Avengers West Coast #28

“KNEEL BEFORE DRACULA!” Dracula shrieked, fists upraised, cape swirling around his lithe form as his jaws distended and his serpentine tongue licked at the air. Vampires took corporeal form around him, bleeding into being even as they rushed towards Doctor Druid, mouths agape, claws bared.

Druid grunted liquid syllables and a wave of light speared from his slashing hand, striking the first few vampires and reducing them to drifting motes of dust and excrement. The others reeled back, hissing and whining. Dracula pulled his cape close about him, free hand stroking his chin as he waited for the light to fade. Druid smiled, gray flesh crackling as it peeled back from brown teeth. His eyes sparked with hell-light as nightmarish as Dracula’s own.

“We meet at last, for the first time Dracula.” Druid said, weaving complicated gestures with decaying fingers. “I must say, I expected more subtlety on your part.”

“We all must live with our disappointments, lich.” Dracula said, eyes flashing. “Some of us longer than others.” His eyes rolled in his head like insects scrabbling in dark holes until they came to rest on the giggling form of the Dwarf, standing in the circle Druid had trapped him in. “Hello, spawn of Chthon.”

“My knight in bloody armor, come to rescue me at last.” the Dwarf cooed, batting his eyelashes. “Get me out of this cage, O’ Mightiest of the Dead-But-Not.”

“No. I think not. You will stay there until Dracula decides otherwise.” Dracula said, smirking. “Dracula is no demon’s slave.”

“Healthy self-image there, Fangs.”

Dracula turned, eyes narrowing. Hawkeye squatted in the doorway, arrow notched. Hawkeye grinned. “You must be Dracula. Big fan, gotta say. Love your movies. By the by, Avengers Assemble!” Hawkeye let the arrow fly and then fell flat as Spider-Woman leapt over him.

Dracula slapped the arrow out of the air and stepped back as the massed, semi-ethereal ranks of vampires surged forward, engulfing the red and yellow clad form of Spider-Woman. She struck out where she felt solid flesh, energy sparking from her fingertips to flare throughout the noxious cloud of fangs, red-eyes and talons. Vampires squealed and fled her touch, only to be caught in one of Druid’s spells. Several of the undead exploded into shrieking dust clouds as Dracula urged them forward, using them as unliving shields.

“Kill them! Kill all of them!” Dracula snarled.

“Jess!” Hawkeye shouted. Spider-Woman turned as Hawkeye fired a slender shaft at her. She plucked it out of the air and saw that it was all wood, shaved and sharpened to a wicked point. With a grin she turned and lunged towards Dracula, the shaft clutched tightly in both hands like a dagger.

It plunged towards his chest but stopped just short as his long fingers fastened around hers. Dracula grinned up at her as she crouched on his chest, straining against him.

“You are a pretty creature, for all that you stink of Chthon’s taint.”

“I-what?” Jessica hesitated and was flung backwards as Dracula swept his arms out, dislodging her easily. He swept forward, claws reaching, jaws agape.

“Yes, very pretty…and now, mine!”

Darkhawk grunted in pain as Death Adder’s tail slithered around his throat and hauled him up, tightening ever so slightly. The assassin cocked his head, pupil-less eyes narrowed. He raised his clawed hand, preparing to plunge the long talons into Darkhawk’s stomach.

Chris reached up, gripping the tail tightly and lifted his legs, planting his feet on the killer’s belly and pushing off with all his strength. Death Adder released Powell and stumbled back. Chris flipped through the air, his feet hitting the wall of the nearest building long enough to propel him forward like a cannonball. He slammed into Death Adder, raking the killer’s face with his grappling claw. Chris hammered at his opponent, desperately. He could feel the poison burning in his system. His alien body could handle the poison…they’d found that out last time. But that had only been one dose. How many had he taken on the way down? Two? Three? He brought his fist across Death Adder’s jaw again and staggered back.

He felt like he was on fire. Yellow pus dripped from his wounds as his system fought the poison. He sank to one knee, vision fading in and out. Death Adder scrambled upright, tail lashing like that of an angry cat. He leapt at the hero, claws spread.

A silent field of colorless energy enclosed the Society member only a few inches away from his prey. He clawed futilely at the barrier as it shrank around him, bundling him into a fetal ball.

“You sure he’s dead, kid? Cause from where this duck’s standing, he looks awful spry.” Howard said, stepping out of the alleyway and into the street, cigar clutched between his gloved fingers. Shatterfist stepped out behind him, fists clenching and unclenching in agitation.

