Thunderbolts #2

Title: "Deceiving Appearances"

Writer: Kurt Busiek

Artist: Mark Bagley

Inker: Vince Russell

Colors: Joe Rosas

Editor: Tom Brevoort

In video footage shown on the news Moonstone is handling Princess Python’s snake while Atlas flicks someone unconscious with his index finger. Citizen V is knocking out the twins, and Songbird is holding Ringmaster’s unconscious form in a solid sound pincer as the Thunderbolts defeat the Circus of Crime. The news report says that the Thunderbolts are capturing the admiration of the country.

Atlas is watching the coverage and says, “not bad”. Citizen V comes up behind Atlas and asks him if he has a moment to help him do some work to the building. Atlas says, “Sure Baron. What do you need?” Zemo reminds Atlas to practice calling him Citizen V so that they don’t mess up in public. Atlas asks Citizen V if he thought that they would get this popular so fast, and Zemo admits that he didn’t. He does briefly recall when he pitched the idea of acting like heroes to win the public’s admiration and with trust, their secrets. As Zemo and Atlas walk out the television goes on to report about a memorial to the fallen heroes in Central Park that will be attended by Franklin Richards and Alicia Masters.

At that same moment inside the Vault the Mad Thinker watches and smiles. He sends out a mental command out through the prison walls.

Songbird and MACH-1 are outside in the air practicing flying. Songbird apologizes and says that she just isn’t getting it. MACH-1 says that it will take some time before she is comfortable with flying. He shows her a side slipping move that catches her unaware. She says that she guesses that if this wasn’t “mock combat” that he would have defeated her just then. He says probably and adds that, as he grabs her arms from behind, that if he gets close enough that he can grab her in his power. Songbird says that it might be interesting to be in his power. MACH-1 tells Songbird to call him Abe. He supposes her name is Mimi, but she says that it is actually Melissa. She asks if they are done. Abe takes off his helmet and says that he just wants to try one more thing. He swoops in and kisses her. She starts to kiss him back, but is suddenly freaked out and yells a sonic blast to get him off of her. She apologizes and says not to follow her as she flies away. She says that she can’t let anyone get close again.

Atlas is holding the I-beams in place while Citizen V welds them to help the structure of their “headquarters”. Suddenly Techno is there and yells that he wants his lab. He says that he can’t take this roach infested cesspool. He says that he is a former Hydra section leader. He says that he could easily improve this place, but they won’t let him. Meteorite is behind Techno and tells him to calm down. Techno tells her to back off and that she isn’t going to smooth talk him. Meteorite says that she will be blunt. She says that they must appear to have nothing because if it looks like they already have everything that the public won’t give them things and won’t give them what they want. Meteorite lifts Techno up by the neck as she says this.

The next day in Central Park, Franklin Richards makes a little speech before the unveiling of Alicia Masters’ new sculpture. Mad Thinker is off in the shadows and says that is an “intensely repulsive piece of sculpture”. Thinker tells his Awesome Android to go. As the Android leaps towards the stage the mayor tells Dallas Riordan that they need some super powered help. Dallas says that might be a problem as the heroes that are left aren’t really “on call”. She says that she is going to try the Thunderbolts’ pager number. The mayor asks if all they have to contact them is a pager.

Hallie Takahama sits in her cell. The doors open and Hallie says, “N-No! Not again!” as she is dragged away by strange beings. She thinks to herself that the worst part is that the painful agonizing tests never end.

The Awesome Android stands before Franklin Richards. Suddenly the Thunderbolts arrive and Meteorite punches the Android away. When the Android gets up it checks out its opposition and turns into six Androids to fight the six Thunderbolts. Citizen V cuts the arm off one, but the arm grows back as a sword mimicking Citizen V’s. Atlas says that he would like to see them duplicate his power as he grows to twenty feet. Unfortunately for Atlas the Android does as Atlas requested as it grows to twenty feet and then punches Atlas. Each Android adapts to the Thunderbolt it is opposing. Songbird starts to get nervous, but MACH-1 just tells her to use the maneuvers that he was teaching her earlier and to use her sonic powers to cut them in half.

