"They'll be coming for you, you know."

The speaker was a hideous amalgamation of technology and evil, a floating emerald mass that styled itself Supremor-the Supreme Intelligence of the Kree. Genis-Vell, clone-son of the late Mar-Vell, captain of the Kree Empire and hero to many worlds, floated before Supremor's containment tank, his head cocked.

"The Avengers you mean."

"Of course."

"I already knew that."

"They will come after you as long as you continue to cling to old haunts...old loves." The Kree Intelligence burbled, dead eyes narrowing. Genis turned away, hands clasped behind his back.

"Shut up Supremor."

"Heed my advice stripling, as your father never did. You must lea-"

"DON'T TALK ABOUT MY FATHER!" Genis screamed, whirling, cosmic energies rippling outward from his body and shattering the illusion he'd built around himself. He clutched his head and floated alone in the upper reaches of Earth orbit, frost coating his skin.

Even his mind was betraying him now. He blinked, shoving the thoughts away, the warnings of his subconscious. None of it mattered.

Marlo.

She'd know what to do. He'd-he could-

She'd know what to do. He exerted the barest tap of the power inside him and jetted towards the blue-green sphere below. 

"You take th' high road an I'll take th' low..." Hawkeye sang as he knelt on the edge of the roof of a tumble-down warehouse, eyes wary despite his cheerful demeanor. The other three members of his team were arranged in similar positions around the roof top, looking down on the ruined building below. The building Moon Knight's tracer had led them to. Moon Knight sighed.

"Must you?"

"I must, I must I really really must. And speaking of musty-whew." Hawkeye edged away from Moon Knight, waving a hand in front of his face.

"Yes, yes. Thank you. I think we all get it now Barton. My costume smells a bit. Deal with it."

"Cranky zombie." Spider-Woman said, looking at the Wasp. The Wasp shrugged.

"When was he not?"

"I've had my fun-loving moments."

"But then you died, right?" Hawkeye shook his head. "Heard that one before.  A lot."

"Oh go make yourself useful and shoot an apple off of someone's head."

"Oooh a William Tell joke. Classy."

"Barton, I swear-" Moon Knight began to rise from his crouch when he suddenly whirled and froze, head cocked. "They're here."

"How can you tell?"

"Zombies have good hearing. Haven't you ever seen Night of the Living Dead?" Spider-Woman hopped up on the edge of the roof and looked at the others. "Well? Are we going or are we standing around?"

"Hey, who's in charge here Drew?" Hawkeye protested. The Wasp flitted past his face, tiny wings humming.

"Looks like her. Better shake your tail feathers Hawky."

"Don't quit your day job Jan. That joke only works on the Falcon."

"Know any good jokes?" Darkhawk twisted around in his seat and glanced at Iron-Man. The armored Avenger shook his head as he banked the Quinn-Jet into a tight turn.

"No."

"Know any bad ones?"

"No."

"Well this is fun. Why am I going with you guys again?"

"Because in the event of Genis' presence, we might need your raw power." Pym spoke up from behind them where he sat tinkering with the device he'd created to track the unique energy signature of the newest bearer of the title Captain Marvel. "You and Iron-Man are the only two Whackos we have right now who could possibly go toe-to-toe with him and survive."

"Wow. I'm touched..."

"I only said possibly." Pym smiled slightly at Darkhawk. Iron-Man made a sound that was suspiciously akin to a chuckle. Darkhawk threw his hands into the air and shook his head.

"Okay. So why are we bothering some suburban house-wife if we should be looking for Genis?"

"Marlo Jones is the wife of Rick Jones."

"And?"

"You don't read any of those files I send you do you?" Iron-Man glanced at Darkhawk. "I mean any of them? What about the ones with the pretty pictures?"

"I was going to get around to it. Eventually."

"Oh well, eventually. That's alright then."

"Look what's the big deal here?"

"Rick Jones is the human host of Genis. They switch places." Pym interjected, not looking up. Darkhawk looked back at him.

"Switch-?"

"Like you do. Only Genis and Rick are two seperate individuals whereas you are-well-you."

"Oh. Okay." Darkhawk looked at Iron-Man. "See? Didn't need a file after all."

"If you don't shut up You can get out and fly."

