Thunderbolts #10 - Thermal Onslaught

Avatar image for impurestcheese
ImpurestCheese

12542

Forum Posts

2824

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 14

#1  Edited By ImpurestCheese

Thunderbolts #10 - Thermal Onslaught

For more information on characters click here for the character list thus far

Missed Last Issue - Click Here to Catch Up

No Caption Provided

Thunder-Hawk Jet, Somewhere over Utah

Valerie Cooper locked the jet’s auto-pilot, before heading back into the cargo bay where the rest of the strike team was watching drone feed of the Thermal Man’s progress.

No Caption Provided

“How bad is it?” She asked, as Abe flipped the visor of his MACH VI armour’s helmet up to look at her.

“It’s bad, first few towns didn’t have a chance, it was only at a Sentinel Dismantling plant that the Thermal Man met its first real resistance. The staff activated three Mk VIII Sentinels before it reached the main gates. Between internal security and the reactivated robots, the Thermal Man was delayed by about eight minutes.” Abe stated, as he shot a quick look at the footage before turning back to Valerie. “At Vernal the US Army dusted off some of the old Hulk-Buster units and engaged the Thermal Man for six minutes before they were…”

“Routed?” Valerie asked in a worried voice.

“No they fought to the last man.” Thor answered grimly, “They, and the town of Vernal have been reduced to ashes.”

“Let me guess we’re the next road block before it reaches Salt Lake City.” Valerie stated, as Abe flipped the visor down and walked to the rear door.

“At this rate we’d be lucky to be speed bumps.” Abe answered, his head hung low. “In those two battles the Thermal Man took damage but nothing came close to cracking its outer casing.”

“Nothing until now.” Erik grunted, as he got to his feet and cracked his muscles. “We’ve got an Avenger with us, and I’m just about fed up with this thing rolling through towns and incinerating them. When I get down there I’m ripping that machine’s head off!!”

“Aye, your fury will be a great asset in the battle giant.” Thor added, as he readied his axe. “And while I have no faith in your team-mates morals, I know that their abilities are not to be dismissed. And should we fall, let it be known that I, Thor Odinson, will appeal directly to Hela herself that you be given passage to Valhalla.”

“Is it a bad time to mention that I’m agnostic?” Abe stated, a slight smile appearing behind his visor, as Valerie locked herself, in the cockpit as the ramp descended to reveal a burning wake of destruction along the mountainside far below them. “Ah sod it then,” He sighed, before activating his armour and diving out the jet. As he fell, he saw the Thermal Man glinting under the hellish glow of the burning countryside, and opened fire, a salvo of rockets bouncing off the armoured shell of the robot.

No Caption Provided

“Well that’s my heavy ordnance, anyone else have any ideas?” He asked, as Thor fell past him and slammed his battle axe Jarnborn into the Thermal Man’s shoulder, the blade biting deep. Turning and raising a hand, the Thermal Man pushed Thor off his shoulder, before opening fire on the ground where he landed, radiation scorching the mountainside.

“Foolish machine, you may have surprised me once with that trick but to try and do so again is an act of lunacy!!.” Thor bellowed up at the Thermal Man, as he slid down the mountainside.

“Uh Thor it’s a robot, it doesn’t…” Abe announced, as he fired a salvo of armour piercing rounds at the Thermal Man’s chest, before darting away as a thermal blast came his way. “Oh my God?!” He swore, as Erik landed on the ground and grew up and up until he was standing at a height of thirty foot, and was now tall enough to look the Thermal Man in the eye.

“I thought you were committed to the God of Agnos?” Thor mused, as the Thermal Man blasted Erik with a thermal optic beam, the giant man taking the blast before slamming a massive fist into the machine’s face plate, the sheer impact of the blow causing the robot to stagger back three long steps.

“That felt good!!” Erik boomed, as he grabbed the off-balance Thermal Man and threw him to the floor. “And that felt better!!” He added as Thor ripped his axe out the Thermal Man’s shoulder. Shifting the machine fired its thermal beam down at Erik’s feet, the ground slipping away sending Atlas and Thor slipping down the mountain slope.

“Thunder-Hawk One, get ready.” Abe ordered, as the Thermal Man got to its feet just as he shinned a laser on to the wound Thor had created with his axe. Seconds later fire erupted from the sky as a hail of .50 calibre rounds and armour piercing grenades streaked out of the Thunder-Hawk down onto one point on the Thermal Man, the robot vanishing in a cloud of smoke. “Shots on target!!” Abe yelled over the communications link, as the Thunder-Hawk hovered over the blast radius.

No Caption Provided

“We’ve got movement, its still functioning!” Valerie answered, as she pulled the stick to the left as a trio of thermal beams lanced out of the smoke. With a hostile metallic shriek, the Thermal Man emerged, its outer casing dented, but still un-punctured save for its shoulder wound. Shifting its focus down, the robot locked on to where Atlas and Thor were readying to make another attack.

