Avengers

"L-L-Luna..." Quicksilver muttered through the pain.

The energy that was crackling from Black Bolt's antennae stopped and he let go of Quicksilver's fists. Wanda ran up quickly and kneeled down beside her brother.

"I'm glad we have an understanding."

"Jan?"

Wasp turned from the window and looked at Carol Danvers. Jan hadn't exactly been enjoying the view anyway; all that she could see was the stark white that made Antarctica famous. Turning to Warbird, she was glad to see Carol's long, blonde hair and white skin contrast with the stiff darkness of her Warbird uniform. She was beautiful. But, watching Carol's uncurled lips and deadlocked eyes, Jan suddenly felt colder inside then she knew she would outside.

"Carol?"

"You don't have to be here."

"I'm an Avenger." Jan laughed and turned back to the window and it's warmer whiteness. "This is what I have to do. I don't have a choice."

"You know what I mean." Carol kept her hands steady on the pilot controls of the Quinjet and her eyes straight ahead of her.

Jan looked from the window to the floor and swallowed what warm saliva she had left in her mouth.

"The UN wants you on the team because you're a founder," Warbird told her. "But you don't want to be here. You tried to quit during the reorganization and gave the leadership role back to Captain America."

"Carol, that's not true. I just--"

"I don't care if you go, Jan." Carol was like a machine, part of the Quinjet itself. "As soon as the roster is settled, you may leave if you'd like."

The two were silent for a while after that. The storm outside was unyielding.

"I'll keep that in mind," Jan said softly.

"Look out!"

The voice ran through Ka-Zar's head quickly and he had only a few seconds to realize what it meant before there was a weight driving into his side, forcing him into the air and then to the ground. He felt the heat of a jet of fire on his back as he looked back toward the monster.

"Great, three-hundred feet tall with fire breath. Well, it's an improvement over New York City."

Ka-Zar saw a woman. But it wasn't just a woman. She was so toned and athletic you could see her muscle definition through the orange fur that covered every inch of her body. With the tight black bikini she wore, Ka-Zar could almost make out every inch of her body. She reached out her hand to Ka-Zar and pulled him to his feet.

"I'm Tigra," the woman said, grinning. "Don't worry. I'm not a biter."

Ka-Zar turned from Tigra's yellow, crescent moon shaped eyes and back to the monster that was currently destroying his jungle and the UN's embassy.

"You're an Avenger, right?" Ka-Zar asked, pulling an arrow from his quiver and arching back his bow for a shot at the creature.

"It's been a while, but yeah," Tigra answered, standing next to him and also sizing up the monster.

"A real one? Not like the guy I had to deal with inside?"

"Huh?"

"Look out!" Ka-Zar dove into Tigra and pushed her out of the way of another flame jet.

"Oh, why thank you, Tarzan," Tigra said, smiling at Ka-Zar after they were done tumbling.

Ka-Zar grimaced and got to his feet. Tigra rolled backwards and up to hers.

"You and your Avenger allies cannot defeat this creature, Ka-Zar!" the Mole Man called from the opposite of the clearing between the embassy and the jungle.

Tigra and Ka-Zar looked up at the monster and saw that it was coming around again. It's orange, scaly body and sickly yellow fins and eyes darted down in a flash of rage. It was all that Ka-Zar and Tigra could do to flip in opposite directions and out of the path of the monster's long orange claw. It embedded itself deep in the ground where Ka-Zar and Tigra were standing.

Ka-Zar easily flipped to his feet and shot off three arrows in quick succession. They bounced off the leathery skin of the monster as though they were cotton swabs. Tigra leapt at the monster's arm but, in a swift movement, the monster's arm was out of the soil and knocking Tigra back through the air like a volleyball.

The monster snarled and turned to Ka-Zar. Kevin gulped and tried to think of a plan. Then, from above him, Ka-Zar heard a scream, like one a child would make on a roller coaster. He looked up and saw a red figure falling from the sky.

"Oh god!" Ka-Zar gasped. "Mister Immortal!"

It was true. Mister Immortal had jumped from the roof of the embassy and fallen through the air onto the head of the monster. It was a trick he had done many times with the Great Lakes Avengers. He didn't always hit his mark and sometimes ended up as a stain on the sidewalk or an insurance payment on a car. He figured it was worth another shot. He had never done it to a monster before. A blimp, yeah. A kite, yeah. A Domino's Pizza delivery car, yeah. But never a monster. He had to do this, if only for the story it would make in his memoirs.