“Word on the street was Scourge killed him.” Shatterfist swallowed thickly. “Maybe he’s a vampire.”

“No, though I sense he is equally tainted.” Aquarian said softly. “He feels…sour. Like oil in my hand. I-” His eyes widened and the words died in his throat as Death Adder abruptly spread his limbs to their fullest, shattering the null-bubble Aquarian had confined him in. Aquarian staggered, clutching at his head as Death Adder sprang for the wall of the brownstone and scrabbled upwards, heading for the window.

“He’s bugging out!” Howard shouted, gesturing with his cigar. “Gotta figure Big Daddy Fangs is wherever he’s heading! Let’s get up there!”

“And what of him?” Aquarian said, indicating Darkhawk, who stared at Howard.

“Y-you’re a duck.”

“Wow. Must be one of those genius-types I keep hearing about.” Howard puffed on his cigar. His eyes widened slightly as Darkhawk toppled forward, unconscious. Aquarian caught him before he hit the ground and cradled him gently in a null-field.

“He’s hurt. Badly.”

“Shit happens. Let’s get upstairs.” Howard said harshly. Aquarian didn’t move.

“He has poison in him. I will not let him die.”

“Kid-”

“Incoming!” Shatterfist squawked, diving aside as a red and yellow clad form plummeted towards them. Aquarian gestured, catching Spider-Woman easily in a web of null-energy. Howard shook his head.

“It’s raining spandex and clowns.”

“Jess is down!” Hawkeye said, firing a shaft and catching a vampire right between its gaping jaws. It was thrown backwards and two more leapt to take its place. “Tell me you got something mystical up your sleeve, Doc!” he said, standing beside Druid.

“Regrettably such magic as I could employ to clear the air of foes would in turn dissipate my own hard-won existence.” Druid grated. Hawkeye shot him a look.

“Aye archer. The taste of life is too sweet, even for one such as the lich.” Dracula chuckled. Dracula waved a hand and his vampires, the dozen that were left, fell back, their half-vaporous forms swirling around their king. “Release the Dwarf. Or perish. It makes no difference to me.”

“No dice Fangs.” Hawkeye said. Dracula smiled.

“Fangs? Oh indeed. You shall have fangs aplenty if you do not give me up what I want.”

“I could say much the same, fiend.” a scratchy voice snarled. Michael Morbius barreled through the doorway, pale limbs spread in flight as he threw himself at Dracula. “We meet again Dracula!”

“Ah, the false vampire!” Dracula hissed as he pulled Morbius from the air and slammed him to the floor. “I had thought you dead. Of course, my servants brought me word of all my old foes upon my resurrection…you were last seen in the company of my old foe, Doctor Sun. Perhaps I will force you to tell me of his whereabouts after this is done, hmmm?”

“I wouldn’t count on it monster.” Morbius spat, clawing at Dracula. Dracula made to slam him into the floor again when a sinuous shape rose up behind him, wedge shaped head ducking down too swiftly for the eye to follow. Glaucon, Princess Python’s snake looped itself around Dracula. An electrical surge flowed through its scales and Dracula yelped as his form lit up like a Christmas tree. Zelda Dubois, the princess herself, stepped through the doorway, carrying a modified AIM energy rifle in her arms and wearing a SHIELD issue flak vest. Hawkeye looked her up and down. Zelda quirked an eyebrow.

“What? Seth outfits every snake-hole with an arsenal of black market weaponry.”

“Didn’t figure you for the type, Z.”

“Girl’s gotta protect herself Barton.” Zelda turned back to where Glaucon was shocking Dracula again. “Hold him tight so momma can shoot him in the head, baby.”

“Remember our deal woman! I help you, I go free! Don‘t forget and shoot me in the process!” Morbius said, rolling away as Zelda levelled the rifle.

“Just keep out of the way, freak.” Zelda said as she fired. Dracula screamed as the energy pierced his chest and raised a plume of smoke. He flexed and forced Glaucon away from him, hurling the snake into Zelda, knocking her to the ground. Dracula staggered back, clutching at the wound in his chest. Smoke still boiled out of it and his face was twisted in pain.

“What-what…” he groaned. Zelda forced herself up on her elbows and grinned fiercely.

“Solar-energy generator bat-boy! The best AIM can build!”

