A normal day in National City was a pain for everyone in the city. Peter and his team were hard at work from the beginning of the day. Before they even had time to even get coffee, the team was answering a report on someone breaking into the bank. Logan and Steve were there inside the bank, trying to subdue the assailants.
Turns out it was the work of one of their escaped prisoners, and that prisoner was none other than the mutant himself, Toad.
Steve threw his shield across the room, only for Mortimer Toynbee to leap out of the way, and for Logan to take his strike to try and take him down. But that didn't end how Logan would have liked as the slimy mutant only ended up using his tongue and wrapped it around Logan's arms and torso., throwing him into Steve, and taking them both down.
Leaping his way outside, Toad was taking to the streets as he was beginning to be chased by Spider-Man, and the Wasp. Ant-Man was currently unavailable as Hank had left to help upgrade the security in the DEO desert facility as a starter point to get their prisons back.
"We gotta box him in," Peter tells Janet.
"How do you plan to do that?" Janet asks.
"I'm gonna set up some nets, lead him down the alley. You fly around and meet him on the other end." Peter tells her, and Janet flies off to do just that.
Peter then put their plan into action as Janet made her way around the corner to reach the other side of the alley. Peter was shooting web nets in Toad's path to keep him on the path he wanted and watched as he leaped down the alleyway. As Toad was leaping, he was about to climb the building when he was shot by a stinger by Janet. She enlarged herself so she could be seen, but small enough so she could still fly.
"Stand down!" Janet demanded.
"You think I'm afraid of you?" Toad asked with a laugh. "Toads eat bugs like you!"
Peter then swung into the alley and prepared to strike. "Then it's a good thing she brought an arachnid," he quipped. "Now stand down, Toynbee."
"Who's gonna make me?" Toad asks. Then there was a sudden appearance of storm clouds he looked up and froze in fear when he saw Thor was there and was summoning lightning to strike him. "I surrender!"
Then there was a DEO jet that flew into the vicinity, surprising everyone. "Wow, they got here fast," Janet commented.
"Spider-Man. Wasp." An agent called out. "The Avengers are needed."
That surprised the two, seeing it seemed they weren't here to arrest Toad, but more they were here to summon the Avengers for something different. They then picked up Steve and Logan and were flown out while Toad was being detained.
"I don't get it, Danvers," Peter said to Alex as they were in the jet heading out to their location. "You won't tell us where Henshaw is, where we're going, or what we're needed for."
"Director Henshaw is overseeing the rebuilding of the prison system." Alex finally began to give some answers. "As to why we're here, it's better to show you."
As the jet was coming over the horizon, the team was shocked when they saw what looked to be a green field coming from the Cube prison. When their plane came in for a landing, they were surprised to see Samson was there, with long green hair.
"Where is Bruce Banner? I was told he was on your team." Samson stated.
"Why does that man have green hair?" Steve asks Peter.
"I have no idea," Peter replied as he stepped forward. "You're Dr. Leonard Samson, right? Hulk is on a... vacation. Now, does someone want to tell us what's going on?"
Samson brought them over to a transport base and showed the team when this dome began. They saw as soldiers were entering the Cube, but were then immediately attacked by the prisoners inside.
"This is video from DEOs incursion into the Cube, after the breakout," Samson informed them. "The staff and DEO personnel were all accounted for, but the prisoners, now, they were another matter."
Then something came and attacked the agents so fast, that they couldn't even see it coming by the time it attacked and murdered the agents.
"What was that?" Janet asks.
Samson then showed off a profile of a prisoner in the Cube. "Emil Blonsky, the Abomination, strong as the Hulk, twice as mean, and with military training. He's not the problem, though."
The agent that brought them then showed more recent footage. "The energy dome exploded outward from the Cube and the DEO team was caught inside it." They watched as the dome came from inside the Cube, and it did something to the agents. "And then this happened."
They watched as the people inside were beginning to be mutated into freaks with animal flesh and abilities. Some growing fangs, and wings, one of them looked like their flesh melted off their bones. "The dome is expanding with no sign of stopping. At this rate, it will hit a town in the next six hours. A major city in eight."
