New Chapter! 1/31/25
So, first, I appreciate the love and genuine criticism. It helps me get an understanding of what you all want. I know most would love to see this go faster, believe me I am trying my best, but it is a progress. By that, I mean writing it all out. I've stated this before, I have this story mostly planned out. It's just the details that I'm working on. JUst be patient with me.
Second, concerns over the Norman and Gwen Stacy thing. If you recall, both Norman and Mary Jane believed that actually happened because of some machinations of Mephisto. I've read Nick Spencers run and know it got retconned. Although it's unclear if Peter had that talk with MJ since in a Spider-Man/Deadpool comic, Deadpool made a reference to it and Spider-Man was shocked. It could be he was just shocked to hear it from Deadpool but I'm going with him not knowing about it. Anyway, the reason for me bringing it up in this story is for a fun plot later on. Don't worry, it'll be good.
Third, an update on the ASOIAF with vibranium in the North story. I'm still working out the kinks. I thought I could just start from the beginning of the rebellion and go from there, at least as a prequel, but there is a lot to consider that I forgot about. How much change would vibranium bring to not just the North but Westeros and the whole world?
And it turns out, a lot. So much so that I'm having to write it all down and do some serious research. I might have to do another, simpler, story to get at at least some idea of what would be good. Like a Lord of the Rings Story with Ned and Lyanna traveling with Thorin's company, or a God of War one where the Starks are descendants of Kratos. These are much simpler in concept and complexity than the vibranium one.
Be patient though, it's coming. In the meantime, let me know if you guys find those other ones interesting.
Finally, a shoutout to my supporters! TallestTree, Matthew B, DDenrik, Bryan G, Athis168, Andrew K, Calitos F, Seraphim38, Chris B, JamesNic20, SAROUMANERTYU, and Fleet Admiral. I don't know if you guys are cool with full names or not but I'm sticking with first names at least.
And for the rest of my readers, be sure to check out my Patron page, Secret Agent Man JP.
Now, onto the story.
(Death Valley, Quinjet)
Perched on top of a boulder at night, high enough to see the base a few hundred yards away, Spider-Man waits patiently as he can for the plan to begin.
Operation: Fool Me Once.
That's what he's calling it and he doesn't care what the others think. It's a clever play on words with all of them getting fooled and now them fooling the foolers who fooled them.
Anyway, the plan is simple enough to start. The Unity team fights the fake X-Men over the underground base, essentially making sure it looks like they are battling against bad guys, while he, Black Widow, Silver Sable, and Red She-Hulk sneak in the base and fight their way through.
While a simple plan it'll obviously be very difficult to execute. Because again, they are there to infiltrate a secret military base that has been experimenting with cosmic energy under Norman Osborn's eye. So he can definitely expect some surprises.
As he waits though, he has out his phone and is looking at the voicemail from Aunt May he received a short while ago. Just after they coerced General Whadon to order the phonies to come out.
Peter stares at the voicemail on his phone with a mix of longing and an aching heart before he tucks the device back into his belt. Now was not the time for him to be distracted, especially not by his typical trip down the rabbit hole of self-loathing.
Spider-Man turns his head down below, "How we lookin'?" He asks Natasha, who is low on the ground with high tech binoculars.
The red haired Russian glances up at him before going back to see through her binoculars, "No activity," she simply states, "Though that can change real fast if someone spots a bright red and blue doofus sitting on a rock."
"Hey," he slides down the rock and lands next to her, "There's no need to be so mean. Especially since Caps not here to defend himself."
Thanks to years of experience, he can see she resists the urge to roll her eyes. Which he takes as a win.
Looking out into the darkened desert to see his team getting into position doesn't sit right with him. He should be over there leading and fighting with them. But he knows he is better suited for the infiltration part of this mission. Because he can't be surprised and he has dealt with Norman for years. Maybe he can't anticipate the type of traps, but he knows Norman has a huge ego and is a maniac. So he either made enemies with the people he's working with or lost their trust.
Hence why they were able to convince the general to tell the fake X-Men to come out of the base. Where the Unity team will be waiting for them. A battle will ensue, hopefully with no casualties this time, and they'll not only be distracted but also won't receive any assistance from any military personnel in the base. Cause if they do, then Project Cosmic could be exposed.
And he knows whoever is backing Norman would not want that.
He turns his head around to look where Silver and Betty, who is in her human form, are standing. Both have gear but Silver is dressed with her usual tactical gear where Betty just has her sword and her outfit seems more for swimming since it shows a lot of leg. He figures it more for mobility since she can hulk out, like Jennifer.
Anyway, he is wondering if having both of them here is a good idea.
"It's almost time," Natasha announces as she stands up, "General Whadon will be giving the order to those impersonators in a few minutes."
Spider-Man nods and says, "When he does, and they come out to fight the team, it'll be a good distraction for us to sneak into that base."
He sees Widow nod in agreement with him. Makes him glad he got her to go along with this.
