Marvel's Secret Invasion Prose Novel, page 13
“Plot in a course to New York.”
“Not New York.”
“My family is in New York!”
Brand was about to argue, but the screen in front of her suddenly flared from a new direction. She hit a control and the scene ahead of them flicked up to be visible on the bulkhead. Through the Skrull fleet, right through two of their ships, just in that instant—there was speeding a single figure, leaving explosions in their wake, firing power blasts from their hands now, reducing ships of the line to scattered, expanding blooms of wreckage.
Brand zoomed in on the figure and she and Reed gasped at the same moment. “Captain Marvel!” she said. Because sure enough, somehow, maybe through some time travel thing, or maybe this was some legacy hero, but it very much looked like here was the Kree warrior Mar-Vell, back in action, fighting as hard as she’d heard he’d fought. “Okay, finally some good news!” And here was some more, because Mar-Vell’s actions had provided them with just the opening they needed.
Brand hit the proverbial pedal and the ship rushed forward as Skrull ships exploded around them. In a second they were clear, in free space, the Earth looming ahead of them. “Brand!” began Richards, sounding desperate.
“We will get to New York,” she shouted back. “But if we’re going to save the Earth, we need to pick up a couple of people first!”
TWENTY-NINE
CLINT BARTON
CLINT, BOBBI and Luke followed Logan toward a building he’d referred to as “the lab” only to hear, after he’d gone ahead to make sure it was safe to enter, gunfire. They’d been running to join him when he’d come sprinting back the other way, bullets popping out of his chest, yelling something about hunting Jessica Drew, and that Tony and Tasha were human. On that basis they cautiously entered the lab to find Tony still looking as sick as he had back at the crash site, Natasha standing guard. When she asked them what Logan had said to them, and when they’d told her, she’d holstered her weapon. “We are all human,” she’d said. “Probably.”
Tony replied by quite spectacularly hurling all over a computer console. What landed there was green and sizzling.
Logan came back in. “Carrot sticks,” he said.
“Carrot sticks?” asked Clint. He had one arm still around Bobbi. He didn’t yet feel able to let her go.
“Coming from you,” said Natasha to him, her eyebrow raised, “that just sounds weird.”
“I’d like to know what that’s about,” said Bobbi.
“You and me both,” said Luke.
Clint just shrugged, then looked at Bobbi’s expression and spread his arms to say he had no idea.
“No sign of Jessica,” said Logan. “The trail just stopped. Like she’d turned into somethin’ else and flown.”
“Copy that,” said Natasha. Suddenly, she drew again, swinging around to face the doorway, and in the same moment, Logan spun and popped his claws. “Company,” she said.
And there was. At the doorway stood, spears in their hands, Ka-Zar, formerly Kevin Plunder, the man known as the Lord of the Savage Land, and his wife Shanna O’Hara, who in these parts liked to be known as the She-Devil. They were both dressed in the briefest of furs, which, given the temperature, seemed to Clint to be a lot more sensible than the outfits they were all wearing. Bobbi saw where he was looking and nudged him in the ribs. He nudged her right back.
“You need to tell us what’s going on,” said Shanna.
“Yeah, you can’t have super hero battles here,” said Ka-Zar, as if they were children who’d been fighting in his yard. These two were a U.S. zoologist and English nobility respectively, and if any humans could be said to be in charge of this place, they were. As far as Clint had seen, they ruled with, as their backgrounds suggested, a combination of ecological concern and strutting around like one owned the place. If Clint was being honest, they made him uncomfortable, and that went doubly so now they might be Skrulls.
“Err, I think they’re real,” said Spider-Man, sticking his head around the top corner of the door. “I mean, not one hundred percent, but they remember the last time we met and stuff.”
“So do the Skrulls,” said Logan. “Us in here, we’re the ones we trust. So, you guys can all back off.”
“We saw a dead Skrull Spider-Man,” said Luke.
“One of them could have changed into another one,” said Logan.
“What?” Spider-Man looked chagrined even through his face mask. His body language was always heightened, Clint realized, because he needed to communicate through that all-concealing body stocking, like he was always reaching out to the world, trying to persuade it he was harmless. Would a Skrull be able to mimic that very human thing? “The most wonderful thing about Spideys is that I’m the only one. In this universe. Sometimes. I’m going to go out and come back in again.”