Techno is thrilled to be out of their dumpy headquarters and get a chance to show his superiority. Meteorite warns Techno to continually alter his tech-pac because the Androids seem to be quite adept at evolving. Techno blows her off and says that there isn’t a machine built that is his superior. As he says this though the Android blasts Techno with a jolt of electricity. Moonstone punches her Android.

The mayor is watching with Dallas and says that it doesn’t look like the Thunderbolts are going to win. Dallas says that she thinks they will, or at least she hopes so.

Moonstone’s Android turns diamond hard and is no longer feeling Moonstone’s punches. It hits Moonstone so hard that she breaks through a tree. The Android reaches out and grabs Franklin Richards. The Android takes off. Moonstone yells out to MACH-1 and Songbird to follow the Android as she is too dazed. When the other Androids see that their target has been acquired they all start to take off. Citizen V orders the Thunderbolts to the V-Wing.

Songbird snatches Franklin from the Android with a solid sound bubble. MACH-1 compliments her on a good job as he rams into the Android. He says that they shouldn’t have any trouble defeating the Android two to one, but then the other five Androids arrive. MACH-1 tells Songbird to fall back to the nearby Four Freedoms Plaza. The Plaza has been severely damaged and parts to the roof are still blown apart. When the other Bolts get there Atlas and Moonstone remain outside trying to prevent the Androids that are still outside from getting in. Inside Songbird and MACH-1 are fighting the others off. One Android is about to grab Franklin when a blast shoots in. Franklin thinks that it might be Cyclops, but it is actually Techno with a modified eye blaster helmet. Citizen V also rushes in with Techno. Citizen V calls to Atlas that his power is needed inside. Atlas rips open the side of the building and says, “Heard and copied boss…and we’re on our way! Though I’ve got to admit…I never thought I’d be bustin’ into the FF headquarters…let alone doing it as one of the good guys!”

Outside at street level the Mad Thinker is looking up towards the top of Four Freedoms Plaza. He says that his Androids should have defeated them already and decides that he had better take a more direct hand in this. A jetpack grows out of the Thinker’s back and he flies up to the top. The Thinker comes face to face with Citizen V. Thinker says that Citizen V is too good to be the newcomer he claims to be. Suddenly Thinker’s hands morph into weapons. Citizen V asks Thinker what he wants with Franklin Richards. Thinker says that the boy has seen hundreds of his father’s experiments, and that within his subconscious he holds all the secrets to Reed Richards’ experiments. He says that he can use the boy to recreate the inventions for himself. Citizen V says that he won’t let that happen. He says that the weapons coming out of the Thinker’s hands lets him know that he isn’t the real Thinker, but rather a robot. Citizen V adds that while the Androids don’t have a place to be shut down he figures that they are getting their instructions through the Thinker robot. Citizen V cuts the robot’s heads off and all the Androids go inactive.

Later the Mayor joins the team within Four Freedoms Plaza. He offers them the city’s thanks. Citizen V says that the Thinker himself might even be in prison still and that he was never one for creature comforts. Citizen V says that it is too bad that they don’t have the resources to check with the NCIC computer system or the Interpol Super-Villain database, or they might have been able to check that themselves. The mayor gets a “brainstorm”. He suggests that while the Fantastic Four’s equipment have been removed that the Plaza itself might be a better headquarters for them. Citizen V says that is very generous, but leaves it to Franklin Richards to decide if that is all right. Franklin says that he thinks his parents would have liked that idea. The mayor says that as far as operating costs go he knows some very good fund-raisers.

Dallas Riordan tells Atlas that he can call her Dallas. Atlas asks Dallas if she is busy later that night.

Moonstone thinks to herself how well the plan seems to be going, but notes a drawback. As she watches the mayor and the reporters fawning over her teammates she thinks about how good it feels to be accepted and loved. She thinks to herself that even she forgot the role she was playing when she got caught up in the rush of saving the boy. She thinks how good the rush felt, and that maybe it felt too good.