“C**p, this is going to be close!!” Abe yelled, as he dived into the Thermal Man’s line of fire, and fired a rocket at the machine, the munitions streaking into robot’s charging thermal emitter before detonating in a violet cloud of plasma, strong enough to crack the mountainside and send a torrent of boulders raining down the slope. Evading the torrent, Abe watched as the Thermal Man disengaged from the fight, and continued walking West on its path of destruction.

**

Hesperus Chadwick Centre of Neurology, Nevada

Songbird stood in the car-park of the Hesperus Chadwick Centre of Neurology and pursed her lip, before locking the second Thunder-Hawk jet Valerie had brought them.

“I was expecting a volcano lair or something underground, not something like this.” Rock Python stated, as he pointed a finger at the five story tall round building, its white walls covered in rows of glass windows.

“Whatever it is, it’s the source of the Theta Wave emissions.” Nightshade announced, as she held a scanner, the needle flickering in the red sector of the dial on the front. “So Melissa, do we just barrel in or…” She asked before stopping, as Melissa walked across the car-park and pushed her way through the revolving doors into the reception. The room was decorated with posters on boards above chairs opposite the reception desk, a woman dressed in a nurse’s uniform blankly standing at the board.

“Well you don’t need a scanner to figure out she’s out of it.” Rock Python mused, as he entered the reception. “Excuse me miss, can you tell us where Miss Chadwick is?”

“There is no Chadwick here, the hospital is currently closed for sterilisation.” The nurse answered blankly, as she reached for a button under her desk.

“Wait.” Melissa ordered, her words causing the nurse to stop. “We need to find Miss Chadwick immediately.” She added, her eyes flashing pink for a brief second. “Anything help would be appreciated.”

No Caption Provided

“Miss Chadwick is in the Imperial Suite.” The receptionist droned, as she reached out and passed Melissa a magnetic key-card and a map. “Shall I tell Miss Chadwick to expect you?”

“No, we’ll surprise her.” Melissa replied, as the Thunderbolts headed to the door. Taking a deep breath Songbird swiped the card against the scanner, and the doors hissed open allowing the three former villains access inside.

“Okay how did you do that?” Rock Python whispered, as the three of them passed a pair of guards armed with assault weapons standing at attention, blank stares on there faces.

“As Screaming Mimi I could influence people with my voice.” Melissa explained, as she swiped the key card at the lift at the end of the hall. “Most people are unaffected by my words, unless their will is compromised, say by a session of Theta-Wave inoculation.” She added as the lift chimed, and the doors opened. Stepping inside Melissa pressed the button for the fifth floor, and looked at the map she had been given. “What the…that name Dr. Kate Sorenson, I’ve seen it before but where?” She thought, as she surveyed the offices around the Imperial Suite.

“Songbird, hey Melissa.” Rock Python said, as he gently shook her. “We’re here.” He added, as the doors pinged open to reveal a corridor lined with offices. Stumbling out, Melissa led the way, her eyes focused on the room at the end, until Nightshade stopped her with a gentle tap. Pointing, Melissa followed her indication to a window overlooking a chamber containing hundreds of caskets, each one hook up to an ECG display and a heart beat monitor.

“Looks like an indoctrination centre.” Rock Python whispered, before shooting Nightshade a wicked smile. “You still want to work in a hospital when this is all over?”

“You’re a troll.” Nightshade hissed back, as she slinked over to the reinforced door at the end of a hall, and peaked inside. “Jackpot, there’s an occupied chair connected with wires in front of a bank of television monitors.”

“In this place that could mean anything.” Melissa stated, as she looked at the barely furnished office next door.

“The others didn’t have a pair of Imperial Forces Shock-Troopers guarding them.” Nightshade replied, as Rock Python knocked on the door, a worried looking face on his team-mates faces. Opening the door, one of the Shock-Troopers poked his head out, only to receive a punch to the gut and a shove backwards, as Rock Python pushed past and threw one of his bolas at the second guard, the projectile exploding into a shower of discharge that shut down his armour. “Or the one that had the Shock Troopers guarding it.” Nightshade deadpanned as Melissa dragged the first guard inside.

“It’s worse then I thought…”Melissa gasped, as she watched footage of Erik pinning the Thermal Man’s arms behind its back, allowing Thor room to swing his axe, the blade biting into the robots chest plate.

No Caption Provided

“Not for long.” Nightshade stated, as she crouched down by the chair before checking Cheer Chadwick’s vitals. “Give me five minutes and I can get her out of the chair without giving 'Little Miss Silver Spoon' here a brain aneurism.”

