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Franchise
‘Hi there!’ grins a curly-haired man as he swings down upside down above a group of bank robbers. ‘Hope you don’t mind my dropping in on you like this. But it seems like them people ya’ll got trussed up like Christmas turkeys might be getting a tad uncomfortable along about now!’ he adds. ‘Who the -??’ asks one of the robbers wearing a Milwaukee Brewers jacket asks as he looks at the red-and-blue clad man. ’Don’t worry about who he is! Blast him!’ another of the robbers exclaims as they all unleash fire upon the mysterious costumed man, who dodges the bullets, exclaiming ’Not bad, guys - but not quite good enough!’.
The curly-haired man leaps onto the bank-telar bench and kicks one of the robbers in the face, boasting that this is not some flat-footed copper they are dealing with her, and punches another of the criminals, boasting ‘I’m a genuine super hero!’ One of the robbers tells his colleague to blast to the left, so when their for leaps to the right, he can shoot him. ‘You got it!’ the other robber replies, and the men carry out their plan, shooting their opponent when he moves in the other direction, the curly-haired man falls to the floor.
‘Careful, he may be faking!’ one of the criminals points out, though his colleague doesn’t think so, as he blew out half of his chest. Suddenly, one of the other robbers asks ‘What’s that funny noise?’, when out of nowhere some sort of thin blue and black giant rubber-band-like thing drops down and wraps around two of the hostages, pulling them to safety. Two of the robbers are concerned about no longer having the hostages, but another criminal exclaims ‘Never mind them, look out!’ as he rushes away from the wall where an enormous woman has just burst through and begins chasing him.
‘They’re coming at us from every direction!’ another of the robbers exclaims, when suddenly the shape of a man appears in the wall - then a dinosaur-like-woman flies through it, startling the robbers. ‘Don’t stand around gaping! Blast ‘em! Blast ‘em all!’ the man wearing the Brewers jacket shouts as he fires at the pink dinosaur-like-woman who easily evades the bullets, then darts around the room at super speeds, confusing the robber. Another of the criminals fires at the massive woman, lodging six bullets in her flab. She just looks at the bullets, then forces them out, pelleting the robber with them.
Another of the criminals finds himself at the mercy of the black-and-blue large rubber band, becoming tangled, while one of his allies exclaims that they are popping out of the woodwork. ‘Who are these geeks? Milwaukee don’t have no super heroes!’ he adds, when suddenly, the supposedly dead curly-haired hero taps him on the shoulder from behind, ‘Guess again!’ he exclaims, before taking hold of the robber and announcing ‘Ya’ll are gonna be seeing a lot of us from now on! Ya’ll are gonna be seeing us in your nightmares!’.
‘What? No! You’re dead! The robber cries, ‘Wrong-o, creep!’ the curly-haired hero replies, punching the criminal in the face, exclaiming that he is “right as rain”. The hero forces the robber to the ground, ‘Bu the time I get done with you…you’ll probably never be anything like right. Not never again!’ he exclaims as he is about to stand down hard on the robber, when suddenly the rubber-band-like thing grabs him, ‘Boss! Stop!’ comes a plea, as the stretchy hero’s face is revealed, he pulls the curly-haired man over to the obese woman, addressing her as Big Bertha, he remarks that he cannot get him to simmer down.
Big Bertha addresses the stretchy-man as Flatman and tells him to take it easy, before turning to the dinosaur-like-woman and calling her Dinah, points out that they need her touch here. The strange woman goes over to the curly-haired man and speaks to him in a language that no one else can understand. Big Bertha smiles and remarks that it works every time, though she wishes she knew what it is Dinah does. Flatman replies that he thinks it is some kind of hypersonic, but that he doesn’t know if it really matters, so long as it calms their teammate down.
Their fifth teammate enters, clad in all black, save for white areas around his eyes, he asks if they are done in here, as there is a small army of cops and reporters outside all clamouring to know what it going on. The curly-haired man leads the way out of the bank, telling his teammates that this is it, this is where they really show the world what they are made of. Reporter Peggy Allen is reporting live from the scene of the crime, kept behind a barrier of police officers with a large crowd, she announces that a man has exited the building and appears to be the leader of this team of super heroes. Peggy gets the curly-haired man’s attention and asks if he would tell them who they are. He grins, and replies that he would be happy to: ‘Ya’ll can call us…the Great Lakes Avengers!’….
Meanwhile…at a motel somewhere, ‘WHAT?’ shouts Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye as he steps out of the bathroom, wrapping a towel around his waist and rushing to watch the television, where Peggy Allen repeats the announcement of the brand new super hero team which has burst onto the scene, successfully ending a tense hostage situation. Clint sits down on the bed, ‘”The Great Lakes Avengers”? What the heck is this? Some kind of joke?’ he thinks to himself, before wondering if the rest of the West Coast Avengers know anything about this and reaching for the telephone, only to stop himself in his tracks, ‘What do I care?’ he asks, reminding himself that he quit the team when the government stuck the USAgent on the team.
Suddenly, there is an urgent knock at the motel room door. ‘Okay, okay! I’m coming! I’m coming! Keep your shirt on!’ Clint exclaims, holding on to his towel to keep it from slipping down, he opens the door - ‘YOU!’ he shouts upon seeing who it is - Barbara “Bobbi” Morse-Barton a.k.a. Mockingbird, his estranged wife. ‘Hi, Clint, I…’ Bobbi begins, until Clint turns his back and storms back inside his room, ‘Oh, great! Fine! Wonderful! My day is now officially ruined!’ he shouts.
Barbara follows Hawkeye inside, asking him not to be like that and pointing out that it has taken her almost three weeks to find him since he stormed out of the mansion. Bobbi declares that they need to talk, as their marriage is at stake. ‘Oh, is it?’ Clint retorts, declaring that he thought that was taken care of, ‘Or didn’t we already decide we were getting a divorce?’ he asks. ‘Yes…’ Bobbi replies, before admitting that their previous attempts at reconciliation have been pretty abortive, she points out that they were both going through some pretty trying times.
‘Now that things have calmed down…’ Bobbi begins, until Clint starts waving his fist in the air, and shouting ‘You mean now that I’ve been kicked off the team I founded I’m all of a sudden a pitiful soul so you’ve gone all maternal and decided to come back to the roost and take care of me! Well, thanks, but no thanks, Bobbi!’. Frowning, Bobbi tells Hawkeye that he is not being fair, ‘Although I guess that’s nothing new, is it?’ she remarks. ‘And just what is that supposed to mean?’ Clint asks. Taking her jacket off and putting it on the bed, Barbara replies ‘It means you have all the sensitivity of a brick!’ and exclaims that she got mixed up with the Phantom Rider because he drugged her, used her, ‘And when you found out, did you react like a husband whose wife had been assaulted? NO!’ Bobbi exclaims.
Mockingbird closes the motel room door and reminds Clint that he went off on some stupid macho kick, and admits that she was hurt enough to pay him back with his own coin. Barbara tells Clint that, when she needed him - perhaps more than ever - he was too busy stroking his wounded male ego to notice. ‘Something that could have bound us even closer together drove us apart’ Mockingbird points out, before informing Clint that the damage is done, but that she is here not to see if it can be undone. ‘Because, Heaven help me, in spite of everything…I still love you!’.
Meanwhile, at the West Coast Avengers Palos Verdes Compound, in the kitchen, John Walker a.k.a. the USAgent is having his breakfast, and the cook, Mrs Heyges, exclaims that it does her heart good to see a man put away such a big breakfast. Scrambling some eggs in a frying pan, she informs the handsome Walker that she has only been cook here at the Compound for a month, but that it seems like most of the other Avengers don’t want anything more than a slice of toast and orange juice. ‘A man has to keep his strength up’ USAgent replies, adding that, of course, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
USAgent tells Mrs Heyges that she is almost a good a cook as his mother, to which the old woman smiles and remarks that she knows that must be quite a compliment, adding that she doesn’t really get much of a chance to cook for the others. USAgent replies that is unfortunate and wonders if one of the disciplines he should introduce around here is a proper meal schedule. Walker begins to quote his mother, when suddenly, a mouse runs through the kitchen. Mrs Heyges is startled, and drops the eggs she is scrambling, ‘That will mean…’ she begins, when suddenly, ‘TIGRA!’ Walker shouts as his feline teammate leaps past him, claws outstretched, Greer Grant Nelson pounces, just missing the mouse.
Mrs Heyges screams as the mouse rushes past her, while Walker wonders what the matter with Tigra is, realizing that this is the first time she has shown her face around here since he arrived, USAgent remarks that Tigra is acting like she has overdosed on catnip. Walker gets up and grabs Tigra by her hair, which causes her to spin around and scramble, trying to escape, Walker holds her tightly, ‘Stop it!’ he shouts before slapping her across the face. Walker lets her go, causing Tigra to scowl, then slink off, despite John calling out to her.
Walker turns to Mrs Heyges and remarks that she spoke as if this wasn’t the first time that Tigra had come bursting through the kitchen like this. ‘No, sir, it isn’t’ the old woman replies, revealing that this was the fourth time since she arrived here, and opening the pantry, motions to a bag that has been split open, explaining that Tigra comes down after the mice that get into the pantry. Mrs Heyges adds that this is the main reason she didn’t do anything about the mice like setting traps, but understands from USAgent’s reaction to Tigra, that she may have erred in her decision not to.
‘Tigra has been taking care of the problem for me. I sort of assumed that it was part of her…ah…job’. Mrs Heyges explains. ‘That’s…disgusting!’ Walker exclaims, declaring that, whatever Tigra’s physical attributes, she is a human being and therefore should not be eating raw mice! ‘Something has to be done about this!’ Walker decides.
