Natalia Alianovna Romanova wrapped the thick terry cloth towel about her head, covering her damp hair. Steam rose in the large, extravagant bathroom that the X-Men had allowed her to use to clean up after the battle in the freezing elements outside. Water condensation dripped from the ceiling and walls, the central air doing little to clear the air as yet. She wiped a palm across the foggy mirror and peered at her image, happy with what she saw.
She was warm again- deliciously warm. She had thought that she might never be warm again after running through the freezing snowstorm across the Xavier estate, after the near drowning she had suffered in the nearby pond at the hands of the teleporting mutant, Nightcrawler. He had not been in his right mind at the time of course, and Natalia was not one to hold a grudge, not anymore. Life was too short, even for her.
It had been Fury's idea to visit the X-Men, old foes of Sebastian Shaw whom he believed somehow linked to all their current troubles, but when they had arrived at Salem Center in Westchester they had found that most of that community had banded together in a hate-filled mob to storm the X-Men's supposedly hidden headquarters- coincidentally at that time. At first she had thought that the X-Men were retaliating with exceptional force to defend their home. The X-Man Storm had called up a…storm to deal with the mob, and Natalia's old friend Wolverine was attacking the crowd in the grips of an animalistic rage. Wolverine had attacked and managed to down Fury's Flying Car as it flew by, and in desperation, Fury had ejected the Black Widow from the plummeting craft. It was there; trapped in the ejection seat that she had confronted Nightcrawler, the demonic looking mutant that could teleport between locations. He had tried to drown her, teleporting her to a small, half-frozen pond on the grounds, gripped by the same madness that seemed to have ahold of the crowd. The Black Widow had defeated him, as he was obviously not in his right mind, but then she had been taken by Storm, the beauteous weather witch.
Luckily, Storm had shaken off the effects of whatever was driving the mob- the madness of hatred. As the mutant wind rider set about trying to quell the storm that she had created in madness, Natalia had joined the battle on the ground only to find that it was all but over. Fury had gassed the mob in his initial pass in his Flying Car, and that very gas had dulled Wolverine's blood lust just enough that he could fight off the berserker rage that had been driving him. The gas had also felled a good number of the angry crowd, and Fury and Wolverine were able to make short work of those still standing. The people had seemed slow-witted and not in their own mind, as though they were being controlled.
It was only afterwards that they had discovered what had really been spurring the mob on to their maddened goals. Each and every one of the population that had attacked the Xavier estate- the headquarters of the X-Men- had been fitted with a unique control disk that warped their emotions and left them all vulnerable to the commands of another. Natalia had seen similar disks before- years before in the battle against Thanos, the mad Titan. They were devices created by a scientist corrupted by the very sciences he worshipped. Small, coin-sized disks that transferred the emotional power of every captive of Basil Sandhurst- the Controller into his very being, increasing his personal strength.
Natalia slipped into the terrycloth robe provided by Nightcrawler- it was almost cute the way that he had fawned over her when they had all retired back to the Xavier mansion to regroup. Nightcrawler had been horrified by his actions, feeling guilty that he had tried to drown her and was almost overcompensating as he tried to make amends.
Fury had remained behind directing the S.H.I.E.L.D. rescue units as they started to arrive. Within moments after the battle had ended flying craft had begun to appear over the tree line- one and two men craft as well as larger transport vehicles all bearing the emblem of S.H.I.E.L.D., a golden eagle above the UN flag. Fury and Wolverine both directed the various craft to land well away from the injured townspeople, and back down Graymalkin Lane away from the estate. The X-Men desired their privacy after all, and did not need S.H.I.E.L.D. troops invading their home.
Natalia had recognized several of the agents as they ran forward ready for action. Jasper Sitwell, whom she had known for years, was at the forefront leading the team. From a distance he appeared the average military man with his close cropped blonde hair and determined demeanor. She could see that he was still thin and wiry though, almost a shadow of those agents that ran beside him, muscles bulging in their blue, skintight uniforms. Still, Natalia knew that he was by far the superior agent, having risen through the ranks of the original organization with a blinding speed to become one of Fury's top men and confidants.
"Madame Romanoff!" Sitwell had said with some surprise as he slid to a stop beside her in the slushy snow. "I was not expecting to find you here. Are you hurt?" His eyes grew almost comically wide behind his horn rimmed glasses as he leaned in close staring at the bruises about Natalia's throat- bruises left by Nightcrawler when he had been trying to drown her.
"I'm fine, agent Sitwell. Thank you!" Natalia smiled, unconsciously adjusting her collar about her neck. "Collateral damage, I'm afraid. Hazards of the trade-"
"Sitwell!" Both had turned at the sound of the gruff voice booming their direction. It was Fury of course, stalking through the snow leaving a trail of medics in his wake. Natalia saw that the S.H.I.E.L.D. rescue teams were spread out all along the lane already taking care of the wounded. Natalia sensed Jasper Sitwell tense and snap to attention as his commander reached them.
"This ain't no family reunion, Sitwell!" Fury barked, stepping right up into his deputy's face. "You fergit yer protocol, Junior? Figgered you'd stop in an' say 'hi' t'me when you were done chattin' up the Widda?"
"No, sir! I-"
"Button it, Sitwell, an' folla me! I'll give ya the run down so's you can get ta' work!" Fury turned his attention to the Widow, the mock anger vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. Natalia had to smile, knowing it was all a mask that Fury wore perfected over the years ever since he had been a sergeant in World War Two leading a troop of roughneck soldiers called the Howling Commandos.
