Marvel Mayhem: Thunderbolts #20 – Home Invasion (Part 1)
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Last Issue the Skrull Invasion was defeated but at a cost. Meteorite was revealed to be former Thunderbolt Moonstone and working against the team’s best interest. On top of that Songbird reappeared but made it clear that she wasn’t an ally to the Thunderbolts. With their numbers reduced and deadly enemies gathering around them the Thunderbolts need to regroup or risk becoming Seattle’s latest victims.
Abe sat in-front of the pool of water and looked at her reflection before tinting her cybernetic spotted skin into a pair of brown cotton slacks, orange tank top and green hunting jacket. Tying her hair into a loose pony tail she left the women’s restroom in the Thunderbolt’s office in the Living Fortress and stepped out through the main door into Neon Street. Crossing the path lined with displaced citizens she slipped into the chamber opposite, the name ‘Taproot’ illuminated in luminous fungus, the bar already full of patrons. Catching the eye of the bartender, a brick of a man with a thick goatee she sat down on a stool and watched as he slid a wooden tankard full of honeydew down the table.
“On the house Aly.” The bartender stated as he turned back to the masses. Abe or Alyson as he now publicly called herself took a sip and closed her eyes. There was something missing in her memories, she remembered starting her career as the Beetle but everything before that was a blank, it was disturbing to say the least but she guessed that maybe there was a reason it was gone, she had after all been pushed into a life of crime.
“Hey boss.” A voice rumbled behind Alyson causing her to look down into her tankard. “We got a problem in the atrium.”
“Who is it this time?” Abe asked, “Has Andrea finally decided to come out of the room she’s renting or has Chen accidentally irradiated the terraforming centre?”
“We got a prisoner transfer.” Orka answered, “Some wannabe capes caught Ajaxis up in the Cascades walking through a campsite and decided to bring him here.”
“Great.” Abe sighed, “Blackheath will be thrilled about a pyrokinetic being locked away here.” Getting to her feet she followed Orka to the back room of the ‘Taproot’ and knocked twice on the wall before stepping in the rapidly forming portal into the sunlit atrium. Standing in the courtyard was a woman dressed in blue and white as well as the all too familiar figure of Citizen V, the pair flanking a humanoid figure which glowed red, the occasional lick of flame escaping from his nose despite the power restricting cuffs clamped around his hands.
“You in charge of this dump?” The woman spat bitterly as she pushed Ajaxis forward with a shove violent enough to send the sub-human to his knees, a line of cuts and sores visible on his back. “We have some trash for you to store here.”
“Maybe you’d like to join them.” Abe hissed, “I don’t trust anyone wearing that mask Citizen, not after the last person who used that mantle.”
“I assure you that both I and Blizzard have no connection to Baron Zemo.” Citizen V stated. “We would be most gracious to you if you could take Ajakis into central holding. He burnt down a campsite and attacked several hikers after his emergence.”
“You provoked me.” Ajaxis snarled before receiving a kick from Blizzard, the blow sending him sprawling. Stepping forward Orka pushed Blizzard back before hoisting the Lava Man to his feet and walked him back behind Abe.
“You don’t deserve to call yourself Blizzard.” The Atlantean growled in a cold almost dead voice. “Donald Gil was ten times the person you could ever be.”
“But he’s dead.” Blizzard purred as she turned to walk away. “And I’m not, that makes me his superior.” Her snide comment was answered by a roar as Orka surged forward and slammed his fist into her back before picking her up and throwing her to the floor. “That was for the way you treated your prisoner.” Orka snarled. “And that is for Donnie!” He added as he punched her in the gut, the sound of ribs snapping accompanying his comment.
“Restrain your college miss.” Citizen V ordered as he drew his sword. “Or I will be forced to detain him and then he can judge for himself how we treat our prisoners.”
“I’ll restrain him.” Abe answered. “As soon as you get out of my home. You two are banned from entering the Living Fortress as long as the Thunderbolts operate out of Seattle.” She added as Orka stepped back and Blizzard got to her feet before spitting on him and hastily backing off as he flexed his muscles. Not waiting for the pair to leave Abe turned and led Ajaxis down one of the high security corridors before veering into a room marked with a red cross on the back wall.
“Abe I’m sorry, it’s just…I got so angry with her attitude.” Orka stated as he crouched down in the corner.
“Hey if I were the eleven foot tall Atlantean Super Solider I would have done the same thing.” Abe reassured him, “I was about five seconds away from testing out my body’s arm mounted microwave cannon.” She added before placing Ajaxis on a chair. “One of our medics will check you out.” She stated, “Now can you tell me what you were doing in the Cascades?”
“Recently there has been a geothermal shift.” Ajaxis grunted as a pair of medics appeared in the adjacent bay carrying portable medical scanners. “Most has been reliable on our society but a few days ago something on the surface triggered a massive magma storm that destroyed our capital city. Those of us who survived pinpointed the storm’s origin, a geothermal power station owned by Stark Renewable Energy Ltd. As I left to investigate the cause there was a warning of another storm.”
“That’s terrible.” Abe sighed as she pulled up data on the automated power station. “Data indicates that the station has been running for eighteen months. If it was a problem at the plant it should have occurred earlier.”
“We know, Tony Stark consulted our leaders on the construction, even employed one of my people to aid in construction.” Ajaxis grumbled, “We knew the plant was safe, it’s why only I was sent rather then an invasion.”
“Well thanks for showing restraint.” Orka told him. “We’re still picking up Skrull resistance fighters from the last invasion. Abe I think this guy was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and not just because he’s been beaten black and blue by the jerks.”
