West Shinjuku
Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

We of course knew nothing of that at the time. We had other, more pressing concerns on our plate while Ultimo was wading through Manzhouli. We would only learn later that the android was cutting a swath through eastern China en route to Beijing, the creature resurrected with the influence of a shard of the Bloodstone; the Hellfire Helix.

We had been chasing the shards of the stone for awhile now, and by we I mean the collective forces of S.H.I.E.L.D. and MI-6 banded together in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building alongside Shiro Yashida, AKA Sunfire and a couple of his Imperial representatives. We had hoped for a little downtime as we had all taken some hits on the long road to Japan; a chance to compare notes and see if we couldn’t get a collective idea as to what was happening.

It seemed that the BIG three of the Oriental Lords had suddenly taken interest in the shards of the Bloodstone. These were part of the same Bloodstone that had been imbedded in the chest of Ulysses Bloodstone ages ago; a meteor that has various abilities that it imbues on the bearer including regeneration, immortality and a link to the Psychic Plane. The stone that Ulysses wore was transferred to his daughter, Elsa, but apparently there were many other shards discovered and now coveted by the crime lords of Eastern Asia; the Mandarin, the Yellow Claw and Fu Manchu along with his daughter. Add Viper to that mix and we definitely had our hands full…

Of course we had no idea why Viper was involved, and it was only speculation as we had not actually fought her, but rather the Silver Samurai, and then not actually him, but his successor. The original Silver Samurai - Kenuichio Harada – was dead, but while he lived he was for a time Viper’s lover…

Or is she Madame Hydra now, again. I’ve lost track.

At any rate, the new Silver Samurai showed up at Tokyo International to take on Nicholas Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and one of his top agents and my friend, James Woo. This new Samurai was a fighting machine and apparently a Marvel as Fury said he had shot the man in the eye and he had survived, his body healing and exuding the slug that should have killed him.

That in itself should have been the clue. There are few people so tied to Viper beyond Nick and myself. Captain America of course, and Kenuichio Harada, Jessica Drew…

And Logan…

I looked up breathing hard as my old friend snarled his rage his sword flashing in the florescent lighting. I truly did not have a clue as to what was going on.

My comrades and I had gathered here at Sunfire’s bequest, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building after we had made the trip via S.H.I.E.L.D. Heli-carrier and Jump Jet from the United States. In S.H.I.E.L.D.’s corner was Nick Fury himself and Jimmy Woo, my current interest and expert on knowledge concerning the Yellow Claw. Covering for MI-6 were Black Jack Tarr, Clive Reston, Leiko Wu and my old friend Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. They had the dirt on Fu-Manchu as the Celestial was one of their main evils. Shiro Yashida represented Japan with his aides and supposedly had some insight on Viper as she seemed thick in the Japanese underworld and Yakuza. We had just begun our summit when the Hand attacked.

I figured later that this was probably a splinter cell of the Hand as they were fully enmeshed in the politics of the Yakuza. Viper must have taken them in somehow; perhaps they were disgraced and rogue but I could not imagine any other reason that they would follow her so willingly. They were led by the new Silver Samurai; Wolverine.

We dispatched the Hand easily enough taking a few wounds, but at the end of that battle I was facing the new Samurai, and in a fluke maneuver knocked his helmet away. My old, dear friend Logan, Wolverine of the X-Men stood before me heaving, rage twisting his face as a berserker fury took control. I stared in disbelief as his blade rose high then arched at my throat for the killing blow…

I was frozen in place and staring at the samurai sword arcing down smoothly to separate my head from my shoulders. Logan - my friend seemed oblivious, his eyes glazed but burning with the desire to kill. I’ve seen him when the bloodlust takes over and I knew that he was caught in its grip now.

I started to raise my hands to block the sweeping blade but knew that I was too late. I braced for the blow that never came as a bronzed arm flashed in front of me and deflected the killing strike. I saw Shang-Chi at my side, covered in sweat and breathing heavily but concentrating on Logan who spun and stepped into a classical Kendo pose, sword ready to strike or defend.

He moved immediately though even as Shang-Chi started to ask how I was. We were both staggering back as the katana flashed, blocking and dodging the mutant’s unfettered rage.

