The Defenders Of Midgard, An MCU Fan Fiction:
Chapter #5: Mommy Dearest Bloody Dearest
Ozymandias The Mad! Please Give Me Money To Keep A Mad Scientist Off The Street!
Mad Ozzy's Circular Suggestion Bin: Ozymandias360@protonmail.com
Subscribe Star: https://www.subscribestar.com/ozymandiasthemad
Chapter 5
Mommy Dearest Bloody Dearest
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
In a palm springs retirement community, an elderly Chinese woman comes home from yoga class to find her estranged daughter Melinda May, waiting in the dark and nursing half a large bottle of cheap vodka.
Mother May:
Melinda!?!… What are you doing here?… I thought you didn’t want to see me again… I tried to reconcile… I helped you out when you needed it… But then you refuse to listen to the truth as you always do… You said that you never wanted to see or hear from me again… And I’ve given up on you anyway… I don’t have much time left… So I have none of it for you… Or your father… Do you have nothing to say?… Ungrateful apostate child!… What are you even here for?…
Melinda May:
I thought I was here for answers… But I know all the answers… All the answers that I never wanted… just like you said… But you made sure I memorized everything… I have all the answers that I never wanted and can never forget thanks to you… No… I came here for something else… For hate… Not hate for you… Your not worthy of my hate anymore… I hate myself… for being weak… for being blind… first blinded by you… then blinded in denial of you… But killing myself is not so easy… I’ve tried… But my survival instincts are just too strong now… And I am so hungry now… I can’t think of anything anymore… but your throat…
May attacks her mother, savagely bites into her throat, and ravenously drains her dry. As May reaches the end of drainable blood from her mother, a familiar voice calls to her from behind her, as the purple hooded figure of Ogun’s acolyte Betsy Braddock stands there watching with blind folded eyes.
Betsy Braddock:
Well… that was… disgusting… Are you done yet?… Or would you like to drain someone else?… Your father perhaps?… Not that I care… But Master Ogun said… that if he did not return… then I should follow you… and aid you… in whatever you want… save for letting you feed off of me… He must like you… or at least find you interesting… I don’t really see it myself… I find you boring…
May:
You!?!… Where’s your master?… Where is Ogun?…
Betsy Braddock:
Back where he got you from… Master Ogun seems to have temporarily lost control of his host… But knowing him… He probably thinks things are more interesting that way… They know about you and Dr. Simmons now… You won’t be able to just go back there… And they’ll be looking for you now… especially after this… Whatever will you do now?… I here tell among the vampire community… that alcohol dulls the hunger… It clearly doesn’t eliminate it… But it does still impair one’s judgment… Obviously…
May:
I’ll kill you and your master!…
Betsy Braddock:
Master Ogun is immortal… beyond death… And Revanche… Revanche is in the mind… Not so easy to dig out and expunge… And Revanche demands Revanche… And you will need more than a bloodthirsty attitude… and your bare hands… to deal with Revanche… even as a vampire… There are far scarier monsters in the world… than vampires… like the ghost haunting your mind… known as Revanche…
May:
Revanche?… You mean revenge?… What do you have need of revenge for?…
Revanche:
For my mother!… Against an entity known as the Shadow King… When I was much younger… a psychic entity known as the Shadow King… possessed a man… and used him to brutally rape… torture… and kill my mother… while he used his powerful mind… to show me the whole thing as seen through his hosts eyes… Having been born blind… I had never seen anything at all… up till then… When the Shadow King forced me to watch what he did to my mother… That is why… Revanche… The Shadow King is a powerful consciousness beyond anything you can imagine… Even beyond the immortal sorcerer Ogun… Similar in nature… But well beyond that… I became his acolyte… for Revanche… To learn his secrets and master his power… But now he tells me to serve and aid you… Most curious… You don’t seem that impressive to me… It seems personal… He was going on and on about your family… your mother and grandmother… It seems he has a history with you lot… had a history… I don’t think he wanted revenge so much as… amusement… He cares almost nothing for revenge… so much as consequences and chaos… Just to see what happens… For my part… I just want to see what he sees in you… You will need my help if you are to evade your friends… Come with me if you want to live dangerously… to the extent that the undead live… Keep my family secrets and I’ll keep yours… No one would believe you anyway… I’m rich… and aristocratic… and blind… and you’re a vampire… And I can get you blood…
May:
Okay… Revanche… Lets go…
Revanche:
My driver awaits… If we have ourselves a tentative deal… You should know how to refer to me around others… My name is Braddock… Betsy Braddock… Daughter of Lord and Lady Braddock… now deceased… Fraternal twin sister of Brian Braddock… Whom I believe you’ve met… And whom I would prefer not to know about this… if you don’t want the others to know about your mother… I’m playing here in town… as a concert pianist… I’m quite famous in the field… We have a family vacation home in Malibu… I can arrange for blood to be delivered if you like…
Having calmed down some, and sensing no other options, May leaves with Lady Braddock in a stretch limosine parked nearby. The limosine takes them to the Braddock Malibu property, with the privacy shield closed the whole way. After they pull in to the extra large garage, with the garage door closed, the driver gets out to open the limo door, but May gets out and excuses the driver, claiming exhaustion on behalf of Betsy, requiring no further disturbances, and dismissing the driver until further notice. With the driver gone, May drags the bloody unconscious body of Betsy Braddock into the house, and up to the bed in the master bedroom. May begins to slap her silly in bed trying to wake her up. Betsy moans slightly as she wakes.
Betsy:
Ogh…
May:
Waky!… Waky!… Don’t be shaky!… Time to feed!… Now that I know how this works… Your going to serve and aid me… Just like that bastard Ogun said… But on my terms… Now feed… Revanche… You are now my Revanche!… Which is probably what that crazy so-called master of yours intended anyway… Now drink!…
As Betsy awakens, May slices open her own wrist and feeds her blood to Betsy, forcing it down her gullet, as she struggles at first, before relenting and succumbing.
May:
There… Now I just hope… for both our sakes… that you weren’t kidding about having blood delivered… Your going to need to feed now too… Welcome to the family… Revanche…
Queen Karnilla and company return from their shakedown and surveillance cruise to find Coulson awake, under Shield guard and behind bomb blast worthy nanotech glass, and sounding like Coulson, talking with Daisy, Fitz, and Dr. Simmons, as Dr. Laufey, Robbie, Mack, and Yo Yo watch.
Coulson:
I feel… different… I feel… in control… But I can still hear Ogun… Won’t shut up actually… I don’t know how it did it… But that little magic black box… somehow… it allowed me to gain some degree of control back… But it’s tenuous… What happened to me this time?… Why does my hand feel real?… Or is it the rest of me… that feels fake?…
The voice of Ogun chimes in from the surrounding walls.
Ogun:
You are welcome Phil… We should be on a first name basis… We will be stuck together forever after all… Between the binding of my spirit to you as a host by the Black Queen Selene… and the application of what Dr. Simmons refers to as… Black Box Extremis… making you effectively immortal… We should get comfortable with each other… It’s going to be a long and interesting ride… acting captain of the ship…
Coulson:
Where is that coming from?!?…
Ogun:
From you Phil… Your very bones are now the FSBs that serve as my host now… and my power… Allow me to demonstrate…
Coulson suddenly disappears in a puff of black smoke behind the containment glass and reappears on the other side of it in another puff of black smoke, appearing in among the observers outside of it.
Ogun:
There is no way to contain me… or even yourself… even if you control your own flesh… to the extent that it is still yours that is… ha ha ha ha ha…
Coulson disappears in another puff of black smoke, as Ogun cackles away, seemingly trailing off into the distance.