“I concur however your investigation is now over.” Abe told Ajaxis, “After you get checked out you go back home, we’ll pick up the reigns and deal with whatever is the cause of these ‘magma storms’.”
“Thank you surface dwellers.” Ajaxis stated before bowing. “Your actions will reassure my people of their safety and that we should not wage war on your world.” Getting to their feet Orka and Abe walked out as the medics, a busty blonde woman and a dark skinned man, rushed in and began scanning the lava man, his flames dying down to reveal an old fashioned space suit, a luminous orb of light floating behind the face plate. “So do I get my Oscar now or later?” The being asked.
“We haven’t finished yet Oort.” The woman snapped. “Not until Phase 1 is complete.”
“Chilax Moonstone the Thunderbolts fell for it.” Oort the Living Comet moaned as the dark skinned man sat down in the chair and tapped his ear-piece. “Atrium team are those idiots gone yet.”
“Left a few minutes ago.” A woman’s voice announced. “Looks like the Thunderbolts are leaving as well; our boy here just woke up.”
”Good release the creature.” Moonstone hissed. “And as soon as the Simuloid takes control of the Living Fortress get the rest of the troops inside and make sure that they are ready for action. It’s time we gave the Thunderbolts the house warming party they deserve.”
**
Vines sprung from the ground as a massive flower bud opened up outside the Stark Renewable Energy Ltd Power Plant to reveal the five remaining Thunderbolts. Shaking his head Radioactive Man looked at the rest of the team and put his hand in his head; with Blizzard dead, Meteorite a traitor and Songbird an alien espionage agent the group had been hit hard, tempers were wearing thin, partially due to the constant tragedy but mostly due to their lodger; Andrea Von Strucker, who was treating the Living Fortress like her own personnel castle.
“Here’s the place.” Abe told them as she led the group to the main thermal shaft. “Schematics show a central steam vent that runs down to the magma chamber. Not only does the plant run on superheated water but it also siphons minerals in the main Magma Processing Chamber. The plant is automated so any contacts are likely to be hostile.” She added as they reached the fortified blast door. After a few seconds the doors slid open and the team walked into the main observation room before accessing the computer that controlled the plant.
“Looks like we have a problem.” Victoria hissed, “The data recorders show that there has been no abnormal activity since the last inspection almost nine months ago.”
“Something happened.” Abe sighed as his armour pinged. “Hello I’m reading an IR signature that is almost identical to my old Mk 2 armour down in the Magma Chamber. There shouldn’t be anyone down there.”
“Then let’s check it out.” Victoria sighed. “Maybe somebody hacked into our computers.”
“Talking about checking things out I hired a specialist in the dynamics of the ‘Darkforce’ to assist us until Smuggler is re-incarcerated.” Abe stated as the team walked out into the main steam vent. “Should be able to help us with other instances of super-crime as well. Whoa heads up our Beetle buddy is crawling up the sides of this chamber now.” She told the others just as the energy shields around the catwalks switched off.
“Uh Victoria did you do that?” Orka asked.
“She did nothing.” A scratchy voice stated from above them just as something green slammed into Blackheath before springing off onto the wall. “I Grasshopper of the Army of Insects lured you inside and trapped you here.” Locking onto the voice the Thunderbolts turned and saw a man clad in thick green armour perched on a valve mounted on the wall. Cocking an eyebrow Abe turned to Chen and nodded before watching as the Radioactive Man fired a focused bolt of energy at the Grasshopper knocking him onto the catwalk.
“Army of Insects.” Orka snored, “More like an Army of One.” He added before the catwalk shook and snapped as a pair of jaws cut through the platform just as the Thunderbolts retreated to the centre of the room. “Stag Beetle, I was beginning to wonder when he would show up. Got to say I have some pent up Blizzard angst still left in me and you’re my favourite punching bag.”
“You may feel differently when you see my new upgrades as well as my lieutenants.” Stag Beetle replied as he watched Grasshopper latch onto the wall below him. “I’m sure you remember Gypsy Moth.” He added as said villainess came souring up the the vent before hovering in front of Strikeback, a mischievous half smile on her face.
“Sybil you were a Thunderbolt, how could you work for somebody as lame as Stag Beetle.” Abe snapped as a pair of shoulder mounted machine-guns sprung from her cybernetics.
“I have debts to pay.” Sybil stated. “I owe our boss a favour and she came to collect it. She took everything from me and I mean everything.”
“That’s no excuse.” Chen stated calmly, “We were friends Sybil, or did that mean nothing to you?”
“A job is a job Dr. Chen.” Stag Beetle growled as a jet of flame shot up the shaft and engulfed Chen in a boiling wave of energy, “And darling Sybil will do as I say if she wants to see her freedom again. You know the drill Firefly.” He addressed the man who had attacked Radioactive Man, “Siphon off energy from his radioactive blasts and we have neutralised the most dangerous part of this pathetic quintet.”
“Says the army with four people in it.” Victoria joked, “You are all second rate at best, motivated by revenge, blackmail and I guess money. You are the ones who are pathetic.” She added. “While we are motivated be hunger and the need for much violence in our life.”
“Victoria can you keep Arke's base desires under control please.” Abe asked before looking back at Gypsy Moth. “Please Sybil don’t do this.”
“I’m sorry.” Gypsy Moth whispered as something on the ceiling moved before repelling down to the main platform and swinging into the Thunderbolts, the force sending them flying off the edge and onto the maintenance pipes below, the Army of Insects following them down to surround them.
“Good work Orb Weaver.” Stag Beetle commended. “You know your targets my soldiers. Today is the day the Thunderbolts burn. Army of Insects; Attack!!”
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