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         |
The last memories, before being knocked unconscious, were of a terrible dread. Captain America had assumed that the mission loss, and that the team was as good as dead. As he struggles to open his eyes, everything is fuzzy. Fuzzy and green.
Normal toxins would have no effect on Steve, but nothing about this entire episode has been normal. Victor von Doom, leader of Latveria, was the architect of a terrorist attack on the United States, killing scores of people in retribution for his nation being prevented entry into the United Nations. The Avengers had managed to find the evidence to prove that. But in finding that evidence they also were led to something new: Doom has planned to overtake nuclear silos in the United States in order to bring the country to its knees. Or destroy the world trying.
The top muscle in Cap's right eye finally drags open. Everything has a green hue caused by, he realizes quickly, by each team member being suspended in some sort of energy cocoon. The more Steve has seen on this trip the more he's come to believe it was magic.
His other eye opens and he tries to focus. Out ahead of him and the Avengers (who are suspended in a semi-circle) sits a throne and upon that throne sits Victor von Doom. His feet use Steve's shield as a footrest.
Behind Doom are displays and maps, mainly focused on the state of North Dakota. 8 Doom-Mechs flank him, powered up and at the ready."
"Good evening, Avengers," Doom says as he shifts slightly. "I see you're starting to wake up."
At his right sits a lance with a glowing green energy coming off it.
*
Kai arrives from Out <O>.
*
Kai has arrived.
*
Surrounded in a green glow. Nyx finds herself waking up to thrashing and struggling like a wounded animal. It's hard to remember precisely where she was or what she was doing before waking up here but right now, in this moment? SHe's trapped. Ordinarily being close to her right now would be a parilous task as any nearby shadows exploded into spikes and knives and visited all manner of violence upon whatever migth be close.
Nyx is surroundein a green glow. Nothing in this pod is casting a shadow she can reach. The girl is already breathing harshly. She risks hyperventilation at this point, twisting and fighting inside of her bonds where she's been suspended in front of doom. It takes her a moment to actually open her eyes.
Inside of the tube Elizabeth 'Nyx' Mayhugh is an ethereal jade spectre. Her skin is so pale that she takes on the hue of the light casting over her to a degree that wouldnt' be seen in others, making her almost alien in appearance. A waifish extraterrestrial stuck somewhere between anger, confusion, and instinctual terror. Like an attack dog who wakes up to discover he has no paws.R
Slowly the young woman turns her attention to Doom and simply… Stares.
*
Oooww..you do not want to give yourself a reaction headache from overclocking your powers the first time you actually go to use them seriously. You really don't. But Firestar, waking up, decides that light is too good for her and that her eyes are better off closed. Mostly due to the ow. Ugh. Used so much energy, she needs to recharge before she could even light a candle anyway.
*
This is… unacceptable. Nexus doesn't really fully grasp the situation, only that he has been taken prisoner and everything has gone to hell. But his first thoughts are: this is unacceptable. He is Nexus Oculai, scion of a great family, inheritor of an ancient heritage of power and knowledge, genetically perfect, and here he is out in the world of cavemen and neanderthals and someone dares hold him prisoner. But slowly his thoughts formulate and he blinks, uncertain of his surroundings. Immediately and on pure instinct his mind reaches out to try to seize every machine he can, to bond his mind to it, to make *himself* become more, to become the city. He's very likely not going to be successful since it took effort before, but he tries anyways. The circuits on his skin are pure white lines. "Who — how dare you." he breathes as his eyes focus on the throne. The unspoken word of, 'Do you know who I am?' hangs heavy in his implied tone.
*
|ROLL| Rogue +rolls 1d100 for: 19
*
Ultragirl groggily lifts her head, blinking her eyes… then, when she realizes she's being held, does the first thing that comes to mind: she tries to pull free from what's holding her — classic 'rookie' move — before even taking a moment to look around and see what all's actually going on.
