Next Avengers: Secret of the Spider

Part 9

Kier woke in a dark room, mind clearing instantly. He jerked himself, realizing soon enough that he was tied up.

"So you're up," a voice sliced the darkness. "Finally. I expected more from an Asgardian."

"You know what I am," Kier replied. "You live up to your legacy."

"As you do not," the voice replied, stepping out of the shadows. Spiky black hair outlined a young but mature face, green reptilian skin covering thick, powerful muscles. Talons extended from his fingertips and toes, and a tail with a scarlet underside lashing behind him. A tool belt hung around his waist, loaded down with more tools than (pardon my relation) Batman. A molecularly unstable suit covered him, ready to transform as he does.

Kier smiled and laughed.

"If it isn't the lizard," he said mischievously.

"Don't test me, feathers," the creature said. "I didn't bring you here for a sleepover."

"I think I could've figured that out, Reptil." The creature snarled at the sound of its name and lashed its tail harder. "I missed you too."

"Where have you been for the last, oh, six to seven years?" Reptil asked. "Ever since you abandoned the Defenders and Next Avengers?"

"I've been busy," Kier replied. "Trying to make up for what I did."

"Well, you've been doing a heck of a job at it."

"I know. That's why I'm trying to help again. The kids don't even remember me, SHIELD wiped them. They think they're been living in their biodome their whole life."

"They'll never trust you."

"One already does."

"Soldiers are made to follow."

"He's not a soldier. He's a rebel."

"Oh, like the bird?" Kier laughed and Reptil smiled.

"Hawkeye's cocky."

"I sort of figured that."

"Now can you untie me so we can talk as friends?" Reptil strode over, claws clacking on the floor, and slit the bonds with a talon. Kier got up and rubbed his shoulders.

"You've heard about Peter?" Reptil nodded sadly.

"He was the best freedom fighter, even if barely anyone knew about him."

"He has a daughter." Reptil looked over at him, surprised. "Her name is Penny. She has fallen in love with the hawk."

"She has? Well, that makes things interesting." Kier smiled and crossed his arms.

"Yes, I suppose it does." Reptil wrapped his tail around Kier's wrist.

"Ready to make some mischief?" he asked. "For the good guys?" Kier smirked and morphed into a blackbird, standing on Reptil's tail.

"You can count on it," he replied.

--------------------------

James sprinted into Tony's lab, thoughts jumbled and mixed. He had no idea what he was going to say or do, but he had to do something.

"Tony!" he yelled and ran into the lab, not expecting what was to come. Tony, in fact, was locked in an Iron Man suit, Reptil and Kier standing in the lab. James activated his gauntlet, a shield forming.

"Where's Tony?" he asked, breathing slightly harder than normal.

"He's fine," Kier replied. "He's waiting for us to get ready."

"And I think you should join him," Reptil added, advancing on James, front talons outstretched. James held his shield protectively in front of his body.

"Not today," James said. Reptil growled like a raptor and lunged, claws striking harmlessly against the solid-hologram shield. Kier walked over to the computer and began to type things in.

James and Reptil battled mercilessly, each hit highly trained and precise. Reptil quickly gained the upper hand, having more experience and outside skill than James. Reptil easily pinned him after a short, quick fight. James's gauntlet was across the room, his arms pinned behind him by Reptil's tail and his throat getting slit by his claws. James tried to breathe through his nose.

"You were right, feathers," Reptil said. "These kids are pushovers." James sputtered a little and tried to free himself, but only ended up in a tighter grip. "Don't go crazy," Reptil said. "Or the injection will just hurt more."

Kier had a shimmering blue serum in a syringe, fingering it.

"I finally figured out how to bottle my father's power," he said. "The Tesseract, in a liquid. You wouldn't even know about what I'm talking about. You weren't born."

"Oh, I can assume," James retorted. Reptil growled and tightened his grip.

"So, now, I too will have a little army of mindless drones," Kier continued. "Only mine will be of children instead of seasoned warriors." James struggled violently, trying to free himself without getting claws in his windpipe.

"You were my friend!" he yelled, getting desperate. "You saved me!"

"Well, I tend not to dwell on the past," Kier replied. "Unless it's other people's." James fought, punching and kicking. Reptil simply ignored him.

"You're feistier than your dad," he growled. "And impatient. Pathetic." Kier walked up to James, within inches of him, and held the syringe to a vein in his throat.

"Any last words?" Kier murmured.

"Yeah," James choked out. "Better hurry." He kicked a button on the keyboard nearby, hitting the distress call button. The effect was immediate, sirens leaking into the underground laboratory. Reptil growled and headlocked James, choking him.

"Don't try to fight it," Kier mumbled, sticking the needle slowly into his neck. "It'll only hurt more." James struggled for breath as Kier pushed the plunger, injecting the liquid into James's system.

Agony flew through James, making him scream with what little breath he had. Reptil let him go and he stumbled backward, grabbing his head. Kier and Reptil watched in amusement as James screamed in pain, trying to hold of the mind control. He fell on his knees, world fading. He let go of his head and planted his hands on the floor, chest heaving and head throbbing.

"That's it," Kier urged. "Let go."

Just when James thought he was about to collapse, a flash of light attacked Kier and Reptil, sending them flying backwards. The Iron Man suit Tony was in was standing in a battle pose, hand held out.

"No one messes with my Avengers," he said, voice slightly mechanical because of the suit. Kier leapt up, hair flying out of his face.

"You're too late!" he yelled back, voice almost hysterical with adrenaline. "He's already gone." Sure enough, James was standing up, gauntlet on, eyes blazing ice.

"James," Tony said, walking up to him. James cocked his arm as a shield formed and swung, knocking Tony backwards. He strode over to Kier, another shield already formed.

"We should hide before the others come," James said to Kier.

"We will," Kier said, "but not you. You need to lie on the floor, acting dead. You will be their bait before we all strike."