“Or don’t,” said Natasha.
“Skrulls?” said Ka-Zar.
“Hey, Kevin,” said Bobbi.
“Bobbi,” said Ka-Zar. Shanna looked sidelong at him.
Tony hurled again.
Natasha leveled her pistol at Shanna and Ka-Zar. “Out of the doorway. Now.”
Shanna glowered at her. “Point it somewhere else, red.”
“I’ll point it up your—”
A low rumbling roar came from outside the door. Ambling up to join Ka-Zar came Zabu, the pair’s pet saber-toothed tiger. Although “pet” really didn’t do that damn thing justice. So, okay, was that a Skrull pretending to be a sabertooth? Or could Skrulls pretend to be his masters well enough to convince a sabertooth’s senses?
“Great,” sighed Luke, “more tension.”
Behind the two Savage Land “nobles” and their carnivore, more people arrived—all of them grim and committed, like the battle was going to continue right here. There was Danny, looking weirdly uncertain toward Luke, the old-timey versions of Thor, Ms. Marvel, Simon Williams and, oh god, again with the Jessica Jones, all descended from the sky. From the bushes stepped the imperious figure of Emma Frost, and near her, Sue from the Fantastic Four. Ares stepped out from yet another angle, looking like he was having a hell of a day at the office. And there was Maya, rubbing her head. “Spider-Woman is a Skrull,” she said, and pointed at Bobbi. “So, what about her?”
Clint made awkward eye contact with her and shook his head. Later for that. Please? Maya glowered at him. He looked to Luke, whose expression, as he stared at this former version of his wife, still in the garb from when she was trying to be a super hero, was stormy. “Hey,” said Clint, “there’s no point in having another big battle here, okay?”
“There will be no battle,” said Ka-Zar.
“We can help with sorting out who’s who,” said Clint. “And anyone who’s not a Skrull needs to help protect Tony.”
“I figure everyone in that ship was a Skrull,” said Luke.
“Hey,” said Bobbi, “I’m right here.”
“Except you.”
“Really?” said Maya.
“And Cap.”
“And if the two of them aren’t—” said Logan.
“We are not doing this again!” said Clint.
“I know exactly which of you are Skrulls and which are not,” said an imperious voice. They all turned to look at Emma Frost, who had her fingers to her temples. “I don’t know who all of you are, but I am the White Queen of the Hellfire Club. I can read your minds.”
“Not good enough,” said Tony. “Skrulls can copy that.” And he threw up again.
“I don’t care,” said Emma. “I think I know who’s who. I was stuck in that spaceship for god knows how long and now I’m going to make all of you Skrull creatures pay for what you’ve done.” She pointed. “I’m talking to you, Mr. ‘Spider-Man’! I know exactly what you are.”
Spider-Man actually pointed at himself then looked over his shoulder, presumably to check there wasn’t another Spider-Man right behind him. Would a Skrull have taken the time to do a bit? Then he turned back to Emma and returned the gesture. “Now I know you’re a Skrull.”
“They’re tryin’ to get us killin’ each other again,” said Luke.
“Yes, tell them!” said Spider-Man. “Unless you’re a Skrull, because then, I don’t know, maybe start hitting yourself?”
“I did try to tell you,” said Ares. “And yet here we are. Mixed up.”
“I think I know who’s acting and who’s not,” said Simon, his tone slightly accusing.
Bobbi put a slight pressure on Clint’s arm. “If we don’t know who’s who,” she whispered, so only he could hear it, “maybe we get out of here, hole up until we find a way to be sure?”
“No one leaves!” shouted Sue. Which was also what Maya’s expression was very much saying in that moment.
Clint looked awkward at Bobbi. “Too late. Force fields.”
“If she can do them.”
Jessica Jones stepped forward, her arms raised, trying to make peace. Clint was amazed at how her body language was exactly what he’d expect of a Jess who hadn’t had the traumatic life experiences Luke’s wife had had. Luke must be thinking similar thoughts. “Iron Man, Thor…” she looked between the two groups gathered here. “Lead us. Tell us how we’re going to get out of this.”