"Who is responsible for this?" Steve asks.
Samson then pulled up another profile of a prisoner with a large head. "Samuel Sterns, the Leader, a gamma irradiated villain, as strong as the Hulk is, the Leader is intelligent."
"As far as we know, the Leader's inside, most likely with a mess of gamma villains. The Abomination, the Absorbing Man, Zzzax. They were all inside the Cube when the breakout wanted you to go into the Cube."
Janet burst into laughing, thinking it was just a joke, but then saw their serious faces. "Oh, wait, you're serious." Then she looked outside to the Cube in worry. "Not to harp on this one particular little point, but how are gonna get into the Cube without, you know, getting all gamma-ed up?"
"This is how, Wasp," Samson said and showed off armored-looking hazmat suits. "I've modified this DEO radiation plating to protect you. Wearing these, you should be immune to the effects of the Gamma Dome."
"Should?" Logan asks. "I don't wanna be walking in there becoming a freak."
"Logan, you are walking in there as a freak." Peter reminded Wolverine.
Logan growled as he retracted his claws, preparing to strike Peter. "You wanna go, bub?"
"Save your blood-thirst for the enemy." Steve cooled them down, getting suited up.
Thor was handed a suit as he scoffed. "An Asgardian needs no such protection."
"So you've sent people in wearing these, right?" Peter asks.
"Uh, no, it hasn't been tested yet," Samson admitted. That got looks of worry a,o gay the heroes. "But I'm confident it will work."
"That boosts confidence." Peter scoffed as he pushed a button on his suit. "Good thing I was prepared for a scenario like this."
Peter reveals that inside of their Avenger jet was housing an armored Spider-Man suit. This is an armored Spider-Man suit bearing a red and golden color scheme. It is mostly a metallic red, with the spider emblem, eye lenses, bracers, and boots being golden. The suit bears a blue arc reactor in its chest as well as repulsors on its gauntlets and boots. It was built for emergency space travel for the DEO, so it could also be used to keep the Gama radiation out.
They then finished the team all getting themselves into the gamma protective suits and made their way toward the dome. As they finished suiting up, Janet took a look and noticed the suit makes her butt look big. She then shrank to be sure that she was capable of Logan made sure his claws were still capable of extracting within the gloves, and they headed for the dome.
"So who wants to go first?" Peter asked. "Logan? Wanna text the theory?"
Everyone seemed concerned about heading inside and knew that this was a big ask. "Leaders lead," Steve tells him.
Peter sighed, his lenses no longer showing his emotions. "Thanks, Cap."
Peter eyed the slowly closing in the dome and shook a little, worried about the dome closing in. And he needed to hurry, because the longer they took, the closer this dome got to a nearby city. Taking one step into the dome, he didn't feel any different, and the only noise being heard was the whirring sound of his iron suit mechanics. When he stepped into the dome, he looked around and wasn't feeling any different.
"Feels alright," Peter said.
Steve was the next to step into the dome, the suit seemingly holding up and allowing him to stay safe. Everyone else then slowly followed and made their way into the dome.
"Spider-Man to base camp, respond," Peter called in as he then got static in response. "Ugh, communications are down."
Janet started to fly around, seeing nothing but damaged jets and DEO gear. "Man, look at this place."
as Janet was flying around, she landed on the rock formation which began to move the moment she landed. She shrieked and an almost zombie-looking hulk came crawling out of the ground. Then came several others, the few they saw in the video like the bird-man-looking fellow, and
"Quartermain?" Samson was shocked to see his men. "It's them. It's my men."
"I kind of miss chasing Toad," Janet told Peter.
"You and me both," Peter commented.
They then found themselves stuck in the middle of a battle with the DEO agents that came with them. The one with bird wings flew down and scooped up one of the agents, flying up in the air.
"Wasp!" Peter called out.
"I'm on it!" Janet called as she flew up to save the agent.
Shooting stingers, Janet managed to shoot the talons of the gamma creature, causing them to drop the agent. Janet then swooped in to grab the falling agent, slowly descending toward the ground.
