HenryJonesJr

Sensation & Wonder: An Absolute Comics Roleplay [DC & Marvel One Universe Style Game]

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T P R O P O S A L

T E E N A G E
M U T A N T N I N J A T U R T L E S

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^{_{L E O, R A P H, D O N N I E, M I K E Y ♦ N I N J A ♦ D I M E N S I O N X}}

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:

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^"COWABUNGA!"

Character-wise, we're not looking at much different here. The boys will be the boys, Splinter will be Splinter, and the antagonists will be the antagonists. What changes is their setting and their progression as heroes. Here, instead of defeating Shredder and dealing with the fallout of the disintegration of the Foot in New York City, instead they find themselves transported to a strange, dangerous place with no way of knowing how to get home. Now they have to rely on their family and their skills to survive in...DIMENSION X.

P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ):

---

It's no secret that I've always loved writing the turtles, and this is a direction I've always wanted to take them in, but never got the chance to. Instead of starting where we all know, with the emergence and fighting Shredder, my story will start directly *after* the Shredder is defeated. During the conflict, the Turtles are hurtled through a portal and find themselves in Dimension X, a strange, alien place that will test them in ways they never would have imagined. I'm looking to do fun, pulp adventures with the boys out in space with the eventual goal for them to get back to New York and the world they were ripped from.

C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:

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The Family

• Leonardo - The leader of the team and the most disciplined fighter
• Raphael - The hot head and the berserker
• Donatello - The brains of the operation
• Michelangelo - Party dude
• Splinter - The brothers' father and mentor

The Aliens of Dimension X

• Neutrinos - The indigenous people of Dimension X. Constantly fighting and surviving the wars of the Utroms and the Triceratons.
• Utroms - The tyrannical and imperialistic power in Dimension X.
• Triceratons - A warrior caste constantly in conflict with the Utroms.

P O S T C A T A L O G:

---

①⑨⑥⑧

Clearly I need to go as well. Every time I think I have time to write again, I very promptly don't. Will be deleting my posts and freeing up the character.

①⑨⑥⑧

-Deleted-

①⑨⑥⑧

-Deleted-

①⑨⑥⑧

S P I D E R - M A N

Miles Morales, 15 (b. 1952)
_{Based in Harlem, New York City
Active since approximately...a few hours from now}

Character Concept

---

Miles Morales is a child who is the face of the changing America in the 1960s. Born to a Puerto Rican immigrant mother and an African American father, his existence is a sign to the ruling class that slowly but surely, America is becoming a new country. Growing up in such turbulent times, Miles still retains the optimism of his teenage years, and believes all the strife he sees will lead to a better country in the end. Still, he sees the strains that such times have on his family, with his mother, Rio Morales, seen as little more than hired help at her job and his father, Lincoln Davis, seen with suspicion in his own community for becoming a police officer. Nowhere is the tension more obvious than between Lincoln and his brother Aaron, who sees his brother's profession as the ultimate betrayal to their people.

His great intellect and aptitude for chemistry has landed him a spot at Manhattan Visions Academy, a new school created by philanthropist and Industrialist Harold Osborn, CEO of Oscorp Industries and son of the former mob boss known only as "the Goblin". Osborn's goal is to show there is a future in integrating schools, and as a private academy, Visions can do just that. There has been a backlash to the school, and white enrollment is much lower than expected. Still, Osborn presses on, hoping to rehabilitate his family name and using his father's ill gotten gains for good. Though his intentions are good, his naivety on goings on at his own company may prove to be his downfall.

At Visions, Miles has met his friends Ganke, the son of Korean immigrants, and Phineas, a Jewish boy born to parents who escaped Nazi Germany. Together, they believe they're unstoppable. The trio love science fiction, fantasy, and tinkering in Phineas' dad's workshop. Also at Visions is Gwen Stacy, the daughter of Captain George Stacy, Lincoln's boss.

The stage is set. With America as a powder keg ready to blow, Miles will learn what it takes to be a hero, and will do his best to protect the city of New York from tearing itself apart.

Miles is not a character I initially found very compelling. The initial Bendis run was just too similar to Peter, in my opinion, and did little to differentiate itself outside of some interesting new abilities for Spider-Man. But since the Spider-verse movie and the PlayStation Video Games, I think Miles has really come into his own as a character. He's the perfect Spider-Man for the setting, being a multiracial character at a time when life was full of strife and upheaval. The rich story telling of a kid struggling to be a hero for a city, even for those that would hate him if they saw his face, is interesting and could lead a lot of places. I'd also love to explore a similar mentor situation like we saw in Spider-verse, but with a Peter Parker that is more legend than anything.

