Thunderbolts #46

Title: "Heroic Tendencies- part 2: Heart and Soul”

Writer: Fabian Nicieza

Penciller: Mark Bagely

Inker: Greg Adams

Colors: Joe Rosas

Editor: Tom Brevoort

Scourge uses a device to investigate Techno’s torn apart body. Techno lies there hating Scourge for not just for hurting him, but because he managed to hide inside him, and because he seems to have targeted the Thunderbolts for some kind of hit list and that he makes it all look so easy. Scourge says that he knows that Techno can hear him and that it must be incredibly frustrating for him. Scourge radios in to his boss and says that the Omega-32 worked perfectly. He says that it holds him in a stasis field. Techno can’t move, but he still thinks and plans an escape. His cameras tell him that the Thunderbolts and Captain Marvel have reached Titan to learn more about Karla’s moonstone. He sees Atlas still in a state of ionic flux. He monitors the clean up and aftermath of the Ego-infestation. Techno figures out how to transmit his speech program into the main drive and asks Scourge “why?” Scourge says that after two days there is a signal bleed through the hard air envelope. He says that with enough time that Norbert might even find a way to access his survival redundancy program. Techno is surprised that Scourge knows about that. Scourge asks if he is wondering how he knew. He says that Techno visited Zemo’s Central American lab and asks who he thinks cleaned out all the equipment. Scourge unshrinks Zemo’s head and tosses it onto Techno’s chest. Techno thinks about the gel residue footprint that he saw. Scourge says that they know about everyone now. He says that they are hours away from him rerouting the system power to the three bio-chambers. He says that when that is done he will crush him to dust. Techno asks why Scourge would save the life of someone he killed. Scourge says that he did that assignment already and that he can’t do it again unless they make him. Techno thinks to himself that Scourge is being controlled, but also notes how naturally he speaks and moves. Scourge says that Atlas is next, but that by the looks of it that he might blow up before he gets the chance to. Biochamber #3 starts to move. Techno thinks about the irony of how she is ready to emerge, but that for him to survive that he has to take that life away.

Beneath the surface of Titan, Charcoal, Songbird, and MACH-2 are awaiting word of Moonstone’s condition. Charcoal says that this place couldn’t be any duller if it were put through a V-chip. Songbird says that it is like a Caribbean island. Charcoal says that he doesn’t see any beautiful brown babes in bikinis. Abe says that it must be the Eternals keeping the brothers down. Charcoal says that Abe says that he should talk and that he hasn’t seen him and Melissa playing kissy-face. Charcoal asks what Hawkeye said. Songbird says that he said they were going to run some tests on Karla.

Isaac, the artificial intelligence, waits for Mentor to speak. Mentor asks if they believe Karla has accessed the lifestones archive data base. Genis says that it would explain her persistent hallucinations. Rick Jones says to Genis that they have enough problems with Zey-Rogg and now they have to deal with Moonstone. Genis tells Rick that it is more complicated than that. Hawkeye asks what he is talking about. Genis says that he was talking to the voice in his head and thinks how he doesn’t want anyone to know that he and Rick are bonded. Isaac starts talking about the Lifestone Tree and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Moonstone says that she learned all that from the Supreme Intelligence. Isaac says that she doesn’t know how the slivers of power found their way to Earth. Isaac says that of the Chosen Eight that after two hundred years that four died in battle, two died of old age, and one simply retired. Moonstone says that is only seven, but then says that she doesn’t care. She says to tell her what happened to the lifestones and why so many people on Earth are empowered by them. Isaac says that when the Chosen were gone that the Lifestones were taken from Kree-lar to prevent theft. The plan failed and the ark carrying the stones were attacked by intergalactic pirates. The warp drive imploded and created fissures in space. The shattered stones were thrust to the far corners of the galaxy. He says that over time many terrans obtained the fragments such as the original Moonstone, Dr. Spectrum, Man-Wolf, Basilisk, Bloodstone, the Sphinx, and Blue Diamond among others. Hawkeye says that makes sense, but asks what it has to do with Karla’s problems. Isaac says that the wearer’s memories were archived inside the gems, and that in order to address matters of self that confused her that Dr. Sofen subconsciously asked the stone to answer her questions for her.

