January 13th, 2014
"Strucker, buddy!" a man said over the radio connection. "How you doing?"
"Surviving," Strucker said simply, looking around the radio room Garrett had loaned him.
Sterns had, in a way, saved their lives. The man was not just brilliant. he was innovative. Some thought those were the same things, but there was a reason there were dozens of genius level intellects, and only one Tony Stark. He'd even managed to enhance Davida in mere moments, deducing her new powers and helping her learn how to use them. He was useful. For now. He was also unbearably smug when the assault on the SHIELD Academy turned up nothing.
Despite this, Strucker was still firm in the belief the assault had been a good choice. While the enemy had managed to counter the teleporter so that anyone sent to the academy was simply 'bounced' back with polka dot skin and swapped genitals (Stucker had no idea what to think of that) he still had to make the attempt.
After leaving the HYDRA academy with all the resources they could gather, Strucker guided his men to their new base of operations. Sterns had managed to help them get to Gideon Malick's home, a small castle in North America, without being found out, a place with enough land to hold all their forces. The man had even managed to create a device to hide them from satellites and radar, allowing HYDRA to gather without fear.
The radio was another invention of Sterns. He had not explained how or why it worked, his way of keeping himself invaluable. But the point was that the radio allowed Strucker to contact HYDRA forces across the world without risk of being intercepted or tracked.
The results of that had been depressing. The Treehouse had been destroyed by one of HYDRA's own Enhanced. The Sandbox had been taken by HYDRA, only to be lost later on, though thankfully their scientists were on their way with an Enhanced teenager that had been brainwashed. But everything else had been taken control of by SHIELD and the Avengers.
But thankfully, the Phase Harmonic Teleportation Device, which was being called the Fishhook by the grunts, had let them start grabbing and saving resources. And Stern's work around for the communications was still working, though he'd had to rework it a couple of times.
"Garrett," Strucker said, focusing. "I am not calling to simply discuss the weather."
"How the hell are you calling me, anyways?" John Garrett asked. "We've been having problems with that."
"I will explain when you get here," Strucker responded.
"You want us to meet, huh?"
"We need to gather our resources," Strucker said.
"Well, I'll do it, I'm always willing to make friends! But I'm making a stop somewhere first. The Fridge has some sweet toys I want to grab."
Strucker rubbed his chin. "Will you bringing any of those with you?"
"Only if you share however it is you're talking with me," Garrett switched gears, becoming very serious. "If this raid is going to work, I need comms."
"You have them," Strucker said. "We need counters to the Avengers and SHIELD, especially to this... Dial, that has appeared. Where are you? I'll send soldiers to join you."
"That'd be great!" Garrett said instantly.
Late at night, on a beach in an undisclosed location, the Fridge stood tall. One hundred stories, with only one door on the rooftop and no other way into the building, it was among the most imposing structures in the world.
Two guards watched the main door from inside a pair of thick glass doors, staring out at the dark night sky. As they watched however, something fell onto the ground from out of nowhere, smashing into the roof with a crack of broken concrete.
"What the-" One of the men stepped forward, staring at the object that had landed on top of a building that stood over 1000 feet tall. "Is that... a woman?"
"Where did she come from!?" the other guard said concerned, looking up at the empty night sky.
Suddenly, the woman rose to her feet. As the pair stared, she flipped her blonde hair behind her head and strode towards the door. She had long hair, a face that was beautiful, but also strong, and an extremely fit form. She was wearing a green leather jacket zipped to the top, leather black jeans, and impractical high heels. She smirked as she came to the door, and both men stepped back pointing their guns at her. She leaned against the glass, still smirking. "Hey boys. Mine letting a girl in?" she said, her Southern accent seductive and lilting.
"Who the hell are-"
"What the fuck does that matter?" the first soldier's partner said. "This is a restricted location, no one should even be here! Miss, get down on the ground, now."
"Wel,l that is just plain mean, sugah," the woman said, pouting playfully. "I guess I'll have to let myself in."
She reared back and punched the bulletproof glass, shattering it with ease.
"Shit, Enhanced!" one of the men yelled, shooting his assault rifle at her, his partner joining in. For about a minute, they poured bullets into the woman. She let them for a moment, looking down as the bullets tore into her clothes, bouncing off her skin to land on the floor. "Run, warn everyone!"
The other soldier headed to the elevator behind them, running for it. He slammed on the button and looked back as the woman smacked his friend, sending flying into the wall. The elevator doors began to close as she rushed towards it, closing just before she reached. The elevator began to drop towards the lower floors.
The soldier in the elevator breathed out a sigh, his heart beating like a drum, reaching for his comms. "Control, we have an-"
Then some perfect manicured fingers pierced through the doors, followed by an arm. The elevator halted, stopped by the superhuman arm. As the motor whined and the steel around the arm crumbled, the soldier screamed into his comms.