Through his group of friends and family, integral parts of all SPider-Man stories, I'd like to explore how the turbulent times affect different races, genders, and age groups differently.

Key Notes

---

Family and Friends

• Rio Morales - Miles's mother and a chambermaid at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. She immigrated to New York with her parents in the early 40s from Puerto Rico. She is a loving, doting mother, though struggles with her long work hours and often worries for her son's safety.
• Lincoln Davis - Miles's father and a Harlem police officer. Lincoln served with distinction in Vietnam, and when he returned saw an opportunity to further his family's acceptance into society by joining the newly integrated Harlem police force. Davis is a staunch believer in a united America, and Doctor King's dream. Still, judgement from his community, some of whom see his profession as a betrayal, weighs on him.
• Aaron Davis - Miles's uncle and a bar tender at Harlem bar. Also a Vietnam vet, Aaron did not escape the terrible conflict unscathed. He is missing the lower half of his right leg and part of his left hand. His experience in Vietnam radicalized him, and he is a devote follower of Malcom X's teachings.
• Ganke Lee - Miles's best friend and the son of Korean immigrants. He is also a student at Visions Academy.
• Phineas Einstein - Another friend of Miles's at Visions, Phineas is a Jewish American boy and a whiz with mechanical design.
• Gwendolyn Stacy - One of the few white, protestant students at Visions, Gwen is the daughter of Cpatain George Stacy, Lincoln's boss.

Allies

• Peter Parker/The Spider - A WWII era vigilante with power similar to Miles, Peter has become a recluse, walling himself off from his wife and daughter.
• Mary Jane Watson - Peter's estranged wife and reporter for the Daily Bugle.
• May "Mayday" Parker - A New York comic book artist who publishes fictionalized accounts of her father's exploits as the Spider. Though she resents her father for being distant, she respects his crimefighting career.
• J Jonah Jameson - While no fan of vigilantism, the Irish American Jameson knows that not long ago his people were discriminated against. In turn, the editor of the Daily Bugle is a staunch supporter of Civil Rights.

Enemies

• Adrian "The Vulture" Toombs - One of Norman Osborn's former lieutenants, the aging Toombs still has a large slice of New York's underworld in his proverbial talons.
• Otto Octavius - A former Nazi scientist who assisted on NASA's rocket programs after the fall of the Third Reich. Believed to be rehabilitated, Octavius is now the lead researcher for Oscorp. Though he has a good public image, he is secretly a monster obsessed with genetics.

References / Sample Post

---

^{Monday. January 1, 1968}

---

The cold winter air whips around me as I stand in the alley behind my apartment building, my breath emanating like a puff of smoke with each exhale. What brought me out here after three days of fever and night sweats I'm still not sure. But after I had a book stick to my hands at school for a good hour and a half this morning it has me thinking that the spider that bit me wasn't just any spider, and the "flu" I had wasn't a flu at all.

Approaching the wall in front of me, I look around to make sure no one is watching. If what I think is about to happen actually happens, the last thing I need is someone yelling about a black boy who's a mutant up and down the street. I've got enough problems as is. Don't need the Purifiers showing up in Harlem looking for me.

Tentatively, I place my right hand on the wall, before the left, then my left foot. Closing my eyes and hoping for the best, I take my right foot off the ground. Cracking my eyes open, I see the foot sitting a few inches off the ground, and my other limbs sticking to the wall without a problem.

"Holy shit," the amazed chuckle escapes my lips.

I take a few more tentative...steps, I guess, up the wall, and before long I'm slinking past the second floor windows of the building. I can smell Mrs. Collier's oxtail simmering from here, and my stomach rumbles. But I'm too engrossed in what's happening to worry about dinner right now. I'm climbing up a wall. I'm climbing up a wall with no help, just bare hands and sneakers. It's the most incredible feeling I've ever had.

Before long I'm on the roof of my building, overlooking Harlem. The sea of lights spreads out around me, and I realize that nothing is ever going to be the same again. Whether I like it or not, I've stepped into something heavy, and I'm going to have a bigger target on my back than I already do if I use these gifts the way others do.