An explosion and Logan’s head jerked to the side. I saw Leiko Wu, her Warhawk held at arm’s length as she fired another round into Logan’s skull. He staggered, his sword faltering and I saw a flicker of crimson at his neck. The bullets of course could not penetrate his Adamantium laced skeleton and swiftly fell to the floor as his Healing Factor fought the intrusion of lead.

Logan screamed his rage and turned on Leiko Wu, his sword slashing through the gun with ease and equally through her thigh. The MI-6 agent screamed and toppled to the floor, her leather gloved hands pressing to the gushing wound. Gunfire erupted as Fury, Tarr and Reston unloaded their clips into our friend.

Logan danced, his body thrashing wildly with the impact of the bullets. He was taking damage and I knew that he had to be hurting but as his face spun my way I could see the animal rage burning, keeping him on his feet. When he dropped the sword I dove for it, hoping to avoid the storm of bullets. I knew what was coming next.

SNIKT!

The claws popped free as Logan lunged at his attackers. Spittle drooled from his mouth as he snarled and howled over the sound of gunshots, rearing back his muscular arms to rake the six-inch claws through his prey.

Grabbing up his discarded blade I charged at Logan’s back and saw the bronze wisp of grace that was Shang-Chi as he leaped, right leg extended for a flying high-kick. Just as Shang was about to connect however, Wolverine lunged forward and the Master of Kung Fu sailed over his target. I was too slow and saw blood fly as Logan’s Adamantium claws slashed into Black Jack Tarr. I swung the katana, which slid into Logan’s thigh a few inches before hitting his Adamantium laced skeleton. Tarr screamed as Logan snarled spinning on me.

My old friend was a bloody mess. Bullet holes riddled the sacred armor of the Silver Samurai, though it had probably served him well as defense. Blood flowed down his hairy arms however, and streaked his rage twisted face. I saw death as I pulled the sword free with a meaty slurp and danced backwards, his claws slicing empty air where I had been just a heartbeat before. I was now his prey, and he charged after me.

I blocked staggering backwards as Logan viciously slashed churning forward like some force of nature. Claws and sword shrieked, metal on metal and sparks flew with every contact. I was sweating and worse, slowing down, my own injuries over-riding the adrenaline rush that had got me going when the Hand had first attacked. It was only a matter of time until he got past my guard.

I thumped up against something- correction, someone as a hand snaked out over my shoulder. I heard some muttered Japanese as the hand became engulfed by nuclear fire, a raging stream of burning plasma spewing forth to blast Wolverine. Logan shrieked in pain and anger as he was enveloped by the Mutant firestorm. Smoke roiled from his charring skin and the horrible smell of burning flesh made me gag and retch.

Sunfire’s left arm encircled my midsection and he pulled me aside, stepping forward as he poured on the blaze. “Stand back!” he shouted his voice losing the coolness and slipping into a Japanese accent as he raised his other hand to increase the flow of fire.

“Don’t kill him!” I yelled though Shiro Yashida was so intent on his target that I doubt he heard me. I started forward again, raising the sword to butt Sunfire on the head with the pommel when I saw Shang-Chi step up to Logan’s flaming, flailing form.

Shang slammed the heel of his palm against Logan’s face, heedless of the fire that clung to him as he reared back. Wolverine’s head snapped to the right and he staggered but did not fall. Shang-Chi’s arm was afire as he drove his extended fingers into Logan’s throat.

“Get back, Chinaman!” Sunfire spat, pouring on the flame. The room was ablaze now, the conference table and chairs, the expensive carpeting burning. “I will end this!”

“He does not need to die,” Shang-Chi said ignoring the pain as his arm burned. “Stay your fires, Nippon.”

Shiro ignored Shang and continued to bathe Wolverine in his nuclear plasma. Shang in turn ignored Shiro and drove his fist into Logan’s face. Blood sizzled as it ran from the Mutant’s nose, but still he did not fall.

BOOM!!!

We all watched as Logan’s body lifted off the ground and sprawled hitting the floor. He did not move as blood bubbled from his eye socket and I looked up to see Fury holding Leiko Wu’s Warhawk outstretched and smoking. I saw that he was pale and bleeding with sword slices along his ribs.