“Just make it quick.” Melissa gasped, as the lift doors pinged open, and a pair of janitors walked out, pushing a cart down the corridor towards the office. Unlike the other inhabitants of the clinic, they seemed more alert. Stopping the taller of the two knocked on the door, before peering in, his eye pressed to the glass. With a hiss, he reached out and wrenched the door off its hinges, his body shifting and becoming more serpentine, whilst his partner’s face became brittle, the skin falling off to reveal a feminine body formed of solid steel.

“I’m sorry Songbird.” Cheer Chadwick moaned, as she shifted slightly in her seat. “You and your lowlies don’t have an appointment; I’m going to insist that you leave, preferably in a manner that prevents you from coming back.”

Avatar image for impurestcheese
ImpurestCheese

12542

Forum Posts

2824

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 14

Avatar image for ostyo
Ostyo

14103

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

#3  Edited By Ostyo
Avatar image for straight-fire
Straight-Fire

31755

Forum Posts

6546

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 6

Totes awesome.

Yours truly, Frosty

Avatar image for impurestcheese
ImpurestCheese

12542

Forum Posts

2824

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 14

#5  Edited By ImpurestCheese
Avatar image for waezi2
waezi2

27808

Forum Posts

14527

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 1

Avatar image for impurestcheese
ImpurestCheese

12542

Forum Posts

2824

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 14

@waezi2: Thanks. Looks like someone picked up on an ancient Thunderbolt reference, I was wondering if anyone would notice that

Avatar image for deactivated-097092725
deactivated-097092725

10555

Forum Posts

1043

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

How the hell did I not get this notification? So annoying, this site...

I loved, loved, loved the banter here, haha. You write so well, and your dialogue is awesome. I want to say I know who Kate Sorenson is, but all I know is that the name sounds familiar. I'll google it later since I won't be able to sleep without knowing.

Awesome cliff hanger too, by the way. I am really enjoying this story.

Avatar image for deactivated-097092725
deactivated-097092725

10555

Forum Posts

1043

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

OH, FOR F_CK'S SAKES! HOW COULD I HAVE NOT RECOGNISED THE NAME???!!

I am just going to make myself feel better by stating that I am a wee bit still tipsy from last night's adventuring with the girls. Yes, that sounds good.

(still slaps herself upside the head)

Avatar image for impurestcheese
ImpurestCheese

12542

Forum Posts

2824

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 14

@ms-lola: Thanks for the comment(s), and yes I found the best way to hide is to do it in plain sight. It is after all the Thunderbolt Way

Avatar image for waezi2
waezi2

27808

Forum Posts

14527

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 1

@ms-lola said:

How the hell did I not get this notification? So annoying, this site...

I know, right? I'm starting to think that I have to notify twice in both my contests as well as my stories.

Avatar image for deactivated-097092725
deactivated-097092725

10555

Forum Posts

1043

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

@waezi2: If I haven't replied to any of your contests or stories within a few days, please tag and/or retag me? (if you don't mind)

Avatar image for waezi2
waezi2

27808

Forum Posts

14527

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 1

@ms-lola: Well, I have two tournaments going on at the moment: Avatar LAB episode and one with Steven Universe.

And then I wrote DCRC; The End: The Titans.

Does any of it interest you

Avatar image for deactivated-5cecb3b554104
deactivated-5cecb3b554104

1277

Forum Posts

7303

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 10

User Lists: 14

@ms-lola said:

OH, FOR F_CK'S SAKES! HOW COULD I HAVE NOT RECOGNISED THE NAME???!!

I am just going to make myself feel better by stating that I am a wee bit still tipsy from last night's adventuring with the girls. Yes, that sounds good.

(still slaps herself upside the head)

Snicker snicker
Snicker snicker

Avatar image for deactivated-097092725
deactivated-097092725

10555

Forum Posts

1043

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

@neghead: shaddap, you

@waezi2:Avatar, LAB, please. The other two I'm not knowledgeable about.

Avatar image for waezi2
waezi2

27808

Forum Posts

14527

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 1

Avatar image for stumpy49er
stumpy49er

2352

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

#17  Edited By stumpy49er

@impurestcheese: Proud to say I caught the Dr. Kate Sorenson reference immediately. One of my favorite Marvel characters.

Didn't realize how powerful and unstoppable Thermal Man was.

No clue who the snake characters are.

Avatar image for impurestcheese
ImpurestCheese

12542

Forum Posts

2824

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 14

#18  Edited By ImpurestCheese

@stumpy49er: That Kate Sorenson, she's going be floating around a lot later on.

The Thermal Man is powerful, Thor was never able to defeat it and relied on throwing it through dimensions to keep it away from Midgard every time he fought it

#thermalmanisbetterthanthedestoyer