Thor, or rather Jake Olson, walked through the streets of New York city with his head low. The events of the past few days were disturbing to say the least. Some of the matters would require further investigation, but for now, Jake Olson had problems of his own that needed tending to. He'd been walking for hours, thinking things through, trying to determine the best way to handle things. Though he'd never admit it to anyone else, Thor knew that thinking wasn't his strongest attribute.

Lost in thought, he continued his directionless wandering until, quite roughly, it came to a halt. He'd walked right into a mountain of a man wearing a long trench coat and had been knocked down on his rear. He tried to stand, but he didn't have to. The man hoisted him up by his collar and began yelling in his face.

"Watch where yer goin'! Who the hell ya think ya are?"

Before he could respond, he was tossed like so much garbage into an alley. Shaking the stars from his vision, he stuggled to place the voice...and that face. His eye's grew wide with recognition. It was Crusher Creel, the Absorbing Man! There was no doubt about it. And that meant trouble. Without hesitation, he struck his fist onto the concrete below him. In a blinding flash of light, he was instantly transformed into Thor, God of Thunder.

"Alas, the affairs of Jake Olson must be set aside once again, for Thor doth think the Absorbing Man up to naught but evil. So, by the power of mighty Mjolnir, the Odinson doth take flight!"

Rocketing straight up from the alley, Thor took to the sky. He flew in slow circles above the streets, trying to locate Creel, but it was no use. He'd disappeared from sight. Thor was about to give up the search when he heard shouts and sirens only a block away from him. "Perhaps tis the Absorbing Man, and perhaps not, but whatever doth menace the people of Midgaurd, Thor stands ready for battle!"

Mjolnir in hand, Thor swooped low over the streets at high speed towards the disturbance. When he arrived, he made note that several police cars lay demolished, and that the officers were in need of medical attention. The notion that he should help these men struggled with the need to avenge them against whoever, or whatever, had caused this. Never had he experienced such indecision, and it was wasting time. The longer he pondered it, the further their condition worsened, and the further their assailant fled.

Thor could hear people yelling at him, begging him to help, to take action. But he was in a daze, Jake Olson was trying to take over! "Sheer nonsense," thought Thor. "I am Jake Olson now, verily tis an after effect from my previous battle." But still he did nothing, merely stared at the destruction, and at the gaping hole in the bank wall in front of him.

A slap to the face brought him around. "Who dares strike the Odinson?"

"I dare," said a familiar voice. It was Jane Foster, the only one who knew of Thor's double life. "What're you doing just standing there? The Absorbing Man's getting away!"

"I...the Absorbing Man?" Thor shook his head to clear it. "Verily, I doth apologize my lady Jane, I know not what hath come over me. Which way hath yon villian fled?"

Jane, and several of the wounded officers pointed the direction he went, and Thor took to the air without another word. This time Creel was much easier to track, he was leaving a trail of money. Thor caught up to him quickly, he was on foot, racing down the middle of the street. Taking aim, Thor hurled Mjolnir at Creel.

The hammer struck him soundly in the middle of his back, causing him to drop the bags of money and fall on his face. Thor settled to the ground behind him as Mjolnir flew once again to its masters hand. "Base villian! No longer doth ye face the valiant officers of Midgaurd, but the mighty Thor! Stand and prepare to be thwarted!"

The Absorbing Man stood, taking on the properties of the asphalt as he did, and turned to Thor. "Well, well. If it isn't Goldilocks." With a howl of rage he tore off his trench coat and pulled out his ball and chain, swinging it at Thor.

Thor dodged the massive wrecking ball and landed a powerfull blow to the Absorbing Man's jaw. "Thou art surely beaten! None may challenge the power of Thor!"

Shaking off the punch, the Absorbing Man landed a few of his own. "Yeah, I've heard that before. But this time it's gonna be different."

The ball finally conected and knocked Thor into traffic. Several cars came to a screeching halt, but not all. A large semi was unable to stop in time and ran right into Thor and a few other cars. Amid the twisted steel and broken glass, Thor struggled to free himself as others screamed for help. The sight of the blood made that strange sensation come back, stronger than ever.

The Absorbing Man took full advantage of this and gathered up his bags of money, planning to make his escape. But the sight of Thor standing there in a daze was too good an opportunity to pass up. He dropped the money and drew his ball and chain once again. Swinging it over his head, he advanced towards the helpless Thunder God.

Thor didn't even see it coming, and the ball cracked him in the head. He flew once again into a pile of wrecked cars, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Verily, this strange occurance is becoming a bother," he said, rising once again to his feet. Then a thought struck him, Mjolnir. Where was Mjolnir? He must have dropped it when he was struck.

But there was no time to look, the Absorbing Man was barreling down on him once again. Thor side stepped the clumsy attack, and began raining blows as the Absorbing Man tripped and fell. "I say thee nay! Thou shalt not win this day base villain!"

The mental clock in Thor's head was ticking away, soon he would revert to Jake Olson.* His decision was forced, he lept from the body of the Absorbing Man, and began a frantic search for his hammer. He found it not far from the wreck of the semi, with the blood and people screaming for help...

[*Thor reverts back to Jake Olson if he releases his hammer for more than 60 seconds at a time - Editorial Russ]

This time, the Absorbing Man decided it would be better to escape with the money. Even in his current condition, Thor was no pushover. He gathered his bags and fled, leaving Thor in a daze amid the wreckage.