*
For his part, Lamont hangs in the grip of whatever it is limp as a ragdoll. There's a distinctly unpleasant moment where it looks as if he might simply be dead. Then one gray eye cracks open, rolls to take in the rituation, followed by the other. Then he lifts it, wearily, and blinks at the figure on the throne. "I take it we have the honor of addressing Von Doom himself?" he asks, in a slow drawl. No sign of strain in his voice. Is he drugged?
*
Kai keeps his eyes closed, listening to the surrounding area while still pretending tho be unconscious. After a moment he slowly opens one eye, closes it again. Is his perfectly harmless pendant on the chain around his neck? Yes, he can feel it. Phew.
*
Carol Danvers rolls her head around a bit, then she looks over at the others, looking relieved that they're okay. Then she looks at Doom, her eyes narrowing a bit as she feels the energy rippling around her, and also what he's using as a footrest. "Victor Von Doom. Global terrorist and still a touch bitter about being left out of the United Nations." She idly studies the energy field surrounding her, trying to get some measure of a feel for it as well… even magical energy is energy of some kind, right?
*
|ROLL| Carol Danvers +rolls 1d100 for: 44
*
|ROLL| Lamont +rolls 1d100 for: 38
*
Scarlett's dark secret, an exceptionally mobile genome, undermines poisons and toxins at a terrifying rate. Most simply cannot strike her. Those which can, though… It's hard to likely gauge the results on the redheaded bohemienne suspended in a shimmering green light. At least she, similar to Firestar, looks fantastic coordinated with one of her signature shades. Nothing would indicate she is awake, her eyes nearly closed and expression serene, a vessel emptied of desire in the very best of Buddhist tradition. Taught meditation by one of the living masters, she locks herself off from the others within the privacy of a tortured mind. Hers is a prison for countless others, the pandemonium whispers gnawing at her lower psyche. Every addition second pins down one of those howling, shrieking voices not even a telepath hears easily, clawing her way back up to the surface of herself.
Breathing with the regularity of near unconsciousness, this exercise, too, comes from long practice. In, out. Silence affords her a chance to listen and suss out the presence of the others. To delicately test whether the cunning design on her gloves can free the tips.
*
|ROLL| Kai +rolls 1d100 for: 41
*
|ROLL| Nexus +rolls 1d100 for: 49
*
Meanwhile, in a far back corner of the room, a good ways behind and to one side of where von Doom is sitting, there is a patch of air in which fear, dread, and rage are fighting for dominance. It's a rather Sophie-shaped patch of air, though to ordinary sight, there is nothing to distinguish it from the rest of the atmosphere in the room. For the moment, she is keeping one of the support columns between herself and the villain, just in case, while she desperately tries to come up with a plan.
*
Carol Danvers has partially disconnected.
*
"Doom must congratulate you. Your combined efforts led you very close to victory. In truth, you forced Doom to advance his plans much more quickly than originally intended. No matter. That only means a Latverian victory much more quickly than intended."
Doom chuckles and rises to his feet, taking the scepter in hand as he walks a handful of yards towards each of the Avengers.
"Doom knows you have already surmised this, but allow him to tell you the gloriousness of the plan. Three million of Doom's mechanical assistants are en route to your United States. Each programed specifically to obey Doom's orders through Doom's spectacular artificial intelligence the world has never seen thus far. They think like Doom. They act like Doom. They will succeed like Doom."
The leader continues to taunt the team, walking by each of them as he goes over his plan.
"They will conquer the United States and through the United States they will conquer the world. The entire planet shall bow at the name of Doom. As it should be."
Von Doom stops right by Carol Danver's orb. "Have you gained weight? You look bigger in person. His masked face tilts. "Big boned?"
"Either way, you may think you have a chance to save the day today, but you do not. Doom sent the Doombots 8 hours ago. They are already in American airspace."
Doom lets that linger before standing in front of Nexus and laughs, "Doom has no idea who you are. And Doom could not care less."
Victor snickers as he moves over towards Lamont. "Was there ever any doubt? Doom is almost offended the United States believed the Soviet Union did this."