“Get that fuckin’ ring offa' him,” Fury snarled finally lowering the huge gun and staggering back against the wall. I remembered then that Viper had acquired a ring of teleportation the first time that I had fought the original Silver Samurai. There were two actually, bonded so that the bearer of one could transport to the side of the other ring-bearer. I jumped forward even as Sunfire started to draw the blazing fire that was engulfing the office back to his being.

Logan was unconscious as I knelt at his side, but I could see that his Mutant Healing Factor was working to save him. Bullets were popping out of his skin and falling to the floor as I worked the ring from his finger. It was only then that I saw the soft pulse of crimson oozing from beneath the chestplate of his armor.

Ring in hand I tugged at the armor and saw the shard of the Bloodstone attached to a thick leather thong and pressed to his chest. With no hesitation I gripped the stone and ripped it away, snapping the thong.

Logan’s body arched and he squealed in agony, his head thrashing from side to side and I thought that I had killed him for a moment. But then he lay still, his breathing shallow but steady as his regeneration worked to repair his damaged body. I gagged as I stood, watching as a slug fell from his shattered eye socket like a tear and tumbled to the scorched carpet. I breathed a sigh of relief and held up the Bloodstone shard.

“Mind controlled,” I said and Fury nodded setting the Warhawk on the smoldering remains of the conference table. He pulled a fresh cigar from his jacket pocket and puffed it to life from a spot of burning wall.

I glanced about the room as we heard shouts from beyond the closed door out in the hallway. Black Jack Tarr was slumped against a wall looking pale and bleeding from several wounds that Logan had inflicted. Leiko Wu was at his side, her gloved hands pressed against the widest gash on his stomach, her shirt wrapped about her hands and blood flowing from her thigh. Shang-Chi stood cradling his right arm that was charred almost black though no longer aflame. Sunfire was still pulling the fire back into him, but like Fury and Reston he was relatively unscathed. I ached but I would live.

Security burst through the door then; Japanese Ministry of Defense I assumed, guns held high and at the ready, sweeping the battle scene.

“Day late an’ a yen short, son,” Fury said to the lead security officer. “We need medics, not security.” The leader looked to Sunfire who nodded then said something into the mike attached to his helmet. In moments EMTs stormed into the room and got to work on the wounded. I sagged, collapsing into the closest chair, exhausted. I dropped the sword to the floor.

“Are you all right?”

I looked up to see Jimmy Woo hovering over me. He still looked gaunt and pale, but his arm had stopped bleeding and there was a bit of color in his cheeks.

“I’ll live,” I said clutching his arm, “but you – “

“I heal swiftly,” he said lighting a cigarette. I knew there was something in his past concerning vampires but was never quite clear on what had happened and he had never explained. I smiled at his concern however and took his hand, putting it to my cheek.

“I’m glad.” Jimmy smiled slipping his Ray Bans over his eyes. We both looked as we heard Fury’s voce shouting into his Blue Tooth.

“Yer shittin’ me, right?”

Fury sagged as he closed the connection. His cigar rolled to the other corner of his mouth as he seemed to assimilate whatever news he had just heard. With a sigh he spoke to the room:

“Well, we know what the Mandarin wanted the Bloodstone shard for now. Seems Ultimo’s out for a Sunday stroll headin’ from Mongolia towards Beijing.” Fury glanced about the room at the wounded. Medics were gathered about Tarr and Wu, another tending to Shang-Chi’s scorched arm. Reston was at Leiko Wu’s side ignoring the Japanese medic that was dabbing methiolate on a slash on the agent’s cheek. “Time to regroup, people. Back to the Heli-Carrier, next stop, China…”

Wonderful…

Middotaun tawa
Roppongi, Minato
Tokyo

Viper frowned as she tapped a long, verdant lacquered nail on the dark wood of her desk. She stared in annoyance at the ring adorning her left-hand ring finger, the metal cool and inert, as dead as the Bloodstone attached to the leather thong adorning her throat. She sighed settling back in the plush, expensive leather of her chair, recrossing her legs under the wide expanse of cherry wood before her.

“I take it your animal-man has failed.”