Meanwhile, ‘Tell me again why I’m doing this?’ Hawkeye asks, seated next to Mockingbird on an aircraft. Bobbi turns to Clint and tells him to call it a kind of therapy, reminding him that he has been feeling sorry for himself since he quit the Avengers. ‘I didn’t quit. I was fired!’ Hawkeye replies, slumped back in his chair. Bobbi tells him to have it his way, but that either way, he is still out of the team. Barbara adds that, when Clint heard about the so-called “Great Lakes Avengers”, his first instinct was to check them out, ‘At least that’s what you told me last night’ Bobbi reminds Clint, adding ‘So, okay…we come to Milwaukee, and we check them out!’.
‘AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!’ cries the curly-haired hero, Mr Immortal, flanked by his teammates in the Great Lakes Avengers. The member clad in all black, Doorman, motions to their target, the Germania Building, while Mr Immortal motions to the sky, exclaiming that the mysterious lights he heard about on the Police all-points-bulletin are still there. Mr Immortal turns to Dinah Soar and asks her to check the upper levels. The strange woman complies, flying straight up to her destination.
Mr Immortal declares that they need to get inside without damaging the building, and turns to Doorman, who exclaims that he is way ahead of him. Doorman stands in front of the building, and tells Flatman to go ahead when he is ready. ‘Ready as I’ll ever be!’ Flatman replies, before passing through Doorman, and entering the building, while he extends his body and begins searching the building, Flatman thinks to himself that is so weird, as every time he passes through Doorman it seems like there is an instant where he is in a whole different place, as if he is not here on Earth anymore. ‘Oh well, got to concentrate on the job’ Flatman tells himself as he searches for a key or something to open the doors and let everyone in.
Up on the rooftop, Dinah Soar is suddenly entangled in a wire which someone standing the shadows fires at her. The lights continue to flash, she struggles in the wire, before taking hold of her whistle, and blowing it hard. Down below, Mr Immortal hears the whistle and exclaims that Dinah is in trouble. Big Bertha suggests that they get up there, and puts Mr Immortal on her back while she begins running. As she does, she remarks that Doorman may be able to float, but Dinah is the only one who can fly, and without Flatman to stretch up there, it is up to her to get Mr Immortal to the rooftop - and she does by taking a small jump, which gives her enough bounce to get up to the rooftop.
Big Bertha takes hold of the edge of the rooftop, where a strangely familiar figure stands in the shadows, ‘What in the name of?’ he wonders as the massive woman props Mr Immortal up onto the roof, ‘Look! There is someone up there!’ Bertha declares. Mr Immortal replies that he can see him, and tells Bertha to get clear while he takes care of the clown. ‘”Clown”?’ the stranger asks. ‘Takes spunk to wear a suit like that and call somebody else a clown, pal!’ the mysterious stranger exclaims.
Suddenly, Bertha flings herself off the rood, telling Mr Immortal to take care, ‘We don’t know what he can do!’ she points out while she plummets at high velocity to the ground, landing, she destroys some of the ground below, though she isn’t injured, just laughs with glee. Mr Immortal begins darting around the stranger, ‘Okay, wise guy, I don’t know what your game is…but you’re way out of your league, now that the Avengers are here!’ Mr Immortal exclaims.
Suddenly, ‘Avengers?’ asks the stranger as he steps out of the shadows - it’s Hawkeye! Clint remarks that the fake all-points-bulletin and his flare arrow lightshow have worked. ‘Now listen up, pally’ Clint begins, but a shocked Mr Immortal exclaims ‘You’re dressed as Hawkeye!’. Clint doesn’t look too amused, ‘”Dressed as Hawkeye”? I am Hawkeye!’ he exclaims, explaining that he is here to find out what these so called “Avengers” think they are up to. ‘In case you didn’t know, buster, the Avengers’ name isn’t up for grabs by an old Tom, Dick and Harriet!’ Clint adds.
Hawkeye begins to tells Mr Immortal something else, only for Mr Immortal to shout ‘Liar!’ and kick Hawkeye in the face, ‘You think you can defeat the Avengers by pretending to be Hawkeye?’ he asks, remarking that the real Hawkeye would have easily blocked his attack. ‘Not necessarily, hoppy’ Mockingbird exclaims as she uses her staff to push herself forward and kick Mr Immortal in the face, remarking that Hawkeye’s skills with his bow have got him used to dealing with foes at a long distance. ‘On the other hand, I can sling a boot with the best of them!’.
Mr Immortal falls to the ground, and Mockingbird stands over him, warning him that if he really wants a fight, she can rearrange his features for him. ‘A woman…! Dressed as Mockingbird!’ Mr Immortal exclaims. Bobbi helps Clint up while asking ‘What is it with you and this “dressed as” business?’ she asks, declaring that Hawkeye is Hawkeye and she is Mockingbird. Mr Immortal replies that if they want to pull of that charade, then they should pay more attention to the newspapers, and calls Mockingbird “legs”, declaring that Hawkeye and Mockingbird have split up and she has quit the Avengers.
‘So if you think those cheap imitation costumes are gonna fool anyone…you’re wrong. Dead wrong!’ Mr Immortal exclaims, as he flips backwards - only to fall from the rooftop. ‘NO!’ screams Mockingbird as she races over to the edge of the rooftop, and looking down, sees Mr Immortal’s body on the ground below. ‘He didn’t have a line…a net…no one to catch him!’ Bobbi exclaims. ‘He’s fallen to his death - just like the Phantom Rider!’ Mockingbird leaps off the rooftop also, swinging down from the window ledges to help her reach the bottom safely, Bobbi kneels over Mr Immortal’s body, ‘He never had a chance! Why did he do it? Why? Why? Why? Even if he believed us to be super-villains…why kill himself?’ Mockingbird asks.
‘You…really care, don’t you?’ comes a voice from behind Bobbi, who turns around quickly, to see Flatman standing behind her. He introduces himself as the deputy leader of the GLA, ‘Flatman? I don’t believe it! You got a partner called “Ribbon”?’ Hawkeye asks as he arrives down on the ground. Bobbi tells Clint that this is no time for his stupid jokes, as there is a man dead here. However, Flatman informs Mockingbird that there isn’t. ‘Mister Immortal…he can’t die!’ Flatman reveals. Bobbi throws her hands in the air, ‘Okay! Enough is too much! We need to sit down and talk. Do you “Avengers” have a headquarters?’ she asks. Flatman replies that they don’t have one like the West Coast Compound or East Coast Mansion, ‘Mostly we just meet at Big Bertha’s place’.
Shortly, at Big Bertha’s place, the GLA, Hawkeye and Mockingbird are in the living area, with Mr Immortal lying on a couch, Hawkeye looks around and remarks that this is a nice place, asking how Big Bertha put together the dough for a place like this. Suddenly, ‘Very simple, Hawkeye…I earned it!’ a voice replies, and Hawkeye turns, to see a very slender and attractive woman standing at the top of the staircase. ‘You’re Big Bertha? What the heck happened to the rest of you?’ Hawkeye asks. Mockingbird realizes that she recognizes the woman, who has been on millions of Vogue covers.
The woman smiles and confirms Bobbi’s statement, revealing that she is Ashley Crawford, ‘Not too long ago, I was the highest paid mannequin in the country!’ Hawkeye asks how she goes from being a professional clothes horse to playing super hero. Ashley frowns and replies that she doesn’t think of it as “playing”, none of them do. ‘We’re just as serious about this as you are!’ she declares. ‘Well in his case, that’s not too serious at all’ Bobbi mutters, before asking how they all got together, and why in Milwaukee - not to mention why the “Great Lakes Avengers”.
Flatman explains that the name was Mr Immortal’s idea, as he wanted to maintain the costal theme with the East Coast and West Coast teams, ‘And since there’s no North Coast…’. Doorman remarks that he doesn’t think that is what Mockingbird means, and asks her if she wants to know where they get off calling themselves Avengers. Mockingbird replies that is kind of why they are here. ‘The Avengers name isn’t quite like a fast food franchise. We’re…well fussy about who uses it’.
‘You said it, Mockie!’ Clint exclaims, before smirking and announcing that he is beginning to think that this Midwest team isn’t such a bad idea after all. ‘Your powers are kinda funky, and your code names stink…but with the proper management - my management - this could be a heck of a team!’.
Meanwhile, back at the Palos Verdes Compound, Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch has just got out of the swimming pool and is drying her hair, when Carlos approaches her, announcing that a special delivery letter was just brought to the Compound and it is for her. Wanda is surprised, and takes the letter from Carlos, thanking him, before asking him if he has seen her husband this morning. Carlos replies that he hasn’t, and informs Wanda that the last time he saw the Vision was two das ago, before the Vision appeared on television.
Wanda thanks Carlos again, before looking at the envelope and wondering who would send a special delivery letter to the Scarlet Witch. Wanda notes that there is no return address, but that it has a Texas postmark. She opens the letter which has the address of the Absolom College of Robotics in Saunders, Texas on it.
Dear Ms MaximoffIt was with great distress that we heard of the recent tribulations suffered by yourself and your husband.Our robotics staff has for several years now been working on a series of projects whose end result is a series of computers whose level of artificial intelligence very nearly approximates that of your husband’s.If there is any way we can be of assistance free of charge in the restoration of the Vision to his full original capacity, please contact us at (214) 555-0202, ext. 29.We hope we can be of service to you at this, your time of great need.Yours truly,Jeremiah RandomDean of Robotics.
‘Oh!’ is all the Scarlet Witch can utter….


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With Friends Like These!
Avengers Compound, Palos Verdes, California. ‘Please! You’ve got to help my husband! You’re the only ones who can!’ exclaims Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch to her friends – current teammate in the Avengers West Coast Dr. Hank Pym and former Avenger T’Challa the King of Wakanda and the hero known as the Black Panther. Wanda stands in the main computer room, the despair in her voice echoes from the cold steel walls and disturbs the focused thoughts of the two brilliant scientists.
The beautiful Scarlet Witch tells the men that if they cannot help her husband, then no one in the Avengers can. Hank turns to his friend and informs her that they are at the most critical stage in the installation of their new tamper-proof computer system, so they couldn’t possibly leave now. T’Challa remarks that, as far as he can tell, the Vision is in no immediate distress. Pleading, Wanda asks T’Challa how he can say that, reminding him that he has stood and fought by the Vision’s side, that he is an ally – a friend!
