On a small island some five hundred miles northeast of Tahiti lies what is now called Sanctuary Island. At one time the base of operations for the infamous Dr. Destroyer, the island once called Destruga has been changed into a tropical resort ran by superbeings for superbeings. The origins of Sanctuary were small and unambitious. In the beginning it was little more then a private gentlemen's club for several of the older superbeings. In time it became much broader in scope and purpose. Now it was an organization that dealt with all superbeings and helped them deal with their unique problems.
The island itself is a tropical paradise; like something right out of Fantasy Island. That's not a total surprise as they copied many of the areas from that television show! Guests can either stay at the large, modern hotel complex or take secluded bungalows near the beach.
It is within the hotel's main restaurant, Tahiti's, where we find an eclectic bunch of superbeings dining. Off at one table sit the members of Villainy International while the Pacific Overlords occupy one whole corner. The alien Thok busily devours some bizarre looking food while the Canadian heroine Ambrosia wards off the unwanted romantic attentions of Foxbat.
At one table sits the woman known to the world as Black Diamond, one of the famous Avengers. Only her mask is a carry over from her super heroine outfit. As befits a tropical location she wears a black bikini swimsuit. While Sanctuary may be a resting place for supers, one does need to worry about concealing one's identity!
Next to her is her teammate and friend, Nightingale. 'Gale likewise is dressed in a one-piece swimsuit but maintains her hero identity's mask.
Keeping the ladies company this night is Hyperion, a famous hero active during World War II, and one of the founders of Sanctuary. To any onlooker, it would be hard to imagine that Hyperion was over seventy years old! He was still quite handsome, muscular, and youthful in appearance. His body actually glowed. The effect was as if some Greek god had walked down from Mount Olympus.
"Aye, ladies, those were glorious times," Hyperion said. "Things were much simpler in my day."
"From the looks of it, I'd say you could still give most villains a run for their money today," Black Diamond said with a smile. "You've been an idol of mine for a long time. Along with Lady Victory, of course."
Nightingale smiled as well, but said nothing. In her mind she had sensed far more than the words that were being exchanged. In fact she could not even hear the words. The freak accident that had triggered her mental powers had also deprived Nightingale of her hearing. It would have been a tragic loss if not for the mental powers she had developed afterwards. A small portion of her telepathy was always in operation. With it she could pick up the surface thoughts of those around her; she could follow conversations without ever hearing a word that was spoken. It was because of this that Nightingale had gleamed the huge crush that her friend had on the golden age super.
Hyperion gave a small laugh at the idea of still being an active superhero. "Most kind, but my time has passed. It now belongs to you and your generation. My world was different. Good and evil were much clearer. There were no such things as aliens and mutants.
"The price of the passage of time," Black Diamond said. "I really love this place-- I never want to leave."
"I understand that you'll be returning in a few months for the Fantasy Camp?"
"That's right. The Avengers believe in supporting Sanctuary. We're glad to do what we can to help out."
"Much appreciated," Hyperion replied. He leaned back and placed his hands behind his head. Nightingale caught the clue and knew that another story was on the way.
"Ah, the good old days... Did I ever tell you about the time where I took on Panzer by myself?"
Black Diamond always enjoyed Hyperion’s stories and he never seemed to tire of telling them. It was this that solidified Hyperion as the senior citizen of the superhero set.
Nightingale excused herself and retired for the evening. Those two could talk for hours and 'Gale was weary from a day full of fun and sun.
Upon reaching her room, Nightingale changed and prepared for bed. At least in private she could be plain old Dr. Christina Blackledge, expert in the parapsychology, among other talents, and not the psionic heroine Nightingale.
Staying at Sanctuary was something of a blessing as well. It was one of the few places where Chris could get a good night's sleep. Because some of her telepathic abilities were constantly in operation, the thoughts of those nearby would always filter into her mind. With concentration she could ignore them, but sleeping was a problem. Here at Sanctuary, she could reserve a room with walls that dampened psionic abilities. For once, everything was quiet in her mind.
As she settled in to her bed, Chris noticed that her Avengers comlink was signaling her. With a sigh she picked it up and read the LCD readout. All it said was "Priority 1 Emergency", signifying that some disaster had befallen.
It was Nightingale that exited the room a few moments later dressed in her black and silver costume. Her powerful mind went into action quickly locating the mind of Black Diamond.
"Fun time is over, Linda," Nightingale telepathically flashed to her teammate. "We've gotten a Priority 1 response!"
Down in the restaurant, Black Diamond quickly excused herself from Hyperion's company and flew towards her room where she knew that Nightingale would be waiting. Once there she activated her own comlink to learn what was going on. The reply nearly floored the heroine. Her eyes filled with tears at the message.
Nightingale "heard" the response in her teammate's mind. And she too began to weep...
