", the strange girl spotted the two heroes and grinned with dark amusement. "I was told someone like you would show up almost instantly".
"We usually do", Scarlet Witch spoke back. "Now who might you be exactly?"
"Call me Skyblue", the new supervillainess introduced herself.
"Skyblue, really?" Scarlet Witch cocked a brow at such a simple yet bizarre name.
"What? Has that name already been taken too?" The individual known as "Skyblue" scoffed up.
"Maybe not as far as we know", Wiccan stepped in. "And maybe with good reason".
"And is that supposed your son? And you're bringing him to the fight?" Skyblue looked over at the boy and folded her arms. "I won't deny, I'm frankly a bit overwhelmed".
"You may claim that", Wiccan said before standing firmly and creating orbs of glowing orange energy within his hands. "But you're about to see what we can really do".
"Likewise", Skyblue said back. "You're about to see what I can do as well". Then with her left hand, she formed a thousand shards of ice from the river, and with her right, she summoned forth a blazing ball of fire from seemingly out of nowhere and left field.
Wiccan and Scarlet Witch raised their arms with glowing orbs of their own in preparation of attack, both breathing in very deeply and carefully. Then with a yell of aggression, Skyblue unleashed all the icy shards at once at the two superheroes. Immediately, Scarlet Witch raised up a shield of pure red energy, deflecting the shards and shattering them to tiny bits as they dropped to the ground and melted. Just as this happened, Skyblue threw the trail of fire around the two and right at the back, against which Wiccan managed to block off with his own manifested shield.
"You think she's a mutant like us?" Wiccan asked his mother, their backs close together.
"We could find out once we've taken care of her", Scarlet Witch answered her son. "But I highly doubt it anyway".
Wiccan huffed and struggled. "Whatever the case, let's show her who's boss quick. Today's the day, you know".
Location: Hartford, Connecticut
Atop one of the many buildings in the city, watching as the various cars and lorries drive by the streets below were two dark-haired individuals dressed in dark-purple suits. As they sat casually on the ledge with each hanging a leg over the edge, both each happened to have a bow and quiver full of arrows strapped around on their backs.
"We need to come up with a name for you, Kate", the elder man said.
"Really, Clint? Now?" the younger girl replied.
"I mean, we can't keep calling each other Hawkeye all the time, can we?" Clint, aka the original Hawkeye himself, shrugged lightly.
"Maybe so, but do you at least have a suggestion or two?" Kate said to him.
"How about Ladyhawk?" Clint suggested.
"Isn't that already taken by another superhero?"
"Okay, how about Hawkgirl?"
"Also taken..." Kate paused. "...by a comic book I used to read when I was a kid".
"Hawkwind?"
"Band's name".
"Hawkear?"
"Seriously? Do actual hawks even have ears?"
"Hawkwing? Hawkling? Hawkette?"
"Either of those could work fine", Kate sighed before making her last decision. "Hawkette, let's go with that then".
"Okay then, sounds good", Clint grinned with that acceptance. "I like it, got a ring to it, wouldn't you say?"
"Yeah, I guess it does", Kate shrugged along, eventually lighting up to the name itself.
Just then, a flash of fire appeared just below in the streets along with a faint roaring sound followed up by distant panicked screams, catching the two hawks' attention. They looked down to see a tiny figure released spiralled vortices of flame towards both sides of the street. Looking closer with the crosshairs of their bows, they were soon able to decipher what or who it actually was. A man completely donned in a tight suit of bright red and yellow with a fist symbol on his chest.
"Isn't this that Firebrand geezer that Ton- I mean, Iron Man, had talked about one?" Hawkette recognised and questioned.
"Yeah, pretty much", Hawkeye confirmed. "Wanna give a warning shot?"
Hawkette grinned at such an offer and opportunity. "Might as well", she spoke as she took her time and her aim, focusing carefully and clearing like her namesake would, then finally taking or giving her first shot of the day.
As the arrow hit the ground right beneath Firebrand himself and between his feet, he immediately turned his attention downward to see what nearly hit him. Right before it set off and mildly exploded, forcing him briefly off the ground and flying back at a few feet before hitting the pavement with a hard thud and deep grunt. Cracking his neck, he looked up to see where it might've came from, eventually spotting the two hawk-eyed archers with bows and arrows in hand.