T’Challa assures Wanda that he does not seek to deny that friendship, but that as he said, he has noted the Vision is in no need of help. T’Challa remarks that, aside for the obvious change in appearance, the Vision does not seem much altered from the last time that he saw him. T’Challa adds that it is a remarkable testimony to the skill of Hank Pym, given that it was he who rebuilt Wanda’s android husband after he was dismantled and his memory erased.
‘I can’t believe it!’ exclaims an angry Wanda as she turns from her friends and storms off, ‘I can’t believe you’d all desert us like this!’ T’Challa calls out to Wanda, asking her to wait, but Pym tells his friend to let her go, as he is afraid neither of them possesses the necessary skills to give Wanda the peace she craves. T’Challa remarks that he does not understand, for not long after he arrived here yesterday with his new Wakandan computer equipment he saw the Vision and spoke with him, and he seemed very much like how he remembered him.
Hank tells the Black Panther ‘I’m sure he did,’ and explains that is the core of Wanda’s problem – in the time since T’Challa was last active with the Avengers, the Vision has changed considerably – “humanized” might be the best word. Hank explains that since the various world governments conspired to have his memory destroyed, he has been different, and while Hank was able to reprogram the Vision with all the lost knowledge, his human side – his soul – that part of the Vision is dead, and will remain so long as Wonder Man refuses to let them use his brain patterns to recreate the Vision’s personality matrix.
Outside the lab, Simon Williams a.k.a. Wonder Man is waiting for the Scarlet Witch and tells her that he needs to talk with her. Wanda doesn’t even acknowledge her “brother-in-law”, just storms past him. ‘Wanda…Wanda…’ Simon whispers.
Meanwhile, in a heavily shielded chamber some fifty yards from the computer complex, Janet Van Dyne a.k.a. the winsome Wasp flits about, ‘Take that! And that!’ she exclaims as she blasts some robots with her sting. She tells the robots that they may be stronger than dirt, but that they do not stand a chance against her! Janet flits through the fingers of one of the humanoid robots, and though he clasps her in his hand, she manages to blast her way out. ‘See what I mean?!’ she exclaims.
Suddenly the program switches off, and Jan turns to see that Wonder Man has entered the chamber. Simon asks Jan if he can talk to her for a moment. The Wasp replies ‘Anytime’ and asks Simon what is wrong, adding that she doesn’t think she has ever seen him so down. Simon replies that it is probably because he has never felt this way before. He informs Jan that he has been trying for days to think of some way to express his problem to her, to ask for her advice, and supposes that the best way – the only way – he can is to just come right out and say it…’I’m in love with the Scarlet Witch!’
The Wasp tells Simon that he always has been, she knows that. ‘You know? How? When?’ he asks, Janet returns to her human size and tells Simon that in the back of her mind she has probably know all along, as it wouldn’t take a great brain to figure it out – after all – the Vision was programmed with Simon’s mind, and the Vision fell in love with Wanda. The Wasp tells Simon that what she doesn’t understand is why he never expressed these feelings before.
Simon asks how he could, as the first time he ever met them, Wanda and the Vision were already married and he happens to come from the “old school”, he believes there are rules about things like that. Jan asks Simon if, due to how he sees the current situation, those rules no longer apply. After all, there is an android walking around, calling himself the Vision – which is what keeps most of them reacting over the fact that their former comrade in arms is essentially dead.
Simon agrees, ‘Yes, the real Vision, the one who has been a member of the Avengers all these years…well he’s gone. Erased. Eradicated’. The Wasp points out that Simon holds the key to brining the Vision back – except if he does, then he will lose his only chance of ever winning Wanda. Jan assumes this is Simon’s problem and that he hasn’t told Wanda. ‘No…how can I?’ Simon asks, informing Jan that he tried the other day on the beach, but he just came across sounding like a self-centered idiot.
‘I mean there’s no proper way to say it, is there? “I won’t let your husband have my mind again, Wanda, because I want you for myself”!’. Simon remarks that now Wanda hates him and he feels like he might be better off dead again. The Wasp tells Simon that he has the wrong attitude, and assures him that there has to be a situation to this, adding that she is just romantic enough to want to help him find it. Jan points out that there seems to be quite a bit of amour in the air, and is about to say something about herself and Hank, when the security alarm goes off, registering unscheduled use of a Quinjet. Jan returns to her miniature size and flies off, telling Simon that his affair of the heart is going to have to wait.
Meanwhile, John Walker a.k.a. the handsome and aggressive USAgent strides across the Compound grounds, thinking to himself that it has been seventy-two hours since he has seen Tigra in the mansion – and in that time there has been no sign of her anywhere. Knocking on a bungalow door he thinks to himself that it is not good, and that he isn’t sure why Federal Agent Sikorski sent him to the Avengers West Coast team, but already things are starting to go haywire – first Hawkeye quits, then – USAgent’s train of thoughts is interrupted as Tigra leaps out of the door and past Walker out into the nearby forest.
Walker leaps over the balcony, thinking that Tigra was so fast he didn’t have the slightest chance of grabbing her. He is worried that he will never find her in the woods, and as he marches over to the forest thinks that it would take a far better tracker than him to follow her trail. Walker remembers that the Black Panther is here, when suddenly, ‘Hello, new…sailor in town?’ exclaims Greer Grant Nelson a.k.a. Tigra as she leans against a tree and stares at USAgent.
Walker declares that he wants some explanations, ‘And I want them now!’ he demands, pointing out that her behaviour over the past few days has been – ‘You’re cute, USAgent!’ Tigra remarks, interrupting Walker. ‘What? Tigra?’ Agent exclaims. Tigra smiles at him and tells John that he isn’t as cute as Captain America, but still cute. ‘I just love big shoulders!’ she exclaims.
‘Now, see here, Tigra, I…’ begins John, to which Tigra looks him in the eyes and asks him if he is blushing under that mask. ‘That makes you even cuter!’ she exclaims. Adding ‘And it makes me want to…to…’ her voice trails off as she moves her head closer to John’s – then bonks her forehead against his, when suddenly the perimeter alarm goes off. As Walker and Tigra rush back to the Compound, the Quinjet blasts out from its hangar.
‘Blast it all! Isn’t anything going to go right?’ Agent exclaims, and at an outside monitor he switches it on and asks for someone to report. The Wasp appears on the view-screen and informs Agent that she has been trying to raise the Quinjet, but whoever is in there is maintaining radio silence. ‘”Whoever’s”? You mean you don’t know?’ Agent asks, which is heard by the Wasp, Wonder Man, Dr. Pym and the Black Panther. The Wasp replies that they don’t know for sure, but that whoever it is knows how to fly a Quinjet – which means by a process of elimination it must be…The Scarlet Witch and the Vision! ‘And if you can hear me, Wanda, I really wish you’d answer!’ the Wasp remarks, hoping her friend is listening.
Inside the Quinjet, the Vision tells Wanda that Janet seems quite distressed, and suggests that she responds. ‘All right. But only because you want me to, Vision’ the Scarlet Witch replies, before her image appears on the view screen at Avengers Compound. Wanda tells Janet that she is receiving her, to which Wasp asks her what is wrong and why she has taken a Quinjet without filing a proper flight plan. The powerful mutant replies that she needs transportation and did not want anyone to know where she is going.
Wanda declares that since none of her teammates are interested in helping the Vision, she has decided to accept the offered assistance of someone who is. Hank calls out to Wanda, asking her not to do this, and remarking that he may not know who she is planning to contact, but she must believe him when he says that everything humanly possible has been done to help the Vision. Wanda declares that she doesn’t want to hear anymore, and turns off the communication channel, despite Jan’s protests.
Back in the Compound, Pym informs everyone that Wanda has activated the stealth shield and has rendered herself invisible to all tracking. Jan informs Pym – who is her former husband and current lover – that she got a fix on Wanda’s direction, so at least they know which way she is heading!
One hour later, at Grosvenor Memorial Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Making their way through the hospital, Wonder Man tells the Wasp and Hank that he doesn’t know how they can be so sure Wanda and the Vision came here. Jan replies that it is simple – Seattle lies on Wanda’s projected flight path, as they tracked it before she turned the stealth shield on, and this is the hospital where Professor Horton was brought after they liberated him from the phoney S.H.I.E.L.D. outfit who kidnapped the Vision and started this whole mess.
Hank remarks that he is sure Wanda could think of no one better to help with the Vision than the man who built the original Human Torch – the very same android they all once thought the Vision had been made from. A doctor approaches the heroes, asking them if he can help them. Wasp introduces the group as “the Avengers” and informs the doctor that they would like to see the Scarlet Witch. The doctor replies that he doesn’t quite follow, as the Scarlet Witch is not here – and he would know if she was.
Hank asks Wasp what they should do now, for if Wanda didn’t bring the Vision here, then they could be anywhere. ‘Not quite anywhere, lover’ the Wasp replies, pointing out that there is a limited number of places Wanda could have been bound for, given her direction – unless she deliberately headed this way first then changed her course after she switched on the stealth shield. Simon tells the Wasp that he would hate to think that was the case, for I would mean that Wanda really doesn’t trust them anymore – which means if she doesn’t trust them, then it would leave her without anyone! Simon remarks that Wanda would be as alone and vulnerable as she was when Magneto first recruited her into the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. ‘Jan…Hank…I’m beginning to get scared for her…’.
Meanwhile, ‘There it is, Vision – the campus of Saunders College!’ Wanda exclaims as the Quinjet descends upon the campus. The Vision states that it was established in 1864 as a liberal arts college, and has only recently converted to the so-called “hard sciences”. The Vision begins to list who the present faculty consists of, when Wanda interrupts, ‘Er, yes…thank you, darling’. As Wanda lands the Quinjet, she exclaims ‘I hope they really are expecting us!’