On the ground, Logan snarled as he extended his claws, ready to go down swinging. The scary scorpion with metal skin from his gamma radiation charged towards Logan. Logan then leaped and saw the scales of the creature rolled up, leaving gaps that would help him get through. When Logan leaped onto his back, he started using his claws to stab into the gaps in the armor to bring down the big guy.
Peter was leaping backward to avoid the zombie-looking Hulk. He leaped and shot two webs to latch onto the zombie hulk, using his thrusters to boost himself into the air and then flip to send the zombie flying. Slamming the zombie into the ground, Thor came in and smacked his hammer against the Hulk, sending him flying towards Steve.
Steve then punched the zombie Hulk using his shield, smacking him across the face and sending him flying.
The talon-clawed winged gama monster then came flying in to strike them while they were distracted. Then Samson grabbed it by the leg and smacked him into the ground.
Logan yelled as he leaped and prepared to strike the zombie hulk, which ended with Logan benign grabbed by the leg and slammed into the ground. Lucky his suit held up as Peter then leaped and grabbed the zombie Hulk by the head. Then he used his electrical equipment in his gloves to shock the zombie and knock him out.
"Hmm, these creatures may share his origin, but they are pale reflections of the true Hulk," Thor comments as he strolled over.
"That's a good thing, Thor," Peter stated with a sigh of relief.
"Once these agents are clear of the gamma field, they should revert back to human form, hopefully with no side effects," Samson said as he scanned them with his equipment.
"You had some pretty good moves back there, Doc." Steve complimented.
"Doc Samson, Avenger," Janet stated. "Think about it."
"Look around, this is all my fault," Samson said in sorrow as he saw the chaos inside the gamma wave. "Bruce warned me and I didn't listen. My only concern right now is making this right."
Peter then started to use his tech to track the area. "The dome has to have some kind of power source; like a gamma generator."
"If the Leader truly is as brilliant as Samson says, then this is no doubt a trap," Steve stated as he eyed the prison ahead. "He would be prepared for DEO at the very least, and the Hulk at the very most.
Thor then approached and smacked Steve on the shoulder playfully. "If this is a trap, warriors, then so be it."
"Okay, Thor goes in first," Peter called, not wanting to go in first again.
Thor then marched ahead, taking it as if that was an order rather than a comment. Everyone else then began to follow into the Cube to try and take back the prison.
Taking their way down the hallway, they saw a strange green mist they assumed was radiation. They continued to walk down the halls while they turned on their flashlights to see through the mist.
"Stay sharp, team," Steve tells them, keeping his shield close.
"Yeah, what the big man said," Peter agreed. "Everyone..."
Then Peter's senses went off, getting him to shriek and turn when they heard someone scream. One member of their DEO squad was dragged into the mist where they couldn't see where he went.
"Jackson!" Samson cried. Then one of the other members of their group was dragged off. "Holland!"
"I can't pinpoint them!" Peter cried as everyone looked around.
Logan drew his claws and looked around the area. "I'd usually be able to sniff them out, but this protection suit is blocking my nose."
"Pretty sure the gamma radiation would also make that difficult," Peter stated.
"If anyone feels terrified, I can escort you out," Janet said, terrified herself.
Samson was then thrown down by a mysterious force in the mist. "The U-Foes!"
Logan was then picked up by a strange creature that was made out of mist. "Give Vapor a kiss!"
Logan snarled as Vapor forced herself on him to try and kill the hero. But thanks to his healing factor, it was able to counteract it.
Peter was going to jump into scuff when Iron Clad came out of the mist and clutched his head. Peter freaked as he tried to pry his head free of the grasp. Steve was getting ready to fight when X-Ray came in and grabbed his he's,d causing Steve to cry in pain.
Thor prepared to spin his hammer when Vector came out and slung the hero into the ground. Then Vector chuckled as he showed himself through the smoke, looking like he was a living galaxy of sorts. But he also had a small device on his chest that glowed green.
"Welcome to the Cube!" Vector tells them.
"That's...I invented those devices to drain your gamma energy." Samson commented.