As for the veteran Avenger, Natasha has to admit, it's a decent plan. Admittedly it heavily relies on the element of surprise and the plan of attack is just that, attack. But since they have no idea of the layout of the base, no idea what to expect, and no time to make a real plan, improvisation on the spot is the best they can do. Not something she is fond of doing but she'll follow the best guy for the job.
She glances at the hero she is referring to, who has yet to take his eyes off the infiltration team they'll be working with. In particular, the mercenary they brought along.
"Something wrong?" She inquires.
He doesn't look away from Silver as he responds, "Are we sure this is a good idea? Bringing Silver along I mean." He looks at Widow now and she can see the concern on his face, even with the mask covering it, "If she's involved, wouldn't it turn into an international incident?"
"Not necessarily," Widow immediately tells him, having already thought about it, and glances at the woman she's worked with, "They'd want to keep quiet about this operation because not only do they have a well-known criminal leading the project, but they're also responsible for a fake X-Men team that attacked your team in broad daylight."
Spider-Man sighs, "That does very little to make my worry go away," he tells her as he looks back at Silver, "I just don't want Silver to have to do anything that'll put her on a terrorist watch list."
"She volunteered to come along because she knows how big this is," Natasha tells him, factually, "She knows the risks and she knows what she's doing."
He sighs as he says, "Again, does very little to make me worry less."
She looks at him and can see there is more going on than he is letting on. "What's this really about?" She questions.
He seems reluctant at first before he relents and slumps, "She kissed me," he says, surprising her, "And we talked about it back at the mansion."
She looks at him curiously, "What did you do?" She asks. She is aware if his current relationship status, being involved with three women at once, so she is curious on how he is handling rejecting advances from other women.
"I didn't reject her," he informs her, throwing her for a bit of a loop, "I just told her my circumstances."
"You mean your relationship?" She inquires.
Spider-Man nods, "Yeah. If anything more happened between us, she should know."
Natasha looks at him, bewildered by this and says, "Wait. Are you saying that you want her to be a part of this harem you've got going on?"
"It's not a harem," he states, offended from the word, "It's a relationship that includes multiple people. But I'm not the center of it. They're with each other too."
She raises a delicate brow at him.
"Look, I know how weird it sounds."
"Do you?"
"But it's not as weird as you think, okay?" He tells her, "We've got a long history with each other."
Natasha's accusing look does not leave. Most men in the hero's position would be reveling in it. They would go around boasting of their irresistible masculine energy and sexual prowess. But here this man is being humble enough to say that the women he is involved with are with each other as much as him.
She looks over to where the mercenary is with Betty Ross, and sees the two conversing, "And how does Sable fit into that history? "
She looks back at him and sees him slump just a tad as he says, "We've known each other for a long time now. I'd say she is someone I can trust to have my back when it's called for. Even if it goes against her contract. But more than that, there's this connection that I am having a hard time figuring out."
A connection. That makes her pause for a moment as her gaze unintentionally lingers on the hero.
She looks down in thought, "I understand the pull of connection, especially in our line of work." She lifts her head up and looks at Spider-Man as he looks back at her, "And in most cases, you'd have to ask yourself, is it worth it. But in your case Webhead, you have to ask yourself, what exactly are you trying to accomplish here?"
He seems to think for a moment before he sighs and leans on the rock as he looks up, "I wish I knew," he says, "I just know that what I'm feeling is as real as what I feel with the others."
Natasha observes him closely. Even with the mask, somehow, she can see he is being genuine. He feels something for the foreign mercenary.
Which begs the question.
"How will your girlfriends feel about you wanting to bring in another woman?"
He's brought up short by the question, evident when he clears his throat and nervously scratches it, "Well, we uh talked about it when we were on vacation, actually," he says, surprising her, "And to say it was a long and complicated conversation is an understatement."
He recalls they spent an entire night just talking with them. No fooling around, not that Felicia wasn't trying to make that happen, and open communication. He figures the girls got the idea after the whole 'truth will set you free' thing they went through.
"And?" Nat prompts him to continue.
"Well, you see, at the start, we were concerned about how everyone else would act and react," he tells the former Russian spy, "I mean, Tony basically blasting the news all over the hero community wasn't helping our worries. And that was just with people I work with. We are terrified of telling our families."
Understandable, if only a little insulting.
"But then, Sonja offered her own insight on the matter," he starts as he recalls his girlfriend's words on the matter, "She was really poetic about it too. In her words, love shouldn't be constrained by social norms. Why should something that comes natural, that we have no control over or real choice in, be dictated by people who have no stake in it. Sure, it would be nice if we had support, but that shouldn't be our priority."
He gets a fond look in his eye as he continues, "She even went on about how our relationship may have some jealousy, but that is more from our insecurities. We're possessive, but only because we're afraid of losing this thing we have. Which is something we should share if someone wants it."