A group of men and a woman wearing suits stand nearby. ‘She has brought the robot’ one of them remarks. A taller, older man states that it is an anticipated side effect of the deception they employed to lure her here, before asking if everything is in readiness. ‘Yes. The assimilator awaits!’ replies the woman. ‘Good – then let us greet our guests!’ the older man declares as he leads the way towards the two iconic heroes. ‘Scarlet Witch…Vision…we’re so pleased you’ve come!’
Wanda greets the man and asks if he is Jeremiah Random. The older man replies that he is and informs Wanda that it was his letter which has brought her here. Jeremiah Random shakes the Vision’s hand, informing him that he is the dean of robotics and that he hopes he and his associates can be of help. The Vision replies that he hopes so too, for although he is perfectly comfortable with his present form it seems to be a source of considerable distress to his wife.
Jeremiah Random leads the heroes and replies that he can understand that, and that from what they have all heard and read, it would seem that the Scarlet Witch and the Vision have been through a most traumatic time, so anything he and his associates can do to salve their pains will be of greatest pleasure. Wanda motions to the Quinjet as she sees the ground beneath it opening and is being lowered. Jeremiah Random tells her not to worry about, and that they will take proper care of it. But unseen by the iconic Avengers, the Quinjet is lowered, then smashed by two mighty panels. The debris then falls to a deep chamber below, except for a small piece which lands by a group of students who were watching – until one of the students kicks it into the gaping hole, and it lands in the chamber.
At that moment, on the East Coast, at Avengers Mansion. Jennifer Walters a.k.a. the She-Hulk is relaxing on a couch when an alarm goes off. She asks Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, what it is, to which Cap explains that it is a Quinjet emergency alarm, meaning one of their aircraft has just been destroyed! She-Hulk follows Cap as he races to a computer room, asking how. Cap replies that they will know something more as soon as he can get the triangulation plotted, which thanks to the automated monitors they have installed world-wide, it shouldn’t take more than a second.
‘There!’ Cap exclaims, pointing to a map of the United States which shows that the Quinjet went down in Texas, near the town of Absolom. She-Hulk points out that the read-out says it was Quinjet AV-3071 – which is one of the West Coast planes. Cap confirms this, before pointing out that since his decision that both teams should function as one from now on, this falls under the heading of the East Coast team’s responsibility too. ‘Let’s move out!’ he exclaims.
A short time later, back at Saunders College, Wanda and the Vision sit in front of some large monitors displaying images, and Jeremiah Random tells them that, as they can see, their advanced approach to android cyber-systems is just what the Vision needs, and once they have completed a detailed analysis of the Vision’s circuitry – ‘You’ll be able to fully restore him? Bring him back to how he was before his mind was erased?’ Wanda asks, interrupting Random.
Random tells Wanda that it is their most sincere hope. Random’s female associate asks the Vision to accompany her so that they can begin their first phase of the study. The Vision gets to his feet, when suddenly Wanda calls out ‘Vision, wait…’ and she gets and kisses him on the lips. The Vision does not move though. Wanda turns away, and teary-eyed she tells the Vision to be careful. ‘Of course. I will see you again in a short while, Wanda’ the Vision replies.
Wanda asks Jeremiah Random if he is sure there is no reason for her to go with her husband now, as there might be things she can tell his scientists about the Vision’s mind and emotions. Random assures Wanda that they will be calling on that knowledge soon, but for now they will be conducting more or less straight-forward physiological tests. Random informs Wanda that special on-campus quarters have been prepared for her, and asks if she would like to rest while those preliminary tests are being done, as he is sure she must be emotionally exhausted.
Wanda admits that she is tired, and informs Jeremiah Random that it has been so difficult these last few weeks, what with the Vision being literally disassembled – his mind gone – and then for the rest of the Avengers to seem so complacent about it, so quick to accept him in his new form – more like his original form really. Random assures Wanda that he can understand how hard it would be for her, but that she can put her mind at ease now, for she is amongst friends here.
Jeremiah opens the door to a room and Wanda enters. ‘Ah, here we are’ Jeremiah remarks. ‘This is my quarters? I don’t…’ Wanda begins as she looks around the strange tiled room, empty save for several large pillars. The door slams behind Wanda, who quickly begins pounding on it, ‘Mr. Random! What are you doing? Open this door at once!’ Wanda declares, before thinking to herself that it is all part of some trap – they never intended to help the Vision, they only wanted to capture him. Wanda thinks that this might even be another arm of the government agency that kidnapped him before.
Wanda declares that if they think this door can withstand her mutant hex power, then they are sadly mistaken! But as the mighty Scarlet Witch proceeds to cast a hex, she screams, and clutching her ears falls to the ground. ‘That sound…terrible…felt as though my bones were on fire!’ Wanda thinks to herself, her headpiece has fallen from her head, and she can hardly think straight due to the residual pain – but she knows she must get up and go and find the Vision.
Suddenly, ‘My apologies, Wanda’ declares Jeremiah Random as his image appears on the tiled wall, which seems to serve as a monitor. Random claims to regret the necessity of causing Wanda such discomfort, and explains that they could not allow her to escape before they completed their studies of her. ‘Of me? But I thought…the Vision…?’ Wanda exclaims.
Random declares that the Vision is a mechanical contrivance and of no interest to them. ‘No, it is you we wanted, Wanda. You we selected out of all the known mutants on Earth! Random explains that Wanda was chosen because she is powerful – and they need power – but not so powerful that she cannot be controlled. Random looks at Wanda and remarks that perhaps some explanations are in order. He begins by telling her that the time of the Homo Sapiens is drawing rapidly to a close – that the age of the Homo Superior, the age of the Mutant – is dawning, and they intend to be a part of it.
Random remarks that for all the uncounted millennia, the appearance of mutant genes has somehow stymied them – ‘We have not been able to influence them or the mutants they created’. Random exclaims that if they are to move into the new dominant species, they must develop this facility. ‘Millennia…? Move…? I don’t understand!’ Wanda exclaims, not noticing the blackness beginning to seep up into the room. Random decides that perhaps after all it is not necessary that Wanda understands, before declaring that the assimilator is ready. ‘We may as well begin!’
‘What?’ gasps Wanda as she finally notices the blackness rising around her. She can feel that it is like tar, but somehow biological – she can feel the life in it and realizes that it is bubbling out from between all the tiles. Wanda believes that it will fill the whole chamber, and already her feet are stuck. Tugging at her cape which has also become stuck, Wanda realizes that she is too dizzy from the sonic blast to focus her power, and doesn’t dare risk an uncontrolled hex, as it could kill her.
Suddenly Wanda’s cape tears due to all her pulling, and with her feet already stuck, she falls backwards into the blackness. Wanda scolds herself for ripping her cape like she did, and tries to hold her head up high above the ooze so she can breathe – but she can’t move – its engulfing her…invading her…and soon, Wanda is gone.
At that precise moment, roughly one thousand miles west, in the Scarlet Witch’s bungalow at Avengers Compound. Yet another new governess attends to her duties with Wanda’s children, Billy and Tommy, who are in a playpen and have thrown a toy car from it. ‘Now, we know it’s around here somewhere, don’t we!’ the governess exclaims. Reaching under a table, she finds it, and calls out to Tommy, reminding him she said not to push it so hard. Getting back up, the young woman tells the boys she wants them to play nicely – but looking back at their secure playpen, she finds they have vanished!


[User]
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Provide a full summary of the comic book.

[Assistant]
This Ancient Evil
Memory cannot precede being, cannot reach back into the dark oblivion before the spark of life ignites. Yet, this is memory, this image of an Earth, aborning swollen, infant moon crouching above clouds of poison gas. Seen without eyes: the flash of lightning boiling the turbulent air. Heard without ears: the crack of thunder rolling over a broken landscape.
Beneath the rolling roof of sky, a slow and sullen ooze gurgles and flows around the jagged coast-lines of embryonic continents. In a few billion years, these land masses will come to bear strange names – Gondwanaland, Laurasia – eons yet, before the first voice will vibrate on the air of this virgin world.
But in swirling tide pools, the first hesitant steps are being taken on the long road to the creation of the upright beast who will give all this a name. In waters stirred by volcanic heat, jolted by the lightning’s pulse…the building blocks of life are forming.
And after half a billion years – the merest blink of geological time – something like cell drifts in the primordial darkness. It does not think…it does not feel, save in the most rudimentary fashion…it does not know…but it lives. And it divides….
For a moment there are two entities adrift in the microscopic seascape, the whole scene smaller than the point of a pin. To the most minute inspection they would be nearly identical. The clumps of molecules within them – the pattern upon which complex genetic forms will grow – are the same. But there is a difference. As the eddies and currents in the waters around them begin to draw the siblings apart that difference makes itself apparent. One organism seizes the other, draws it to itself…pierces…penetrates…within an instant, the drama is done.
Where once there were two, there is one once more. But that one is very different from either of the first. A modification has been added to the matrix of this primal ancestor. And when it splits again, the modification is present in both parts.
It is still present, coiled within the heart of every living cell, millions of years later when the diversity of life has begun to manifest itself.
Meanwhile, five hundred million years later. The powerful mutant Avenger Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch is being held prisoner. ‘Report, Ms. Klein!’ exclaims Wanda’s captor, the mysterious Jeremiah Random as he enters the laboratory. Ms. Klein replies that all is proceeding exactly on schedule, and informs Random that they chose well in the Scarlet Witch, for she is a classic mutant type, and the present upheaval in her emotional life has left her physically vulnerable, open to complete assimilation.
Jeremiah Random asks how the memory reconstruction is proceeding, to which Ms. Klein replies that they have brought the Scarlet Witch up through the first hundred million years of their existence, so at the present rate she should be contemporaneous with all of them within seventy-two hours. Random addresses a red-haired man as Murchison and asks about the physical problems. Murchison replies ‘So far, so good, sir’, and informs him that they are matching physical assimilation to the memory reconstruction and that he believes they will have beaten the genetic lockout by the time she is fully reprogrammed.
