This is my story starring Marvel's Young Avengers. Marvel hasn't published a significant Young Avengers story in a while so I figured I'd give it a shot. I love the characters and Heinberg and Cheung's first run was phenomenal.
This story takes place in the mainstream Marvel Universe, taking place about 3 or 4 months after Secret Invasion. And for the story's sake let's just say that the status quo of the MU hasn't changed too much, aside from having survived a huge alien invasion. Any changes that do occur will be addressed in my story. Hope you enjoy!
S.H.I.E.L.D. Hellicarrier Argus
Approximately 2.3 miles above Cleveland, Ohio
2:00 A.M.
On any given night the command deck of any given hellicarrier was a beehive of activity, and the Argus was no exception. Surveillance agents and intelligence officers rushing in and out with up-to-the-minute reports of the very latest violence around the globe.
Maria Hill silently cursed as she received one such report from a bespectacled agent who barely managed to fill out his standard issue smart-fiber uniform. This one concerned Force Works' apprehension of Doctor Demonicus just outside of Des Moines.
"...and he apparently was looking for a way to mutate the mayor's dog into..."
Hill cut the agent off before he could finish his report. She was tired, grumpy and hadn't had her coffee yet, "Listen Agent 'not important enough for me to remember your name,' if I actually cared about the current mutagenic state of the mayor of Des Moines' dog, I wouldn't be the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Hell, I wouldn't even be close to qualifying for a regular agent position, which leads me to question exactly how you qualify for your own job."
The skinny nameless agent quivered like Jell-O as his superior leaned in imposingly, casting an impossible shadow over him, "Let me ask you something." She smiled menacingly, "Would you like to keep your job?"
"I...I...Y-yes, ma'am." The agent stammered.
"Then leave."
As the frightened little child that used to be a grown man scurried away into the stream of agents, Hill smiled, taking small pleasure in the fact that she still had a knack for crushing the souls of the incompetent.
To the outside observer it may have seemed cruel but in the long run she was doing both him and the organization a favor, hardening him up. And she didn't need to hear reports of such little consequence like that one. With the implementation of the 50-State Initiative half the incoming reports were ones exactly like that; regulation post-combat reports from super-hero teams all across the country. They were tedious and unnecessarily annoying but they were part of the job and Hill did her best to keep them from interfering with the other parts.
"Still have a penchant for torturing the underlings I see." Hill's thoughts were interrupted by a pleasantly familiar voice. She turned around to face Agent Will Stackhouse, "Hope I'm not next."
Tall and lean, "Stack" as he was affectionately referred to by his peers was the exact opposite of the agent Hill had just dismissed; he had an air of confidence and reassurance about him that made him well-liked and trusted by his fellow field agents and an irreverence towards authority that ticked off all the right higher-ups. His youthful mop of brown hair and friendly disposition belied a sharp tactical mind and level-headed cunning in the field. He was one of the few agents Hill actually liked.
"It's the little things that help me get through the day-to-day." Hill replied wryly as he approached and handed her a digital report, "What's up Stack?"
As she read he detailed the situation, "We've just picked up reports of an explosion on the Hudson River, near the George Washington Bridge. The vessel in question, a cargo ship called the Madeline's Crossing is currently taking on water."
"Alert and mobilize the Avengers. Let Stark know its..."
This time Hill was cut off, "There's already a superhuman presence."
"What?"
"You're gonna love this. Initial reports from the port authority I.D.'d the Young Avengers."
"Oh for ****'s sake." Hill cursed out loud this time. "Teenagers in tights. This job hates me." She rubbed her face in frustration as she handed back the report, "What's the ship's cargo?"
Stack didn't seem nearly as worn out as Hill, "That's where it gets interesting. We did a cross-reference with international shipping records and get this. The Madeline's Crossing was supposed to arrive in Miami thirty-four hours ago."
"So what are we thinking? Hijacking?" Hill's mind was working a mile-a-minute as she ran through a list of every terrorist cell and gun-for-hire who could and would pull this off.