Meanwhile, Rogue is able to get her hand loose enough to start pulling off her glove. She has to shimmy it, then going tight, then expanding, then going tight, then expanding, she'll be able to slowly get that glove off.
Nyx struggles against her bonds, but is unable to get loose. At least immediately. Despite her thrashing. Steve tilts his head over toward her and nods, "Save your strength. This isn't over yet."
*
Ultragirl stops struggling against her pod, being as even the 'big' heroes, some of whom are at least as strong as she is, aren't even bothering. She starts listening and watching, waiting for the right time to actually struggle. Meanwhile… she decides to put her other powers to use… by taking the time to look at Doom's aura, assuming the energy field around her doesn't interfere with use of that aspect of her vision.
*
Diana arrives from Out <O>.
*
Diana has arrived.
*
Nyx takes a deep breath and stops struggling, leanign her head back into the pod. SHe groans, leting out a shoft hiss of air as she does. "I feel like I'm completely blind," she half mumbles. Amethys eyes turn toward Steve and she takes a deep breath. "Okay. Okay…" Then she closes her eyes again and holds as still as possible, stil reaching out with her mind. Searching for anything she might be able to reach. Lizzy goes from struggling and thrashing to having the only visible movement be the rise and fall of her chest. "I think Captain Marvel will kill him for us anyway…"
*
When your eyes are closed, you listen. Or in Firestar's case, you feel. Seems this entire mission has been a long list of lessons in what she's capable of doing, and this is no exception. She's just so empty, and she opens her eyes almost groggily as she hangs in her energy cocoon.
She's literally powerless, so she doesn't try to be the big hero. But she can feel something in the room. No idea what it is, she's had so little experience in identifying the feelings that are the electromagnetic energy spectrum. She just listens to what's happening in the energy fields, and tries to decipher it.
Why not? Not like she's going anywhere.
*
|ROLL| Firestar +rolls 1d100 for: 38
*
The technopath stares at Doom for a long moment: instead of trying to reach out and grab everything, he focuses on one of the Doombots that guard the man. Trying to find a way through whatever it is that weakens his power. Nexus says evenly to Doom, "You will be made to regret this, primitive." The disdain is thick in his voice. Okay, so Latveria and Doom aren't exactly primitive by global standards but Nexus is a tech-snob, okay?
*
|ROLL| Nexus +rolls 1d100 for: 48
*
Of course, Lamont goes for his favorite trick - trying to reach Doom's mind and bend it to his will. The shielding's right in the way, though….and his efforts are in vain. He permits himself the smallest of frowns, still regarding Doom with annoyance. "Well, there was a Russian assassin *there*," he points out, a touch waspishly. "Trying to murder the Captain. You're seriously expecting us to believe he wasn't working for you?"
*
Kai opens his eyes and looks to Carol. Uh oh. Doom's done it now. "Actually…" He glances to Lamont, then says, "Never mind." His attention turns to Carol and Doom. This is going to be memorable.
*
|ROLL| Kai +rolls 1d100 for: 44
*
Perhaps Diana was the one who slept the longest, the ebb and flow of voices slowly rouse her to awakening. There was no questioning this, any fool could see what had transpired. But they were in front of the one who had caused the mess to begin with. A man. Go figure. There was a slight tick that happens within one of her eyelids, and her fingers curl into fists to stave off the incredible anger that builds.
*
Captain Marvel blinks at the comment from Doctor Doom, then smirks, "From what I hear, being looked at through a metal mask adds at least ten pounds." She hrms, apparently self-confident enough that she's not worried about what some jerk villain says. All the same, she might just be waiting for an opportunity to get out first, and then beat Doom's fool head in.
Of course, Tony hasn't dumped her yet either.