"Tasha. Get inside the mansion an' warm up before you catch yer death. Logan's waitin' for ya at the main gate." He smirked, rolling his bit of cigar to the opposite side of his mouth then stomped away through the snow.
"C'mon, Sitwell. We got work t'do!"
Natalia slipped her feet into a pair of slippers that Nightcrawler had provided and stepped from the glorious, steamy heat of the bathroom. The outer hall was chilly compared to the bath, and Natalia felt goosebumps rise immediately on her bare legs as she strode towards the grand staircase. The building was huge consisting of two massive side wings flanking the vast central building. She knew too that there was more layered far beneath what she could blatantly see. There were several levels of basements running far out into the grounds and even farther below into subterranean caverns that dotted the coastal area along Long Island Sound. Natalia knew that at the farthest edge there was a huge hanger that housed the X-Men's 'Blackbird' jet along with several smaller vehicles ranging from ATV's to Wolverine's Samurai motorcycle. There was a labyrinth of tunnels running all the way to the property line, a light rail train system designed for quick transport from the mansion to any point on the estate, and quite possibly into Salem Center as well. All hidden behind the 19th century façade of the mansion itself. The building was originally Charles Xavier's ancestral home, built by one of his forefathers she had read, an early settler to the area. As such the building had the feel of the Old World about it. Though highly modernized and renovated, Natalia could still see the quaint touches that made the mansion a home to the seeming army of students and guests that sometimes lived under its roof. The walls were dark paneled in rich cherry matching the vintage furniture that lined the hallways; writing tables and loveseats, an armoire that no doubt housed something other than clothing. The hall was dimly lit by overhead track lighting that had been ingeniously worked into the ancient gas light sconces that lined the walls at intervals. There were paintings and small statuettes scattered about, and Natalia knew that each was worth a small fortune. Xavier's mansion seemed darker than Avenger's mansion in Manhattan, but Natalia noted that Xavier's tastes in décor were not so far removed from Anthony Stark's. She wondered if perhaps they shared a decorator: an interior designer that catered to the super hero set.
Natalia descended the grand staircase, marveling up and about at the glorious view. The main hall was huge and richly furnished, though the pieces that would be a visitor's first impression were far more modern than the furnishings she had seen upstairs. She stared up into the shadows far overhead, sunlight blinding her as it beamed in through a many-paned skylight, cloaking the upper floors in darkness. A mammoth chandelier glistened in the afternoon brilliance, dazzling her sight and reflecting myriad colors about the great hall. It was breathtaking-
"Truly fantastic, is it not?"
Natalia blinked, the voice snapping her from the almost hypnotic affect of the room's beauty. She glanced about, not expecting a fight, but not expecting to be spied upon either. There was a swirl in the shadowy corners of the room, almost invisible but catching her trained eye just the same. She focused, and a second later Nightcrawler stepped into view. He looked embarrassed, though in truth she could not see him blush through the short blue fur that covered his skin. He bowed with a flourish, his pointed tail whipping up and about-
"Forgive me, Madame. It was not my attention to startle you." He apologized, stepping forward with a delicate gait, his body slightly hunched as he balanced on the balls of his feet. Natalia knew the X-Man, but she still found it hard not to stare at first. For all intents and purposes he did indeed look like a blue-furred demon. His ears and teeth were pointed, his eyes huge and seemingly almost without pupils unless one looked closely. His hands and feet were over-sized and better used for climbing rather than walking it appeared, each with three long digits. And of course, there was that tail; forever swirling and slashing behind him as though it had a mind of its own. Natalia shook herself, trying to tear her gaze away and remember that this was a bright, witty and intelligent man and not the demonic creature that he appeared to be. She could not imagine what his life must have been like growing up, before he came to the relative safety of the Xavier Institute and the X-Men.
If Nightcrawler noticed her initial reaction to his appearance he made no mention of it. It was Natalia's turn to blush with embarrassment as the mutant offered her his arm to escort her deeper into the mansion. Gingerly she took his arm, letting him lead her away.
"I'm sorry, Nightcrawler." Natalia tried to apologize, her voice catching in her throat. "That was incredibly rude of me. After all the things I have seen you would think that I would be more open to another's appearance."
"Think nothing of it, Fraulein." Nightcrawler chuckled patting her arm as he led the Avenger through the resplendent hallways, past Charles Xavier's private offices and towards the huge open double doors leading to the library. Natalia could hear voices coming from within, and the low drone of a television set, its flickering light seeping out into the corridor.
"One never gets used to the startled reactions of others when one looks as I do. I have learned to take it with a grain of salt, however, and then struggle all the harder to get you to like me despite my appearance." He looked at Natalia and for a moment they stood almost eye to eye as he was somewhat shorter due to his hunched stature. He smiled showing a wide grin of white pointed teeth. "Besides, I am certain that you might still be harboring some ghastly memories of our brief encounter outside. I imagine that I appeared quite fearsome in the glaring darkness of the thunderstorm with a blizzard whipping about. Not to mention the fact that I tried to kill you, of which I offer again my most sincere and deep apologies. All of our lives would have been the darker for it, had I succeeded."
Natalia smirked. "Perhaps we can call it even, Herr Nightcrawler?"