But as fireworks start to go off in the neighborhood, leftovers from the night before, I have to wonder if I can afford not to go through with the far out plan rattling around in my brain.

^{Thursday. December 28, 1967}

---

The gleaming white interior of the Oscorp Research labs causes my jaw to drop. I've been to the Plaza, where Mom works, but not even that place is as sparkling clean as the lab. Plus the Plaza might have the best bars and restaurants in town, but it doesn't have a new prototype nuclear reactor that could help usher in a new age of American energy independence. That's way more boss than
Trader Vic's.

"Man, are you seeing this?" Ganke Lee, my best friend, bounds up and slaps me on the shoulder. He may be more excited than I even am. "This is some Manhattan Project stuff! NASA level!"

"Bro, quit geeking out," I laugh as I notice Gwen Stacy roll her eyes at Ganke. "You're gonna get us in trouble."

"This is even cooler than NASA," Phineas Einstein, no relation, adds. "This is Starship Enterprise level."

I can't stifle a chuckle as the two of them begin to imitate Sulu and Spock, though Ganke has always struck me as more of a Scotty than Sulu.

Before I can plead for the knuckleheads to calm down, a man on a platform above us clears his throat, drawing our attention. I look up to see Harold Osborn, CEO of Oscorp and the benefactor for our school, Visions Academy. He's dressed in a sharp, navy suit, and his dark hair is slicked back. If he wasn't so generous, he'd be uncle Aaron's very definition of "The Man", not that his generosity would sway Aaron Davis's mistrust of Osborn's kind.

He smiles welcomingly, "I'm so glad so many of Visions' finest decided to come on this trip. I know it's your Christmas break, but this is the slow time at the lab and I wanted to make sure you all got to see the amazing work we have going on here. So, I won't take much of your time, and I'll hand it over to the real genius behind Oscorp, Doctor Otto Octavius!"

A murmur goes through the students. Octavius is a genius, and a famous one to boot. He defected from the Nazis before the end of the war, and has worked on NASA's rocket program before coming to Oscorp. That we were going to get a lecture from him was legitimately exciting.

The man who wheels out next to Osborn isn't what I expect, however. Octavius is wheel-chair bound and scrawny. He looks more like something out of a comic book than a real person, with a bowl of greasy brown hair hanging over his lab goggles. He smiles down at us with a crooked, ugly looking grin, "Hello. Velcome to Oscorp Labs...I can see some of zhe...future geniuses of our country have come to grace us vith a visit."

I've heard that tone before. Sneering condescension of a white man insulted that some colored kids were allowed into his place. Octavius may be a genius, but he ain't no progressive, that's for sure. I try to hold back a sour look, but out of the corner of my eye I can see that Ganke couldn't do the same.

"You are here for a tour of our new reactor," Otto continues motioning towards a door to our right. "If you vould please go through zhere. I vill show you the future of American superiority."

①⑨⑥⑧

Should have my first post up tomorrow

①⑨⑥⑧

S P I D E R - M A N

Miles Morales, 15 (b. 1952)
_{Based in Harlem, New York City
Active since approximately...a few hours from now}

Character Concept

---

Miles Morales is a child who is the face of the changing America in the 1960s. Born to a Puerto Rican immigrant mother and an African American father, his existence is a sign to the ruling class that slowly but surely, America is becoming a new country. Growing up in such turbulent times, Miles still retains the optimism of his teenage years, and believes all the strife he sees will lead to a better country in the end. Still, he sees the strains that such times have on his family, with his mother, Rio Morales, seen as little more than hired help at her job and his father, Lincoln Davis, seen with suspicion in his own community for becoming a police officer. Nowhere is the tension more obvious than between Lincoln and his brother Aaron, who sees his brother's profession as the ultimate betrayal to their people.

His great intellect and aptitude for chemistry has landed him a spot at Manhattan Visions Academy, a new school created by philanthropist and Industrialist Harold Osborn, CEO of Oscorp Industries and son of the former mob boss known only as "the Goblin". Osborn's goal is to show there is a future in integrating schools, and as a private academy, Visions can do just that. There has been a backlash to the school, and white enrollment is much lower than expected. Still, Osborn presses on, hoping to rehabilitate his family name and using his father's ill gotten gains for good. Though his intentions are good, his naivety on goings on at his own company may prove to be his downfall.