Natasha looks at him strangely, and Spider-Man chuckles, "I know. It sounds weird, but in a way, it also makes sense." He then looks up at the night sky, at the stars he can't gaze at from the city with all the lights. "I've loved both women for a long time, and recently, Sonja has wormed her way through us, too. I know how I feel, and I can tell Felicia feels the same way, too."
He turns his gaze on her and asks, "Besides, in our line of work, how often do we get the chance to be with someone we love? Why limit it if that's the case?"
Natasha considers his words. In a way, what he's saying has some merit, an undeniable allure to his perspective that challenges the rigid structure of her own beliefs, and that of societies, about love and companionship. To some, the idea of love breaking free from societal norms may strike a chord, but for Natasha, it brings back memories of her tumultuous past filled with desires mixed with remorse.
She recalls her own experiences with romantic relationships. Bucky, Clint, and Matt being at the forefront. The less said about her complicated relationship with Bucky the better. But with Clint, they have had an on again off again cliche. Never really committed to each other despite the undeniable attraction. But that was obviously more on her than him since he was married to Bobbi. Yes, okay he has his issues, but still.
With Matt, they were partners in love and life, but he never treated her like one. He was always a one-man band kind of guy, never really letting her be his partner in the costumes when they were living together in San Francisco years back. Its why she made the clean cut.
She is still good friends with both and she can count on them if and when the time comes. But still, those fleeting moments shared beneath moonlit skies or amidst the chaos of battle, they linger in her memory. Sort of taunting her over what could have been and could be if she pursues it.
Case in point, her current situation with the hero in front of her.
"Widow, come in."
Everyone becomes alert when they hear Wolverine's voice, putting any and all conversation on halt. Natasha puts her game face and focuses on the mission as she puts her fingers on her ear, "Go ahead."
"We're in position," Logan informs her and the rest of her group, "The General here says with those phonies occupied, the only concern you'll have is about fifty soldiers with some high tech that could hurt a hulk."
Concerning, and hopefully an exaggeration, but nothing they can't handle. "Understood," she responds as she looks back out with her binoculars, "We'll move in, as soon as you guys start the party."
"Your idea of a party is concerning," Spider-Man comments as he and the rest shuffle closer.
She smirks in amusement and retorts, "Most parties have kids beating on a candy filled animal or sticking pointy things on an animal behind."
"Oh my god, we're monsters."
At the entrance of the underground base, a blue portal opens up and out walks the fake X-Men with fake Scott at the front.
Terry Benis. That's the real name of fake Scott. He constantly reminds himself this when he looks in the mirror and is disgusted with the sight. He is a cab driver with aspirations to be an actor. The real Scott Summers is a terrorist. An example of why mutants should have been eradicated when they were weakened.
He remembers it like it was yesterday. It was similar to this night when he heard the news. He was home when he received a call and was told by a fellow member of the Church of Humanity that mutants were nearly wiped out.
For Terry and his fellow members, it was a major victory. A validation of everything the Church preached for so long.
Their God, they claimed, had seen fit to purge the world of aberrations, to cleanse it of the mutant taint. And for those who had been steadfast in their convictions, this eradication was not a tragedy but a testament. A proclamation of righteousness that resounded through the hallowed halls of the Church of Humanity.
Yet, their Lord and Savior's work had come undone. The devil played his hand and sent his fire to restore his abominations. He saw on the news how Scott Summers and his followers had all but declared their dominance over them all. He remembers seeing so many heroes finally fighting those mutant scum, but it proved fruitless. For their heathenistic ways allowed the devil to become so strong.
And then, days later, he remembers seeing the embers of the devil soar across the sky. One even was to his neighbor's wife, her eyes had lost their color and turned all black. The poor woman had been cursed and damned. If fire is not a clear sign fo the devil's handiwork, then he doesn't know what is.
In that moment, he wondered why God allowed this to happen. But after praying and conversing with his fellow members, they came to the same conclusion. God did not stop it, because man was supposed to. God nearly wiped the blight that is mutant from his world but left the few so that humanity may unite and finish the job under his name.
God does not help those who do not help themselves after all.
Unfortunately, the heroes did not learn their lesson. The fools still believed the lie that mutants are still people. You can't save them all, he supposes. But it doesn't matter, because they now have the power to save themselves. Thanks to Norman Osborn.
The man was a genius. He came up with the entire scheme to frame the X-Men and gain official government support for the Church. All it took was heavy cosmetic surgery on Terry and some of his friends, along with some implants in his eyes that gave him the ability to mimic Scott Summers power. Terry stopped being himself, he played the role he was assigned.
Of course, none of them expected for their friend, who looked like Colossus, to have his head caved in by that Rogue woman. Guess she wasn't as fond of her friend as they assumed. He didn't even know the real name of the man. He doesn't know any of their real names. He just knows they share the same goal. Hence their reason for volunteering for this project.
As he takes in the cool night air of the desert, he looks around for the General who called them out. "General?" He calls out.
