Enchantress! Skurge the Executioner! Baron Zemo! Crimson Dynamo! Abomination! Wonder Man! Cobalt! A powerful band of evildoers the likes of which you've never seen before, true believers! Have the Avengers met their match? Will the team crumble beneath this vile onslaught of unmatched villainy? Stay tuned and keep reading as the heroic Avengers battle-
Chapter 7: The Masters of Evil
Drumming her pen against the desk, Janet stared at the blank pages in her studies book as her mind raced for answers.
What was the "new look" that debuted at the end of World War Two?
What is a "dropped hemline"?
Seated at her desk by the open window of her room in Avengers Mansion, it seemed as good a time as ever to study. With crime rates dropping after the Leader's attempted 'Gamma World', the downtime was a welcome opportunity to get caught up on her assignments and homework. Being a hero robbed a lot of time that would've been dedicated to school, but Janet loved the thrilling rush too much to turn down any opportunity to be the Wasp. The result was her falling behind in her course work and needing to catch up.
A knock at her door disturbed her thread of concentration and she looked up as it opened slightly and Connor poked his head in. "Am I interrupting?"
"Connor! Hey!" She greeted with her usually peppy smile. "Nah, you're fine. Come on in!" He did so, revealing the simple t-shirt and jeans combo that seemed to suit him so very well despite its simplicity.
"Steve was going to the training room and just wanted to make sure you were good to respond to a call. We tried to message you but JARVIS said you were in silent mode." He explained.
"Yeah, I asked to be on 'high alert' only. Trying to get caught up on some assignments I've missed." Janet replied. Connor raised a brow.
"Assignments?" He queried. Pausing, Janet's eyes lit up.
"Oh that's right! You don't know," she realized, "See, I'm going to college. Studying for a fashion degree." Now it was Connor's turn to bear a brightened expression.
"College, eh?" He mused, resting against the wall beside her. "Which one?"
"Greyburn, here in New York." Janet replied. "It has what I wanted and, well, it's where I met Hank." Connor nodded, saying nothing about that.
"I know the college gambit. Been there done that." He remarked. Janet shot him a frown.
"Show off." She muttered. Connor quickly held up his hands, his eyes wide with fright.
"Nonono It's not-… I didn't mean it like that!" He quickly defended. After a moment, Janet burst into giggles.
"I'm kidding! I've already done a couple years for a microbiology degree, it's okay Connor." She promised. After a moment to process, Connor breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled lightly, nervously running a hand through his ebony hair. "So you've already graduated with a mechanics degree? How old are you?" Janet wondered.
"Twenty-three." He answered plainly. "My technopathy really helped speed things up. Everyone thought I was a child prodigy or something. Either way I bounced through a four to five year course in half the time." Janet's jaw dropped at his explanation.
"No way! I'm twenty-three, too!" She exclaimed. "I mean, I've already done one minor degree, but I can't believe you've already done that many years already!" Connor made a quick mental note of her age being the same as his and tilted his head.
"Twenty-three, really now…" He said aloud. "You ever need any help, I'll offer what I can. Unfortunately fashion is not my strong suit."
"Yeah, that's fine. I'm hoping my work with the Avengers can count as practical to boost my marks." Janet replied. "Your suit is plain but my own design. That has to count for something!" She paused, drumming her pen against the desk again. "So how old were you when you started college?"
"I jumped in right out of high school, at seventeen." Connor explained. "I finished my degree two years later and then got a job with Hammer."
"Sounds like you've been busy." Janet mused. "So you worked for Hammer for five years?" Connor nodded.
"Worked my way up from rookie status to the go-to lab mechanic. Until that generator accident." Janet nodded thoughtfully, processing what he had to say. She was about to ask something else when the voice of JARVIS suddenly filled the room.
"Miss Van Dyne, an urgent situation has arisen. Local law enforcement reports the Whirlwind is rampaging through the downtown sector." The AI explained. Brows shooting up, Janet lept from her chair.
"Whirlwind! Go time!" Shrinking down, her casual clothes fell in a heap on the floor, leaving her clad in her complete Wasp costume.
"Uh, what about your studies?" Connor inquired, slightly concerned about her need to succeed in her degree. He was perfectly capable of going out to handle Whirlwind instead.
"I'll get back to them, it's fine! Besides, I've dealt with Whirlwind before, he's no problem. I'll be back in no time at all and get back to it." Janet eagerly replied. Zipping over to a nearby window, she paused as a predicament came to mind. "Um… could you open the window? Please?" She asked in an embarrassed tone. With a slight chuckle, Connor did as asked and raised the lower half. "Thanks! Back in a flash!" Janet said with a cheery wave before darting out the window and disappearing with a golden blur of her wings.
