S.H.I.E.L.D. HELICARRIER
10:45 PM CDT | 5/11/12
A red cape flutters. A blue costume shines. Superman has arrived.
In front of him, in the young moonlight, stands a ragtag group of heroes. Tony Stark, clad in a sharp business suit, chats with a woman in a loose-fitting costume – Barbara Morse, better known as Mockingbird. Falcon, Redwing on his shoulder, sits serious in the front; the mysterious duo of Cloak and Dagger remain reclusive in the back of the room. They make no noise – save for the boisterous sound of Stark’s voice, the room is silent. As the Last Son of Krypton approaches, their eyes turn to him. Somewhat awkwardly, Superman clears his throat.
"Well, as I'm sure you know, I’m Superman. I’m here as representative of the Justice League – and, of course, we’re staging and assault on Brainiac. Intelligence suggests he’s somewhere in a particularly barren region of coastal Maine. Now, from what I understand, save Mr. Stark, you're the newest recruits for the Avengers Initiative. I’m not too enthused about bringing untested heroes on such an important mission, but S.H.I.E.L.D. says you’re the best and brightest of this most recent batch of heroes. Considering the situation between our two organizations, I’m glad to have been given the opportunity to–"
"Yadda yadda yadda," says Stark, just now beginning to focus. "We know all that. You're, like, a foreign exchange student. We get it." Superman raises an eyebrow; either unsure of or unhappy with the situation, silence descends. Stark claps his hands together and hops to his feet. "Well, let's get going, shall we? Vamanos!"
Exciting onto the brisk and windy deck of the Helicarrier, the team climbs onto a small military jet waiting nearby. Stark, watching his armor loaded on board, turns to the man in blue, who walks at a brisk pace toward the edge of the landing strip. "Aren't you coming?" he shouts over the din of the engines.
"Sorry," says Superman with a smirk, "but I prefer to fly private." And, with a single bound, he's gone.
CLASSIFIED LOCATION
10:57 EDT | 5/11/12
"Is that it?"
A small, mostly-ruined building sits along a barren coast, the wet and oppressive hills disguising what may have once been a thriving community. On one side of a small, muddy hill, Superman kneels alongside Mockingbird and Falcon. Opposite sits with the rest of the team, Tony Stark, virtually invisible in the dark of the night thanks to his newest enhancement. He speaks, and the team hears him. "When you said 'supervillain's secret seaside laboratory' I expected something a bit more... expansive."
"Don’t underestimate Brainiac," says Superman, focusing intently on the walls and what lay inside of them. "The compound is lined with lead. He’s prepared for me. Wait, I see movement; someone’s approaching our position..."
"I think I see something, too..." Stark focused on the compound, cycling through a number of visors. "Is that... Doctor Doom!?" The green sweep of his cape, the metallic clank of his boots, the proud posture and regal gait – unmistakably Victor von Doom.
"Intel said Brainiac, not Doom," says the Falcon, preparing his wings for flight. "Should we fall back?"
"We've already been spotted," he says firmly, leaping from the underbrush to face the charging villain. "It's time to move! Avengers – roll out!" In a flash they burst from the shadows, converging on Doom.
Stark simply shakes his head. "I’d have gone with 'Assemble!' personally..."
CLASSIFIED LOCATION
11:04 EDT | 5/11/12
Superman stands, holding Doom by the cape. He is battered, broken, and uncharacteristically silent.
Mockingbird taps the side of his metallic head and clicks her tongue. "Too easy. No way Doom goes down that fast; all you did was punch him."
"She's right," says Stark from across the field. "Something’s wrong."
Suddenly a spark bursts from the metallic mask of the despot. His face, then, falls to the floor – revealing a mess of wires.
Mockingbird’s eyes narrow. "...Doombot. That means Victor must be somewhere nearby."
Superman turns toward the lab, seeing a tall figure standing just through the doorway. "Is that him?"
"No... much worse," says Stark over radio. "It's Ultron."