There is no response. The only sounds are the wind blowing the sand and crickets.
"Something isn't right," the fake Magneto behind him voices.
He would dismiss his partner's paranoia, if a gruff voice hadn't spoken out saying, "You're definitely not Magneto." They all whirl around to see the Wolverine crouch low with his claws out ready to fight them, "'Cause he would have felt me coming miles away."
Terry gets scared for a moment that their cover is blown, but keeps his cool to fool this damned monster. "Logan," he says, forcing himself to be confident and calm, "I don't know what you're talking about. But if you're here to join us, then we welcome any brother to our cause."
Wolverine scoffs dismissively, "And you're definitely not Slim," he states gruffly, "He's not the type to get scared easy like you are now."
Terry breaks out into a cold sweat, realizing he can't salvage the situation. and fake Magneto knows this too as he comments, "Well, it doesn't matter now does it? The world believes we are your friends, and that's all that matters."
The feral mutant smirks as he says, "Until we expose you."
That makes them pause and Terry asks, "We?"
"HEADS UP!"
A shout from above makes them look up to see a large orange rock coming toward them. The fake X-Men quickly scatter as it impacts the ground. Once the dust settles, the rock is reveled to be none other than Ben Grimm, the Thing.
The large rock man wipes the dirt of his shoulders and before the fake X-Men have time to recover and regroup, they are besieged by the Unity Team. Thunder rumbles and lighting cackles over head as Thor flies down to strike fake Magik. But the woman manages to raise her sword in time to meet the blow with a swing of her sword. A massive shockwave goes out and the two are sent back.
Thor recovers fast as he glares at the woman, "Foolish imposter," he says as he whirls his hammer, "Whatever power you wield, is one you do not understand. Surrender."
Fake Magik snorts dismissively, "Sorry, Goldilocks," she says with an American accent as she raises her sword up, "But there is only one God I listen too, and you're not him."
She swings her sword and a wave of energy comes out barreling towards the Son of Odin. Thor is hit and propelled back but recovers fast. Just as fake Magik is going to attack again, Hope Summers sucker punches the woman with a hex fist, and the fake recoils from the blow but maintains her footing. But Hope does not stop her attack and continues to wail on the phony Russian blonde.
Fortunately, the woman's teammate with Magneto's visage uses his power, that is clearly not magnetism, to wrap the girl attacking the blonde in his power and fling her away from the swordswoman. The Scarlet Witch manages to catch her teammate and set her on the ground beside her. She herself was battling the man who looked like her father but it is now clear he is not him.
Across the battlefield's chaotic expanse, Captain Marvel soars across the air, firing her binary blast at the fake Cyclops. The man is doing his best to avoid the blasts, while also firing his own at her. Which is proving to be fruitless since she can absorb it all. But she can't aboard Golden Balls attacks, which is the only thing keeping her at bay.
Havok is assisting her by firing blast after blast at every gold ball that flies at him or her. He is trying to get closer but it's proving to be difficult since the man with his brothers face keeps his eyes on him as much as Captain Marvel.
Not too far from them, Emma Frost is handling Wolverine, Rogue, and Thing very well. The woman's diamond form, which is actually harder than diamond, makes it so that not a single one of them can hurt her. Rogue can't even siphon off the woman's power because she can't touch her skin.
And while all this fighting is going on, four individuals sneak through the dust, go into the crater Thing had made with his entrance, and enter the base.
All according to plan.
(Underground Base)
The base was a flurry of activity, with flashing red lights and blaring alarms adding to the chaotic scene. A thick layer of dust and debris filled the air, making it difficult to see or breathe. The once-secure ceiling now had a gaping hole, revealing the night sky above. Soldiers frantically ran about, shouting orders and attempting to cover the breach with anything they could find.
Military vehicles were being hastily repositioned to create makeshift barriers. The panic and confusion on the soldiers' faces was evident as they waited for orders from their missing commander, General Whadon. The sense of urgency was palpable in the air as everyone scrambled to fix the situation before it escalated further.
And because of all the chaos, Spider-Man, Widow, Sable, and Betty moved quickly and quietly through the base. Their movements were swift and calculated, made easier by Widow and Sable's expert training and Spider-Man's heightened senses. They weaved between crates and ducked behind overturned vehicles and debris, using every bit of cover they could find to remain undetected.
Finally, they reached a secluded area away from the frenzied soldiers. Behind a stack of crates, they peered out cautiously at their surroundings, assessing their next move carefully. The tension in the air was thick as they awaited their next course of action.
"Okay, based on the layout here, I'd say were in the storage section of this place," Spider-Man shares his observation.
Natasha nods, "There were no blueprints to this place, so it was likely an unofficial overnight job."
Spidey looks at her in surprise, "They can do that?"
"You'd be surprised," Betty chimes in, recalling her experience with military operations with her father.
Spidey lets out a humorless laugh, "Great, so we're dealing with a fly-by-night operation," he quips.