Finding Whirlwind was the furthest thing from difficult, seeing as all she needed to do was follow the trail of destruction. With turned over cars lining the street for dozens of city blocks, the vortex that was David Cannon was soon in her sights.
"Whirlwind! Boy did I miss you!" Wasp remarked as she unleashed a barrage of stinger blasts, strafing him like a fighter jet attacking a target. "Man, you are not smart! I mean, come on; you get beat up by me, you go to prison, you break out, and then you come right back here?" She questioned, zipping past multiple boutique windows. "Everybody knows this is where I shop!" Whirlwind did not respond but kept moving, tearing through traffic and sending cars flying into buildings on both sides of the street.
At the very end stood a walled off construction site, marked by towering steel beam structures. Bursting through the gates, Whirlwind slowed to a halt in the middle of the yard, his churning vortex receding to reveal the armored green form of the mutant villain. Wasp flew right up to his face, hovering before him with a smug look. "But here's the real question: why do you like prison so much?" She queried. Whirlwind remained silent, not responding with even a grunt or a brief smart remark.
That was odd.
Wasp cocked her head, her smile disappearing into a scrutinizing frown. Usually Whirlwind always had a comeback of sorts. "Whirlwind? Dave? Not feeling chatty today?" She wondered.
All of a sudden, Whirlwind became enshrouded in whispy green clouds, consuming his entire form and taking Wasp by surprise. She recoiled in shock as his armored body completely disappeared and was replaced by something equally… familiar.
The form of a man became the form of a woman, clad in a green dress and corset of un-earthly style. Long golden hair framed by an emerald crest, blazingly bright green eyes radiating with magical power. Wasp had only encountered her once before some time ago, before Connor had joined the team.
"Enchantress!" She gasped, quickly charging up her stingers. "I don't know what you're up to, but get ready to-" She threat was drowned out by the rush of booster rockets as Crimson Dynamo touched down behind her. Beside him, a portal opened as Skurge walked through, his mighty axe closing the portal behind him. Suddenly feeling very trouble, Wasp turned with a gasp as a shadow fell over her, revealing the towering form of Wonder Man approaching her. Horrified by their unexpected arrival, Wasp started backing away only to run into something solid… and vaguely muscular. Turning around, she found herself staring up at the absolute wall that was the Abomination, who offered her a sinister grin from his monstrous mug.
Assembled around her were five truly dastardly villains of incredible calibre. Alone and without backup, Wasp knew this had the potential to go south in a hurry. All of these villains had it out for the Avengers in one way or another, cornering her all alone was a good place to start.
But her fearful expression soon hardened into one of determination as the facts set in.
"What? You think I'm gonna give up?" She retorted bravely. "Well, think again! I'm an Avenger! I-agh!" Cut short by a stun beam hitting her in the back, Wasp was knocked unconscious and dropped to the ground in a heap, limp and seemingly lifeless. Approaching from behind her, with a smoking pistol in hand, the purple-gloved hand of Baron Zemo picked her up and held Wasp aloft by one of her wings, holding her out to his comrades in villainy.
"One down…" He mused, smiling confident beneath his mask.
Elsewhere…
"Okay so, listen," Hawkeye began, leaning against of the rooftop edge as T'Challa sat quietly and patiently behind him, "you realize the Avengers are a complete disaster, right?" He asked. "Iron Man is completely unqualified to lead a team like this! Thor is crazy, the Hulk is a bomb waiting to go off. Ant-Man? Couldn't be less interested in taking down bad guys! And Wasp belongs on the party circuit! Not in law enforcement. Oh! And don't get me started on Cybernaut; who's an absolute rookie and one-hundred percent a detriment to the team!" Clint ranted. As he did, T'Challa calmly ground up herbs in a bowl, mixing them with water to form a paste.
"You forgot Captain America." He pointedly interjected. Hawkeye whirled around with a look and approached the Wakandan.
"And you. You're a king! Sitting here in your… your… what is this place anyway?" He queried with a confused look on his face.
"The Wakandan Embassy." T'Challa simply replied.
"An embassy for crying out loud! What do you care about the Avengers? Are you bored?" He wondered, stopping down and helping himself to a sample of the paste.
Within seconds he had a disgusted look on his face, gagged and spat out the sample. "You eat that?! What is it?" He exclaimed in disgust.
"The juices of the heart-shaped herb enhance the sense of the kings of the Panther Tribe." T'Challa calmly explained. "And, in point of fact, it is applied to the skin… and a lethal poison to those of the royal line." He added. It didn't take long for Clint to understand and, with eyes wide open as his face turned pale, he raced over to the nearest decorative fountain to gargle and cleanse his mouth of every remnant of the paste.
