Two years have passed since the war to end all wars was finished. Two years since Earths best and brightest and Mightiest heroes all fought off a horrific evil that sought to consume the entire world. Now , in the year 2011 a new threat has reared its head. One of alien and decidedly evil design. This time the world is unprepared, but even so the Earths first and best hope lies with the aging heroes known as ...The Avengers!

Avengers 2011: Invasion!

Avengers 2011 #3

The Night Chicago Died, Part I

By Ralph L. Angelo Jr.

Suddenly there's a high pitched whine that fills the air, as several of the aliens turn their blank faced helmets towards the sky, pointing and raising their weaponry upwards, awaiting someone. Or something.

And then, they are there, amid sudden thunder and lightning that heralds their appearance, as with a roar of vengeance and power come Earths Mightiest Heroes, The Avengers!

High above the street, Thor whirls mystic Mjolnir above his head as lightning furiously stabs down from above at his direction!

"Back foul demons from beyond! The Lord of Thunder commands thee! Leave this world to it's rightful masters! So commands Thor!"

As he speaks, from a suddenly de-cloaking Quinjet, the Vision streaks silently downwards from the Quinjets hull as the alien army draw him into their sights, firing their energy weapons through his intangible form.

Then, from the Quinjets open hatch leap War Machine, Captain America, and Ms. Marvel. Cap drops to a nearby rooftop, as War Machine and Ms. Marvel fly to the attack.

"Okay troops," Orders Cap, "You know the drill by now, save the innocents, but do whatever you have to, to free them."

"We know Cap." Answers Ms Marvel, as she plows through several of the Alien troopers, scattering them like wheat before a scythe with her awesome strength!

"Yeah, well I still want to kick as much butt as I can here, Marvel. I dont mind Cap remindin' us how ta do it either. Kinda keeps things in perspective." Answers War Machine through his communicator, as his pulse cannon fires off a blast as he hovers above, sending the alien hordes running .

"I know War Machine," She answers, as she pounds two attackers furiously, one with a spinning right handed backfist, the other a whip fast left cross, that cracks the aliens armor like an egg shell. "After the past two months of this, it's becoming a second nature."

"A sorry state of affairs that to be certain , Avengers." Answers the somber . eerily voiced Vision, his solar gem flashing on his brow, as he burns alien warriors within their suits, their viscous bodies turning to sludge and bursting the stressed suits at their seams.

Suddenly another voice intrudes on their communications pins, the voice of the Wasp. "We've got incoming, Team. I count 12, no make that 15, wait that numbers going up. They're sending a lot of ships after us group. We've got to get the hell out of here, now. These guys want us, bad."

"Okay team," Orders Cap, "You heard the lady, lets move out, these alien scum are looking to wipe out the human race, we're the planets last, best hope for survival."

Without another word, the team enters the hovering Quinjet, as the populace below disappears into the surrounding buildings, alleyways, and sewers. In another instant, the Quinjet fades from sight, it's stealth mode activating, as it's powerful engines take it away from the incoming group of alien fighter craft.

Inside the speeding Quinjet, silence is the rule of the moment, as all the Avengers keep their own council. Behind them, Chicago begins to recede from view, its skyline outlined in an orange corona of flame.

Suddenly an alarm blares to life on the Quinjets dash, as Cap and The Wasp immediately punch buttons and controls.

"Damn." Blurts out Captain America uncharacteristically, "We've got a problem, we're losing an engine bank, we've got to land somewhere, and fast."

"What happened?" Asks Ms Marvel, as she slides up behind the others.

"No idea, Carol. We probably had some shrapnel in her from that battle over the everglades last week." Answers Cap.

"I thought Spider-Man looked over the ship after that?" Questions Jan

"Spider-Man is not Tony Stark, Jan. He's a bio-physicist, not an engineer. He's a genius in his own right, but this is not his field."

"Well this is not the time to argue, friends. This thing is startin' to lose altitude. You want Thor and me to go out and push?"

"I dont think that's necessary, Jim. At least not yet."

War Machine nods in the affirmative, "Okay Cap, but don't wait till the last minute."

The wasp turns towards Cap, "Where should we put down?"

"I'm not sure, Jan. Look for anything close that is well hidden. Something undisturbed."

For the next several tense minutes, the Avengers scan the surrounding area, all the while knowing that their pursuers will be getting nearer by the minute, until

"Steve" The Wasp begins, "There, it looks like we're above some sort of farmland, and that looks like an old barn of some kind. I think the Quinjet will fit in there."

Cap nods before speaking, "Vision, check it out old friend, secure the area if empty. Then notify us."

Wordlessly, the Vision drops through the floor of the wounded Quinjet, and floats downwards towards the barn, disappearing through its roof, eerily.

"I wonder how the others are fairing?" Muses Ms Marvel, almost under her breath.

Many miles away, deep in the woods of West Virginia, in a hidden bunker beneath the Earth, several superhumans toil tirelessly in their hidden base. A base that is the last hidden resource to be used against the alien conquerors who have quickly , almost completely enslaved the world.

Peter Parker, Spider-Man walks next to Natasha Romanoff, the graying Black Widow, leader of the mid states Avengers, as well as Monica Rambeau-Rhodes, otherwise known as Photon.

"I'm glad we could gather everyone here as safely as we did."

"Yes, Peter." Agrees The Widow, "In that at least, we indeed had luck, or divine intervention on our sides."