"The Leader has other plans." Vector says, missing how they forgot one member of the team. "Our powers ads increased to levels you can't-"
Janet swiftly darted into the scene, unleashing a barrage of stingers at Vector, causing him to flinch and loosen his grip on Thor. Seizing the opportunity, Thor broke free and twirled his mighty hammer with incredible speed, causing Vapor to vanish into the sky.
With Vapor neutralized, Logan was able to spring into action, rescuing Steve from the clutches of X-Ray. As Steve was safely freed, he hurled his iconic shield, skillfully aiming it to rebound off Iron Clad. The shield struck Iron Clad, compelling him to release Peter from his clutches.
"Cutting it a little close, team!" Peter cried as he stood, watching his suit begin to spark. "Uh, oh, this isn't good."
"Fools!" Vector cried, getting Peter to look towards him. "We don't need to heat you."
Peter wasn't sure he was following before freezing. "The gamma armor!"
Steve cried in pain as his suit was beginning to malfunction. He fell down to his knees as his entire body was beginning to transform. His body was beginning to stretch out of the armor, causing him to reveal he was growing fur off of his body.
The rest of them were preparing for a fight as Steve revealed he had turned into some sort of giant wolf with a shield.
"I mean...out of everything he could have become..." Peter shrugged. "A giant wolf isn't too bad."
"Unless it's irreversible," Janet commented.
"Well, I mean, yeah," Peter confirmed on that one. "Avengers, take down...Captain America?"
In the main room, the Leader was watching everything from his screens. He watched as Janet flew in to fight Captain America who's transformed into a wolf on the cameras and he threw the shield to Thor. The Asgardian smacked the shield that flew back to Steve and he leaped at Spider-Man.
"All the time you were studying me in the Cube, you didn't realize I was studying you." The Leader said to Samson, knowing he couldn't hear him. "How sad." He then tapped the crown on his head that was allowing him to control the gamma monsters. "Captain America? Put the good doctor out of his misery."
Steve then felt the Leader consume his mind as he leaped in to attack Samson when Thor jumped in the way and blocked Steve with his hammer. He then flung his hammer at his shield, which caused a massive shockwave that sent everyone but the two of them flying backward.
"I have no desire to fight you, Captain!" Thor cried as he swung his hammer at Steve who ducked. "Try to remember who you are."
For a quick second, Steve did manage to take back control, but the Leader's influence took back control. The man-turned-wolf went in to try and bite Thor, getting him to block off the attack with his hammer.
Logan, Janet, Peter, and Samson got back up with a groan as they looked and saw the shockwave cleared up some of the gamma radiation. That didn't exactly give them any good news as it ended up only showing the radiated-filled agents who were dragged off earlier.
"Oh, great, there's more." Janet scoffed.
"We can't hurt these men," Samson said.
One of the disfigured men raced towards them as Janet shrank down to shoot him while Peter shot webs to leap away in the air. Logan snarled as he used his claws to block the attack and then leaped backward when they tried to go for his suit.
"They don't seem to be any concerned about us!" Logan snarled as he kicked the man backward.
"We need to be smart!" Peter cried, leaping upward and trying to find a way to fight back. "They just have to take out our armor!" He then got attacked by Vapor, getting thrown into the ground before he could react. "Thor! Get Samson to the generator!"
"Come!" Thor cried, seeing Steve blocking the path. "I am truly sorry for this, Captain!"
Thor then threw his hammer, sending Steve flying through the air and giving them an opening. Janet was shooting Vector and then saw that Peter was getting his armor ripped to shreds by X-ray scorching through it.
"Spider-Man!" Janet cried, seeing his armor was getting damaged. She flew in and shot X-Ray and quickly helped Peter up. "You okay?"
"I'm good," Peter said, seeing his armor was damaged. "But not for long."
Bursting into the main chamber, Logan, Thor, and Samson were met with an unexpected sight: several members of the Wrecking Crew had undergone mutations. These formidable foes were guarding the generator powering the gamma shield enveloping them, and even their weapons had been enhanced by the gamma radiation, a twist they hadn't anticipated.
"Uh-oh," Janet said.