Unbeknownst to him, T'Challa smiled, rather pleased with the outcome of his fib.
Later…
Racing across the city skyline, Connor couldn't help but think about JARVIS' latest alert. "Reports indicate the individual known as 'Cobalt' has been spotted in the downtown precinct." First Whirlwind, now Cobalt? Connor was awash with questions. How did he get loose from SHIELD? What did he want? What was he up to? Why so many villains around in one day?
Fully kitted-out in his Cybernaut uniform, he was determined to find out.
It didn't take him long to track down the aura of concrete ripped from the roof of a building and hovering around the blue form of his nemesis. He stood still and straight, his arms crossed, seemingly waiting for Connor to arrive. Alarms were already going off in the hero's head and he approached cautiously.
"Trying to show-off?" He called out in greeting. "And here I thought you were supposed to be in prison."
"I made some friends." Cobalt responded. Then he paused a chuckled briefly. "Cybernaut. You're even more ridiculous now."
"If you're just here to trade insults, allow me to escort you back to your cell." Connor replied with crossed arms. "I beat you once, I'll do it again."
"You're welcome to try." Cobalt growled, throwing his arms out and causing the circling pieces to freeze in place. Rolling his eyes, Connor powered up his magnets and made a quick pulling motion with his hands, intending to drag Cobalt into his grip as he had done before.
But Cobalt did not move in the slightest.
Thoroughly confused, Connor tried again but to no avail. "What's the matter? A little power dysfunction?" Cobalt teased. With a frown, Connor knew something was amiss.
"What've you done?" He pointed demanded.
"Simple, really: I demagnetized every piece of metal on my body." Cobalt answered smugly. "You're not pulling that same stunt ever again." Despite his surprise, Connor remained vigilant and drew his irons.
"Then I guess I'll just take you in the old fashioned way." He stated, his weapons hovering in his palm. With a flick of his wrist, Cobalt sent a piece of concrete hurtling towards the hero, Cybernaut raising his arm to take the hit and recoiling from the heavy impact. His arm stung but he kept his cool, sending three of his irons hurtling towards Cobalt at top speed. Waving his other arm, the betokinetic moved the concrete pieces in their way and deflected each one. With a simple gesture, the pieces suddenly flew through the air and struck all four of Cybernaut's limbs, Cobalt making a fist and trapping each one within a prison of his own making. "What the-…?" Connor grunted, struggling as his arms and legs were forced out and spread wide to prevent him from moving.
"Been planning for this for some time." Cobalt snarled as he pulled Cybernaut in close. "You think you can rise above me, after you ruined my life? Think again!" Rearing his arm back, he summoned a piece of concrete that slammed into the side of Connor's head, knocking him out instantly. As he went limp in his hold, Cobalt triggered a commlink strapped to the side of his mask. "This is Cobalt. Cybernaut is down."
Later that night…
With Wasp and Cybernaut subdued, the Masters of Evil launched an infiltration of Avengers Mansion using Connor and Janet's ID cards to slip past initial defences and disable JARVIS' early-warning systems. One by one they took down first Tony, then Hulk and Steve, Crimson Dynamo and Zemo cornering an unarmored Tony in his lab and beating him into submission with ease.
Hulk, preoccupied with watching television, recognized Enchantress the moment she appeared before him. But in his mad rush to charge her, fell clean through a conjured portal and found himself in a lad of snow and ice… with menacing Jotun frost giants looming over him…
Skurge and Wonder Man took down Cap in the sublevel training room, their heavy blows too much for the super-soldier and knocking him unconscious within moments of their arrival. But before he was lost to blackness, the violet form of Zemo loomed in his blurred vision.
"I told you when we last met that this wasn't over, Captain… now it is." He promised ominously. Unable to respond, Steve slumped over and lay still. Zemo stood as Enchantress approached him.
"What of Thor?" She demanded.
"I haven't forgotten, Enchantress," Zemo promised, "the Thunderer and Ant-Man remain." With that, he pulled Wasp's ID card from his belt and held it out. "Avengers. Assemble…" He commanded, the card immediately issuing an alert to all the others, calling them to come to the Mansion…
Enjoying a rare moment of peace, the Asgardian prince found himself engaged in a very different activity than what he was used to; on a moonlit walk with paramedic Jane Foster. The mortal woman had seemingly bewitched him after they met, when he had rescued her from an assault by the Wrecking Crew. Since then he'd done his best to spend time with her and get to know her better. Impressed by her bravery and heroism despite her lack of powers or strength, Jane Foster was a woman constantly on his mind.
"So, is your dad still taking his 'big nap'… what did you call it again?" Jane wondered innocently.
"The Odinsleep." Thor corrected. "No, he has woken by now."
"And you haven't talked to him yet?" Jane softly asked.
