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FIXIT | SUE STORM | PHOENIX | STALKER |
| Issue #01 It's A Strange New World
In the private bathroom of Sue Storm, on the top floor of Four Freedoms Plaza, Reed Richards was busy jerry rigging his latest scanning device to detect new wave lengths. �Is there something that the great Reed Richards can�t solve,� Alyssa joked as she rested her hands on her fianc�s shoulders. �This is something that I didn�t think was possible,� Reed replied as he turned from the shower door to face his bride to be �the energy that was used to transport Sue from the building contains both temporal and dimensional frequencies, it just shouldn�t be possible.� �You�ll work it out honey and find a way to bring her home,� Alyssa smiled as Reed ran his free hand through her hair �that is why we call you Mr. Fantastic.� �I thought that for another reason entirely,� Reed grinned as he looked into Alyssa�s eyes. Mr. Fixit�s World War Machine scanned the pavement with the sensors in his suit and using his internal communicator opened a channel back to Captain America at Avengers Mansion. �My armour has recorded some very strange energy frequencies at this location that match nothing I have in my internal database.� �So the Spot�s claim that the portal that snatched Fixit away wasn�t one he created is true then,� the star spangled Avenger asked from his chair in the Mansion�s com-room. �The Spot uses the Darkforce dimension to create his teleportation disks and thanks to the Winter Guard I am very familiar with its energies,� War Machine felt a cold rush go down his spine as he remembered his encounter with Darkstar when the USSR tried to invade Alaska. �Get back here as soon as you can Tony, the team will crack this together,� Cap spoke into the microphone, turning off the link to the armoured Avenger just as another team-mate entered the room. �I don�t think that Tony is going to be all that keen to get Joe back do you Steve!,� Carol Barton said with the distrust of Tony Stark evident in her voice. �Tony is quite keen to get Mr. Fixit back where he belongs, something about owing him for five suits,� Cap had a puzzled look on his face at the time, not understanding fully what Tony had meant. Carol laughed �the only thing Tony likes more than himself is money.� �Actually your wrong on that,� Cap said as he got to his feet �he loves being an Avenger more than anything and that includes looking out for his team-mates,� Cap put an arm around Carol�s shoulder �Tony�s the smartest man I know and he will find a way to bring Joe home.� �I hope your right Cap I really do,� Carol sighed as she hoped that Fixit would soon be home and ready to continue what had started between them. Phoenix�s World �Well that�s not something you see every day,� Maverick was the first of the X-Men present to speak, his yellow armour reflecting the last of the purple light from the portal as it faded from view �So Prof can you do a brain-tap to find our lost bird.� �I have tried to do so David but the Phoenix is not in the immediate vicinity any longer,� Professor Xavier�s hover chair slowly rose from the ground where it had fallen, the failure of its systems caused by the energy that the portal had spat out. �I shall endeavour to use Cerebro to get a more positive fix on the Phoenix�s location by using Peter�s mutant signature,� with a quiet hum the chair carried Professor Xavier away. Stalker�s World �My Dear I can not apologise enough that something like this could happen in a hotel I own,� Wilson Fisk strode into the room where Mary Jane Watson, now dressed in a grey sweat shirt and pants, was giving her statement to the police. �If you are agreeable I would like to offer you the use of the penthouse free of charge,� Fisk put on his most concern face for MJ but in truth was more worried about where his top operative had been taken. �That�s a very kind offer Mr. Fisk but I�ll be going to stay at my new agent�s apartment for now,� Mary Jane got up from the bed where she was sitting and grabbed the plain canvas bag which held her belongings. �I wasn�t aware that you had hired a new agent Ms. Watson,� Fisk was shocked by this revelation, MJ�s last agent had been in his employ and Fisk did not like losing a valuable asset. �I told her to let anyone know Fisk,� an all to familiar voice boomed out from behind Fisk from the apartment doorway. �Ah! The blind lawyer from Hell�s Kitchen,� Fisk turned around and smiled at the man he now faced �how long has it been Mr. Murdock.� Matt Murdock walked into the room, using his cane to make sure that there were no obstacles in his path, he didn�t really need the cane of course as the same chemicals that had stolen his sight had also given him a kind of radar sense, still it never hurt to let people think you were just a blind man. �It been since my partner was murdered Mr. Fisk, since then I�ve got out of the law business and into show business,� Matt allowed a small smile to come onto his face �lets go Ms. Watson, I have a cab waiting downstairs,� Mary Jane walked past Matt and made her way down to the street. �Please thank for your staff for me for taking such good care of Ms. Watson,� Matt turned to leave pausing as he did so to say �I�ll Dare to say we�ll be meeting again Mr. Fisk.� After making sure that their was no-one else within earshot Fisk walked up to the remaining policeman in the room �I want a copy of all the evidence, one of my people was lost here and I want him back,� the policeman was on Fisk�s payroll and went about getting Fisk what he wanted.