At Visions, Miles has met his friends Ganke, the son of Korean immigrants, and Phineas, a Jewish boy born to parents who escaped Nazi Germany. Together, they believe they're unstoppable. The trio love science fiction, fantasy, and tinkering in Phineas' dad's workshop. Also at Visions is Gwen Stacy, the daughter of Captain George Stacy, Lincoln's boss.

The stage is set. With America as a powder keg ready to blow, Miles will learn what it takes to be a hero, and will do his best to protect the city of New York from tearing itself apart.

Miles is not a character I initially found very compelling. The initial Bendis run was just too similar to Peter, in my opinion, and did little to differentiate itself outside of some interesting new abilities for Spider-Man. But since the Spider-verse movie and the PlayStation Video Games, I think Miles has really come into his own as a character. He's the perfect Spider-Man for the setting, being a multiracial character at a time when life was full of strife and upheaval. The rich story telling of a kid struggling to be a hero for a city, even for those that would hate him if they saw his face, is interesting and could lead a lot of places. I'd also love to explore a similar mentor situation like we saw in Spider-verse, but with a Peter Parker that is more legend than anything.

Through his group of friends and family, integral parts of all SPider-Man stories, I'd like to explore how the turbulent times affect different races, genders, and age groups differently.

Key Notes

---

Family and Friends

• Rio Morales - Miles's mother and a chambermaid at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan. She immigrated to New York with her parents in the early 40s from Puerto Rico. She is a loving, doting mother, though struggles with her long work hours and often worries for her son's safety.
• Lincoln Davis - Miles's father and a Harlem police officer. Lincoln served with distinction in Vietnam, and when he returned saw an opportunity to further his family's acceptance into society by joining the newly integrated Harlem police force. Davis is a staunch believer in a united America, and Doctor King's dream. Still, judgement from his community, some of whom see his profession as a betrayal, weighs on him.
• Aaron Davis - Miles's uncle and a bar tender at Harlem bar. Also a Vietnam vet, Aaron did not escape the terrible conflict unscathed. He is missing the lower half of his right leg and part of his left hand. His experience in Vietnam radicalized him, and he is a devote follower of Malcom X's teachings.
• Ganke Lee - Miles's best friend and the son of Korean immigrants. He is also a student at Visions Academy.
• Phineas Einstein - Another friend of Miles's at Visions, Phineas is a Jewish American boy and a whiz with mechanical design.
• Gwendolyn Stacy - One of the few white, protestant students at Visions, Gwen is the daughter of Cpatain George Stacy, Lincoln's boss.

Allies

• Peter Parker/The Spider - A WWII era vigilante with power similar to Miles, Peter has become a recluse, walling himself off from his wife and daughter.
• Mary Jane Watson - Peter's estranged wife and reporter for the Daily Bugle.
• May "Mayday" Parker - A New York comic book artist who publishes fictionalized accounts of her father's exploits as the Spider. Though she resents her father for being distant, she respects his crimefighting career.
• J Jonah Jameson - While no fan of vigilantism, the Irish American Jameson knows that not long ago his people were discriminated against. In turn, the editor of the Daily Bugle is a staunch supporter of Civil Rights.

Enemies

• Adrian "The Vulture" Toombs - One of Norman Osborn's former lieutenants, the aging Toombs still has a large slice of New York's underworld in his proverbial talons.
• Otto Octavius - A former Nazi scientist who assisted on NASA's rocket programs after the fall of the Third Reich. Believed to be rehabilitated, Octavius is now the lead researcher for Oscorp. Though he has a good public image, he is secretly a monster obsessed with genetics.

References / Sample Post

---

^{Monday. January 1, 1968}

---

The cold winter air whips around me as I stand in the alley behind my apartment building, my breath emanating like a puff of smoke with each exhale. What brought me out here after three days of fever and night sweats I'm still not sure. But after I had a book stick to my hands at school for a good hour and a half this morning it has me thinking that the spider that bit me wasn't just any spider, and the "flu" I had wasn't a flu at all.

Approaching the wall in front of me, I look around to make sure no one is watching. If what I think is about to happen actually happens, the last thing I need is someone yelling about a black boy who's a mutant up and down the street. I've got enough problems as is. Don't need the Purifiers showing up in Harlem looking for me.

Tentatively, I place my right hand on the wall, before the left, then my left foot. Closing my eyes and hoping for the best, I take my right foot off the ground. Cracking my eyes open, I see the foot sitting a few inches off the ground, and my other limbs sticking to the wall without a problem.

