Onslaught Black

Story by Darkhawk and Tiger.

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July 2, 1998
New York City, New York

This is New York City, the city that never sleeps. Alas today that is now in jeopardy due to the arrival of two unwanted tourists. One very well known BatWing. He's most known for killing millionaire Kirby Moore and popular heroes. The other is not. He is Onslaught. He has come to bring about the end of all.

Down below a civilian spots BatWing pirched upon the Empire State Building. He locates the nearest phone and dials the Police. After a couple of rings the call's answered.

"NYPD, how may I help you?", answers the police.

"I just saw BatWing on the Empire State Building!", he says.

"Have you been drinking sir?", the policeman asks.

"Look I want to talk to Captain Frank Castle, tell him it's Drake."

Luckily Frank Castle is walking by the desk. "Sir go home and get some sleep.", the policeman tells Drake.

Castle interrupts the dispatcher and asks, "What's going on?"

"Oh some drunk thought he saw BatWing on the Empire State Building and he wants to talk to you. Said his name was Drake."

"Give me that phone!", the Captain asserts.

Officers Sean Cassidy and his partner Mike Powell, are on patrol a few blocks away. The radio comes alive as Castle's voice shouts theough the speakers, "Car 49, car 49 do you copy?"

Powell grabs the microphone handset and says, "10-4 Captain what's the problem?"

"We have a confirmed BatWing sighting at Empire State Building.", Castle says.

"We're on our way.", Powell answers.

"Let's roll.", Cassidy says as he flips on the siren.

Cassidy glances over to Powell, "Lad, when we get there let me confirm the sighting before ye jump the gun." Powell nodds and Cassidy puts the pedal to the floor.

Roughly 10 minutes later, Cassidy and Powell arrive at the scene. Cassidy takes a look outside, shining a flashlight onto the building, when all of a sudden a black blur strikes at him from the air. It's BatWing and it looks like he's going to town. Mike Powell gasps as BatWing rips to shreds his partner, not aware of his own appending doom.

KRAKA-DOOM

The sound of the car exploding is the last thing Cassidy hears as BatWing eats him alive. Above the harbinger of the explosion, Onslaught, hovers in the air as his reign of terror has begun.

Onslaught steps from the shadows that hid him only minutes ago. BatWing shrieks victoriously and flies to Onslaught's side. Onslaught glances at BatWing, then raises his hands.

A crowd has gathered to investigate the noise. The sky becomes black, and the winds howl. The crowd begins to panic and run, trampling each other in the confusion.

Then Onslaught points and a crimson beam comes forth from his hand. The street cracks, buildings fall as a tower rises from the ground.

The ground shakes like an earthquake of incredible fury. Lightning flashes, thunder booms as the ground gives way. The tower grows and expands.

Finally it stops. Bodies lie here and there, crushes by panic around the silver tower. There is a sense of vengeance in the air.

Elsewhere the Police retrieve two of their own. Some of them deal with it in anger, while others are awestruck. So then they return to the station where policemen gather in force for instructions.

Shortly thereafter Teresa Cassidy receives a phone call.

Frank Castle says, "Teresa? I have news about your father."

"What? Is he okay?", she replies.

"I'm sorry...", he says. "Your father died in the line of duty."

Teresa breaks into tears and hangs up the phone.

Teresa sits down on the couch, holding a picture of her father close to her heart. There is a knock at her door. "Who is it?", she asks, trying to hold back the tears.

"It's Ben...Ben Reilly. I sit behind you in Dr. Conner's class." Slowly she gets up and lets him in.

She laid her head on his shoulder and her tears flowed. "I heard about your father, he was a good cop."

She began to gain control of herself. "Ben, there's something I have to tell you, I...I'm a mutant."

Ben stopped her, "What does that have to do with it?" Then he realized her point. "No, you can't fight that monster, not alone, I'll go with you.", Ben said.

"Thanks Ben, but what can you do?", she asked as she put on her jacket and a velvet Halloween mask which covered part of her face. By the time she turned around he had donned his Spider costume and finished pulling his mask over his face. "You had to ask?", he said.

And as the two leave on bark of their mission, they are met by Nate Grey, Teresa's best friend. "Teresa,", he says. "I know what you're planning and you can't do it alone."

Spider says, "Who's this guy?"

"I'm a mutant too...", he starts to say.

Spider's eyes wide and interrupts, "Gosh, isn't everybody?"

"And you must be the Spider.", Nate replies.

Spider looks at him, then points out, "Good eye."

"Well," Teresa says, "Now that we're all acquainted with each other, I think maybe we'd better stay out of view."

"No problem, I'll use my mental powers to hide us.", Nate says.