Carol does look around a bit though, even as she's still trying to get a handle for the energy fields here, "But really, robot army takes over? These robots aren't all that great, I hate to break it to you. Pretty sure Stark or Richards could have done a lot better." She hrms a bit, "Especially Richards." As she keeps focusing her efforts on trying to drain out the magical energy, if she can just figure out how…
*
|ROLL| Carol Danvers +rolls 1d100 for: 77
*
Fingers free, the suitable response is a delicate curl to her palm. Subtle movements test the limits of her confinement. Scarlett dreamlessly escalates her way out of that psychic oubliette, still trapped to the cycle of meditative breathing to remain calm and generally impassive. A murmur escapes her lips, Old Norse. Or, in other words, Aesir. "«The staff.»"
*
Susie has partially disconnected.
*
Back behind that pillar, toward the far corner, rage and fear are beaten down in the end, and turned into fuel for steely resolve. If she lives through this, the Professor will be proud of her for this show of discipline. If.
Mistral floats silently out from her hiding spot, still invisible, and chooses her spot, lining up the one shot she may have at this. She waits for the moment when Doom is squarely in front of one of the heroes' cocoons as he paces and Doomiloquizes. She — without intentional irony — holds her breath as she takes aim…
No one in the room has ever heard a focused, hurricane-blast of wind scream, "TA GUEULE!" before.
Yes, Sophie just told Victor Von Doom to SHUT UP. In the most emphatic way this side of Black Bolt.
*
Ultragirl's powers give her a good reason to believe it's the real deal. His aura is human, so unless he has some sort of ultra-high tech human cyborg sci-fi thing going on, that's the real doom. Nyx, however, is not quite as lucky. Whatever this green energy is it's blocking her powers and rendering her helpless, at least momentarily.
"Your words are as useless as your old bones, Shadow," Doom says with a laugh. "Doom has already forgotten them before he opened his mouth."
Doom stops and looks at Carol with a tilt of his head. "Doom is sorry. Doom cannot hear you. Please take that turkey leg out of your mouth before talking to Doom." Doom pauses. "But please, while you do that, Doom knows how you Americans love to watch television while you eat your fattening foods. BEHOLD!"
An image is floated on the screen of the Doombots, landing in North Dakota. They stalk fowards towards the silo grounds. Immediately there is gunfire, but it is silenced by energy blasts. All too easy.
"You fools! Doom has already succeeded!"
Until he hasn't. Because Sophie knocks him straight on his ass. The staff that was in his hand goes flying, skittering across the ground. When it winks out, so do the bonds on the Avengers.
"What?!" Doom exclaims.
"Avengers!" Captain America yells, snapping into action as if he just knew there could be a break for them somehow. "Attack!!!"
Steve screams across the floor, kicking upward on his way as his shield flips up into his hand. "Marvel!" he yells, holding his shield up as the 8 MechBots start to whir into action.
*
"Marvel! We gonna just let this sorry piece of shit get away with calling you fat? Sorry, I meant…" Nyx rolls her eyes after that statement and then takes a deep breath, doing her best Latverian accent as she continues with, "Nyx would never allow this vile, putrescent example of the worst of the degenerative human neurological condition we have come to refer to as Doom get away with calling one of us *overweight*. Doom will have to come up with better insults because now we're going to kick his sorry tin can-loving ASS!"
Then Nyx launches toward the robots, gathering the shadows under the equipment and even from other Avengers around her. There it is. A sword, made entirely of darkness that absorbs the light that hits it almost in its entirety. The darkness cloaks her form as well, not so much hiding her as draping across her. That special sword is being driven at the nearest of the robots as she leaps. "Man, talking like that is annoying. Fuck you and your vernacular!" Stab. Chop. That's a weapon more than capable of slicing steel.
*
Firestar falls to the ground, not charged up enough to fly yet. Lots of random emanations in the room, but she still was at low power when she woke up so…no flame chucking. And no monologuing. She finds a corner and curls up in it, trying to figure out what to do. And, with her head not in combat, what that odd taste is in the air. Oh god, I can't do this.
*
|ROLL| Firestar +rolls 1d100 for: 32
*
Nexus stumbles to the ground, and closes his eyes, paying attention to nothing with so simple a sense as sight. Instead he continues trying to seize control of a bot or something.