By the next morning, most of the world had heard about the incident at the Avengers Mansion. It was WNN reporter Allen Kingston who first broke the story and stayed with it throughout the night.
"This is Allen Kingston with a WNN special news report. Earlier this evening there was an explosion of unknown origin at the Avengers Mansion. The Fire Department and Police Authorities quickly arrived on the scene. They arrived to find a tragic sight-- the mansion had collapsed from the explosions and was ablaze. Fire fighters fought the blaze for over an hour before they finally managed to get it under control."
"Approximately two hours after the explosion the Avengers' Black Diamond and Nightingale arrived on the scene. Guided by Nightingale, the powerful Black Diamond searched the wreckage for survivors."
"So far we have confirmed that Black Tiger and Sargon perished in the blast. Hunter is reported to be alive, but in critical condition. Captain Valor has been reported as 'missing'. We do not have any conformation at this time if Supreme was in the mansion when it exploded."
"In a related note, the Golden Avenger held a press conference in Washington, DC just a few minutes ago. He promises that the parties responsible for this act will be caught and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
"Authorities remain baffled as to the cause of the explosion. We'll report any new developments as they are made available to us. This is Allen Kingston, sending you back to the studio."
It was a sunny afternoon as Black Diamond landed before a typical government office building in Washington, DC. Black Diamond's super heroine outfit was mostly black. She wore an armless, legless halter top bodysuit with a white diamond over her heart. A light blue sash circled her hips and was tied off on the right side. Long black gloves reached up past the elbow to her biceps, while her matching boots rose most of the way up her thighs. At the tips of the boots and gloves was another smaller white diamond.
Located inside were the offices of the National Security Council, the branch of the government that oversaw the Avengers and, until recently, the Guardians.
The heroine was quickly shown into the office of one Byron J. Gamble, NSC liaison to the Avengers.
"We need to act fast in this matter, Diamond," Gamble said in place of a greeting. "We can not afford to let public confidence diminish over this."
"Hello to you to."
"No time for jokes, Diamond. We need to work on getting replacements for the team."
"I've already been approached by Ben Grimm and Lightburst, asking if they could rejoin. Warlock suggested that I ask an old teammate of his, the Enchantress. I understand that she was close to Sargon. Finding her may be difficult however."
"The NSC has a couple of suggestions as well. But not necessarily for the obvious reasons."
Gamble slid a photograph out of a folder and handed it to Black Diamond.
It was a photograph of a man in a dark blue, purple, and orange costume bearing a sword.
"I'm not familiar with him," Black Diamond said, examining the picture.
"He goes by the name of Muskateer and operates in Chicago. We suspect that he has ties with the Iron Maiden, but we can't prove anything just yet. Our thinking was that if we invited him to join the line up, we could keep an eye on him. Perhaps have Nightingale check out if he has any real ties to Iron Maiden."
"'Gale will not like that idea."
"We all do what we must, not necessarily what we like."
Black Diamond paused at that. "Anyway, I trust that you summoned me here for more than just going over a new roster?"
"Yes. Watch this."
Agent Gamble brought up a hand held remote and activated one of the TV screens on the wall.
"What is it?", Black Diamond asked.
"What's left of the surveillance tape from the night of the explosion. The lab boys have been over it several times now. It creates more questions then it answers."
Curious, but experiencing a feeling of dread, Black Diamond turned towards the monitor.
"This is a composite of several tapes. It best covers the events in question."
The tape started out with Sargon, Captain Valor, and the Black Tiger gathered around a table examining a large crystal.
"Do you have any idea what this crystal is?", Gamble asked.
Black Diamond considered for a moment. "I don't recognize it. Is it significant?"
Agent Gamble did not reply and let the tape advance in silence. Next was a scene which showed a large, fiery humanoid spotted outside the Mansion walls.
"This is another unknown," Gamble finally said. "We have no records of such a super in our files which matched this description. There were no witnesses to its arrival or departure. It was there one moment and then gone the next."
"Teleportation?", Black Diamond asked. Agent Gamble just shrugged.
"It gets more interesting."
Captain Valor and the Black Tiger went to investigate the strange fiery giant. Instead, they found a young woman in a golden yellow costume. They talked for a moment, and then she flew off.
"That's another super that I'm unfamiliar with," Black Diamond added.
"We have a line on this one. Keep watching. This is where it really gets strange."
The mystery woman flew into the Mansion chased by the two Avengers. She blasted her way in and disappeared inside. A few moments after that, the mansion blew up and the tape ended!
"Then she's the one who did it!", Black Diamond exclaimed. "She caused their deaths."
"It appears that way, but observe what another camera picked up."
Another tape began to run. It showed the rear of the mansion. Suddenly, the woman blasted her way out of the building and flew off camera. The Mansion exploded scant seconds later.