�Just what the hell did you think you were doing you little weirdo,� Fixit pinned Stalker up against the small outcropping of rock where they had made camp for the night with one hand, the other was balled into a fist ready to strike. �I...was...just�trying�to�have�look,� Stalker managed to croak out through the pressure being put on his chest. The group of four had sheltered by the small rocky outcropping and taken warmth from a fire created by Sue�s cosmic flame, Fixit had given up his jacket to Phoenix and his shirt to Sue so that they could preserve their decency and keep Stalker�s wandering eyes off their bodies. That had been the plan but Fixit had woken up as morning was breaking in the desert environment they found themselves in, to find Stalker slowly unbuttoning the shirt Sue wore as she slept. Phoenix had a comforting arm around Sue who was more angry than upset about what had happened. �You let him down right NOW,� a voice came from behind them �your going to need that man alive in the days to come,� the voice came from a tired looking old man, whose grey hair was unkempt and black three piece suit was tattered and torn �things are moving too fast and that�s why I had to arrange this meeting here in the Dimension of Manifestations instead of the usual location,� the old man walked up to a bolder and sat down �so Mr. Fixit are you going to let him go.� �Not until you give me a damn good reason to do so,� he replied, increasing the pressure on Stalker just a little bit. �I am called the Timebroker and am one of many to bear the name; you have all become unstuck in time due to errors that have occurred in other timelines, to get home you must repair these faults,� the Timebroker�s breathing was laboured and his eyes kept darting around as if he was expecting something. �So just how are we supposed to know what to do to fix things, we going to get an Al like in Quantum Leap or what,� Sue ask with her usual perkiness returning to her voice. �Susan Storm you will have a Tallus,� the Timebroker held out his hands and an golden bracelet appeared with a large green jewel mounted at its centre �it now just remains to see which of you will receive the device.� Kabboomm A huge mass of lightning flashed across the sky and the Timebroker shouted out in fear �this is very bad, he�s found you already,� the Timebroker leapt of the bolder, the Tallus slipping from his grasp as he reached his feet �I must send you to the first world now before he kills you.� The Timebroker gestured with his hands and the purple energy began to surround the four companions and it transported them away just as a large shadowy figure appeared in front of the Timebroker. �You think you have saved them don�t you old man but all you have given them is a little more time,� the figure shimmered as if he didn�t truly exist in the same realm as the Timebroker but a smile could still be made out on his face �and look at your feet, how will they succeed in their mission without a guide,� the figure faded from the Timebroker�s view as he pointed to the Tallus that rested on the ground. �This could be very bad,� the Timebroker said as he picked up the Tallus and slipped into the time stream. They landed HARD. Over a quiet street in Queens a portal opened and spat Fixit, Phoenix, Sue and Stalker out onto the hard asphalt, Fixit was first to his feet but Stalker was the first to speak. �So does anyone think that Tallus thing might have been important?� Stalker said as he finally removed his mask and revealed his face to his forced team-mates. �You have blonde hair,� Sue remarked with surprise when she saw the short cropped blonde hair �so pervert boy what do we call you sans costume.� �If you have to call me anything its Peter,� he swallowed �Peter Parker,� the only one who called him by his real name anymore was the Kingpin but keeping the secret didn�t seem so important at the moment he had thought to himself. �Well isn�t this a bit of luck,� Stalker said as he finally realised where they were �we�re just a couple of houses down from where I used to live, if this place is anything like my reality we will be able to get our bearings a little.� They walked the short distance to Peter�s house and while the door was locked, it didn�t present a huge problem for someone with the proportionate strength of a spider. �If you head on up the stairs to the left you�ll find the bathroom, in the opposite room you should be able to find something else to change into,� Peter said as Phoenix and Sue waked past him and disappeared up the stairs. �Listen creep,� Fixit said as he squared up to Peter �squirt seems to have forgotten what you were up to this morning but I haven�t, if I even see you looking at her funny I will pop your head off.