Marvel Iron Age: Predators # 4

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Marvel Iron Age:

Predators # 4

“So are you sure you know where you’re going?” Ngumi asked 7 as they headed for an abandoned warehouse in a stolen hover car.

“I just have a feeling.” The creed answered, sounding unconvinced. David hadn’t been answering his phone. He couldn’t even track it. But after they left that last crime scene he had a strange premonition. Like something was telling him to go this way. That David would be there.

“Sure.” Ngumi said as she picked up the speed on the hover car. “So what happens after this? After we pick up David Hardy, Creed.”

7 snarled at the way Ngumi spoke to him. He already knew she didn’t like him. The feeling was mutual. “That’s cute, Creed. But answer the question. I’ve heard you speak. Now use your words.”

“What the hell is your problem?” 7 finally asked as he opened a holographic map.

“If you get captured you’ll be killed. At best. At worst they take everything you know about Shield and use it against New Latveria.” Ngumi answered bluntly. “I just need to know which.”

”So that’s why Danvers sent an assassin.” 7 said in an angry tone. 7 knew he wouldn’t sell out Shield to the Iron Army if he had any choice. It could end up starting a war. Much like whoever is committing these killings seems to be doing.

“The American Queen has a country to run and her boyfriend Holland who should be here doing this instead of me is off doing who the f%#@ knows. “ Ngumi said as the approached the warehouse.

7 raised an eyebrow and asked. ”Holland? As in Commander Augustus Holland of S.H.I.E.L.D?” Ngumi didn’t respond and stopped driving.

“We’re here.”

David Hardy:

“Damn it!” David Hardy said under his breath as his attempts to message Madame Web seemed to go unanswered. He was stuck here with this crazy Asgardian. He looked around to see if he could see her. He couldn’t. David struggled at his restraints, with little result. He pulled and wriggled, but the chains were unyielding.

“Be quiet.” David heard from behind him.

“Who are you?” David whispered.

The voice said again, “Saving your life. Now shut up before—“

“You!” In a vortex of fire Thrud appeared in front of David and waved a hand, a woman David had never met before materialized with Creed 7. "This is what mercy gives you."

7 smashed David’s restraints and knocked him out of the way of a magical blast of energy that seared into the Creed’s chest and face like a brand. “I’ll kill you all!”

“Take this!” Ngumi yelled to David as she tossed him her gun and unsheathed her sword. The swordswoman charged the Asgardian, hoping to draw attention away from David and 7.

Thrud fired a bolt of energy at Ngumi that she dodged, only for Thrud’s attack to snake around and blast Ngumi to the ground. David fired at Thrud only for the bullets to freeze in mid-air. The gun in David’s hand turned scolding hot and hit the floor with a hiss as it melted into the ground.

Thrud’s eyes turned red as she turned towards David. “Why aren’t they dead yet? You should kill them!” Thrud heard in her head. The voice was commanding. Absolute. Caring. Correct. But…

“I don’t… I don’t even know them.” Thrud said in defiance to the voice in her head.

“They destroyed Asgard!”

“The Iron Army did. He even said he fought with Magni!” Thrud screamed.

“Stark!” 7 grumbled as his injuries began to heal as he regained consciousness. “Why is she talking to herself?”

“No time for that!” Ngumi yelled as she picked herself up from the ground. She ordered, “Creed grab the girl! Hardy I need you to dial up Madame Web! Don’t argue!”

David couldn’t grasp what was happening. He had tried calling Madame Web. He got no response. What was the plan here? David looked over to 7 who pounced onto Thrud with a device he took from his bag. “This is gonna get loud!” 7 roared as he snatched Thrud up with one arm and held her tight against him. Then an ear shattering shriek screamed all around Thrud and 7!

“A directional sonic blast? You don’t disappoint, Creed!” Ngumi said as she raised her sword to David Hardy. “Any answer?”

David closed his eyes and focused hard. If he ever needed Madame Web now was the time. “Come on answer!” In the back ground he could hear screaming. From 7. From Thrud. He opened his eyes for a brief moment. Thrud and 7 were engulfed in a pillar of flame that danced around the par of them and shot skyward, blanketing the ceiling in flame. Ngumi swung her sword at the fiery column. Only for the attack to go through the flame and leave a deep wound on her body.

David tried again, “Stark! Answer!

“Yes, David Hardy I hear you!” An annoyed voice responded at last. David opened his eyes to see the ethereal visage of an older woman wearing dark glasses and a long flowing gothic style dress. “It has been a long time. “

“Thank god!” David said. “Please you’ve got to help us.” Exasperated, David pointed at Thrud. “Help her! There’s something just not right. She’s talking to herself like someone’s there and could have killed us all, but hasn’t.”

Web turned to Thrud and nodded. “I do since a break in her psyche.” Madame Wed then teleported to Thrud and placed a hand on her head.

David called out, “Hey—“

“I’m in astral form, David. This poor child.” Madame Web sounded remorseful when talking about Thrud. The fires died down and Thrud stopped screaming. A calm that hadn’t existed in her previously tonight slammed into her like a wave. Creed 7’s scorched body hit the floor, portions of his melted skin began to rapidly heal as his chest heaved rapidly.

Madame Web turned to David, “I’ve done what I can for her. We’ll talk again.” As the image began to fade into nothing Madame Web had one last message for the spider, “It will be hard. But try to understand.”

Flame spit around them. Smoke burned their eyes. David ran towards where Madame Web only to find Ngumi standing over Thrud with her sword driven through the godling’s belly and out her back. “What the hell did you do?” David screamed at the assassin.

