Avenging Justice 3:
To Infinity and Anti-Life
Part XIII
Earth, Missouri, Central City
The Flash was running. Around him things went by in blurs of colors and sound, bleeding together into a cacophony of noise that would deafen most. It was where he belonged, racing, ever racing. However, to what? That was what he'd been asking himself lately, and the answers had been coming back more and more bleak. Ever since His death, everything had changed, like a light had gone out.
Diana still held out hope, and what little communication from Batman made Superman's survival sound definite. However, now on his own, and trying to make a difference, darkness was closing in faster than he could move. In fact the faster he ran, the closer it got, as light began to fade into the background. Was that all the universe was, darkness and cold?
He stopped suddenly, a man falling into his outstretched arms. The confused older man looked around, fully expecting to not have survived. Flash smiled, put him down and then burst off again. There were other people to save, then just accidents caused by inattentiveness. Like the officer bleeding out during a gun fight with some criminals. Flash got him to the nearest hospital, looking down only briefly to realized his suit was darker than normal.
He double checked to make sure he hadn't gotten hit, more out of habit than necessity. As fast as he was, to be taken out by a bullet, that'd be very embarrassing. Instead, he guessed it came from the officer's wounds. However, his team was feeding him more data, and there was another disturbance closer to the outskirts. He raced off, getting there just in time to stop three teen girls from sacrificing another to some dark force. Was it Dormamu, or Trigon? He couldn't remember.
"I see you are a little, as they say, run ragged," a slightly bemused voice said. "Welcome some help, yes?"
Flash stopped and so did the other man. He was in a blue costume with a zigzagged lightning bolt going down his chest. His hair was stark white, wild looking and unkempt. What one might expect a speedster to look like, if they didn't wear a cowl like his, or a helmet. The impish grin on his face though, told of a certain degree of mischief.
"Why are you here?" Flash asked, feeling tired all of a sudden.
Quicksilver shrugged, "With the big boy gone, things have gotten out of hand. Now just for us mutants, but for everyone. Kind of my way of doing something."
"I can understand that," Flash smiled. "Feels like I've been running myself ragged lately. So, many things are going wrong."
Quicksilver was already a burst of speed, "Then let's have some fun!"
Flash stood there for a moment, "I wonder if this is how Batman feels when I do that?" Then he was gone too.
Brazil, Amazon Rainforest, HYDRA Outpost 2098
Iron Man was not having fun. The trees were tightly packed in this area of the rainforest, making his part of the plan extremely difficult. Thanks to his advanced satellites and this suit's sensors, he still had a good map of the surrounding area. However, getting through the foliage was going to mess up his paint job. In his helmet Friday was already making a reminder to clean out the suits intake when he got back home.
Down below the sound of a dirt bike roared through the forest. Iron Man smiled beneath his armored face plate, Steve was probably having a ball. Then the second dirt bike roared right behind it. Make that Natasha too, Tony felt himself hoping this mission lasted for a little bit. Those two didn't get enough time to be themselves. Missions like this they could let loose and be free, which is probably why they worked all the time.
It had been three days since the Cyborg Superman had made his appearance. That hadn't stopped the world's downward decline though. It seemed with four of those Supermen running about, it had only increased the world's despondency instead of alleviating it. Even Tony had to admit he was missing the Big Blue Boy Scout. He even felt bad for Supergirl. She was trying to fill in for her cousin's legend, but doing so at a disadvantage.
Then there was the S.H.I.E.L.D. backed Solaris and Luna. They had been out doing all the stuff Superman had been doing in the past, but the public reaction to them had been even worse than horrible. The people of Earth actively jeered them, spit at them and threw all manner of things at them. Luckily the remains of the Justice League and the Avengers fared much, much better. They were still greeted like heroes.
"Cap, I'm in position," Hawkeye called over the comms. "Infiltrate in three."
The engines of the dirt bikes revved and the two riders rapidly accelerated. Vision materialized through the tree branches and leaves, just as an explosion rocked the rainforest. Out came dozens of Hydra soldiers, several were immediately taken down by Visions gem blasts. Others found electrocuting pins embedding in their bodies, and more found a thrown, round, shield hitting them in the face. It was then that Iron Man dove under the canopy of the trees.
What surprised the team though, was when a wall was thrown at them. Captain America dove and put his shield up. Meanwhile Black Widow rolled to the side and found cover, since she didn't carry hers with her. Vision knocked the wall aside, where it boomed to the ground. Meanwhile Iron Man had his own issues, as a steel beam was hurtled at him with pinpoint accuracy. He dodged it just in time, but found another smacking into his blindside.
"What is that down there?" Iron Man called out.
Hawkeye sent an arrow out as he replied, "Looks like an ugly Hulk, trying to give you a distraction."