"Oh, look, Wrecker, they thought the Leader was actually going to be here." Bulldozer said. "Too bad!"
Bulldozer affixed a gamma spike to his chest, transforming him into a bulkier version of himself. The team retreated as Wrecker hurled a massive wrecking ball their way, missing everyone except Samson. The impact flung Samson backward, shattering his suit.
"Doctor!" Thor cried.
Samson got up and seemed to be immune to the gamma radiation due to already having been exposed. "I'm okay. I'm not changing."
Samson found himself under attack from Piledriver, who successfully pinned him down. Meanwhile, Thor was gearing up for an assault but was thwarted when Wrecker cunningly entangled his leg with a wrecking ball, sending him crashing to the ground.
Peter sprang into action, only to be hurled aside by Thunderball, who delivered a crushing blow to his chest, leaving Peter gasping in agony. Just then, Janet swooped in for the rescue, blasting Thunderball away at high speed and landing a solid punch to his face.
"Get away from him!" Janet tried to defend her friend.
"Aw. Look at that," Piledriver scoffed. "Little itty-bitty Wasp thinks she can take us on all by herself."
"Me?" Janet scoffed. "Nah. I mean, I probably could, but what I mean is I am just distracting you."
As Logan stealthily made his way through the chaos, the Wrecking Crew seemed to be preoccupied elsewhere. Taking advantage of the distraction, he skillfully maneuvered behind the generator. With a fierce roar, he sprang into action, using his razor-sharp claws to tear into the metal casing of the generator. With a forceful downward motion, he rended the machine, causing it to spark and sputter.
A massive explosion erupted from the generator, and the powerful gamma shield created by the device was violently dismantled. The shimmering shield dissipated into nothingness, and the individuals who had been affected by its transformative energy began to revert to their natural forms. The chaotic energy that had enveloped them dissipated, leaving them visibly returning to their normal selves.
Steve groaned as he fell to his knees and his body was transformed back into his normal self. "Was...was I a wold a second ago?"
"Yeah," Peter said as he approached his friend. "When we get home, we're giving you a bath for fleas. Don't need you getting it on our furniture."
"The Leader?" Steve asked as he took Peter's hand.
"He's not here," Samson commented. "Who knows where he is. He could have been doing all of this from anywhere in the world."
"We'll find him." Janet proclaimed. "It's what we do."
"Well, for now, let's get this prison back under control," Peter said as they went to take the gamma containers fueling the generator. "Well, that was a long day."
"And it isn't even noon," Janet stated.
Peter sighed. "You know. I had a lot of time to think about stuff when that gamma guy was clinging onto my head."
"Really?" Janet asked. "What did you think about?"
"Regrets I'd have," Peter explained. "You think that I should ask Vicky Vale out?"
"Your coworker?" Janet recalled her encounter with her. "You have a thing for her?"
"Well, she's kind and smart, and we get along." Peter shrugged. "I mean... the worst she can say is no, right?"
"I mean, that's the right thought, but wrong attitude," Janet stated as she sat on the control panel. "Come on, Pete, you're a catch."
"You think so?" Peter asks.
"Yeah, on top of being a hero, you're smart. Clever. And you care about others." Janet listed Peter's traits. "Any girl would be lucky to go out with you."
"Anyone who can survive working with you must be a saint," Logan stated as he eavesdropped on their private conversation. "I say do it. Not many people can stand a guy with a mouth."
Peter chuckled as he sighed, knowing Logan was coming from a place of love. You know, maybe. It was hard to tell if Logan liked them or just tolerated them.
"Well, then that settles it, when we return to National City, I'll ask her out," Peter promises.
As the Avengers successfully retrieved the Cube in the distance, the Leader, Abomination, and the Absorbing Man observed the scene. Rather than viewing it as a loss, they saw it as a victory.
The Leader remarked, "That was a successful test, wouldn't you say? Then let the real test begin!"
With a wave of his hand, the Leader activated a second, much larger device that he had created. This device was designed to engulf the entire world. As the device powered up, a sprawling green dome began to expand, consuming the desert as it advanced toward the Cube once more.