Meanwhile, ‘Absolom, Texas, dead ahead!’ exclaims Jennifer Walters a.k.a. the She-Hulk of the East Coast branch of the Avengers as she can Steve “Captain America” Rogers streak across the sky in a Quinjet. Captain America asks She-Hulk to contact the civilian traffic control as the signal they monitored from the Quinjet emergency alert centered somewhere outside authorized flight plans. She-Hulk contacts Dallas-Fort Worth and announces that Avengers Quinjet AV297 is requesting clearance for emergency landing in their area.
The traffic control officer asks the Avengers if they require assistance and if he should contact the police or military authorities. ‘Negative, Dallas’ Captain America replies, introducing himself before informing the officer that they are here on Avengers priority business, adding that they will notify the proper authorities if necessary. With that, Captain America lands the Quinjet on the Saunders College campus.
Inside the laboratory, Murchison informs Jeremiah Random that another Quinjet is making an approach over the college grounds. Random remarks that this is unanticipated, for he understood that the Scarlet Witch had severed her relations with the Avengers before coming here. Ms. Klein asks if they should continue with the assimilation process, to which Random replies ‘Yes’ and declares that he will investigate the new arrivals.
Exiting the Quinjet, the She-Hulk remarks that this is quite a spread and that it reminds her of California. Cap exclaims that the emergency signal is very close but that he cannot seem to get a fix on it. Jeremiah Random stands on the stairs before the Avengers, and greeting them by name he asks ‘To what do we owe the honor of this visit?’ Cap replies ‘No honor’ before informing Random that they are here on official Avengers business – specifically they are looking for one of their missing aircraft, as they believe it may have gone down in this vicinity.
‘Gone down…you mean…crashed?’ Jeremiah Random asks, adding that it is most distressing and that he hopes no harm has befallen the Scarlet Witch since she left the Vision here with them. ‘Wanda was here? And the Vision is still here?’ Captain America asks. Jeremiah Random replies ‘Yes’ and informs the new arrivals that he contacted the Scarlet Witch at their West Coast headquarters to offer her the use of their extensive robotics department in an attempt to more fully restore her husband, before offering to take the Avengers to the Vision.
Meanwhile – if such a word has meaning across the vastness of the universe – the former Avenger Starfox, otherwise known as Eros of Titan, one of the Eternals, flies through the stars, thinking that it cannot be true, for he had totally given up his quest for her when the Avengers told him she had been lost in time – until that mercenary on Sirus IV claimed to have seen her pirate ship in this vicinity, so he just had to check it out for himself. The woman Starfox seeks…Nebula, granddaughter of his evil brother, Thanos!
Flying through some ruins, Starfox thinks that this place is as old as anything in Eternal memory – perhaps as old as the universe itself! Starfox wonders what brings his grand-niece here, for there can be nothing on this rock to interest a plunderer such as she. Suddenly, Starfox hears some soft voices up ahead. ‘Yes, Gunthar, you have served your mistress well!’
Starfox follows the voices and sees Nebula and her servant standing before a massive stone with markings on it. Nebula declares that the formula is here, the ancient legends were true, and orders Gunthar to cut the stones into tablets and transport them back to the ship. Nebula declares that they will now only need a source of sufficient energy – then she will be more powerful than her grandfather ever was! Starfox looks extremely worried.
Back on Earth, in the far more mundane surroundings of a shelter for the homeless in Mile-High Denver, though what is about to happen here is of no less significance to the lives of the Avengers than what is transpiring in space. ‘How is she today?’ a doctor asks one of the shelter volunteers, referring to one of the residents. The handsome blond man replies that she isn’t much improved, and that he thinks they should be seriously considering getting her to a hospital. ‘Maybe’ the doctor replies, explaining that he would like to try talking with her once more though.
The doctor sits beside a bed and addresses the woman is Ann Raymond, asking her if she can hear him. ‘Can you tell me how you’re feeling today?’ he asks. Ann moans and exclaims that she cannot stay here, that she has got to them, and get to Los Angeles. The blond man remarks that is all they can ever get out of her and asks the doctor why he thinks she needs to get to L.A. – and who “them” might be. The doctor replies ‘Your guess is as good as anybody’s’ and remarks that he wishes there was some clue in the few things they found in her wallet.
The doctor holds up the newspaper clipping found in Ann Raymond’s wallet and the blond man remarks that it has got to be some sort of clue – ‘Maybe she’s a Vision groupie or something’ he remarks. The doctor tells him that was a bit glib – and cruel – and reminds him that they are supposed to be helping her. The blond man replies that he wants to help, before asking how he can when the only thing they know about her is her name, and that she is distraught over the old headline in the newspaper clipping: Avengers Confirm Vision is Not Torch.
Back at Saunders College, the She-Hulk tells Captain America that she doesn’t like this, that she thinks something about this place feels wrong. Captain American tells Jennifer that she might be right, adding that his old battle instincts have been twinging away like crazy since they got here. Suddenly the Vision enters the room where his friends are and assures them that there is nothing to distress themselves over.
Captain America shakes the Vision’s hand and tells him that it is great to see him, before asking where the Scarlet Witch is. ‘At present I am not aware of the precise location of my spouse, Captain America’ the Vision replies without any emotion, adding that as Jeremiah Random undoubtedly told them, Wanda departed on some errand of her own shortly after they arrived here. The Vision points out that he is not aware of the nature or destination of her errand.
Back in the lab, Ms. Klein announces that they are going to have to increase the assimilation process. A man with a moustache remarks that doing that could be dangerous if they force her mind to accept the new memories faster than its natural absorption rate. Ms. Klein declares that she knows it could prove extremely unpleasant for the subject, but the arrival of the other Avengers leaves them with little choice. Inside the tank, Wanda appears to scream.
Once again, within the burning brain of the Scarlet Witch, the vast panorama of the ages begins to unfold. Life spreads now, as do the great forests which will one day provide humankind with huge beds of coal. The lizards appear, developing within the brief span of a hundred million years into forms familiar to every schoolchild.
But to Wanda, these are not simply long dead images out of text books, as the creatures thrive and grow, she feels herself a part of it all. A part of each magnificent beast, their feelings are hers, their solemn march is as true a memory as if it were her own. She is one with the ancient monsters. She stalks as the tyrannosaurs…she tastes the hot blood of her prey.
And vaguely, only vaguely, she is aware of the furtive, scurrying things that dwell in her many shadows…the rodents.
Meanwhile, not very far away, Jeremiah Random leads Captain America and the She-Hulk through the robotics laboratories and remarks that, as they can see, their robotics training program is among the finest in the world. He explains that here, students from all over North America are prepared for lucrative careers in the commercial robotics field. Captain America remarks that this is impressive, before excusing himself as he declares that he has seen nothing here to indicate that these facilities are any better suited to help the Vision than the Avengers own.
Jeremiah Random smiles and tells Captain America that perhaps the facilities may not, but what they are really offering the Scarlet Witch is a new eye, a different approach. ‘Perhaps…’ replies Captain America, before remarking that surely Random would agree it is a great shame for Wanda to feel that she must turn to strangers after the Avengers did all they could. ‘Yes, a pity…’ Jeremiah Random replies, until he is interrupted by a blonde woman who whispers something to him, to which he replies that he will be right there.
Jeremiah Random turns, and excuses himself from Captain American and the Scarlet Witch as there is another urgent matter which he must attend to. He tells them to feel free to continue their tour, and one of his people will direct them back to the Vision when they are done. Captain America thanks Random, then when Random is out of ear-shot, Jennifer asks Cap if he is buying into this. Jennifer admits that she is no expert, but that some of the things here don’t look half as flash as what the Avengers have got.
Cap agrees, and declares that a lot of it looks like a Hollywood production designer’s idea of a robot factory, not the real thing. Cap suggests to Jennifer that they continue to play a long for a while and carry on with the tour as Random suggested – ‘But I think we’ll come back later tonight…unannounced!’
While Captain America and the She-Hulk wait for night-time, at the Grosvenor Memorial Hospital in Seattle, three of their West Coast teammates are currently visiting a tired old man residing in a government funded room. Janet van Dyne a.k.a. the Wasp sits beside the old man’s bed, and addressing him as Professor Horton, she asks him if he remembers her. The old man replies that he remembers, it was she who found him in the cell those men had put him in, and she freed him.
The Wasp tells the Professor that he is right, and asks him if he feels up to talking right now, as she and her friends have a lot they need to know, ‘For one thing, we believed for quite some time now that you were dead’. Simon Williams a.k.a. Wonder Man stands idly and watches as Professor Horton replies that he was told that, something about the creation of their android member, the Vision, ‘I was supposed to have…died in his arms’.
Dr. Hank Pym informs Professor Horton that is the story as they understood it, until very recently, and reminds the old man that he was supposed to have assisted the robot, Ultron-5 in the conversion of his original Human Torch android into the android known as the Vision, and for years now they have believed the Torch and the Vision were one and the same – but Horton’s words and Pym’s examinations now prove this is not the case.
Professor Horton remarks that the Vision could not be his Human Torch, anyone with the slightest understanding of androids would know that. Horton explains that the Human Torch was an artificial human and contained no mechanical parts, while the Vision does. Horton adds that the mixing of artificial organs and machine parts is what distinguished the Vision as a synthezoid and not an android. Dr. Pym replies that he now appreciates that distinction, and as one who has trained himself extensively in robotics, he feels he should have realized it sooner – especially since as Ant-Man he once took an impromptu tour of the Vision’s innards.
Dr. Pym points out that perhaps an even more important consideration now confronts them – informing everyone that the Vision learned the so-called true details of his origin from Immortus – ‘I can show you your past, Vision’ Immortus is believed to have said to the Vision – so obviously the “Master of Time” lied – but why?