"Huh", Firebrand huffed and even recognised them in return. "About time someone actually gave me some well-needed proper attention around here".
"Proper attention?" Hawkeye caught him saying, right before Firebrand fired spiralling flames from both hands at the duo, forcing them to dodge the attack and leap down the building bit by bit. Hawkeye and Hawkette grabbed and climbed down the many stairs and railings while still swinging about to avoid more of Firebrand's projectiles.
"Well whatever he wants, this better not interfere with today", Hawkette noted as soon as she and Hawkeye finally landed. "We're gonna have to be in a big hurry anyways".
"What's the matter, kid?" Firebrand teased. "Late for your little archery class with your teacher here?"
"Not exactly..." Hawkette muttered.
Location: Unknown
"Weapon XVII?" Bullseye questioned with a cocked brow behind his mask. "Is that yet another one of your many fancy doomsday devices? Or perhaps some new gaming console that you'll use to control and hypnotise the minds of children?" He teased with a bit of jazz hands, much to Doctor Doom's silent irritation.
"Not exactly", Doom answered. "It's highly classified at the moment for the time-being. But I believe that, with enough success, it could very easily bend the whole world and all its people under our will..." Doom paused once more, slowly leaning back on his chair and tenting his fingers. "...or at the very least, its will rather".
"Its will, huh?" Bullseye leant casually against the table with elbow on the edge. "You talk about it like this is a living thing we're dealing with here".
"Because, in a way, it is", another voice spoke up, one rather feminine yet still almost just as dark.
Both Doom and Bullseye turned to see another figure emerging from the same door, area, and shadows that the Doctor himself did earlier. A youthful woman of dark complexion, and with greyish-blue eyes, wearing laced-boots and polo-neck top of matching leathery black within a waistcoat, blazer suit, bottoms, lipstick, and long dread-locked hair; all in a matching shade of light hot pink.
"Ah yes, I'm glad you've arrived as well", Doom recognised before introducing her proper to the mercenary in black and silver. "Bullseye, I like you to meet one of my associates, Rose Roché. She's one of our many moles, working undercover as an employee".
"My pleasure", Rose greeted.
"Mine too, my lovely", Bullseye bowed and smiled.
"Don't take this one too lightly, my friend", Doom politely warned Bullseye about Rose. "She has a power and ability to enthrall most men".
"And some women," Rose added, much to Bullseye's amusement. "Anyway, I'm essentially what you would call a 'mole', except not as ugly as one, though I can be a very different kind of dirty".
"Yeah, I'm sure you can", Bullseye nodded, lips pouted with intrigue.
"I'm working undercover as an 'employee' for a few companies", Rose carried on. "Mainly Parker Industries and Marchand Pharmaceuticals".
"And what do you know about Weapon XVII thingy?" Bullseye asked.
"It's a living artificial entity of sorts", yet another sultry female voice vaguely revealed. Also making her presence known was another lean and fierce-looking woman, this one with long dark-brunette hair, indigo-blue eyes, purplish-grey lipstick. She wore a dark-green top with bits of gold-armoured plating on her shoulders and around her neck and forearms, as well as dark-grey tights and gold boots.
"Welcome back, Monica Rappaccini", Doom greeted once more.
"Yeesh, what is it with people and talking out of nowhere while walking out of dark corridors?" Bullseye mumbled to himself.
"Weapon XVII has the potential capacity of influencing any living being it may come into contact with", Monica carried on explaining. "Feeding on their strongest thoughts, emotions, and cognitions, this corrupting force could spread like a conscious virus, seeking out anyone within its range until all have submitted and become one within its control. Anti-Life made manifest".
Hearing all this talk of corruption and dark influences had certainly made Bullseye perk up with his usual smile as he stroked his chin. "Hmmm, you know what?" I think I actually kinda like where this is going".
"I was certain you would", Doom admitted before he turned his attention back over to Monica. "So how has the progress been on it?"
"Gradual but certain", Monica replied. "We only have a few subjects so far, we just need more to test it on".
"So I can guess what we're gonna have to do", Bullseye rubbed his hands.
"Or rather what our associates will have to do", Doom raised a hand of his own and corrected Bullseye. "Have you tested this on any mutates or metahumans, Monica?"
"Normal civilian people so far", Monica addressed. "We'd be lucky to find a mutant or inhuman".
"Very lucky indeed," Doom spoke again.
To be continued...