Viper eyed the woman seated across the huge office coldly. She in turn eyed her back, a crooked smile playing at her lips. Viper’s eyes flitted to the two men that flanked the other woman, both brawny and tall, dressed fully in black and wearing hoods of leather with eye and nose holes, the mouth openings sealed and locked. Both carried firearms, but Viper was certain she could kill them before they brought their guns to bear. Of course there was little point in that other than to satisfy a bruised ego.

“It would seem so,” Viper said with a sneer fitting a cigarette into her long-stemmed filter and puffing it to life. “I should not be surprised, I suppose. Fury and the Black Widow have always been resourceful and tenacious. Add to them MI-6 and even one as talented as Wolverine might be outmatched.”

“Pity,” the other woman said with the slightest shrug and lighting her own cigarette. “It would have been so much easier with S.H.I.E.L.D. out of the equation, or at least leaderless and lost in confusion.” She blew out a long breath, gray-blue smoke roiling about the room and drifting up to the ceiling.

“Still,” the woman continued, standing, “I have completed my end of the bargain. I delivered the two bloodstone shards, though you failed to utilize them to their full potential. I expect payment.”

“And you’ll have it,” Viper snapped. She knew the woman had gotten more than the Blood jewels from the S.H.I.E.L.D. base in the Aleutians. There were other things sequestered in those deep vaults, chemicals and powders, fragments of mystery that would allow her to break the final ties with her father; the Lord of Strange Deaths. Still, honor amongst thieves, “You’ll get your troops. Hand, Hydra and Dreadnoughts, as promised.”

“Most excellent,” Fah Lo Suee said as she strolled towards the office doors, her lackey/bodyguards taking up step before and behind her. “I am looking forward to doing business with you again, Madame Hydra. You have much to offer.”

Viper slid a finger over an inlaid button on the desktop computer and the doors to her offices opened with a soft ‘sish’. The Daughter of Fu Manchu stepped through the doorway with a final smirk and Viper let the doors close behind her.

“Bitch,” she said fuming. She was more annoyed than she had let on that Logan had been defeated, and then to have to kowtow to that woman. It infuriated her to lose, but she knew that there was nothing to be done about it now. She had to prepare.

Viper’s finger slid over another key and a small light appeared on her desktop. “Yokia, she said in fluent Japanese, “send word to prepare the secondary offices. We will be moving.”

“Yes, Madame.”

Viper slid her finger over the key severing the connection with her personal assistant and stood. She strolled to the high, floor-to-ceiling windows that allowed her an impressive view of Midtown Tokyo. Japan has been good, she thought as she stared at the cold, gray city, clouds of waste churning skyward from the industrial district on the waterfront.

She had come to Edo months before, after her last failed venture to throw the world into anarchy. She had risen in the ranks of Hydra once again, and enmeshed herself within the dark dealings of the Yakuza, earning the respect of the Daiymo at their head. Enough respect at least that she had held her own, building her fortunes and empire. She was a woman after all and would always be beneath them. Still, they acknowledged her accomplishments, allowing her leeway.

And then Logan had dropped into her lap again.

Viper sighed, blowing smoke and holding her arms. She wondered what it was about the man that intrigued her so, that she would throw so much away? Like Drew he captivated her attention and reason often fled in the face of desire.

It did not matter, she supposed. He was free now and knowing him he would come looking for her, and soon, seeking vengeance.

Yes, he would come.

And she had to be ready.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Heli-Carrier Buscema,
Somewhere over China

“Probably not wise to sit so close,” James Woo said as he took a long drag on his cigarette. “He is known to be volatile. I can only imagine he will be agitated when he awakens.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” Natasha Romanoff said as she smiled at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, he standing, leaning against the wall of the Sick Bay room. His black suit was a bit rumpled, but otherwise he seemed none the worse for wear, his wounds having healed in the few hours flight from Tokyo across the Provinces of China heading towards Beijing. "Still…”

I slid my chair back a bit as I returned my attention to Wolverine, Logan, my friend. He was lying in the medical bunk, tubes and wires affixed to his body monitoring his vital signs. For some reason his Mutant Healing Factor had not stepped up and mended his wounds as quickly as it normally did. Was it the contact with the Bloodstone, or something else? I did not know, but I had planted myself at my old friend’s side as soon as we all had been transported to the Heli-Carrier, hoping that he would awaken and soon.