"Holy shit," the amazed chuckle escapes my lips.

I take a few more tentative...steps, I guess, up the wall, and before long I'm slinking past the second floor windows of the building. I can smell Mrs. Collier's oxtail simmering from here, and my stomach rumbles. But I'm too engrossed in what's happening to worry about dinner right now. I'm climbing up a wall. I'm climbing up a wall with no help, just bare hands and sneakers. It's the most incredible feeling I've ever had.

Before long I'm on the roof of my building, overlooking Harlem. The sea of lights spreads out around me, and I realize that nothing is ever going to be the same again. Whether I like it or not, I've stepped into something heavy, and I'm going to have a bigger target on my back than I already do if I use these gifts the way others do.

But as fireworks start to go off in the neighborhood, leftovers from the night before, I have to wonder if I can afford not to go through with the far out plan rattling around in my brain.

^{Thursday. December 28, 1967}

---

The gleaming white interior of the Oscorp Research labs causes my jaw to drop. I've been to the Plaza, where Mom works, but not even that place is as sparkling clean as the lab. Plus the Plaza might have the best bars and restaurants in town, but it doesn't have a new prototype nuclear reactor that could help usher in a new age of American energy independence. That's way more boss than
Trader Vic's.

"Man, are you seeing this?" Ganke Lee, my best friend, bounds up and slaps me on the shoulder. He may be more excited than I even am. "This is some Manhattan Project stuff! NASA level!"

"Bro, quit geeking out," I laugh as I notice Gwen Stacy roll her eyes at Ganke. "You're gonna get us in trouble."

"This is even cooler than NASA," Phineas Einstein, no relation, adds. "This is Starship Enterprise level."

I can't stifle a chuckle as the two of them begin to imitate Sulu and Spock, though Ganke has always struck me as more of a Scotty than Sulu.

Before I can plead for the knuckleheads to calm down, a man on a platform above us clears his throat, drawing our attention. I look up to see Harold Osborn, CEO of Oscorp and the benefactor for our school, Visions Academy. He's dressed in a sharp, navy suit, and his dark hair is slicked back. If he wasn't so generous, he'd be uncle Aaron's very definition of "The Man", not that his generosity would sway Aaron Davis's mistrust of Osborn's kind.

He smiles welcomingly, "I'm so glad so many of Visions' finest decided to come on this trip. I know it's your Christmas break, but this is the slow time at the lab and I wanted to make sure you all got to see the amazing work we have going on here. So, I won't take much of your time, and I'll hand it over to the real genius behind Oscorp, Doctor Otto Octavius!"

A murmur goes through the students. Octavius is a genius, and a famous one to boot. He defected from the Nazis before the end of the war, and has worked on NASA's rocket program before coming to Oscorp. That we were going to get a lecture from him was legitimately exciting.

The man who wheels out next to Osborn isn't what I expect, however. Octavius is wheel-chair bound and scrawny. He looks more like something out of a comic book than a real person, with a bowl of greasy brown hair hanging over his lab goggles. He smiles down at us with a crooked, ugly looking grin, "Hello. Velcome to Oscorp Labs...I can see some of zhe...future geniuses of our country have come to grace us vith a visit."

I've heard that tone before. Sneering condescension of a white man insulted that some colored kids were allowed into his place. Octavius may be a genius, but he ain't no progressive, that's for sure. I try to hold back a sour look, but out of the corner of my eye I can see that Ganke couldn't do the same.

"You are here for a tour of our new reactor," Otto continues motioning towards a door to our right. "If you vould please go through zhere. I vill show you the future of American superiority."

Star Wars: Legacies (Always Open)

Sorry I've been MIA for so long. New baby and work being crazy haven't helped. Going to do my best to get going again though now that things have calmed down a bit and our nanny has started

One Universe: World Of Heroes - A Marvel & DC Comics RPG

^Madripoor

---

The Quinjet swooped down towards Madripoor, then skyscrapers that made up the city state rising like a concrete jungle in front of them. The city state had grown rapidly in the past decade, owning to the expansion of legal gambling and luxurious vacation resorts that dotted its crystal clear beaches. It was known across the world as a decadent den of vice and pleasure, a new Las Vegas without the kitsch. But the true face of Madripoor was one of black market deals, illegal arms, and human trafficking. The glitz and the glamor was just a pretty mask over a leprous face.