As soon as he hit the monster's head, he soiled himself and then latched on to the monster's eyelid. The monster shook back and forth, trying to pry him loose but it couldn't.

"You'll kill yourself!" Ka-Zar yelled up at him.

"That's never stopped me before!" came the cheerful response.

"He's nuts," Ka-Zar said.

"But he's got balls," Tigra said as she ran up to his side. "Gotta admire that."

"His balls are bigger than his brains."

"Most men's are," Tigra laughed and then she darted off toward the monster again.

Ka-Zar smacked himself in the forehead and ran after Tigra.

Mister Immortal held on to the monster's eyelid and finally caught his balance. If Ka-Zar's arrows couldn't pierce the monster's skin, as Mister I had noticed, then another tactic would have to be taken. He thought back to all the Three Stooges episodes he had watched and said a silent prayer to Curly. Then, he poked the monster's massive eye with his index and middle finger. The monster roared in pain and threw its head back in such a swift motion that Mr. I lost his balance.

Ka-Zar and Tigra stopped when they heard the monster groan and saw the figure of Mr. Immortal get thrown into the air. It was only seconds later that the monster jaws opened wide and devoured him whole.

"Holy shit!" Ka-Zar said.

"My sentiments exactly!" Tigra gaped.

The monster, with one eye red, turned its bloody jaw toward the two and advanced with chilling growl.

"These Avengers do not meet our expectations, Mr. Pym," the British ambassador told him, "It's what we were just explaining to Mr. Gyrich here."

Hank turned to Gyrich. Gyrich shook his head and shrugged. Hank had known Gyrich might have it bad but he didn't think it would be this bad.

"With all due respect, sir," Hank said, rising from his seat, "but who exactly would this board have on the Avengers? Most of the Avengers have had some past difficulty or something holding them from membership. This is the best membership we could create with the rising crisis in both Libya and--"

Hank was cut off. The conference room door opened and a small man in a white uniform ran in. Hank recognized him as a UN courier. The courier rushed to the U.S. ambassador and whispered in his ear. The ambassador made wide eyes and looked up at Hank.

"Well, Mr. Pym," the ambassador said to him. "It seems your Avengers will get their chance to prove us wrong."

Hank looked over at Gyrich and saw Gyrich was already looking back at him with more of a puzzled look than Hank had on his face.

The room became black and the wall in front of Hank opened to reveal a large television screen. It flicked on. The figure that appeared on the screen made Hank choke on his breath.

Graviton.

"Leaders of the nations of Earth. I hope I have your attention," Graviton began, his smile venomous. "You will all listen to me and you would do well to take me seriously. I am now the sole ruler of the Moon."

There was a chatter that erupted among the ambassadors. Hank looked at Gyrich again but Gyrich was gaping at the television screen. Hank turned to the screen thinking it was some sort of lie. But in the background of the video, Hank could make out the unmistakable designs and arches of Inhuman architecture.

"This is not a joke nor a request," Graviton continued, his face now serious. "But it can become a threat. I want your full cooperation in granting me the rights and privileges that would normally be associated with nations in your pact. I want a shuttle to deliver to me all the items that are essential to a kingdom to continue to prosper for one year, all delivered to me in no less than one month. And I wish to be left alone."

Graviton's face suddenly became very angry.

"If you even once try to interfere with my ruling or send in the Avengers, I will move the Moon forward by one-hundred thousand miles. You know my abilities. Do not tempt me."

The chattering among the ambassadors turned into an angry typhoon of shouts. But it soon quieted and they all looked at Hank.

"You have my demands," Graviton said with a tone of finality. "Do not bother to reply. I'm sure you understand."

The screen went black and the lights came back on. Hank tried to meet their stares but he couldn't and turned to Gyrich for comfort. There was none. Gyrich had a stare just as piercing.

"Well," the American ambassador sighed simply. "I suppose there's only one thing to say now, Mr. Pym."

"What's that sir?" Hank croaked out.

The ambassador smirked at Hank through his nervousness.

"Avengers assemble?"

