MUG:Storyline
Chapter 1
In the heart of New York City’s financial district, Stark Tower rises above the skyline. From the penthouse on the top floor, Tony Stark watches a city that has recently seen a great increase in superhuman and supernatural activity. He thinks back to the days of rare reports of mutants, ghost stories of Nazi super villains, and the legend of Captain America before he was recovered from the frozen Atlantic and brought back from the brink of death. In the past year it has become clear, the mutants are here to stay, the ghost stories are real, and the legend is everything he imagined.
He stares at the face on his monitor in pure awe for a moment. Then he remembers the purpose of this call.
Stark: Captain, I’m glad-
Rogers: Please, call me Steve. I’ve heard great things about you, Tony. Your charities are saving this city.
Stark: With your access to SHIELD files, I’m sure you’re also aware of my more... active attempts to give back.
Rogers: Yes, well, Iron Man has been a great aid.
Stark: That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Steve. There are real dangers. I know you don’t want to be tied down by SHIELD’s red tape. I’m putting a team together.
Rogers: Let me stop you right there, Tony. I’m an international peace keeping asset.
Stark: This team would be-
Rogers: Unsanctioned. SHIELD may answer to the bureaucrats, but that red tape provides us with unmatched resources. No civilian team could accomplish what we have here at SHIELD. Why don’t you bring your armor around the helicarrier next week. We can talk about how to do some real good.
Stark: I’m sorry Steve. I’m not looking to get drafted. Not on the first date.
Rogers: The offer stands. And if you do get a team together, a civilian team, make sure you keep us in the loop. Vigilantes can be just as dangerous as criminals.
Stark: Yeah, sure Steve. I’ll be in touch.
As the screen went black, Stark thought about the rest of his list. They couldn’t all go this badly... could they?
---
In a much less reputable part of town, another meeting is about to take place.
Frank Castle has returned to New York after serving overseas, only to find that his wife and child were killed in a mob shooting. Tonight he gets his revenge. Armed to the teeth, he’s scaled the building adjacent to the Kingpin’s headquarters. After hours of waiting, he’s got a clear sniper shot. His finger’s on the trigger when a trail of smoke suddenly blocks his view.
The Goblin Glider circles around the building again. Punisher runs to a window on the opposite side to get a better view of the interloper. The glide flies by yet again. This time Frank can see that it’s unmanned.
Punisher: Crap.
Goblin: I’d say so.
Frank turns to face the voice, pointing a pistol at Goblin’s head. He finds a blade at his own throat in return.
Punisher: You’ve got ten seconds.
Goblin: You have a death wish. Plan on assassinating Kingpin through bullet proof glass? Perfect waste of a bullet in my book.
Punisher: It would get his attention.
Goblin: Please, man like that gets a knife in his back before breakfast. He’d send his goons to rub you out and forget about the whole thing before you were in the ground.
Punisher: What’s all this to you?
Goblin: Call me an interested party. You want to see Kingpin dead. I want to see you succeed.
Punisher: I work alone.
Goblin: Not anymore. You’ve got a partner, whether you want one or not. Just call me your guardian angel. Ahaa ha ha ha!
---
Tony Stark was in Greenwich Village for his second recruitment attempt. The building before him looked abandoned, but he had a good tip that someone very powerful lived here.
Stark: I have a proposition for you. Can we-
Suddenly the world fell over sideways. There was a splash of ice cold water, then a burning flame. Tony found himself in a beautiful adorned room, sitting in a red armchair, across from Dr. Strange.
Stark: -talk...
Strange: I already know why you’re here.
Stark: Then why didn’t you come to my office? Save me a cab ride.
Strange: You rode in a limo.
Stark: Putting those magical powers to good use?
Strange: Your driver plays poker with my assistant.
Stark: Does he win?
Strange: I accept your offer. The world is going to need us. A day is coming, unlike any other. Wrongs are being committed which must be avenged.
Stark: This is going much better than my last meeting.
Strange: I know. Rogers will come around. Give him time.
Stark: I’ve got two more stops to make. Do you have a passport?
Strange: I can get us there faster than your jet.
---
In a lab in New Jersey, Bruce Banner stares at the test tube in front of him. In it is his first attempt at creating a cure for his gamma radiation, and for the Hulk. All that’s left to do is add a drop of his own blood. He holds his breath and slowly draws the blood from his arm. This has to work. It has to...
-Drip-
The milky substance in the test tube turns red for a moment, then swirls green. Banner watches the computer read out.
Infection Level: 100%
It didn’t work.
Banner: NO!
Feeling the rage boiling now, Banner begins to transform. As the test tube in front of him begins to bubble, Banner’s muscles grow enormously. The Hulk doesn’t like puny test tube, or puny lab. He smashes everything in site. For a moment, Banner is able to take control. He sees the destruction around him and knows there’s only one chance to stop the Hulk. He has to die.
Bruce throws himself out the window of his lab, landing in the ice cold waters of the East River.
---
Outside a bar in Alberta, Canada, there is a flash of blue light. Drunks in the parking lot stare at the two men who have just materialized.