Nightcrawler smiled a truly dashing thing to behold, then nodded. "Only if you will call me Kurt, Madame."
"Natasha…"
"Of course!" he chuckled, "Ach! Wouldn't Peter be jealous of me now?"
The library was a vast room lined with bookshelves stretching from floor to the ceiling some twenty feet overhead. There were literally thousands of books, the room dwarfing its sister chamber at Avenger's mansion in sheer weight of volume. It was furnished more like the main hall rather than the upper floors; the furniture more modern and functional than decorative. There were heavy tables set about for research seemingly molded from the same dark cherry wood she had encountered upstairs. The chairs were high-backed and plush for comfort, covered in thick, expensive leather. There was a central reading pit built around a huge globe of the world, and with a quick glance Natalia saw that it was only a few months out of date. One wall was devoted to a state of the art entertainment system complete with the latest in stereo equipment as well as several monitors ranging in size from six inches to a wide-screen display that dominated the wall at over ten feet. The smaller monitors all seemed focused on areas about the mansion's grounds, showing the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as they went about their tasks of rescue and clean up. She saw Fury in one monitor conferring with Jasper Sitwell and another agent she remembered having seen before but did not know his name. The wide screen displayed the local television station's broadcast; an on-sight special report apparently set up just beyond S.H.I.E.L.D.'s security perimeter. Natalia saw the attractive reporter bundled up against the cold trying to interview the two helmeted agents that stoically blocked her entry. Natalia knew that the reporter would get nothing from them lest they wish to face the wrath of Nick Fury.
Natalia took a seat in one of the larger plush chairs, curling her legs beneath her and sipping at the steaming mug of coffee that Nightcrawler- Kurt had poured for her. Wolverine was seated across from her at the far side of her table. He had apparently showered as well and quickly dressed in faded blue jeans and a muscle shirt with the Xavier Institute logo emblazoned across the chest. His hair appeared damp and was somewhat wilting as he leaned back to cross his cowboy boots on the edge of the table. He nodded at Natalia, smiling around his foul-smelling cigar, then returned his attention to the wide screen monitor.
"Dumb broad ought'a get off the main road an' come in through the woods. She ain't never gonna get nothin' from those grunts." The mutant chuckled and took a long drink from his own mug. He looked rough and a little tired. He needed a shave.
"I do not believe that we want her any closer than she is, Logan." Natalia turned to look at Storm reclining on the thick cushions of the circular reading pit. She was dressed in an over-sized gown of dark earth tones that enhanced her natural beauty. Something from her heritage, her native Africa no doubt. Her long white hair was held back from her face by a silken scarf that set off her high cheek bones and matched the unique blue of her cat-like eyes. "Bad enough," she continued, "that S.H.I.E.L.D. is marching outside our very gates. The Professor would be furious if the media got inside the walls."
"Fury ain't gonna let that happen, 'Roro!" Logan countered. "He knows his business better'n anybody I know. 'Sides, the hologram's up an' runnin'. Ain't nobody gonna see nothin' we don't want 'em ta see."
Ororo Monroe, the mutant known as Storm stared at her friend for a long moment. Wolverine smiled conceitedly, and the moment was only broken when Nightcrawler leaped onto the back of the pit's circular sofa and perched there sipping at his own coffee.
"So, my friends." Nightcrawler rested his arms on his knees as he looked from one to the other of the assembled group. "Are we going to discuss what happened outside or do we wait for Colonel Fury to come in and save the day?"
Logan smirked. "What'cha got ta say, elf?"
Nightcrawler stood and fluidly somersaulted from the back of the couch to land sitting in a chair beside his teammate. Natalia noted that he did not spill a drop of his coffee. Kurt Wagner leaned forward in the chair, warming his hands on the mug-
"We were mind-controlled, Logan. Most of the town was mind-controlled into attacking us! Now, here we sit like nothing happened while an army prowls around at our front gates! Doesn't that bother you?"
"It bothers me more, " Wolverine shrugged, "that you don't know the difference between mind control and emotion manipulation. After all the years we lived with the two most powerful mentalists in the world an you still don't know sh-"
"Logan!"
Natalia watched silently as Storm stood and strode across the room with an elegant grace. She was proud and commanding in her stance as she stopped before Logan, and the Black Widow recalled that the tall beauty had once been the leader of the X-Men, and probably still was in the absence of Professor X and his deputy, Cyclops.
"There is no need for abusive vulgarity, Logan. Especially in the presence of our guest." Storm glanced at the Black Widow apologetically, then continued. "Perhaps you might care to share the difference between mind control and 'emotional manipulation'. Perhaps we will all be enlightened by your knowledge."
Logan grinned, puffing smoke at the woman. "Sure, 'Roro. Charlie's been trainin' us since day one on the intricacies a' mind control. Aside from him an' Jeanie we met up with vampires, space aliens an' more critters than ya can shake a stick at. Not ta mention Mesmero. I'm sure you remember that little episode." Storm frowned, then nodded before taking a seat at the table.
"Yes. We've all had more than our share of being mentally controlled, Logan."
"Which is why I'm surprised that ya didn't pick up on what was happenin' outside. That wasn't no mind control that was used on us. Maybe on the townies, ta a point at least. But not us!"
"Then what?" Nightcrawler asked, setting his empty mug before him. He seemed nervous, and Natalia noticed that he had a habit of stroking his tail to ease his anxiety.