As they rush down the street, the 3 allies try to think of a plan. "You know gang," Spider says, "We can't exactly tackle this whole mess by ourselves."

"Good point, and we can't exactly run across the city, welll be worn out before the fight." Siryn added.

Nate said, "Well, I could use my mental powers to try and detect others who want a piece of the action."

"Good idea.", Spider said.

Nate stopped and began to concentrate. "I sense...so many, that want revenge."

"We can't recruit the whole city Nate.", Siryn said.

"Well, I can narrow it down to the closest ones."

"Good deal," Spider added, "Let's get moving before Bat-Fink attacks someone else."

"I also don't like the looks of that silver tower.", Siryn said. As they headed off to find their first recruit.

They track down the first one who's blasting a building to ashes. Turning around he notices the three and stops. "Did he send you? I don't care! I'll take on the whole city if I have to save the world!", he says.

Spider motions his hands, "no! We're teaming up against the big guy. You're welcome to join."

He responds, "Sure, the 'big guy' s a waiting, we'll get there faster in my brother's truck.

Moments later the truck pulls into an alley. Spider asks Nate, "So where exactly is this mutant?"

"Close.", he replies, as they exit the truck. Their eyes wander until a shape moves away from the brick wall.

the shape shifts into a man and says, "Hey y'all. I'm Mimic. Y'all going to that big figgin' tower o'er there?"

Nate replies, "Uh...yeah. Wanna come? I'm Nate. Dis here's Ter...Siryn, Spider and uh...uh..."

"Havok.", the driver says. "As in Evil crying Havok."

"Sure man. We be jammin'!", Mimic says.

Shortly thereafter, an area of fireworks accompanies a blink noise as a purple-colored woman appears in the back of the truck.

Siryn says, "I guess that's our new recruit?"

"Yo, is everybody just going to forget me on the invitee list? This party's huge and Blink is definitely in the fold.", she says.

Nate says, "Well group we can't find the next one sitting in this truck."

Siryn asks, "So where do we find him or her?"

"We go on foot." Nate Grey jumps out of the parked vehicle and locates the nearest manhole.

"I hate to ask. Is it Splinter or some teenage turtle?", Spider cracks.

"Turtles? I'm too old for this.", Havok whines.

"Fine, Spider you come with me others wait up here.", Nate says.

The two allies enter the sewer, and start to walk.

"We should find this dude soon. I'm glad I wear a mask.", the Spider says.

They push along when they find a crossway into two other chambers.

"Which way braniac?", Spider asks.

Then they hear footsteps coming from one of the chambers.

Nate says to Spider, "Brace yourself."

Spider replies, "Heh-heh Why?"

Then the mysterious figure is revealed and Spider adds, "Oh, that's why.", as the two see a large frog-man.

In a grating deep low voice he says, "You go away. Leave me alone."

Nate says, "We're mutants just like you. Come with us and defeat a villain that threatens not only your life, but the world itself."

He replies, "Why you need my help? Amphibious been doing good for himself alone."

"We're just like you. Fighting to keep a world in peace. I'd like to think that your help would not only make friends, but might change people's opinions of us.", Spider adds.

Amphibious considers as Spider extends his hand. "Very well then." Amphibious shakes Spider's hand and adds, "Count me in."

Above, the others are waiting in the truck. "I wish I knew what was going on in there.", Siryn said.

"Yeah.", Mimic says. "This waiting around is getting to me."

Then Havok gets an idea. "Hey we're gonna need all the help we can get right?"

"Yeah.", Blink says.

"Blink, can you take me to a friend of mine?", Havok asks.

"Sure, just tell me where." Then there is a "blink" sond and they are gone.

Shortly after Spider & Nate come back from the sewers, their new ally in tow. "Guys, we're running short on time so I'll make this fast.", Spider says. "Amphibious, this is Siryn, Mimic, ....Where did Havok & Blink go?" As they greet each other, Blink pops back in. With Havok amd another man, dressed like a native american, sitting atop a motorcycle.

"Sorry it took so long who's the frog?", Blink asks.

"I am Amphibious.", he says.

Havok speaks up, "Guys, this is Thunderbird."

"Please, call me John, if you like." The team quickly gets aquainted.

"We don't have time to shoot the breeze people we have to..", Nate says then steps, holding his head.

"What's wrong?", Spider asks.

"Some fool is trying to fight,... Onslaught! His name is Onslaught!", Nate yells.

"He'll get whipped quick.", Mimic says.

"We better move it team.", Siryn tells them.

They jump in the truck, and head toward the silver tower, Thunderbird follows on his bike.

Outside the silver tower, a young man dressed in street clothes, wearing a small mask prepares to rush into the citadel unprepared.