"Well, this fly-by-night operation is messing with cosmic powers," Betty retorts as she shoots a pointed look at the hero, "So I'd take it a little more seriously."
"Believe me I am," he states as he spots a tunnel that soldiers are coming out of, "When it comes to Osborn, I know better than anyone to take that man seriously."
They raise a brow at the man before they duck down as some soldiers run by. Widow peers out again before she motions for them to move forward. Together they creep around crates and through the equipment, Spider-Man sticking close to Betty while glancing back at Natasha and Silver Sable.
They come to the mouth of the tunnel where the soldiers were pouring out. There are two standing guard at the entrance, their high tech rifles held tight against their chests, eyes darting up at the gaping hole above. Ready to shoot at anything they see come through. Fortunately they didn't see the heroes'.
Spider-Man aims his web shooters at them and waits for the perfect moment to avoid detection by trusting his spider sense. The moment he flet no danger of detection, he fired two lines at the guards and yanked them fast. With all the commotion above and below the base, their surprised yelps were not heard. Neither were the ones they let out when Widow shocks them.
Webbing them up and stuffing them inside of a crate, the four of them go into the tunnel. They don't go far when they come across a forked pathway.
Looking between the two paths, the Wall Crawler asks his companions input, "Which way do we go?"
Spider-Man and his team looked at the fork in the tunnel, weighing their options. Time being of the essence, they needed to find Norman Osborn and shut down Project Cosmic before it was too late.
Spider-Man then feels a tingle, but not one of warning or his new future sense. Instead, this one feels more in tune with his surroundings. He closes his eyes for a moment, and then feels like a pulse wave is sent from his mind, scanning for something. He sees the activity of the soldiers in the tunnels, rooms of the place, and even can see some men and women in lab coats running around.
But one presence in particular has his attention.
He opens his eyes, "Left," he declares, pointing decisively. "I can feel it. Osborn's down that way."
They look at him curiously as Betty asks, "How do you know?"
He looks down the dark corridor and says simply, "Trust me." They pause to consider his words before he speaks again, this time with conviction. "We have to split up," he declares, "We need to handle Osborn, but we also need to find out who authorized and funded this. We can't let them bury this and walk away after all the damage they've done."
He is not only talking about the destruction of property, but also the damage to the reputation of Scott and his people. As a result, the X-Men are now seen as less trustworthy, which also affects the credibility of the Unity team. This makes it even more difficult for their cause to gain traction.
Widow steps forward and says, "In that case, Spider-Man and Betty, you two go after Osborn. Silver and I will find what we can on who approved this project and why."
Spider-Man hesitated for a split second before nodding. "Okay. But stay in contact. If you run into more trouble than you can handle, call out."
"Same goes for you," Widow replies as she cocks back her gun.
Silver Sable checks her weapons, her posture tense and ready. "Let's move. We don't have much time."
With that, the team splits off down their respective tunnels. Spider-Man and Betty move swiftly and silently, his senses on high alert. Making sure to stay close to the wall as they travel down the way. They pass by some doors and stop to peek inside in case there is something they need to see or deal with. But most rooms were living quarters or break rooms. Spider-Man just keeps moving to where his spider sense is telling him to go, and Betty is following him.
"So are you going to tell me how you know Osborn is this way," Betty asks the hero as they hurry down the large hallway, "You have some sort of power that allows you to track people?"
"I do actually," he responds as they come to a stop at an intersecting hallway. He looks down left and right to see if the coast is clear, "It's sort of new. Just found out about it now but I'm guessing I've had since I've come back to life."
Betty raises a brow in surprise as she leans on the wall beside, "You died?"
Spidey glances at her looking back down the hallways, "Yeah not a pleasant experience," he says. He sees sowadws moving down all three ways and wants to avoid fighting the soldiers if possible. He then spots a grate on the wall and his eyes light up, "Perfect."
He quickly climbs up before gently pulling off the vent. He looks inisde the air vent, then turns and holds his hand out for his partner, "Come on, we can avoid being seen through here."
Without hesitation, Betty leaps and grasps his hand, and Spider-Man pulls her into the cramped space of the vent. She scrambles up into the vent, hitting her knees on the cold metal as she crawls in behind him. The passage is narrow, forcing them into close quarters. The metallic scent filled their noses as they crawled forward, the sound of their movements muffled by the ventilation system's hum.
"Nice choice," Betty whispered, crawling behind the hero. "Though I'm not sure how much I like being inside a giant air duct."
"Just think of it as an express route," he replies, and one can tell by his voice he has a cheeky grin. "We're making use of the buildings infrastructure. Very eco-friendly."
"So we're saving the world more than one way?" Betty dryly retorts.
"Got to learn how to multitask in this business," he says.
They travel a good distance before they come to the end of the ventilation system. Looking down from it, Spider-Man sees they've stopped above some very large bunker doors that have several doxen guards in front.