"It doesn't really change my opinion. That woman killed my teammates!"
"We've got one last view. This is the clincher."
The view on the monitor returned to the interior of the mansion. Sargon appeared to be holding a smaller portion of the crystal. Captain Valor grabbed it and tried to force it into the larger crystal. The Black Tiger tried to stop him while Sargon hit the crystal with a magic blast. A moment later the explosion occurred. The tape ended and the monitor went black.
"As near as we can tell, it was that strange crystal which triggered the explosion. We have no idea what it is. Sargon mentions something about it being 'magical'. It was not found in the rubble."
"That still doesn't explain who that girl was. Or why she was at the Mansion that night."
"She's been identified as 'Firestar'," Gamble said. "A relatively new heroine operating in St. Louis. Curiously, her powers are fire-based, just as the mysterious flaming figure standing in front of the base. There could be a connection. This Firestar was spotted in St. Louis only a few hours before the Mansion exploded. How she got there so quickly and back is yet another mystery."
"Well, 'Gale and I traveled from Sanctuary to New York in a matter of seconds. But this girl doesn't have access to a teleporter like we do... I have an idea. Why not ask this Firestar to join the team?"
"That was a possibility we had considered. I wasn't sure that you'd be so warm to the idea."
"Why not? That'll at least give me a pretense to go to St. Louis and talk to her. I want to know what she was doing there. Besides, with Supreme still missing, we need a seventh member anyway."
"Alright, you can pursue it. In the meantime, I have a meeting to attend to. We're wrangling over the budget for re-building the Avengers Mansion. Fortunately, only the above ground structure was destroyed. The underground levels, with the exception of the upper basement, are relatively intact."
"The joys of politics. Looks like I've got my work cut out for me. Talk to you later, Gamble."
The next day was one of the longest that Black Diamond could ever remember and ever hope to have to endure. At the Arlington National Cemetery was a memorial section that was reserved for superheroes who had died in the service of their country. They were all remembered here-- Billy Yank the first hero to perish in World War II, Sunwarrior, the original Hunter and American Eagle, and so many others. Fittingly, it rained all day.
As if the sadness of the situation wasn't enough, politicians came out of the woodwork for the event. A few did seem genuinely concerned, but most were here only to bolster their public image. That managed to enrage Black Diamond even more. The only bright spot was Senator Clayton Mansfield of New York. The Congressman was a very striking man. He was a dignified 52 years old, the lines in the corners of his eyes and mouth becoming more prevalent, but still somewhat hidden behind his eyeglasses and mustache. Streaks of gray hair graced his temples. He was dressed, as always, in a tailored suit that accentuated his 6'1", 190-pound figure, which made him appear much younger than his actual age. He stood beside the heroine, silent at first, but finally did speak.
"Death is one thing that you never get used to. Or want to get used to."
"But this was so senseless--"
"I lost many good friends in the big war," the senator continued, cutting Black Diamond off. "But we had a job to do. We had to protect America from the threats of the Axis powers. And that we did. The price of freedom can be terribly high. But those men understood that when they left their homes."
"This isn't a war."
"Isn't it? Maybe not the same kind of war, but a war nonetheless. The battle lines are not as clear, the foe not as obvious. But it is the same. When you put on that costume you knew the risks. You were going to stand up for what was right and that there would be those who would oppose you."
"These young men knew the risks as well. As did all the others honored here. We are here to honor their memory. To follow their examples and to continue the struggle. Our foes may have won this battle, but the war still goes on. And good warriors are still needed. You are needed. Don't ever forget that."
The Senator then walked off, leaving Black Diamond alone with her thoughts.
Finally after an endless amount of speakers, the plaques of the slain Avengers were added to the memorial. They were escorted in by a squad of PRIMUS Silver Avengers, led by the Golden Avenger. The plaques were mounted in place and the crowd began to disperse. Black Diamond flew off, her thoughts dark and troubled.
The weather, as always, was beautiful on Sanctuary Island. Near the island's chapel was a small garden. It was surrounded by hedges and filled with tropical flowers. Several paths wound their way through the garden with all of them meeting at the center. There a plain granite obelisk four feet tall stood, inscribed with the words "We Remember".
This was the memorial sight for superbeings created by their own kind. Several smaller obelisks, similar in construction, ringed the larger one. Names of superbeings who had died were scattered about on them. On this day, new names were being added.
Several dozen superbeings had made their way to the garden, heroes and villains alike. The Deacon, the spiritual and moral advisor of Sanctuary, was just concluding the ceremony.
"...the whole world shall mourn the passing of these valiant heroes. Sargon and the Black Tiger will live on in glory and in our hearts."
After the ceremony the crowd, somewhat quietly, disperses.
"Who could possibly pull off such a feat," the armored hero called Defender wondered out loud. "The enormous power involved..."