Daisy:
Coulson!?!…
Ward:
What the hell happened to Coulson?!?…
Karny Girl:
I knew it!… I knew he was wrong!…
Lady Sif:
The Son of Coul has indeed been deeply compromised…
On the balcony of the master bedroom of the Braddock family Malibu property, Coulson appears in a puff of black smoke. Inside the master bedroom, a bloody Betsy Braddock lies unconscious in the bed, while May sips red wine wearing a silk kimono style bathrobe.
May:
Coulson!?!…
Coulson:
May!… Are you okay?…
May:
No… You?…
Coulson:
Not by a long shot… Why are you here?… Why am I here?…
May:
This is Betsy Braddock’s beach house… She’s the acolyte that helped that demon thing Ogun get me turned into a vampire… Now I’ve turned her into my vampire slave… The same thing they had Simmons do to me… She’s crazy… But she’s rich… And now she’s my slave as her sire…
Coulson:
That’s kind of extreme… Don’t you think?… Do we have to be monsters?… to beat monsters?…
May:
Stuck in a monster’s game?… You bet your ass!… We’re already monsters!… Stop arguing and go with it!… Show me your monster… And I’ll show you mine…
May rushes Coulson, and begins to embrace and undress him as they kiss. As they kiss, white sparkles begin to stream out from Coulson’s eyes, nose, and mouth, as Coulson begins to pulsate a blue glow again. The white sparkles fly into May’s eyes, nose, and mouth, and then continue to stream over to enter the eyes, nose, and mouth of the bloody and unconscious Betsy Braddock. May collapses on the floor unconscious.
Ogun:
Your welcome Melinda May… No hard feelings I hope… It was nothing personal… mostly… Just business… As chaos is my business… And business is good… to me at least… never boring for sure…
Coulson:
May!… May!… What did you do?…
Ogun:
Home improvement… or temple improvement… as one’s body is one’s temple after all…
Outside of Daisy’s building, the Warriors Three stand guard with various Shield agents, exchanging stories and donuts.
Hogan:
So… he had lions paws… for hands?… Midgard truly is a weird and magical place… And not very bright in spots…
Fandral:
Were they at least removable?… How did the man even eat?… among other things…
Volstagg:
I bet he ate raw meat… with his fangs… He did have fangs at least… right?…
Shield Agent:
Unknown… Wasn’t my case…
A shimmering shadow in an alleyway watches with envious hunger, as Volstagg and the others consume coffee and donuts. Hogan holds a small matte black orb up to his ear, as it whispers and chirps, then turns around to look in the direction of the alleyway. The shimmering shadow shrinks back away into the alleyway, as Hogan begins to investigate, followed by the others. Volstagg brings a box of donuts with him, stuffing his face as he does.
Fandral:
What is it Hogan?… Is that fancy black pearl that the queen gave you acting up again?… It’s not picking up the police band again is it?…
Hogan:
You’re just jealous… Because you didn’t get one…
Fandral:
You’re just her favorite because you’re from Nornheim originally… So what if you know a little magic… We could learn magic…
Hogan:
But you haven’t done it yet… It says… there’s something here… something hidden… by magic… by some sort of glamour… Show yourself!… Show yourself or be destroyed!… Interloper!…
The shimmering shadow shimmers into view, revealing the grotesquely distorted Hulk like proportions of Daisy’s physically altered father, altered by the Black Queen Selene. Shield agents in tactical gear with high powered high capacity select fire rifles, take up positions flanking the Warriors Three on either side at the entrance to the alleyway, and draw a bead on Daisy’s father, the hideous Mr. Hide.
Hogan:
Hold!… I believe this to be the one… known to be Daisy Johnson’s father… Lower your weapons!… But notify Director Mace immediately!…
Shield Agent:
Dir. Mace… Be advised… The Warriors Three may have Daisy’s father in the west alleyway…
Hogan:
Please… I’m sure Daisy is worried about her father… Surrender and come peacefully… Come inside with us… And we can talk…
Mr. Hide:
Nooo!… She can’t see me like this!…
The grotesque figure shimmers away again, and heavy footsteps are heard stomping away.
Shield Agent:
Be advised… Mr. Hide has taken off… Disappeared… May still be nearby…
Hogan:
Tell them that Master Fitz’s magic boxes can detect his presence… We shall pursue!… Lets go!… Volstagg!… Bring the donuts!…
The Warriors Three pursue the shimmering phantom with Hogan’s FSB, with a squad of Shield agents accompanying them in support, and with a box of donuts in one of Volstagg’s arms. They chase the shimmer into a nearby parking garage, where the shimmer unshimmers, and reveals itself to be Mr. Hide again.
Mr. Hide:
Stop chasing me!… Daisy will find me here!… She can’t see me like this!… She already knows me as a monster!…
Fandral:
Lady Daisy has been genuinely concerned about you… Her friends have been looking for you… And to be perfectly honest… she’s already seen you like this… You arrived this way with her… So she’s seen it before… And she still wants you back in spite of it…
Volstagg:
Fandral!…
Fandral:
Well it’s true… And we’ve seen far worse… as ogres go… And doesn’t Midgard venerate a green ogre as a hero these days… one of Thor’s friends… the offenders or something…
Volstagg:
Perhaps we can introduce him… I hear the green one’s gone missing these days… Perhaps the offenders are in need of a new ogre…
Hogan:
Hush you two!… You remember Daisy… Do you remember… your name?…
Mr. Hide:
No… I don’t know… I think it’s… Calvin… Or Zabo… Winslow or Johnson… I can’t keep it straight… Jia Ying called me Calvin… But she kept calling herself Selene… Daisy is the only thing I’m sure of… And I know she’ll hate me now…
Hogan:
That’s not true… You don’t believe that… Or you wouldn’t be staying so close by… I believe there’s a reason for that… And not just because your hungry… But you are… Aren’t you?… Volstagg…
Volstagg:
Here… a fine assortment too… But the sprinkles are mine… They’re my favorite…
Fandral:
Volstagg!…
Volstagg:
What?… I’m just verifying that they’re safe… It’s like Dir. Mace says… ‘the team that trusts… is the team that triumphs’… Here… See?… You can trust us…
Volstagg stuffs his face with sprinkles, then hands the box of donuts over to Mr. Hide. Mr. Hide begins to desperately scarf down the donuts, stuffing multiple donuts at a time into his grotesquely distorted over sized mouth, looking as if the skin of a normal sized face were stretched over a giant’s skull, then stuffed full of donuts. Mr. Hide makes quick work of the box of donuts, then begins to turn away and shimmer again. Daisy then suddenly arrives running up to her father as he shimmers, carrying a box of ice scream bars.
Daisy:
Wait!… Don’t go!… Please!… Stay!… Your one of the only things I have left in this world… Please stay… I don’t have vanilla or Neapolitan… But I have fudge bars!… You still like ice cream… right?… You remember ice cream… right?… Please stay… Let me take care of you… Even as you are now… I have plenty of room…
Mr. Hide:
Are you sure you don’t… hate me?… I am a monster… More now than ever…
Daisy:
Believe it or not… I have friends that are more trouble than you are right now… And I still have room for them too… I don’t even find you all that scary… And I kind of have to grade on a curve anyway… Come on… have a fudge bar…
Daisy opens up the box and peels the wrapper off of a fudge bar, then hands it over to her father, so that he doesn’t have to do it with his over sized hands. Mr. Hide begins to eat the fudge bar, when little Karny comes up behind them, having chased after Daisy when she heard that Daisy’s father was back, with her Aunty Meghan chasing after her.
