Post by johncheese on Mar 6, 2019 2:32:20 GMT -5
Not exactly the Z-List character I write, but please find a preview of an upcoming Marvel Knight's story regarding the return of Melissa and Abe to Marvel 2000 after a ten year abscence...
____________
Bainstow Telecom Tower, Manhatten
The first Steelskull hit the ground hard, his legs entangled with the steel cable and weighted bolas. Slipping out of the shadows Ramon dragged the body out of view before heading towards the stairs. At one time there had been eighteen Steelskulls, but with two taken out earlier and the four killed during a threeway fight with the Avengers and Madame Masque there were only twelve members occupying the top three floors of the Bainstow Telecom Tower. Half way up Ramon saw another Steelskull, this one vaping an E - cigarette with his back to the stairs. Pressing home his advantage Ramon threw another bolas, this one causing the merc to stumble back down the stairs.
Almost immediately a third Steelskull emerged before shouting, his cries muffled as he too was taken out, his head smacking against the guard rail. At that point Ramon knew he was rumbled and fished a vicious looking rope dart from his coat, just as the first salvo of laser flashed above him...in Completely the wrong direction.
Ramon couldn't believe his eyes when he reached the top floor as pink hard sound daggers and cobalt blue laser fire was exchanged between a solo figure and five Steelskulls, the others lying on the floor bloodied and broken on the floor.
"Buenas noches Senorita." Ramon announced as he flung the rope dart out disarming one of the Steelskulls of his weapon. "What is a lovely lady like you doing here."
"Kicking butt mostly." Melissa answered as a sonic claw grabbed one of the Steelskulls and slammed him into a wall. "What are you doing here Ramon?" She asked as a sonic lasso wrapped around the laser rifles dragging them away from their owners.
"You know who I am?" Ramon gasped in surprise as he rope-darted one of the Steelskulls through the hand as he reached for his sidearm. " Then you have heard about my campaign against the Taskmasters operation, these men were trained by him, my aim is to use their defeat to embarrass him. And how about you? Why are you here young lady,"
"I'm being true to myself I guess." Melissa answered as she sonically chained the last Steelskull to a column. "I thought you were doing something noble but it sounds like you're just out for revenge."
"Nobility is a notion I never decided to embrace." Ramon replied as he bent down over one of the unconscious skulls and removed one of the helmets. "I am a mere henchman after all, at least according to the Taskmaster."
"You're following orders, even if they are your own orders." Melissa replied bitterly as she walked over to the balcony she had flown to and entered from. "You're not embarrassing the Taskmaster, you're just reverting to the very thing he thinks you...ARGH!" She screamed as a hologram of Abe wearing his old beetle helmet appeared in the room.
"Discuss morality later, I'm picking up EX residue on the Nightingale's sensors." Abe announced as a luminous outline appeared a large briefcase laid in the middle of the room. "Analysis suggests its a Fuel-Air bomb."
"How bad is that?" Melissa asked.
"The entire building will be gutted, the top five floors will likely be sterilized in seconds." Abe replied as Ramon tucked his rope-dart back in his jacket. "It'll be bad wherever it detonates but I'm sending you a point where it will do the least damage."
"This is at 30,000 feet, I've never gone so high." Melissa gulped.
"You need to hit the mark at the right time and place to avoid an incident with an airliner. This is where your flair comes in Melissa, I know you can do it." Abe added as he placed a holographic hand on Melissa's shoulder. Nodding Melissa grasped the bomb and took off.
"I'll be making my exit then." Ramon announced only for Abe to cross his arms and shake his head.
"You want to be better than people's expectations of you yes?" Abe asked as Ramon began to untie a bolas from one of the unconscious Steelskull. "Better yourself, show Taskmaster that you are better than him, that you care about more than just your revenge."
"Matt Davis yes, I owe you but doing this right here cleans the slate." Ramon growled as he retrieved his bolas and slipped it onto his belt. "What can I do?"
"The bomb has a digital timer set to go off to inflict maximum casualties, but these guys also have sequence detonators for triggering smaller charges attached to the bomb, incase the main timer failed. When I give you your mark I want you to prematurely detonate the bomb." Abe announced as Ramon found one of the pen sized triggers. "Once the bomb is released Melissa will have ten seconds to climb out of range."
"What is the range?" Ramon asked as holo Abe flickered as the pair of them walked out onto the balcony to watch a pink speck on the horizon.