"There, Carol!"

Warbird turned slightly to her right and saw through the quilt of clouds over the Savage Land that there was a three-hundred foot monster breathing fire below her. For a moment she was shocked that she could miss something like that. She quickly turned the Quinjet into an arc that almost sent Jan flying out of her seat. After the arc was turned into a straight line, Warbird jumped from her seat and ran to the back of the Quinjet.

"Carol!" Jan called after her but Warbird kept on.

"Come on, Jan!" Warbird yelled over her shoulder. "We're here to stop a monster so let's stop it already! Bombay doors, open!"

The Quinjet recognized her voice pattern and did as it was told.

"Quinjet, activate circling pattern nineteen at one thousand feet! Come on, Jan!"

The Quinjet started to rise as the circling pattern was being implemented and Warbird jumped out of the bombay doors. She looked back and saw Jan slink out just as the doors shut, her large insect like wings fluttering so fast they could barely be seen.

Warbird grinned and flew faster toward the monster. Through the communicator devices that the two wore in their ears and microphones in their costumes, Warbird talked to Jan.

"Wasp!" Warbird said, no longer using her teammate's real name. "I will fly and distract the beast as best I can. You must shrink and enter the monster's ear and take it down from the inside."

"Carol, I'm not equipped to do that! I could overheat or suffocate or--" Wasp tried to tell her.

"Doesn't matter!" Warbird said, "You've pulled off more daring feats than this. We don't have much time. Now go!"

Warbird upped her speed to the monster again. The monster finally saw her coming but it was a bit too late. It felt a hard punch to its jaw, one strong enough to send the monster staggering back a couple of steps. Warbird looked below her and saw Ka-Zar and Tigra.

Jan saw her opening. She shrunk down to her wasp size and flew at it. The monster was trying to keep its balance as Jan flew closer. She was right at the opening to the ear when the monster turned its working yellow eye at her. It snorted through its nose and sent a flame jet just large enough to engulf her. She screamed and plummeted to the ground.

Warbird saw her as soon as she increased her size to normal. Maneuvering under her falling comrade, Warbird caught Jan and lowered herself to the ground. Ka-Zar and Tigra ran up to her.

"Thank god, you're here," Ka-Zar told them. "I wasn't sure I could do anything."

"Just stay back, your highness," Warbird said, looking back at the advancing monster. "We'll take care of this thing."

"It's already gotten one of your friends," Ka-Zar told her. "He just jumped right at it. There wasn't much we could--"

"Wonder Man?" Warbird looked back at Ka-Zar and Tigra.

"Oh, no," Tigra shook her head. "Not Simon. This was some nut who--oh my god!"

Tigra pointed at the monster, drawing the attention of Warbird and Ka-Zar. It had stopped marching toward them and looked to be writhing in pain. It was choking and spitting fire and grabbing at it's own throat. Soon, it fell to its knees and looked straight at where the four were standing.

"Get back!" Warbird yelled.

The three standing hit the ground and the Wasp covered her face. The monster breathed in a long gust of air and blew out a great fountain of fire. Luckily, the Avengers were just under the flame jet. After several seconds, the fire stopped. Warbird was the first to look up.

Lying in front of them was a man. His clothes were torn to shreds, his skin was blackened and singed, and he had what looked like multiple stab wounds all over his body, not to mention his arms and legs looked to be broken in several places. And…he was moving.

"Yeah," Tigra said slowly, looking up. "That's the guy."

"My God," Warbird said and she glanced over her shoulder at the monster. It was still staggering after it apparently had choked on this man. She took advantage of the lull to run over to the burned figure.

"Stay still, sir, we'll get you..." Warbird started.

"Kill it!" Mister Immortal shouted, sitting up. "For God's sake, kill the damn thing!"

Warbird grabbed his shoulders and stopped him from moving.

"Sir, please, you must stop moving. You need to get somewhere--"

"You're an Avenger, right?" Mister I shouted and he grabbed her arms and pulled her close to his face. "Listen to me! I'm fine! That thing is some kind of android and you need to destroy it! I don't want to hear anything else from you! Get your ass in the sky and blow the damn thing to Kingdom Come!"

