Marvel Mayhem: The 5th Column #3 – Urban Collapse
For More Marvel Mayhem visit the libraryor visit the Groups Facebook Page
Missed the first parts of 5th Column? Check out Issue 1 and Issue 2
All Characters are owned by Marvel Comics except the incredible skilled Urban Tiger. Once again I am offering them to the group to use and abuse as they see fit.
Last Issue Earth’s Newest Heroes, the 5th Column, lept into action as a madman named the Phoenix attempted to burn America’s largest oil well. While Phoenix was captured a dark truth was revealed, the man behind these new pillars of justice was none other then Baron Helmut Zemo and that the ‘heroes’ were not what they seemed. But who are they? We rejoin the action as Mockingbird tries to unscramble the mystery behind the 5th Column
“Rewind that.” Barbra Morse stated as she sat in the back of a mobile armored command center camouflaged under a tarp in the middle of Central Park. “There Blizzard funnels Slyde into the wall even though at that speed he risks a concussion, maybe even a broken neck.” She stated as the video showed a blue missile slip along into a concrete wall before coming to a sickening stop.”
“She’s aggressive then.” The male agent clad in protective armor next to her analysed, “And she doesn’t seem to care what state she leaves her enemies’ in. “But the others, okay there that feels genuine.” He added as the footage shifted to Telemetry deflecting a blast of flame from White Dragon away from the buildings while Outback caught Boomerang’s thrown projectiles aimed at his team-mates exposed back.
“Your point? Even the bad guys work to keep each other out of the line up fire.” Morse answered. “I was so sure that it was Boomerang masquerading as Outback. I’m still certain that they are all criminals since we got the lab reports on the mineral I recovered from South Africa.”
“Omnium right?” The agent asked, “The world supply is about 800kg and a good eighth of that is grafted to Mitchell Tanner AKA Warhawk. My problem is not believing that Tanner could have swapped sides but how he’s being kept under control. Six months ago the lab-coats at Ravencroft diagnosed him with severe brain damage yet here he is leading a team against the Sinister Six and suppressing them.”
“Not too sinister really,” Morse stated, “not compared to former line-ups anyway.” She added as Citizen V kept Tuatara’s jaws propped open as Outback threw a wave of boomerangs into her maw, the blast sending her shuddering to the ground.
“Still they managed to give both Spiderman and the New Warriors the slip on their last two heists.” The agent replied, “This next bit is that makes me feel something about these guys is less then genuine. Raider opens fire on Telemetry and Blizzard with a salvo of rockets; the former catches most of them but one gets through and heads for that apartment building. You’d think Blizzard would jump in and help but its Amazon who makes the intercept, I know she was a Thunderbolt but that’s unnatural behaviour for a criminal like her unless…”
“She’s been playing hero more recently.” Morse gasped. “Notice how Vantage is missing, that feels like a red flag to me.”
“That’s exactly what I’m tasking Countessa to pick up the trail.” The agent stated. “Ever since Clint went rouge you’ve been hiding in the shadows. There is a potential situation developing out west, once we take down the Hobgoblin a shuttle will be waiting to take you out to Los Angeles.”
“And what’s your excuse General Fury?” Morse asked.
“I never left them in the first place.” The armored agent answered as he un-tinted his visor to reveal a pale well worn face with a patch draped across his left eye. “Something’s about to go down and it’s going to be big.”
**
Citizen V watched as the rest of the 5th Column deployed onto the V-Wing alongside their embedded reporter Holly Tatsu before walking into the operations room and activating the console with the flashing light. With a flash his master Baron Zemo appeared on screen flanked by a pair of ULTIMATUM agents as a pair of shuttles in the background. “You wanted to talk Sir?” He asked.
“Yes Citizen.” Zemo replied, “As you know Vantage and you have both proven your loyalty to me. That is why she is operating else where and why you are privy to this conversation. Someone has been feeding you missions other then me or Flag Smasher. That leads me to believe that there is a mole on your team, one I plan to crush.”
“Sir I can assure you the others are not spies.” Citizen V answered, “They are honest men and women dedicated to the mission.”