A newsreporter comes up to him, "Young man who are you?"

"My name's Wrecking Ball, an' I'm gonna thrash Bat-Freak myself.", he says.

"Don't you think you should call for help?", the reporter asks.

"No! I'll do it myself!", he shouts then opens the huge door to Onslaught's fortress, and slams it behind him. A crimson energy field surrounds the door. The reporter runs book into the crowd.

Wrecking Ball soon finds everything around him a blur, the next thing he knows, he is standing in front of a huge throne. The being sitting on the throne. The being sitting on the throne is superhuman in stature and power. Clad in purple and blood-red armor, he looks regal, almost like a deity.

Two, ice-blue lights stare through its shadowed helmet. Wrecking Ball stammers...."Y...Yiu're not BatWing!" He feels his knees turn to jelly as his arrogance flees him.

"Correct, young one. I am your Death!", Onslaught says, as he raises his hand and a lime-green light grips Wrecking Ball, paralyzing him. He lifts him into the air, then drags him to the ground hard. "BatWing, meal time my servant.", Onslaught says, his voice echoing. The last thing Wrecking Ball hears is BatWing's screech.

As the mutant heroes arrive outside, Onslaught comments, "More fuel for my fire."

Nate Grey and the others approach the tower. Blink comments, "It looks like it's protected by a force field."

Not seconds later the crimson energy shield dampens and the doors open.

Spider notes, "There's our cue." Spider takes point and leads the mutants into the tower as the doors close behind them.

"Gee, I guess it's just us.", Siryn says.

Nate says, "Actually there was already one failure before us."

Spider tries to hold them to the mission, "Alright enough talk. Which way to Onslaught Nate?"

Nate closes his eyes concentrating, "There's so much activity here, a buzz of power. This way I think." They start up a spiraling staircase. The walls aee bright white, with odd "statues" every few feet upward, standing out from the wall.

"Man this place looks expensive.", Spider jokes, Siryn's mind begins racing from thought to thought. Soon she'll be face to face with the monster that killed her father.

Mimic says, "I hope we don't break anything, I'd hate to have to pay for this stuff."

"Shhh....", Blink says. "It might hear us."

"Let it, I'm ready.", Havok says.

Thunderbird stays close, readying his tracking ability if the need arises. Amphibious follows quietly, trusting his new friends, almost fearing the coming fight.

The heroes, begin steeling themselves for whatever may come beyond the next door.

"This is it.", Nate says.

"Ready?", Spider asks. They nodd, then the door opens slowly.

They walk up the long red carpeted way to the steps revealing the red curtains. The curtains slide open slowly as they see Onslaught on his throne. Fully opened they see the fallen Wrecking Ball with BatWing at his side.

"Monster!", Siryn yells at him.

Onslaught orders BatWing, "Kill them my pet." BatWing nodds & takes to the air. They all are distracted by BatWing as Master Onslaught fires his force blasts taking out Nate Grey. "Now it begins."

Siryn feels her adrenalin begin to flow, then she screams and begins to fly at BatWing. Thunderbird's sensitive hearing is offered first by Siryn's loose, then BatWing's own screeching. "Siryn!", Spider yells. "Tone down your scream! It's too loud." Thunderbird drops to the floor.

She's not listening, she's too pumped. BatWing flies at Siryn and slams into her hand. "Uhhh...", she mumbles, then spirals to the ground, as Onslaught watches on.

Spider says, "Havok, Mimic, Blink keep Onslaught busy. Amphibious leaps up and catches Siryn, leaving himself open. As soon as he lands BatWing's claws him badly.

Blink throws her "darts" at Onslaught, taking pieces out of his armor. While Mimic copies Havok and they attack Onslaught, Spider fires his webbing at BatWing which grounds him momentarily. As Spider rushes to put BatWing down, he notices he is being fired at by Onslaught. "What the?!" Onslaught has made intangible copies of himself while he fires at the heroes.

BatWing quickly breaks free then attacks Mimic, which leaves him open to Havok.

Meanwhile Siryn and Amphibious stagger to their feet, hurtung, but still in the fight. Nate Gray slowly begins to come around.

Spider shouts, "Okay team let's finish this!" They begin to rally around Spider.

With BatWing temporarily out Onslaught says, "I grow tired of this child's play." Red lights surround Onslaught's eyes and fists as he stands.

"Uh ..... Spider?", Blink says.

"Blink...out now. NOW!!", Spider orders within a fraction of a second she blinks them away as Onslaught's powerful blasts hit nothing. But nonetheless he stands laughing triumphantly.



TO BE CONTINUED IN RED !

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