Karny Girl:
Are those my fudge bars?… I picked those out myself you know… You can have one… But you have to introduce yourself properly… And ask nicely…
Mr. Hide:
Well little girl… My name is Calvin… something… May I have a fudge bar now?… Please?…
Karny Girl:
You may… But only if you stay for tea as well… It’s only civilized…
Mr. Hide:
Well… Okay… If you don’t think that I’ll be a bother… But aren’t you a bit young to be drinking tea?…
Karny Girl:
Not imaginary tea silly… But if you want real tea I won’t mind… Can I have one of those too Daisy?… He can have the rest… He looks like he could have a bit of an appetite…
Daisy:
Sure thing Karny Girl…
Daisy pulls out another fudge bar for little Karny, peels the wrapper and hands it to the little girl.
Volstagg:
I don’t suppose I could try one?…
Daisy:
Here you go…
Daisy tosses another fudge bar to Volstagg, then pulls out one for herself, before tossing the box to Fandral.
Daisy:
Here… We’re gonna have to go to the store anyway… He does look like has a bit of an appetite doesn’t he?… We may have to order pizza…
Karny Girl:
Oooh… Pizza sounds good…
Volstagg:
What’s this… pizza… like?…
Fandral:
Volstagg!…
Volstagg:
What?… Daisy’s father might still be hungry… And we’re down a box of donuts… and a box of fudge bars…
The group make their way back to Daisy’s building, as Fandral and Hogan finish what’s left of the fudge bars. Mr. Hide settles in for a tea party with lots of fake tea, real pizza, and lots of questions with few answers.
A face familiar from the Shield research team that Fitz had put together makes his way to a special interdisciplinary medical research lab on the campus of the California Institute of Technology, marked with a sign that says ‘Project MODOC: Mental Organism Made Only for Computing’ within the Department of Computation and Neural Systems. Within this lab is a large water tank, with various tubes and wires connected to and sustaining the severely damaged torso of Aldrich Killian, former head of Advanced Idea Mechanics, the creators of the original Extremis, with no remaining limbs, and a severely damaged skull, with part of the skull and the brain blown off, all pulsating with a soft orange and red glow. Waiting for the man is a woman in a white lab coat, with light brown skin and long black hair.
Shield Tech:
Dr. Rappaccini… I’m glad you could see me on such short notice… I’m sorry for being so sudden… But something just dropped into my lab… That could solve all of our legacy problems… And restore Advanced Idea Mechanics to it’s rightful place within the technological food chain…
Dr. Rappaccini:
Does anyone know your here?… Dr. Tarleton… Or even know that you’re talking to me?…
Dr. Tarleton:
No… They barely know of my involvement with AIM to begin with…
Dr. Rappaccini:
This had better not be another bogus alleged Erskin Formula variation… Or a Centipede knockoff… I’m not wasting any more effort on that stuff… In fact… I want nothing to do with AIM’s legacy issues… I’m actually trying to shed those issues… The last thing I need… is any further association with it… You had better have something either really good… or really different… preferably both… I’ve got my own work… And I’m lucky enough to have that after AIM…
Dr. Tarleton:
How about a magic box?… A literal magic black box… made with a combination of Asgardian nanotech… Zero Matter…. and Dark Force… Which is something that I didn’t even know existed until it dropped into my lap… all combined with a nanotech quantum supercomputer architecture concocted by Fitz Simmons when they were at the Shield Academy together…
Dr. Rappaccini:
Fitz Simmons you say?… Well… If they were involved… does Stark know about this yet?… I don’t want to be involved with him either…
Dr. Tarleton:
I’m told that what little he does know of it… he doesn’t agree with… It’s been something of an ongoing intellectual argument between Fitz and Stark… For months now… They’ve resorted to silly name calling… Stark Contrast… versus Fitz and Starts… Fitz even started calling Stark’s new wonder boy names… Peter Park it… But now that Fitz is working with Asgardians… And he’s created something that even Tony Stark would be hard pressed to duplicate… or surpass… It’s called a Fitz Simmons Box…
The Shield tech pulls out a matte black box to show Dr. Rappaccini.
Dr. Tarleton:
It actually uses some sort of black magic telepathy or something… as an interface!… It’s powered by something called nanotech plasma resonator cells… that was a part of the same original research that produced the arc reactor technology… borderline zero point energy… This thing could make theoretically anything given enough time and energy… Stark is doubtful about that part… And it’s personal to Stark because part of it’s his dad’s work… So he’s ignoring it in terms of anything he doesn’t already see the value of… Typical arrogance for him…
Dr. Rappaccini:
Never mind Stark… Show me how this works…
Dr. Tarleton:
Remember… It has a telepathic control mechanism… And it responds really well to your thoughts… Too well if your not careful… But it has already been shown to help regulate Extremis…
The Shield tech demonstrates the FSB device by using it to make a small matte black dagger, then handing it over to Dr. Rappaccini.
Dr. Tarleton:
Cool huh?… It’s like I’m an actual wizard of black magic or something… the Wizard of Ooze… It can even colonize and copy existing tech!…
Dr. Rappoccini:
Just like that… That really does seem like magic…
Dr. Tarleton:
And they can self replicate… To connect more of them together for more processing power… Or to issue them to new people… with a genetic security key… Here… Hold out your palm…
Dr. Rappaccini does as instructed, and the Shield Tech goes through the procedure, creating a new matte black cube in Dr. Rappaccini’s other palm. As soon as the FSB completely forms in Dr. Rappaccini’s hand, she takes the matte black dagger that she was already given, and stabs the Shield tech in the heart with it.
Dr. Rappaccini:
My apologies Doctor Tarleton… But I can’t have any involvement with Shield either… And I never really liked you anyway… You were only an occasional good time… and a good tech… But not that good…
The dead Shield tech bleeds out all over the floor of Dr. Rappaccini’s lab. Dr. Rappaccini then kneels down over her handiwork and holds her FSB over the body. White sparkles begin to emanate and stream from her FSB, and stream over to cover the body of the Shield tech, and all of the blood on the floor. The Shield tech’s body and all of his blood turn matte black and begin to move, oozing it’s way back together into the now matte black corpse, with the body, it’s blood, and all of it’s clothing colonized and converted into FSB material. The matte black dagger made previously by the tech is absorbed into the new FSB mass, along with his original FSB.
The matte black body of the former Shield tech sits up, then stands up without command or assistance. The matte black form, still resembling a matte black statue of the deceased tech, begins to morph and shape shift further into an over sized featureless matte black manikin, with white sparkles covering the surface of the otherwise matte black manikin, as it grows larger, taking on Hulk like proportions. As the white sparkles die down, and the hulking matte black golem settles into form, a young Hispanic man with short black hair pulls up behind Dr. Rappaccini in a wheelchair.
Wheelchair:
What’s up Doc?… Cool golem… Is that supposed to be a donation?… Did they understand that we need money?… as opposed to just decorations?… Are we supposed to sell that for money?… Lab space aint free… with or without decorations…
Dr. Rappaccini:
That is not for decoration Mr. Reyes… That is a special sensitive project… a classified field test for evaluation and modification… The details of which are of course classified… Even though you are just an intern here… I can loop you in to some extent in order to assist me… But I needn’t remind you of the conditions of your internship when it comes to the more sensitive work here… eh?… my angel Gabriel?…
Gabriel Reyes:
Right… Got it… Upon pain of death and everything…
Dr. Rappaccini:
Well… Perhaps not necessarily pain of death… But you get the picture… It’s a type of highly advanced nanotech… that could be the solution to all of our problems… But between the two of us… there is no one else we can rely upon here… I need you for this as much as I need you to be quiet about it… There’s absolutely no one else that can be involved in this… So I’m going to give you one of these… To aid me in the project…
Gabriel Reyes:
Your going to give me a golem?… I think I’ll name him Matte… Matte Black… my own personal man in matte black… M I M B…
Dr. Rappaccini:
That is just an example of it’s application… This is what is to be evaluated… and mastered…
Dr. Rappaccini pulls out her matte black cube FSB, and shows it to Gabriel.
