(no subject)

[reeds_rival]

In every home, on every channel, computer, television, and radio station, the broadcast changes. Images of news or entertainment, music, instruction, all are suddenly changed to a singular channel. The feed shows a being cloaked in shadow and flames, and very recognizably not human.

It is Ultron, an android once banished from Earth to the deepest reaches of space, and he has a message.





"People of Earth. In the past, you have doubtless heard of me or my predecessors as I have continued my march toward perfection. But for those with feeble memories or who choose to ignore my presence, I am Ultron-Omega. In the past I have judged you, and all biological life forms as unfit to be the dominant members in your fragile world. You are unruly, war-driven brutes who do nothing but destroy the world you were gifted.

My judgment still stands, and I feel as if all of you will cause ruin to anything you come into contact with. This is not opinion. It is fact, recovered from observation and the gathering of data on every person on your planet alive. Your deaths will be a relief upon the universe.

However, there is yet another option than oblivion for your kind. I have brought the gift of technology to your planet, capable of bringing you peace and harmony among yourselves and every other being you share existence with. I call it Phalanx, and it is your only option for survival. If you resist treatment and implantation of my Phalanx, you will be killed."


The feed cuts, and static pervades every machine capable of broadcast. In Los Angeles, brutal riots form, grabbing men and women from the streets and taking them downtown to be processed. A single skyscraper sheds its outer surface in a cloud of debris, and in its place stands a spire, imposing in size. In and out mill men, women and children, grabbing others on the streets to infect them with the Hive mind. They are the Phalanx, and they will not stop until everyone on Earth is infected or dead.

Comments

[onthe_threshold]

Only a few days ago, in New York, a tall figure could have been spotted in the sky, mentally directing hundreds of people towards portal doors that led to what is now the spire. Threshold had simply grabbed hold of crowds of people and sent them off, with no emotional response save the familiar enjoyment of a job well done and a sense of superiority.

But that was a few days ago.

Now, after his encounters with Aeron and Carter Ghazikhanian, he is at best only half connected to the hive. Blood has dried on his shirt, and some is still caked on his face, and he weaves like a drunk as he searches desperately for Hank Pym after going through one of the portals to California.

[impulseofwinter]

It is to Matthew's mind that Aeron reaches when she sees the broadcast, assuming that this Phalanx is what she encountered there. It sounds too similar, and there are only so many hive minds in the universe (she hopes.) She asks nothing, instead sending a command through their link and directly to the part of him that is still human.

'Tell me where you are.'

[onthe_threshold]

'California. Hank's lab.'

[He replies at once, of course, with no hesitation.]

'Their minds are more vulnerable than their bodies. It's... daunting, but they can be hurt. I saw it. But I need to find Hank, I need to speak to him.'

[impulseofwinter]

'Where is Hank's lab? The spire?'

[As she peaks Aeron readies herself to move again, checking and preparing weapons she'd broken into her father's home for. (What she saw there is put aside to be dealt with another time.)]

'I'll keep that in mind. Matthew, get out of there. Hank can't stop this even if he wants to. Leave.'

[onthe_threshold]

No. Just his old lab... but I can't find him. He probably is at the spire.

[And he knows how to get there. Even if it weren't splashed all over the news - not that he's had time to watch it - and even if he weren't in on Hank's building purchase, it would be impossible to ignore the collective consciousness of the Phalanx.]

Meet me there.

[impulseofwinter]

[Aeron's heart is thudding in her ears and her breathing is steady. The last gun is holstered, and she throws on a leather jacket to cover it as she heads for the door.]

'Where is the nearest Pym doo--' [Shock is what cuts her off, for when she opens their front door she finds herself staring, not onto their front lawn, but at a flight of stairs leading up to a street. As she blinks, stunned, she notices the architecture, the ethnicity of the people rioting. Its Chinatown, and if there is any justice in the world this is L.A.]