"Atom, where are you?" Cap asked as he made his way to the back of the Quinjet. There, already being lifted off the wall by a mechanical arm, was his motorcylce. He straddled the seat, and turned on the super quiet, ARC reactor engine Tony had installed for him. Even Steve had to admit that Stark was damn useful when he wasn't being a pain in the ass.

"We just dropped down near street level," he responded quickly. "Went over the beaches and then into the maze of buildings. Going to fast to see a sign. I'll activate my suit's tracker."

"Copy, we're coming to get you," Steve said before turning to Falsworth. "You take over piloting. The Quinjet won't look good flying through a city. Once Sam drops me off on the main road by the beach, you take over. Sam, you'll be our eyes in the sky inside the city. Union Jack, take her up and make sure nothing gets away through the air. Everyone understand?"

There was a nod, and Sam reported, "Cap, we're coming in. Get ready."

Wordlessly, Rogers steeled himself for what was about to happen. He had done it plenty of times in the war and since being thawed out by SHIELD, but it still never failed to give him a thrill. The ramp of the jet opened behind him, and Sam gave him a hand signal. He allowed the bike to roll backwards, and for a few moments he was freefalling towards the asphalt below. Once he judged the distance and his speed, he revved the bike's engine, watching the wheel spin uselessly like a cartoon character who had just run off a cliff and looked down. Before long, however, the wheels hit the ground, and he took off after only a momentary squeal of rubber on road.

The bike was fast, faster than any he had ever ridden before. At first he had been nervous about it. Stark had poked fun at his reticence to embrace the technological leaps the human race had made in his absence, and that was what finally broke Steve's reluctance. Rogers wasn't sure if he and Stark were friends, exactly. More like brothers who pushed each others' buttons in order to get the best out of one another. But they often did just that, so Cap didn't think about it too much.

Weaving in and out of traffic felt like second nature at this point. With the bike's speed and Steve's impeccable reaction time, there was nothing traffic could do to get in his way. As the blurs of people passed through his peripheral vision, some gaped while some scowled at the Avenger as he made his way towards the Atom's beacon. It was moving away from him, but he was going to catch up. It was already losing ground to him.

"Eyes in the sky, coming through," Falcon's voice announced in the comms. Steve stole a glance up, catching a glimpse of the graceful wings of the backpack of Sam's apparatus. It was a miracle of engineering, really. A high velocity jet pack mixed with flexible, aerodynamic metal wings allowed him to soar through the air like a bird. He was whisper quiet, and perfect for inserting himself behind enemy lines.

"Looks like the beacon has stopped," Sam called down to Steve.

The heads up display built into Cap's cowl showed the same thing. The beacon had come to rest in a building two blocks from here. He punched the bike towards the location, and skidding into an alleyway next to the building. The wharehouse looked deserted, which made sense. But looks could be deceiving.

"I'm heading in, Sam, you come in through the roof," Steve laid out the plan. "We have to figure there will be some of those androids in there. We get Ryan, we get that tech, and we get out of there."

Without waiting for Falcon's affirmative, he knew Sam knew what he was doing, Steve slammed his shield through a window and lept through the shattered glass. But what he found inside surprised him. The place was completely empty save for a jar sitting in the middle of the wharehouse's floor.

Cap approached the jar slowly, but as he got closer realized what was inside. He unscrewed the cap, and suddenly the Atom appeared in front of him. Choi fell to his knees and started gasping for breath. Sam landed on the concrete floor, and Steve motioned for him to give Ryan some air.

"They were ready for me," he shook his head. "Had some weird magnet. Pulled me into the jar and vacuumed sealed it. Happened so fast my suit didn't have the time to compensate and pressurize itself. A could more minutes in there and I would have been toast."

Cap cursed under his breath. He didn't know how, but AIM had been one step ahead of them lately. To the point where he was starting to wonder whether or not there was a mole in SHIELD he had to worry about.

"I don't know where they took the crate," Choi shook his head.

"Fury's gonna be pissed," Sam grumbled.

"Fury's always pissed," Steve sighed. "But we need to track down where AIM's taken this tech. Come on. The quicker we get back, the quicker we can get this figured out."

