Chapter 1: Another Higher Power
Authors Note: Hello and welcome to my second installment of my Avengers Stories. I hope you all enjoy this one.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Avengers.
Out in central park around midnight, the night sky lit up as a small meteor flew down and crashed into a fiery haze in the middle of the park. The once green grass was now a smoldering pit of charred earth and fiery ash. The meteor itself was only a solid rock for a minute before purple ooze started to leak out from the sides.
The mass of purple sludge desperately scurried out of the hole in the ground looking for something or someone to bind itself too, when it was suddenly ambushed by a special tactics team in hazmat mask. They pointed a special type of gun at the alien slime and fired off a sonic wave that was causing the creature to shriek and grovel in pain.
A containment team quickly moved in and captured the alien in a special containment vial. The leader of the tactical team pulled out his walkie and spoke to his boss on the other end.
"We caught it, it landed in Central Park, just like you said. It didn't even put up much of a fight. Not like the others."
"Well, they can't all be winners," The voice on the other side said. "Thank you, Mr. Ritz, please bring the specimen back as soon as possible."
(Meanwhile)
Art class had just wrapped up and now it was time for the students to head home. One student in particular, Miguel Martinez, had just finished his piece and he had to say it looked really good. It was an abstract art with a mixture of white and black or the light and darkness of the human soul. He was still working out the name.
He would come up with a name later as he got ready to leave for the day. He was on his way to meet his friend, Otto so he could drive him and his friend Kara so they could help out at the F.E.A.S.T shelter where his mother volunteered them so they could get into a good college.
This would be his last year of high school and if he was being honest, he couldn't wait for it to be over. It wasn't that he hated the school itself, just the people. He had caught the eye of a couple of cheerleaders and their jock boyfriends giving him their snide looks and their snooty remarks, but he's grown use to that. It was one bully in particular that drove him mad.
Sheldon Barron.
Everyone called him, Brick, because he was a linebacker who hit you like a ton of bricks. He spotted the big bastard and a couple of his helper monkeys harassing his friend Otto Wesley next to his locker.
"Come on, why are you being so selfish, Otto?" One of the monkeys said in a feign of disappointment.
"Yeah, my friend needs your help and you tell him no?" Monkey number two said.
"You want me to give you my car, that isn't helping and it's not like we're friends." Otto snapped back. Brick didn't like that as he got up close and personal, the look on his face looked like he was ready to break Otto in half.
"Don't be stupid, now give me the damn keys." Brick whispered menacingly while holding out his hand. Otto started to look like he was ready to cave in as Miguel noticed his hand holding the keys started inching closer to Brick's open palm.
"Why do you want his car so badly, Sheldon?" Miguel shouted from across the hall.
Everyone passing by stopped and stared at Miguel, some evening, 'oohing', since no one was allowed to call Brick by his real name. The man himself turned his gaze from Otto to Miguel, looking even more furious as the young artist started to move closer.
"I thought you had a pretty bitching Camaro, shiny and red, or did you crash it in another drunken escapade?" The boy snickered.
"It's none of your damn business, now piss off." Brick said, nodding his head in the opposite direction of Miguel.
"Oh, did daddy finally cut you off?" Miguel snickered as the naysayers started hooting and hollering. "What happened, did he finally decide to be a parent and cut your ass off after totaling your third car in a drunken joy ride or does he have an election coming up and he couldn't allow you to embarrass him any further, which is it?"
"Hey, I'd talk about your father, but he didn't even bother to stick around to watch you be born, let alone buy your broke ass a car."
And just like that the masses turned on Miguel.
"Yeah, it's easy to talk about my dad, but it's hard to talk about a guy who bailed on your worthless ass. Let me ask you, do you ever wonder if he's still alive and regretting ever leaving you, or do you think he shacked up with some other dumb broad, who happens to be a spoiled sugar mama?"
Miguel's fist was clenched to the point where his knuckles turned white.
"Oh, you want to know what I really think." Brick chuckled. "I like to think that he actually did mature into an adult. He hunkered down, got a job, met a nice lady, got a house with a picket fence and had a couple of kids with a dog. The best part is, he has no idea you exist, or is it that he hates your slut of a mother?"
Before Miguel could strike, a grey blur zipped past Brick and snatched the young artist by his sleeve and dragged him down the hall. Otto followed behind.
Miguel looked at the small hand that was gripping his wrist, the steely fingers digging into his wrist were on the verge of causing numbness. Miguel ripped his hand out of the vice grip.
"Okay, you can let go now, Kara."
The young girl turned around and lowered the hood on her grey hoodie and Miguel watched as her short, shiny brown hair came into view. The young Asian American girl shook her head at her friend.
"You sure know how to pick your fights don't you?" Kara said to Miguel. The trio of friends made their way to the parking lot and walked over to Otto's truck. Once they were all piled in, Otto drove the three of them over to the F.E.A.S.T shelter where they all worked. After a few minutes of tense silence, Kara spoke up.