“Yeah,” said Ms. Marvel, who Clint found it especially hard to believe in, given that their Carol Danvers had brought Tony here. “Can’t we sort this out? What’s the plan here?”
“I have a plan!” said Thor, his eyebrows bristling. He strode forward and raised his hammer. “I will call upon my father in Asgard, Odin! He is the word and the way! He will see the truth here in a moment! His lightning will rain down on thee and thy fell villainy shall be exposed unto the world!”
Tony managed a slow nod. “Okay,” he said. “You do that.” Because as far as Clint knew, and this was just from what he’d heard on the super hero grapevine, Odin didn’t exist anymore. What they were being asked to believe was that the rest of the Asgardians wouldn’t realize that the Thor currently holed up in his palace, angry at mortals fighting each other, was actually a Skrull. Yeah, he was right on the edge of feeling able to put an arrow through this guy.
Thor raised his hammer and made some sort of enormous musical bellow toward the sky, his arms spread wide. He was really going to take this play as far as it could go.
From above there came an answering sound of thunder.
Clint shared with Tony and the others he was pretty sure weren’t Skrulls a look of astonishment.
“That…” said Ares, looking absolutely astonished, “is a bit surprising.”
They all slowly stepped out into the jungle to see enormous lights overhead piercing the cloud cover.
“Okay,” said Spider-Man, “Odin. Fine. Let a god sort it out. It works in Greek theater.”
“Those writers,” sighed Ares, “always wanted to add their own lines.”
Suddenly, from the clouds erupted a blast of blue energy. Before any of them could move it enveloped them all, the glare saturating the clearing, covering them all in its radiance. It certainly felt like what a god would do to find out the truth. Clint stumbled back and fell, like a lot of the others were doing. It was interfering with his head, like it was running through the deepest parts of him. And yet there was no pain. It was like a numbing, glowing blue anesthetic for the soul.
Then it switched off and he lay there on the floor of the jungle, staring at his hands.
They were pink. If he hadn’t really full-on known he was human before, not in the rational part of his mind that knew the Skrulls could do the deep cover thing… well, he did now. He whooped. He looked up.
From out of the clouds dropped an enormous Skrull spacecraft. But… but why would the Skrulls do… whatever they had just—
Then he saw that a hatch in the side of the spacecraft was open, and in it stood Reed Richards, brandishing an enormous glowing gizmo, a look on his face like someone dear to him had died.
Clint looked around the clearing.
There was a Skrull in the costume of Thor, his long green ears pushing at the edges of that winged helmet. He looked as shocked as anyone else.
There were Ka-Zar and Shanna, lots of tanned pink flesh still on display. There were Danny, Luke, Maya, Natasha and Tony, all human, though Tony looked kind of naturally green right now anyway. Spider-Man was looking left and right, as if wondering why everyone was staring at him. He realized it was because he was still masked, and pulled off a glove to wiggle a white hand.
There was Ares, cheeks as red as ever, shrugging as if these foolish mortals really should have known it was him.
There was Skrull Carol, and Emma, and Simon, all looking like they’d always known the truth and were just pissed now that their cover had been blown.
And there was Jess, oh god, Jess, green and sinking to her knees in her horror, staring at her own hands. She hadn’t known. They… they couldn’t just treat her as another Skrull enemy, could they? He found Luke again, and saw a lost expression on his face too.
There was a sudden roar, and Ka-Zar was making a gesture of command, and Zabu was suddenly on the Skrull Jessica, ripping at her throat.
“No!” shouted Clint.
Luke just closed his eyes and turned away.
It was the last thing Clint saw clearly before the chaos of battle erupted all around him again. He rolled to grab his quiver from where it had fell and put a flurry of arrows into Skrull Simon as he ran at him, putting him down.
He heard the Skrull Thor bellowing, still sounding like the god he was meant to be, “Hark unto me! This is but another trick! All-Father, please!”
The war ax of Ares connected with the back of his head and took his skull off his shoulders.
Gunfire was everywhere now, as the Widow found targets in all directions. Clint found himself dodging bits of Skrull as well as flying bodies.