"Well technically, I think it's 'commandeering' when you talk about a ship. And I.."
"Smart-ass." Hill retorted.
Stack smiled as he continued, "And I managed to find something. The Crossing wasn't the only disappearance that occurred in that time-frame. About two days ago Derek Bishop was reported missing to the local authorities."
"You mean..."
"Yeah. Bishop Publishing Derek Bishop. Fortune 500 Derek Bishop. 'I'm on a first name basis with Tony Stark.' Derek Bishop."
"So, kidnapping." The pieces easily fell into place as Hill processed the information. "And the Young Avengers intervened. ****. Unregistered teenage heroes acting heroic. This has '****-storm' written all over it."
"You want me to still call the Avengers?" Stack asked.
Hill groaned, "No. The last thing we need is Earth's Mightiest freaking Heroes duking it out with a bunch of high-schoolers." As she went through the facts in her head a plan crystalized, "Call up our boys in Stamford."
"Ma'am?" Stack's face had the words "in the dark" written all over it.
"You're cute when you're confused. Tell Pym or Rhodes or whoever's in charge up there now to send a detachment of trainees with Stature as squad leader. I want confrontation and apprehension as the priority. And Stack, I want you to mobilize a field team of cape-killers and head out there in a support role only. You'll be calling the shots but I don't want your guys being seen, just heard."
By now the two of them had made their way from the command deck down the cold metallic corridors of the Argus leading to an elevator tube. Stack replied, "Cassie Lang used to roll with the Young Avengers. You think she'll be able to keep her cool?"
"She's proven her loyalty to the Initiative. She'll be able to handle it." As Stack stepped into the elevator she continued, "And I'm expecting it to mess with her unregistered buddies."
Nobody else was around and the hall was silent. A rare sense of stillness in the chaotic world of global espionage and security. As the elevator door closed, Stack leaned in playfully and stole an even rarer kiss from Hill.
She smiled as he pulled away, "Good hunting." The door closed and with a low WOOOSH! Stack disappeared.
As she turned around and headed back towards the cacophony of the command deck her smile disappeared, "****ing kids."
to be continued...
This story takes place in the mainstream Marvel Universe, taking place about 3 or 4 months after Secret Invasion. And for the story's sake let's just say that the status quo of the MU hasn't changed too much, aside from having survived a huge alien invasion. Any changes that do occur will be addressed in my story. Hope you enjoy!
S.H.I.E.L.D. Hellicarrier Argus
Approximately 2.3 miles above Cleveland, Ohio
2:00 A.M.
On any given night the command deck of any given hellicarrier was a beehive of activity, and the Argus was no exception. Surveillance agents and intelligence officers rushing in and out with up-to-the-minute reports of the very latest violence around the globe.
Maria Hill silently cursed as she received one such report from a bespectacled agent who barely managed to fill out his standard issue smart-fiber uniform. This one concerned Force Works' apprehension of Doctor Demonicus just outside of Des Moines.
"...and he apparently was looking for a way to mutate the mayor's dog into..."
Hill cut the agent off before he could finish his report. She was tired, grumpy and hadn't had her coffee yet, "Listen Agent 'not important enough for me to remember your name,' if I actually cared about the current mutagenic state of the mayor of Des Moines' dog, I wouldn't be the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Hell, I wouldn't even be close to qualifying for a regular agent position, which leads me to question exactly how you qualify for your own job."
The skinny nameless agent quivered like Jell-O as his superior leaned in imposingly, casting an impossible shadow over him, "Let me ask you something." She smiled menacingly, "Would you like to keep your job?"
"I...I...Y-yes, ma'am." The agent stammered.
"Then leave."
As the frightened little child that used to be a grown man scurried away into the stream of agents, Hill smiled, taking small pleasure in the fact that she still had a knack for crushing the souls of the incompetent.