Warbird's face curled into a growl but she turned to the monster instead of kicking this guy's teeth in like she wanted. She rose to the air. She closed her eyes and started to accumulate all of the energy that was currently in her body.

The monster, meanwhile, had recovered and started to run toward her. It was soon galloping at a great pace and coming closer and closer. It opened its mouth and screamed at her with a howl that shook the Savage Land. That was when Warbird started.

She propelled herself through the air like a rocket and straight into the monster's mouth, and she didn't stop. The back of the monster's throat erupted as Warbird flew out like a bullet through glass. She flew upward after that and looked down at what she had done.

The monster turned and looked at her and tried to howl at it again, but it didn't get the chance to before its head exploded. The noise and the force from the explosion sent Warbird back a few yards. The monster's remaining body fell to the ground with a great crash that shook the trees for miles around.

"'Atta girl!" Mister Immortal yelled to her. He was standing up.

Warbird landed and ran toward him.

"Just who the hell are you?" Warbird shouted at him. "You come out here and you almost kill yourself and then you have the audacity to order around the Avengers? I need some explanation right now!"

The man put his hands on his hips and smiled straight at her.

"I'm Mister Immortal," he replied. "And I just saved your day!"

"Your highness." Wanda walked up to Black Bolt once Quicksilver stood up on his own accord. She knew her brother was not one who liked to be helped. "Who has angered you enough to do all this? You mentioned Graviton."

Black Bolt looked around at the damage. He looked at the bodies of the slain Libyan soldiers.

"I...I apologize," Black Bolt stuttered through their minds. "I was blinded by my rage. This was not behavior fitting of a king. Please. Do not let this change your judgment of my people. I am indebted to you, Avengers. I implore you to help me."

"This is...horrible," Wanda agreed. "But we won't judge you on this. Whoever has angered you will pay for these deaths. You must tell us what happened."

"How is my daughter?" Quicksilver asked quickly and angrily. "How is my wife? Who has done this? I swear, if either of them are hurt--"

"Shut up!" Black Bolt glared at Quicksilver. "If you cared anything of your wife or child, you would have been with them when Graviton attacked us."

Quicksilver snarled but he couldn't keep with Black Bolt's stare and looked to the ground. Black Bolt turned to the Scarlet Witch and the Vision.

"He attacked so quickly, we could not mount an offense against him," Black Bolt explained. "We are never attacked in our city. We didn't have anything to use against him. He conquered us with relative ease. Only I could repel his force enough to fight him."

"You mean you stood against Graviton?” Vision asked.

"Yes," Black Bolt continued. "I was defeating him. But...he took a hostage."

He looked back at Quicksilver.

"Luna?" Quicksilver yelled. "He took Luna? We must get to her now!"

"Calm down, Pietro," Wanda told him, "We will get your daughter back. But we don't have the numbers to do so at the moment. We need to formulate--"

"There is no time," Black Bolt said. "We must strike now. He has my people enslaved and my granddaughter is the only reason they have not risen in revolt. If too much time has elapsed before my return, my queen will lead a revolt no matter what. She is their leader now and she knows that she cannot allow Graviton access to the Omega Machine."

"The Omega Machine?" Wanda asked.

"Graviton is after the Omega Machine," Black Bolt explained. "Our technology is quite advanced compared to Earth’s. It was a machine developed by my people in case the monster Galactus ever returned to destroy the Moon. It amplifies the power of anyone within the machine. I was to be the only one to ever step foot inside of it should the need ever arise. I do not know what he plans on using this device for, but it does not bode well for anyone."

"There's a machine on the moon that could wipe out the Earth?" Quicksilver asked, incredulous. "And you had no idea that anyone would attack you for it?"

Black Bolt looked at him again. This time it was a frown of defeat.

"You...are right." Black Bolt sighed. "I should have known. I must defeat him. I must take back my kingdom. This man has taken advantage of my weakness and caused destruction to not only my people but yours as well. Please help me, Avengers. We have no time to waste."

The three were quiet for a moment. There was a flash of red from above them and Jack of Hearts landed near them. He saw Black Bolt was not attacking and walked over to Wanda and Vision.

"So what did I miss?" Jack asked. Quicksilver chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"I'll explain to him," Vision said and he turned to Wanda. "Please console your brother. It's only going to be us going against Graviton, we all must be in the right frame of mind for what lays ahead."