Seeing now other way in, Spider-Man whispers his plan to his partner, "Okay, so there is no easy way in. Which means, we're gonna have to resort to the ole tactics of punch and smash."
Betty snorts as her eyes begin to glow yellow, "Good thing that's what I'm best for."
Spider-Man swiftly kicks the vent cover and leaps out as the vent creaks and crumbles under the weight of Betty's transformation before finally the whole thing is torn open like a soda can. Red She Hulk lands with a resounding thud, making the ground shake and her towering form intimidating the guards before they even registered what was happening. Her eyes blazed with fire as she surveys the scene, muscles coiling and ready for action.
The startled soldiers scramble to fire but Spider-Man swings into action. Spider-Man flips over one of the guards and webs up another before he could react. "You'd think they'd learn after all these years," he quips, dodging some rapid firing aimed at his head, "Granted, my usual guys are goons and hired thugs, but soldiers should still be informed on what they're going to be dealing with."
His accomplice swiftly takes down two guards with a pair of clotheslines, disregarding the bullets that are being shot at her. They merely bounce off her impervious skin, causing only minor discomfort. She pushes through the sensation and focuses on neutralizing the soldiers in around her. She grabs one by his uniform and tosses him to two more, knocking them down like bowling pins.
In the air, Spider-Man webs them to the ground before he pushes off the ceiling to propel himself to another soldier, twisting out of the way of the bullets coming at him, and punches the man in the face.
The fighting ends when only one guard is left and is shaking in fear as he keeps his automatic rifle pointed at them, "S-Stop! O-Or I'll sh-shoot!"
Both heroes look at the last soldier standing dubious expressions before looking at his comrades. They both look back at the soldier and Spider-Man says, "I admire a guy willing to hold the line when the odds are not in his favor, but in this case dude, I recommend you play possum."
Red punches her palm, the sound like a thunderclap, and says "Or don't and you'll be possum on the road."
The guard's shaking only becomes worse before his eyes roll back and he drops like a ragdoll.
Spider-Man tilts his head, "Huh, you think he actually passed out or he took my advice?"
She does not answer and walks over all the unconscious soldiers. She stops in front of the massive bunker doors and grabs on to the interlocking bolts and pulls. The doors groan under her immense strength but they do not give in. Betty grunts as her muscles strain, veins bulging, and Spider-Man can see the ground under feet cracking but the door doesn't budge.
"Need a hand?" Spider-Man asks, his brow raised as he watches Betty grunt and struggle against the stubborn metal.
"Only if you've got a wrecking ball in your pocket," she shoots back, her muscles flexing with effort. The doors groan but remain strong.
"Well, I wouldn't call it a wrecking ball, but-I'm gonna stop right there," he says with a shake if his head before he steps up. Red She-Hulk steps back as he inspects the door closely, "Looks like tis a composite of metals like tungsten and chromium. So brute force is gonna take a minute."
Red She-Hulk growls, "Unless we soften it up," she says before she spits on the bolts. Her spit then begins to sizzle and corrode the metal.
"Woah," Spider-Man looks at it in surprise, "Xenomorphs got mothing on you huh. Got a mouth tongue too?"
She smirks at him, "Play your cards right, and you might see."
Taken back by her flirting for a moment, Spider-Man refocuses as the spit corrodes the metal bolts. He and she step up and grab the large interlocking bolts, "Count of three," he says and she nods in response, "One. Two. Three!"
With a synchronized heave, Spider-Man and Red She-Hulk wrenched the massive doors apart. Metal groaned and bolts snapped as the corrosion-weakened barrier gave way. The doors flew open with a thunderous crash, revealing an observation deck with computer screens and a glass panel overlooking a dreary chamber. They step inside to look down from their room and see a pod in the middle of the chamber, large tubes and wires attached to it and connecting it to other machines scattered throughout the room, and one Norman Osborn standing in front of it.
Not even a moment of hesitation, Spider-Man bursts through the glass and lands on the ground in his signature stance. Red She-Hulk leaps in soon after and lands with a loud thud, shaking the room. But neither time does Norman turn to acknowledge their presence.
"You've finally arrived," the man says as he continues to look at the pod. Norman watches as the containment pod pulsates intensely with cosmic energy, "Rather disappointing it took you this long."
"It's over Norman," Spider-Man announces, watching his arch enemy for any sudden moves.
But the man remains calm, undeterred by the heroes presence, "Is it? Tell me, why is that?" He rhectorically questions as he finally turns to look at them, "Because you think you have me cornered? Come now, Spider-Man, we both know, I'm never without a backup plan."
Rulkie growls, "Enough!" She declares as she charges at the man.
Norman doesn't so much as flinch as the large woman charges. She doesn't get very close when a barrier stops her charge and she is repelled back with the same force she was charging with. Spider-Man is quick to react and shoots out a webbed net precisely where she is about to collide. She shoots past him like a speeding bullet and slams into the net on the wall below the observation room they had just leapt from.
