"We understand what you are saying, Forge," the interim head of the Security Council said to the holographic representation of the SHIELD Director, "however we do not think that SHIELD is limited by the United Nations. What has happened is unfortunate..."

"It is not unfortunate," Genesis said. "It is an event that has thrown the United Nations in to chaos. The Secretary General has been, for quite some time, possessed by an evil force and he used the UN, SHIELD and every resource he could to meet his own agenda and because SHIELD was under his control we were unable to stop it happening and if it happened before it will happen again."

"We cannot allow SHIELD to be an unregulated body," the member for France said. "SHIELD has a unique role - it is the global policeman, the information gathering network and if it is an autonomous body then there will be no trust in the organisation. I would prefer it to be a politically controlled machine rather than being that, or worse run by a corporation."

"And I am not saying that SHIELD should be autonomous," Genesis answered. "What I am saying is that SHIELD should be endorsed by the United Nations, not controlled. As Executive Director, I was being called to meetings that were needless, given orders that were contrary to what I thought needed doing and I had instructions that were not what myself or SHIELD should be doing. The Executive Director should be answerable to the UN, yes, but he should not be held in check. If that is what is required of me in the future then you can have my resignation."

"That is not necessary," said the British member, quickly stopping that idea. SHIELD was running very well under Forge, even with the current difficulties that had presented themselves. "I think the Director's comments have merit, but should be subject to further debate."

"That is for certain," the council leader said. "However the role of SHIELD is the least of our concerns. The United Nations is in crisis. The attacks on the building by Doom and those others..."

"The U-Foes," Genesis said, and he diverted his attention to contacting GW Bridge, who was giving him a status report on the Caribbean situation.

"Thank you," said the leader, unaware that Genesis was not paying attention to him anymore. "Those attacks, plus the current situation... The United Nations has never looked weaker, or more foolish. The only thing we have in our favour is the attack on Latveria, but we all know that as soon as Doom is capable there will be reprisals. There is effectively a state of war between Latveria and ourselves. We must do something to revitalise the United Nations before everything we have worked for over the last fifty years falls apart."

"Excuse me," said Genesis, looking to the side. "There are things happening..."

"What's going on?"

"Hydra has just launched a major assault. There are reports coming in from across the world... We are looking at a co-ordinated global terrorist operation."

"Now?" said the leader. "But we're only just past the crisis with the Sons of Set. We're not ready..."

"Which is why they are attacking," said Genesis. "There is a major force appearing in Washington, two strike forces at the White House and Capitol Hill. SHIELD agents are on site, but they are being overwhelmed."

"How did you not know this was coming?" the American representative demanded.

"We did," said Genesis, "but my recommendations have been ignored. This has been a major plot by a being known as the Shadow King. It was the Shadow King that controlled Nick Fury and it is the Shadow King that presides over Hydra. You have refused time and again to listen to me in this matter, fuelled in part by the Secretary General, and you have said that Hydra have not been a threat for many years, despite signs to the contrary and now we have a major global crisis. This is why SHIELD needs the autonomy I recommended. Now if you will excuse me a moment, I have an operation to co-ordinate."

The holographic image faded away from the Security Council chamber and Genesis was pleased. This should be the thing that gave him the control of SHIELD that Forge had wanted for so long. His dream of how SHIELD should be would be realised, but first he had to make sure his people were doing what they could. 

Maverick's team had discovered the portal that allowed Hydra to get to New York, and X-Force were on route to Greenwich. That left Washington and he had checked the system. HERMES was only just operational, the technicians having managed to adjust the system to compensate for the disruption to the Earth's biosphere, but it would suffice and he opened a communication channel to Caribbean.

"Bridge, this is Genesis. I need you and your people in Washington - now!"


"Yes, sir," said Bridge, receiving his orders from the SHIELD Director and he looked at his people. The battle with Mjnari had taken his people to their limits and Hauptmann had less than twenty four hours left to live, according to Stephen Strange, however the rest of the team were all in perfect health, though Honey Lemon was still half serpent, and still was unable to speak. He turned to the members of Project Excalibur. "We're a go for Washington."