*
|ROLL| Nexus +rolls 1d100 for: 28
*
Ultragirl flits out of her pod, calling out, "It's really him, this time, not a bot!", as she dives through the air after the staff Doom dropped, aiming to scoop it up off the floor and keep it out of his hands, after how his losing his grip on it actually freed them all! Staff in hand, she floats up and back, to land on her feet with her back to a corner… to the corner in which Firestar's huddling. Holding the staff in one hand, she balls up her other hand into a fist and and waits — she's guarding the weakened member of the team.
*
|ROLL| Lamont +rolls 1d100 for: 10
*
|ROLL| Steve Rogers +rolls 1d100 for: 63
*
He may or may not be able to blind Doom. But with those bonds loosed, Lamont's slipping towards the throne. There are other weapons there, after all - including that pair of .45 automatics. He's got them in hand in an instant, and is firing toward the Doombots. They've got to have somewhere vulnerable to pistol fire, right?
*
When Kai sees what Lamont is going for, he kips up and comes to the Shadow's side. A bit in front of him, actually. "I've got you covered," he says as he moves with the man. He's taken a bazooka to the chest, what are some doom lasers? As they advance, he touches his pendant and the daggers unfurl. Time to knife-punch bad guys, but his priority is defending Lamont so he can fire off some shots.
*
|ROLL| Kai +rolls 1d100 for: 79
*
Once the bubble clears, Diana lands upon her feet with a crouch, keeping her body low as she watches the rest of the Avengers dash into the fray. With a look left and right, she spots one of her own huddled within the corner, her body soon rising as she dashes towards the crouched and seemingly drained Firestar. "My sister.." Diana speaks in a low tone, her hand dropping to lightly tick her bracelet upon the armor of her shin whilst she crouches, a medium-sized shield slowly erecting from the wrist as it was soon held out for the woman to touch. "..allow me to honor you. Replenish, and we shall do battle until the war is won!"
*
Captain Marvel busts loose, yellow energy glowing around her like the Sun itself as her voice echoes, "Well, it worked to keep you distracted, idiot. Guess you didn't realize I was playing Bond to your Blofeld." She channels her energy and fires directly at Captain America's shield, intending to spread out the blasts to take out the Doombots first.
But she has plans for Doom. Oh yes. Great BIG Plans! First though, teaming up to take out the bots and make sure the group is okay.
*
|ROLL| Carol Danvers +rolls 1d100 for: 53
*
|ROLL| Steve Rogers +rolls 1d100 for: 61
*
The break of green energy around Scarlett witnesses her moving at regular speed, mindful of the others possibly endangered by too sudden a move. Ultragirl snatching up the staff is caught in passing, and she converges in that corner after Firestar right alongside Diana. A short sprint brings her alongside them, and she stands at the point of a triangle to avoid any Doombots getting too close. "You will be back in the fight in a heartbeat," she calls to the other redhead, a smile replacing that serene, unreadable expression. "Until then, no trouble to keep you safe!"
*
It's almost sad that no one can see the look on Sophie's face right now. That… worked. Well, then… Flitting quickly to one side to both change the angle of her attack and not be in the same place her last one came from in case of retaliation, Mistral attempts to hurricane-blast Von Doom again, with the goal of relentlessly keeping him off-balance as long as she can.
*
|ROLL| Sophie Rousseau +rolls 1d100 for: 4
*
Nyx makes a slicing motion towards the first robot she sees and slices through him neatly. It's engines sputter and fail and it falls apart in two.
Meanwhile, Firestar finds a safe place to hide from gunfire as she gets her bearings. Looking and feeling around the room as best she can, yet she cannot find the power source. Not yet, anyhow. A moment later, Ultragirl picks up the staff, just as Doom is trying to recover it. Too slow with all that armor, presumably. She takes up a guarding position over Firestar. Shortly afterwards, Diana and Carol arrive.