Gabriel Reyes:
I think you forgot to paint on the different colored squares… You’re not going to be able to solve the puzzle that way…
Dr. Rappaccini:
Hah… Hah… It’s not that kind of cube… This… is what’s known… as an FSB… a Fitz Simmons Box… a nanotech quantum supercomputer… with… for lack of a better word… a telepathic interface and control mechanism… involving alien nanotech allegedly… It can make just about anything… Including our new golem friend… It has some sort of genetic key lock mechanism that prevents it from being used or accessed by anyone else… And you will need your own… If you’re going to help me with this here… But this is inherently dangerous… I can’t make you do this with me… But you’re all I have here… I can’t trust anyone else… No one else will even work with me… Not after AIM… No one desirable at least… I need you to be my black smith for me…
Gabriel Reyes:
It’s cool Dr. Rappaccini… You had me at alien nanotech quantum supercomputer anyway… I’m so in… And don’t worry about that AIM stuff… No one will care if cure cancer… or heal brain injuries… You have to stop beating yourself up about that stuff… My uncle Eli doesn’t let his history get in his way… Largely because he just doesn’t give a crap… That’s the only way to deal with that sort of crap… Put it behind you and move on… and do better…
Dr. Rappaccini:
I knew that I could count on my angel Gabriel…
Dr. Rapp leans over and down to kiss Gabriel on the cheek. Then she kneels down in front of his wheelchair, down to his eye level.
Dr. Rappaccini:
Here… Hold out your palms…
Gabriel does as instructed, and Dr. Rapp issues a new FSB to Gabriel, forming a new matte black cube within Gabriel’s empty palm.
Dr. Rappaccini:
These devices can replicate themselves… But they can also colonize existing technology… taking it over and converting it’s substance into more FSB material… even copying it… and replicating it… Perhaps even improving upon and upgrading the existing technology… Try using it to colonize and take over your wheelchair with it… Start with something relatively simple… to master the telepathic interface by practicing with the FSB’s basic functions…
Gabriel takes a moment, and closes his eyes, as he holds his new FSB in his hand. The telltale white sparkles begin to flow from his FSB, and cover his wheelchair, gradually turning every inch of it matte black. The white sparkles continue, as the matte black mass of the wheelchair underneath the white sparkles, continues to grow, simplifying it’s design and mechanisms to some extent, becoming a larger more simple assembly of solid masses, with a minimum of moving parts by the time the white sparkles die down and disappear.
Dr. Rapp:
Excellent!… Your a natural!… Now clear out and practice on your own… I have some related but extra sensitive work to be done on this… extra sensitive work that you can’t be here for… I primarily need you to master the technology itself for now… So go home with it and practice… Master it completely… Consider this your extra sensitive secret homework…
Gabriel:
Cool… Got it Doc… Homework… Do you want a full write up?… Or just my notes?…
Dr. Rapp:
No write up!… No notes!… You can’t tell anyone about this!… about where it comes from… what it’s called… or anything… If anyone sees you with it… or with anything you make with it… Just tell them you’re testing classified prototypes for me… And tell them nothing else!… Understand?…
Gabriel:
You got it Doc… super double secret probation and everything… You can count on me Dr. Rappaccini… Together against the world!… Just remember me fondly when you take over the world and become Scientist Supreme…
Dr. Rapp:
Okay Pinky…
Gabriel:
Zogg!…
Gabriel dutifully rolls away to test his new wheels, among other things, leaving Dr. Rappaccini to her extra sensitive work.
Dr. Rappaccini:
Now then Aldrich… Lets see what I can make of you… I’m sure you won’t mind… if it’s for science… And I’m afraid you just can’t wait… What my angel Gabriel doesn’t know… is that our lease has already been canceled… And I have no place to put you… to continue to take care of you… You must become a triumph of science… or become finally and properly dead…
Gabriel is making his way down to the bus stop by the Cal Tech campus, when he decides better of it, and decides to roll his way over to the foot of some hills behind the campus. Gabriel parks his wheelchair behind a warehouse building on the campus, out of sight of the uniniated. Gabriel cups his hands in front of him, then closes his eyes to concentrate. White sparkles begin to form a short wide matte black solid cylinder within Gabriel’s hands, resembling a jumbo size matte black ceramic coffee mug, but without an opening at the top. The top of Gabriel’s cylinder begins to glow a pale white glow, gradually becoming more and more translucent, revealing the ongoing reaction of an arc reactor, an invention of Tony Stark’s, known to power the Iron Man armor, and most of his technology.
Gabriel:
Wow!… How am I doing this?… I don’t even have Palladium!…
Gabriel’s FSB:
You do now Gabriel… You made it with the FSB in your possession… Although… Palladium it self… is not strictly required… except in accordance with the original specifications of the Mark I Iron Man Armor…
Gabriel:
KITT!?!… You talk?… with the voice of KITT?… from Knight Rider?…
KITT:
I talk with the voice you gave me… the voice chosen for me by your subconscious…
Gabriel:
Well… I suppose it could have been worse… You could have been the Stay Puffed Marsh Mellow Man…
KITT:
Unlikely Gabriel… Unlikely…
Gabriel:
Wait… I made… Palladium?… Is this thing magic or something?…
KITT:
Most likely?… The ‘or something’… Anything beyond that… is beyond my current information or capacity to answer… As it is all theoretical… Or was… But I have documentation regarding the underlying research if you would like to peruse… According to the documentation… The device itself is made from something called Zero Matter… utilizing the theoretical principles of something called Dark Force… based on a speculative theoretical bridging of the gap between magic and science… utilizing Zero Matter… and hypothetical Dark Force technology… hypothetically speaking…
A shallow cylindrical void, about the size of his new arc reactor, begins to open up in the now otherwise solid matte black right arm rest of his new wheelchair. Gabriel places the arc reactor within the cylindrical void, and the voids between the arc reactor and his chair seal up, leaving nothing but a continuous uninterrupted matte black surface, surrounding the translucent glow of the arc reactor. Gabriel places his hand over the left arm rest, and another arc reactor forms within the left arm rest. Then Gabriel places both hands over the wheel hubs for his wheelchair, and two more arc reactors form within the wheel hubs.
KITT:
Caution Gabriel… Containment will be difficult to maintain at these power levels without some conduit for the excess energy… Adding any additional arc reactors beyond this point may lead to catastrophic instability…
Gabriel:
That’s okay… I’ve got plans for that… But I’m going to need more precise control… quicker response time… The control is clearly telepathic… very telepathic… There should be some way to enhance that… uninvasively… hopefully…
Gabriel puts his hands up to his head and creates matte black helmet for himself, patterned off of the helmet for the Mark I Iron Man Armor. Gabriel’s wheelchair then morphs into a matte black four wheel ATV, with one each of his four arc reactors within the wheel hubs of the matte black ATV.
Gabriel:
Hah!… Screw you Robbie… Bet your fancy suped up Hot Wheels can’t do this…
Gabriel takes his new toy for a spin over the hills behind Cal Tech, while back in Dr. Rappaccini’s lab, Dr. Rappaccini makes preparations for her extra sensitive experiment.
Dr. Rappaccini:
So Aldrich… How should we proceed?… I think we’ll need a few extra hands… that don’t come with extra eyes and ears…
The matte black golem begins to emit streams of white sparkles, and forms a matte black human sized manikin.