‘Oh, never without good reason, my dear Doctor Pym…never without good reason’ Immortus mumbles to himself as he watches the Avengers West Coast talking with Professor Horton. Immortus boasts that it is a reason of cosmic consequence far beyond Pym’s three-dimensional comprehension. ‘Only one who is at home, as I am, in the myriad planes of the fourth dimension could ever hope to understand my reasons – or the place my calculated future has reserved for the Scarlet Witch…’. Immortus then turns his attention to another viewing portal, where the Scarlet Witch is being helped out of her tank by Jeremiah Random.
Wanda, clad in an all black spandex outfit, holds her head as Jeremiah Random asks her how she feels now. ‘Strange…as if I were awakening after a long, long sleep’ Wanda replies. Another man informs Random that all the readings show normal, meaning the assimilation was successful. ‘Good! Good!’ Jeremiah Random exclaims, before asking Wanda if she would like to rest, as there is much she needs to consider. ‘Yes…rest…need time to think…’ Wanda replies almost trance-like.
A scientist leads Wanda away while Ms. Klein tells Random that she hopes the accelerated assimilation has not done any undetected damage. Jeremiah replies that he thinks nothing is wrong and tells Ms. Klein that she was correct to take the steps she did. Ms. Klein thanks Random and smiles, exclaiming that this is a great day. ‘A great day indeed, Ms. Klein!’ Jeremiah Random declares that their successful assimilation of the Scarlet Witch paves the way for similar induction of all mutant-kind. He adds that the genetic barrier has been breached, so soon they shall be able to abandon the dead-end-street of humanity – ‘And then Homo Sapiens will go the same way as did the dinosaurs before them!’
The blonde scientist addresses the Scarlet Witch as “Miss Wanda” and as Wanda sits down in a plain room the scientist tells her to rest here for a while and she is sure she will feel fine in the morning. ‘Yes, thank you, I’m certain I shall’ Wanda replies, while thinking to herself that she suddenly feels very certain about everything – it is as if every doubt she has ever had in her life has been scrubbed away.
Lying down on the bed, Wanda thinks that she is beginning to understand some of the things her father has said – things he said in the days she and her brother Quicksilver were part of his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, back in the days long before they even knew he was their father, when to them he was only Magneto – Master of Magnetism!
Wanda recalls how Magneto spoke often of the superiority if mutants such as they – Homo Superior – he called them. ‘He said that we were the future. Said that someday soon, all the humans would bow down to us…acknowledge us as their rightful masters!’ Wanda decides that she sees now her father was right – more than even he dared guess – humankind ha reached the end of its era of domination. ‘They must be left behind, like the dinosaurs, like the lesser mammals. Left out to die! And only that which endures shall remain!’ But while Wanda Maximoff drifts into a deep, contented sleep…she scarcely notices a low and rhythmic drone tickling at the underside of her mind.
A few hours later, the long summer twilight surrenders at last to the darkness of night…and all grows still and quiet about the campus of Saunders College. As Captain America and the She-Hulk make their way across campus, Cap tells Jennifer to be careful as no doubt the campus is loaded with security devices. ‘I’ll bet!’ replies Jen, before telling Cap to keep in mind that being unobtrusive is hardly her style – one of the disadvantages of being six foot seven and bright green.
Cap smiles, ‘True enough, Jen’ he replies before admitting that he is not exactly sylph-like himself either, before remarking that is half a lifetime in battle training has taught him anything it’s that stealth and size are not necessarily interdependent. ‘Follow my lead and I’ll show you what I mean!’ Leaping over a barrier, Cap tells Jen to take caution, as the low whine they can hear means there is a pressure sensor within the first few feet of this pavement.
Jen leaps over the first few feet and tells Cap that he continues to amaze her. Steve tells Jen to save the compliments until they have found Wanda, as his every instinct tells him that she is still here. Entering the complex, Cap remarks that this is the central tower complex, so if there is something amiss here, this place will be the heart of it. Cap tells Jennifer that if she has been cautious until now, she must now increase that caution tenfold.
Captain America remarks that the answers they are looking for will probably be in Random’s office, which, according to the building guide he is reading, is on the twentieth floor. Cap tells Jen that it will not be safe to use the elevators, so he hopes she feels up to a climb!
Shortly, arriving on the twentieth floor, the She-Hulk tells Cap ‘Not bad, you went up all forty flights four steps at a time!’ and asks if he ever gets winded. ‘Put it down to clean living, She-Hulk. That…and the super soldier serum in my veins!’ Entering the office of Jeremiah Random, She-Hulk notes that it is unlocked and unguarded. Cap remarks that this is starting to seem much to easy, and tapping into a computer, he suggests they see if their apparent good fortune holds, hoping that this desktop terminal will be able to access the main computer data bank without a security code.
It works, and Cap learns that the Scarlet Witch is being held in a sub-basement of a building just south of this one. Jen looks contemplative, and remarks that this office faces south. ‘I can guess what you’re thinking, She-Hulk…and I approve!’ Opening a door which leads out onto a balcony, Jen is pleased that Cap agrees and remarks that there is no point in skulking about now that they know Random and his people are up to no good. ‘See you in a few!’ Jen exclaims as she leaps from the balcony, landing with enormous force on top of the building nearby – and plunging hard through each ceiling and floor until she reaches the bottom.
Captain America leaps off of the balcony now, ‘Excellent!’ he thinks to himself, for he knows that with a twenty story drop propelling her, the She-Hulk seven-hundred pounds have punched them an entrance through several floors of the target structure, and he follows in his own fashion, dropping down through the holes in the ceilings and floors and landing on his shield, which can absorb any impact – so landing on it after a twenty story fall is less of a shock to Cap’s body than just stepping off a curb!
Cap collects his shield and tells Jen that it is time to get on with the invasion. Standing against a door, Jennifer calls Cap this way, as the stairs are marked as leading down to the sub-basement he found listed in the files. She-Hulk rushes down the stairs, until Cap tells her that he will lead now as while she may be virtually indestructible, they don’t know what kind of weaponry they may be up against. Jen stops, ‘You got it, Cap! I’ll yield to your shield any day!’ she jokes, before motioning around the sub-basement, as there is no one here, just that massive structure before them.
Cap remarks that “blockhouse” would seem to be the appropriate term, noting that it is obviously intended to withstand or contain a great force. ‘Like Wanda’s hex power for instance?’ Jen asks. ‘Possibly’ Cap replies, before telling Jen that personal experience has taught him there is very little on this world that can resist the Scarlet Witch’s mutant power.
Cap tells She-Hulk that, since she is almost as strong as her cousin, she should try and do something about that door. The cousin of Bruce Banner a.k.a. the Hulk smiles and exclaims ‘No sooner said than done’ and that it doesn’t look tougher than – but as the She-Hulk begins to punch the door, she simply falls through it, taking the door and a whole lot of rubble down with her.
Getting to her feet, the She-Hulk is confused, and tells Cap that there wasn’t anywhere near the amount of resistance she was expecting, adding that Cap was right, this is too easy, as if they wanted them to get in. ‘Indeed we did, She-Hulk’ the now-strange Scarlet Witch exclaims, before declaring that now both She-Hulk and Captain America have demonstrated their skills, ‘It is time for you to join us!’
Cap looks in and sees his dear friend acting strangely and tells Jennifer to get clear, as Wanda has been turned against them. ‘No, Captain. You are wrong!’ the Scarlet Witch replies ‘I have not been turned. I have, rather, been shown the truth! The great and ancient truth which has dwelled within all living things since the dawn of time!’ The Scarlet Witch simply lifts her hands slightly, and more rubble falls down on Captain America and the She-Hulk. ‘The truth you will come to share…once you, too, are properly assimilated!’
Meanwhile, in Milwaukee…’No! No! NO!’ exclaims Clint “Hawkeye” Barton, exclaiming that he has never seen a more useless bunch of misfits, before telling the Great Lakes Avengers – Mister Immortal, Big Bertha, Dinah Soar, Flatman and Doorman – to try the routine again. As Flatman untangles himself from Big Bertha, Big Bertha reminds Hawkeye that they have been at it all day and night. She exclaims that they know they are not up to Avengers standards and points out that he is not going to get them there in one day.
Clint tells Big Bertha to listen up, that while it may be her money paying for this gig – Clint cannot continue as he is interrupted by his wife Barbara “Bobbi” Morse-Barton a.k.a. Mockingbird. Bobbi tells Clint that she just picked up a transmission on the Avengers wave band, and while it was faint, she is sure it was the last gasp of a Quinjet emergency signal! Hawkeye exclaims that this is the moment they have been waiting for! ‘Avengers Assemble!’ he shouts as he and the others rush out, with Clint exclaiming that his former teammates are in trouble, so only they can rescue them…they being the Great Lakes Avengers!


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Baptism of Fire!
Texas, more specifically Saunders College, where the Avengers Captain America a.k.a. Steve Rogers and the She-Hulk a.k.a. Jennifer Walters lie in a pile of rubble, the victims of an unexpected attack. An attack from their friend and fellow Avenger of the West Coast branch – Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch!
Clad in black, Wanda stands over her friends when Jeremiah Random enters and congratulates her for defeating two of her most powerful former colleagues in less than thirty seconds. Eyes completely white, Wanda remarks that Captain America and the She-Hulk hesitated to strike at her, no doubt thinking that she could be reasoned with. ‘Not realizing there can be no reasoning with That Which Endures…’
‘Of course not! No more than one can reason with a hurricane…a swarm of locusts’. Jeremiah Random replies smiling, ‘We are a force of nature. Primal. Elemental. We have survived since the dawn of life on Earth!’ Random declares that they are now embarked upon a course of action that will ensure their survival beyond the age of humankind. While some of his staff tend to Cap and Jennifer, Random leads the Scarlet Witch away, boasting that they stand upon the threshold of the age of mutants, and informs Wanda that, for many years, it seemed as though the fates, in the form of a cruel genetic quirk, had chosen to bar them from that coming age.
Jeremiah declares that now, with the assistance of the Scarlet Witch, the stage is set for their continued endurance. ‘As mankind falls by the wayside, we shall ride the crest into the mutant millennium!’
