Thunderbolts #7 - Dark Hearts
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Burton Canyon, Colorado
The sound of engines roared through the streets of Burton Canyon, as a twenty five strong gang of bikers opened fire, bullets and razor edged discs ricocheting off their pursuer’s armour.
“Okay I’ve got an ID on this gang.” Abe stated, as he returned fire, a few bikers falling off their mounts. “They belong to a man called King Cycle, a small time thug who fought the Red Wolf a while back.”
“So a biker gang? That’s the kind of bad guys we’re going after now?” Rock Python asked, as he stood on a glowing pink sonic platform being dragged behind Songbird.
“These guys are reckless, which means they are a danger to the public.” Songbird stated, as she formed a sonic barricade at the next junction, with two of the bikers smashing into the obstruction as the rest veered off-course towards the suburbs. Swinging round Abe fired a glue missile into the swarm of bikers, the thick adhesive gumming up the centre of the group and stalling those riding behind them.
“We’ve got the majority of them.” Abe announced, as he hovered over the group. “I’ll keep these guys contained, while you catch the last ones.” He called up to Melissa, as she accelerate the sonic platform after the last five riders. Veering round the corner, the bikers opened fire again, this time aiming for Songbird, the majority of the shots going wide although a few of the discs bit into her arms and cheeks.
“Hey keep it level!!” Rock Python yelled, as Melissa swerved to avoid another hail of gunfire.
“I’ll keep it level once people stop shooting at me!” Melissa yelled back. Rolling his eyes, Rock Python leapt off the platform and slammed feet first into one of the bikers, before reaching out and pulling a second one off of his bike. “Clear enough now?!” He asked, as Melissa swept down and picked him up in a sonic claw,
“Yes but we’re losing ground on them now.” Songbird answered, as the claw morphed into a sonic platform for her passenger to stand on. “Luckily they are going right where we want them to go.” She added, as the three remaining bikers headed towards the road out of town. As they hit the outskirts, they passed a woman sitting at a coffee table typing on a laptop.
“Nightshade are the ionic pylons ready?” Abe called over the team radio.
“Powered up and ready to fire.” Nightshade answered, as she pressed a large red glowing button on screen marked ‘Activate’. Unaware of what lay before them, the bikers continued down the street just as an electrical arc shot out, biting at the bikes causing two of them to collapse. “Two down, one still on the loose.” Nightshade announced, as she climbed onto the sonic platform. “Remind me to tell Erik that his ion-trap worked.”
“Atlas designed that?” Abe asked over the radio, “I thought that was your idea?”
“I just improved on it, the idea was his.” Nightshade answered. “So how do we get the last one?”
“I’m on it.” Rock Python sighed, as he readied one of his bolas. “Back up I’ll need some room to swing this.” He added, just as a pedestrian stepped into the biker’s path. “C**p no time!!” He bellowed, as he flung the bolas, the projectile on course until the pedestrian shucked his coat, and pulled out an axe before slamming it into the bike, and sending the driver flying.
“Is that who I think it is?” Nightshade asked.
“Possibly, the weapon is wrong but…” Melissa began to state, before the figure turned to face them. “Yes it’s him, the Odinson and that means the Avengers have started their vigil of us.”
**
CSA Facility, Outside Burton Canyon, Colorado
Erik Josten placed his hand on a microwave, the ionic energy from the machine arching up and down his arm. He had decided to not participate in the apprehension of King Cycle’s gang, mostly because he was afraid of what his powers could do. In all honesty he didn’t know what his place on the Thunderbolts was, and what he could do to help them
“I can feel you there.” He stated calmly, as something moved behind him before blinking into the visual spectrum. “Even with a cloaking device I could still feel the ionic energy given off by the Pym-Particles in your armour.”
“You’re more perceptive then how Agent Rhioden described you.” The armoured figure of Scourge hissed, as he peered over Erik’s shoulder. “Of course you recognise me, or at least my armour. I just want you to know that I’m not here as an enemy.”
“If you were, you’d have killed me by now.” Erik answered calmly. “How do you know Dallas? And before you answer I’d be careful on what you say.”
“So you’re not at peaceful as they say.” Scourge purred, before sitting down at the island in the middle of the kitchen. “Agent Rhioden was a friend, or she was before we discovered the rot that laid at the heart of the CSA. And that brings me to why I’m here, that rot is threatening to spread into the Thunderbolts, and that makes you victims just like me.” He added, before putting a USB drive on the island. “View that and Justice will be served.” He added, before reactivating his cloaking device and vanishing.
**
Burton Canyon, Colorado
Abe watched as the local police took the gang members into custody. While the majority of the bikers had been caught, the leader and at least seven others were unaccounted for. That however, was the least of his worries, the appearance of Thor on the other hand…that made him nervous. However, unlike him Valerie Cooper wasn’t nervous, and she had come down from their base to give him a piece of her mind.
“I was led to believe that the Avengers would make inspections of my team, but I thought we would be given time to get the team in order.” Valarie stated coolly, as a man with a scarred face gave the attending police officers a witness statement.
“And we were led to believe that your brigands would be hunting down something more than common thieves.” Thor snorted, “And you could barely take down them.”
“They aren’t common thieves.” Abe stated, as he looked from Thor to Valarie. “We have reports that King Cycle and his gang have been couriers for an unknown party. We were hoping to get some information from the GPS on the bikes. Mel and I have asked the arresting officers to send the data over to us when it’s been analysed.”
“You were the Beetle correct?” Thor asked, causing Abe to nod slowly. “Why would the police trust you?”
“Because I used to work for them. Melissa and I were pardoned for our crimes.” Abe replied, as he shot Thor a withering look. “It’s in the Avengers record I’m sure.”
“Aye it is. As is the records for your associates.” Thor replied, “As such it was prudent for us to keep watch on them and their actions. In fact I will be watching you all, there is the smell of lies and falsehoods coming off of you, and I plan to figure out what you are hiding and why.”
**
Unknown Location
King Cycle parked his bike in-front of the steel mill, where a virtual army of people were slaving over the furnaces and smelting pits. Behind him, four of his men dragged a massive box into the mill, before placing it at the feet of the woman dressed in a silk business suit.
“The last piece as promised.” King Cycle stated, as he whipped the sweat off of his brow. “I’m a little curious about what we’ve been hauling all the way from New Jersey.”
“You want to see?” The woman asked as she took a few steps back. “Your men can tell you when they open the package.” She added as the couriers opened up the lid just a bit, before a white hot flash erupted from the lip, reducing the men to ash, the lid dropping back down into place.
“What the hell is this!?!” King Cycle snarled. “Miss Chadwick I want answers!! I lost men on this job, and you just killed what was left of them!!”
“That isn’t for lowlies like you to know!” Chadwick hissed, as guards clad in gold and green armour grabbed King Cycle and held him over the box. “Now if you want to see it for yourself, all you have to do is ask. If not then get back to work with the others, you are no longer an independent contractor, you’re a labourer for the Imperial Forces of America.”
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