"Um… Nay, Jane Foster. I have not returned to Asgard since last we spoke." Thor said, sounding almost uncomfortable. "I have been needed here." He explained. Jane paused, nodding in acceptance as she spied a couple sharing a kiss on a nearby bench.
She wondered if such ideas ever crossed Thor's mind, or if Asgardians even considered it at all…
"The Avengers are formidable, but the threats they face… it would seem I am needed more than ever." Thor mused, donning his winged helmet. Jane studied him for a moment and then smiled. Thor shared it, enjoying this moment of peace with Jane before it was interrupted by a steady beeping. He frowned and pulled his ID card from his belt. "This card is troubling. Iron Man's technology is constantly making noises at me." He complained.
"I think they're calling you, Thor." Jane stated with a slight chuckle. "Like you said, you're needed." Nodding in understanding, Thor lifted Mjolnir from its place on his belt.
"Then until our next meeting." He promised, spinning his hammer around to build up speed. "Fare thee well, Jane Foster." He bade before surging into the sky and taking flight towards the mansion, Jane watching him go with a look of longing in her eyes.
Within moments, the mighty Thor had found his destination and touched down from above, the rooftop skylight opening wide to allow him access to the main hall. "Ho, Avengers! Ho, computer!" He called out in greeting. "Thor has arrived!"
"Welcome, Asgardian." An unfamiliar voice replied from the top of the entry stairs. Thor turned, his eyes widening as he laid eyes on the stranger in the mansion.
"I know of thee," he said in a low voice, "you are Captain America's foe… Zemo!" Chuckling in response, Zemo already had in mind what he wanted to tell the so-called 'thunder god'.
"You may call me 'master'. Now kneel…" He commanded, pointing to the floor.
"Are you mad, mortal?" Thor roared, Mjolnir crackling with lightning. "Thor kneels before no one!" He declared. But then portals began to magically appear all around him, and Thor was soon surrounded by Zemo's complete team.
"As I said," Zemo continued as Enchantress hung off him, "kneel before your masters." Thor offered him a glare in response.
Wonder Man and Abomination promptly rushed him, Thor striking the ground with his hammer to unleash and electric shockwave that sent both of them flying. Turning around he bashed Crimson Dynamo and knocked him flat on his back, just as Cobalt tore out a piece of a decorative pillar and sent it hurtling towards the Asgardian. Smashing it aside with a heavy swing, Thor retaliated with a bolt of lightning from Mjolnir that knocked the betokinetic flat on his back.
Winding up, he sent his hammer hurtling towards Zemo, only for Enchantress to stop it cold with a cloud of her magics before Mjolnir's own weight sent it crashing to the floor. Stunned by the act, Thor was unprepared for Crimson Dynamo to rise up behind him and strike him in the back with a volley of rockets fired from his wrist launcher. Jolted by each blow, the Asgardian was promptly tackled by Skurge, only to throw him off and sent his bulky body crashing into Dynamo.
Rolling to his feet, Thor was then blasted by a beam of ionic energy as Wonder Man drove him into the clutches of Abomination. With the green beast trapping him in a headlock, Thor was further pinned as Cobalt used the very concrete the floor was made of to trap his feet and hold him in place. Thor struggled vainly, his efforts promptly ended when Wonder Man struck him with a two-handed blast that put the Asgardian down and flat on his face… one more Avenger subdued by the Masters of Evil.
Outside, rain began to fall and from a distance, a pair paused to observe Thor's downfall as the Abomination carted him off. "Well… that's not good." Hawkeye remarked as he studied the proceedings from afar. "Alright, here's the plan: we call in SHIELD, go in with the Hulkbuster unit and-"
"And destroy the entire city in the ensuing battle." Black Panther finished sarcastically. "As well as seal the fates of our captive teammates." He added grimly.
"Alright then, what do you recommend?" Hawkeye asked with a grumble. Panther paused and considered the situation.
"Indeed. It is up to us and us alone." He determined.
The Mansion was secured and Zemo was feeling quite smug at the moment. With his sword sheathed by his side and Captain America's own shield sitting on his arm, he held command over his reality and it was too good a feeling to relinquish.
He approached the sublevel access, guarded by Crimson Dynamo and Wonder Man, found in the library by the fireplace.
"What're you going to do, Zemo?" Simon inquired.
"Do not be so troubled, my Wonder Man. All you need to know is that if you do as I say you will get your humanity back." The nobleman promised. "And you needn't worry either, Dynamo," he promised his full-metal comrade, "you can have Iron Man, I have a much bigger appetite." He made to step forward, but the Russian came between him and the door, barring his path.
"When?" He demanded in a synthesized voice.