Lamont's shots bang off of Doom's armor, creating small sparks each time they do. They don't hurt him, but they do cause him to cower away to try and avoid getting hit. The bad news is Kai begins taking fire from the remaining DoomMechs. The good news is he's immune, but they do pack a wallop!
Steve's shield begins to slice through doommechs life a knife through butter. Several turn towards him but it's too late for them as the blast from the pair of Captains ends their mechanical lives.
Meanwhile, Nexus feels a bit of renaissance. All of the absence of technology and the shielding has lifted. All of the noxious fumes and filth of this world seems to be gone. There is only clarity. What Firestar could not find, Nexus does. He can feel the control fo the Doombots. Not just here, but the ones in the United States too.
Up on the screen, Americans are dying at the Doombots hands. It will not be long before they infiltrate. Action must be taken now.
*
Firestar's eyes open. She feels the power that Diana is offering, and sees not one but TWO heroes ready to stand at her side. Something she really really needs right now. But…there's…she isn't sure where…she opens her mouth, and says, "I need help," as she sucks the energy in, automatically. Her body just does it. "I can't feel the power that's running the robots. Help me find it, Doom is just distracting us."
She's not just laying there, but she can't do it alone. The world is dying while we fight, and she hasn't forgotten.
*
|ROLL| Firestar +rolls 1d100 for: 13
*
"I think I have them." he says calmly, though its slightly premature. He reaches for the control signal after finding it and superimposes his mind onto it, twisting the control codes. The technopath does as he did before: instead of turning them off, he tries to alter who their Friend or Foe determination so that they will target themselves. One hopes. Nexus's circuits through his skin are like bright lines of light so focused is he on drawing in the power.
*
|ROLL| Nexus +rolls 1d100 for: 55
*
Ultragirl's joined by both Diana and Scarlett in covering Firestar… and she decides that, being as she's the punchy sort, she should be over there punching bots. Turning to hand the staff she's holding over to Scarlett, she says, "Take this! I'm gonna go hit something!" Hands empty, she balls them up into fists and flies right towards Doom himself, blurring as she uses her superspeed to throw a series of punches at him, trying to batter him back and away from the rest of the fight — while the others keep at taking apart the bots.
*
|ROLL| Lamont +rolls 1d100 for: 97
*
Thank God he's got Kai as his shield….and Lamont is treating him as such. He and the elf move in a smooth tandem. No, he's not really hurting Doom, but suppressing fire is one more distraction for Latveria's ruler…..and Lamont's reaching out again, trying to blind Doom. If he can't see to contro the Doombots….
*
Kai oofs as he gets walloped by lasers that burn holes in his clothes and leave red marks where they hit. When a doombot comes close enough, the elf flips his dagger in his hand to bring the pommel down on the thing, adding its solidity to his strength. He's not going to let it zap his teammate!
*
|ROLL| Kai +rolls 1d100 for: 58
*
The turn of her head angers her, seeing those dying by the doombots on the screen allows certain things to fall into place. Yes. Must return home. An approaching doombot allows Diana a moment of frustration, her shield was snatched from her back and hurled at the monstrous mechanical menace merrily marching most morose, with the hopes that the breakneck speed at which she tosses fells not one, but at least three in succession by the might of her arm. The quiet words from Firestar soon has her, and with a clap upon the forearm, she lifts the woman as she stands, almost ready to toss Firestar like a ragdoll into the fray but thinking better. "Captain Marvel! Assistance!" Her gauntlet was powering down. Feeding of the energies a success. It was go time.
*
|ROLL| Diana +rolls 1d100 for: 97
*
Captain Marvel crouches down, and whistles, saying a far-too-cheerful, "YOO HOO!" towards Doom. She grins, cracking her knuckles… and then Firestar says that she needs the help. She looks at Doom, then at Firestar, then glances back to Doom, seeing that Ultragirl is taking care of business, "Nah, a pathetic excuse of a man like you isn't worth it."
Coming over towards Firestar, Carol says quietly, "Okay, Firestar, just focus and concentrate on the power. Think of the energy like strings to a knot… now we just follow the strings, and unravel the knot." Maybe not the best metaphor, but it tends to work for her.