"So, you guys gonna tell me what happened back there?"
"Asshat wanted to steal Otto's truck." Miguel said as he watched the city pass by out the window.
"Why, doesn't he own a new Camaro?" Kara asked.
"Yeah, but I heard after his last car crash his daddy threaten to cut him off if he smashed up one of his cars, oh and endangered the wellbeing of the citizens of New York." Miguel stated nonchalantly. He couldn't stand Sheldon or his rotten father.
"It must be great having money." Otto stated as he drove towards the F.E.A.S.T shelter. "If I had money, I would use it along with my I.Q. for the good of mankind, but instead we have the luxury of watching a crooked lawyer climb his way to mayor and then the white house while his dumbass kid bully's his way to the NFL while crashing his sports cars like their freaking bumper cars."
"Screw him, he'll end up either in prison or dead by the end of the school year." Kara shrugged as they pulled into the parking lot of the F.E.A.S.T shelter. "Whatever, let's just get to work."
The three stepped out of the car and made their way inside the shelter where they met Miguel's mother, Sofia.
"Hey, there are my helpers." She exclaimed as the three made their way over to their friend's mother. "You three ready to help out the needy?"
"Sure."
"Yes, Mrs. Martinez."
"Whatever."
Miguel, Otto and Kara said as the older woman gave out jobs. Miguel was to help out with the food drive out back, Otto was to help set out the T.V in the lounge and Kara was to help Sofia make dinner for the occupants.
Miguel was outside unloading the truck from some generous donators as he was greeted by an old and friendly face.
"Hey, Hank." Miguel greeted as the eighty-two-year-old volunteer gave the young man a hand. Hank was a World War 2 veteran and spent his life doing good for others. Miguel met him when he was ten and has always looked up to the war hero. Despite his age the man was built like an ox and since he lost his wife at a young age, he has always kept his spirits up.
"Hey kid, how was school?" He asked the boy as he helped unload the boxes from the truck.
"It was okay, until I had a run in withs asshat." Miguel snipped.
"Eh, don't let that thug bother you." Hank shrugged off. "Guys like him are bums. He'll live off of his father until his daddy gets tired of his B.S. and cuts him off or Daddy himself will get into hot water and both him and his boy will be up a creek without a paddle. Meanwhile, you're sipping fine wine in Paris having your art work admired by enthusiast all over the world." Miguel chuckled at the thought of that. "Speaking of which, you choose which school you want to go to yet?"
"Eh, I got some schools I've been eyeballing. One of them here in New York." Miguel explained. He was hoping for a scholarship, but his fingers were crossed to the point of breaking. Otto was having worse luck trying to get into M.I.T. and Kara was planning on joining the marines after school. "It's getting pretty busy for us."
"Good, I remember back in the day when I didn't have any clue on what to do. I'd either work construction or join the army, so I joined the army and then worked construction." He chuckled.
"You fought alongside, Captain America, right?" Miguel asked.
"Yup, yup, I knew him when he was just scrawny Steve Rodgers." He stated as he reminisced about his glory days at bootcamp. He was there when he and the rest of the fellas chickened out when a grenade flew at them. He expected an explosion and yet all he saw when he looked up was a scrawny blonde kid in a fetal position. He laughed when he found out that kid had thrown himself on top of the grenade. "He was more man than any one of us."
"Too bad about what happened to him." Miguel stated.
"Yeah, it was, damn that had to be 65 years ago." Hank let out a low whistle as he looked around at the city. "Damn, where did the time go. Cherish these moments kid."
Miguel smiled at the old man and the two finished up their work and made their way back inside. They spotted Kara handing out sandwiches to some of the residence. She looked up at the two and gave them a smile and a wave. The two waved back and Hank gave Miguel a nudge with his elbow.
"So, when are you and Kara gonna hook up?"
"Dude!"
"What?"
(Meanwhile)
Down below a subterrain lab a man in a white suit and black tie walked down a hall that was wall to wall with transparent, protectively sealed cells. These cells contained elderly and sickly-looking people that were pawing at the safety glass. The man in white did not spare them the slightest glance as one of the scientists walked up next to him.
"Mr. Darko, the tests are coming up as failures. The Symbiotes are not bonding with any of these host." The scientist explained.
"What is the exact problem?" Darko asked.
"We can't confirm it. The stats just keep variating. Every time we have a bond, it crashes in an instant and the subjects are dead."
"This one has been stubborn, but I have a feeling we will be able to find him a suitable host." Mr. Darko explained as he watched the purple sludge devour its previous host. "What subject was this one?"
"Number four, Dominic Turner. We'll need another candidate." The scientist explained.