"I thought you said they were here?" Hawkeye looked around the ruin, one of many that dotted the landscape of San Francisco in the aftermath of Equinox's rampage. Sunlight drizzled in through the massive holes in the ceiling and walls and frost and ash covered everything that the shadows didn't. Moon Knight squatted on the ground a few feet away from the others. He picked up a scimitar shaped device between his thumb and forefinger and held it up to the light.

"It's my tracer."

"Oh, that's good. Hate to think we came all this way for nothing."

"They were here." Moon Knight flicked the device to Hawkeye.

"Still are actually."

Even as the words echoed in the cavernous room, figures burst from nowhere, appearing in micro-second bursts of blinding light and lunging forward from different angles. Hawkeye suddenly found himself weaponless as his bow was knocked from his hands by a trio of curved steel snake-a-rangs thrown by a man dressed in an dark blue and orange outfit. The man smiled beneath his cowl and, in a thick Australian accent said, "What's a marksman without his marker I ask you Coachwhip?"

"Dead meat Boomslang." A woman with silvery hair, dressed in a yellow bodysuit said as she cracked a steel whip and wrapped its length deftly around Hawkeye's throat. The other three Avengers were in no less danger. Moon Knight leapt aside as Cottonmouth lunged at him, jaws gaping, and straight into the emerald arms of a humanoid snake who began to constrict around him.

"Sssslither will be your death flatsssscan!" the snake-man hissed.

"Now now Aaron. No speciest slurs while we're on the clock." A large man in brass and crimson battle armor much like Iron-Man's only shaped like the scales of a serpent said sternly as he fired a burst of crackling energy at Spider-Woman. She leapt over the blast and bounced off of his shoulders, knocking him to the ground.

"Tag! You're it Copper-top!"

"Stand still you crimson trollop!" Copperhead barked, firing ineffectually at her as she ducked and dodged.

"Nope! Catch me if you can." Spider-Woman said as she landed behind Copperhead and unleashed a crackling venom-blast into him as he tried to get to his feet. He fell again but before she could follow up a flare of green energy enveloped her and knocked her to the ground. Asp walked out of the shadows, her paralytic energy playing around her fingers. She helped the man in armor to his feet.

"I didn't need your help Asp."

"And you shouldn't be barking orders when you should be fighting Copperhead." Asp let loose another burst into Jessica Drew's unmoving form, causing her limbs to stiffen and her mouth to open in a silent scream.

"So-what? we just knock on her door?" Darkhawk asked, looking from Pym to Iron-Man. They stood in front of the Jones residence, their Quinn-Jet parked on the front lawn. Stark sighed as he knocked on the front door.

"Yes."

"Hunh. Shouldn't we be following that whatchamacallit the Doc's got there after Genis?"

"We will. But first I want to-" He trailed off as the door swung open and Marlo's beaming features met theirs. "Mrs. Jones-Marlo-I-"

"He's home."

"Who?"

"Rick. He's home."

"That's not possible." Pym said. Marlo shook her head.

"Come in and see for yourself."

The three Avengers looked at one another and followed Marlo inside.

Rick Jones was seated on the couch, sipping from a cup of coffee. When he looked up and saw the Avengers he said, "Shit."

Iron-Man was the first to react. With inhuman speed he swept Marlo behind him and brought a gauntlet up, the palm already glowing as his repulsors whined to life. Marlo beat on his arm, screaming, "What are you doing? Let me go!"

"Marlo, that's not Rick." Stark said. Pym looked at him strangely.

"Iron-Man, what are you talking about? Of course it's Ri-"

"Unh-unh Doc. Not unless Rick is a thirty-something stripper wannabe in a snake themed outfit." Darkhawk said. 'Rick' tossed his cup of coffee to the floor and frowned. His form seemed to waver and then fade into an oily blackness that thinned to reveal the woman known as Black Mamba. She glared at the Avengers and shook her dark tressed head.

"Great. Every god-damned time."

"Hello Tanya. Looks like you've learned some new tricks with the Darkforce." Iron-Man said. Black Mamba inclined her head.

"Practice makes perfect."

"Or gets you jail-time." Iron-Man lowered his hand. "What's the Society's interest in Mrs. Jones here Tanya?"

"Ask them yourself Avenger."

