Marvel Iron Age: Sinister Six #1

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Iron Hall, Caracas, Venezuela - 2200 AD

A shudder ran through the two columns of Iron Soldiers that stood along the steps up into the Iron Hall as the majestic figure of Lord Stryfe stalked up to the entrance, sheer power and radiance washing off of him and onto the hastily assembled guard of honour. At the top of the steps a captain saluted as Stryfe narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Is this all you could muster to greet me?” He asked in a sinister voice.

“Y…yes Supreme Commander.” The Captain yammered. “We weren’t aware you were coming until a few minutes ago.”

“You fear him.” Stryfe stated as he turned to face all the assembled Iron Soldiers. “You all do.”

“No Supreme Commander.” The Captain gulped. “We revere you. Wait did you say him?” He stated as the armoured figure of Stryfe collapsed into a shower of mist and dancing photons to reveal a man dressed in a leather jumpsuit and a gas mask covering his face. “Intruder, command we are…<cough> we are…” Before he could finish he fell to the floor chocking as eddies of smoke crawled up his body before infiltrating his lungs. All along the plaza Iron Soldiers were falling to their knees chocking as holographic duplicates stood in their place.

“This is Mysterium.” The man in the jump-suit hissed as he took a deep breath through his mask. “The atrium is clear.”

**

“There converge on the power station.” The Hunter Unit leading the squad of seven Iron Soldiers ordered, “We have a disturbance in the main generator room.” He added as two of his troops cut through the locked down electronic door. “We have orders to contain the intruder.”

“Door Clear.” One of the soldiers yelled as the troops flooded in.

“Disturbance located.” Another stated as all eight of the Iron Troopers encircled a man with charred skin dressed in thick insulating boots and overalls. “Hands up and turn around.” One ordered the mysterious man. “Show us your Ident Card now.”

“If you want to see my identity boys then keep an ‘ion’ the floor.” The man replied before giving a swift chuckle as lightning sparked along the concrete floor and sparked up the closest trooper causing them to convulse rapidly before smoke begun to leak out of their armour. The Hunter and the remaining three troopers took less then a second to open fire as they saw their comrades go down but it was a second too long as the mystery man’s body begun to spark, their bullets melting before they even got half way to their target.

“Switch to plasma now!” The Hunter yelled as their target cracked his neck before sending electricity arching up his entire body.

“This is Neutron the security systems are offline.” He buzzed, his words causing the lights to flicker and die as the reactor powered down. Now it’s time for you to step into the light.” He told the troopers, his voice causing their armour to spark and shutdown as an eruption of light flashed inside the suits. Seconds later the armour collapsed, the pilots inside now reduced to nothing but electromagnetic radiation that danced and glimmered within the armour, trapped inside for ever.

**

“We’ve lost security, all the doors are open!” A woman dressed in a cut down Iron Soldier armour yelled as one by one the computers in the operations centre went offline.

“What about communications?” A male technician asked as a pair of Iron Soldiers sprinted into the room and huddled behind a bank of terminals. “Is the all clear beacon still online?”

“Yes.” The female technician sighed, “It’s the only thing still functioning; everything else is dead.” She added as the sound of tapping came from the window. Turning the staff in the operations centre saw a pale skinned woman dressed in a crimson red silk skirt and matching top that left her midriff exposed. Smiling she breathed on the window and drew a skull and crossbones with an arrow through the head. “What are you waiting for cut her down!” The technician yelled to the pair of soldiers as they just stood and starred at her. Opening fire the bullets smashed through the glass and slammed into the woman causing her to fall off the ledge.

“Area clear.” One of the soldiers snorted before a milk white hand appeared on the ledge as the woman pulled herself back up, her eyes blazing red as the sky behind her darkened.

“What is that?” The second technician asked seconds before a swarm of thousands of giant vampire bats flew in tearing at the operations team's exposed throats and faces as the Iron Soldiers fired wildly into the swarm of bloodthirsty beasts. With a wave of the woman’s hand the bats parted and she fired a pair of pistols, the shots drilling through the soldiers helmets causing them to fall as she walked past the prone bleeding forms of the operations team towards the exit. “This is Blood Wing,” She purred, “our target isn’t in operations, I repeat he is not in operations.”

**

Thundering down the hall way to the cargo lift shaft the trio of Iron Soldiers rounded the corner and saw the LED screen displaying the lifts location lit up and the icon rapidly climbing.

“I thought the lifts were all locked down?” The lead soldier asked as his comrades formed up into a rough delta shape. “Call it in to Operations.”

