Marvel Mayhem: Villain's Tale: Road to the Altar #1
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Staring...
8-Ball - Pot Luck
Diamondback - Love Less
Overrider - Shifting Gears
Wraithwitch - Alien Relations
Spectre - Ghost of a Hangover
Freezer Burn - Keeping it Chill
and Guest Starring...
Captain America - Stars and Stripes
Heart’s Gate, Cyprus - One Month Ago
Jeff stood hugging the naked woman as if his life depended on it, a massive smile showing through his cracked helmet. “Rachel I can’t believe it, I can’t believe I found you.”
“I love you too.” Rachel responded as she pushed Jeff away. “I’m just not in love with you.”
“Uh oh.” Spectre whispered to Overrider, “I kinda thought that after all this…”
“Don’t even say it, I know Jeff and he’s about to…”
“Not in love with me?” Jeff gasped. “What do you mean; I fought the Avengers for you, I stormed an alternate reality for you even put up with an effing Doombot for you and now…now you say you’re not in love with me?!”
“It’s complicated.” Rachel replied, her face cold and emotionless.
“Complicated? No do you love me?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want to get married to me?”
“No.” Rachel whispered, “I can’t waste this, I was love, actual love. One person isn’t enough anymore.” She added as Jeff through his helmet to the floor, tears rolling down his face. “I’m not sorry; this is how it’s meant to be.” She added.
**
Wraithwitch’s Apartment, Greenwich - The Present
Jaime Slade yawned as she kicked the covers off the bed and wearily walked into the bathroom, before kneeling over the toilet and vomiting. Groaning she rubbed her eyes and pulled the chain before looking over to the bath and screaming.
“What is it?” A voice yelled as an Indian woman dressed in nothing but a bikini top ran to the door.
”What is that Witch?!” Jaime spluttered as she pointed to the body lying submerged in the bath, a steady stream of bubbles emerging from holes on its neck. “And what’s it doing here?”
“That’s Mister Norris, our landlord.” Wraithwitch stated as she transformed into her bulky alien form. “By the goddess, why did you bring him back here?”
“Me, what do you…oh I don’t feel very good.” Jaime moaned as she darted back to the toilet. “Why can’t I be like Jeff and Richard, those two lost their women and they are fine, me I get stood up on one date and I drink myself into oblivion.”
“I don’t think you should jump to that conclusion.” Wraithwitch hissed. “Isn’t the gas always greener on the other side of the hill?”
“What?!” Jaime groaned.
“The gas is greener.” Wraithwitch replied.
“It’s grass, not gas.” Jaime told her
“Yes that too, now we should get ready to go.” Wraithwitch sighed as she transformed back into her human form. “Urgh I hate this shape!!”
“Where are we going?” Jaime groaned as Wraithwitch pulled her hair out of the way.
“Uh the demonstration, the one that’s going to change the world forever.” Wraithwitch replied as a column of bubbles erupted from the bath.
**
Hagees-Rennsalaer Propulsion Dynamics, Brooklyn - An Hour (or Two) Later
Wraithwitch and Spectre stepped out of the limo as the duck faced chauffer gave them a quick salute before pulling the car around the back of the squat industrial building. Any other day it would have looked out of place but today there were fancy cars all over the place as well as more visible security that you could throw a stick at.
“I still don’t feel well.” Jaime groaned as she smoothed the forest green dress she was wearing. “I don’t think we should have come.”
“Still, I poured two litres of coffee and a stack of pancakes from that Plaza place everyone keeps going on about.” Wraithwitch sighed as she shifted nervously in the purple sari she was wearing. “Wow there is a lot of money here. I’m pretty sure that’s Sinclair Abbot over by the canapés talking to Tony Stark. Oh and isn't that the beastly Hammer woman who masqueraded as the Crimson Cowl?”
“Oh please don’t mention food.” Jaime groaned as they pushed past a row of bodyguards, all standing with their arms crossed. Heading through the crowd of grey suited men and gaudily dressed women the pair came to a stop next to a mock up of a multi engine rocket, its flanks decorated with a gleaming pink diamond.
“He’s over her huh? Speaking of which where are the two geniuses?” Wraithwitch grunted as a portly man dressed in blue and grey armour walked over, fuel cables wrapped around his arms. “Frank should know. Hey Frank!!” she called.