"If I find those responsible, they're dog meat," the armored Superior Seven member known as Centurian added to no one in particular."
Off in one corner of the garden, Black Diamond and Nightingale are visited by Spinnerette and Morning Star.
"I really appreciate your coming," Black Diamond said as she shook the hands of her former teammates. "We didn't exactly part on the best of terms."
"Think nothing of it," the lavender and purple costumed Morning Star replied. "The faults that existed in the Guardians were not entirely your doing. You did the best you could, we just didn't click as a group."
"We definitely wanted to pay our final respects," Spinnerette added quietly.
Nightingale remained quiet, as usual, throughout the conversation. This aspect of the mental heroine greatly annoyed Spinnerette. Psionic people were not her "cup of tea". 'Gale could sense this and tried to move away from the scarlet and black clad heroine.
"What happens next?", Morning Star asked after a long pause. "Are they going to put a new team together?"
"The Avengers will continue," responded Nightingale. "Black Diamond will be the team leader."
"Lightburst is coming back," Diamond continued, "as well as the Thing. The last three spots are up in the air. With Supreme missing, we feel like we need to fill his spot as well."
"Something weird is going on," Spinnerette added. "Villains are acting stranger than normal lately. Heroes have been disappearing all over. Whatever it is, it's big!"
"May I make a recommendation for one of your openings?"
"Who do you have in mind, 'Star?", Black Diamond asked.
Morning Star made a 'come here' gesture to one of the other women in the crowd. She came walking towards the group of women.
"A former teammate of mine has some interest in what happened: the Enchantress!"
A woman in her mid-twenties wearing a deep scarlet costume moved closer. The torso portion appeared to be some type of armor. Strange scarlet and black circular patterns played on her arms and legs. The Enchantress was true to her name; exceptionally beautiful. Her hair was almost silver in color, her eyes true blue, her complexion flawless.
"It's an honor to meet you, Black Diamond", the Enchantress said, extending her hand. "If only it was under more pleasant circumstances."
"We're in agreement there," Diamond said with a smile.
"I would like the chance to find out what happened to the Avengers. Sargon was a fellow student of mine. Finding his killers is the least I can do."
"You come highly recommended. The Warlock already suggested you as well. In fact, I was wondering just how I was going to contact you. Looks like fate has solved that problem."
"Then you'll have me?"
"Welcome to the team. There are some forms that need to be filled out, but that shouldn't be a problem."
The two shook hands again.
"Thank you. Thank you very much."
"Say, how about a drink or two?", Spinnerette suggested. "I know that I could sure use one."
With that, the group of heroines left the garden and made their way towards the Starstruck Lounge, high atop the island's hotel.
With only two spots left to fill, Black Diamond traveled to the Windy City to find the Muskateer. Unknown to the heroine, someone else had already found him...
"Come and get it ugly!"
The beastly creature known as the Buffalo gave a loud roar of displeasure. The Buffalo stood almost eight feet tall, and was basically man-like with the exception of small horns coming out the side of his head.
The massive figure dropped his head and charged forward at the source of his displeasure; the Muskateer. Muskateer wore an orange and navy blue costume. His arms, legs and parts of his chest were orange, with a navy blue curved triangular section reaching from his shoulders down to a point at his belt. A full mask, flared pirate-style gloves, trunks, and rolled over pirate-style boots were also in navy blue. A dark purple buccaneer’s hat, with an orange plume, adorned his head. It matched the long cape worn cavalierly over one shoulder. His belt held a scabbard for his sword, as well as a coiled line for making swashbuckling swings.
The sword-swinging hero was too fast and simply tumbled out of the charging Buffalo's path. Again, the Buffalo gives off a loud "Rroarrrrr!"
"What dialogue!", Muskateer taunted. "Shakespeare has nothing on you, gruesome."
Pulling his cape off, the Muskateer holds it before him, as if he were a matador.
"Come on, snorter. Nice Buffalo, good Buffalo."
The Buffalo snorted loudly then rushed the annoying figure before him as if he was a bull!
Muskateer pulled the cape away at the last moment, and the Buffalo rushed by again. However, the charging beast was far too slow to avoid the concrete wall directly behind Muskateer!
"Ole'!"
After a loud crash, Muskateer spins about to find the Buffalo lying flat on his back, totally unconscious.
"Wow," Muskateer said to himself. "I didn't think anyone was that stupid. You know, you're gonna give villains a bad name"
The victorious hero slipped his cape back on.
"Guess I better call the Humane Society. I wonder if he's house broken or no?"
"Nicely done," a voice called out.
In a flash the Muskateer spun towards the source of the voice, half pulling his sword from his scabbard.
"That really won't be necessary."
Hovering some twelve feet above the alley was Black Diamond.