"Oh yeah," said USAgent, thinking that while he quite enjoyed fighting global villains he loved the fighting of terrorists. That was why he had become Captain America, and eventually USAgent. "Now this is going to be good."

"Two strike teams," said Bridge. "One defends the White House, the other protects Capitol Hill. Agent, Rock, Sabra, Hellios, you're on the Capitol Hill House, the rest of us are going to defend the White House." Darkstar and Savitar nodded, though Honey Lemon just looked at him. She was not too comfortable being half snake, half woman, but she would endure it. She still had her mind and her genius was the greatest weapon she had. Bridge would be with them as himself and Armory.

"What about Hauptmann?" asked Rock. 

"I want to fight," said the German, standing as best he could, but they could see how weak he was. "I need to do my bit. I was not meant to go out like this and perhaps I can do something."

"Okay," said Bridge, respecting the man's choice, but he knew there was little he would be able to do. This was not the same man that had faced several Greek super soldiers by himself; this was a pale shade of the hero they had known. "Maybe there is. I'm giving you control of Armory. You are not to engage the enemy directly unless you have no other choice."

"Understood," said Hauptmann and Bridge passed him the interface. It wouldn't work as well as it did with him due to the neural connections that had been fitted directly to Bridge, but it would do well enough. 

"Washington DC, here we come..." Bridge said and he activated the HERMES signal and they were transported to the Helicarrier and from the Helicarrier to the different parts of Washington, but the scene that greeted both teams was more or less identical. It was an official war-zone with SHIELD agents, National Guard and police engaging the Hydra terrorists, but there were many super powered terrorists in the mix and they were beating back the defenders of the American seat of power.

"Do this!" said Bridge and Excalibur went to work. They were the heroes of the United Nations, resolving the problems the UN deemed were necessary to resolve and America was one of the biggest contributors to the United Nations, and while this mission was unofficial, it would certainly be approved. Hydra had been prepared for the assault of some of America's heroes but the members of Excalibur were spoiling for this. These were not gods, inter-dimensional entities, all powerful super-soldiers or alien intelligence collectives; these were normal people who were trying to take over the world. Some of them had powers, but Excalibur had fought people with powers before.

The Avengers were Earth's mightiest heroes, but Excalibur were Earth's most valiant heroes and they had a mission. They had been brought together with very little choice, but they had grown from that and become a team, a family. They had lost people, but they had endured it and now they were going to show the world just what they were capable of. There was no way that they could avoid being seen, not with such a strategic place being attacked, especially after the events of the last few years.

The media was catching on to the idea of heroes as television ratings with the presence of X-Corp, but the mainstream heroes such as the Avengers and Fantastic Four had never needed that kind of promotion before. A climactic battle in Washington was going to make the headlines and after today things would never be the same for either the United Nations or Excalibur. In a way, Bridge mourned the loss of the innocence they'd had, but it was time to show the world that humans, mutants, meta-humans and all sorts could come together with a common goal. The idea of Excalibur had been a team that united the nations of the globe, and this would work as a team that united the nations of race.

Now that was worth fighting for, Bridge mused, and suddenly he got it. The dream of Charles Xavier, the principles behind the ideas of Magneto. The problem was he had always seen it as a mutant problem as that is how it had always been portrayed, but there were wider concerns at large these days. Finally he got it, and he chided himself for not truly getting it before. It wasn't about the mutant problem - it was the problem of mankind. As he slammed his fist in to the face of one of the terrorists he smiled, thinking that maybe he and Cable weren't so different after all.

"Colonel Bridge," said one of the SHIELD agents, "are you here to take charge?"

"Guess so," said Bridge. "What's the situation?"

"The White House is under siege," said the agent. "There is a lockdown and the security teams are shooting anyone who comes close, but the building is taking some damage. We've no contact with the inside, so we don't know what's going on with the President."

"Our people?"

"Are making sure that the terrorists that can do the most damage are being contained, but we're not doing too well on stopping them. They just seem to be appearing."

"There's some kind of teleportation device around here," said Bridge. "Have some people find it, and then we'll put it out of commission."

"Yes sir," said the agent and he took two other agents out of there.