“Honest Pah.” Zemo snorted. “Come on Warhawk you and your team are nothing but a walking lie. The briefing I gave you today is a lie; my assassin will make sure all unknowns are purged. Even as we speak Flag Smasher prepares for a major offensive against a civilian target. After that Stage Two of our operation begins and all disloyal components shucked. I’m expecting you to come back alone from Calcutta. Now do you understand your orders Citizen?”
“Clear as Crystal.” Citizen V answered before turning off the console and walking to the bomb bay doors. “And they are to keep me men alive at all costs.”
**
Citizen V was in a terrible mood when he caught up to the others as they stood in an abandoned office building, the throng of people walking past purposefully staying out of the way.
“So what is this mission about? Holly asked as she shoved the microphone she was carrying under Blizzard’s nose.
“We received a message that an ULTIMATUM cell was planning on launching a biochemical weapons attack similar to the Seattle crisis in this area.” Blizzard spat as she pushed the microphone away. “Unfortunately we have been unable to pick up any heat signatures from within the building.”
“No chemical residue either.” Outback added, “We got readouts from Seattle to cross reference environmental scans but apart from a few naturally occurring exhaust emissions we are getting nothing.”
“It’s clear ULTIMATUM aren’t here.” Citizen V stated, “It would be best to re-triangulate the signal we received from our informant from the Valiant.”
“And what if ULTIMATUM has technology that can block our sensors?” Telemetry asked as Outback tapped a sensor strapped to his arm. “Alright we have movement inside the building perimeter. Telemetry and I will intercept.” He added as Telemetry took to the air, won’t take long boss.” He added activating his rocket boots and following her towards the roof of the factory.
“Blizzard stay here and protect Ms. Tatsu.” Citizen V ordered, “We won’t be long.”
“Great I was ready to crack some skulls.” Blizzard sighed as Citizen V sprinted across the parking lot and dashed inside. “Still at least I won’t get blood in my hair like last time.”
“You really are that petty aren’t you?” Holly spat as she shook her head before focusing the camera on the building. Blizzard snorted as she turned to look back at the street only to see a man clad in urban camouflage fatigues standing before her armed with a pistol. Refusing to blink Blizzard summoned up a fist sized hailstone and threw it at the figure only to realize he had vanished.
“Where did you go?” She hissed in a seductive voice. “And more importantly how much will you scream when I start freezing body parts?” There was no response from the mystery man only a startled look from Holly followed by an explosion of light from the factory roof.
**
Telemetry sent a wall of solid light outwards across the roof as the man on the other end of the roof opened fire with a pair of pistol sized grenade launchers, the rounds exploding in burning storms of cinders that burnt penny sized holes in the roof top. Focusing on the wall she turned and watched as Outback removed two boomerangs from his belt before nodding and mouthing a countdown from five to one before throwing the projectiles through the gaps in the wall, the two shatterangs detonating in a cloud of black smoke either side of the attacker.
“We got him.” Outback stated happily as Telemetry dropped the wall. “Now let’s cuff him and go home.” He added before peering through the smoke before hitting the deck and pushing Telemetry to the floor as a chakram flew overhead before arching back round and returning to the man dressed in urban camouflage’s hand. “Let’s see him shrug this off.” Outback snarled as he threw a razorang over the cover he was crouched behind just as his foe threw the chakram again, the razor tipped disc slicing the boomerang in half.
“My turn.” Telemetry hissed as she soared out over the roof tops ready to unleash a hail of solid light spears at the assassin’s location only to see her target had vanished. “Where did he...?” She asked before being struck in the back by a flurry of flechette darts causing her to loose concentration and fall to the floor. Springing into action Outback lept and caught her just as a targeting laser painted his face and the sound of a gunshot rang out, the bullet ricocheting off a hastily erected hard light shield. Dropping down Outback crashed through the weakened roof as more sniper rounds rang out before shuffling into the corner.
“Remote Sniper on an adjacent roof top.” Outback wheezed as he pulled one of the darts out of Telemetry’s back. “Guided by laser transmitters embedded in the target.” He added as he snapped the tip off the dart. “Guess aiming is a defunct art now.”
“But where is the shooter?” Telemetry asked. “And who is he after next?”