� �Listen you touched me before because I wasn�t paying attention,� Peter replied trying not to raise his voice in his Aunt�s house �if you ever touch me again,� a confident look came to his face �I can guarantee you that you won�t live to even try again.� Fixit was enraged as Peter just turned and walked away, at any other time in his life he would have taken the runt up on his challenge but as Hawkeye had tried to drum into him on more than one occasion that was a time and place for �HULK SMASH,� he growled as he stomped off into the kitchen. The four sat around the kitchen table in the version of Peter Parker�s home in this new reality that they had found themselves in. Much to Sue�s surprise she had actually found some clothes that she would like to dress in, not old woman dresses like she had imagined, she had on a pair of blue hip hugger jeans and a white cotton crop t-shirt with a print of a kitten doing the two fingered salute. Phoenix had oddly chosen something from the wardrobe of the man of the house, a plain white shirt and leather jacket along with a plain black pair of trousers. Fixit had now reclaimed his shirt and jacket and after a spin through the washing machine and dryer was once again clothed in his purple suit. Peter had stayed in his Stalker costume but with the mask off and had morphed the white spider embalm that was usually in the centre of his chest back into the black costume. Peter had been quite surprised as he looked around the house, the date on all the calendars were of the year he left his home reality, 2003, but he could find no pictures or photographs that would indicate that a version of him lived in this house, although their were countless photos of his Aunt May and Uncle Ben but again there was something odd, the photos were of them as young people who were barely out of their teens, there wasn�t one of them as the old couple Peter remembered them to be. The cupboards of the kitchen were sparsely stocked but there was milk in the fridge and several boxes of a popular brand of chocolate breakfast cereal in the pantry so three cereal bowls and a mixing bowl of Choco Krispies were served. �So what do you think is meant to be wrong in this reality, what are we meant to try and fix,� Sue asked between mouthfuls of artificially enhanced vitamin chocolate goodness. �I believe we should rest here for the night and in the morning head into the city to investigate,� Phoenix offered up obviously not enjoying what she had to eat. Fixit had abandoned the spoon he had been using and was now consuming the cereal directly from the bowl, holding it like a tea cup �thing I don�t get is where all the people are, why haven�t the cops come and pulled us in for B&E.� �Perhaps they were all abducted by aliens years ago, that would account for why my Aunt and Uncle look so young in all the pics,� Peter finished his cereal and got up to put the bowl in the sink ready to be washed �hey just because this isn�t the home of MY Aunt doesn�t mean I�m going to leave the stuff to wash itself,� he said when he saw the shocked looks from the others. �Despite our shock at your sudden domestic attitude the idea of alien abduction is not a good one,� Phoenix responded as she passed Peter her finished bowl �the streets and buildings are all too well maintained for the people to have been missing for any substantial length of time.� �So while we got some time to kill does anyone know what the dimension of manifestation is?,� Sue slid her bowl across the table, not wanting to have to get too close to Peter, an act that did not go unnoticed by Fixit and Peter himself. �I wouldn�t mind knowing that myself,� Fixit said as he threw his finished bowl across the room in an act of distain for Peter. �The Dimension of Manifestations is a place where the abstract entities of the universe, who do not possess true physical forms, may go to be more easily seen and to be able to communicate more easily with�,� Phoenix took a deep breath �lesser life forms.� �Hey I�m not sure I like being described as a lesser being,� said Peter as he retrieved Fixit�s bowl from where he had flung it. �It was not meant as an insult,� Phoenix paused for a moment in thought �well maybe in your case it was,� a smile came to Phoenix�s face as she could see the rage being held back behind his eyes. �Perhaps we should tell each other our powers,� Sue began putting on her best Reed voice �after all the Timebroker would not have recruited people with super powers if we weren�t likely to get into a fight.