"Let me know when you get another subject and I'll write up a new agreement." A new voice said. Mr. Darko turned to see his lawyer, Eugene Barron. "If anyone around comes asking I can just show them a nondisclosure agreement. Stating that our subjects have agreed to take part in a medical trial. 'You want to know where your friend is, sorry, but that's strictly need to know bases."
"Thank you, Mr. Barron." Mr. Darko said as he nodded his head to the scientist. "I'll need a new document soon. Subject Five for Symbiote Five. Hmm, 5:5, Matthew, 'Blessed are the meek, For they will inherit the Earth.'"
The purple sludge slammed against the protective glass, before slumping down into pulpy puddle. "I guess that doesn't say much about you, does it?"
Eugene Barron's phone started to ring and when he went to retrieve it, he rolled his eyes when his son's name popped up on the screen. He begrudgingly answered it.
"What now, Sheldon?" He snapped.
"Nice to hear from you, Dad." Sheldon chuckled. "Listen, I can get you a test subject, but I'm gonna want something in return."
(The Next Day)
Miguel, Otto and Kara had met up at F.E.A.S.T for another day of work when Otto got an email on his phone. The look on his face was the one of sheer horror.
"No." He whispered as he fell to his knees. Miguel and Kara looked at him in concern.
"What happened?" Miguel asked.
"My scholarship, it's been denied."
"What!?" His two friends shrieked.
"I've lost my scholarship to M.I.T." Otto's voice was so weak and frail. "I've lost my life."
"No, that can't be, it has to be a mistake." Kara snapped.
"It wasn't a mistake," Miguel stated. "It was sabotage. Look at this." He showed his phone to Kara and her eyes widened as she watched multiple emails from numerous art schools from all over either to deny or pend Miguel's applications.
"What the hell is going on?" Kara snapped.
"Hell is what is going on." Sheldon said as he walked up to them from the parking lot. "I had a little chat with my dad about the way you were treating me and after a little persuasion he actually did something for me for once in his miserable life."
"Wanting for nothing wasn't enough?" Kara spat, but Sheldon was too smug to let her comment phase him.
"Sticks and stones, I don't care." Sheldon laughed. "Your friend isn't going to art school, the nerd isn't going to M.I.T and you, well I heard you were going to join the army, so I didn't even bother with you. Hell, get killed overseas, no one will care."
"Screw you!" Miguel shouted as he charged at Sheldon, pulling his fist back and taking a swing at the jock bully. Sheldon easily predicted this and dodged the attack and sent a headbutt to the young artist's face. Miguel fell back, his nose surging in pain as he fell hard on the ground.
"Miguel," Otto shouted as he ran to his friend. "You spoiled rotten bastards!"
"Hey, you guys should know you're not allowed to put up a fight against me." Sheldon chuckled. "But what do I care what you do, in a few months I'll be on my way to fame and fortune while you losers prepare to live out your pathetic and empty lives in whatever hole you crawl in." He chuckled as he started walking away. "Hey, if you're really desperate, why don't you go to church and pray your problems away, but I don't think even the big guy upstairs cares about you."
Miguel couldn't even respond has Sheldon walked away laughing. Kara tended to Otto who was about to have a panic attack. Miguel just couldn't take it anymore, he had always tried to keep strong and power through the negative aspects of his life, but this time was different.
Sheldon had ruined Miguel's and Otto's chance of getting ahead in life and there was nothing they could do.
After a while and ambulance had to be called for Otto who went into shock. Miguel had left before his mother or Kara could speak to him. With nothing to do, Kara was about to head home when she noticed that Hank was nowhere to be found.
"Hey, has anyone seen Hank?"
(Back in the lab)
Mr. Darko stood in front of the safety glass of Subject Five's cell. The Scientist watched as the purple sludge lay there on the ground, weakened by the lack of food and the constant experiments, the symbiote couldn't muster any strength to escape.
"You know if you cooperated, you wouldn't be feeling this unbearable pain. I hope you get along with your next host." Darko explained as his private guard, Mr. Ritz escorted their newest test subject.
"Get your damn hands off of me!" Hank shouted.
"Where did you did dig up this old fossil?" Darko asked.
"Don't blame us, your lawyer's kid recommended him." Ritz explained as he pulled out his keycard to open the cell. "According to his file he served in World War 2 right alongside Captain America."
"Whatever, throw him in, maybe he'll surprise us."
He would soon come to regret those words.
Right as Ritz had opened the door, the purple sludge had jumped up from the ground and latched itself onto Hank. Instantaneously, Hank broke from his restraints and knocked the guards away, smashing one of them through the safety glass like it was tissue paper.
Hank's hand balled into a fist which was coated in black and purple ooze. Ritz came up to him with a cattle prod and a small sonic device, but Hank's fist shot out and slammed into the center of the head guard's chest, sending him flying down the hall.