**
Citizen V prowled slowly across the factory floor, the sound of gunshots put him on edge slightly even if a bullet or even some of the smaller caliber artillery shells weren’t a real problem for him. Drawing his sword he headed for the stair case up to the roof in the hope that he would reach Outback and Telemetry in time. Something stirred behind him and he turned ready to block a blow as a chakram flew across the room and slashed through his blade before dropping to the floor. Looking around Citizen V saw movement above him on a catwalk as seconds later a figure in urban camouflage emerged and opened fire, incendiary grenades bouncing off his target’s metal skin.
“Give it up!” Citizen V yelled as the assassin cocked his head. “I know you by reputation Urban Tiger. You’re an assassin and one of the best killers in Asia but my team, my friends are off limits.” Urban Tiger cocked his head before leaping off the catwalk onto Citizen V’s shoulders, a combat knife ripping through his cloak just as his target swung around and making a clumsy effort to grab him before springing away. “I’ll take that as a no then.” He snarled as Urban Tiger removed a set of plastic landmine from his back before twisting the dials and throwing them at Citizen V.
“You think that will ugh.” As he began to procrastinate Citizen V shuddered before falling to his knees as his skin begun to run, beads of Omnium running down his arms as the metal work of the entire factory begun to liquefy. Urban Tiger smiled before giving a mock salute as he sprung through a broken window leaving his enemy writhing in pain.
**
“Was that? That was Citizen V.” Telemetry wheezed as she shifted from the corner. “He sounds like he’s in pain.”
“Whoa Marina.” Outback chided, “You’re still laced with transmitters.” He added as he removed a boomerang from his belt, the weapon leaking down his hand. “And my weapons are pretty much useless like this. I’m pretty much down to my backup old fashioned rangs made from wood.” He added as he stepped out of his melted boot.
“Blizzard are you there?” Telemetry croaked. “The factory is melting we need some kind of ice support now.”
”You don’t give me orders.” Blizzard spat as she froze an incendiary grenade in mid flight before throwing a shower of icicles at Urban Tiger, the assassin dodging them all before firing a trio of follow up shots. “Besides I have my own problems right now.” She added as two of the grenades froze but the third impacted with her Freon tank.
“You have to help them.” Holly cried as the Freon tank exploded in a freezing cold fireball that sent Blizzard sprawling to the ground. “You’re meant to be a hero?”
“News flash ‘meant to be’ and ‘I am’ are two different words and Zemo doesn’t pay me enough to risk my own neck.” Blizzard purred as she climbed aboard the V-Wing and powered away leaving Holly alone with Urban Tiger. With a scream of rage she ran towards him, lightning arching between her firsts before slamming into the assassin, the sheer voltage running through her hands sending him flying back a good twenty feet into a chain link fence. In a quick flash of lightning Holly accelerated into the factory before ricocheting back out dragging the broken and bleeding bodies of Citizen V, Telemetry and Outback.
“You, you have powers?” Outback yammered as he saw the glint of the remote sniper turret on the far roof before throwing his last boomerangs at the weapon emplacement, the projectiles knocking it out of action.
“Her name is Hallie Takamea also known as Jolt.” Telemetry announced, “She was one of the original Thunderbolts.”
“And like you I worked for Zemo.” Jolt hissed, “I should turn you over to SHIELD right now. How could anybody work for that monster?”
“Money, Power and a promise of a universal peace.” Citizen V groaned as he shook the last of the liquid omnium off his body. “He was the one who hired Urban Tiger to kill us. He believed that somebody on the team was working for an outside force. In a sense he was right, I’ve been sending reports back to Homeland Security about his plans after they promised to give me a clean record when the mission was done. I got a fair amount of information but there are still unknowns I was tasked to find out. And to do that I need your help.”
“You’re the boss.” Outback stated glumly. “Zemo tried to kill us and while I’ll miss the pay check it’s worth it just to p!$s him off.”
“But where do we start?” Telemetry asked as she covertly activated her suit’s communication channel.
“Norway, something up there was troubling the Baron and I want to know what.” Citizen V answered a look of sheer determination spread across his newly human features. “It’s time to make Zemo pay!”
What awaits Warhawk and his allies in Norway? Angry at the descent among the ranks Zemo despatches Vantage and Blizzard to accelerate his plans. Unfortunately they aren’t the only people interested in his project as the Serpent Society and Thor head north to the ruins of the Serpent’s Cradle as well. Who will survive the encounter and who will they stand with once the dust settles? Find out in Marvel Mayhem: 5th Column #4
Log in to comment