"When I say so." Zemo replied in a smooth yet threatening tone. After a brief yet tense staredown, Dynamo relented and stepped aside to allow Zemo entry. He continued on his way as Dynamo and Wonder Man remained vigilant guards. Skurge also patrolled the mansion's upper floors, moving slowly and watchfully with his axe in hand. But despite his efforts, he missed the two shadows stealthily avoiding him as they cling to the shadows cast by the mansion's many twisting halls…
Down in the meeting room, Steve, Tony, Connor and Janet were strapped to chairs by magical bonds, all of them still unconscious and helpless prisoners of the Masters. Thor on the other hand, was strapped across the meeting table, magical bonds keeping his four limbs pinned. When Zemo arrived, Enchantress was seated on the table while Cobalt ran a finger along the cyberware running up Connor's arm.
"I wonder if it hurts him?" He wondered aloud. "Like every time he moves his arm, he feels pain from this."
"Do you want it to hurt?" Enchantress asked. Cobalt did not reply immediately but gave himself time to finish tracing the geometric line. When he finished, only then did he turn and simply respond with,
"Yes." Zemo chuckled and picked up a glass of water on the table, using it to douse Cap's face. Sputtering awake as the cold water seeped into his skin and hood of his uniform, Steve looked up and was greeted by the sight of four villains lording their freedom over him.
"Zemo…" he rasped, his voice still thick with the haze of drowsiness.
"Welcome back, Captain." Zemo greeted, throwing the glass aside. Glancing around at his trapped teammates, Steve thought quickly.
"You've got me, Zemo, there's no need to involve anyone else."
"Ah, but the Avengers are already spoken for, Captain." Zemo said with a chuckle. "Your new friends have made powerful enemies."
"What do you want?" Cap asked directly. "The war is over, after all these years… is revenge on me really that important to you?"
"Yes. But now, Captain, I've been promised the world." The Baron answered. "And you will live just long enough to see me have it." He promised. It was then that Thor came to with a groan, his body weakly struggling against his bonds as Enchantress circled him, running her hand across his body.
"Be at ease, my love." She whispered, shushing his efforts. "You are safe with me." She promised. It was then that Thor awoke fully and struggled hard against her magic to no avail.
"Enchantress… what are you doing, Amora?" He questioned. "You are an Asgardian, not some lackey to a mortal villain." Enchantress giggled and leaned down beside him, intentionally offering him a closer look at her beautiful looks and ample cleavage.
"Zemo… he is but a toy, to be discarded when I tire of him." She answered.
"And what do you want?" Thor pressed. In response, Enchantress held his head in her hands, her green eyes locking with his blue ones.
"You, of course," she whispered sweetly, "you have always been my heart's desire. We could leave Midgard and Asgard behind and we could be together…"
"I say thee nay." Thor growled.
"What are you doing, Enchantress?" Zemo suddenly demanded, forcing her to back off and keep her agenda to herself.
"It's a mistake to keep them alive, Zemo." Abomination gruffly stated.
"I will not be questioned by you, Abomination." The Baron curtly dismissed. Blonsky's mighty hand was suddenly on his shoulder, whirling Zemo around to face him.
"Don't ignore me!" The monster roared. "You've got no powers, no strength, you are nothing!So why are you the one giving orders to us? The Avengers are done and so is this mission!"
"The Hulk is still alive." Zemo countered. "But the bigger threat is Ant-Man." At that, Abomination loosed a laugh that made Zemo's very body vibrate.
"Ant-Man?! If you're worried about Ant-Man, then we really are better off without you!" He roared. Suddenly, Zemo drove a knee into his gut before expecting a leg-sweep that put Abomination flat on the ground. The monster barely had time to roll over before Zemo's blade was drawn and levelled at his head.
"Ant-Man is the last Avenger, he's a threat." Zemo continued in a calm yet dangerous tone of voice. "And you wish to know why I lead? Because I am better than you." He stated firmly. With a grumbling growl, Abmination begged to differ.
"Ant-Man's not the last Avenger. There's two more-" He was abruptly cut off when an arrow struck his forehead, unleashing an electric shock that stunned Abomination and dropped him to the floor. A hail of arrows followed suit, Zemo raising his shield to defend himself while also using his sword to cut down a pair. Enchantress quickly teleported away to avoid getting hit, reappearing by Zemo's side as Hawkeye dropped down onto the table.
"Okay… that was a good move." He remarked with a smirk.
"You are worm food, mortal!" Enchantress hissed, unleashing a bolt of magical energy that Hawkeye was quick to avoid. As he did, Zemo's comm crackled to life with the voice of Dynamo filtering through.
"Another Avenger is in the mansion! The Wakandan!" He reported brokenly, the echoing sounds of humming Vibranium and buzzing ionic energy rife in the background. This new assault was unexpected, but Zemo made to act quickly.