� Phoenix was about to speak up and point out that in fact the Timebroker had informed them that they had just become unstuck in time and had not actually been recruited, but after a moments thought had decided against it, after all despite the bravado the young woman was putting across it was obvious that she was very nervous about the situation. �Very well I will begin,� Phoenix said. �So you have absolutely no telepathic powers,� Sue asked Phoenix. �As the Phoenix Force when I possess a host body I enhance that persons own natural abilities but the Living Tribunal has denied me access to much of my power,� Phoenix had a small quiver in her voice that was unnoticeable to the others, it was there because for the first time Phoenix felt vulnerable, it wasn�t a hosts feeling but for the first time Phoenix was experiencing her own emotions. �Well I got my flame powers when I passed through a belt of cosmic rays,� Sue laughed �that sounds like a comic book origin doesn�t it.� �So let me get this straight,� Peter said �on your world�s I�m Spider-Man, I�m hated and feared by the public, blasted by the media and the cops and even though it often causes me grief in my private life I always do the right thing.� �That�s pretty much it,� replied Sue. �Is he nuts or something, I mean why on earth would you continue to protect people who hate you for it,� Peter shook his head �I�m blasted by the cops and press as well but at least I get damn well paid for what I do.� �And just what is it you do for a living Mr. Parker,� Phoenix asked him. �Well lets just say I take care of problems for a very prominent businessman that would like to keep his name divorced from the type of jobs that I do for him,� Peter smiled because he was proud of the work he did. �Yer a mob enforcer like me ain�t you,� Fixit said, a smile on his face as well, knowing that at least everywhere in the universe Spider-Man wasn�t such an upright do-gooder priss. �Before I answer that I�m going to repair the front door,� Peter began to walk from the kitchen �you don�t ever want to see my Aunt May when she�s got a mad on.� �That is the last time I let you drag me to that club May,� Ben Parker opened the door to the house in Queens that he had purchased just before he had met May �if I hadn�t known someone that lived nearby we would have been trapped outside during the day.� �Calm down Ben everything turned out alright didn�t it,� May Parker pushed herself up against her husband, his back against the door post, her long raven black hair blowing in the cool night breeze. �You know that our kind is not welcomed in the city,� Ben pushed her back pressing himself up against her now, his face close to her own �I�ve never been able to be angry with you for long though have I,� he moved his mouth close to May�s and they began to kiss. �Christ I�m going to be sick if this carries on for much longer,� Fixit turned away from his vantage point at the top of the stairs �get down there and see if they will be willing to help us out,� Fixit ordered Peter. �Hi there dimensionally displaced family,� Peter walked down the stairs toward the people who were younger incarnations of his family, his Stalker mask gripped in his hand �I bet this is a little bit of a shock?� �You can say that again,� said Ben stepping away from May �its not often meat presents itself to us so easily,� with a speed defying his human appearance Ben leapt at Peter. �Pal never attack a guy with a spider-sense,� Peter leapt out of the way, guided by his uncanny abilities �guys a little help here if you please,� Peter shouted out as he pulled on his mask to become Stalker. �Vampires, I really hate vampires,� Fixit shouted as he barrelled down the stairs toward May Parker, remembering the time his Avengers had been forced to battle the forces of the Daywalker to prevent him from enabling all vampires to walk in daylight �and someone better get the other one off Stalker,� he added as an after thought. �Aw do we have to,� Sue said as she sent a burst of flame in between Stalker and Ben Parker who were locked together fighting on the staircase. �I believe that a wooden stake through the heart is a most effective weapon against a vampire,� Phoenix armoured up, transforming her body into organic steel and stretching the seems of the clothing she wore to near breaking point �try this would you,� Phoenix pulled one of the slats from the banister and tossed it to Stalker. Stalker caught the stake and stared his vampire Uncle in the eyes �last chance to calm the hell down and stop,� it wasn�t an offer Stalker made to anyone but he still felt some love for his departed family, it was perhaps the only thing he felt at all anymore. �You are meat and I can�t remember the last time I tasted a live one,� Ben bared his fangs and then leapt again at Stalker, only to met the stake instead. Defying all natural laws the stake entered Ben Parker�s body far easier than it should have done and in moments all that was left of the vampire was a desiccated corpse lying on the stairs. �I hope Aunt May doesn�t make me clean that up,� Stalker smirked, whatever he may have felt for this version of his Uncle disappearing in the thrill of the kill �Aunt May!,� he cried as he bolted for the front door.