“No point short range armour to armour communication is starking well shut down.” The second Iron Soldier asked as the lift stopped on their floor. Bracing themselves one of the soldiers crept forward and pressed the button before moving out of the line of fire just as a wall of flame rolled out of the shaft and incinerated his comrades. Surging forward he came face to face with a man dressed in old fashioned HAMMER ballistic armour, his head aflame behind a combat mask with eye and mouth slits that resembled a Samhaim Jack o’ Lantern. Stumbling backwards the soldier fell to the floor as the man reached down and shoved a grenade painted like a pumpkin into his mouth before throwing him into the lift and stepping out.

“Freeze.” A voice yelled as the man with the burning head turned to see three more Iron Soldiers skid round the corner.

“Ha ha funny. Freeze.” The man cackled, “Come laugh will old Jack O’ Lantern.” He stated in a friendly voice as his laughter rang around the corridor until it filled the trooper’s heads until they collapsed screaming in pain as their own heads caught alight. “What no sense of humour?” Jack asked as an explosion sounded at the bottom of the lift shaft. “Main Armoury is cleared out, the Captain wasn’t there though, looks like he’s still one step ahead of us.”

**

“Captain Rojas we still have no idea on who’s attacking us.” An Iron Soldier stated as the man dressed head to toe in finned battle armour and clutching an anti material rifle walked in followed by a pair of Hunter units. We’re losing ground fast and communication has been severed with Operations.”

“We will muster here and counter attack on all fronts to reclaim the compromised systems.” Rojas ordered. “But for now hold the line; we have to wait for the others to regroup.” He added as the doors into the main hall shook as something heavy impacted with them, cracks appearing in the reinforced titanium plating followed by a low squealing hiss.

“Spread out into channels!” Rojas yelled, “Funnel the enemy towards the Hunters.” He added as the doors buckled before flying open as a nine foot tall humanoid beetle carrying a massive two handed mace sprung into the room, it’s mandibles clicking as it swung the weapon into the left ‘wall’ of the channel, the force of the blow causing the troopers to disintegrate. “Fire!” Rojas snarled, his voice lost above the roar of gunfire and plasma dischargers as the creature carved a path towards him.

“I’ve found him.” The beetle hissed as he dropped the mace and reverted to using his hands. “Converge on my location.” He growled as he ripped through the crowd of Iron Soldiers toward the Hunters, bullets ricocheting off his carapace.

“Hold the Line!” Rojas yelled as he fired his anti-material rifle through a group of soldiers, the bullet embedding in the beetle creature’s outer armour. “Anyone caught retreating will be subject to decimation after the battle is won.”

“The Iron Army never starking well changes.” The Beetle Hybrid sighed as he pushed through the last line of soldiers and ran towards the Hunters and Rojas. “This is Rove I could use somebody to keep the rabble busy.”

“Roger that Rove” A harsh metallic voice replied, “I’m just finishing up in the Armour Charging Centre and then I’ll be up there.” Seconds later an armoured figure appeared at the buckle door in scarlet armour decorated with a necklace of skulls and surveyed the fight from behind a red visor before warping up to where Rove was ripping open the front of one of the Hunter’s armour, a red contrail following it up, the Iron Soldiers in it’s path simply exploding into a shower of pure white butterflies.

“Speed Demon,” Rove called as Speed Demon warped through the other Iron Hunter, “Don’t hurt Rojas we need him alive.”

“I remember.” Speed Demon answered as the person inside removed the mouth part of its armour to reveal light red skin and full lips. “Besides there are enough souls here to satisfy my hunger.” A seductive female voice answered as she sucked in all the white ‘soul’ butterflies.

“You, you won’t have me you abominations.” Rojas snorted as the other attackers arrived in the hall. “I won’t be the hostage to a gang of marauders.”

“They are not marauders.” A buzzing voice stated as a metallic figure limped across the room. “They are the Sinister Six. Fear not Captain Rojas you will not be some hostage to be bartered you are to be a collaborator.”

“Never, The Supreme Commander would kill me.” Rojas replied as Rove pushed him to his feet.

“Dr Saxon the upgrades to the suits are complete.” Speed Demon stated, “The Shadow Protocol is already up and running ready for the new pilots to be indoctrinated.”

“Good but in the field call me Machinesmith.” Saxon answered as Rove backed off and Machinesmith picked Rojas up by the neck, “I have been around for a long time, I know how the world works, how to push one variable and make the world burn and how to push many and become a conquer. You Captain are the first button.”

“I will not serve you machine, what horrors you can unleash is nothing compare to what the Supreme Commander would do to me.” Rojas spat before Machinesmith threw him to the floor and his hand reconfigured into a bone saw. Bending down he looked Rojas in the eye before cocking his head.

“You will.” He purred as he placed the saw against Rojas’s head. “All we need to do is rewire your operating system.”