Spider-Man quickly leaps by her side. "I guess we found the backup plan," he says as Red She-Hulk peels herself out of the net.
She is on her knees, still shook from the blowback, and wipes off the webbing, "Thanks for the cushion, but I didn't really need it."
"It wasn't so much for you than it was for this place," he tells her before he gestures to the place around them, "We're underground in a last minute made base with our friends fighting some supped up phonies of the X-Men. You breaking a floor might not end well for us."
She raises a curious eyebrow at him, "You thought that far ahead."
"You'd be surprised how far and fast this mind-o-mine thinks," he jokes before he looks back at Norman, who is watching them with a smug sinister smile on his face, "Now I'll find a way to use it to wipe that smile off his face."
Spider-Man walks up to his foe but stops when he feels his spider sense tingle in warning of the barrier. He lets his hand glide over it and sees the blue energy, likely cosmic energy, become more visible by his hand.
"You've stepped up your game, Norman," he comments as he lets his hand float over the barrier, "This a step up from your usual play of flying around carrying a purse."
Osborn gives the hero a twisted smile, "It's simply Darwinism, Parker," he says as he walks closer the hero, "Organisms have to evolve and change, or they die."
Spider-Man narrows his eyes, "You mean like your sanity? Because that seems to be in serious decline," he says and tries to reason with his foe, "You don't know what you're playing with Norman."
"I clearly do," the madman retorts as he eyes the pod eagerly, "After all, without me, Project Cosmic would have been a complete failure."
Spider-Man looks at the pod with great concern as he keeps his nemesis talking, "How did you use it to make those fake X-Men? You finish Jackal's work?"
Norman glances as the hero shakes his head, "No. Beyond the cosmetic surgery to make them look like your friends, I also added some extra features to allow them to mimic their abilities. Cybernetic implants in all of them. Behind the eyes for optic blasts, beneath that woman and man's skin so that they may turn it into diamond or steel, and of course the suits and sword. All of it is powered by cosmic energy, the Enigma Force."
"Sounds like you've become the mad scientist cliché," Spider-Man fires back, "but instead of lab coats and goggles, you're rocking a tailored suit."
"I prefer the term, business casual," Norman retorts smugly as he adjusts his tie.
Spider-Man watches the pod intently as it continues to pulse with cosmic energy, "How the hell did you pull this off, Norman?" He questions his greatest foe, who glances at him, "This sort of thing has never been in your wheelhouse."
Norman's smile widens a glint of madness in his eyes. "You're right, it isn't. But I had some...divine revelation, you could say."
Spider-Man's eyes narrow behind his mask. "What are you talking about?"
"You have a habit of angering some powerful individuals, Spider-Man," Norman tells him as he pushes a button on his watch, and then the monitors around the room begin to beep frantically, "Most recently with this Unity team you are leading. It wasn't hard for me to find and convince the right people to lead this project. I have what I want. Now, I keep my end of the bargain."
Spider-Man hears a metallic hiss and he looks behind himself to see a panel on the wall below the observation room open and out comes a sight he despises, the Goblin Glider. It powers up and blasts out of the hidden panel, Spidey ducks and it goes through the cosmic barrier seemlessly.
The hero looks at the glider with concern and lets out a groan, "Don't tell me, you've upgraded your toys and the morons in charge don't know."
Osborn ignores his foe and steps up to his glider, which also has a suitcase on top of it, as he says, "Those fools thought they were in control. Never once did they realize how their greed and lust for power played into my hand." He opens the suitcase and pulls out his goblin mask, "Now though? They will see what happens when you make a deal with the devil!"
He slips the mask on and the rest of the outfit too. Norman stops being Norman Osborn, and the Green Goblin is all that is left.
"Then again," Goblin says with a mad cackle, "I really shouldn't be one to talk! HAHAHAHA!"
Spider-Man braces himself, "Don't suppose your just planning to throw candy?"
Norman lets out a laugh that echoes as he hops onto his glider, "Well, I do have some treats to share with all the good boys and girls that you brought with you!" He then presses a button on his gauntlet and the beeping on the monitors stop. It gets quiet for a moment before the monitors all turn red as the pod begins to glow intensely.
"What did you just do?" Spider-Man demands, his senses on high alert.
Goblin cackles, "Oh, just made things more difficult for your friend upstairs," he tells him as his hand has the same glow as the pod does, "But if I were you, I'd be more concerned with me!"
The barrier between them drops and Goblin fires an energy beam from his finger tip at the hero, which Spider-Man dodges, and he foe cackles as he soars around the room firing at his most hated enemy.
All the while, the hero is concerned by what Norman meant when he said he made things more difficult for his friends.
(Above Ground)
Rogue hits the ground and rolls before she comes to a stop. She lifts her head up to glare at the fake Emma Frost with righteous anger as the woman judo flips Ben Grimm and he is tossed as Logan. Whoever this woman is, she is definitely a step above Frost in fighting skills. Frost is no slouch, but she would not have lasted this long in a fight like this.