"In open air, its half a mile." Abe replied. "For now just worry about hitting your cue.
____________
Bainstow Telecom Tower, Manhatten
The first Steelskull hit the ground hard, his legs entangled with the steel cable and weighted bolas. Slipping out of the shadows Ramon dragged the body out of view before heading towards the stairs. At one time there had been eighteen Steelskulls, but with two taken out earlier and the four killed during a threeway fight with the Avengers and Madame Masque there were only twelve members occupying the top three floors of the Bainstow Telecom Tower. Half way up Ramon saw another Steelskull, this one vaping an E - cigarette with his back to the stairs. Pressing home his advantage Ramon threw another bolas, this one causing the merc to stumble back down the stairs.
Almost immediately a third Steelskull emerged before shouting, his cries muffled as he too was taken out, his head smacking against the guard rail. At that point Ramon knew he was rumbled and fished a vicious looking rope dart from his coat, just as the first salvo of laser flashed above him...in Completely the wrong direction.
Ramon couldn't believe his eyes when he reached the top floor as pink hard sound daggers and cobalt blue laser fire was exchanged between a solo figure and five Steelskulls, the others lying on the floor bloodied and broken on the floor.
"Buenas noches Senorita." Ramon announced as he flung the rope dart out disarming one of the Steelskulls of his weapon. "What is a lovely lady like you doing here."
"Kicking butt mostly." Melissa answered as a sonic claw grabbed one of the Steelskulls and slammed him into a wall. "What are you doing here Ramon?" She asked as a sonic lasso wrapped around the laser rifles dragging them away from their owners.
"You know who I am?" Ramon gasped in surprise as he rope-darted one of the Steelskulls through the hand as he reached for his sidearm. " Then you have heard about my campaign against the Taskmasters operation, these men were trained by him, my aim is to use their defeat to embarrass him. And how about you? Why are you here young lady,"
"I'm being true to myself I guess." Melissa answered as she sonically chained the last Steelskull to a column. "I thought you were doing something noble but it sounds like you're just out for revenge."
"Nobility is a notion I never decided to embrace." Ramon replied as he bent down over one of the unconscious skulls and removed one of the helmets. "I am a mere henchman after all, at least according to the Taskmaster."
"You're following orders, even if they are your own orders." Melissa replied bitterly as she walked over to the balcony she had flown to and entered from. "You're not embarrassing the Taskmaster, you're just reverting to the very thing he thinks you...ARGH!" She screamed as a hologram of Abe wearing his old beetle helmet appeared in the room.
"Discuss morality later, I'm picking up EX residue on the Nightingale's sensors." Abe announced as a luminous outline appeared a large briefcase laid in the middle of the room. "Analysis suggests its a Fuel-Air bomb."
"How bad is that?" Melissa asked.
"The entire building will be gutted, the top five floors will likely be sterilized in seconds." Abe replied as Ramon tucked his rope-dart back in his jacket. "It'll be bad wherever it detonates but I'm sending you a point where it will do the least damage."
"This is at 30,000 feet, I've never gone so high." Melissa gulped.
"You need to hit the mark at the right time and place to avoid an incident with an airliner. This is where your flair comes in Melissa, I know you can do it." Abe added as he placed a holographic hand on Melissa's shoulder. Nodding Melissa grasped the bomb and took off.
"I'll be making my exit then." Ramon announced only for Abe to cross his arms and shake his head.
"You want to be better than people's expectations of you yes?" Abe asked as Ramon began to untie a bolas from one of the unconscious Steelskull. "Better yourself, show Taskmaster that you are better than him, that you care about more than just your revenge."
"Matt Davis yes, I owe you but doing this right here cleans the slate." Ramon growled as he retrieved his bolas and slipped it onto his belt. "What can I do?"
"The bomb has a digital timer set to go off to inflict maximum casualties, but these guys also have sequence detonators for triggering smaller charges attached to the bomb, incase the main timer failed. When I give you your mark I want you to prematurely detonate the bomb." Abe announced as Ramon found one of the pen sized triggers. "Once the bomb is released Melissa will have ten seconds to climb out of range."
"What is the range?" Ramon asked as holo Abe flickered as the pair of them walked out onto the balcony to watch a pink speck on the horizon.
"In open air, its half a mile." Abe replied. "For now just worry about hitting your cue.