A burst of light filled the sitting room and Iron-Man screamed as his armor abruptly began to vibrate viciously, shaking him to his marrow. The Society member known as Rattler seemed to step out of nowhere and with him two others-the mute assassin known as Death Adder and a large, heavy set man dressed in green called Puff-Adder. Puff Adder suddenly swelled to an enormous size and lunged for Darkhawk, his attack carrying them both through the wall and out into the front yard even as Death Adder leapt at Pym, claws extended.

Asp laughed as she shocked Spider-Woman again. Then, suddenly she screamed herself as a tiny form dove into her face. The Wasp hit Asp with the full power and mass of a normal ninety-eight pound woman moving at a speed of sixty miles per hour, but concentrated in a spot equal to her size. The sound of Asp's nose shattering filled the air and the mercenary pitched backward, trailing blood. Copperhead traced her flight with a series of energy bursts, biting off a curse as he tried to drive the winsome Wasp towards one of his associates.

Instead Jan hurtled towards Hawkeye, her wasp-stings striking the whip that inexorably tightened around his throat and freeing him in the process. Hawkeye, freed, whirled on his heel and kicked Coachwhip in her gut even as he flashed his team-mate a thumbs up.

"Thanks Jan-baby!" Hawkeye said even as he threw himself towards his bow where it lay some few feet away. Boomslang hurled a fistful of snake-a-rangs that thudded home inches away from the archer as he rolled to his feet, bow in hand and arrow nocked. "And now for you Captain Snake-A-Rang."

"Serpent Rangs!" Boomslang snarled as he threw one at Hawkeye's head. Clint smirked and loosed his arrow, knocking the boomerang from the air. He smoothly pulled another arrow and readied it.

"Like it matters."

Moon Knight, still caught in Slither's grip, lashed out at Cottonmouth with his feet, knocking his attacker backwards with a boot to the jaw. Slither tightened his grip in response and Moon Knight shot his head back, catching Slither in the snout and forcing the mutant to let go. Dropping into a crouch, Moon Knight pulled his staff from his cloak and with a twitch of his wrist, flicked it to life just in time to catch Slither across the throat. The snake man fell gasping and Cottonmouth leapt onto the Avenger, fangs snapping. Yellow clad fingers dove for his throat.

"Thought for sure you'd be dead Avenger." Cottonmouth rasped. Moon Knight swung his staff around behind Cottonmouth's head and caught it with his free hand. With a jerk he pulled Cottonmouth's head towards his own and headbutted the mercenary.

"I'm not an Avenger." Moon Knight said as Cottonmouth flopped to the ground, stunned. Stepping over his opponent, Spector hurled his staff towards Copperhead, only to watch it bounce off the man's armor. Copperhead turned towards him and fired a blast of energy that sent him scrambling to get out of the way.

"And I'm not an idiot. I've updated my battlesuit since I last went toe to toe with you 'costumes'. How do you like it? I got the plans off a man named Midas."

"Verrry spiffy. But it didn't do him any good in the end and it won't help you either." Hawkeye said as he ducked under a serpent rang and loosed an arrow that struck Copperhead in the chest. Copperhead screamed as a burst of energy crawled over him and he fell over, trailing smoke. "God I love EMP arrows."

Pym flicked his fingers even as Death Adder lunged for him and a shield much like that of Captain America, though not decorated in any fashion, sprang into existence. Death Adder's claws skittered off the shield and Pym took advantage of the opening provided to ram it forward into the mute killer's skull, knocking him backwards. Then he flung it towards Rattler. While not as perfect a throw as Captain America or even the USAgent would have made it struck reasonably close to where Pym wanted it to go. It bounced off the side of the mercenary's head, shattering the hearing aid there and causing a squeal of feedback which sent the man to his knees, clutching his head. Pym smiled and started forward to help Iron-Man to his feet when suddenly a crushing pressure seemed to wrap itself around his chest and his vision went black.

Black Mamba gestured and the surge of Darkforce clutching Pym and the struggling form of Marlo Jones ballooned and completely cocooned them both. She looked over at Iron-Man and smiled.

"Two for one Avenger. How sweet of you."

"What are you talking abo-AGHK!" Iron-Man began even as Death Adder's claws tore through his armor as if it were tissue paper. The Golden Avenger whirled and twin repulsor beams took Death Adder full in the chest and sent him flying. Rattler's tail thudded into the floor inches from Stark and as he turned to deal with the German mercenary, Black Mamba snapped her fingers and was engulfed in a flash of light.