"DIE!" someone shouted and Bridge turned to see an energy bolt heading towards him and he moved out of it's way hoping he was in time but it didn't matter as Darkstar created a shield, and the energy dissipated in to it as Bridge pulled his gun and fired, taking out the mutant's knee cap and he fell to the floor.

"Thanks, Laynia," said Bridge and she nodded as she flew around, stopping those she could and making sure that any who had the capability to fight back were contained. It wasn't going to be an easy fight, but with luck Excalibur would be enough to hold them here. Savitar was also doing his bit, throwing bolts of super heated plasma at the people he picked out from the sky and Honey Lemon was moving swiftly and easily through the crowds, taking advantage of her form's added flexibility to bend and twist as she fought, and used various devices from her belt pouches to confuse, beguile and distract her opponents. Bridge smiled and he knew his people here were beginning to turn the tide of the battle and the White House could be saved, but they there was a huge THOOM as a shock-wave ripped through the air, pushing past the heroes and impacting on the front of the building.

"Jesus!" said Bridge. They'd thought they'd be enough to contain the people and they'd been wrong and now the pillars of the front of the south side of building had been struck and the building was badly damaged. Stone, plaster and glass littered the lawns and there was definitely something burning and the terrorists seemed to take a renewed sense of vigour from what they had accomplished. "Find the bastard that did that and make sure they don't do it again!" Bridge was shouting, wondering where the hell the President was, and if the man were still alive. He hoped so, because if the terrorists managed to kill the President of the United States, they'd have scored on of the greatest Hydra victories of all time. 

Someone was directing this fight, they had to be because they'd never even seen the attack coming and they'd thought they had been ready for it. There was only one person who could be doing this. They knew he was in Washington - the question was where exactly.

"Fury," Bridge muttered and he wondered if the old war-horse was laughing at the destruction and humiliation that Hydra was inflicting on the world. If they could find him and stop him from giving the instructions then they had a chance. SHIELD still played by the same rulebook he wrote, and that was a decisive tactical advantage and he wondered what was going on over at Capitol and then he heard some very large explosions coming from that direction and he smiled.

He knew the Armory system when he heard it.


Guns fired, weapons blazed and the Excalibur team went to work with gusto. USAgent was using his enhanced strength and agility to great effect and he was almost tearing through people, using his energy shield to great effect and his guns when they were needed. He had more to prove than the others because of what had happened when he had confronted Doom at the United Nations and though nobody thought the less of him for it, least of all his lady friend Elisabeth, but he needed to do this for himself and because of it he was at his fighting best. He wasn't USAgent - he was Captain America and he had a job to do.

The ferocity of the agent's attacks wasn't lost on the others who were trying to keep up with him, however they did their best. Union Jack as the man being left behind because he didn't have the special abilities of the others and the suit that he wore just gave him an extra edge. It wasn't designed for him, but it did give him more reliance. SO far he had been unable to make the suit work for him the way it had worked for Brain but he kept tinkering when he could and he was still able to give his best with the others. He had his gadgets, his guns and a laser sword, using his technical skill to design things. He put his heart and soul as well as his fighting skills and quick thinking mind in to the work and it had kept him alive for the most part, though he had been lucky on the most recent missions. He should be dead, but magic had brought him back twice now and he wondered what kind of effect that would have on him in the future.

Hellios was showing exactly what he could do, using his solar powers to great effect. He was firing blasts from his eyes, striking at those he could see needed to be struck at, and making sure that there was nobody trying to get in to the Hill, and that those who wanted to had to get through him. His invulnerability, his strength and his sheer presence was having the effect he wanted and some of the Hydra agents were balking at him, having seen what Hellios was capable of when the reports of what had happened in Europe. It seemed so long ago, but after the last day or so, the beginning of the week seemed like a lifetime ago. So much had happened, in such a short space of time and it was only a matter of time before people began to truly tire of keeping up this pace.

Hauptmann was fighting to stay awake, to keep himself going but he could feel himself starting to fade. He had been drained of his life force and there was very little left to keep him going and his powers had staved off the effects for long enough. He was going to die, he knew it but he was going out in a blaze of glory as the weapon systems of Armory fired, making short work of the terrorists. The Armory unit was an effective and invulnerable machine of war and this is what they were fighting and as long as he was still awake Armory would still be in the fight. It was all a question of time.