Wanda nodded and Vision walked over to Jack.

"How are you doing that?" Quicksilver asked Black Bolt.

"What?"

"You're in my head," Quicksilver's face was still angry. "You've never been able to do that before."

Black Bolt was silent for a moment. Wanda didn't say anything. She was curious as well.

"Well?"

"I cannot tell you."

"Why?" Quicksilver furled.

"I have promised not to. As it is, it does not have any effect on our situation currently."

"He's right, Pietro,” Wanda said, walking over to him and placing her hand on his shoulder. "It does not matter at the moment. He can speak to us telepathically and that will help us in the long run. We will get your wife and your daughter back. You have to have faith and work with us. Now we have to worry about getting to the moon."

Vision and Jack of Hearts walked back over to the group.

"Well," Jack smiled. "I guess its business as usual then."

"This is not 'business as usual'." Quicksilver yelled at him instantly. "This is my wife and my daughter that are in danger here. You will not treat this as some ordinary expedition. We must succeed and we will succeed. We have no other choice."

"Hey, man," Jack said with an annoyed tone in his voice. "Cool it. I was just joking."

"Enough, both of you," Vision said. "Your highness, we haven't any transport to the--"

"You need not worry about transportation," Black Bolt said as the antennae on his forehead began to crackle with energy. "Lockjaw will be arriving shortly."

Graviton smiled.

"It's beautiful," he said as he looked around.

He was standing in a tall, black dome. It shone and reflected Graviton's sneer in the light of the lantern that he carried. In the center of the dome was one lone chair. The dome appeared empty but Graviton knew what power this chamber held. Deep below the dome was an incredible engine that would pulse energy through the walls of the dome and increase the power of whomever sat in the chair.

This was the Omega Machine.

Graviton turned his smile to the gorgeous six-foot tall woman standing behind him. She was wearing a skin-tight purple uniform and her long red hair seemed to ebb and flow like an ocean. She was his Queen now.

"Medusa," Graviton grinned. "Can you smell it? Can you smell the power?"

Medusa didn't answer but looked to the small, floating figure over Graviton's shoulder.

"Ah, yes," Graviton's smile remained. "She is fine."

Medusa observed that Graviton was speaking the truth, for even he dared not harm the girl while he was in power, lest Medusa and the rest of the people of Attilan rise up and kill him. Of course, Medusa and her people dared not move against Graviton, lest he harm the girl. But it was only a matter of time before Black Bolt returned. Then all would be right.

Her quick examination finished, Medusa dropped to a reverent knee. The very fact of what she was doing made her sick. Graviton walked over to her and raised her chin so he could see her face.

"I can see the resemblance," Graviton sneered.

"The throne is not yours," Medusa stated simply. "You will not keep it for long."

"Well," Graviton said. "You do have quite an acidic tongue, don't you?"

He kneeled down and looked her in the eyes.

"If you want your granddaughter to keep hers, then I suggest that you stay quiet. You've been very helpful so far in divulging the information on this Omega Machine and what it is capable of. I hope you haven't sentenced your granddaughter to death so soon."

Medusa put her head back down and said nothing.

"Good," Graviton said, as he turned and started to walk out of the chamber, with Luna floated behind him. "The opportunities that this machine gives me are simply dazzling. But I am hungry now. Guide me to my feast, my queen."

Medusa rose to her feet and followed the despot out of the room. She kept her eyes on Luna the entire way out. Graviton turned to look at her.

"And don't worry about your husband, my dear," Graviton's smile turned to a scowl. "If he has survived and decides to show up, or if any of those damnable Avengers instead, then they'll receive the same treatment that your husband got when he crossed me."

Graviton turned and laughed his way out of the throne room. Medusa bit her lip and followed, keeping her head down, only occasionally glancing up at her granddaughter.

On one such glance, Luna looked back at her and cocked her head to the side. For a moment, Medusa was shocked at the notion but she was careful to not bring attention to herself. She met Luna's stare and didn't leave it. There was something captivating in the child's blue eyes.

"Our king is on his way."

The voice echoed through Medusa's mind. She gasped and took all her willpower in an effort to continue walking after Graviton. She was still staring at Luna and Luna back at her.

Luna smiled.

To Be Continued...

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