“My job. Threat terminated.” Ngumi said as she cradled Thrud’s body with one arm as she pulled her sword from the girl and guided her body to the floor. Ngumi flicked the gore from her blade and returned it to its sheath. She swallowed hard and for a moment watched Thrud. “Now help me get your friend out of this burning building!”

David’s blood boiled. The spider had seen a lot of horrible things. Lived through them. But never had he seen a child murdered in front of him. The woman just made it look easy. David watched her tend to 7 and help him to his feet. Like what she had done a second ago didn’t mean anything to her. “Stark!” David grunted and helped Ngumi pick up 7 to make their escape. Leaving Thrud behind.

“Oh, Thrud. You still have much to learn. You’re lucky I’m a patient teacher.”

Avengers HQ

David Hardy:

“What do you mean you aren’t going to do anything?” David said trying to keep his voice down when talking to Carol Danvers on a holoscreen.

Carol Danvers got the mission report from Vision hours ago. Magni’s sister was responsible for the murders of soldiers in the Iron Army. Not Creed 7. With aid from Madame Web, Ngumi Takada killed Thrud. However Iron Army intelligence feeds that The North American branch of S.H.I.E.L.D had intercepted indicate that no body was recovered from the warehouse. “How is one of my agents dispatching a threating person any different from you or 7 killing an Iron Soldier?”

“She needed our help, not a sword in the gut! Something was hurting her Danvers!” David finally lashed out. "You didn't see what we did!"

“Then whatever it was I hope isn’t anymore.” Carol said to David. The queen pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head. “When you get a chance tell Madame Web I appreciate her assistance. But David if Asgard’s fall didn’t teach you this then I’ll just tell you…”

David’s jaw set and stood seething. The last thing he needed now was a lecture, “This is a war. It’s ugly. It is cruel. War doesn’t care what we like.”

David thought to himself, “Then what makes us different from the Iron Army?”

Ngumi, Creed 7 & Jessica Mongoose

Med bay:

“So who’d win in a fight between Hawkeye and our Hawkeye?” Jessica Mongoose asked wrapping Ngumi’s wounds. The assassin had several deep cuts in her arm and back from the fight with Thrud.

“Hey Clint Barton was a freak! Saw him take out a guy with his finger nails once.” Ngumi grunted, cursing magic in her head for throwing her attacks back at her. “Though I’m sure your circus boy is good… at other things.”

Jessica bit her lip and blushed. “Wouldn’t know, Taichou.”

Ngumi smirked and rolled her eyes. “Yeah right.”

7 stirred back to consciousness. His injuries were mostly healed, but his body still ached. He turned over to see Ngumi and Jessica Mongoose talking. “Oh look who’s up. That was some quick thinking, Creed.”

“You know everyone else just calls me, 7.” 7 said as he coughed.

“Well you’re just Creed to me. I was thinking about just calling you, Victor. But then I remember Victor Creed. He was a stark. Not like you. You’re alright.” Ngumi said as she slid on a shirt that Jessica had passed her.

7 looked at Ngumi. If he had to guess how old she was he’s say she was at least twenty-nine. Yet when she spoke she sounded much older. Like Carol Danvers did. Like she remembered an entirely different world and this one was just a bad dream. “Infinity formula.” Ngumi answered before he could ask.

“Figured that. So what happens now? Am I a threat?” 7 asked feeling a little cautious as from what the Creed has seen from this assassin she could strike at the drop of a hat. He’d be ready though.

“Yes. Though,” Ngumi answered flatly. “Not to S.H.I.E.L.D. And not to the American Queen. So settle down I’m not going to chop off your head. But this whole angrily beating the s@#& out of everyone? Cut it out! You’re too smart for random acts of violence. You and Hardy do damage to the Iron men when you’ve got a plan. Keep it that way. You’re the Shaq to Hardy’s Kobe. Keep him safe.”

7 wasn’t sure how much of what Ngumi said made since. “Who was Shaq and Kobe?” He looked at Jessica to see if she offered to sort of context. All the mutant did was shrug. “Well… I’m going back to Europe. Mission accomplished.” Ngumi said as she and Mongoose walked out of the infirmary.

Ngumi had let Jessica step in front of her. The woman continued to speak familiarly with the assassin. Ngumi stopped at the doorway and turned to look back at 7. 7 meet her gaze. It was cold and emotionless. The look in their eyes seemed to convey something only they understood. Ngumi nodded to 7 as she left, “Creed.”

“Agent Takada.”

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#4  Edited By joshmightbe
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@joshmightbe: Pssshshs... I wouldn't do that. I could barely kill Holland in... can't tell you that one. (I wish you guys had killed him in Thanos sanction. Now I have to.) New Shield arc coming soon. I don't think he's killable at this point everyone seems to be using him.

Thrud has some more character deconstruction/ development to go through.

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@time_phantom: I have plans for Thrud, both Hardy and Creed and my Masters series are going to be building up an arc about the Darkhold for awhile.

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#7  Edited By batkevin74

@time_phantom: “Hey Clint Barton was a freak! Saw him take out a guy with his finger nails once.” Ngumi grunted, cursing magic in her head for throwing her attacks back at her. “Though I’m sure your circus boy is good… at other things.”

Jessica bit her lip and blushed. “Wouldn’t know, Taichou.”

Ngumi smirked and rolled her eyes. “Yeah right.”

Very nice! Jessica & Anthony...interesting. Love the banter and connection Jessica & Ngumi have, we shall build on that I feel

As for Holland; nobody is unkillable! I have one more Tales of the Empire with the SHIELD setting up at the Vault and then I'm leaving it open to play with. Augustus is an excellent character, but he isn't invulnerable. Will send you a thing about a thing soon :)