Sabra too was sure that they didn't have long left either but she was pleased she was able to fight properly for the first time in months. Her spinal injuries had been healed and she was more like her old self again, but as Ruth Bet=Seraph fought these people she became aware that something wasn't quite right. Hydra should be overwhelming the forces here and the presence of Excalibur was good, but they seemed to be more effective than she had considered. If Hydra were supposedly making a big play, then surely this part of Washington should be under more attack than they were using. Something didn't make sense here, but as long as they were keeping them busy...

"That's it," the Mossad agent said as she fired her gauntlets, sending out beams of paralysing energy at the terrorists within range. "We're being used as a diversion." Her years of work within the Israeli secret service told her what was going on but the question remained - what was the big plan?


He got out of the rocket car as it came to a halt and he pressed his hand against the panel. It confirmed his identity and the doors opened, revealing the tunnels and corridors before him and he entered the place, thinking it had been a long time since he had been down here. He Nick Fury smiled as he wandered the chambers. Seventy-five feet beneath the city of Washington was what was known within intelligence circles as the Compound. The Compound was a military facility that would accommodate the US government in case of attack, and was capable of strategic withdrawal to one of the many places in the US, the main one being the Raven Rock complex in Pennsylvania, otherwise known as Site R, from where he had come by rocket car. Withdrawal was only an option if there were no other recourse, and the main levels had been compromised.

It was accessible from the Capitol, the White House and the Pentagon. Harry S Truman had commissioned the Compound after the Second World War, along with the rest of the White House renovations, but this was one alteration that had never been made public. Roosevelt had considered it, but it had been Truman who had ensured it came in to existence, and Fury had been one of the people who had worked on the project. He had commissioned it the same day he had signed the United Nations charter, to make sure that if they failed, there was a back up plan in place and by the time the time the Korean War being in 1950, the Compound had been created, but thanks to Joe McCarthy, the secrecy of the Compound was paramount.

Communists could have been watching so it was made sure that only certain people had knowledge of the Compound, the Director of the National Security Agency, the Director of the CIA and a few other select people. Not even the President was made aware of it, unless the situation demanded it and then he would be able to give instruction for the Cabinet to be evacuated, then the Houses of Congress. So much water had gone so many bridges since the early days and now Fury was the last person left alive who had been involved in the construction of the Compound. He knew exactly what was going on out there, he'd arranged it that way. His agents were fighting, keeping people busy, and the heroes were completely unaware of what was going on, but that was all part of the plan.

He was Praetor of Hydra, he was the man who had arranged and co-ordinated the global strike by the organisation. He was the man who would now bring America to it's knees. The heroes of the US were powerful, but if they failed to stop the assassination of their duly elected officials, if they failed to prevent the loss of their mainstream political forces and lost control of the massive arsenal that America commanded, then it would be a major blow to them, their psyche and even if they somehow managed to regain control they would never be trusted in the same way again, and now Fury was on his way to ensure it happened.

The Compound wasn't normally accessible, with defences preventing teleportation, hi-tech devices ensuring that any mutant and metahuman powers were neutralised. The files of the Commission for Superhuman Activities had been used for years to create and update this place, even though the Commission were unaware of this place, so Fury knew there would be no interference by any of the people who might get in his way. He would take advantage, because he knew the President would be in the Compound, taking the command elevator beneath the table of the Situation Room. He had held Devastator back... Devastator, what these kids called themselves these days - but the kid had unleashed a shockwave on command, and if the President hadn't been evacuated before, he would have been now. Fury could picture the White House, mangled and burning, but they would rebuild it. Egypt would be the new capitol of the world, but America would always have a strategic importance.

He accessed the computer console again to check on the situation and it was confirmed that the President was indeed in the Compound. Fury nodded and checked his gun. He would make sure of what was going on and he would let the world know that there was nowhere safe - no matter who you were.


Genesis received the reports that X-Force had been joined by Wisdom and Shadowcat and that Raven had disappeared. It seemed that the Shadow King's attack on Xavier's had failed and that the heroes were back to being who they were again, and it did seem that Hydra were not as co-ordinated as they had been. There had been a setback of some sort and Genesis tapped in to the systems SHIELD had in place, using his familiarity with the X-Men's computers to interface with Cerebro.

