General Freedom whipped around at the sound, his hands clenched into huge mallets, ready to rain blows on whoever was responsible for the dying in the diamond exchange. However catching sight of the woman, fit though she may be, with her eight-arms and blue skin, her frame told the hulking hero that she probably couldn’t stand up to even a nonchalant  backhand. 

Pursing his lips he glanced at the carnage a moment, inhaling deeply he pointed around the shattered lobby, his voice a drawn out hiss, [color=00aeef]“You? You’re responsible for this  . . . destruction?”[/color] Turning his gaze upon the woman he grunted,[color=00aeef] “Kali the Destroyer. I thought the Indian government had you locked away in a super-max after that fiasco in Bangkok. Kidnapping a U.N. delegation trying to work out a new nuclear treaty between India and Pakistan is frowned upon.” [/color] General Freedom stared at the woman, his hands raising all the while his eye sweeping the area, looking for anything indicating a trap. 

[color=f7976a]“You are a foolish man General Freedom. I need no one to defeat you. In the past I have relied on incompetent minions. But today, today we shall see the death of America’s hero. Today you shall perish.”[/color] She practically spit out the words at him. Her eyes flashing with whorls of magical energy.  

Kali was a beast in her own right, but often times she teamed with other villains who took the brunt of the physical battles.  In their last encounter she had Ghastly and Zombi, a necrotic duo of black magic, vampirism and well in Zombi’s case, a pretty damn hot looking zombie girl. 

[color=00aeef]“Yeah? I got to hand it to you kid. I thought you would have learned that ‘Merica is not where you want to be plying your tradecraft.” [/color]

General Freedom closed the gap between them in yard eating strides, stopping a mere twenty-one feet from her. Placing his hands akimbo he stared at her, the ZPE flared slightly around his fists, giving off a soft cobalt glow. The weight on the balls of his feet, balanced equally. Inhaling deeply before he spoke, he looked at her again and nodded, [color=00aeef]“So Kali what do you have for me this time? Unleash a fireball, maybe a death ray from an orbital platform, kick sand in my face? Say you and that other wanna be god, Set, still hanging out? I haven’t seen him since I slapped him silly in Las Vegas.” [/color]

It was tough having principles, but Steve was a man of principles and those guided his actions. He never enjoyed hitting a woman, and even when facing off against the Warped Witch, Kali the Destroyer or Medusa he had hesitated, even stayed his hand. These were some of his world’s fiercest and notorious villains and yet they were still women. It had been a bone of contention, even the Night Queen had commented on his antiquated ideals about females, villains included.   

Ah well, it was clobberin’ time. In a flash, he had closed the distance between them, swinging a mighty fist at and then through a flickering holographic image. 

[color=00aeef]“What the . . . ? You won’t get far Kali, I will. . .”[/color]  It was then that General Freedom realized the dying people were gone, more holographic images. Sensing a trap he barely heard the woman, [color=f7976a]“I promised that one day I would find a way to kill you hero. That day has arrived.”[/color]

Whirling around, every sense tingling as the mightiest hero of Alternate Earth prepared himself for the trap.