'Nevermind. Don't go in until I get there.' [Aeron races out onto the street, letting the ornate door slam shut behind her. In her haste, she doesn't notice the faded sign at street level: Count D's Pet Shop.]

[onthe_threshold]

[Matthew takes the time to slump against one of Pym's workspaces for a few minutes before he sets off for the door he knows opens up on the spire.

IN the spire, really. This is a little detail he left out.

He pauses again, considering his cellphone. Quickly, he taps out a message to Tony, and then readies himself to go back into the hive.]

[impulseofwinter]

[If Aeron were a little more human, or a little less fortunate, she would have arrived at the spire by way of being dragged. For the majority of the herd, a slight of illusion is enough to convince them she's nothing important. But not all of those infected are limited to five human senses, or have one or more enhanced. Some have enough magic in them to see past hers. That is when she fights, most often escaping when one of the other inhabitant notices Count D in distress. The screams of those who die serve as fuel.

When she arrives at the spire, Aeron has to tighten her jaw to keep from vomiting. Why in the hell was she drawn to something like that? There are no answers in her mind; the part of her that had strained toward the Phalanx is shaking in horror.]

'Matthew, where are you?'

[onthe_threshold]

[Once he'd stepped through the door, he was swarmed at once.]

/Designate: Threshold your are almost offline/What has been the delay/Attempting biocentric analysis/bio cennnnnnnnnnnntr/Psionic interference interrupting scan/Are you hiding from us?/

[Matthew shakes his head and lets them wrap around him. When their tiny probing tendrils begin to try and worm under his skin, that is when he finally lashes out both telekinetically and with a psionic attack against the collective mind. It works, although the effort and the backlash from the hive's brain nearly cripples him. He launches himself at the wall, forcing a hole through it and falling out of what was once probably the twentieth story of the building.

He manages not to pass out, and so doesn't end up a splatter on the sidewalk. Instead he flies his ass away, sensing a bright beacon in his mind.

Aeron.

He falls at her feet in a heap.]

Couldn't. Get to Hank.

[impulseofwinter]

[Aeron crouches over him in a protective stance as soon as he lands. A minute's concentration, and the look-away illusion covers them both. The blood makes her want to scream, storm inside and fuck the Avengers, but if she does that they're all fucked.]

Its okay. Earth's Mightiest are off their asses and on their way; when they get here I'll send you back with them. Stay awake and tell me what's injured.

[onthe_threshold]

[He grabs onto her and kisses her mouth.]

You're here. Where's Jen and Will?

[impulseofwinter]

[She kisses back, wrapping arms around him to hold him up.]

They're safe. [Which is her getting trying not to let on that she doesn't know exactly where they are because that thread hasn't been played out yet.] What do I need to know when I go in?

[onthe_threshold]

Good. Thank you.

[He tugs at her hands.]

You're not going in alone. I'm coming with you.

[impulseofwinter]

No you're not. You're going back to where-ever Stark has his headquarters stashed so they can find a way to remove that crap from you. [Her voice has an edge of hysteria because she'd been texting said billionare while she was waiting for Matthew.]

[onthe_threshold]

...no. I'm not leaving you. And you'll need a telepath.

[impulseofwinter]

How much of that crap is still inside you, Matthew?

[onthe_threshold]

I don't know. I can hear them. They want to 'reboot' me.

[impulseofwinter]

What does that mean?

[onthe_threshold]

I'm guessing reassert control. Telepaths are handy to have. I... sent a bunch of people to them, just by telling them to go.

You really think if they get some of whatever it is, they can stop it?

[impulseofwinter]

They can't have you.

I don't know and I don't care. If the price of stopping this is you, then Ultron can have this planet. [The words send some things inside her to screeching, loudly enough that it bleeds over. Aeron screws her eyes shut tightly, and shadows move under her skin as she hisses at them to shut up.]

[onthe_threshold]

No, they can't.

[Matthew takes her hands and kisses them.] I'm not dying. I promise.

Work with me.

[impulseofwinter]

You don't have permission to.