"Emotion control, or manipulation, whatever ya wanna call it. Somebody latched onta that little bit a' anger that's inside all'a us and blew it outta proportion. Didn't ya feel it?" Storm nodded after a moment, but Nightcrawler shrugged.
"I remember waking in a state of fury. I saw the Widow floating down in the sky outside my window and wanted nothing more than to throttle her."
"But why?" Logan asked.
"Because I hated her!" Nightcrawler snapped. He glanced sideways at the Black Widow, then hung his head sheepishly. "Because she was human."
"That's right." Logan said with conceit that he was right. "I was in the kitchen when it hit me. It bowled me over like a wave, an' probably hit me a lot harder than any a' you. Y'know that it's a constant struggle with me ta keep my baser instincts in check. I felt the first stirrin's of a berserker rage comin' on an' ran outside fer all I was worth, little knowin' that I was runnin' right inta the middle a' the mob. Somebody played me like a fiddle, an' I don't like it!"
"I was in my room when it came over me." Storm nodded, agreeing with what her friend had said. "It struck me as a wave as well, but not anger or hate. At least not at first. It felt like an episode of claustrophobia crushing down on me all at once. I had to get out then, and I called forth the winds to lift me into the skies. It was there that I saw the gathering mob outside of the mansion and wanted nothing more than to unleash my wrath on their bigoted human bodies. I called the gathering storm into being, driving it to gale force to blow them away, to dash them with lightning and rolling thunder. To freeze them all in the icy grip of the north wind!"
"Uh-huh." Logan stood and walked to a small kitchenette in one corner of the room; little more than a coffee maker and a small refrigerator alongside a sink. He refilled his coffee cup then leaned against the counter. "Ya both pretty much said it. Fury did too, outside, though I don't agree with the source. Whoever's behind this latched onta our emotions, specifically our hate; that little nut a’ hate that we harbor for humans deep in our souls." Wolverine waved off his friends before they could even start to protest.
"I know…I know! Everybody in this place thinks they're pure as snow, 'cept me an' maybe Gambit. Ain't none of us- not even Charlie- can get past our emotions though. We all got that little seed a bigotry growin' inside us. Can't be helped. We face it every day, an' little by little it starts ta take root. Ironically, that's part a' what makes us human. Somebody knew that better'n us and exploited it. Now, outside Fury thought that the whole set up smelled a' the Hate Monger, an' any other time I'd agree with him. But here we are sittin' in the biggest mutant depot this side a' Genosha. Couple that with the fact that Fury an' Tasha here were comin' ta get our take on Sebastian Shaw an' the Hellfire Club, well…"
"It does not ring true, does it?" Storm looked up to the wide screen monitor staring briefly at the plush bear that was explaining why its brand of fabric softener was the best. Storm shook her head and turned back to her friends.
"Sebastian Shaw is perhaps the greatest bigot of them all, in his own right. He feels himself to be superior to everyone, whether human or mutant. His goal, and the goal of most of the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club has been dominance, both financially and physically of the world. His attacks on us have always been fueled by his desire to rule, and his main operation has always been to somehow exploit the powers of his fellow mutants to achieve his goals."
"Given that then," Nightcrawler added, "and assuming that Shaw is behind this, how did he manage it?"
"If nothin' else, Shaw has resources." Wolverine stepped away from the counter and looked over the wall of monitors, inspecting S.H.I.E.L.D.'s progress outside. Natalia glanced at the bank as well and saw that Fury was on his way inside, walking up the main path to the front doors.
"He's one a' the richest men in the world, up there with Gates an' Stark. Besides that, his little empire has access ta hundreds a' mutants on his payroll. Without even thinkin' hard, I know a' one that fits the bill a' bein' a first class manipulator."
"Empath!" Storm said with a surety, but then seemed to regret it for some reason. Natalia sat up, placing her cup on the table before her.
"Who is Empath?"
"A mutant, Natasha," Nightcrawler offered, "though one long in his grave. I think you must be wrong, Logan."
"I don't understand." Natalia said obviously confused. The name sounded familiar, but she could not recall the details that went along with the name. "This Empath is dead?"
"He's supposed ta be, Tasha. One a' Shaw's lieutenants- Emma Frost, the White Queen a' his Hellfire Club- used ta run a school fer mutant kids in Connecticut. It was a lot like this joint, teachin' the rug rats ta use there powers, how ta control 'em. 'Course the purpose there was ta get 'em primed ta help Shaw take over the world, not live in peace like Charlie wants. One a' her star pupils was a little bastard went by the name a' Empath. Manuel Alfonso Rodrigo de la Rocha- some kinda minor royalty from Spain. Snotty little creep that could twist yer emotions inta knots. Him, an most a' the Hellions- that's what they called themselves- the students at Frost's academy were killed a couple years back. Most of 'em got what they deserved, if ya ask me."
"No one did, Logan." Storm added coolly. "The point is, Natasha, that the Hellions, and Empath are dead. Leaving us back at square one. Besides, Empath's powers were not so mighty that he could have controlled the entire town of Salem Center and get past our psychic defenses."