"Quickly, my Masters of Evil, destroy them!" He ordered, moving on Hawkeye immediately after. Thor struggled, desperate to help, watching as Hawkeye did his best to avoid each of Zemo's sword thrusts. But he was not nearly as skillful as the master duelist was and a dropkick to his back sent him into the crushing grip of Abomination. Caught in a bear hug with nowhere to go, Clint was trapped looking into the ugly mug of his monstrous tormentor.
"Time for some payback, Robin Hood." Blonsky sneered.
"Please… I'm begging you…" Hawkeye rasped, "brush your teeth!" The commotion was enough to wake both Tony and Connor who sized up the situation fearfully.
"Oh this isn't good." The technopath muttered.
"Hawkeye, are you insane?! Why didn't you bring in SHIELD?" Tony cried in alarm as Abomination threw the archer to the ground, just as Wonder Man, Dynamo and Skurge dragged in a defeated T'Challa. Tossing the Black Panther next to Hawkeye, the archer eyed him with a grimace.
"See? I told you!" He snapped in annoyance. Zemo paused alongside his men as Cobalt summoned the concrete layer beneath the two heroes to bind their feet within his hold.
"Ah, the SHIELD agent and the Wakandan King." The Baron noted. "You should have walked away from the Avengers before it came to this. Now, you must be punished."
"I am an Avenger. And I will meet my end with pride!" T'Challa announced defiantly. Zemo turned on Clint who swallowed nervously at the sight of his sharp blade.
"I'm gonna meet my end kicking and screaming." He admitted. Seeing the trouble his team was in, Tony struggled alongside Cap and Connor.
"Cybernaut! Any chance those magnets of yours could come in handy?" He asked.
"I wish," Connor replied, "whatever this binding me is, it's negating them and my abilities. It's like I can't reach anything beneath my elbows." He explained. Zemo interrupted their conversation as his blade held fast at Clint's neck.
"You choose, Captain. Which of your teammates will be the first to taste my blade?" He offered, the question sick and demented in every way.
"You know what, Zemo? I want to go first. I'm tired of listening to you." Hawkeye remarked with an unimpressed look.
"Amusing." Zemo huffed. "Did you really believe the two of you could defeat all of us?" He questioned. Clint snorted, smirking.
"Weird. Purple Puss here seems to think we were trying to defeat him." He remarked to T'Challa.
"I heard," Black Panther replied, seemingly trying to stifle a laugh, "he is misguided." Zemo tried to hide his shock as the two Avengers continued nonchalantly. Crossing his arms, Panther faced Zemo as Hawkeye leaned against him. "We were not trying to defeat your team, Baron. We were simply allowing Ant-Man uninterrupted access to his lab." He explained, causing several members of the Masters to bear shocked expressions.
"Yeah, we picked him up from the Wakanda Embassy while you tools started your little siege here." Hawkeye continued. "He just needed to get a few things." Just then, the door slid open and the Masters whirled around, away from the two's smug expressions to face Ant-Man, armed with a custom-built gun.
"Surrender Zemo! End this before anyone gets hurt!" He commanded.
"Careful, Hank! These guys don't mess around, they're playing for keeps!" Connor called out in warning from his seat. The noise was finally enough to stir Janet back to consciousness and she looked up just in time to see her boyfriend facing off against seven supervillains all by himself.
"Hank? Are you crazy?! Run!" She cried.
"Tear. Him. Apart!" Zemo ordered, Wonder Man surging ahead to do just that. Fine-tuning his weapon, Hank trained it on the approaching felon.
"Sorry Simon," he apologized, pulling the trigger and unleashing a molecular disruptor beam that targeted Wonder Man's loosely-connected ionic physiology. It tore him apart at a cellular level, Wonder Man disappearing into the air with a scream as his body dissipated into nothingness. Casting his weapon aside, Ant-Man triggered the particle regulator on his belt and disappeared from view with a burst of light.
"He shrunk down! Dynamo!" Zemo roared. The Russian mech driver quickly changed his hand into a quad-barreled autocannon as he quickly pinpointed the microscopic hero thanks to his retinal sensors. He unleashed repetitive fire that strafed the ground around Ant-Man as he made a beeline for Abomination, triggering the opposite side of his regulator.
"Come on, bug!" The monster challenged as Ant-Man grew to normal size… and then kept growing… "What're you…?" A bewildered Blonsky trailed off as Giant Man towered over him, landing a hard kick that pitched Abomination through the ceiling as he disappeared into the ground around the compound.