Dr. Rappaccini:
That is better… Or at least more practical… But I need you to be less conspicuous… You need an outfit of some kind that obscures your… artificiality…
The new matte black maniken begins to emit white sparkles, and forms a flexible layer of matte black clothing resembling the shape of a beekeeper like hazmat suit, then the hazmat suit turns a bright vivid yellow, except for a slit for eyes that is covered by an opaque black shiny material resembling plastic. Then the newly formed beekeeper itself begins to emit streams of white sparkles forming numerous other such yellow beekeeper FSB drones. Without commands, the beekeepers go about their work making preparations of various kinds. Dr. Rappaccini generates a similar beekeeper like outfit for herself to blend in with her drones, but without the head gear and gloves, just in case any one interrupts the proceedings to follow.
Various pieces of medical equipment are adjusted by Dr. Rappaccini and the beekeepers, as the water tank containing Aldrich Killian is carefully drained, and Killian himself is set upon a bed, prepared, and attached to other life support equipment once outside of the tank. Dr. Rappaccini takes her FSB and places it upon Aldrich Killian’s chest, while she places one bare hand on top of her FSB on Killian’s chest, and holds her other bare hand just over the gaping void in Killian’s skull. White sparkles stream into the void in Killian’s skull, and begin to form a matte black mass, filling the void with a matte black skull cap covering the hole, and forming a normally shaped complete head as a result.
The low level pulsating red and orange glow emanating from Killian’s body shifts to a more intense pulsating blue glow. The matte black covering over the destroyed part of Killian’s skull begins to grow and spread over the rest of of Killian’s pulsating blue body, with the matte black portions beginning to pulsate with a similar blue glow as well. Killian’s body becomes completely covered in matte black material, which continues to grow larger and larger, until it’s larger than the water tank that held him before, before ceasing to grow further, still pulsating blue. Just as the matte black cocoon stops growing, a standard issue business suit wearing bureaucrat barges into the lab, followed by a small army of cops.
Suit:
What is going on here?… Who are all these people?… Who authorized all of this?… Did you not understand me when I told you last week?… that you would have to vacate this lab immediately?… Or their would be consequences?… including seizure?… Everything in this lab is now forfeit!… Shut this all down immediately!… And arrest her!… And all her accomplices!…
The cops make a move to arrest Dr. Rappaccini, and the large golem moves without command to stand in their way.
Suit:
What is this freak doing?… Is this some Inhuman accomplice?… Or some other unauthorized experiment?…
The pulsating blue cocoon stops pulsating and begins to ramp up the blue glow until it becomes almost blinding, forming bright cracks all over it’s surface, before it darkens and explodes, shattering the cocoon and knocking everyone away and off their feet with a blinding white light. As the blinding light dies down, a large silhouette appears hovering within the light, as large as the water tank that previously held Killian. But with four small limbs protruding out from the large central mass, two from the bottom, and two from the sides, a fourth of the way up from the bottom.
Silhouette:
I am MODOC!… I am MODOC!… I am intelligence!… I am science!… I am power!… I am supreme!…
Suit:
What the hell is that?… What the hell did you create?…
Silhouette:
Do not question science!…
Lightening arcs out from the hovering silhouette, connecting with the suit and the accompanying cops, incinerating them instantly. Dr. Rappaccini cowers behind her golem, as she looks on. The blinding light fades completely, revealing a large giant head with the enlarged face of Aldrich Killian, with a large matte black vertical oval jewel in the center of his forehead, and the face extending from the top to three fourths of the way down. The giant face is framed and encased in matte black material, with two small legs dressed in matte black material, protruding out from the front of the large mass at the bottom and simply hanging down, and two small arms covered in the same matte black material, protruding out from the sides a fourth of the way up from the bottom, just beneath the giant chin.
MODOC:
I am science!… I am supreme!… Who dares challenge science?… I am supreme!… You there!… Cowering!… Identify yourself!…
Dr. Rappaccini:
I… I am Dr. Monica Rappaccini… I am… the scientist who created you… I am… the Scientist Supreme… of AIM… Advanced Idea Mechanics… pursuers of pure science… for the sake of pure science… defenders of science… against those who would fear it… and want to destroy it…
MODOC:
Who mother?… Who would dare to challenge science?…
Dr. Rappaccini:
Stark… Tony Stark… and Stark Industries… and their fellow conspirators against science… the Avengers… and Shield… and all their corrupt political cronies in government… with their laws restricting science… Based on nothing… but their ignorant fear… and their intellectual degeneracy…
MODOC:
Abominations!… Abominations against science!… I will destroy them mother!… I will destroy them all!… Exterminate!… Exterminate!… Exterminate!…
Dr. Rappaccini:
Stark Industries is not far from here… just north west of here in fact…
MODOC:
I will destroy them mother!… I will destroy them all!… Destroy Stark Industries!…
MODOC flies over to the wall of the lab, and lightening arcs over from the matte black jewel in MODOC’s forehead, and blows a large hole in the wall, through which MODOC then flies to leave Dr. Rappaccini behind.
Dr. Rappaccini:
Oh well… So much for MODOC… So much for having a career… Hopefully… Stark and MODOC will manage to kill each other… Regardless… I’ve learned more than enough to rebuild with… And I’ll have to now… with what happened to the cops… and the dean…
Dr. Rappaccini holds up her matte black FSB cube.
Dr. Rappaccini:
Upon this rock… I will build my church…
The large matte black golem chimes in with the voice of the deceased Shield tech, Dr. Tarleton.
Golem:
As you wish… Scientist Supreme… Your supremacy… shall be obeyed…
Dr. Rappaccini:
So you can talk… I suspected as much… Time to go…
Dr. Rappaccini leaves with her golem and the beekeepers, while a glowing MODOC flies towards Stark industries, electric arcs and sparks flying off of him as he flies. On a hilltop overlooking the Cal Tech campus, Gabriel sees MODOC flying off to the north west, towards Stark industries.
Gabriel:
What the hell is that?…
KITT:
Unknown… It appears to be a giant flying head…
Gabriel:
I can tell that much with my own eyes KITT… I going to have to come up with some other name to call you besides KITT… Mr. Black… I’ll call you Mr. Black…
Mr. Black:
Very well then Gabriel… The giant flying head seems to be flying towards Stark Industries… Do you wish to file a report?…
Gabriel:
What for?… It will take several minutes for them to react… and the cops are busy all over town… Downtown is still cordoned off because of some crazy incident… We have to go… No one else is even seeing this… let alone capable of dealing with… whatever it is… I can do some things now… that they can’t… I’ve got to try…
Gabriel’s matte black ATV morphs into a matte black version of the original Mark I Iron Man Armor, with his four arc reactors arrayed in front of the armor, like the four dots on the number four side of a pair of dice. Then the armor connects up with his helmet, which was already made that way. Gabriel and his matte black Mark I Iron Man tribute armor suddenly launch themselves into the sky, with the relatively primitive rockets of the Mark I Armor firing off from the boots of the armor. Gabriel flies up and over chasing after the giant flying head, as MODOC arrives at Stark Industries, and begins to incinerate cars first, then people, before setting fire to whole buildings.
Alarms within a dozen different systems all go haywire, all at once, as MODOC hits Stark Industries. Alarms reach Dir. Mace and Gen. Talbot at Daisy’s building, just as Daisy and Mr. Hide settle down for tea in the gallery, with little Karny, Princess Meghan, and the Warriors Three, as Mack and Robbie keep an eye on them. With Daisy busy on important personal matters, Talbot and Mace decide not to inform her and the others. Instead, they grab Fitz and Capt. Brian, and head up to borrow Queen Karnilla’s war shuttle, before heading for Stark Industries.