"But still, " Monica thinks aloud, "we're missing more then a couple of our friends and teammates, and I'm worried for them."

"I know Photon. But we have to keep our spirits up. Hopefully, this madness will be over soon."

Natasha cocks her head sideways , then turns back towards her friends "I pray you're correct, Peter. But I fear we have a long battle ahead of us, and one we may not be able to win."

Peter stares long and hard at his teammates. And then silently walks away. His mind still reels from the recent loss of his wife, as well as the horrible changes wrought upon his world.

He's not the same gentle man he's always been. The hero who would fight monsters and villains, giving 100% of his himself to protect the weak and innocent, and if that was not enough, he'd give 110% more to get the job done.

Those days are over for Peter Parker. Now a dull ache resides in his breast , where his heart used to be. He fears himself now, afraid of what he might do in battle. For the past two months, he hasn't seen a moment of fighting at all, afraid of the fire that burns inside him now. The fire to reach out and kill whatever, and whoever is before him.

He runs a hand through his unkempt hair, his beard is ragged, but he doesn't care as he slowly walks away, images of his dead love kaleidescoping through his reeling mind

Back at the barn

"We need a few parts here Cap." Shouts Jim Rhodes from beneath an open engine cover on the Quinjets right side. "It looks like a blown hydraulic stabilizer, and a shattered support strut for the engines front."

"Okay, Ms Marvel, Carol, You're our fastest flyer present. Get back to base, send either another Quinjet, with whatever parts we need, or get back here with a few other Avengers, and those parts we need."

Carol nods in the affirmative, and then after surreptitiously checking the doorway to the long abandoned barn, she takes flight, streaking away quickly into the evening sky.

Thor approaches Cap from behind.

"Captain, why didst thou send fair Carol when I couldst have transported us all hither widst Mjolnirs mighty power?"

Cap stares at Thor incredulously for a moment, as if a light just appeared before his eyes, then he sighs and seems to sag inwardly.

"I-I'm sorry Thor. I should have come to that same conclusion myself. There's so much happening around us, for the first time in my life, I'm feeling overwhelmed."

"Aye my friend, tis nothing to be ashamed of. We are all feeling this horrendous malaise ourselves. Tis more then understandable, given our dire circumstances."

As the two Avengers speak, behind them, the Vision floats down from the roof, sliding between the molecules of the roofs surface from the outside-in, to land silently behind his compatriots.

"Gentlemen, " The Vision begins, "I have detected several Ca'ShuBak assault ships heading in our direction."

"Wonderful." Sighs Cap. "How many did you detect Vision?"

"Perhaps a dozen, Captain. But you misunderstand. They are heading in our direction, but not towards our exact destination. I believe they are going straight towards Chicago proper. And Captain, from their formation, I believe they are going in to decimate anything in their path."

War Machine has walked up to the other Avengers as they were conferring, and he has listened intently to everything that has now been said, wiping his grease stained hands on an old rag that he had found in the barn.

"What makes you think they're on a search and destroy Vish?" He asks.

"These ships are far more heavily armed then we have seen prior to this time, War Machine."

Suddenly, explosions assault the Avengers ears, from far off in the distance, several explosions, and very powerful!

"No," Growls Cap venomously, I won't allow them to kill anyone else. We have to put a stop to this war, this madness."

The Wasp flies out into the barn from inside the Quinjets cabin, just as Thor begins to speak.

"Aye Captain, I agree with thee." Roars the God of Thunder, "The time has passed for mere strikes. Verily, the Avengers are all that is left of this worlds defenses, and we must now make these invaders learn why our name is feared by all those who art evil and base across the very cosmos! By my fathers beard, tis time we went on the offensive, no matter the out come, we must strike back, with all our legendary might! Lo there shall come a reckoning! Let the heavens tremble, and the Earth itself rock with the fury and the power of The Avengers!

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Definitely To Be Continued!

Invasions of privacy C/O CptMarvell@aol.com

Ralph,

What happened to my letter, how come it's not in the lettercol? Am I not
good enough for you? :)

With that out of the way, onto the issue. The issue was all together good,
and I think you nailed Peter Parker. The last line at the end where the
Wasp thinks of Spidey was the best moment in the whole issue if you ask me,
it just rang so true.

I'm really enjoying this series, I just hope I won't have to wait another
few months to read the next installment.

Later,
Adam Di Stefano

Hi Adam, sorry it has taken me so long to get another issue out, i promise you the rest won't be slong in coming though. Stick around, things are about to get good.

Hey Ralph! Well, sorry it's been so long since I got
the issue and replied. I've been busy on a 25 page
history paper! The scene of horror at Spider-Man's
home away from home was incredibly powerful. Mary
Jane's death was a real surprise and a horrible
tradgedy. I can really see how the alien invasion is
the most serious threat that these heroes have ever
faced. The scene aboard the alien starship was not any
less horrible. These monsters are truly dangerous,
and, in these few moments alone, you can tell how
horrid they are in nature. Wanda's captivity surprised
me here... I'm actually worried for her safety! With
events as they are in the real MU, it takes incredible
writing to make me care about her like that! Keep up
the great work buddy!


TJB

Hi TJ! Thanks , as Always for writing in. Let me know how you liked this issue! The wordl of the 2011 Avenegrs is rough right now, and it'sgoing to get worse before, and IF it gets better!