"It's a line-drive to the back of the field, going… going… home run!" Connor whooped, grinning from ear to ear as the tables suddenly turned on Zemo's crew. Giant Man could only savor the moment for so long before Dynamo was one him, landing cannon salvos on his supersized back. But he was quickly spared when Cobalt hit the ground and another storm of Vibranium daggers whizzed through the air and knocked him off his feet.
Clint tried to free Thor, only to come under attack from a raging Enchantress. Rolling away to avoid incoming magic bolts, he collected his bow, drew, and loosed an arrow aimed directly at Amora's head. Before she could stop it or avoid it, the arrow's short-fuse detonator triggered and hit her full in the face with a concussive explosion, knocking Enchantress over with a cry and ruining her concentration.
The moment she fell, the bonds around the Avengers fell apart, their spell no longer sustained. "Come on… come on… Yes, baby!" Connor shouted in delight as he was freed, leaping to his feet alongside Tony and Cap as he drew his irons and formed a pair of batons. Janet shrunk to her Wasp form as Thor bolted up off the table, while Tony disappeared through an adjoining door.
"JARVIS! Activate remote recall, Mark Seven!" He ordered, summoning one of his armors. Snapping out his hand, Thor called Mjolnir to his grip just as Enchantress came to. She looked up fearfully as the hammer broke through the outer walls and found its way into Thor's grip.
"Thor… you would not harm me, would you?" She wondered, offering him a helpless smile of feigned innocence.
"Nay," the thunder god replied, using Mjolnir to conjure a portal with his own limited magics. Stomping through it, wielding a thick icicle and covered in snow, Hulk was not in a good mood. "But my friend might." Thor remarked, stepping back as Enchantress gulped in fright.
"You…!" Hulk roared as he laid eyes upon the sorceress, charging towards her with a livid look in his eyes.
"Executioner! I need you!" Amora cried. Skurge was there in an instant, body-checking Hulk out of the way as his fire axe glowed with thermal power.
Hawkeye and Zemo squared off once again, the archer keeping the Baron distracted just long enough for Cap to charge in and tackle him. "I'd like my shield back… it needs to be cleaned!" He remarked, tearing it off Zemo's arm and strapping it in place on his own just in time to block a sword swipe.
Wonder Man managed to pull himself together as Dynamo unleashed a volley of micro-missiles upon Black Panther, the Wakandan barely avoiding the explosions. Cybernaut and Coblat squared off as Connor relied on his staff to deflect Mark's thrown chunks of concrete. Thor backtracked as Enchantress took a swipe at him wither her sorcery, Ant-Man growing back into Giant Man to grapple with the supersized Wonder Man.
"Simon! Glad to see you up and about, but what are you doing with these people?" He questioned. "You're a good man, you don't want any part in this!"
"I don't have a choice! They're the only reason I'm alive!" Simon replied. "And if I want to stay alive, I do as they say!" He was halted when an energy beam sizzled past his head, Iron Man flying onto the scene and unleashing a unibeam blast that staggered Wonder Man, causing him to shrink back down at the same time as Giant Man.
The two forces were locked in a stand-off, Masters of Evil against the Avengers. Fully reformed at peak capacity, it was nearly an even match between them both.
"Alright team, I want this scum out of my house right now!" Iron Man declared, taking the lead as the heroes rushed in.
"Destroy! Them! All!" Zemo roared as he lead the counterattack, his team of villains surging forward to meet the heroes in a truly epic clash.
Combat erupted all across the Mansion's compound, Iron Man and Thor trading blows with Wonder Man in the Quinjet hangar while Crimson Dynamo attempted to mow down Black Panther with his autoguns in the armoury. Despite his best efforts, he could not land a hit, a fact made worse when his body was promptly thrown up into the ceiling by Connor's magnets.
"Not today, Ruskie!" The technopath remarked as he used his mental powers to manually shut down Dynamo's weapons systems before slamming him down into the ground, as worthless as a titanium paperweight. But before he could celebrate, a piece of concrete was driven into his ribs, propelling him across the room with a cry as he was then driven into a wall. The concrete around him came to life and snared his body, Cobalt walking up with hand outstretched.
"Time to put an end to this!" He growled, clenching his fist and threatening to crush Connor within an inescapable bond. Suddenly, Wasp appeared before his vision.
"This is gonna hurt and, I'm not gonna lie, I'm kinda glad!" She remarked, promptly blasting him in the face with a two-handed biosting. The blow overloaded his neurons and Coblat promptly collapsed with a cry, officially pinned in place by Black Panther as Cybernaut was freed.
