Marvel Mayhem: New Thunderbolts #27 - One Step Forward, Two Steps Backward
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Rage flowed off Orka like a stream flush with spring melt water, his anger at Flag Smasher magnified beyond anything he felt before as he threw his first punch, only for the lithe villain to sidestep him and slam his mace into the Atlantean’s gut.
“Come now Atlantean, we have fought this fight before, twice before in fact.” Flag Smasher mocked as he slammed the mace, spikes first into Orka’s chin, thick blood washing down the weapon. “You bested me first time with pure rage,” he continued as he ducked under a clumsy swing from his foe, “but the second time, down in the sewers was a victory to me.”
“Way I remember it Moonstone and I thwarted your plan!!” Orka snarled as he blocked a swing from Flag Smasher’s mace before crushing the weapons head one handed, even though the spikes bit into his hands.
“As you say but it was I who knocked you from your perch.” Flag Smasher answered as he removed a pistol from his belt and opened fire, rounds biting into his target to no-avail as adrenaline took over Orka, amping up his ire and his strength. “And I still have the advantage.” He added as he sprang away out of the thrown chunk of timber Orka had hurled at him. “You won’t kill me while I am in no way restrained. In fact…” He purred as he dashed forward and tackled the Atlantean giant, the force knocking the Thunderbolt off balance. “…my master is even paying me to remove you from the Thunderbolts.” He added as he removed a second gun from his belt. “Even an Atlantean can't withstand the effects of Cone Snail toxin, especially with this hyper concentrated does.”
“Get offa me.” Orka snorted pushing Flag Smasher off his chest and getting to his feet. “You come near me or my pod with that and I'll rip your head off.”
“Interesting.” Flag Smasher whispered as he grabbed Songbird off the floor by her collar and pressed the dart gun to her neck. “Try ripping my head off now.” He snorted as Orka advanced angrily. “I warn you her death will be painful if you come any closer.”
“Why the warnings?” Orka grunted, “Why not just do it?” He asked as Flag Smasher’s eyes darted to a shape behind him. Orka turned to look just in time to see a blast of hard light radiation strike him in the chest. Shaking his head Orka narrowed his eyes to see who had fired it only to unleash an earth shattering howl of rage when he saw who was responsible. “Dr Chen!?!? You're protecting this ULTIMATUM scumbag?!?!”
“I am, mostly because he works for us.” The glowing form of the Radioactive Man stated as a crack in the ground opened and three more figures emerged. “Flag Smasher release Songbird now!” He ordered as the terrorist leader backed away from Orka before gently placing his captive back on the floor.
“What’s going on?” Orka grunted. “You and Shroud were my friends a month ago, maybe even less and now you're working with former members of the Masters of Evil such as Gypsy Moth and Unicorn as well as him!?” He roared before jabbing a thick finger at Flag Smasher. “Me and Abe, we were trying to arrest him like real heroes before you let him away.”
“Appearances can be deceptive.” Shroud stated in a dry voice. “Flag Smasher ratted out his employer when we caught him a fortnight ago. He says that your team of Thunderbolt’s are working for Baron Zemo, that he was behind the destruction of Seattle not to mention many other crimes.”
“We don’t work for Zemo.” Orka lied as he looked at Ghost and Songbird lying on the floor. “The fact you believe Flag Smasher over me is insulting.” He added as he watched the aforementioned ULTIMATUM terrorist sprint out of the arena. “And look at that, the rat has jumped ship.”
“If you don’t work for Zemo then who is organising your team of Thunderbolts?” Chen asked as vines emerged from under the soil and wrapped around Ghost, MACH V and Songbird before dragging them under the surface.
“More to the point what is Blackheath doing to my team-mates?” Orka asked as he cracked his knuckles.
“This matter can be settled back at the Livin…CRACK.” Chen began to answer, only for his words to be cut short as Orka slammed a fist into his jaw, the blow felling him as green blood leaked out of the Chinese Thunderbolt’s mouth.
“Settle that!!” Orka roared as Shroud, Gypsy Moth and Unicorn sprang into action. “Ha ha, looks like the B-Team wants to get smacked around.”
“Hey I was a Thunderbolts a long time before you.” Gypsy Moth hissed as she sent strands of silk wrapping around the Atlantean’s legs. “And I seem to remember fighting you back at that Power Station a few years back. Remind me again what was the group you were a member of called?”
“None of your business!!” Orka snorted as he fell to the floor just as Unicorn fired an optic blast at his chest, the beam going wide and lancing through the wall of the arena. Smiling Orka pulled on the threads, the memento dragging Gypsy Moth to the floor and sending her slamming into the floor. Before he could recover, Orka felt something slam into his exposed back and reached back to find Unicom embedded into his skin, blood trickling down the deranged Thunderbolt’s face and into his skull.
“Spot likes Sushi.” Unicorn yammered. “Say you don't have a disease do you? Spot warned me about STDs, we don’t want to catch any weird fish virus.”
“Freak!” Orka muttered as he removed Unicorn from his back and slammed him, horn first into Gypsy Moth’s legs, the force of the blow keeping both Thunderbolts pinned to the ground. “Okay Shroud it’s just you and me.” Orka snarled as a wall of impenetrable darkness surrounded him. Smiling Orka closed his eyes and fired a pulse of sonar across the land, the sound forming a picture of the world around him. Reaching out he stood stock still before bringing his arms in, trapping Shroud in a massive bear hug, the force causing his bones to snap before he was released.
“Bloody Underbolts.” Orka snorted before something slammed in the chest, something heavy and crackling with energy, the force sending him toppling into the one remaining intact wall of the arena. Blinking through blurry eyes he saw the vines retrieve the injured Thunderbolts leaving only Radioactive Man and another figure standing on the field of battle, the pair of them advancing.
“This is the Atlantean you mentioned?” The figure announced as he tapped the hammer shaped weapon against his thigh. “I was led to believe he was truly a force to be reckoned with.”
“He still is, to be fair this fight was biased towards you, especially since he was already injured.” Chen answered. “Promise me you won’t hurt him any further, or Abe and Melissa. Even if they do work for Zemo they are still my friends, even after today.”
“I won’t make any promises Dr Lu.” The figure announced as vines dragged Orka underground. “They stand accused of being allied to a mad man…and I as their judge must be impartial.”
“Of cause Ronan.” Chen sighed looking at the bulky blue skinned Kree standing next to him. “Just be careful, Earth possesses many deadly foes to the peace you’re trying to build. Zemo is but one of them.” He warned his fists steaming with excess radiation as he walked away from the Grand Accuser.
“Understood human.” Ronan muttered. “I will keep an eye out for your betrayal when it comes. And when it does you will fall in seconds before my power as will your entire planet.”
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