He suddenly ran headlong into—Maya.
Who was a Skrull. And he could see the real Maya right behind her.
He stared at her. She went for his throat.
Nat spun and shot her six times through the head and she landed dead at his feet.
Clint looked around desperately. Bobbi, where was Bobbi?!
She’d been right beside him when the beam had hit. Like all of them, she’d staggered away, she must have fallen, so where—
He almost ran right into her.
She stood stock-still on the battlefield, staring into his eyes, terrified.
Her skin was bright green.
She had ridges in her chin and pointed ears. And yet still the blue eyes he’d loved. “What?” she said. “Clint? What’s going on? Why are you looking at me like—”
And then she obviously realized her acting wasn’t working. Because she broke character and morphed her hands into blades and swung one back—
He put the first shaft through her left eye and the second through her neck.
She fell to the ground, dead.
Clint fell with her. He sat down on the ground, unable to look at the body, feeling every inch of his grief all over again. Maya walked over and didn’t say anything, just put a hand on his shoulder. He was dimly aware of what was happening around him. Reed had descended to join them and was shouting at the Skrull Susan about his children as she tried to grab for his eyes. Ares finished that with another blow of his ax. Tasha was assuring Tony that he couldn’t be a Skrull.
“Ladies and gentlemen and all others whose loyalties are to Earth,” called a woman’s voice he wasn’t familiar with, amplified from the spaceship above, “New York City is under siege and the planet has been claimed by the Skrull Empire. Anyone wants to help out with that, get on board our stolen spacecraft.”
He remained where he was.
“There’s still Skrulls out there in the jungle,” Logan was saying.
“The Savage Land will unite to hunt them,” said Shanna.
“And when that’s done, we’ll come to help in New York,” said Ka-Zar.
They seemed to actually be a good couple. These two who had adventures together in the culture of super heroes. Like he and Bobbi had. He had judged them. And his wife had died again. These things were not connected. It felt oddly like he and Bobbi were somehow still going to do the things he’d started to think about them doing. He’d had in the back of his head a half-formed thought about introducing her to the rebel Avengers, about how annoyed she would be that the Avengers were divided by anything other than a continent, that maybe her return was a sign to do something about…
She had not returned.
He forced himself to look at the body.
It was obscene. He had killed it in a moment of obscenity too. He was a hero. He did not want to be in a war. And yet he was. He wasn’t going to be able to help what he did now.
With Maya’s help, he managed to get to his feet and saw the others. Remnants of both teams all climbing, together, up a ramp into the floating spaceship. He turned to them, trying to raise his voice. When it came out, though, it sounded too loud, too out of control. He couldn’t help it. “Listen to me!” They turned to do that, some of them not yet entirely aware of all that had happened with him, some of them shocked as they understood the meaning of that particular corpse, lying near a building that contained so many corpses from what their culture had previously done here, and so many they’d added today. He pulled his mask from his head. “This doesn’t end until every last one of them dies! You hear me?! Every last one of them!”
Maya put an arm around his waist and led him toward the ramp, and then he wasn’t aware of much more until they were a long way out over the ocean.
THIRTY
NOH-VARR
NOH-VARR WAS a young member of the alien race known as the Kree, one of the elite warrior caste. However, he was not of the same Kree race that were known and feared in this universe. He had come here from a different reality. A better reality. Or he couldn’t help but think of it as better, given how badly he’d been treated by just about everyone since landing on this weird planet called Earth. What he most longed for was to return to his own universe, where he understood the rules. Since arriving in this timeline through sheer astrophysical accident, he’d found himself constantly battling against a human organization called S.H.I.E.L.D., who’d pursued him, dogged his steps, and finally managed, after an enormous battle, to incarcerate him. They clearly thought of him as some enormous threat. For no good reason. They’d tried and failed to get Noh-Varr interested in fighting on the side of the authorities in this planet’s ridiculous “Civil War.” They’d showed him a costume and told him they’d like his codename to be “Marvel Boy.” He’d replied that he didn’t take fashion advice from the barely sentient. Why they felt the need to plaster branding on him he had no idea. He had found that some humans reacted to his superior silver-haired beauty in peculiar ways.