In the training room, Skurge unleashed a blazing path of flame from his axe as Hawkeye and Ant-Man both dove for cover. The Executioner went for Hawkeye first, a single sweep from his mighty axe batting the archer across the room and sending him sprawling. His bow knocked from his grip, Clint had seconds to draw and arrow from his quiver and leap out of the way of another powerful swing. He managed to plant the arrow right on Skurge's bald forehead, unleashing a noxious cloud of gases that both blinded and disoriented the Asgardian long enough for Giant Man to smash him into the floor and leave his body within a giant-sized handprint.
Captain America and Zemo duelled as they always had, battles from World War Two seemingly coming to life again as the two archrivals duked it out. Zemo swung his blade in vicious arcs, desperate to outmaneuver the Captaain and score a hit. But Steve's impenetrable defence saw him through as he blocked each strike before landing a punch that sent Zemo sprawling. The last thing the Baron could clearly see were Stars and Stripes as Cap slammed his shield into the former Hydra agent and sent him flying across the room.
Landing on the floor in a heap, his abilities shaky and uncertain, Zemo knew he had lost the advanatge along with the rest of his team. "Enchantress… we are leaving!" He ordered the witch, who was busy trying to avoid the Hulk's rampaging fists. Seeing the good sense behind his words, she promptly teleported herself out before the Hulk could come crashing into her. Zemo followed suit, as did Wonder Man, Dynamo, Skurge, Cobalt and Abomination, leaving the Avengers ultimately victorious by default.
That morning…
With the Masters of Evil successfully repulsed, the team did their best to nurse their wounds as they slumped tired and spent in the mansion's library. Some of them appeared physically fine, simply exhausted, while others bore the marks from a hard-fought night.
Connor limped into the room with bandages around his torso and slowly made his way over to the couch Janet and Hank were seated on, Janet holding a bag of ice to her face. "Let me guess, black eye?" He wondered with a slight smile. Janet couldn't resists a giggle and lowered the bag to reveal the purple ring forming around her left side.
"What gave it away?" She remarked as Connor gingerly eased himself into the seat beside her. "How about you?" She queried.
"A few cracked ribs, nothing too serious. But that's what happens when concrete hits you hard." He replied with a sudden grimace as pain flared across his right side. Hawkeye then entered and flopped down into another seat with a sigh.
"You know, I'm not so sure I want to be part of a team I have to rescue every week." He remarked.
"Aw, come on, this is our regular Tuesday." Connor quipped, his chuckling abruptly cut short as his broken ribs acted up again. "You'll get used to it."
"Indeed," Black Panther agreed, "perhaps they'll elect you team leader if you rescue them enough times." He suggested playfully. Clint's expression brightened.
"Really? You think?" He asked hopefully.
"Okay stop. Everyone just stop." Tony cut in, out of armor and nursing some bruises along his neck. "Does anyone know what that was all about?" He questioned.
"Our enemies wish vengeance upon us. Defeat does not sit well with some." Thor mused in reply.
"I'm not so sure," Cap countered, stroking his chin. "Zemo… he seemed so sure of what he was doing, like it was going to put the world right in his hands." He explained thoughtfully.
"But how?" Tony asked.
"He said someone had promised it to him." Cap replied. Cybernaut had a sudden thought.
"Can Enchantress do that, Thor?" He inquired of the thunderer. "Does she have what it takes to conquer the world?" The Asgardian shook his head.
"Nay, friend Connor. While Amora is indeed a powerful sorceress, she does not have what it takes to command worlds." He answered.
"So someone else is pulling their strings," Hank determined, "but who has that kind of power…?"
Elsewhere…
Busy with experiments, Arnim Zola was not expecting the Masters of Evil to return so suddenly, nor to be in such a bedraggled state. Most of them were strewn across the floor, winded and beaten after their battle with the Avengers.
"I told you not to underestimate them!" Zemo berated.
"And you didn't account for Panther and Hawkeye!" Abomination retorted. Cobalt scoffed as he picked himself up.
"You're both idiots." He stated flatly. "Trying to play games, chasing them around, the Avengers don't require a plan. They require strength. Something we don't have."
"Mind your tongue, Cobalt!" Zemo hissed, drawing his sword. The betokinetic shook his head.
"What? Gonna rant and rave like a spoiled brat?" He remarked. With a growl, Zemo lunged towards him,
"Enough." Enchantress snapped, picking herself up and fixing her emerald tiara and stopping the fight before it could commence. "It doesn't matter. None of it does. For it is all a game… and you've played your parts." She said dismissively, disappearing into a room and sealing the door behind her as Skurge took his place before it. Behind his mask, Cobalt's eyes narrowed.
"I don't like the sounds of that. I'm not some tool." He growled.
"None of us do." Zemo agreed.
In the peace and quiet of her sanctum, Enchantress conjured a portal that spanned across the realms, connecting her to a single individual shrouded in shadow and seated on a throne. "The pieces are in place, my lord." She reported with a smile…