“Jaime, Wendy you both made it.” Frank called back as he walked over. “Mr Hagees and Mr Rennsalaer will be ecstatic to see two friendly faces in the crowd. At least they would be if they were here.”
“Oh those Sons of B****s!!” Jaime swore, her voice causing the entire room to turn and face her. “Where are they and why do I have the feeling I want to hurt them severely.”
“They…they went to get some more bottles of champagne.” Frank yammered. “They should be back soon.” He added as he looked at the two angry faces. “Oh okay they…they never showed up but they did leave me instructions to don my Freezer Burn suit and keep the prototype cool until they got back.”
“So where are they?!” Wraithwitch hissed in a tone that caused the whole room to turn back and stare at the trio again.
**
Inside Mount St Helens, Washington - About the Same Time
The Hydra goon came charging towards 8-Ball, his baton raised ready to strike, only for his opponent to slam his cue into the man’s chest, the force of the strike sending him flying. Turning 8-Ball wheeled around to see a bigger agent armed with a machete come charging in, only for a spinning object to slam into his face.
“Good throw Captain.” 8-Ball commented as he threw a concussion ball up at the balcony, the projectile smashing the agent armed with a rifle in the face. Across the way the all too familiar form of Captain America caught his shield only to smash another charging Hydra goon in the face. “So about my request?”
“The answer is no.” Captain America answered. “We may have planned your theft of the Heart’s Arrow together but I am not your friend, or your partner for that matter.”
“Wouldn’t ask you to be.” 8-Ball yelled as he leapt down onto a conveyer belt loaded with parts for a disassembled Dreadnaught. “My partner is up there anyway.” He added as Overrider waved from the command pod before moving the attached spotlight onto another charging group of Hydra Agents. “Behind you by the way.” He added as an agent with a mass of tentacles leapt towards the super soldier only to be backhanded away.
“The same reason I’ve helped you out on five of these missions.” 8-Ball stated as he dropped a ‘Scatterball’ onto the floor, multiple ball bearings rolling towards the advancing crowd. “It’s about Rachel.” He added as the Hydra agents went sprawling onto the floor.
“It always is.” Captain America sighed as he raised his shield to block a hail of bullets from a railing mounted cannon. “That one’s yours.” He added as 8-Ball threw an exploding pool ball up at the position, the blast chewing through the gun emplacement.
“So are you going to help or not?” 8-Ball asked as a barricade swung across one of the doors, the shield blocking the door and the troops behind it.
“Face it Jeff.” Overrider announced over the villain’s private communication channel. “This guy won’t help you. He’s still hung up on her himself to let the pair of you be happy.”
“Uh you know I patched him into our chatter right.” 8-Ball croaked as he looked over to where Captain America tackled another tentacle faced goon to the floor. Looking up Steve Rogers narrowed his eyes and threw his shield straight at 8-Ball, the projectile whizzing past and knocking out the last Hydra agent standing.
“Believe me it initially disgusted me that Rachel could scrape so low.” Steve snarled as he reclaimed his shield. “Disgusted me to see how I had pushed her away back into a life of crime. I can’t change that, I messed up by sleeping with Agent 13 while we were still dating but you haven’t. And that disgusts me even more. That a criminal could be better then me.”
“You beat him in all the other fields if that makes you feel any better buddy.” Overrider stated as the pod descended to the floor and opened up like a clam shell, releasing the villain inside.
“That might be but it makes you think.” Steve sighed as the three of them sat down on the floor of the volcano base. “And the fact that you were ready to go through hell to find her, and still are trying to get back after she became…whatever she is now…well…”
“Uh guys.” Overrider gulped.
“No don’t interrupt I want to here this.” 8-Ball told him.
“It shows me that I was wrong to be so biased.” Steve finished. “That you might not be a good person but you do care about Rachel.”
“I get it.” 8-Ball said with a smile. “I do dude honestly.”
“Uh guys!” Overrider yelled.
“WHAT!!” Steve and 8-Ball yelled.
“There’s a Hydra Dreadnaught behind us about to blow us to bits.” Overrider stated as he jabbed a finger at the hulking robotic monstrosity looming behind them, multiple gun ports all aimed at their heads.
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