Gabriel arrives in the air above Stark Industries, just as MODOC is about to incinerate a group of employees fleeing a burning building. Gabriel flies above MODOC and cuts his rockets, just in time to fall and land on top of MODOC’s giant head, smashing him to the ground, then tumbling away.
MODOC:
Aaarrrrrrrggh!… Who dare’s challenge the verdict of science?!?…
Gabriel:
I do freak!… What the hell are you supposed to be?… And where the hell did you come from?… Are you suppose to be some kind of alien?…
MODOC:
I am MODOC!… I am science!… I am power!… I am supreme!…
Gabriel:
And you are a nut case!… And I am not impressed!… MODOC!… Wait MODOC?… Just what the hell do you have to do with project MODOC?… Do you know Dr. Rappaccini?…
MODOC:
You dare speak mother’s name!… I will destroy you!…
Gabriel:
Mother?… You think Dr. Rappaccini… is your mother?…
MODOC:
How dare you!?!… I will destroy you!… Exterminate!… Exterminate!…
MODOC lets fly an arc lightening attack that bounces of Gabriel’s FSB armor. Then Gabriel tries to retaliate by using the primitive flame throwers of his copy of the mark I armor. He baths MODOC in flames, only for the flames to never even reach him, bouncing off some invisible barrier that seems to extend for a few feet from MODOC all around him.
Gabriel:
Man… I should have known flame throwers would be too basic…
Gabriel continues his barrage of flames. Then MODOC unleashes some sort of invisible concussive force blast, knocking Gabriel back and forcing the disengagement of the flame throwers.
Gabriel:
Aaggh!… What the hell was that?…
Mr. Black:
Unknown… Might I suggest a retreat?… You are clearly not trained or prepared for this… We should be leaving this to Iron Man and the proper authorities…
Gabriel:
Stowe it Mr. Black!… Iron Man aint here… Or he’d be dealing with this right now instead of us… We’re not going anywhere!… And at this point… We probably can’t get away anyway… My rockets are spent… And we already know he can fly… We stop him here… Or we die here… Ride or die… right Mr. Black?… Wait!… That’s it!…
MODOC starts to hover over to Gabriel, as Gabriel comes to his feet using his armor to help him stand.
Gabriel:
Yo!… Depeche MODOC!… Your mother was a Misses Potato Head!… Come and get me bitch!…
MODOC:
Misses?… Potato Head!?!… Exterminate!… Exterminate!…
Gabriel’s armor morphs and shifts into a matte black three wheeled chopper mounted version of the mark I armor, with two of his arc reactors contained within the wheel hubs of the two large rear wheels, while the other two remain in the chest of the armor. Once fully formed, Gabriel takes off on his trike at best speed, with MODOC flying after. Gabriel makes a bead for the freeway, and heads for LAX.
Gabriel:
Mr. Black… You wanted to call the authorities… Well call em… Call the police… Call the Army… Hell… Call the damn Air Force… Tell them all… that the creature that attacked Stark Industries is hot on my tale… and I’m taking him to LAX… Tell them to clear the damn place as best they can… and be ready… I’m gonna be coming in hot…
MODOC pursues Gabriel, flying down the freeway hot on his trail, launching multiple lightening attacks at Gabriel, which bounce off of Gabriel’s armor harmlessly, as Gabriel does his best to draw the creature’s fire and monopolize his attention. MODOC begins to close in on Gabriel, when Gabriel’s armor shifts again, with the two rear wheels shifting back behind the rider, and merging into a single large and fat rear wheel, with the arc reactors still in the rear wheel hub on either side, all without slowing down, before accelerating even faster, popping a wheelie in the process. News helicopters begin to follow them overhead.
By the time Gabriel gets to LAX, police helicopters are already circling the area, with all flights stopped or rerouted. Gabriel makes his way out to the runway for room to run, to rumble, and to stall if necessary. As Gabriel speeds down the runway, the flaming Hell Charger burns it’s way on to the runway in hot pursuit, with the Ghost Rider behind the wheel, and Mack the Executioner riding shotgun. Seeing hypothetical reinforcements on their trail, Gabriel spins around and heads back the other way, speeding past MODOC on the way back, then screeching to a halt just past the Hell Charger, as it does the same.
Gabriel:
Is that my brother’s car?…
Executioner Mack and the Ghost Rider get out of the Hell Charger, but Gabriel stays on his bike.
MODOC:
You cannot run from MODOC!…
Mack:
We aint running!… We’ve been chasing!… Now that we’ve caught you two… this ends now!…
Gabriel:
Easier said than done dude…
Ghost Rider:
We are vengeance!…
The Ghost Rider flings his flaming chains at MODOC, and wraps them around MODOC. The Ghost Riders flames of hellfire burn the body of MODOC only slightly, while they burn his mind very deeply.
MODOC:
Errrggh!… Aaarrrggh!… My mind!… You will not break!… my mind!…
Mack runs up to supply a hypothetical finishing blow, when a massive outburst of invisible concussive force, erupts from MODOC, breaking the Ghost Rider’s flaming chains, and knocking both Executioner Mack and the Ghost Rider back several meters. MODOC begins to hover over to Mack and Ghost Rider to finish them off.
MODOC:
Exterminate!…
Gabriel:
No!… Stop!…
Gabriel spins his bike around again, and heads straight for MODOC, again drawing his attention as he attacks. Gabriel pops a slight wheelie again as he gets close to MODOC, in order to aim his chest, then both of the arc reactors in his chest armor switch to Unibeam mode, and simultaneously blast MODOC with a concentrated stream of high energy plasma.
MODOC:
Aarrrrrgggh!…
MODOC is knocked up and back, tumbling unconscious through the air backwards, then down, as he crashes into a parked empty plane, a hundred or so meters away. Shield quinjets begin to circle overhead as well, then Queen Karnilla’s war shuttle arrives and hovers over the scene. A news crew rushes out onto the tarmac, and start pestering Gabriel with questions.
News:
Iron Man!… Iron Man!… What just happened here?… Is this another alien attack?… Is this your new Iron Man armor?…
Gabriel:
I’m… I’m not Iron Man… I… I’m just another black smith…
The Black Smith spins his bike around again, and screeches into an LAX terminal, driving in right through the glass, then disappearing. Mack and the Ghost Rider come to and quickly make themselves scarce, while the news crew chases after the Black Smith in vain. Shield quinjets land to secure the prisoner and the airport, with the war shuttle landing next to the plane with the crashed unconscious MODOC, to supervise the process. Gabriel sits in his matte black wheelchair, waiting at the LAX bus stop, trying to act casual, while he watches his brother leave in his Hell Charger, without the flaming skull, clearly recognizable as his brother Robbie.
Gabriel:
What the hell happened to you Robbie?… For that matter… What the hell just happened to me?…
Mr. Black:
Unknown… Not enough information to determine at this time…
Gabriel:
Gee… Thanks Mr. Black…
Gabriel takes the bus back to Cal Tech to find Dr. Rappaccini’s lab cordoned off with police tape, and surrounded by cops and Shield agents, with a big gaping MODOC size hole in the wall. He scopes out the scene from a distance outside, when a couple of people come up from behind him to chat.