All around her, the fake X-Men are holding their own against the Unity team. Even though they are outnumbered, they are not outclassed. Seems whatever gave them powers is making them a real challenge for the heroes. But they are waning, evident by how they all seem to be struggling to remain standing.
Guess stamina wasn't in the power package.
Still, Rogue needs to keep her guard up. She pushes herself off the ground, adrenaline pumping through her veins as she prepares to charge back into the fray. She glances at Havok, who fires a powerful blast at the fake Cyclops, forcing him back with a grunt.
"Rogue!" Carol's voice booms nearby. She fires a blast at Magento, which bounces off the barrier surrounding him, "We need to force them into a corner! They can't take much more!"
"Right behind you!" Rogue shouts, charging forward. She leaps into the air and grabs hold of Cyclops' arm just as he aims his optic beam her direction, and tosses him at Frost, who has just stabbed Wolverine in the stomach, knocking her away from the feral man.
She sees the other fakes being pushed back as well, Magneto by Wanda, Magik by Hope Summers, Golden Ball by Havok, and Cyclops by Captain Marvel. All of them being gathered into one spot.
Thunder and lightning cackles overhead, telling her Thor is preparing for a large attack.
"Hear me pretenders!" Thor's voice booms throughput the desert and she looks up to see the god twirling his hammer over his head and lighting gathering into it, "For your deceit and transgressions, you shall feel the full wrath of the God of Thunder!"
The fake X-Men stumble, eyes wide with fear as they realize their impending doom. Rogue's heart races as she watches Thor concentrate his power, the hair on her neck standing from the electicity in the air.
The fake X-Men stumble, eyes wide with fear as they realize their impending doom. Rogue's heart races as she watches Thor concentrate his power, the hair on her neck standing from the electicity in the air.
But before the Norse pantheon can unleash his attack, the imposters begin to scream in agony. Fake Cyclops falls to his knees, clutching his head. Beside him, the fake Emma Frost, Magik, Magneto, and Golden Ball do the same.
All the while, the heroes watch in confusion and concern, including Thor who stopped his attack to see why they were screaming in agony before he even unleashed his fury on them.
"Da heck is wrong wit dem?" Ben Grimm asks his friends, as he watches his foes writhe in pain with concern. Enemies or not, he doesn't like seeing people suffer.
Carol shakes her head, her own eyes wide with concern, "I don't know," she says honestly, "If I had to guess, whatever was giving them their powers is now hurting them."
The heroes watch in horror as the fake X-Men's bodies begin to contort and twist in unnatural ways. Their screams intensify, becoming inhuman shrieks that echo across the desert night. Fake Cyclops' body starts to elongate, his limbs stretching like taffy. His skin ripples and bubbles as if something is trying to burst out from within. Beside him, fake Magneto's metallic armor begins to melt and flow like liquid mercury, enveloping his writhing form. Fake Magik's body seems to fold in on itself, her sword glowing white-hot and merging with her arm.
Cyclops' body stretches and contorts, his flesh seeming to liquefy as it reaches out towards Magneto and Magik. Their bodies, too, begin to melt and merge with his. The heroes watch in horror as the three figures collapse into a writhing mass of flesh and costume. Bones crack and reshape, muscles tear and regrow, skin bubbles and reforms. The merged being grows larger, towering over the stunned onlookers.
Meanwhile, fake Emma Frost's diamond form shatters, shards of crystal embedding themselves in Golden Ball's molten gold skin. Their flesh bubbles and melds, creating a horrific amalgamation of diamond and gold. Multiple arms sprout from this new torso, each ending in razor-sharp golden claws with diamond tips. Emma's face, frozen in a silent scream, becomes a mask-like protrusion on the creature's chest.
The screaming stops finally, and all that is left are the monstrosities before them. Though Rogue is having a hard time to look at them she does note that the fusion of the imposters of Cyclops, Magneto, and Magik monster has Cyclops' visor across its misshapen head, since it now three faces on one skull and now sports Magneto's melted helmet into its skull. One of the hands of the creature is Magik's sword and the other is a metallic mass of tendrils.
The other monster, while not as bulky, still very terrifying. With the imposter Emma Frost face frozen in fear and horror on the thing's chest, definitely unsettles the heroes of the implications. It also has diamond spikes protruding all over its body. It even has diamond teeth.
The unity team are frozen and horrified by what they are looking at.
Alex summarizes the situation up eloquently, "Fuck."
Done!
I'm gonna be honest, I'm surprised myself for how I ended this chapter. I was just going to power up the phonies, but then I watched the Thing, and I got a little twisted. Besides, I rated this M, so…
I am also aware how short this chapter is, I will try to make up for it in the next chapter.
Anyway, be sure to share your comments, questions and/or concerns. It helps the process.
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