Meanwhile, sixty-five minutes later and to the North-East... ‘Cant you get this crate to go any faster?’ Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye, leader of the Great Lakes Avengers asks, muttering that they are never going to get anywhere going at this speed. Ashley Crawford, famous super-model who is piloting the jet informs Clint that this “crate” happens to be one of the finest private aircraft that money can buy. Ashley, who sometimes goes by the alias “Big Bertha” thanks to her mutant power to more than double her size remarks that she knows it is no Quinjet, before reminding Clint that although they call themselves Avengers they do not have access to any of their more sophisticated hardware.
‘Fine! Fine! So stooge along at sub-sonic speed for the next year and a half!’ Clint mutters before turning to his wife Barbara “Bobbi” Morse-Barton, better known as “Mockingbird” and asking her what she has got for him. At the radio-console, Bobbi replies ‘Not much, lover!’ and informs her famous Avenger husband that the Quinjet emergency signal she monitored was so faint she is barely sure she even heard it. Bobbi remarks that she knows they are flying on a pretty straight course for its point of origin, but that unless it starts up again there is no way to triangulate its precise position.‘In other words, this here is nothing more than a wild goose chase, right, “leader”?’ asks Mister Immortal. Clint frowns and tells Mister Immortal to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, motioning to the other Great Lakes Avengers, Clint remarks that this crew of oddballs assembled here are nothing but bush league super heroes before he and Mockingbird hooked up with them, and points out that, for the first time, they have a real chance to show the Avengers what they are made of – ‘If we can ever find them!’
At that same time, just outside of Los Angeles, a Quinjet returns to its bay at the Palos Verdes Compound, home of the Avengers West Coast. Three Avengers exit the Quinjet – Dr. Hank Pym, his lover Janet van Dyne a.k.a. the Wasp, and Simon “Wonder Man” Williams. Janet remarks that it was something of a fruitless trip, as she was so sure that when Wanda ran off this morning she was and the Vision were heading for Seattle to see Professor Horton. Hank tells Jan that he wouldn’t call it entirely fruitless as any chance to talk with Horton is important, for they now know the Vision was not made from Horton’s original Human Torch like they once believed.
Wonder Man remarks that he is still not sure how that can be true, as there was so much evidence supporting that version of the Vision’s origin. Hank replies ‘Not exactly’ and admits that a lot of pieces seemed to fall into place with the “revelation” of the Vision’s connection to the original Human Torch, but now, seen from their new vantage point, that revealed “truth” starts to get a little fuzzy around the edges. Hank informs the others he is now heading for their main computer facility, as he wants to see what he can cross-check on their missing android, and asks Jan if she is coming.
The Wasp replies that she will join Hank in a bit, and as Hank leaves he tells Simon and Jan to stay out of trouble. The Wasp flits over to Simon and tells him that she assumes by his long face it means he is still concerned about Wanda. ‘Of course! How could I not be?’ Simon replies, reminding Jan that the Vision was only capable of falling in love with the Scarlet Witch in the first place because he was based on his brain patterns and emotions.
Wasp knows that Wanda says she hates Simon now because he has refused to let Hank recopy those patterns into the Vision. Simon asks Jan if she can even begin to imagine how that feels. He informs her that when he came back from being “dead” – from the chrysalis stage that transformed him into what he is now – when he saw Wanda for the first time, it was love at first sight!
Jan understands that it was love at first sight and remarks that Wanda had done everything she could to break down the Vision’s robotic reserve, but in the process had made herself irresistible to Simon – after all, it was a copy of his emotional content that Wanda was trying to appeal to. ‘Exactly! I never had a chance!’ Simon exclaims, adding that by the time of his and Wanda’s first meeting, she was already married to the Vision, and as weird as it seemed to him…’Like I said this morning, there are rules about things like that…’.
‘Yes there are, but there’s no reason why you can’t make those rules work for you, Simon’ Jan points out, before telling Simon that Wanda didn’t fall in love with some plastic organs and a few million miles of micro-wire. ‘She fell in love with the inner man she sensed hiding behind the computerized responses – and that “inner man” was you!’ Jan suggests that even though Wanda didn’t know it herself, it was actually Simon she was falling in love with!
In the computer lab, Hank sits at a console, thinking to himself that this is turning out to be a bigger problem than he had imagined – for when that covert international group kidnapped the Vision, they not only erased his personal memory banks, but planted a computer virus in the Avengers’ systems that eradicated all their files about the Vision, which leaves Hank chasing smoke as far as any hope of cross-referencing goes. ‘I’d be working entirely from memory – and as good as my memory is, it’s not good enough!’
Hank leaves the computer room, deciding that perhaps he should concentrate on where Wanda is for now. Walking through the Compound, he calls out to Carlos, who greets Hank and asks him how he can help. Hank points out that as Carlos is their butler, he comes into contact with most of the Avengers several times a day, and asks if he has noticed anything strange about the Scarlet Witch’s behavior lately.
Carlos replies that he has seen only what everyone else has seen – that Wanda is very distressed over what has happened to the Vision, although he seems to recall her brightening after just after she got that letter the other day. ‘Letter? What letter?’ Hank asks, but before Carlos has time to answer, Tigra, somewhat stranger looking than usual, growls and rushes past them.
‘What in the name of…’ Hank exclaims. Carlos remarks that Tigra has been acting most strangely as of late, and that the cook said Tigra has been chasing mice in the kitchen! ‘Mice?’ Hank replies, before putting on his jacket and rushing after her, thinking to himself that it sounds as if Greer is going through another inversion – as though her feline aspects are becoming dominant again.
But within a few moments, Hank searches through the woods, thinking to himself that he never really registered how big the grounds are at the West Coast Compound ‘You could hide a small herd of elephants without too much difficulty!’ he jokes before calling out to Tigra. When he gets no response he is about to turn and head back to the buildings, when there is a mighty roar, and Tigra leaps out at Hank from the trees, landing on him, she pushes him over and begins attacking Hank tooth and claw.
Hank tries to force Greer back as he thinks to himself that his jumpsuit does enough to protect everything it covers, but Tigra is instinctively going for his exposed flesh – mostly his throat! Holding Greer back, Hank only has one chance, and although he doesn’t like using his powers on living things, it is a last resort, and the ferocity of Tigra’s attack leaves him with no choice. Hank’s “Pym Particles” work effectively on the savage Tigra, who growls, then hisses as she is reduced to a size smaller than a housecat. Holding her by the scruff of her neck, Hank wonders what he can do with her now.
At that moment, roughly one thousand miles away, Captain America opens one eye, ‘Alone at last’ he thinks to himself, before sitting up and whispering to the She-Hulk, asking her if she is okay and informing her that he did what he could to protect them both with his shield. Jennifer replies that she is fine and tells Cap that she guessed he was up to something when she saw him fall, adding that his shield should have absorbed the impact of the masonry the Scarlet Witch made fall on them.
The two Avengers get to their feet as Cap replies that it did, but that he thought it best to play possum rather than risk hurting Wanda in a pitched battle. Cap adds that he is glad Jen picked up on what he was planning and played along. Cap points out that this cell is likely to be full of alarms and sensors so they had better move fast. ‘Yes…’the She-Hulk replies before grabbing Cap and tossing him across the room.
‘Sorry, Captain. Obviously you have not been properly assimilated – therefore you must be destroyed!’ the She-Hulk exclaims. ‘Assimilated? She-Hulk what in blue-blazes are you talking about? Don’t tell me they got to you, too?!’ Cap exclaims, wondering hot they got to Jen and why it didn’t affect him as Jennifer clearly thinks that it should have.
The She-Hulk lunges at Captain America, who dodges before her powerful blow hits him. Cap thinks to himself that, even if Jen does know the answers, her present mood makes it clear that she is not inclined to share them with him, so the question is now how long can he keep dodging here in this confined space – and if she connects, can he hope to survive a direct hit from someone who is nearly as strong as the Hulk?
Suddenly the door to the cell opens and Jeremiah Random enters, ordering the She-Hulk to stop, as they want Captain America to live – ‘For now!’ Random exclaims as he shoots Cap right in the chest.
Meanwhile, ‘I have been unattended now for seven hours, four minutes, twenty-three seconds’ the Vision declares as he lay on a table, deciding that this is inconsistent with the alleged purpose of his being here at the Saunders College for the reconstruction of his missing data base. Floating up, the Vision remarks that it has been even longer since he has seen his wife, so logic indicates it is time to find out what has happened to her. The Vision notes that Captain America and the She-Hulk also seemed concerned for Wanda’s well-being.
The Vision literally walks through walls as he leaves the chamber he was in and recalls that, according to Jeremiah Random, Wanda departed of her own volition, shortly after leaving him here. He admits that he is not fluent in emotional responses, but upon closer analysis the actions of the Scarlet Witch do not seem in keeping with her expressed concern for his condition.
The Vision decides that he has no reason to doubt Jeremiah Random, the most productive course of action would be to attempt at determining where Wanda might have gone. As chance would have it, the Vision flies into the midnight sky, where a plane is flying nearby. ‘Hey look! Swing around, Ashley. If the Vision’s here…he may know something about that distress signal!’ a voice from inside the plane remarks to Big Bertha.
The Vision notes the civilian aircraft attempting a mid-air rendezvous with him and after checking his programming finds no trace of its identification. A voice is emitted from the plane, ‘Yo, Vizh! Come on over!’ Moments later, the Vision has phased himself into the plane, and greets Hawkeye after recognizing his voice, before pointing out that he does not know any of the individuals here with Clint and Mockingbird. Clint smiles, and remarks ‘No surprise’ before telling the Vision to say “hey” to his new team, the Great Lakes Avengers.
‘”Great Lakes”?’ the Vision replies, before asking if “Midwest” would not be a more appropriate nomenclature. ‘Yeah, maybe. I didn’t name them!’ Clint replies, before asking the Vision what he knows about the distress signal Mockingbird picked up. ‘Distress signal?’ the Vision asks, before realizing that it is probably the one that Captain America referred to. ‘Cap? He’s in this too?’ Hawkeye asks, before wondering what his good friend’s involvement is.