� "Come here ya little floozy,� on the front lawn Fixit attempted to grab hold of the vampire Aunt May but the lithe young vampire was easily evading his grasp. �Your too slow you grey beast, perhaps I will not drain you dry after all,� May jumped onto Fixit�s back and put an arm around his throat, �maybe I keep you as a love slave,� May bared her fangs and tried to bite Fixit but his skin was too tough for her to bite through. �Too bad sweet heart, I don�t meet to many girls who got the strength for me,� Fixit leaned backward and fell onto his back, pinning the vampire beneath him �any of you guys fancy lending me a hand out here,� Fixit cried out as he lay on the ground with the vampire pinned beneath him. A scream was heard from inside the house and May whispered �Ben no.� �If you trying to get laid big man I think you�re the wrong way around for it,� Stalker said as he stood above Fixit, looking down at him. �Screw you pal just shut this foul mouthed trollop up,� Fixit sniped back, fed up of the multiple insults that May was shouting at him. Stalker stood above the webbed up body of May, seemingly unable to move. �Do you want me to do it,� Phoenix asked him. �Well whoever is going to do it better hurry the hell up because we seem to attracting a crowd,� Sue pointed to the other houses, out of which other vampires were beginning to emerge. �Sorry May but I owe you too much to let you live like this,� Stalker grabbed one of the posts from the white picket fence that was surrounding the garden and drove it through the web into May�s heart, after a brief burst of flame she turned into ash. �Curious this vampire has terminated in a different manner than the one inside,� Phoenix knelt down and ran one of her hands through the ash that had been formed by the vampire and the burnt webbing. �Yeh I�m sure it�s a subject for a discovery channel special but can we please get the hell out of here,� Sue sent a blast of flame at a vampire that came running at her, incinerating it instantly. Stalker, Sue and Phoenix all turned to look at Fixit who said �I ain�t making the plans here but in a pinch�� a huge grey fist met the head of another vampire and took it clean off �Phoenix armour down and get on my back, Sue flame on and carry Stalker.� �I just wish these vamps had kept some unstable molecule clothing in there closets,� in a brilliant burst living flame engulfed Sue�s body, burning what she was wearing off her body �I sure hope that suit is flame proof buddy,� Sue asked Stalker as she grabbed him. �Are they still following us,� Fixit shouted as he began a fresh leap, his powerful leg muscles carrying him and his passenger far into the sky. �Yes and we seem to have picked up some new fans as well,� Sue shouted as she drew in closer to Fixit �we can�t keep running like this all night, we have to find somewhere to hole up.� �But where,� shouted Stalker who was being held aloft by Sue holding him underneath each arm �the instant we stop moving those things are going to be on us, there�s no way we can hold them off until sunrise.� On the roof of an out of town shopping mall two men watched the chase through high power binoculars. �Do you think their human like Wanda said,� asked the black man who was wearing a colourful red and white costume. �Probably we haven�t seen many supers since the takeover, do you think we should bring them in,� replied the older white man who was dressed in a pair of oil covered overalls, a metal brace on his right leg helped him cope with damage caused years ago., his wild hair and rough beard now grey with age. �If we don�t there just drones to use against us or food for the elite, I�ll go get them,� Sam Wilson had seen his family killed by vampire�s when they had been forced to live in the ghetto that was set aside for the human worker who did the daylight jobs vampires couldn�t. �I�ll go tell Wanda she�ll need to boost the power to the wards,� the older man began to walk to the roof access door �be careful out there Sam, their ain�t to many of us good guys left.� �Don�t worry this is one bird who always makes it back to roost,� Sam Wilson activated the small high powered jets that were located under the wings of his costume and soared into the air. �GET OFF ME,� Fixit bellowed as he threw of the pack of vampires who were covering him, many were thrown off the roof of the building they had been forced to land on. The vampires were keeping clear of Sue, frightened by her flame but she was throwing herself into the fight in a desperate attempt to keep the off the fallen Stalker who had been knocked unconscious by a rock thrown by one of the following vampires, his spider-sense had warned him of course but Sue had been unable to dodge it in time. �<Foul creatures you dare to attack a child of Mother Russia>*,� the entire fight Phoenix had been shouting at the vampires in Russian but hadn�t seemed to notice and several vampires had broken their teeth on her organic steel skin.