"Oh, sorry," Muskateer said, sliding his sword back into its scabbard. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that. You're Black Diamond right?"
"In the flesh."
"I could say something, but I won't. What brings you to the Windy City?"
"Well, I happened to be in the neighborhood," said Black Diamond as she landed next to the Muskateer.
"I see."
"Actually, I happen to be looking for you."
"Uh oh," Muskateer muttered, "I didn't do it. Whatever it was, it was him." Muskateer figured that he must be in some sort of trouble.
"Well, in that case, I guess I'm going to have to ask Mr. Buffalo if he wants to join the Avengers."
With that Black Diamond bent down to examine the unconscious villain.
"Are you kidding?", Muskateer said in total disbelief. "You can't take him. He has bad breath." Then the heroine's words began to sink in. "Wait a minute! What did you say?!"
"I said, 'I'm going to ask Mr. Buffalo if he wants to join the Avengers'. Remember that you didn't do it. I'll give you one thing though, his breath is wretched."
"Am I on Candid Camera or something?", Muskateer questioned as he vainly scanned the alley for any hidden cameras. "Yoo hoo? Mr. Funt?"
Satisfied that the Buffalo was going to be controllable for the foreseeable future, Black Diamond stood and said, "Do I look like Allen Funt?"
"Definitely not to me!"
Reaching down Black Diamond grabbed the large creature by the scruff of the neck.
"I'm sure he'll be quite honored when he wakes up. Although he's going to have to bathe first. And start taking breath mints. Be seeing you, swordsman."
"Hey! Well, maybe I did do it! My memory is funny like that sometimes..."
"I see. In that case, if you care to accompany me, then we can discuss the matter further."
"Lead on, pretty lady."
"Do you fly?"
"The only time I can remember flying was my fight with Grond. I lost the ability after that."
With a small laugh, Black Diamond replied, "In that case, you better hold on." Securing the Buffalo with one hand, Black Diamond reached around and picked up Muskateer under the shoulders.
"I like this job already. Up, up, and away!"
Black Diamond took to the air with her cargo. "Do you know where we can drop him off?"
"Humane Society's on the left."
Black Diamond sighed and thought to herself, "This is going to be interesting..."
Several days after recruiting the Muskateer, Black Diamond and Nightingale are flying over the St. Louis skyline...
"It appears that getting in touch with this 'Firestar' isn’t going to be as easy as we thought," Black Diamond said to her companion. Nightingale's costume was a conservative black bodysuit with a silver leotard worn over it. Her flared gloves and boots were also silver in color. A short black cape circled her neck and draped over her shoulders. It only reached to above her knees. A small silver domino style mask covered her eyes. Rich ebony hair cascaded down past her shoulders. "We've been flying around for over a day now."
"You did stop three robberies and a mugging, so it hasn't been a total waste of time," Nightingale offered.
"I know. I just didn't think that it would be so hard to find one woman in a town low on super powered folks."
"Sorry I can't be of more help. Finding an unknown mind in a large city is akin to finding a needle in a haystack. Even if she was my best friend, it would not be an easy task." Nightingale’s extraordinary mental powers where so far unable to locate their target.
"No need to apologize. We're just going to have to do this the hard--." Black Diamond stopped in mid-sentence as she spotted a woman in a gold and orange costume blazing a path across the sky. "Look! There she is!"
Black Diamond surged forward in pursuit of the woman. Nightingale kept up as best as she could while Diamond rapidly closed on the unsuspecting woman.
"Excuse me?", Black Diamond shouted. "I'd like to speak with you!"
The woman turns in response to the shouting. Her face changes from total surprise to sheer astonishment.
"OH MY GOD! You're Black Diamond!!"
"Live and in person."
The two slowed down to hovering speed. Black Diamond eyed the woman as she did so. The woman's costume was golden yellow and had orange trim with black piping.
"The tapes didn't indicate that she was so young," Diamond thought to herself. "She's probably still in high school!"
"Oh wow!", Firestar continued, the look of astonishment having yet to fade from her young face. "This is like, totally awesome! You're my idol!"
"I'm honored. I didn't know that I had such a big fan here in St. Louis. Curiously, I put messages in the want ads to get you to come out of hiding."
"I thought that they were someone’s idea of a joke," Firestar explained. "Or worse. A girl can't be too careful these days now that villains are attacking heroes without rhyme or reason."
"I really can't blame you there. Especially in light of all these disappearances."
Nightingale finally caught up to the chatting heroes. She slowed and joined them, also hovering in place.
"Firestar, this is Nightingale."
"Hiya!"
"Hello."
"I just can't believe it! The Black Diamond coming to visit little ol' me. Oh, and Nightingale too. So, to what do I owe this honor?" Firestar asked.
"I can pretty much guess what your response is going to be, but I'll ask anyway: We came to St. Louis to recruit you as a new Avenger."