"Enhanced attacking the Fridge! Mayday, mayday!"
Then the blonde woman ripped her way into the elevator.
Moments later, a Quinjet landed on the roof, soldiers Chitauri armor teleporting into existence at the same time.
"Helen, was it?" John Garrett said as he strode through the halls of the Fridge, smiling at the blonde woman next to him. "Gotta say, I like your style. How strong are you exactly?"
"Never really tested my limits, sugah," Helen said simply, clearly focused on other things. "You really think Davida is in here?"
"It would make sense, SHIELD tends to keep it's favorite prisoners here," Garrett said, striding confidently. He looked behind him. "Go ahead and start killing anyone in our way with those golden boys, will you?"
The tall, imposing black man behind Garrett nodded, striding forward to join the Chitauri armored soldiers in wiping out the opposition in the Fridge.
"What is that guy?" Helen asked as the tall man fired rockets from his arm.
"My very best friend," Garrett said flippantly. "Come on. Strucker said we only have twenty minutes before SHIELD finds out about us."
"What are we looking for, exactly?" Helen asked.
Before Garrett could answer, a man came from a hallway on their left and shot at them. Helen leaped in front of the bullets and let them bounce off her chest, kicking the SHIELD soldier's leg hard enough to shatter it. She grabbed him by the front of his armor, fingers tearing through kevlar and steel to give her a firm grip and tossed him upwards, the man smashing into the ceiling with bone crushing force. He fell to the floor, unconscious.
"Damn," Garrett said, impressed. "Nice work. But you forgot one thing," Garrett shot the soldier in the head. "Can't leave witnesses. Had to kill those two you left upstairs as well."
Ignoring the shocked look on Helen's face, Garrett continued. "Gonna be a good day!"
While Garrett and his men emptied the Fridge, more work was being done elsewhere. In the castle grounds of Malick's home, in a courtyard illuminated by spotlights, HYDRA was preparing for it's next recruitment. Strucker watched as his scientists and engineers worked around Blonsky's massive tank. They removed the pipes on the tank and worked on the software of the cryogenics on it, stepping on the cobblestone floor as the stars shone down on them. Men in Chitauri armor floated over the courtyard, their purple glow flitting about, and more soldiers with conventional weaponry surrounded the area. Two sonic cannons rested to the east and west of the tank, as well as vehicles with heavy assault weaponry around them.
"It'll be nice to speak to Emil again," Sterns said, walking up to join Strucker. Strucker looked at Sterns, noting the orange jacket he had found somewhere. It clashed with his green skin. But then, a man with a head as enlarged as Sterns was wouldn't worry as much about appearance. "I was always curious to see how his change affected his mind."
"We can only hope he listens to reason," Strucker looked at Wanda and Pietro. "Stay ready. We may need you."
Pietro nodded quickly. Wanda was far more hesitant, and Strucker looked at them for a moment. Ever since they'd gone to the base in Alaska, he'd worried about the two. The two hadn't killed any soldiers themselves, but once adrenaline had faded from everyone systems, they seemed wracked with anxiety over those who had died. He'd have to be careful about them. But for now...
A massive noise filled the air. Everyone looked at the tank, where a dent had been smashed from the inside on the door.
"What are you doing!?" Strucker yelled. "We aren't awakening him yet!"
"It's not us!" A scientist cried out. "He's just- Ah!" the scientist screeched when another dent was struck in the door.
"Pietro, get them out of there!" Strucker cried out. The door flew out of the tank, and the massive being within leaped out. He reached for a scientist.
And a blue blur sped throughout the area for thirty feet around the tank. The beings fist closed on nothing, and the scientists and engineers were safely away as Pietro screeched to halt next to his sister.
"Wanda!" Sterns yelled, preempting Strucker. "Be ready!"
The being looked around as guns ranging from armor piercing to laser blasting pointed at him, two sonic cannons joining in. He snorted, seemingly amused. When he spoke, it was in a voice like gravel rolling down a hill. "So, this is the best you could bring to kill me? You'll need a thousand more."
"Why would we try to kill you!?" Sterns yelled out, stepping forward.
Blonsky spun to look at Sterns. He narrowed his eyes at him. "You... you're that scientist. The one who-"
"The one who helped you become this... magnificence," Sterns voice sounded almost euphoric. "Look at the power you have now."
"Yeah, thanks. Though it looks like I'm not the only one whose gone through some changes." Emil noted, rising to his full height. "What do you want?"
"For you to help us," Sterns said simply.
"Hahaha!" Emil stepped forward, ignoring the guns pointed at him as he strode forward. "Why should I? Why don't I simply kill you all?"
