Post by DiscipleofBob on Mar 1, 2015 3:35:02 GMT -5
Agents of SHIELD #7:
Serpent Society
Serpent Society
School on a Saturday. Coles Academic High was, like most public education institutions, nearly abandoned on the weekend. After all, things like Saturday detention and extracurriculars were money out of the budget if staff needed to be hired for the weekend. It was isolated enough to not draw attention, without any real bystanders, and inconspicuous enough that if a few students were seen on campus, no one would bat an eye.
The men seemingly loitering in random locations outside the school might have seemed like ordinary thugs passing time, but in fact they were keeping close watch on the area. The agents posted inside were in full uniform, and if they were visible to the public, the true nature of their presence might have been more apparent.
The main event was in the gymnasium, complete with bleachers and a dry, empty pool. In the announcer box in the corner of the gym, two agents had set up shop with their own laptops and other consoles. A communicator nearby hissed on and commanded a single word. -"Report."-
One of the agents picked up the communicator to respond. "The two Spiders were last sighted on the upper west side a few minutes ago. No other hero sightings in the immediate area. We will not be bothered."
-"Excellent work. Continue to monitor all frequencies and watch for any signs of trouble."- The woman's voice was pleased. When she was happy, her voice was sweet and sultry, like a nectar enticing its prey. Some leaders commanded attention with their voice. Others demanded respect. This voice wanted devotion. It desired worship. It was nearly impossible to listen to that voice and not want to do everything possible to appease her every whim.
"Thank you, Lady Viper. Hail HYDRA," the agent responded.
Down in the gym, standing on the center of a stage no doubt reserved for terrible productions of drama students, the green-haired dominatrix in jade leather cooed back into the microphone. "Let's get started then, shall we, darlings? Bring in the candidates."
The 'students' outside the gymnasium were HYDRA agents in disguise, but the dozen or so young men and women entering the gym were the real thing: curious, nervous teenagers all trying to put on a brave face and pretend things weren't completely freaky.
"Hello! Hello, and welcome, ladies and gentlemen," Viper's voice echoed throughout the gymnasium. "I'm so glad you all could come out and share in what I'm about to offer all of you." Viper continued her presentation, the arena flanked by silent guards. Unlike the many HYDRA agents guarding the building or working support, Viper's personal guard were much more unique, wearing scaly bodysuits of various colors and fits.
High above the gymnasium floor, unbeknownst to Viper anyone in the building below or any of the guards just outside, she waited patiently in the ventilation shafts, the type that Hollywood had convinced the world were in every corporation headquarters, government building, and secret base in the world, but in reality could only be found in three places: factory floors, low-security warehouses, and high school gymnasiums.
Romanoff had been in position long before Viper had started her pitch. For her, the guards had been easy to slip past. She could have probably taken down the majority of them without being detected, but missing guards made for suspicious marks. Viper was an elusive target, one who could somehow force any situation where she was supposed to be the prey to make her instead the predator.
"Are you getting this, Coulson?
The Quinjet had to be cloaked high enough and far enough away that the sounds of a hovering aircraft wouldn't tip off HYDRA. Right now the patrolling guards outside were tiny specs, but even specs could be targeted. Rogers, Coulson, and Carol were watching carefully from the cockpit, still cramped even without three of the other agents they shared a plane ride with.
"Loud and clear, Agent Romanoff. Keep the mic steady. This is probably more information than we'd ever get out of Viper in interrogation."
"I don't like this," said Carol. "There are too many innocent civilians. If we follow the original plan and try to cut off all of Viper's exits before striking, those kids could get caught in the crossfire."
"We'll make sure they won't," Rogers assured her. "This isn't the first time I've been in a potential hostage situation before. We'll avoid any civilian casualties."
"This," Viper emphasized as she held up a small vial. Its red contents glowed and sparkled, "is what you're all here for. For those of you who haven't been here before, let me emphasize: this is not just some street drug. This isn't a cheap high or a meaningless buzz. This is power. Real power, at your fingertips. In a world increasingly dominated by mutant powers and technology so advanced it may as well be science fiction, this and this alone is a way for you to even out the playing field."