"Which is where the Controller comes in." All eyes turned to the doorway and the new voice that had chimed in. They saw Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. come striding into the library followed by a man in a wheel chair being pushed by a young woman dressed in blue jeans and a school tee shirt. The man Natalia instantly recognized as Charles Xavier, owner of the mansion and estate and leader of the X-Men, at least from behind the scenes. He was a handsome man despite his handicap, and Natalia noted that he kept his body fit even though he was confined to a wheel chair. The young woman she had never met, but Natalia assumed that she was Katherine Pryde, one of the younger members of the mutant team. She was a handsome young woman, not yet reaching her prime with curly brown hair and a soft face. A golden Star of David hung on a slender chain about her throat. Her code name was Shadowcat, and as the Black Widow recalled, she was a genius in addition to being able to phase through solid objects. She was also a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. in some form, though Natalia did not know the specifics.
Fury walked across the library like he owned it and poured himself a cup of coffee before continuing. Pryde rolled the Professor over to the table where the others were seated and the two greeted Natalia.
"We pried a control disk off a' one a' the dead, an' I had one a' the technos run a scan on it. It's one a' Sandhurst's all right, though it's been modified a little."
"How so?" Professor X asked, scrutinizing the small metallic disk that Fury held up for all to see.
"A few years back, the Controller was workin' for Thanos, the mad Titan. There was a big battle involvin' the Avengers an' Captain Marvel ta name a couple. At any rate, the Controller was recruited by Thanos an' near as we can figger his disks were modified ta control a greater number a people than he ever could usin' Titanian technology. Sandhurst could control thousands a people with Thanos' help, leechin' strength off a' their numbers though he still couldn't directly control more an' one or two atta time an' know what they was doin'. Maybe Sandhurst just didn't have it in 'im, or maybe Thanos was smart enough not ta give him that much power. Whatever, the Avengers an' Marvel beat Thanos an' the Controller an' all their other buddies includin' the Cosmic Cube. Both of 'em have popped up more times since than I want'a count, but Sandhurst- the Controller has been usin' his improved disks ever since. He ain't never had the power ta control nobody without a disk though, which is why I think that Shaw got hold a' the tech somehow an' applied it ta one a' his flunkies somehow. Maybe that Empath kid. Maybe somebody else, like the Hate Monger."
"To what purpose, Colonel?" the Professor asked. "Shaw is not a fool. He must have known we would beat back his army of drones. Why bother?"
"I dunno." Fury shrugged, downing his coffee and setting the empty cup in the sink. "Maybe he was just testin' the waters, seein' what he could get away with."
"Or maybe he was just distractin' ya, Nicky."
Everyone turned to Wolverine again, waiting to hear what he had to say. "Maybe Shaw wants us runnin' around in circles while he's doin' somethin' else. Tasha said the Sons a' the Serpent were involved, but I can't see Shaw getting' involved with them. They're just average Joes listenin' ta some mysterious leader who's getting' 'em all fired up. Granted it fits with the whole bigotry thing, but stirrin' up the population ain't the way Shaw likes ta work. He's sneakier than that. Fer the same reason, I don't see Shaw backin' that Cobra jerk either. Tasha said that he was usin' a form a' the control disks too when he was runnin' the Serpents awhile back, but it seems ta me that anybody could get the schematics a' those things after Stane bought out Stark a few years ago. Most'a Stark's patents were out on the black market fer some time while Stark was getting' his act back together, an' as I remember, Sandhurst worked fer Stark in the beginnin', right?"
There was a silence for a moment as all considered what Logan had to say. A silence broken only when Fury's communicator started to beep. He put a finger to his ear and turned away, listening to the staticky voice that only he could hear. Katherine Pryde took the moment of silence to slide a silver compact disk across the table to the Black Widow.
"That's all that we have on Shaw. Most of it's probably in the shared files with the Avengers, but there's a few personal notes as well. Hope it helps."
"I'm sure it will." Natalia smiled, slipping the disk into one of the pockets of her robe.
"Wonderful! Fury out!" The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. turned back to the others, a grim look on his face. "That was T'Challa, the Black Panther…" Natalia saw Storm sit up attentively at the mention of the African Avenger and wondered briefly over her concern. "Seems him an' Kyle Richmond- Nighthawk- were attacked in one a' the old Serpent bases they were checkin' out fer leads. An' get this! They were attacked by the Cobra and Death Adder, an ex-Serpent Supreme an' a dead man an' two members a' the Serpent Society!"
***
Fury grimaced, staring down at the body splayed out on the medical examiner's table before him. Old, half-buried memories swirled up in his mind no matter his efforts to suppress them and push them back. Memories of his brother, his friends- memories of the Deltite renegade…
Fury shook his head with a grunt, biting down on the stub of his smoldering cigar as hard as he could, willing the unbidden memories away. Still, the image of his brother lingered, laughing. He focused on the body on the table. It was only a body in the literal sense as it was not human, not dead, nor actually ever alive. The outer shell of its armor had been stripped away, the molded bands of purple and green boxed and tagged and already moved to another part of the complex, being studied by men who knew about such things. It had been no surprise that underneath the armor had been more metal, an entire subdermal layer of steel alloy plates and chain mail micromesh at the joints. It was a tough inner armor originally designed by Anthony Stark during the early months of the formation of the original S.H.I.E.L.D. and built then by his own Stark Industries for the United States government.
Despite the armor however, the body lay flayed on the table. Fury stared at the inner workings, servos and circuit boards where the heart and lungs should have been. It was a complex bit of work, well beyond Fury's ability to understand; though he was more than familiar with the end result. It was a robot, in this instance formed in the guise of Death Adder, the silent assassin of the mercenary Serpent Society. The dead image of a dead man.