*
|ROLL| Carol Danvers +rolls 1d100 for: 2
*
"Do not interfere with the signal! I am the signal. I am turning the bots in America against eachother." shouts Nexus when it filters in what the energy ladies might try to do.
*
Taking the glowing staff in her hands, Scarlett nods firmly to Ultragirl. "Go!" The effervescent shimmer reflects off of her fair skin. Her hands feel down the length of the object for a weak point. Bracing herself against the ground, not a moment is spared for anything but the act which she means to perform. This is not altogether different from lessons with the Sorcerer Supreme. Find the point of least resistance, and apply full force there, to cleave open defenses. Tactics that work for Sun Tzu apply to magic, too. Centering herself with a steady, low breath, she exerts the full force of her superhuman strength down to snap the staff in two. If that means breaking it over her leg or slamming it into the ground and driving her booted foot into the shaft, so be it, she's going to do what she can to destroy it.
*
Now that Ultragirl has joined her in assaulting Doom, Mistral switches modes, the broad hurricane-blasts unwise with an ally so close to her target, the situation now calling for more pinpoint-aimed approach. *SHRACK!* The sharp tearing sound of her air bolts as they cleave their way toward their target doesn't get any less unnerving with repetition.
*
|ROLL| Sophie Rousseau +rolls 1d100 for: 18
*
Lamont's spell confuses Doom and renders him unable to hit back against the attacks of others. Behind his mask he is bewildered and confused. Even with all of his planning, he had not planned for all of this.
Doom's armor is no match for Ultra girls fists as she begins pummelling him mercilessly. Red marks begin to streak across his armor as blood releases from in between the plating. He stands no chance against her and begins to take severe internal injuries. Worse, Sophie's air blasts rip parts of his armor away, revealing the gore underneath. Doom will need some major medical attention if he is to live.
THUNK! Kai drives his knives deep into a passing Bot. Rather than blood he's covered with the Black Oil of Victory as his enemy is vanquished!
Rogue, meanwhile, snaps the staff in two, which will prevent Doom from being able to ever hold them in such a matter again. That is, if he gets feeling again in his arm. And leg. Diana's shield throw decapitates one of the doombots and the head slides across the floor comically.
Nexus's eyes close as the world of the electronic equipment becomes his play house. Eventually the doombots, both in Latveria, and perhaps more importantly, in America, begin to turn on each other at his beckoning. The heroes can watch it unfold on the major screen in front of them as Doombot after Doombot slices each other until they are dead. Likewise, what few are left here in the palace room also do the same.
And just like that, the battle on this shore and that is over.
*
Firestar rises to her feet, ready to battle! Nexus is taking care of it, so she…looks like a complete idiot, as she readies herself for watching the end happen without her. And as it happens, she kind of wasn't really one of the ones who did any good. But she smiles anyway, glad that someone won. Sorry that she didn't, but she's still learning. Just doesn't know what to say.
*
Ultragirl's last punch slams Doom into a wall, where he crumples to the floor a bloody mess. "Uhm… I might've hit him a little too hard, guys?", she says, kneeling and looking as if she wants to do something to help the badly injured man, even if he's a major bad guy. She hasn't a clue what to do, anyway!
*
Nexus rises once he is finished reprogramming the bots, but he keeps his mind merged with the signal— just in case. He turns and glares with an expression of disdain, "You primitive fools, did you not hear that Doom's machines had *artificial intelligence*? If you had shut down the control signal you would have accomplished nothing but set them free to continue their existing instructions. The signal was not a threat, the signal was an *opportunity*, a way to take *control* and cause them to destroy each-other. I am a *technopath* and on this mission every time I try to interface and seize control, someone has tried to interfere. *Every time*." He shakes his head in disgust, "I can not abide such imbeciles. I am done with you. I will do what I can to save the world for my people but you mpeople are as likely to destroy it as save it. I quit."