Some of the teenagers looked on in eager anticipation. Others whispered in uncertainty, or even tried to back up before realizing that the guards had blocked the exit.
-"We need to take action soon. Agent Payne, are you in position yet?"- Rogers's voice sounded over the comm.
"Yeah, keep your shield on, Cap, this isn't as easy as it looks," Payne said as he very carefully set the charge on one of a dozen connected explosions. "I had to knock out some of the guards so they wouldn't trigger anything early. I've already got the other locker room wired, just need to finish up here."
-"How many bombs are you setting? We're trying to take prisoners here."-
"Don't worry, there's nothing here that's that lethal. A few concussive grenades, no shrapnel, some flash bang, a little bit of tear gas, plus a few I've been saving for a special occasion."
-"I'm honored you regard this mission so highly."-
"Hm? Oh, yeah, I guess so. I was more looking forward to handing it to that Viper bitch."
-"You have a personal history?"-
"Everyone with a record in SHIELD does. I had to deal with her in Tokyo and D.C. Barton in Hong Kong, Mexico City, Paris, Budapest, and Cairo. Romanoff in Argentina, Moscow, and Dubai."
-"Twice in Dubai, actually. Don't worry. You wouldn't have known about it,"- Romanoff's voice suddenly sounded over the comm as well.
"Yeah, so if we can take down Viper, it'll be a HUGE notch on everyone's belt. And after the infection she gave me in Tokyo..."
-"What?"-
"Hey, in my defense, at the time I just thought she was a crazy chick."
-"You like 'em, crazy, huh?"-
"You should see my ex-wife."
Satisfied that Payne was at least on the job despite a few setbacks, the focus naturally turned to the other member of the team. "Speaking of which, Barton's been awfully quiet."
Coulson double-checked a few console windows. "The GPS in his comm indicates he's on the adjacent building, so at least he's in position. Maybe he's just trying to psych himself out? Block out distractions, that sort of thing?"
"Barton is his own worst distraction," Carol said worried.
"It's all right to be nervous," Viper's voice changed, suddenly kind and soothing in comparison. "You have every reason to be with all these so-called superhumans running around these days. Heroes fighting villains in the streets, all while you're just, what, the innocent bystander?
As Viper continued her speech, one of the HYDRA agent's voices sounded in her ear. -"Lady Viper? We've run the scans and there's one candidate that tests as positive. The girl on the far right."-
"I'm going to help you change that. I'm going to give you the peace of mind you so richly deserve, by making you equal. But don't take my word for it," she continued, motioning to her two personal bodyguards. "My friends here were once just poor, lowly ex-cons. Now, after a few select doses..." Viper let the sentence hang in the air as she motioned for them. On her left, the man's muscles suddenly expanded rapidly as he grew an additional six feet quickly, turning him into a goliath of a man with even greater muscles in proportion. The butch, stocky woman to Viper's right extended long, tree-truck thick arms to grab a pair of metal chairs nearby and crush both, one in each elbow.
"These and many other new abilities can be yours for the taking. Everything is safe and temporary, with only a few exceptions. And the best part is that the first round is on me," Viper said cheerfully as she brought a small case of vials to start handing out to the teenagers.
Suddenly a window crashed. A purple streak shot through the air, knocking the briefcase out of Viper's hands before it could be opened. A second arrow shot higher, way overhead, but this time a cable followed it. After the arrow struck the concrete wall and the cable because taught, Clint Barton swung through, crashing the rest of the window and gallantly somersaulting to his feet in the center of the room, bow drawn. "Do I REALLY need to educate you kids on the virtues of NOT accepting needles and candy from strangers? ESPECIALLY if they look like someone that was censored out of a bondage magazine?"
Barton couldn't hear, but five voices shouted over the comms in unison. -"DAMNIT BARTON!!!"-
To be continued...