"So, what's the verdict Gaff?" Fury looked up from the robotic body on the table at the man that stood opposite him. Sidney E. Levine- Gaff to his friends- was showing his age. He had shaved off the last wisps of his gray hair, and his face was lined and streaked at the brow and along his cheeks from squinting over his work and smiling all the time. Despite the hell he had gone through during the Deltite affair the Gaff still smiled, always had a joke to tell, a sarcastic remark to crack. The sardonic mask aside, the Gaff lived for his work. Fury had seen few men with such a love for their job, his being electronics and mechanics. The Gaffer was a genius when it came to technology, on a par with Anthony Stark and even Reed Richards himself. Half of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s technology was working because of Sidney E. Levine.
The man looked up, his face twisted in a wide grin. His eyes were huge, magnified by the thick glasses he wore, the service light attached to his brow glowing brightly, beaming into Fury's one good eye. With an apologetic smirk, the Gaffer reached up and clicked it off.
"Oh, it's an LMD all right. That's a Life Model Decoy fer those a you not in the know." The Gaff glanced about the room quickly, making sure that the assembled heroes were hanging on his every word. Happy that they were, all but one at least, he returned his attention to Fury.
"At least it is at a quick glance." He leaned back over the body, actually reaching down into the chest cavity probing through the charred and twisted wiring with a small scalpel. "But look here… and here!" he pointed at small bits of circuitry, processing chips and relays. "This here's pretty. State a' the art stuff the boys at Intel can only dream about. And look at this-" Levine reached in and took hold of a device about the size of a human heart, slicing the wires that held it in place so that he might raise it up for all to see. He turned to the mutant Wolverine sitting on the ledge of the windowsill. "You recognize this, Shorty? Ya ought'a. Quite sure you hacked up a few a' these babies in yer time."
Wolverine leaned forward chomping down on his cigar butt as he squinted at the device in Levine's hands. "Looks like a Sentinel's analyzer." He leaned back again, apparently unconcerned. "What's it doin' inside an LMD?"
"Just my point, bub." The Gaff let the device drop back into the robot's chest and began probing inside for something else. "Ain't no LMD ever had an All-Band Spectrum Organic Analyzer installed. Ain't no need fer an LMD ta tell the difference between a human and a mutant. This ain't no LMD. Not really."
"Get ta the point, Gaff." Fury grumbled, having forgotten how long-winded his chief mechanic could be when he knew he was the only one who understood something.
"Sorry, boss. It's a Sentinel."
"A Sentinel!" The Black Widow leaned forward, concern knitting her brow. Beside her the Black Panther showed little concern outwardly, though she could almost feel his body tense. Even Kyle Richmond, dressed in his original Nighthawk uniform of pale blue and black knew what a new breed of Sentinel's might mean. He stepped forward, the mock feathers of his brown, wing-like cloak ruffling behind him.
"What's the Serpent Society doing with a Sentinel?" he asked, not really expecting anyone to know. It was another mystery in an already convoluted puzzle.
"Ya got me, Wings. But it's not really a Sentinel either. It's like somebody built an LMD with spare parts they had lyin' around. I can see Stark's design. Ya can't really improve on perfection I guess. But ya can build on it. I can point out bits an' pieces added here an' there, like the analyzer, an' the ocular receptors, an' this little self destruct mechanism where the sound equalizer ought'a sit. Don't worry. I deactivated that right off. A little fail safe I guess, cuz Snaky here was the strong silent type. There's also a blank hard drive hooked up to an ether net modem and a universal serial bus link. Silent Sam was apparently set up to download a couple hundred Gigs a' memory from somewhere, then send it to someplace." Levine stood tall again, popping his back and rubbing his neck. "It's pretty much Mark III tech laced inta the LMD frame after that. Why anybody'd pick Lang's Sentinels though is beyond me. All I've read, they were far inferior ta any version the Trask's came up with."
"Shaw..."
All eyes turned towards the Black Panther. He was dressed in his uniform, the ceremonial jet-black garb sacred to the people of Wakanda, the African nation where he was king. He had his cowl pulled back however, revealing the handsome face so often hidden, the face now creased with concern. He frowned as pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place, creating a vast image that he did not like.
"It was not long after the X-Men first encountered Sebastian Shaw and his Hellfire Club." T'Challa looked at Wolverine to see if the mutant recalled the incident and saw that the man was staring now with rapt attention. "A division of Wakandan Technologies- one of my companies based on Long Island- was approached by representatives of the United States government. Members of the National Security Council to be more specific. Henry Peter Gyrich and Valerie Cooper. They visited the plant where, coincidentally, the Avenger's Quinjets are produced. I have never understood why they chose that plant, though I have always believed that they hoped to bypass direct communication with me, knowing what my answer to their proposal would be. I believe that they hoped to use their position in the US government to strong-arm my representatives there, forcing them into some contract to produce some questionable devices for their purpose. Luckily, my representatives followed a protocol and contacted me directly with the specifics before agreeing to anything. I read the government proposal and saw immediately that they wanted a prototype gyroscopic stabilizer that my company was developing for the Quinjets. The stabilizer was a smaller version of what already existed in the Avenger's vehicles but would take up a far smaller amount of space. It was based on designs originally developed by Anthony Stark for his Iron Man armor, designs that were stolen and made public by Justin Hammer not long before that. I of course obtained permission from Stark to try and modify his designs for the Quinjet, and I can only assume that the National Security Council learned of my plans through the same sources that Hammer used to steal Stark's technology. Regardless, I refused the government's proposal, having encountered Gyrich before during a tenure with the Avengers. The National Security Council of course believes that it has the best interest of the nation at heart, but the methods they often employ to achieve their ends is questionable at best. I knew that they planned to use my stabilizer for vehicles of their own, or weapons of some type. Perhaps even in their patented Guardsman armor, another of Stark's inventions that fell out of his control.