*
Well, now he's got a new story to brag with, in the Bar with No Doors. Not that Lamont's generally a braggart…and he tends to English modesty, if anything. It's Kai he turns to, first. "Are you all right?" he asks, quietly, looking the elf over, in search of wounds. Doom's fate….he ignores entirely.
*
Kai looks around, a streak of oil on his cheek, and on his clothes as he wiped of his blades. Then they collapse once memoir into the crescent moon pendant on a chain around his neck. "Yeah," he says to Lamont, who he looks over to make sure he is, too. "We did it?" He smiles, and it's like sunshine coming out from behind dark clouds. "We did it!" He flings his arms around loaning shine he's the closest. Brisk hug time!
*
And just like that.. it was done. There was nary a pleased look upon the face of Diana, save for when the head-roll of the doombot scatters across the scene like tumbleweed. Still, even as she looks on upon the destruction, there was still loss of life and words that were aimed towards the lot of them to aid to the sting of defeat. Teeth clench hard, squaring off her jaw as she carefully releases Firestar, her steps take her into the middle of the room to retrieve her fallen, oil slicked shield which was soon clapped upon her back. It is Ultragirl and Doom whom Diana approaches, the Amazon taking a kneel towards the fallen dictator with a hand that reaches out to check for a pulse to make sure he is alive.
"I will tend aid where I can." AKA KILL HIM. (Kidding.) "And then you all do what you must. I will return to Themyscira by nightfall."
*
Shimmering back into visibility, Mistral 'lands' near Doom, though she remains in her 'ghostly', airy form. "I do not know if you can hear me," she says to the tyrant. "But your pathetic little war is over, and you have lost. In another war, if she had ever had Gehring or Goebbels or Hitler himself in her sights, my mother would not have hesitated. It is only because this is over that you live. Now it is up to the world to decide what to do with you." And with that, the elemental mutant turns to find Nyx.
*
Rogue has left.
*
Captain Marvel floats over to Nexus, "First, you didn't tell us that you were hacking the damn robots. Second, when you did tell us, we stopped what we were attempting to do. Third, while you're grandstanding there we have a man critically wounded who needs medical attention, which you apparently could summon pretty damn easy but were too busy yelling about your alleged superiority. And fourth, it's Cap's call, but I'm pretty sure no one is going to let the door hit you on the way out." With that, she turns away from Nexus, moving towards Doom. Uh-oh.
Crouching down, she murmurs to Doom, "If I was like you, I'd make sure that you suffered a long time before you died. But fortunately for you, I'm nothing like you." With that, she puts as much distance between Nexus and Doom and herself as she can while she looks around the room, seeing what exactly is left here for further analysis.
She does still have her day job, after all. And this could be a treasure trove of info.
*
Firestar just puts a hand on Diana's wrist, quietly. Squeezes gently, and smiles. To Ultragirl, who protected her. To Carol, who's been teaching her since the beginning. A room full of heroes. Even Nexus, who seems kind of like a dork right now but he's done a good job. It's just a smile, but it's a win.
*
"Guys, shut up," Steve says as he looks around in awe. "We won. I don't know how, but we won." He makes his way towards the edge of the control room, trying to get a radio signal so they can get the heck out of here. After he mutters something into the radio, he turns back and looks at his team. Did they make mistakes? Absolutely. Are there a lot of things they need to iron out? For sure. But, even past all of that, they did save the world. And a win is a win.
EPILOGUE
BELIZE BEACH
Roche is seated upon a relaxing chair with a nice drink in his hand and a smile on his face. A smile that only retirement can bring. It's been a hard life. But a good one. And by selling the Avengers the information he did he was finally able to get out as he always wanted to.
The waiter comes up with a towel over his arm and a drink.
"Sir, would you like anything else?"
"I think I'm fine, thank you."
The waiter tilts his head, "Doom insists."
And with that, the waiter pumps 14 bullets into the chest of Roche and walks away.
SINISTER PURPOSE
A V E N G E R S
THE END