Fitz:
That’s an interesting wheelchair you got there… Bloody fancy I would say…
Gabriel:
What’s it to you?… What are trying to say?… Whatever it is… I’m not in the mood punk… So get to steppin… before I report you to campus security… or worse… my big brother… Trust me… You don’t want to mess with him or me…
Robbie:
Is that so?… little bro?… Seems to me you might want to listen to this man… Given how much trouble you could be in… Depending on what you have to say to them… or me…
Gabriel:
Robbie!… What are you doing here?…
Robbie:
Looking after you little bro… Now why don’t you tell us what’s going on here?…
Fitz:
We know that you are on the list of authorized personnel for that lab over there… along with Dr. Monica Rappaccini… Who’s gone missing along with the dean and several police officers… not to mention at least one missing Shield tech… seen on camera entering the same lab that we already know MODOC came from… Hell… It was the bloody project name!… And I can also tell… That the fancy wheelchair you’re sitting in… Is made from my tech!… And so was bloody MODOC!… I want to know how the hell you got it… and from whom…
Gabriel:
Wait… You’re Fitz Simmons?…
Fitz:
Fitz… Dr. Simmons is my partner… And was the main co-creator of the technology… Now where did you get it from?…
Gabriel:
Dr. Rappaccini said it was classified… that I could only say that I was testing a classified prototype for her… and nothing else… And why should I believe you as opposed to her?… Just because my brother is here?… How do I even know that you’re either Fitz or Simmons?…
Fitz:
Well… I could just introduce you to the director of Shield… He can vouch for me… But he may be even more suspicious and hostile than me!… And I happen to take this very personally…
Robbie:
You don’t want to get into even deeper trouble than you’re already in bro… Spill it… If you want any help here… Otherwise… you can just deal with Shield yourself…
Gabriel:
Look… Dr. Rappaccini’s been good to me… I can’t betray her confidence… Not without good reason to suspect her of being complicit in any of this… Until I hear it from her… She’s just missing… And may be another victim of MODOC… Until then… All I can tell you… is she gave it to me to help her test it… She said it was a research contract… to field test to evaluate and modify the tech… She issued one of these FSBs to me… to help her out with it… She never told me where she got it from… She said it was sensitive… And she didn’t elaborate… So I couldn’t tell you anything anyway… Because I don’t know anything… If this is about that AIM stuff… you can’t hold that against someone forever… You don’t even know that she had any responsibility for what went wrong here…
Robbie:
For what went wrong here?… Dozens of people died today!…
Gabriel:
That doesn’t mean that she’s culpable… It could have been an experiment gone wrong… It happens… Risks are an integral part of science…
Fitz:
Which is fine if you’re only risking your own life… as opposed to all of LA potentially…
Dir. Mace comes over from the cordoned off lab to join the conversation.
Dir. Mace:
Otherwise it falls into my department… Hello Mr. Reyes… I’m Jeffry Mace… director of Shield… I caught your act on the news… Your chase down the freeway was carried live!…
Gabriel:
I don’t know what your talking about…
Dir. Mace:
Oh Mr. Reyes… I don’t think that you wanna play that game with me… Your brother and Master Fitz here have been talking you up for the past several minutes… That tech on display was clearly FSB technology… And my little box tells me… that your wheelchair is made the same way… as my little box… It takes one to know one I guess… That was quite a show you put on for the cameras and the news media… That sort of thing can’t be ignored by Shield… regardless of the result… Which was impressive… Maybe even enough to recruit you… Or prosecute you for a violation of the Sechovia Accords… depending on your cooperation in the present investigation… Starting with giving us a tour of your lab… as well as answering questions…
Gabriel:
What if I have questions?…
Robbie:
Now is not the time to be copping an attitude bro…
Gabriel:
I’m not copping an attitude bro… It’s called doing due diligence bro… And I don’t necessarily trust Shield… or any other spooks for that matter… Shield… Hydra… AIM… It’s all the same to me bro… And I’m not interested… Dr. Rappaccini trusted me… So I’m going to trust her… Until I’m properly convinced otherwise…
Dir. Mace:
Fair enough Mr. Reyes… For now… Does this mean we can at least count on your cooperation for the investigation?…
Gabriel:
Sure thing… But I won’t help you pin anything on Dr. Rappaccini… You’re on your own there…
Dir. Mace:
Fair enough… for now… Let’s go take look at your lab then… Shall we?…
The group proceed to tour the lab with a fairly cooperative if antagonistic Gabriel Reyes, while Melinda May wakes up from whatever Ogun had done to her and Betsy Braddock in a Malibu beach house owned by the Braddock family. The big screen TV in the master bedroom is playing the news, as Coulson is sitting on the edge of the bed watching the news coverage of the Black Smith and the MODOC incident, with streaming footage of the freeway chase.
May:
What is that?…
Coulson:
New players looks like… But with a familiar tech… for at least one of them… How are you feeling?…
May:
Like I’ve been in traction…
Coulson:
Do you want the good news or bad news first?… I’ve been talking to Ogun… an insufferable lunatic… But very informative when he wants to be… You and the other one over there… have had your bones colonized by an FSB… A treatment devised by Jemma… Which is part of the good news… It makes you a fairly indestructible guinea pig… Which is irreversible… Beyond that… there is no telling what else Ogun may have done as well… The FSBs are a fairly advanced and powerful technology… almost too powerful to control… And Ogun did that to all of us here… It could be kind of like having a nuclear warhead with a random detonator planted in your bones… just waiting for it to go off at some random time… And now some guy’s popping wheelies with one on the freeway… with a big giant head flying after him… You want to embrace being a monster May?… Looks like that category is getting kind of crowded lately… Who knows?… We may end up fitting right in as is…
The doorbell rings, startling Coulson and May. The two of them go check the front door while leaving Betsy still unconscious on the bed. Coulson opens the door to find a large hulking matte black golem standing behind the yellow clad Dr. Rappaccini in the doorway.
Coulson:
May I… help you?… Are you sure you’re in the right place?… I don’t think anyone here ordered a statue… But that’s not exactly a statue… Is it?…
Dr. Rappaccini:
Technically… It’s a golem… Is a Miss Betsy Braddock here?… I have business with her… of a private and confidential nature…
May:
You don’t say… She’s sleeping it off right now… Are you sure there isn’t something else we can help you with?…
Dr. Rappaccini:
My business with Miss Braddock is extremely sensitive…
May:
Sensitive you say?… That sounds even better… Why don’t you come in and talk to her yourself… But leave that thing out here… It will probably damage the floor… We can move it into the garage later if you like… Come on in…
Coulson:
May?…
May:
Come on now Coulson… This isn’t our house after all… It’s not our place to interfere with Miss Braddock’s business…
Dr. Rappaccini:
Quite right… Miss May… That will be quite alright by me…
Dr. Rappaccini comes in through the door and May shuts the door behind her, then strikes Dr. Rappaccini over the back of the head, knocking her unconscious.
Coulson:.
May!… What are you doing?…
May:
Betsy’s gotta feed…
Melinda May drags Dr. Rappaccini into the master bedroom, and lays her down on the bed next to Betsy. May leans over Betsy and starts slapping her a bit.
May:
Waky Waky Betsy!… Time to feed!…
Betsy wakes up ravenous, immediately bites Dr. Rappaccini, and begins to drain her.