�Joe they�ve grabbed Stalker,� a group of four vampires and scaled the side of the building and grabbed Stalker�s unconscious body, Sue had been unable to stop them as several vampires, which had shown uncommon resistance to her flame, had caused her to move from his side to protect herself. �Can you reach him my little snowflake,� Phoenix shouted out in an English voice that had a strong Russian accent. �No their moving too fast,� Sue blasted another vampire with her flame, this one burning to ash easily. �If you people want to live follow me now,� Sam Wilson, the Falcon, swooped out of the sky, using two 9mm automatics to pump silver bullets into the large vampire who had Fixit pinned in a bear hug. �Figures you�d be alive in this hellhole Snap,� Fixit threw the corpse of the large vampire that had been holding him into a group of others, scattering them like bowling pins. �I have no idea who you are talking about pal just come with me,� Falcon emptied the clips of his guns before heading back in the direction of the Mall. �Pint size go now, me and Phoenix will cover you and follow on,� Fixit barked at the young woman. �But what about Stalker and you guys,� she asked while now hovering a short distance from the surface of the roof. �GO NOW,� Fixit shouted again, his jacket and shirt now just rags. A tear came from Sue�s eyes and was immediately turned to steam by her flame but this time she obeyed the order and took off after the Falcon. When Sue was a reasonable distance away Fixit charged through the vampires on the roof across the where Phoenix was fighting and babbling in Russian �come on nut job now its our turn to go.� Phoenix nodded and swung round on to Fixit�s back, kicking several vampires as she did so �and please don�t refer to me as nut job,� she said as Fixit bounded after Falcon and Sue, her voice now returned to English with only the slightest trace of Russian, the voice she had when Fixit had first met her. The vampires that could fly had immediately given chase and were closing on the small group as they approached the Mall. �Tell Wanda she�s better have her mojo up and running, were are coming in and coming in hot,� Falcon spoke into a communicator built into the right glove of his costume. �Both her and Jennifer are in full trance now"; a voice spoke back to him over the link. Falcon landed gently on the gravel topped roof of the Mall quickly followed by an even more graceful landing by Sue, Fixit and Phoenix�s landing wasn�t so graceful and they slammed into the roof and skidded across until coming to a stop on the opposite side to Sue and the Falcon. �Not to be rude or anything Mr. Wilson but what�s to stop them killing us all now,� Sue asked as the flying vampires drew in closer. �Just watch and learn,� the Falcon smiled at Sue �because those dumb &*$%�s never seem to.� When the vampires came within a hundred feet of the Mall�s outer wall they suddenly came into contact with an invisible barrier of mystic force, which as each creature came into contact with it sent out ripple of red energy across its surface. The vampires pounded on its surface, frustrated that their prey was in full view but unreachable to them. �We appreciate the save there Snap,� Fixit patted the Falcon on the back nearly knocking him over �but if you could spare some muscle we need to get back out here and rescue one of our guys before he become chow for some suck head.� �That won�t be necessary,� a voice spoke out from the roof access doorway �your friend won�t be eaten tonight, he�ll be taken to the ruling elite of the vampire nation only they get to feed on enhanced humans.� Fixit, Phoenix and Sue all turned to see the old man that had been on the roof with the Falcon earlier �my name�s Abraham Whistler and you people have found your way into all kinds of shit.� Next Issue The Lost learn how the world came to be ruled by vampires and try and recruit some help for a raid to save Stalker. Meanwhile Stalker meets with other time unstuck people.
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