"ALL-TOTALLY-AWESOME-RIGHT!"
"I think that means 'yes'," Nightingale added.
"Pabsatively! Oh... Wait a minute."
"Is there a problem?", Black Diamond asked.
Firestar hesitated for a moment. "Uhm, like not to be rude or anything, but could we talk in private, Black Diamond? It's kind of personal."
"I don't mind," Nightingale said. "I'll just wait here."
"Alright," Black Diamond replied to her friend. "How about we land on that roof over there and discuss this further?", she added, turning back to Firestar. "Go on ahead. I'll be with you in a moment."
With a very happy "Okie!", Firestar spun, performed a couple of loop-d-loops, and flew off towards the roof in question.
"Well, what do you think?", Black Diamond asked as soon as Firestar was out of earshot.
"I can't sense any lies on her part. She genuinely idolizes you. Furthermore, she didn't show any fear when she saw us. For someone who apparently was there when the Avengers Mansion was destroyed, she's amazingly calm. That's all I can tell from her surface thoughts."
"I concur. In spite of everything, I think I like her. She's got spunk. Wait here and monitor what you can. I'll be back in a moment."
Nightingale nodded her understanding. While not willing to do any deep telepathic readings on unwilling minds, 'Gale was not so indisposed when it came to reading surface thoughts; what a person was thinking as they spoke. Indeed, it was what compensated for her loss of hearing.
While they didn't exactly match the words spoken, surface thoughts actually said much more. A speaker’s intent became much, much clearer. Deceptions became easier to spot. It was with this trait that Black Diamond had hoped to learn the truth about her would-be teammates.
A few seconds later, Black Diamond softly landed next to the young heroine on a nearby roof.
"Is there a problem?"
"It's just that I'd, like, have to ask my foster mom," Firestar explained.
"Foster mother?"
"Yes. I... I don't know who my mother was."
"Forgive me. I didn't mean to pry."
"S'all right. But I'd have to clear it with her first. I'm still a minor."
"I see. Exactly how old are you?", Diamond asked.
"Seventeen. I'm a high school senior."
"I could go along with you if you would like?"
"Well... I... It's just that I do have a secret identity and a mom to protect."
"I understand. Believe me, I would not reveal such information to anyone."
"I know but... Tell you what: You tell me your identity and I'll tell you mine. That way we'd both be sure of secrecy," Firestar suggested.
"Well...," Black Diamond hesitated, unsure.
"I'll tell you first, because I know that Black Diamond wouldn't lie to me."
Black Diamond thought for a time and then finally said, "Alright. I agree."
Firestar pulled her half mask back. A moment later, Black Diamond did the same.
"My name is Cassandra Shepard," Firestar said.
"Cassandra meet Linda Taylor."
"It's an honor, ma'am," Firestar said as they replaced their masks.
"How about we go meet your mom?"
"Follow me!"
Black Diamond follows the young heroine further into the city, pausing only long enough to explain the situation to Nightingale.
A short time later at the Shepard household, Black Diamond and Rose Shepard engage in a private conversation at the kitchen table....
"...that's pretty much how we came to pick Firestar," Black Diamond explained finally.
"I'll be honest with you, Black Diamond, this probably couldn't have come at a better time."
"Really? How so?"
"Raising kids these days ain't easy, especially for a widow. The mister passed on some twelve years ago. Bringing up a teenage girl is hard enough, but one with superpowers? Oy vey!"
"Something made worse with one that possesses potentially damaging powers, I would guess."
"Exactly. That's something I don't know how to deal with. How can I possible instruct her? And then there's her 'spells'," Rose explained.
"Spells? I'm not sure what you mean."
"It's hard to explain'" Mrs. Shepard began. "But there's times when Cassie just isn't the girl I know and love. I'm at a loss on what to do."
"I understand. If she was an Avenger, then we could monitor her. Perhaps find out what is going on," Black Diamond offered.
"Yes. Plus, Cassie respects you. You could show her, teach her to use her powers for good."
"Then you are giving your permission for Cassie to leave?", Diamond asked.
"I encourage it."
"Are you sure that you can get by without Cassie?"
"I'll manage. This is in her best interest."
"Avengers receive a fairly substantial salary. I'm sure that we can arrange to have some of Cassie's income funneled down here. Plus we'll make sure that she continues with her studies as well."
"It's settled then. If you'd permit me, I'd like to tell Cassie myself."
"Of course. Here's the number where I can be reached. We'll be back to pick Cassie up in five days. That'll give her a chance to wrap up her affairs. Call me if there are any problems."
"Thank you. God bless you, Black Diamond."
"Bless you too, Mrs. Shepard."
Outside, Black Diamond caught up with Nightingale.