"It appeared that my reservations were well-founded, as it was not long after that the government implemented 'Project Wide-Awake', and a new breed of Sentinels were introduced."
"An' we all know how that turned out." Wolverine stood, dropping his spent cigar to the carpeted floor and grinding it out beneath his heel. "Turns out Shaw was backin' that little witch hunt, an' fundin' the Sentinels ta boot. It was all legal though, all on the up-an'-up. The Mark IV Sentinels were tougher than Lang's, but not up ta snuff with Trask's from what I've heard."
"Listen…" Nighthawk cut in rubbing the tension out of the back of his neck. "Maybe I'm a little slow on the uptake cuz I was 'dead' while most of that was going on, but what are we saying here? Is Sebastian Shaw backing the Sons of the Serpent, the Serpent Society, and the NSC?"
The Black Panther nodded. "It would appear so. I'm quite sure that your own Richmond Industries has had encounters with Shaw Industries over the years. Shaw has more than enough resources to fund a government enterprise and support groups like the Serpents as well. And even if he does not, then his club members do. Fury has told us that Shaw and his fellow Hellfire Club members are using their individual corporations to buy stock in several companies around the world in various and sometimes vastly different quantities and diversities. Over the last few days I've had my own people look into Shaw's activities and they have found information almost mirroring what S.H.I.E.L.D. and the FTC have come up with. Shaw's companies have bought out the floundering Stane Technologies and have controlling interests now in Cross and Cybertech. They own shares in Brand and Roxxon, and they even own a seven percent share of Richmond Industries as of three weeks ago."
"What?" Nighthawk almost shrieked, apparently unaware of what was happening in his own company. The Panther merely nodded that it was true.
"But why would Shaw need to buy into all of those companies?" the Black Widow asked. As Natasha Romanoff she was fairly wealthy in her own right but had never done more than dabble in the stock market and had never considered buying out any companies. She knew the basics of corporate business, but she was not too proud to admit that when it came to the type of dealings that involved Stark and Richmond she was out of her depth. "He obviously has the capability to build Sentinels and fund armies. Not just the Serpents, but his own Knights of Hellfire. What does he need with those companies? There must be something more. Something that we're missing."
"The Widow's right." It was Fury's turn to join the conversation. "I'm just an old soldier at heart. I dunno squat about the stock market or corporate take-overs, but that's why T'Challa and Richmond are here. But even a grunt like me can see that Shaw's up ta somethin'. Somethin' big! He's buildin' armies an' usin' mercs like the Serpent Society. He's controllin' minds with some modified disks he stole from the Controller or King Cobra, maybe usin' 'em through one a' his own flunkies- that kid Empath, or some new Hate Monger. He's got the Sons a' the Serpent stirrin' up trouble in the ghettos and the high rent districts alike. Ya ask me, my gut says it's all a' smoke screen a' some kind. I think he's just tryin' ta keep us busy while he does whatever he's really tryin' ta do. An' we gotta figger out just what that is. I-"
Everyone jumped as- as if on cue- Fury's com-link started beeping. He cursed, stepping off to one side and slipping the small receiver into his ear as he answered the call. The others around the table tried not to intrude while Fury spoke in whispers, but could not help but listen. Only the Gaffer seemed unconcerned as he turned on his headlamp again and leaned back into the open body of the robot. It was only a few seconds before Fury shut down his communicator and switched on the television set into the wall-
"Seems Shaw got tired a waitin' fer us. The Serpents are marchin' through Harlem."
Everyone stared at the television monitor as the screen flickered into focus. Nighthawk and the Black Widow both gasped, perhaps remembering the bigotry and wanton cruel destruction that followed any Sons of the Serpent attack. The Black Panther, as was his way, remained silent watching the screen intently. Wolverine grimaced, biting the tip off of a fresh cigar and spitting it to the floor. It was Fury who finally spoke-
"It's high time we got ta the bottom a' this. Let's go!"
***
INTERLUDE: Somewhere in the South Atlantic
Viper stood at the bow of the ship, relishing the smell of the fresh, salty air, enjoying the feel of the wind that whipped about her. It was deceptively cool on deck despite the locale of the old, converted tanker far below the Equator. The sun was high in the sky, and warm, but the wind was brisk and chilling, and despite her serpentine tendencies, she loved it.
The ocean churned in the wind, choppy waves rising higher and higher as the ship's crew struggled to hold position. Viper stood easily on the slightly tilting deck, ignoring the storm clouds building in the west, more intent on watching the robotic submersibles as they floundered in the rough waters. The ship barely acknowledged the churning sea, its vast size more than compensating the choppy waves. The 'American Dream' was a super-tanker, a huge ship recently acquired by Sebastian Shaw when Shaw Industries bought out the lesser company- Jacobson Oil- a minor subsidiary of the monster that was Roxxon. The tanker rode high in the warm southern waters, its holds recently stripped and refitted to house a cargo far more precious than mere oil. It was that cargo that the submersibles were diving for even as she watched, probing the sea floor for miles around to find the smallest grain of that rarest of metals- Vibranium.