"Did he say Ugly Hulk?" Captain America took advantage to sprint forward to a better spot.
It was Black Widow who explained, "Sounds like Abomination. Banner ran into him when General Ross gave a potential Super Soldier serum to a special forces soldier."
"How many times did they try to recreate it?" Captain America asked.
This time it was Vision who spoke, "According to S.H.I.E.L.D. records, there was the version the Soviets made for their Red Guardian, the experimental version the Americans used on a Mr. Bradley, and then the one that made the Abomination."
"Vision, we are going to talk about those files later," Director Fury interjected. "There are other versions out there, but those were the closest to success. However, Abomination's case is different, as he is a match for the Hulk in many ways. I'm sending in our newest attorney."
Iron Man couldn't help himself, "I don't think we can litigate this threat. I mean, can we? I got the money for that."
Another loud boom, but this one sounding more like an impact, rattled the rainforest. This caused even Abomination to turn, though he did so with a well placed toss of debris at Black Widow. She dodged, knowing that it wouldn't be enough, but also knowing something else. Steve slammed into her and they rolled, both their momentum pushing them out of danger. The fact that part of the debris hit his shield, and helped propel them along, didn't hurt either.
"Thanks," she said.
He smiled back, "Glad to be of service. Now any ideas on how to defeat this guy."
"Drop a Hulk on him, that's what worked last time," Black Widow replied. "Stark, is your Hulkbuster armor available?"
"In about thirty seconds," he replied back.
However, it was a new voice that caused them to pause, "Don't worry about that, you've got a Hulk, She-Hulk."
Leaping, She-Hulk came down hard on Abomination, slamming a fist into the villain's jaw. The force was enough to send Abomination staggering back. However, she wasn't exactly expecting the reply blow, which was more of an instinctual reflex. However, some part of her, found it invigorating and she leapt back at the Abomination.
"See dear reader," She-Hulk explained. "Apparently Hulks like a good fight. The thing I've got on my side is I still have my wits, something my cousin battles. I wouldn't call him a dumb brute, but the Hulk persona is more of a smashy smash guy."
She-Hulk pounded into Abomination, allowing Iron Man and the other Avengers to get into position. The monster that used to a man didn't hesitate to fight back, and seemed to be enjoying inflicting brutality. He picked her up and brought her overhead, ready to slam She-Hulk into the ground. As he did, something was amiss, there was no impact, no thud, and no crunching of bones. The creature looked up to see the other Avengers running towards him.
"Ah, see there, big guy," She-Hulk slammed two fists into the back of his skull. "There are benefits to being flexible." As he fell to a knee, she followed up with a front axe kick, "Well flexible and strong. Go, Vision!"
She-Hulk dived out of the way as Vision blasted Abomination with energy. The creature threw a broken wall at him, and suddenly had a red and white shield slamming into the bridge of his nose. He grabbed at Captain America, and then yelled as electricity ran through his body. It wasn't enough to do any harm, but it still hurt. Abomination turned quickly, seeing Black Widow sprint away. Then Vision's blast came, followed by a blast from Iron Man's energy weapons.
The monster howled and angrily grabbed for any he could get his huge mitts on. He grabbed whatever was around, throwing, smashing and attempting to squash these insignificant insects. They were too quick, and most of his attacks missed or were deflected off. He was getting angry, very, very angry. He turned again, and this time a very green fist connected with his jaw.
"Iron Man, Vision, get him to the upper atmosphere!" Captain America shouted as he sent his shield into the back of that thing's head.
Iron Man's tone said he caught on, "You want to see if he can breathe in space."
"Captain, excellent thinking," Vision complimented. "If you'll attach rockets to him, I believe between the two of us, we can succeed."
"Well Big Brains, get started," She-Hulk punched the Abomination so hard he lifted up into the sky. "That should get you started."
Both Vision and Iron Man blasted off, each taking turns lifting Abomination higher and higher into the air. The more altitude, the more Abomination fought, feeling what their plan depended on, lack of Oxygen. Between the two, they managed to reach low Earth orbit and the Abomination's struggles started to dwindle, till he fell still.
Down below the Avengers watched. From the facility a pulsing began to go through the ground. Only being in this situation before saved them, as both Captain America and Black Widow rushed everyone back a few hundred yards. She-Hulk, new to this, stayed back to cover them from what might be coming from the facility. The energy wave that hit her, was definitely not what she was expecting, nor that fact that it actually hurt.
"My dear Captain," came the voice of a villain thought long gone. "If you have managed to survive, then bravo to you. However, if this is one of his comrades, or an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., know Hydra is coming."
Natasha saw the look of anguish on Steve's face, "Who is it?"
"Why of all the people from my past, why does it have to be the Red Skull?" was his only reply. "Why couldn't he stay dead?"