^{AIM Headquarters. Location Unknown}

---

Professors Ivo and TO Morrow flittered like worker bees over the mechanical bodies that lay in front of them. The breakthroughs the two had made working for AIM were about to set the world a blaze. Already their prototype android models were out securing a piece that would allow the more advanced models, the ones that would finally allow AIM to bring the world to its knees, to live and work as designed.

Behind the two scientists, they felt a presence loom. They turned to find that gargantuan cranium of MODOK, formerly the scientist George Tarlton, floating over them.

"Good news, my friends," the deformed head smiled grotesquely, "we have what we need. It is time for Project Red to take its next step."

One Universe: World Of Heroes - A Marvel & DC Comics RPG

^{1943. Salerno. Italy}

---

The planes had come quicker than they had hoped. Steve had been sure that with the Invaders leading the charge onto the Italian shore, that the Axis forces wouldn't have had time to really muster themselves before the bulk of General Clark's forces had made the beachhead. But the planes had come quickly.

Normally, Steve and his team wouldn't be on a mission like this, but top brass wanted a beachhead in Italy. They were going to move heaven and earth to get it, so here they were. Not that any of them minded too much. They enjoyed being with the rest of the men. It was nice to meet up with some of the regular GIs and see how they thought things were going. Well, Namor wasn't too happy, but he was never all that happy unless he was smashing some tanks around.

Just an hour ago, Namor had used his incredible powers to silently bring the Invaders to the beach, without the enemy troops being the wiser. Once each part of the team had been deposited safely, Namor had whipped up a doozy of a wave and had it wash over the heart of the Axis lines, which the other members of the team had pour through. Steve and Buck systematically moved from pill box to pill box, loosening up the enemy defenses while Namor and Hammond caused some terror on the front lines. Behind them, the Howling Commandos had made sure to mop up any stragglers. It was about as successful of a first assault as they could have hoped.

But once the boats filled with the rest of the troops started to make their way to the beach, the Luftwaffe had made their presence known.

So now the Invaders had an airfield to capture.

"Looks like they haven't retreated to protect it," Bucky said as he peered through the scope of his rifle. "Still just refueling and taking off. Standard procedure."

"Well," Peggy Carter smiled wryly, "maybe we hit them fast enough that they didn't get word back that it was us. Maybe this isn't going to be so bad after all."

"Oof," Bucky winced at that.

"What?" Carter was befuddled as to what she had said.

"Peggy, you never say stuff like that," Steve tried to hold back a chuckle. "It's a jinx."

"Oh honestly you two," she rolled her brown eyes, her hair waving back off her face. Even with the grime of battle on her she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. "Aren't you ever going to grow up?"

"Probably not," Bucky admitted.

"Don't worry, boys," a voice from behind drew their attention. Even after all this time, Steve wasn't used to the unreal realness of Jim Hammond's dulcet tones. "I'll take care of this one."

They turned to find the Human Torch, clad in his special fireproof suit, climbing over a hill. The name was a misnomer, in all reality. There was nothing human about Hammond. He was a wholly mechanical construct, though easily the most amazing the world had ever seen. His skin and hair were both synthetic, his eyes a special lens made of crystal, and his bones were some sort of alloy that was almost as rare as Cap's shield. His organs, or what he considered his organs, were different bags, billows, and mechanisms Steve couldn't even begin to understand. But Steve knew the Torch was special.

If Rogers was a miracle of medical science, than Jim was his mechanical counterpart, and just as rare. Professor Phineas Horton had dreamed up the being he called an "android", and for it some called him a madman. But now Hammond, the Torch, was an invaluable part of the team. Steve didn't see him as a machine. He saw him as a friend.

"Keep the ones on the ground off my back," he winked at the rest of the team. "I'll deal with the planes."

With that, the Human Torch erupted into a brilliant ball of flames and took off into the Italian sky like Vesuvius erupting once again. The living fireball tore through the Luftwaffe planes like a hot knife through butter, and before long the Invaders had taken the airfield, securing the Italian beachhead.

^{Over the Pacific Ocean. Approaching Madripoor}

---

The mission had gone sideways quicker than any of them could have imagined. The AIM androids were fast, powerful, and surprisingly advanced. If the terrorist organization had been working on this kind of technology, Steve was amazed that this was the first they had seen of them. Even a few permutations earlier would have been enough to turn some of Strike Team Alpha's previous victories into defeat. But maybe AIM had gotten smarter, somehow. Maybe they had been holding this trump card back until it was truly ready. If that was the case, Steve was terrified to think about just how many of these machines AIM could have dispatched across the globe.