"Hey Shrapnel," the computer system said. "Been a while."

"Shrapnel had been replaced by a new entity. I am Genesis."

"Genesis," Cerebro said. "That's... Forge?"

"Yes. I am an amalgamation of Forge and Shrapnel and I need to know where people are."

"The mansion's not in the best shape..."

"Which is why I am using you and the SHIELD systems in a combination. Forge redesigned you, he designed me. Anything is possible."

"I getcha," said Cerebro and the two systems touched and Genesis was aware of everything that Cerebro was aware of and vice-versa. "Is that even possible?" Cerebro asked, stunned at what Genesis was doing.

"We will know soon enough," Genesis said as he gave instructions for the Helicarrier to head towards New Mexico at the best possible speed and assist the X-Men should they need help in the battle with the Shadow King. If they lost it wouldn't really matter. "The real question is which of us tells Kate Pryde that she is pregnant."

"I'll leave that one to you," said Cerebro. "And I'd think the real question is who's the daddy?"

"That will be interesting," Genesis replied and signed off, diverting his attention back to the United Nations committee meeting. "Our forces are being combated, but we are still not getting very far in our efforts. It is a standstill and the readiness of our people is not good. The problem is we are confined by the charter and Hydra are not. I need a decision before we lose this fight."

"While you have been busy, Director Forge," the Council Leader said, "we have come to a decision. The damage that has been done to the White House has prompted us to conquer with your decision." He looked at the American delegate who was pale and visibly shaken. "The United Nations Security Council hereby devolves the Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage & Logistics Directorate from the main body of the United Nations and gives executive control to you as the Director of SHIELD." Each member of the council had signed the document and it was entered on the computer record as having been done.

"Thank you," said Genesis. "Attention SHIELD, this is Genesis. Standing orders are cancelled. Take Hydra down by any means necessary."

"Genesis?" said the leader. "But you're Forge..."

"No," said Genesis. "Forge was incapacitated in the battle with the Son of Set in the Caribbean. I am Genesis, a computer version of Forge if you will. Thank you for ceding me with control of SHIELD." The image faded away leaving a very unhappy Security Council.


"Genesis, this is Bridge."

"Yes, GW," said Genesis. "What is the problem?"

"Fury," said Bridge. "He was reported in this area but nobody's seen him. I think he's doing something... something we can't conceive. Can you find something for me?"

"I will get something for you," said Genesis. "It has to be something he knew that nobody else would, but now that that I have total authority over SHIELD, I can access things that I was not previously able to do. I will find something for you."

"Thanks," said Bridge, and he focused back on the battle. His people were starting to tire and that wasn't good, but they'd taken out the mutant who'd struck and Savitar was destroying the tesseract generator, but the White House had been badly damaged, and from what he understood, the Capitol was burning. The Pentagon was dealing with intruders in it's own inimitable way, and the soldiers in and around the place had been waiting for something like this for two years, but there was only so much that could be done much longer around here.

Whatever Nick was doing it had to be inside the White House, but how could he have gotten in? The main entrances, the tunnels et cetera would be covered and there had been several major hits to the building itself, but nobody had gotten past them. "There has to be a way inside," Bridge muttered. There was only one thing for it - he had to get in there and quickly.

"Darkstar," he shouted. "Look after people, I'm going inside..."

She nodded as she watched Bridge run and vault through the ruined fences towards the White House. He had been there several times before when he was the Director of SHIELD and he knew the most secure place in the building had to be the situation room. That was where he was headed and his SHIELD idents across his uniform allowed the people to let him in without firing at him. If there was anyone who could stop Fury from doing whatever it was he was doing - it was going to be Bridge. Darkstar smiled as she reached out. They'd all heard the rules of engagement had changed and while Excalibur weren't SHIELD, they were supported by SHIELD and that meant the rules changed for them as well.

Or at least that would be the defence and Darkstar cut loose. She'd not used her powers to their full potential because she knew what would happen but now the rules were out and the whole area became surrounded in Darkforce. Everyone within the Darkforce bubble suddenly froze, as the Darkforce held them in place. Darkstar then focused, using her powers to fixate on the SHIELD agents and her friends and cast them out of the bubble. She could feel the terror and dread emanating from them as the Darkforce tapped in to their souls, began to feed the living darkness and she cast them out before leaving the darkness herself.