Outside, Darkhawk had escaped Puff Adder's grasp. The black armored hero cut swiftly through the air and caught the villain across the jaw with a fist but the big man only staggered and snapped out a hand to grab Darkhawk by the nape of his neck as he swooped past. Puff Adder pulled Darkhawk around and his chest inflated with a sound like a balloon filling with helium and seconds later a noxious cloud of gas was expelled from his mouth to wash over the struggling hero.

"Oh son of a-OW!" Darkhawk shouted as the corrosive gas washed over him. "Jesus, get away from me you freak!" He kicked out, catching Puff Adder in the jaw and forcibly closing his mouth and abruptly shutting off the flow of gas. Puff Adder staggered, coughing and Darkhawk wrenched himself free and shot into the air just as Rattler flew through the hole Puff Adder had made in the house and slammed into his associate. The two Society members tumbled to the ground in a heap as Iron-Man flew outside after Rattler.

"Seth! We need an extraction. Now!" Rattler wheezed loudly as he tried to untangle himself from his companion. Even as Iron-Man reached for them and Darkhawk swooped low, the two disappeared in a flash, vanishing before the heroes' eyes!

"No!" Iron-Man shouted. He looked up at Darkhawk. "They got Hank and Marlo while you were out here playing tag." He snarled.

"This isn't my fault!" Darkhawk protested.

"Then whose is it?"

"I dunno. How about him for starters.Think he can tell us where they went?" Darkhawk gestured towards the ruined house and the figure that crouched on the roof watching them. Death Adder seemed to smile beneath his mask and he turned and leapt to the ground, out of sight.

"After him. Now." Iron-Man grated, jet-boots firing with a roar and propelling him into the air. Darkhawk glided after him as they took off after the fleeing villain.

Coachwhip wrapped her whip around Hawkeye's bow and grinned as she thumbed a button on the handle, sending a surge of electricity through the length of it. Hawkeye yelped and released his bow. The villainess flung the bow away and flicked the whip out again, striking Hawkeye on the cheek, releasing a drizzle of blood. She blew him a kiss and winked beneath her visor.

"That's to remember me by handsome."

Even as Hawkeye leapt towards her she vanished in a flash of light, as did the other members of the Society, conscious or otherwise. Hawkeye cursed and whirled.

"Sonnuva-why didn't anyone tell me they could do that?"

"I did. You just don't listen." Moon Knight said as he picked up his staff and twisted it, allowing it to collapse back into itself. "That's your problem Barton. You never listen."

"I do. Just very rarely to you Mooney-tunes."

"Well you need to start. I've studied every major super-villain group operating in the continental US Barton. I know their MO's, their membership, and their potential targets!" Moon Knight said. "They've suckered us! This was a distraction..." He trailed off. "A distraction. Damn it."

"What? What is it Moon Knight?"

"This was a distraction. All of this. They wanted the Avengers West Coast out of the way when they did something-something big..."

"They needed to kidnap somebody important." Hawkeye said quietly. "Somebody we know must've been on the list-at least whatever list the Snakes are using-and they suckered us into looking one way while they caught us with the other fis-Crap." He looked at the others. "I wonder if Iron-Pants knows?"

"Excellent. Excellent." Sidewinder said as he watched the clients take custody of the two newest retrievals. Pale faced individuals in dark robes bundled Pym and Marlo unconscious out of the Darkforce Black Mamba had held them in. "I love promptness in my clients." Voelker crowed. The dark coated man standing beside him turned slightly, a smile cutting across his pale features like a shark's fin appearing in calm seas.

"Time is ever our enemy Mister Voelker." The man said, his voice like a razor slid across silk. Red eyes gazed out of a waxy face and caused Voelker to twitch unconsciously.

"Quite true Mister Fetch. Though in your case, I would hazard less so."

"Not as much as you would think. No, not at all." Fetch smiled, displaying a mouth full of stickpin fangs that glittered wickedly in the light. 

TO BE CONTINUED...

Next Issue: Death Adder on a rampage! The truth behind the Serpent Society's newest clients in revealed and the Whackos try to regroup in the face of division in the ranks, being down three members and other general unpleasantness. Plus, Genis-Vell makes his reappearance, but is he here to help? Or to attack the Avengers while they're at their weakest? All this in thirty, in 'BLOOD WILL OUT'!