"That seemed to go smoothly," 'Gale said. "Perhaps too smoothly. Or maybe I'm just paranoid."
"You? Paranoid? You've been reading her thoughts, you tell me."
"As near as I can determine everything told to you was the truth. Or what they believed to be true."
"Firestar seems like a nice enough girl. I really can't believe that she was involved with what went on at the Mansion," Black Diamond stated.
"We've been given two sets of facts that are contradictory. We have Firestar on tape being at the Mansion moments before it went up. On the other hand, we have truthful witnesses who place her in St. Louis at the same time. They can’t both be right. No one can be in two places at the same time. And that still doesn't explain the flaming figure that originally drew the Avengers out of the Mansion."
"I know. Her powers don't appear to include duplication. I can't explain it either..."
The Avengers main mode of transportation, the Quinnjet, lifted into the St. Louis sky. Ben Grimm, better known to the world as the Thing, was the pilot. The main passenger section held a collection of boxes and storage crates. These were the personal belongings of the newest Avengers, Muskateer and Firestar. They, along with Black Diamond and Nightingale, sat where they could find a spot.
"Wow!", Firestar said to no one in particular. "I still can't believe that this is really happening."
"You and me both," Muskateer added. "At least my costume is the right colors for New York."
"You'll get used to it," Black Diamond said in a reassuring manner. "Going into battle against the kind of foes that we face is the hardest part. The rest is a piece of cake. With foes like Dr. Destroyer, Iron Maiden, Eurostar, and others, we're always on our toes."
"I can imagine. I've already ran into Iron Maiden's cronies a few times," Muskateer answered.
"I didn't know heavy metal was a crime," Firestar joined in.
"Heavy metal?" Black Diamond asked.
"We're talking about the villain group, not the music group," the Muskateer explained. "Come to think of it, heavy metal IS a crime against music!"
"It's not all bad," Firestar responded.
"To each his own," Muskateer said with a shrug.
"I wasn't aware that you had actually run into Iron Maiden before, Muskateer," Black Diamond added. "They're pretty nasty to take on by yourself."
"Actually, I haven't encountered Iron Maiden herself yet. Mostly her agents and a brief encounter with Deathbolt," Muskateer explained.
"I see. Since we have some time to kill, do either of you have any questions you care to ask? Some detail that needs a better explanation?"
"There was one thing that I was wondering about," Muskateer offered. "You said that revealing our true identity was optional. Yet we're getting a salary. How does that work?"
"I can see your confusion. It's really not that complicated. Payments are made to an account set up at First Hero's Bank. For example, your account would be in the name of Muskateer. Exactly how your account is secured is up to you. You don't have to reveal your identity. Instead other methods are used to verify who you are. Among them are fingerprints, retina scans, voice recognition, and even thermal aura scanners. All of these markers are unique to each individual."
"Thermal aura scanners, huh?" Muskateer seemed skeptical.
"Basically they identify an individual's heat patterns," Diamond explained.
"I've seen some of the prototypes on those. Pretty high-tech stuff."
"I take it you are up on high-tech gizmos?", Diamond asked.
"High-tech gizmos are my life, Ms. M. Where do you think the toys in this sword came from? J.C. Penny's?"
"You have to admit that medieval styling and high-tech equipment aren't exactly a combination you normally find."
"Oh, you'll see I'm just full of surprises."
"Hey, that means you can fix my CD player!" Firestar chimed in.
"Getting back to what we were talking about, the payment system isn't foolproof," Diamond continued. "You could withdraw your salary from First Hero and then move it into a private account of your choosing. All taxes are deducted before you receive payment."
"Your Avengers ID has several functions that are important. It acts as a combination key and security clearance. It will open most locks at the Mansion and secured areas, depending on the security clearance of the cardholder. Being new recruits, your security clearance is at the lowest rank; Level 2. Additionally, your ID card will act like a MAC card for First Hero's Bank, or a charge card for the Avengers account there."
"Kinda like a Swiss army ID."
"Our connection with the government is a bit more complex. In spite of the popular perception, the Avengers were not created by the Government, nor are we their employees. The Avengers are funded by the Maria Kirby Trust Fund. That is from where your salary comes. It also pays for our bases and equipment. The government has officially recognized this group and we receive some benefits from that. We get some degree of government access, based upon your security clearance. It also eliminates much of the red tape that other groups have to deal with. Being officially recognized has its good points and bad. The 'powers that be' can be a fickle bunch."
"That's why the ties with the Guardians were severed," Nightingale added. She had been so quiet during the whole conversation, that everyone had almost forgotten that she was even there.
"There was more to it than that," Black Diamond continued, "but that's a good enough explanation for now."
"The National Security Council is the agency that oversees us. Our liaison is Agent Byron J. Gamble. The man is a pain, but you two won't have to deal with him that much. Unfortunately, I will be one who has to put up with him."