In Latveria, a man tells the strapped down Dallas Riordan that he hopes she is comfortable. He says that they pirated a CNN signal from Symkaria and says that he thought it might help her take her mind off her current condition. Dallas wonders to herself is she will spend the rest of her life strapped to a bed.

In a hospital in London, the nurse says that it is good to see Mr. Watkins up and about. Mr. Watkins carves an apple with a knife and tells her to call him John. The nurse says that he has guests. Roger Aubrey and Elizabeth Barstow walk in and say that it is good to see him up and about. John asks if that was real emotion in their voices, and asks if he means more than just a return on the V-Battalion’s long term investment. Roger says that he sees that his sense of humor is intact unfortunately. John says that more than that is back. He handsprings out of bed and uses the knife he was holding to carve a “V” on the wall. He says that after years of being out of commission that it is time for him to resume his responsibilities.

In Washington, Vernon Hatchway meets with Andrea Sterman in a diner. He is looking over her research and asks what she needs him for. Andrea says that she needs help with the final pieces of the puzzle. He says that she already tied the bullet to Roxxon and to the Commission. Andrea says that she knows the ‘why’ and most of the ‘how’, but she has to verify ‘who’. Hatchway asks if she thinks the FBI can help. Andrea says “just the opposite”. She says that she thinks that it is someone that he has been hiding from the FBI for two years.

At Mount Charteris, Techno is close to getting another body lined up for his consciousness, but the meat in biochamber #3 is about to break free from the chamber and terminally limiting the power conduits that he can draw on to regrow himself. He thinks that to access the power he needs that he will need the life energy from all three chambers. Techno wonders to himself how he can do that to them, and especially to her. Suddenly, Mt Charteris shakes as Atlas starts to explode. Scourge runs off. Techno says that now is his chance. He says that he is sorry to do this to her. He says that if only he were safe in the knowledge that his redundancy program would kick in, but that Scourge casted doubt over that. He says that doesn’t care at all about the other two, but that she was special. He asks himself why he came there is the first place and why he impersonated Ogre. He wonders why he tried to restore her to life.

Karla asks Isaac what she was supposedly looking for. Isaac says that she was looking to understand the emotional changes she was undergoing, or that maybe she was looking for an excuse. He says that she was beginning to enjoy her heroism and that she was falling in love with Hawkeye. Karla and Hawkeye look at one another. Rick tells Genis that he is going to throw up, but Marv tells him to shut up. Hawkeye asks how she turns it off. Isaac says that she won’t have to. He says that the lifestones were created for those worthy of wielding its power responsibly. He says that Dr. Sofen is not such a person. He says that for the integrity of history and the safety of Earth that Moonstone’s gem must be removed. Mentor asks if Isaac is certain. Moonstone asks what right a machine has to judge her merit. Hawkeye says, “And more to the point… nuts to you!” Isaac says that he figured they would respond that way and that preparations to remove the stone forcibly have begun.

Scourge looks at Atlas growing larger and larger.

Techno wonders if it is just scientific reluctance at seeing his hard work come to naught. He says that since he replaced Ogre that this has been more than a game to him. He says that he did miss the challenges and interaction of being a Thunderbolt, but when Scourge killed Hallie that part of him become unsettled. He says that part of him saw it as scientific research… to study energy and organic matter within a human body. He says that she was meat, but that she was confident, vibrant, and with an infectious enthusiasm for life. He wonders why he is acting like such a fool and wonders what Zemo would do in his place. He wonders what Techno or even Paul Norbert Ebersol would do. He wonders what a Thunderbolt would do. Techno pauses the chamber conduit power drain. Containment chamber #3 bursts open. Techno’s systems begin to malfunction. He says that a Thunderbolt would choose to die like a hero. The Techno robot ceases to function.

Scourge starts to try and figure out a way to take down Atlas. He looks through an instrument, but then sees Atlas is looking behind him. Suddenly Scourge is blasted from behind. He falls to the ground. He looks up and asks if anyone stays dead anymore. Erik says, “Hul… Hull…ee?” Jolt stands before Scourge and tells Erik not to try and talk. She says that she is back and that she is going to help him as soon as she fries the scum that killed her.

Traitor’s rating: 8 out of 10

Review and picture by The Leader

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