“Thatagirl Z.!” Hawkeye crowed. He fired arrows as quickly as he could, pinning three vampires to the back wall in as many seconds, his arm a blur as it pulled shafts from his quiver and released them. The other vampires surged forward. Druid stepped towards Dracula, sorcerous energy curling from his fingers as he confronted the wounded monster.

“Now…now fiend. Now you shall die.”

“Not by your hand, corpse. Nor by anyone’s!” Dracula’s form wavered and blew apart like a morning fog. A fog Death Adder came hurtling through. The killer slashed through Druid’s chest, cutting him from shoulder to hip in one long swipe and bowling him over.

Death Adder crouched on Druid’s form for a moment before leaping towards the circle that bound the Dwarf.

“Yes! Yes!” the Dwarf cackled. “Do it!”

“No!” Druid cried, reaching towards the circle in vain. Hawkeye twisted and loosed an arrow, but too slowly. The shaft thudded into Death Adder’s side but he continued on his course, claws scraping across the circle, breaking it. He hit the ground and rolled upright, wrenching the arrow from his hide and snapping it in half.

The Dwarf stepped out of the circle, his smile threatening to split his face. His skin pulsed and writhed as if there were something beneath it. Something horrible. He laughed and spread his hands. “Fun as this has been kids, we’ve got a schedule to keep.”

“And what schedule would that be?” Dracula grunted. The Dwarf glanced at him.

“The boss’s of course, Drac.” He looked at Death Adder. “Get him.” Death Adder lunged forward, the broken shaft of Hawkeye’s arrow clutched in one hand. Before Dracula could do more than open his mouth to protest, Death Adder jammed the jagged splinter of wood through his chest and into his heart.

Dracula fell into Death Adder’s arms and the Dwarf clapped his hands. “Time to go.” He gestured and the shadows in the room seemed to engulf them suddenly, even as Druid crawled towards them, half-rotted face twisted in agony.

“No! Gods of my fathers, no!”

“I have them! I-” Morbius snarled, diving into the shadows. His voice was cut off instantly. The shadows faded. Dracula, the Dwarf, Death Adder and Morbius were gone.

The vampires faltered as they felt Dracula fall and disappear. As one, they turned and fled, dispersing as mist or as bats, disappearing into the night. Hawkeye stooped to help Druid to his feet. “Where the hell are they?”

“Good question. Somebody better answer it. Before I get mad.” Howard said, standing on the edge of the energy platform Aquarian had created. Behind him, Shatterfist and Spider-Woman supported Darkhawk between them and Aquarian hovered over them, robes blowing in the night breeze.

“Who are you supposed to be?” Hawkeye asked. Howard shook his head, still chomping on his stogie.

“Us? We’re the Defenders, jackass. Who’re you?”

The water was cold. Not as cold as the grave, but close. Moon Knight tumbled through brown cold, trying to pry Cottonmouth’s fingers off of his throat. Quincy was determined, Marc had to give him that. For all intents and purposes, Voelker had left him to die. But Quincy was sticking to the plan like a good little soldier. They moved in slow motion, battering at one another with leaden fists. Moon Knight had one advantage of course…

He didn’t need to breathe. Not really. One of the advantages of being a dead man walking. He smiled beneath his mask and grabbed Cottonmouth’s jaw, forcing it open. Then he punched him up under his breast bone, where his lungs where and then in the throat. Bubbles exploded out of Cottonmouth’s mouth and his eyes bugged out. Moon Knight hit him again, cracking him across the jaw. Cottonmouth’s head snapped back and he went limp.

Moon Knight shot towards the surface, pulling the villain along with him. He surfaced in a spray of dirty water and looked up, searching for Frenchie. The chopper hovered above him, the force of its rotors creating waves that slapped at him. The ladder dropped towards him and he grabbed it with his free hand, holding onto Cottonmouth with the other. The chopper rose, pulling him with it.

Not a great night, all told. Of course, he did have a lead. He looked down at Cottonmouth. The villain was stirring.

“You are going to be an immense help to me Quince-”

“Hell no.” Cottonmouth twisted impossibly fast in his grip, teeth chomping down on Moon Knight’s hand. Spector released him with a cry and Cottonmouth fell back towards the waters below, flailing and cursing. He hit the water with a sound like meat hitting concrete and sank like a stone. Moon Knight hung from the ladder, wringing his injured hand and waiting for Cottonmouth to resurface.