But Captain America couldn't worry about that right now. Right now he had half a dozen of the mechanical menaces taking on his team. Piotr was trying to take on three at once. Choi had shrunk down to do who knows what, while Steve attempted to keep his distance from the other three.

One lunged at him, and he managed to spin out of the way, flashing out the edge of the shield as he did. It caught his attacker across the face, leaving a deep gash across the mechanical man's visage. The inner workings of the machine were visible, and its movement became stiff and awkward, after another lunge it collapsed like any dead man.

"Come on," he motioned at the other two, "I've been itching for a fight."

Before they could attack, however, one of their fellow automatons was tossed into them, collapsing the three of them into a writhing pile of artificial limbs. While the three of them attempted to untangle themselves, Steve turned to find Colossus's fist wrapped around one of the other's head. With a great flex of his mighty fingers, the android's head popped like some grotesque pinata. Gears, glass, and gyros rained onto the floor, the metal pings of like rain on a tin roof.

The remaining android that had been attacking Piotr leapt towards the mutant as his back was turned. Before it could land on its target, Captain America's shield sheered its head off before bouncing back to Steve.

As the other three began to get to their feet, Steve could hear the footfalls of more approaching, "We need to get out of here. Where the hell is Atom?"

The two of them abandoned the plan to head to the plane's bridge. They would never get there now. That much was certain. There was bound to be too many of them that way. So Cap thought there was only one plan of action.

"Let's head to the cargo hold," he nodded to Piotr. "We're taking the express exit."

They turned and ran that way, Colossus closing off the door behind them, hoping to buy them some time.

"Cap!" Crimson Fox's voice came over the comms. "They're-"

A loud bang from behind them drowned out Vivian's voice, and told Steve that the door didn't stand much of a chance against the strength of the androids.

"Repeat that!" Steve shouted as he and Colossus moved as fast as they could through the tight halls of the SHIELD plane.

"They just jumped! Four of whatever they are! Rockets came out of their feat and they were headed for Madripoor," she responded, explaining the situation.

Things began to become clear. It was nothing but a trap. AIM may not have expected the strike team to catch up, but they certainly had a plan if they did. Meaning they had to get off this plane as quick as possible.

"Everyone back to the Quinjet now!" he yelled, he and Rasputin coming to a skidding halt. "Sam, be ready to take off! We're gonna come in hot."

There wasn't much time, Steve was sure of that. He felt the slick layer of sweat building up under his suit. His team was in danger, more than most of them realized. If they weren't on that jet in a few moments, they wouldn't be coming back from the mission alive.'

When they reached the access hatch, Colossus tossed Steve up, and he landed deftly in the Quinjet. He dropped down the tow line for Piotr to climb up. By the time the mutant was inside, Vivian and Joseph were also following him up, but there was no sign of Choi.

"Ryan! Atom! Where the hell are you? We gotta get out of here!"

The minute Steve waited for a response felt like hours. He wasn't one to leave a man behind, and he had no intention of starting now. But he also knew that if he waited any longer he'd lose his entire team, and that was a nonstarter.

"Sam, detach!" he commanded.

"We can wait! There's none of those things down there!" Union Jack pleaded with Cap.

"It's not the androids I'm worried about!" Rogers retorted. "Sam, now!"

His friend nodded and in a violent maneuver he detached from the SHIELD plane and got some distance between them. Just in the nick of time, as well. As they flew parallel the bigger plane, the explosion that Steve had been expecting ripped through the middle of the cargo jet. A blazing ball of fire engulfed the aircraft, and shrapnel began to rain down into the ocean around Madripoor.

The team was silent, realizing that one of their own had just fallen. Choi may have been a pain in the ass, and often took orders from Beijing more than he took orders from Steve, but he was still a teammate, and a hero to boot. Rogers slammed his shield into the floor of the Quinjet, leaving a dent.

But before any of them could say a word, the comm crackled to life, "-in! Come in! Do you guys read me?"

Ryan's voice brought a smile to everyone, and Piotr let out a whoop.

"You sneeky git," Union Jack laughed. "Where the hell are you?"

"On the shoulder of one of these things," the Atom sounded pleased with himself. "You guys come pick me up, they seem to have stolen our package."

"Well, let's take it back," Rogers nodded to Sam.