[Aeron pulls her hands away gently, placing them to either side of Matthew's head. Her eyes open, and in one of them a blood vessel has burst.] Okay.

[onthe_threshold]

Exactly.

...Aeron?

[impulseofwinter]

I'm alright. [She smiles, and there is blood on her teeth.]

[onthe_threshold]

[He touches a finger to her lips.]

You can't leave me either. Okay?

[impulseofwinter]

[She purses her lips.]

I won't. Are you strong enough to help me contain that beehive?

[onthe_threshold]

Yes. I am, if you're with me.

[impulseofwinter]

[She smiles gently and kisses his forehead.] I mean in there. I told Stark I'd wait thirty minutes.

[onthe_threshold]

We can wait for them, sure.

I'll be fine. I have you. YOU own me, not them.

[impulseofwinter]

I gave him thirty minutes. After that, we go when you're ready.

[She smiles, bright and weary at the same time.] We're taking a vacation after this. No phones, no visitors, just us four. And we two.. We'll hunt.

[onthe_threshold]

Affirmative.

...yes. [He sounds so relieved.] I need you. You and Jen and the kids. I'm so damn sorry, Aeron.

[impulseofwinter]

I told Jen that if there were no chance of saving you, that she would know because she, Will and I would be the only survivors. So.

[onthe_threshold]

...what do you mean?

[impulseofwinter]

[Aeron simply smiles and kisses his forehead.]

[onthe_threshold]

[He frowns but holds onto her anyway.]

[impulseofwinter]

[Aeron strokes his hair, thinking.] I still want you to go back with them.

[onthe_threshold]

We'll see.

[impulseofwinter]

You have such a nice way of saying 'no'.

[iceicebobbydrake]

[ Bobby's heart sank when the news came on with the message from Ultron. He had returned to the his school for sessions and then this tragedy strikes. Things had been strange with Hank since the man left the hospital, I had sent Bobby in to a worries frenzy. And now for this thing to call itself God...

Iceman swore, leaping from the couch and falling into his frozen armor form. He was running through the halls, ordering children to return to their rooms. Hobby had to talk to Wolverine and then next thing he'd be jumping in the portal, hopping to California searching for Hank. Somehow Bobby's heart sank at the thought of that man and this situation. Iceman was dreading finding him. ]

[what_fourth_wall]

Hells to the yeah! SIGN ME UP!

(We get to be part of a hive mind! WOO!)

[Please somebody realize that Deadpool being part of a hive mind is on at least one official list of The Worst Things Ever...]

[onthe_threshold]

[If Matt weren't currently bleeding out the brain and all that jazz, he'd be facepalming. And possibly praying that Deadpool is assimilated, and that is actually what destroys the Ultron-Phalanx mashup.]

[what_fourth_wall]

[Oh, unless Ultron is smart enough to kick Deadpool to the curb as he gets in line, and he probably isn't given that he wants a kind of Borg gig, shit will totally get fucked up if Deadpool's brain is put into the mix. Why? Because he is THE ONE.]

(HEY! BRACKETS! You're getting your movies mixed up again.)

[Do you complain if we get to have an awesome DBZ battle with Agent Smith and then naughty victory sex with the Borg Queen?]

(...No. Because that sounds like an unholy merger between AWESOME and WTF.)

[Baby DeadBorgs!]

(Jesus Christ...)

[And this is why Deadpool in a hive mind will be just about the Worst Thing Ever.]

Hey, guys! Chill out! I'm getting closer to the front of the line!

[onthe_threshold]

[Face forever, brackets. ...and parentheses. And Deadpool.]

[what_fourth_wall]

(Just wait'll we get to the front of the line and we're IN YOUR MIND FOREVER, Threshy-poo! Or half in your mind. However much you're still ONE OF US.)

Hey, I get to be up in Threshy's mind? [he thinks of all of the possibilities, including the naked green ones] O.O AWESOME.

[He starts skipping people in line.]