“Mark? Is he…” Frenchie’s voice said, echoing strangely from the comm-bead in his ear. Moon Knight shook his head, then sighed when he realized Frenchie couldn’t see him.

“I doubt it. But he’s not coming back up. And I don’t feel like going in after him. Let’s head back to base. Start over at square one.” he said. Then, “Why are they still here?”

“Marc?”

“It isn’t their MO, Frenchie. The Society vanishes once they’ve finished a job. They scatter. Wait for the heat to die down. But they haven’t yet…why? Why are they still in San Francisco?” Beneath his cowl, Marc’s eyes widened. “Unless the job’s not done yet.” He began to climb the ladder swiftly. “Get us back to base Frenchie. Now!”

As the sound of the helicopter faded, a purple clad body washed ashore. Cottonmouth was a man of decision. Usually bad. This was the latest such. His entire body felt like it had been pounded over every inch by steel bars and he could barely move enough to grab the shoreline and haul himself out of the water. He lay in the sand and trash, breathing shallowly. Waiting for Voelker.

Voelker would come for him. He always came.

But not this time.

Sand shifted under shiny black shoes as a man in a dapper suit looked down at Cottonmouth. He was Oriental and smugly handsome. He put the toe of one shoe under Cottonmouth’s chin and lifted his head up.

“Quincy McIver. Cottonmouth. You are hurt. Perhaps dying. I can save you.” the man said, shuffling a stack of slim papers in his gloved hands. Cottonmouth looked up at him blearily.

“What-”

“Besides, one should never look askance at fortune, should one?” the man pulled a paper from his stack and examined the calligraphy that adorned it’s surface. He sent it sailing towards Cottonmouth and it struck the villain’s head with a sizzle like meat on a grill. Cottonmouth stiffened and shivered as the paper sank into his skull and disappeared. He collapsed, unconscious. The man stepped back and looked at his over-large companion.

“Pick him up Slate. He’s no use to us dead.”

“You’re no use to me dead Tony. Which is why I’m not going to shuck you out of that armor like a bit of seafood. Instead, I’m going to put you somewhere safe.” Genis said, dragging Tony behind him as he walked through the city he had created in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

His HUD was red-lined. All systems dead. Genis had drained the battery with a touch moments earlier. It was all Stark could do to keep from suffocating. He ignored Genis’ ranting, instead concentrating on trying to reboot the alien power cells. Genis hadn’t drained hem, only the central battery. But they were down, only the barest flicker on their screens.

“Did you hear me Tony?” Genis said, hauling Iron-Man up face-to-face. “Are you awake in there?”

“I’m listening Genis.” Tony grated. Genis smiled.

“Good. That’s good Tony. See, everyone thought I had killed the Eternals. But I didn’t. I just put them where they’d be safe, you see.” He tapped a finger against Iron-Man’s faceplate. “And I’m going to do the same to you. Until I figure out what I’m going to do. Rather, how I’m going to do it.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Like I told you before Tony, I’ve been playing with the DNA of the local wildlife. I think I’ve got it down too. After all, it’s just another form of energy. I can tweak it. Make it better. Make it superior.” Genis gestured over Tony’s shoulder. One of the few idle sensors still online in his suit flashed a warning.

Dimensional rip.

“I’m going to give the Kree a new lease on life Tony. Here. You humans are just wasting this planet anyway. As the seat of the new Kree Empire, it’ll flourish. You’ll flourish. But until I know I can get it right, in you go!” Genis shoved Tony backwards, into darkness.

Iron-Man flailed as a hundred thousand colors assaulted his senses and a billion sounds rode roughshod through his mind. Before he could scream, it was all over and he was laying on his back on a hard surface, staring up into the eerie expanse of the Negative Zone. There were buildings around him. Familiar ones. He’d seen them before, but not in this context.

A face appeared, looking down at him. A haggard face, stubble coating the jaw, but a familiar one nonetheless.

Rick Jones smiled resignedly down at Iron-Man and shook his shaggy head.

“Hey Shell head. How’s tricks?”

TO BE CONTINUED...

NEXT ISSUE: A trip to Mount Wundagore! The Avengers West vs. the Knights of Wundagore! Dracula bound! Morbius vs. Death Adder! Iron-Man and the Eternals! And Moon Knight tries to fathom the Serpent Society’s ultimate goal in ‘CHTHONIC CHIVALRY’!