"All goes well, Madame." Viper did not turn or even acknowledge Shaw's approach. She had heard the man even over the sounds of the ship and the crashing of the waves on its side. Shaw was not a stealthy man, unless he wanted to be. "We have recovered over fifty tons of the metal, but my people say that it is all so far inert, as we suspected."
"As I expected, Shaw." Viper smiled, sliding a cigarette into her long holder and holding it up for Shaw to light. He stared for a moment, frowning, then did so. "Do not fear, Sebastian. When the time is right, I will explain how to activate the properties of the metal again. Roxxon thought that they had destroyed the Vibranium when they bombed the poor little island that covered it, but all that they truly managed to do was convert it into a useless, brittle metal. I know the catalyst that will make it complete once again, thus assuring my place in your schemes for awhile longer." Finally she turned, her dark emerald lips curling into a cruel, knowing smile as she stared at Sebastian Shaw. Shaw smiled in return.
"We are partners, Madame Viper, through and through to the very end, no matter how bitter. Surely you must trust me by now?"
"Just as much as you trust me, Shaw." Viper chuckled, turning to watch as another of the robotic submarines bobbed to the surface, its Waldo claws clutching a large golden chunk of metal. "It will take another day, possibly two before we have gathered enough of the inert Vibranium to proceed to the next phase, Shaw. I estimate some fifteen hundred tons of the metal are needed to bring our plan to fruition. That is of course if one of your newly acquired companies can synthesize the properties of the Vibranium once I manage to activate it again."
Shaw smirked. "Of course. I have copies of MacLain's notes, courtesy of the National Security Council, and my scientists at Cross are probing into the intricacies of the shells of the various versions of the Ultron armor that came into their possession after he was defeated by the West Coast Avengers several months ago. I will be ready." Shaw paused, leaning over the railing to watch as the submersible unloaded its cargo into the waiting lift to be deposited into the ship's reinforced hold. "I am still curious as to how you knew about this deposit, however."
Viper laughed despite the emptiness she felt. Not long after she had first slain the original Viper and taken command of the original Serpent Society she had come upon the fabled Serpent Crown. The Society had been called the Serpent Squad back then and had consisted of the Cobra, along with the Eel and his brother the original Viper. She had killed him- she could not even recall his name, not that she cared- and assumed the leader's role in the Squad. She had allied the Serpent Squad with the Warlord Krang- arch nemesis of the savage Sub-Mariner, an Atlantean that had gained possession of the fabled Crown of Set. As always, her plan had been the nihilistic destruction of humanity, though her allies had been bent on world conquest. She had used Krang and Cobra and Eel for her own ends, letting them bumble about with their dreams of conquest. Viper had hoped that the Serpent Crown and all of its mysterious magical powers would help her achieve her own goals.
Of course she was beaten by Captain America.
Again…
The Serpent Crown passed into other hands, but Viper discovered one beneficial aspect of the artifact even after she had lost it. All bearers of the Crown, any who wore it were psychically linked with one another. Suddenly she shared the memories of others like herself. Others who chose to alter the fate of humanity in one way or another. Viper found that she could tap into the memories and dreams of the Warlord Krang, the man called Destiny, and later- most recently with the likes of the Scarlet Witch and even the abominably ugly Thing. It was interesting of course, looking into the psyches of some of the world's greatest heroes, but the mind that most attracted her attention was that of a businessman. A mind driven by greed and power, another would-be world conqueror. The mind of Hugh Jones, one time corporate head of Roxxon Oil.
Through the mind of Hugh Jones Viper had learned of another Earth, all but ruled by a version of Nelson Rockefeller who used a group of corrupted heroes like some militaristic Gestapo- the Squadron Supreme! All of that was incidental however, as Roxxon's bid for world domination was defeated by the Avengers. It was the lesser memories of Hugh Jones that caught the Viper's attention. Memories of a small island in the South Atlantic that had a foundation composed of Wakandan Vibranium. The island had been destroyed, the metal itself growing inert and supposedly useless in the process, but Viper- through her link with Jones- knew where the island had been. And Viper, if nothing else, had vision. All that she needed was a pawn, a dupe to make her visions reality-
"Let a girl keep some secrets, Shaw." Viper giggled, a strange sound coming from her and Shaw felt his manhood suddenly shrivel as a wave of cold fear rolled over him. "I guarantee that all will become clear in the end."
Sebastian Shaw shivered as the woman called Viper turned away to watch the waters again. He had been dismissed. He knew it, but he did not like it. Still, at least for the time being he had to accept it. His plans required the Vibranium they were dredging from the ocean floor, and until the Viper reactivated the sound-absorbing properties of the metal, or one of his scientists discovered her secrets, he required her as well. Her and her army of snakes.
Shaw sighed and turned away, walking towards the passage leading into the ship and out of the wind. He was a patient man. He had to be. He could wait…
But only for so long!
To be continued…
Story © Curt F
Next Issue: More on the mysterious pact between Sebastian Shaw and the Viper! More Sons of the Serpent as the Black Widow, S.H.I.E.L.D. and even more heroes take the ‘A’ Train to Harlem for a wild time…