"The Hulk!" Sterns frowned when Strucker spoke from the back. When Emil looked at Strucker, the monocled man stepped forward. "We will help you find him, and kill him."
Sterns spun to glare at Strucker, but sighed and turned back to Blonsky. "Yes, we will help you... kill Bruce Banner," he added the last reluctantly. "Join us. And we will make sure no one ever cages you again."
"Hmm... No, I think not," Blonksy leaped forward, smiling gleefully.
A blue blur pulled Sterns and Strucker back. Undeterred, Blonsky jumped towards them with a sick grin on his face.
"WANDA!" Sterns and Strucker yelled in unison.
A red energy smashed into Emil in midair, pushing him back with a surprised look on his horrific face. He flew into his old tank, destroying it. Emil rose up hurriedly, staring as Wanda stepped forward, her hands glowing with power.
"We know how to find the man you wish to kill," Strucker said, walking next to her. "The Hulk has a team now, individuals as exceptional as you are that you have no chance of defeating alone, not when their numbers will let them outmatch even your exceptional power. We can provide a team for you as well. People to fight alongside, leave you to battle the Hulk to your content."
Emil listened, calming.
"I promise you, Emil Blonsky," Stern said, walking up to join Strucker and Wanda as they stood across from the monster before them. "You will never find a better way to prove your power than with our resources. We can make you a legend."
"...Well. Now that is an offer," Emil smiled, his horrific features twisting. "First thing. I'm hungry. And I want her to make me a sandwich."
Wanda blinked when he pointed at her. Her eyes narrowed, and she gathered more energy before her fingers as an answer.
"Ha! Fiesty... I suppose I'll agree," He rose out of the tank and cracked his neck to the side. "But when I kill the Hulk... all bets are off."
January 14th, 2014
The next morning, Strucker was there with his soldiers to greet John Garrett when he and his men landed on the grounds outside Gideon Malick's castle. Men in Chitauri armor landed on the ground at the same time as four Quinjets, joining their brethren. The closest Quinjet to Strucker opened its back door to expel Garrett.
The former SHIELD agent stepped out with a salesmans smile and outstretched arms. "Strucker, look at you! Healthy as ever. Well except the bags under your eyes."
Strucker smiled tightly. "Indeed. How was the raid?"
"Went off like a charm," Garrett said, his smile widening further. "Got a whole lot of new toys, even a few recruits. Even managed to get my girl Flowers out of prison on the way." Garrett nodded to a woman the in background who was wearing a red silk dress. She sat in a Quinjet, hands in her lap as she watched the proceedings. "She can help create more of the Centipede serum for us."
Men in brown uniforms with black vests filed out of the Quinjets, carrying weapons and equipment with casual ease no human strength could match. Their eyes glowed subtly red as they walked, a consequence of the Centipede serum in their veins, and Garrett watched as other soldiers in black uniforms joined them.
"Excellent," Strucker said, watching the soldiers line up behind Garrett, a tall black man Strucker knew as Deathlok taking a spot at his right side. Helen walked out of the Quinjet and moved to stand with Strucker.
"Thing is though," Garrett's smile became more dangerous. "I'm not sure if I should give them to you."
The Chitauri armored soldiers tensed, facing the Centipede enhanced men and women across from them. Strucker and Garrett's armies faced each other. Helen's eyes started to get slightly redder. Deathlok's right arm opened to reveal a weapon within.
"...Perhaps you need an incentive?" Strucker raised a hand and snapped his fingers.
A massive green figure flew from the castle and landed behind Strucker like a missile.
"Holy shit!" Garrett yelled, stepping back as the Abomination stood up with a smirk.
A blue blur suddenly appeared next to Helen. Finally, two figures flew down from the sky. Wanda flew on jets of her power, coming to a stop behind Pietro. Sterns simply floated on a disk hovering on jets of purple energy, his arms crossed while he looked at the battlefield.
"Satisfied, Garrett?" Strucker asked.
Things were tense for a moment longer. Then Garrett smiled, the cyborg next to him relaxing. "Oh yeah. I am absolutely satisfied."
Author's Note: I worked on Abomination for hours. Trying to make his dialogue both brief and simple, without making it seem like I was rushing things. I mean, he only has one thing he's interested in, and Emil was shown to be able to figure out tactics when he wasn't being an asshole, so I figured he'd listen to reason when his target wasn't around. But I just couldn't figure out how I did.
That said, I do stand by his reason for joining.
But yeah, Helen, aka Letha, and the other Grapplers have joined Strucker because they want to find Davida. Wanda and Pietro are... thinking. Garrett is still trying to save himself. Sterns is on the down-low.
In the end, the only one who actually works for HYDRA at this point is Strucker and his soldiers. Seriously, I did not do that on purpose.