Back at campus, in one of the labs, Captain America is laid out on a table, with various computers scanning him, and a scientist tells Jeremiah Random that there is definitely something in Captain America’s bio-matrix that blocks the assimilator. Random turns to the She-Hulk and asks her what she knows of this. Jennifer explains that it must be the Super Soldier Serum, the substance that turned him into Captain America in the first place, as it still replicates itself in Cap’s bloodstream.
‘A chemical block? Fascinating!’ Jeremiah Random exclaims, before remarking that since Captain America is not a mutant, their presence would have been within every cell of his body since the moment of conception, just as they are in all the higher life forms. Random supposes that the Super Soldier Serum has eradicated them, which he assumes is a side-effect of transforming Captain America into the perfect human specimen that he is now. The She-Hulk informs Jeremiah Random that there is something she doesn’t understand about this, all the talk about “we” and “us”. Jen asks who the “we” is, and ‘What is That Which Endures?’
Suddenly, the Scarlet Witch appears, no longer clad in black, but wearing her pink and red costume, and tells Jennifer that she can answer her question. Jen tells Wanda that she is pleased to see her and apologizes for their little “confrontation” earlier. Wanda smiles and tells the She-Hulk that it is all right, as she knew Jen did not understand what is happening, but now she can tell her.
(Shown with flashback images)Wanda informs Jen that it began four billion years ago with the first primitive cell, essentially the first life on Earth, which, like all the simple organisms since then, that cell reproduced itself by dividing. But, at that first moment of diversion, something happened – the fission should have produced two identical entities, but it did not. One was different, it immediately invaded the other half, matching itself exactly to the proto-cells genetic structure, becoming one with it.
So it is, this invader has been present in all the descendants of that first organism – present in the fish that developed in the seas. Present in the plants that that were the first to make headway onto the land – and in the amphibious creatures that followed. It was there in each and every one of the dinosaurs, subtly guiding their development – making them masters of this world for two hundred million years! But, the dinosaurs came to be seen as a dead end, and they were abandoned, so focus shifted to the mammals….
(Present)Wanda concludes by stating ‘Without our presence to guide them, the dinosaurs quickly died out. She-Hulk is slightly confused – ‘You mean this…”passenger” inside us all…it’s conscious? Thinking? Choosing?’ she exclaims. ‘After a fashion, She-Hulk!’ Jeremiah Random declares, smiling as he exclaims that it is true a form of intelligence that developed in them almost immediately, for that most part, that intelligence lay dormant, it was many millions of years before they learned to control the process Charles Darwin named “Natural Selection”.Random explains that once that occurred however, they began to take an active interest in their hosts, and once every hundred thousand years their intellect manifests itself in a few…random…creatures, studying the progress of life and matching the adaptability of one species against another. Random adds that an assessment is made, and those life forms they judge to be at their maximum potential they abandon. ‘Our presence within their cells shrinks, dwindling eventually to nothing – and our guiding intellect turns to other, profitable species, after all, our whole and sole purpose is to endure’.
Jeremiah Random remarks that, thus, they left the dinosaurs in favor of concentrating on the mammals, and since then narrowed their focus to the ultimate mammal – mankind, adding that when Neanderthal proved unsuitable, they shifted to Cro-Magnon. Random is about to say something else, when suddenly one of his associates enters the room informing him that they are under attack – by the Avengers!
Outside, the Great Lakes Avengers rush forward, with Hawkeye shouting ‘Avengers Assemble!’ Mockingbird leaps into action, kicking one of the men, she remarks that they mostly seem to be college kids, and tells the Great Lakes Avengers to try not doing any permanent damage until they know what is going on here. Flatman has twisted his body around a trio of attackers and tells Bobbi that it shouldn’t be a problem, as none of them are properly armed, so obviously they did not expect them.
Dinah Soar swoops down low, causing a quintet of attackers to fall to the ground, and as the Vision deals to his own opponent, he congratulates Hawkeye on his new team’s efficiency. ‘But not quite efficient enough, Vision!’ exclaims the She-Hulk as she arrives on scene, before pulling a large column from the ground and exclaiming that she will see how Hawkeye’s team fares against some real muscle. Big Bertha declares that the “She-Hulk lady” has turned bad, and tells her team-mates that she will deal with her.
As Big Bertha lumbers over to the She-Hulk, Jen exclaims ‘Gimme a break, tubs – what can you do!?’ but the She-Hulk gets a bit of a surprise as the large column simply bounces off Bertha’s body. Big Bertha exclaims ‘There’s your first lesson in what Big Bertha can do, She-Hulk’ before leaping high into the air and declaring ‘Here’s your second…!’ with that, Bertha slams her body down to the ground, landing hard on the She-Hulk.
Nearby, Mister Immortal motions to one of the buildings and asks Doorman if he thinks it looks important also. Doorman tells Mister Immortal that it isn’t his imagination, as the kids they are fighting seem particularly keen on keeping them away from that structure. Mister Immortal declares that, as they are Avengers, he thinks they should see what is on the other side of that door. ‘Way ahead of you!’ Doorman exclaims, as he fuses his body with the building, and informing his teammate that he is ready when he is.
Mister Immortal rushes towards Doorman, telling him to hold still, then with one leap, dives through Doorman, and into the building. Examining his surroundings, some strange lab, Mister Immortal thinks that it is no wonder those kids were so eager to protect this place, as it looks like this is some kind of nerve center.
At that moment, Ms. Klein announces that one of the Avengers has penetrated the inner defenses of the assimilator. Jeremiah Random and the others all rush out of the room they are in, exclaiming that if the assimilator is damaged, then they will lose the telepathic link that joins them – meaning it might be another hundred millennia before they can continue with their plan!
Random, Ms. Klein and the others all approach Mister Immortal, who is doing something at a console. Mister Immortal looks at Random and remarks that he has the look of a head honcho – a head honcho in a powerful flap! Random is slightly confused, ‘You’re not one of the Avengers!’ he exclaims, before ordering Mister Immortal to stop what he is doing, as the inner chamber surrounding the assimilator is protected by an intense radiation field.
Random tells Mister Immortal that if he steps inside, the door will close automatically behind him and he will be bombarded with lethal radioactivity. Ms. Klein adds that the assimilator is protected, but that any human exposed to that bombardment would be dead in thirty seconds. ‘Tell me something that scares me, folks!’ Mister Immortal replies, before introducing himself, and stepping into the assimilator declares that all they are threatening him with his death ‘And dying is what I do best!’ he exclaims. ‘The fool…’ Jeremiah Random mutters.
At that moment, outside, ‘Okay, lard butt…’ She-Hulk exclaims as she finally manages to lift Big Bertha off her body, then tosses her across the grounds. Angry, She-Hulk is ready to get back into the fight, but she is confused. ‘And now…and now…’ she repeats over and over, until Hawkeye and Mockingbird rush over and ask if she is all right. ‘Hawkeye…? Mockingbird…? What…? How…? Where…?’ Jennifer exclaims.
Suddenly, all of the Saunders College students that were involved in the fight all begin to walk around in a daze, and Flatman exclaims that it is as if part of their brain has been turned off. ‘Hey! Avengers Assemble!’ Over here! Quick!’ Doorman shouts, altering his teammates to what has just gone on.
Shortly, the Vision asks Jeremiah Random if he cares to explain all of this. Jeremiah Random reveals that his name is actually Charles Edison, and informs the Vision that one of his teammates is in grave danger – if not already dead!’ Wanda and Hawkeye look at a monitor showing the inside of the assimilator and see Mister Immortal lying motionless on the floor. Clint exclaims that it looks like he smashed through the containment wall, before asking Wanda if the glow is the radiation that she mentioned.
Wanda replies that it is enough to kill a hundred men, and tells Clint that his friend has sacrificed himself to destroy the assimilator. ‘Sacrificed? Don’t count on it!’ Clint replies, before going over to the assimilator door and asking Random – ‘Or whatever the heck your name is’ – if the door switches off when radiation is opened. Random replies that it is, so Clint opens the door and asks Flatman if he can get Mister Immortal without setting off the pressure plate in the floor. Flatman does as Hawkeye asks, and moments later Big Bertha is checking her teammate’s life signs. ‘Dead as a doornail, Hawkeye’ Bertha replies. ‘I’d say he’ll be coming around in ten minutes…’ she adds.
Hawkeye remarks that there is not much point in trying to arrest anyone, and points out that if anyone ever had a good claim to not being in full control of their faculties, its these people! Charles “Jeremiah Random” Edison thanks Hawkeye, pointing out that it is bad enough to realize he has lost half a life time and every penny he owns to this thing, without having to serve a jail sentence as well.
The Vision remarks that the dormant “survivor” inside Edison compelled him to use his family fortune to purchase this university and convert it to the needs of the project, then gather together those few hundred others in whom That Which Endures had awakened, and each contributed a small cell sample to develop into the assimilator.
Wanda puts a hand on her unemotive husbands arm and declares that it is all so frightening, as the memories the assimilator placed inside of her – she still has them, and asks if it is possible the dinosaurs died because That Which Endures left – ‘And if it someday leaves mankind for the mutants as it planned…Wanda’s voice trails off. The Vision simply replies that he is no properly programmed to consider such philosophical matters.
‘Maybe not, but I have something to say!’ Captain America exclaims. Cap remarks that he doesn’t know how much of what they learned today he is really prepared to accept, ‘Maybe it’s all true…Maybe without That Which Endures mankind would still be squatting in the caves, afraid of the dark, of the thunder and lightning. But I’d like to think there’s something more to humanity than just a few pounds of flesh and bone. Something deep inside that sets us apart in the scheme of things. I hope that’s true. And I hope no part of it was due to That Which Endures. For if it is…if we are no more than vehicles for this parasite…when a day comes that the survivor does finally depart…we’re going to find ourselves very much alone…’.