"They won't be bothering us for a while," she said as she descended to the ground and her friends looked at her. She knew what they had been through though they were in there but a moment. "It was the quickest way to bring an ending to this," she said.

"I've never been this cold," Savitar said, looking at her. "Even my plasma can't heat me up."

"Leassst you hhhhave thhhhat," Honey Lemon said. "Whhhhhat will hhhhhappen to thhhhem?"

"The darkness will devour them," said Darkstar. "As the bubble constricts they will be consumed..."

"Why didn't you do that before?" asked Savitar.

"I wasn't sure I could expel everyone," she said softly. "Forge... Genesis said by any means necessary. It needed doing." They looked around at the SHIELD agents, the members of the police and everyone else who had been in the bubble, the looks on their faces. It had only been for a moment or so, but the Darkness had touched them all and it would not be something they forgot anytime soon. In the distance, smoke was billowing in the sky coming from the direction of the Capitol.

"I guess we go and join the others and finish this off," said Savitar.

"Whhhhat about thhhhe Colonel?" asked Honey Lemon.

"He's doing what he has to do," said Darkstar. She created a platform for Honey Lemon to stand on who was hesitant. "It's so you can keep up with us," Honey Lemon nodded and gingerly stepped on to the platform and the three heroes took to the sky, and when they got to the Capitol they could see that the battle was still raging.

USAgent was intense in his attack, Sabra was flying and fighting and Hellios was ensuring the main building was safe, but there was still smoke coming from the building, meaning that some people had obviously gotten through. Armory was inert, and Union Jack was keeping the enemy away from Hauptmann who was simply lying there. 

"Let's go!" said Darkstar, but then something struck her head, shaking her control and confidence and the Darkforce platform faded and Laynia couldn't keep herself aloft and both of them plummeted towards the floor and Sabra broke off and she grabbed hold of the young Russian who's head was bleeding from where she had been struck. Honey Lemon landed hard but her snake form protected her from any real harm.

"What hhhhhappened?" she said to Union Jack.

"Hauptmann lost consciousness just as he fired a couple of concussion missiles, they hit the Capitol, it clipped Hellios on the way in and in doing that there was a gap that let some people through. He also gunned down a few of our own."

"God," said Honey Lemon. "What's happening now?"

"We're being beaten back," said Union Jack. "Hydra seem to have a tenacity to them, as if they've nothing left..."

"Probably because they haven't," said a voice and they turned to see Pete Wisdom, Kate Pryde and they held their breath in horror, knowing that they were part of the Shadow King's people.

"Relax, they're with us," said Maverick. "You like doing that, don't you?"

"There is a certain kick to it," said Wisdom, with a smile but it wasn't the grin that was normally associated with him. It was thinner, almost watery and his eyes looked tired and haggard. "I guess we've work to do. Let's go." He went to work, firing hot knives.

"Is he okay?" asked Union Jack. "I don't know him that well, but..."

"Let's just say, there's someone he cares about that's not in good shape."

"Tell us about it," said Union Jack, looking at Hauptmann. "We have to get him out of here."

"I'll do it," said Siryn, as she gathered him up. "I'll get him to the nearest SHIELD office, and they'll do what they can." Maverick nodded as he watched Pete use his hot knives to grab people, spear them and do what he could to make sure that he took his frustrations out on people. Kate was also working hard, but she seemed a little sluggish as well. It had been a long day for them all, he mused, but there was something not quite right, however he let it slide.

"Where's Bridge?" he asked.

"I thhhhhink hhhhhe'sssss gone after Fury," said Honey Lemon. "If hhhhhe can take hhhhim out, thhhen we can call thhhhisss..."

"Whole thing off," said Maverick. Drawing a line underneath it. That would be good. The Shadow King would be gone and that would be that. "Wonder if he want's backup? Genesis, this is Maverick."

"Receiving," said Genesis. "What is it?"

"What's going on with Bridge, does he need assistance?"