“We’ll be over Beijing soon,” Woo said glancing at his wristwatch. “You should get some rest. You were wounded.”

“So were you,” I said flashing him a quick smile. “I heal swiftly too.” Woo almost smirked. Almost…

“Tasha…”

I snapped my head back too quickly feeling the pain, staring at the man lying on the cot. He was pale and looked weak, a condition that I did not usually- ever associate with Logan. His blue-gray eyes seemed to blur a bit as he tried to focus on me. I gave him my best grin.

“Logan,” I said knowing then that he would survive. I felt my throat constrict, my eyes blurring with tears.

“Hey…” he said weakly, coughing. “Why the waterworks? This ol’ Caknucklehead’s survived worse n’ this… Lot worse.” I took his hand, squeezing it firmly and smiling.

“I know,” I said sniffling, trying to be brave, wiping at my eyes. “But each time’s the worst. Each time might be the last.”

Logan smiled, his eyes shifting. “Woo.”

“Patch,” Jimmy Woo replied with a flash of perfect white teeth. Logan chuckled weakly, coughing again.

“Still pissed over Minerva, Jimmy?” Logan grinned then moaned his head sinking back into the pillow under his head. He took several deep breaths then turned again to me, still holding his hand. “What happened?”

“You don’t remember?” I asked, my mind awhirl as I wondered where to begin.

“Last I remember,” he began, “I was in the Ginza, huntin’ a man name a’ Tark. He kidnapped the daughter of a friend of mine. Ran inta’ some local boys dressed up in green leathers. Hydra I figured. They had a Man-Killer with ‘em. Fuckin’ robot blew up in my face. Then I woke up here.”

“Logan…” I began, right before all hell broke loose again.

BLAAAAAT

“Condition Red!” Woo said dropping his but to the clean tiled floor and crushing it underfoot. He moved towards the door. “We are under assault. We must go to the Bridge.”

I looked to Logan again, squeezed his hand. I didn’t want to go.

“I’m good. Go!”

I went.

The Bridge of the Heli-Carrier was abuzz of activity when the lift deposited me and James Woo out onto the deck. Technicians ran about in a panic. Station Engineers were frantic at their posts. It was a flurry of motion and activity, the one constant being Colonel Nicolas Fury standing at the massive viewscreen staring out at the Orient and gnawing on his cigar. His hands were clasped behind his back, his head shifting as blazing fireballs erupted in the sky over China.

Woo dashed over to a work station even as I ran to Fury’s side. I saw Shang-Chi and Clive Reston not too far away, both staring at a smaller monitor screen hovering over a nervous technician’s shoulders. The Master of Kung Fu acknowledged me with a nod, then looked back to the monitor.

“Nick?” I asked staring out the view port. My blood ran cold at the scene of carnage displayed before me.

I saw the huge figure of Ultimo, the Mandarin’s android standing on a barren plane looking skyward recognizing it from the Avenger’s and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s files. His eyes were blazing, twin laser beams lashing out as he swept his gaze towards his attackers; women dressed in S.H.I.E.L.D. blues riding sky sleds, the Fem Force. I gasped feeling dizzy and helpless as a sled was struck, exploding in a rolling fireball.

“Thirty-eight,” Fury said with a grimace, his voice cold. “Two left. Brand, sound the Retreat.”

Natasha heard the bleating sequence of computer enhanced sounds even as a squadron of aircraft soared into view. Five Chinese Military; Jian 8-11 Interceptors unloading their payload on the gigantic construct. Ultimo ignored their worst, turning to follow their path, eyes blazing. The planes exploded in roiling fire and billowing smoke drifting on the wind. Seeing no further opposition, Ultimo turned and started stalking once again towards Beijing.

“Enough a’ this,” Fury said re-lighting his cigar. He stared out the ports, considering. “Time ta’ call in a favor,” he finally said.

“Time ta’ call in the Big Guns…”

Next Issue: Uh-oh! Things must be bad if Fury thinks it’s time to call in the cavalry. But what ‘Big Guns’ will he be calling in? The Avengers? The FF? The X-Men?