To the outside observer it may have seemed cruel but in the long run she was doing both him and the organization a favor, hardening him up. And she didn't need to hear reports of such little consequence like that one. With the implementation of the 50-State Initiative half the incoming reports were ones exactly like that; regulation post-combat reports from super-hero teams all across the country. They were tedious and unnecessarily annoying but they were part of the job and Hill did her best to keep them from interfering with the other parts.
"Still have a penchant for torturing the underlings I see." Hill's thoughts were interrupted by a pleasantly familiar voice. She turned around to face Agent Will Stackhouse, "Hope I'm not next."
Tall and lean, "Stack" as he was affectionately referred to by his peers was the exact opposite of the agent Hill had just dismissed; he had an air of confidence and reassurance about him that made him well-liked and trusted by his fellow field agents and an irreverence towards authority that ticked off all the right higher-ups. His youthful mop of brown hair and friendly disposition belied a sharp tactical mind and level-headed cunning in the field. He was one of the few agents Hill actually liked.
"It's the little things that help me get through the day-to-day." Hill replied wryly as he approached and handed her a digital report, "What's up Stack?"
As she read he detailed the situation, "We've just picked up reports of an explosion on the Hudson River, near the George Washington Bridge. The vessel in question, a cargo ship called the Madeline's Crossing is currently taking on water."
"Alert and mobilize the Avengers. Let Stark know its..."
This time Hill was cut off, "There's already a superhuman presence."
"What?"
"You're gonna love this. Initial reports from the port authority I.D.'d the Young Avengers."
"Oh for ****'s sake." Hill cursed out loud this time. "Teenagers in tights. This job hates me." She rubbed her face in frustration as she handed back the report, "What's the ship's cargo?"
Stack didn't seem nearly as worn out as Hill, "That's where it gets interesting. We did a cross-reference with international shipping records and get this. The Madeline's Crossing was supposed to arrive in Miami thirty-four hours ago."
"So what are we thinking? Hijacking?" Hill's mind was working a mile-a-minute as she ran through a list of every terrorist cell and gun-for-hire who could and would pull this off.
"Well technically, I think it's 'commandeering' when you talk about a ship. And I.."
"Smart-ass." Hill retorted.
Stack smiled as he continued, "And I managed to find something. The Crossing wasn't the only disappearance that occurred in that time-frame. About two days ago Derek Bishop was reported missing to the local authorities."
"You mean..."
"Yeah. Bishop Publishing Derek Bishop. Fortune 500 Derek Bishop. 'I'm on a first name basis with Tony Stark.' Derek Bishop."
"So, kidnapping." The pieces easily fell into place as Hill processed the information. "And the Young Avengers intervened. ****. Unregistered teenage heroes acting heroic. This has '****-storm' written all over it."
"You want me to still call the Avengers?" Stack asked.
Hill groaned, "No. The last thing we need is Earth's Mightiest freaking Heroes duking it out with a bunch of high-schoolers." As she went through the facts in her head a plan crystalized, "Call up our boys in Stamford."
"Ma'am?" Stack's face had the words "in the dark" written all over it.
"You're cute when you're confused. Tell Pym or Rhodes or whoever's in charge up there now to send a detachment of trainees with Stature as squad leader. I want confrontation and apprehension as the priority. And Stack, I want you to mobilize a field team of cape-killers and head out there in a support role only. You'll be calling the shots but I don't want your guys being seen, just heard."
By now the two of them had made their way from the command deck down the cold metallic corridors of the Argus leading to an elevator tube. Stack replied, "Cassie Lang used to roll with the Young Avengers. You think she'll be able to keep her cool?"
"She's proven her loyalty to the Initiative. She'll be able to handle it." As Stack stepped into the elevator she continued, "And I'm expecting it to mess with her unregistered buddies."
Nobody else was around and the hall was silent. A rare sense of stillness in the chaotic world of global espionage and security. As the elevator door closed, Stack leaned in playfully and stole an even rarer kiss from Hill.
She smiled as he pulled away, "Good hunting." The door closed and with a low WOOOSH! Stack disappeared.
As she turned around and headed back towards the cacophony of the command deck her smile disappeared, "****ing kids."
to be continued...