"It seems there is a special area underneath Washington which is accessible through the Capitol, Pentagon and the White House. It is a command bunker that Fury helped design long ago, and it is most likely to assume that is where they are headed."

"Got it," said Maverick. "Where do we access it from the Capitol?"

"I have no information on that yet. I am still accessing the NSA computer grid, however there is something that I have found that will be dealt with later on."

"Understood, Maverick out," said Maverick and then he looked over at Pete. He'd been around, maybe he knew something...


Bridge hurried through the White House. The usually tight security was not as tight as normal, because they had bigger things to worry about and he was able to get to the Situation Room with relative ease and then he saw that the table had split in to two halves and there was a gap in the floor. There had always been rumours of a secret entrance, but this was the first time he had ever considered that it was in here. He'd seen the inside of the room perhaps a half dozen times, and never even suspected it was in here. This was where he had to go, and he knew it and he hurried, wondering what he'd find and praying he wasn't too late.

Then there was the sound of gunfire and he knew he was running out of time and he could hear men shouting and he followed the sounds of the voices until he came to an elevator shaft. It looked a long way down to the bottom but that was where he had to go. He didn't have powers, he controlled a moving battle-tank, but he didn't have that with him. Colonel George Washington Bridge was just a man and he was getting too old for this shit. It had been a long time since he'd run with the Wild Pack, or the Six Pack as they became, but sometimes you just knew that was who you were. He leapt, grabbing the cables of the lift shaft and he slid down the line, using his boots to slow himself every so often, and then let go again. The metal cables burnt at his gloves and he could feel the heat and the pain in his hands and he landed on the top of the elevator.

He could see the gloves had been burn away and his hands were bleeding but he had no time for that. He had to make sure that Fury didn't achieve his goals and he kicked open the hatch and dropped through. Thankfully there doors were closed, but it meant that he'd be a target as they opened and he held his gun, biting back the pain as the cold metal met the gashed hand and he pressed the open button and dropped to the floor as the door opened.

"What the hell?" Fury asked, standing over the body of the President and Bridge fired, but the shot missed because he could barely grip the gun. The President then rolled and kicked out, knocking the man to his knees and Bridge realised it wasn't the American Commander in Chief at all, it was a decoy.

"Incredible," said Bridge.

"You think that with everything that happens, there's not going to be a mutant on staff?" said the President as his shape changed to resemble another man. The gunshot wound was bleeding badly, and Bridge couldn't tell if the man was going to live or die, but then again he was secret service and that was what they were trained to do.

"Clever," Fury said, standing. "Shoulda guessed."

"Hey, Nick," said Bridge, and he shoulder charged the man, slamming him in to the wall. "Shoulda seen that coming as well."

"Let's do this then," said Fury and the two men went at it. Fury was physically fitter, less tired than Bridge, but GW was fighting for the man's soul, because what had been done could be undone. It was simple enough and each of them fought, landing blows hard, knocking each other over and they attacked each other. Nick slammed Bridge in to the wall, and Bridge kneed the man in the jaw, sending him back. No holds were called for and they struck with passion and fire, but Fury's condition began to become an advantage and he landed a shot that knocked Bridge to his back and Fury then slammed a knife in to his chest. Bridge cried out, but he was exhausted.

"Everyone o' you people are fools," Fury said. "I've been fighting this war for over fifty years, what exactly did you think you were goin' to show me that was new?"

"This," said a voice and a single gunshot went off and Nick's hand went to his chest and he looked over to see the real President standing there, a gun in his hand. "Just because I'm the President, it doesn't mean I won't fight." Fury fell to the floor.

"Nice shot, sir," said Bridge, standing.

"Nice distraction, son," said the President. "He was off guard, it let me get my shot in."

"It's not his fault," said Bridge, checking on Fury. He was alive, but the wound would need treatment.

"So I understand," said the President. "Colonel Fury was one of my heroes from way back. If we have the facilities to get him back to who he was, that's what we'll do. It's over now."

Bridge sighed. Fury was back in their hands. The Shadow King's forces were being routed. The X-Men would have faced the Shadow King by now and there had been no indication's they'd lost. Aside from the cleaning up, it looked as if it was all over.

"Yes, sir," he said, but there was going to be repercussions from this. There always were so who knew what the future held in store?