Stark: But I like my jet.
Strange: Speed is of the essence. I fear we will be needed very soon.
Stark: My intel says this guy’s a real bruiser. Just look for someone tall and-
Strange: There.
The bar window shatters as two men tumble through it. The larger of the two throws a punch that would rattle anyone’s brain. Instead, there is a sickening clang. The large man pulls his hand back with five broken fingers.
Logan: Go see a doctor, bub.
The larger man runs to his car and drives away. Logan turns to Stark and Dr. Strange.
Logan: You boys in the wrong part of town. A suit like that will get you killed out here.
Stark: He’s wearing a cape...
Strange: Logan, Wolverine-
Logan: Stop right there, bub.
Strange: The world needs you! They need your gift.
Logan: Yeah, well, what I’ve got to give ain’t very nice.
Stark: We’re not here to recruit you... We’re here to hire you. I know a man like you isn’t interested in saving the world, but it needs saving, and you’re the best at what you do.
Logan: Don’t have to tell me.
Stark: I can pay you. Not to mention my personal bar makes this dive look like a... well, a dive.
Logan: I been a lot o’ things. Hero ain’t never been one of ‘em.
Strange: I believe the saying is “try anything once”.
Logan: Hmph.
He grabs a beer from the table behind him in the destroyed window and downs it quickly, throwing the bottle over his shoulder.
Logan: Yeah, whatever. Where’s your car?
---
On a small rocky island off the eastern coast of the U.S.A., Baron Zemo stands and waits. He watches the water in front of him, knowing that a human in this part of the ocean would usually be suicide. But he isn’t worried. Even if the Atlantean does betray him, he trusts his own power more than anything. Any who get in his way will fall.
Attuma: Baron Zemo.
Zemo: Councilman Attuma. You’re late.
Attuma: Your concept of surface time is meaningless. I am five sub-tides early.
Zemo: Enough. You had an offer for me?
Attuma: Yes. I have it on good authority that King Namor is leaving Atlantis tomorrow. He has a meeting with the one you know as Magneto. I was able to intercept some correspondence between the two. They are planning to work together against the humans.
Zemo: Why are you wasting my time?
Attuma: I’m not. I am next in line for the throne. If Namor were to die on his visit to the surface, I would ascend, and a large cache of Atlantean technology would be left on this island, as payment to you.
Zemo: You ask to be made nobility and offer only trinkets in return?
Attuma: I have done my research. Your team has two brilliant inventors. Between them, they could find more good in our advanced technology than anything else I could give you. With their minds and our weapons, you would be unstoppable.
Zemo: Hmm... I will consider your offer. Leave me. Now.
Attuma: Yes, Baron, of course.
Alone again on the island, Zemo turns on his communicator.
Zemo: Jenkins, come and retrieve me. And tell me everything you know about Atlantean technology.
---
In Queens, New York, a flash of blue light deposits three men on a low rooftop.
Logan: If you’re gonna do that again, you warn me first!
Stark: Don’t worry. Next time we’re taking my jet. I have a really nice jet...
Strange: He’s coming.
Along the rooftops nearby, Spider-Man is swinging home. He nimbly maneuvers under a subway overpass, somersaulting in the air, before landing on the rooftop with the others.
Parker: AH!
Stark: Calm down, son.
Parker: AH! Why are you on my rooftop?
Stark: And here I thought it was a free country.
Parker: Right, are you waiting for me? Is this one of those ambush thingies? Oh, goodie! My first ambush. I must have really hit the big time.
Stark: We’re not here to ambush you. Well, not in the bad way. How would you like to save the world?
Parker: Okay!!!
Stark: ... Don’t you want to hear the details first?
Parker: Sure. No, wait. I don’t care. I’m in.
Logan: I like this kid.
Strange: Spider-Man, joining our team is of great importance. You should not enter into it lightly.
Parker: Dude, I’ve been stringin' up muggers for weeks and getting shot at by police for all my trouble. The papers call me a menace, which is bull because JJ knows... ah... anyway, I just want to make a difference. Real hero type stuff. You know what I mean?
Stark: I was hoping you would feel that way. Let’s go back to my penthouse. We can discuss the details and arrange for some new accommodations for all of you.
Strange: I will take us there in but a moment.
Logan: Dammit!
Stark: No, we’re walking! I’ll walk to Manhattan! I don’t-
With another flash of blue light, the rooftop is empty.
---
In the harbor of NYC, a ferry is about to leave for New Jersey. Filled with passengers, it begins to leave port. Moments later, the boat shakes violently. From the shore, people watch in horror as it begins listing. Passengers scramble for life jackets. The crew fights to stop it, but the ship is capsizing and there’s nothing they can do. Men and women leap into the water and try to swim to shore.
Suddenly, the ship drops completely below the water. When it bobs back to the surface, the Hulk is standing on it. He leaps to the shore, sending the ferry back underwater for good. He lands in a crowd of terrified onlookers and begins tossing them like rag dolls.
Hulk: NO ONE TRIES TO KILL HULK! NOW HULK KILL YOU ALL!
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