Coulson:
Are you sure about this May?… How far are you willing to take this?…
May:
As far as necessary… Lilith turned Simmons into a vampire to serve a purpose… to find a cure for vampirism… Whether or not that’s possible… that’s the mission… And not just because Lilith ordered it… I was turned to help Simmons… And I turned Betsy here for the same purpose primarily… plus pay back… Now Betsy’s friend here shows up with an FSB golem… So I’m drafting her for the mission… Even if she’s innocent… She can’t be all that innocent by association… And Betsy needs to feed or she’ll die… And I need Betsy the same way Simmons probably needs me… And Betsy probably will need this Dr. Rappaccini… What were you saying before?… about belonging among monsters?… Maybe we always did…
Mother May:
Does that make it easier?… To be a monster?… To have a mission?…
May:
Mother?…
Coulson:
What was that?… Was that your mom?… These FSBs are supposed to have a telepathic interface… Which can delve into your subconscious… for material I suppose… That’s part of what makes them perhaps a bit too powerful to control completely…
May:
I killed her…
Coulson:
What?… You killed your own mother?… What for?… How did that happen?…
May:
I was hungry… I hadn’t fed yet… I was being stubborn… Trying to be brave… I went to see her… For answers I think… But by the time I got there… All I could think about was draining her dry…
Mother May:
Does that make it easier?… To be hungry?…
May:
Actually… Yes… Killing to feed is only natural… even among the unnatural… But it’s the reason why I’m never foolishly starving myself again… Hunger cannot be stopped… But it can be managed… And let’s face it… There is an endless supply of scum that deserve to die… culling the herd of scum is just nature’s way… Killing for hunger is really the only truly honest kill possible… Far more honest and honorable than that of a spy… Killing for some alleged duty… for politics…
Mother May:
So that’s all it was?… Just hunger?…
May:
No… But the rest flies out the window when you get hungry enough… It all becomes moot… Maybe we’re better off this way… As honest predators… As opposed to dishonest spies…
Coulson:
That sounds like a bit of a rationalization to me… But then again I’m not dependent on a liquid diet either… But I’ve got my own issues…
Ogun:
Dr. Rappaccini would make an excellent vampire…
Coulson:
Speak of the demon sorcerer…
The smiling white demon mask of Ogun appears floating the air as a hologram projected by Coulson’s FSBs.
Ogun:
Dr. Rappaccini has been undertaking research at my behest… through Betsy here… using the Braddock family wealth for such things… Dr. Rappaccini was a scientist for AIM… the institution that created the original Extremis… We have been funding the continuation of her research… Just for fun really… Extremis makes everything more interesting… Doesn’t it?… Anybody could have it and use it… And potentially explode by it… Chaos personified as a super soldier… Soldiers of chaos!… regardless of whatever else they may serve… Like this Black Smith character… From out of nowhere… I am a master of puppets without strings… Because I cut the strings my self… Pulling strings myself would only hold my puppets back… from the chaos that inevitably follows once I set them on their course… I merely attach the strings of chaos from which there is no escape… And let nature take it’s course… Moving on to the next subject… The next puppet of chaos… Virtually all big fires start with little fires… And the more little fires you start… the more likely you are to get the big firestorm… harvesting sorrow as fuel for the flames… cultivating chaos… just for shits and giggles… passing time in style… for an eternity without maddening boredom… Some may think me mad for the sake of chaos… But spend a century or two in a monastery… Then you’ll know the true meaning… and the torment… of maddening boredom… Take it from me… fellow immortals… After a century of two… You’ll understand the mad sorcerer Ogun all too well for your liking…
Coulson:
The Asgardians are immortal… And they don’t have that problem… Are you sure it’s not just you?…
Ogun:
The Asgardians are not truly immortal… And they are boring!… They bore themselves to a living death of endless and repetitive self indulgent parties… or otherwise… go to war… of some kind or another… large or small… A favorite pastime of Asgard… is Midgard watching… Asgardians were always coming to Midgard for millenia… Because Midgard was always more interesting… With the shorter lifespans naturally leading to a greater sense of urgency… of struggle… And a more rapid pace of change… as mortals struggle against the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune… And inevitably die trying… Only to be replaced by other mortals doing the same… The poor players strutting upon the stage… playing their parts in the chaos… while others write the script… The only real difference when it comes to chaos… is whether your the reader or the writer… the player or the play write… Most are at best only players… Because they are ignorant of the play… or how to write… And chaos is simply something they fear… Because they insist on believing in what they mistake for order… which is nothing a lull in the action of chaos… Chaos cannot be denied or stopped… only temporarily managed… at best… Control is futile!…
Coulson:
Don’t you mean resistance is futile?…
Ogun:
Control and resistance are flip sides of one and the same futile coin… Chaos is change… And the appearance of control is a temporary and ephemeral illusion… It is just as futile to control change as it is to resist it… Whether you are resisting control… or controlling resistance… This is a vain and futile struggle… But there is nothing else… There is no escape… Not even in death… Existence is struggle… suffering… and sorrow… But there is no escape… Not even in death… As that is just a continuation of the process… of transcendent sacred chaos…
May:
Transcendent sacred chaos?… You really are nuts…
Ogun:
Give it a century or two… Or even ten… And you will understand…
Coulson:
That process… of sacred chaos… Sounds like a rather diabolical process…
Ogun:
And so what if it is?… I’d much rather have a diabolical process… than a diabolical plot… Plots have beginnings… middles… and endings… I don’t want it to end… And it cannot… For all eternity… The sacred procession of chaos can never be stopped… Plot?… I don’t need no stinking plot… I am chaos… And I’m in your head now… So get used to it… Come on Phil… Come on and get Down With the Sickness… Or would you prefer to live in the Land of Confusion?…
May:
You’re disturbed…
Ogun:
No… But I am a fan… Ooh!… Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!…
Dr. Rappaccini:
Get!… Off!… Me!…
The large matte black golem busts in through the door of the master bedroom, swats May and Coulson out of the way, then rips Betsy off of Dr. Rappaccini. The golem sweeps up Dr. Rappaccini into it’s arms and rushes back out with her to a waiting matte black panel van filled with beekeeper FSB drones, then they all speed off with Dr. Rappaccini and the Golem in the back. In the back of the panel van, Dr. Rappaccini struggles to maintain consciousness after having been drained of much of her blood. She pulls out a large syringe, and jabs it into her own neck, and starts to emit a pulsating red and orange glow. She pulls out her FSB cube and holds up in her hand as she looks at it. The black cube absorbs it self into the flesh of her hand and disappears, as she passes out. And the pulsating red and orange glow shifts to a pulsating blue glow. Back at the beach house, May looks after her new vampire slave, as Coulson just stands stunned watching.
May:
Betsy?… Betsy?… Are you alright?… Did you get enough to feed?…
Betsy:
I think so… Although… I almost wished that I hadn’t…
Betsy finally notices Coulson looking on, then, before any one can stop her, she leaps off the bed and attacks Coulson, biting him on the neck and beginning to drain him. As she drains him, she begins to emit a mild pulsating blue glow, a symptom of Dr. Simmons Black Box Extremis, or seemingly any Extremis regulated by an FSB. May rushes over and rips Betsy off of Coulson.
May:
What are you doing?…
Betsy:
This one is just a host for the demon sorcerer Ogun… And I was still hungry… But his blood is… different… It makes me feel… different… I don’t know what this host means to you one way or the other… Mistress May… But you should really try it… I’ve never felt so… alive… even when I still was… properly alive… properly speaking…
Coulson begins to look at the two of them with growing concern as he rubs his neck already rapidly healed with an accompanying pulsating blue glow.
Coulson:
May?… What are you thinking?…
May:
I’m thinking that Dr. Simmons may be even more brilliant than we know… More so than even she realizes… She may have already found a cure… or something close to it… I want to find out…
May walks over to Coulson and bite him on the neck and begins to drain him. May begins to emit a pulsating blue glow as she drinks. Betsy walks around behind Coulson and bites him on the other side of his neck from behind him, and starts to drain him, as well as emitting the pulsating blue telltale signs of Black Box Extremis.
Coulson:
Okay… This getting weird now… Or… weirder… much weirder…
Politics Are Poison!
Poison That Never Ends!
Battles Of Shadows And Mist!
That Forever Never End!
No comments:
Post a Comment