Hank swung his hand around and backhanded Darko across the face and through another barrier of safety glass. The being inside of Hank saw an opportunity and made a beeline for the elevator doors and his hands he once again had no control as he ripped the doors open and jumped inside the empty shaft, before his finger's nails grew into long claws and before he knew what to do, he was already clawing up the walls. Before he could blink, he was already up on the fifth-floor door.
He ripped open those doors as well and sprinted down a normal looking lobby, before crashing through the main doors. He ran out onto the busy street and was almost hit by a car, but his reflexes kicked in and he grabbed ahold of the front end of the car and flipped it upside down. Everyone was either screaming or running at the sight of what this old man had done.
Hank was distraught at what had happened over the last few hours. He could feel the adrenaline kicking in, but it soon turned into something worse, something lethal.
"Hank!" A familiar voice called out.
Hank turned around and spotted Kara on her bike. She looked horrified, but he was just happy to see her.
"Kara, where is Miguel?" He asked as he ran up to her.
"Um, at the church, what the hell happened to you?"
"I was kidnapped. That little shit that's been harassing you guys, he got his father to send some guys to kidnap me. He brought me to th—"
He was cut off by a strong pain in his chest. He fell to his knees, clutching his chest as Kara held him close.
"We gotta call an ambulance." She said, pulling out her phone, but Hank stopped her.
"It's too late. Listen, we need to find Miguel."
(Meanwhile at the church)
Miguel was alone in the church kneeling in front of a statue of Christ, tears rolling down his cheeks. He didn't know what to do anymore. Every time he tried to do right in his life, something or someone tried to bring him down to the filth.
It wasn't just affecting him, but his friends as well, not to mention all of the people in the Baron's path. There was nothing he could do, but pray for a miracle.
Or a reckoning.
It was a waste of time he didn't have anything to say, not to God or anyone. He stood up and made his way to the exit but he stopped when the doors burst open. He was shocked to see Kara holding Hank, who looked like he was in a great deal of pain.
"Hank, Kara what happened?" He shouted as he ran over to his old friend. The two gently laid him down on the floor of the church. Miguel grabbed Hank's hand and held onto it so tight he thought it might break.
Hank looked up at the young boy and smiled.
"Hey kid, Kara told me about your troubles." He muttered weakly. "Listen, you're gonna be fine. You'll get over this slump and show those entitled bastards how hard a little guy can punch back."
"Hank…" Miguel whispered. Hank just smiled as he slumped down on the ground. Miguel couldn't breathe. His hand went to check for a pulse, but there was nothing. "No, no, no!"
Miguel and Kara both started sobbing as they held their friend close to them. Miguel held his friend's hand tight, until he started to feel something move. His gaze snapped down to the hand in hopes of seeing his friend was alive, but to his horror he saw a purple sludge seeping out of Hank's hand.
Miguel pulled back, but the sludge had wrapped around his wrist. Kara let out a loud scream as the sludge started to completely consume his right arm and soon his upper body. He fell to his knees and rolled up in a fetal position as the doors burst open again. Three of Darko's security guards, now dressed in street clothes, had entered the church and had their guns trained on the trio of kids.
"Get away from him, now!" One of the men shouted.
"Why would he come to church, hoping that god will protect him?" One of the guards laughed.
"I don't think he's listening." Another one chuckled as he grabbed Kara by her hoodie and dragged her away from Hank's body.
"Or maybe, he was answering to another higher power at work." Miguel said, his voice disorienting from his to something more monstrous.
The guards were taken back by his voice as they trained their guns on Miguel. The young artist shot up from his spot on the floor and lunged at one of the guards. He was tackled to the ground as Miguel raised his fist, now a purple clawed hand and slashed down at them man, killing him instantly.
The other two panicked and open fired on the boy, but his back was encased in the gooey armored substance. The bullets bounced off of his skin as he turned around, his clawed hand now a cleaver like blade and struck down the other guard.
The third guard not wanting to share the same fate as his colleagues had run out of the church. He ran across the street, almost getting hit by a couple of cars in the process as he made his way down an alley.
He continued running when he thought he heard a something from behind. He aimed his gun down the alley as he slowly backed away. He was getting ready to run away, but the second he turned he was met with a horrific sight.
A nine-foot tall being with purple skin and white veins all over its muscular body stood before the man with two slanted white eyes staring down at him. Its mouth salivated through his razor-sharp teeth, sporting a malicious grin.
The man aimed his gun at the creature, but with one swipe of its claw the gun was shredded to pieces. The creature's hand shot out again, this time wrapping around the man's throat and lifted him up so they were at eye level.
"Brain, heart, liver and spleen." The monster hissed. "Not a question of what I would prefer, but what to eat first."
Its tongue slithered out of its mouth like a snake and swiped up the scared man's cheek, before its mouth opened wide and chomped down around the man's neck, consuming his whole head in one vicious bite.