Issue Eight: Get Together

X has had the photo op with the one person he knows best here. That said he spends a little time talking with Iron man. If they talk long enough he will drop out of the oh so friendly phase of the conversation. He would then start telling a story about an old "job" he had at Stark International. My work has gotten me into many a short time jobs in companies. That one short time job I enjoyed a bit more then most of the others. He heads over to Energy star and Captain America. I was offered a job as a Liaison between the U.S. Government and Avengers North back at the meeting. I have worked as a secret agent for multiple government organizations. It is a long and hard job sometimes. Though it is almost always worth it. Maybe it is a time for a change of pace. X has an image as a ghost. It is an Image that might be best kept as is. It is almost always a good idea to have a nameless agent. That strike fear in those on the side of evil. I believe considering the recent publicity. Along with the assumed connection established there in. It might just be better to take the job as Christopher Alexander Micheals. The heroic bystander of the foiled museum robbery. I mean think about it I set up the story back then when I was simply spit balling. A "retired" government agent gets a job working with those he helped in the museum robbery. Tell me there isn't a nice neat story in there. So what do you think of that idea. X try's to get a photo opp with the original Avengers plus Tesla. He does this photo and all others he is in as Christopher Alexander Micheals.

There aren't too many rowdy Avengers there willing to take up MantaMan's challenge, which is disappointing, as he would have liked to have known how he would of stood up against Namor, for one. Eventually, Sersi takes up the challenge to defend the honor of all female Avengers present. After an exorbitant amount of alcohol (at which point even MantaMan is feeling its effects), Sersi faceplants on the table, unconscious. MantaMan's feeling of victory lasts but a moment before he feels the heavy weight of a massive hand fall upon his shoulder. "Sersi is a mightly lass, 'tis true. But dare thee willing to try and best the Lion of Olympus at this challenge, fishy-one?", Hercules asks.

You now have an Olympian God looking to take you up on your challenge. Do you accept? Dare you accept?

Captain America agrees that the situation at the museum does lend itself perfectly to Christopher becoming the government liaison for the new team. Unless EnergyStar has any objections at this point, he will see what he can arrange.

Blackbird's list of would-like photo ops includes Captain America, Triathlon, the Falcon (and any other African-American superhero(ine) I missed).

You, of course, get one with Black Panther, as well as with Rage and War Machine (although you may not realize he's African-American underneath the modified Iron Man armor).

Maelstrom's grin is ear to ear as he hob-nobs with the best and brightest of the Superhero community. As usual, he is shy about it, and yet for once he doesn't retreat off somewhere alone to nurse his self-imposed loneliness. Instead, he makes an honest effort to be social. If the Avengers were going so far as to welcome him, they deserved a man who would put aside his doubts and try to live up to them. He didn't feel worthy - far from it, but he would try. He would try.

At first, he stayed near those who shared his scientific interests. In their company, he was a light-weight, though he had been an important scientist once. Nevertheless, they seemed to accept him, and the discussion was heady. In fact, something Benni said gave him an idea about the research he'd been working on for so long to send himself back from whence he came. Something to look in to...

Later, with a few Carlsburgs under his belt, he even tried an arm-wrestle with She-hulk. It wasn't much of a fight, but Beorn seemed almost young again, laughing with beer-freedom and the photographer caught a snap-shot just at a point when it when they were both laughing and it wasn't yet obvious how Maelstrom's arm was about to be smashed through the table-top.

As the evening wore down, Maelstrom got maudling and went looking for Bova. Kissing her on her bovine cheek, he asked her for a dance, and, clearing the kitchen of obstructions, he walzed her about the tiled floor before leaving her to head to the roof and fall asleep watching the city lights on the river.

Oh yes, i almost forgot. Jericho would also explai away the scientific questions about his power output, megnetism, and pretty any questions about how his power work scientifically. he shrugs them off, exclaiming "God if i know everyone, you see i was struck by lightning at stonehenge and....near as i can figure, well........i guess the best way to say it is the stones....accepted me."

Benni is feeling very out of place at the party. The only times she is feeling comfortable is when she is taking science and theories. She doesn't touch any of the various types of alcohol floating around, sticking to juices or soda. Whenever the talk drifts to past exploits, she has a tendency to float into background, as much as a 7 ft tall woman can.

While Blackbird starts out strong in the meet-and-greet fest, rubbing elbows with longtime adventures and mythical heroes alike, practicality eventually gets the better of him. Partway into the party, he finds a notepad and pencil and spends some time jotting down figures, trying to factor in both travel time and expenses likely to be incurred.

Finally, feeling somewhat troubled, Blackbird goes in search of the legendary figurehead himself, Captain America, and attempts to take him to the side for a few minutes.

...and with his better than average Agility score, Beorn does a splendid job leading the waltz. Retiring up to the roof for a view of the city, Beorn reflects on what has been one of his best days in a long time, before drifting off into a welcome and sound sleep.

At 3AM, it begins to drizzle.

BlackBird and Captain America seem to have a pretty serious private discussion for a few minutes...

Energystar mingles and accepts the congratulations graciously. She thanks She-hulk and gets the name of that secretary. She makes a point to get to the group including Benni, Jericho and Agent X. She encourages them to try for the AEF and lets them know that they have her full backing to be accepted. She takes X aside for a moment and, for once, discusses something with him quietly.



She smiles, shakes X's hand and walks away searching the room. She finds Cap...er...Minuteman and makes her way toward him. She grabs his arm and drags him to the dance floor and cuts the rug.