"That seems to answer all my questions,... " Muskateer replied. "...for the moment."
After a momentary silence, Firestar asked, "What's going to happen with my schooling? Am I going to have to go to school?"
"I think I'll let Nightingale field that one."
"You'll be receiving private instruction," Nightingale said. "I am qualified to serve as a teacher on basic subjects. We'll schedule your school work around team activities."
"Oh...," Firestar said. Having a renowned mentalist as a schoolteacher was not much of a comfort to her. There would be no cheating with her!
"No, there won't be," Nightingale added with a smile.
"What--?! How?! How did you do that?", Firestar asked, very surprised.
"I'm deaf," Nightingale explained. "I compensate by using mild telepathy. Just enough to pick up what I call surface thoughts. I mostly just pick up what the person is saying, since that is what they are concentrating on. Strong, non-spoken thoughts sometimes come through as well."
"Looks like I'll have to watch more than just my tongue," Muskateer replied.
"That... That's kinda spooky!", Firestar added.
"That's understandable. Believe me, I find using deep telepathy on someone unpleasant and unethical. I would not probe any of your secrets without your permission."
A long, uncomfortable silence followed. It was broken when Black Diamond asked, "So, either of you two been to New York City before?"
"A couple of times," Muskateer said. "My parents were archaeologists and we traveled a lot when I was little."
"Were?", Diamond asked.
"They disappeared in South America a few years back."
"That's horrible," Firestar said. "I never even knew my parents. I can really sympathize with you. As for me, I've never been to New York. I can't wait to see all the sights!"
"You shouldn't have to wait much longer," Black Diamond said. "The Quinnjets have a top speed of mach two and a safe flight range of 9,000 miles. They really get us where we are going."
Before too long, the skyscrapers of New York City appeared on the horizon. Under the expert piloting of Benjamin Grimm, the jet steadily reduces its speed as it enters the heart of the city. Approaching Central Park, the Thing prepares to land.
Located on 5th Avenue and 70th Street, the Avengers Mansion covers an entire city block. Originally the Hamilton Mansion, it was donated to the Avengers by Jennifer Hamilton, secretly Hunter's mother in law.
The Thing brings the Quinnjet down to hovering speed as it approaches the Mansion. Slowly the craft descends to the hydraulic landing pad using its VTOL thrusters.
"I thought the house was a total loss," Muskateer questioned.
"It was," Black Diamond said. "Another perk of being in with the government. They've had crews working around the clock on rebuilding. Fortunately, the critical areas are located in the sub-basement levels of the Mansion. The above ground levels are mostly living space. The outside is finished. The inside should be done in a week or so."
The Quinnjet settled on the landing pad with a soft thud. The Thing powered the craft down and exited the pilot's cabin. Ben was huge in spite of being a 'mere' six feet tall. He was also about five feet wide. His orange hide was rocky and rough and he appeared to have no neck whatsoever. Currently, he wore a large white tank top with matching shorts. "Boys and girls, welcome home," he said, with a grin while chomping on a particularly foul smelling cigar.
"You know, those things are gonna kill you someday," Muskateer offered. "If they don't get us first."
"Never come between a man and his stogie, Junior."
"I wouldn't think of it. And don't call me 'junior'."
"Sure thing, Junior."
The landing pad slowly lowered itself into the bay below it. Down here was where all the team's Quinnjets were stored, four in all. Maintenance and repairs were done here as well.
The Thing opened the hatch and exited, followed by the rest of the team. Waiting for their arrival was Agent Gamble.
"It's about time you got here," he said, glancing at his watch. "Come on, we don't have time to lose!"
"What is it, Gamble?", Black Diamond asked. "Is there trouble?"
"You're late for the press conference!"
"Press conference? What press conference?"
While Black Diamond and Agent Gamble spoke, Firestar whispered to Muskateer, "I guess this is that government liaison Black Diamond spoke of."
"Somehow, 'fickle' is not the word I would use for this guy," Muskateer whispered back.
The five Avengers were hastily escorted through the complex, out of the hanger and to the Mansion above. There quick introductions were made with the remaining members, the Enchantress and Lightburst.
"Pleased to meet you both," the Enchantress greeted them with a smile. Dressed in his purple costume with a white and golden yellow starburst, Lightburst kind of grunted at the new Avengers.
Moments after that, Agent Gamble led the way outside to a podium covered with microphones. A throng of reporters awaited them.
Gamble reached the podium and spoke:
"Ladies and gentlemen of the press, citizens of the world, I present to you-- The New Avengers!!"
 Black Diamond |
 Nightingale |
 Enchantress |
 Muskateer |
 Firestar |
 Thing |
 Lightburst |
| Guest Appearances by: | |
|---|---|
 Morning Star |
 Spinnerette |
