Avenging Shadows - Part 18

Union Jack sighed as he used a cable to move from one rooftop to the other along the back streets of London.

"Looks like it's going to be a quiet night", UJ thought to himself as he visibly scanned the streets below.

Suddenly, the piercing sounds of an alarm came screeching through the night.

"Oops! Spoke too soon!", UJ thought as he began to move towards the sounds of the alarm, which were now being accompanied by screams and the sound of ripping metal.

Union Jack arrived at the scene just in time to see chaos as two cars were overturned and the front wall of a small bank was totally demolished. People were screaming and running.

"Blast", thought Jack as he came to a stop in front of the wreckage that once was the front door of the bank. "Looks like I'm too late."

"Aauugh", a scream rang out from a nearby alley.

"Or maybe not", UJ said as he headed off towards the noise.

As he entered the alley-way, Jack saw a dark figure standing over a body.

"Hold it there, creep", Jack yelled as he assumed a fighting stance.

The dark figure turned into the light and Jack dodged out of the way as the snarling figure leaped towards him and into the light.

"What the...", Jack thought as he quickly dodged another quick move by the figure and a slash of razor sharp claws.

"Should mind your own business, boy", a voice snarled.

UJ looks at the tall, imposing figure, as much animal as man, with a wild golden mane of hair and teeth like a rapid animal.

"I know this guy... he's the mutant killer, Sabretooth", Jack thought as he dodged another vicious slash of claws and managed to connect with a kick to the jaw of the much larger and deadly killer.

"Should not have done that. It almost hurt", Sabretooth snarled. "Guess I'll have to kill you now!"

Sabretooth charged at Union Jack, who grabbed a small magnesieum pack from a small packet on his belt, and tossed it, exploding in a big blast of light.

"Nasty", Sabretooth smiled. "Doesn't matter though cause I don't need to see you to smell you... or rip your freakin' head off!"

"Try it, killer", Union Jack said as he dodged yet another swipe of the claws and landed another hard kick to the head of the crazed killer.

Then, faster than the eye could follow, Sabretooth reached out and managed to snag the leg of the moving and weaving Union Jack and slammed Jack hard against the wall.

"Hope that hurts, hero", Sabretooth snarled. "This is gonna hurt more!"

Sabretooth quickly moved in towards Union Jack with the claws out, ready to rip the hero to shreds. Jack, moving quickly on instinct, pulled a knife from a small holster and let it fly forward, imbeding itself deeply in the throat of the crazed mutant killer.

"Auuuuggh!", Sabretooth shreiked as the knife plunged deep into his throat.

Union Jack quickly moved away from the crazed madman and thought to himself, "I've got to end this now!"

Sabretooth pulled the knife from his throat, tossing it to the side. He snarled and spit as blood was spurting everywhere. Jack watched in amazement as the wound on his throat seemed to close and heal almost instantly.

Sabretooth crouched and was snarling. Union Jack watched as Sabretooth growled and all traces of humanity left his eyes. There was no man left - just a rabid and snarling and crazed animal.

"Oh shit", Union Jack thought to himself as he prepared to defend himself. Another series of kicks and punches to Sabretooth, which were shrugged off by the crazed monster, who was slashing with his claws and even biting at Union Jack's retreating figure.

"Let me try something else", Jack thought as he launched a steel cable that wrapped around Sabretooth's arms, pinning them to his side.

"Roooowwrrr!", Sabretooth roared as he flexed and destroyed the cable and launched himself again at Union Jack.

Union Jack caught the leaping figure and monkey-flipped Sabretooth into a wall.

"Maybe that will slow him down", Union Jack thought and hoped as the wall collapsed on to the body of Sabretooth.

"Or maybe not", he thought as Sabretooth quickly burst out of the rubble and sneered at him, as crazed and deranged as ever.

"You done having your fun, punk", Sabretooth growled. "Cause now it's time for me to have mine. I'm gonna feast on your entails!"

"Sure you wouldn't prefer Chinese... or maybe some fish and chips", Jack said as he bounded away and leaped towards a nearby roof.

"I'm gonna drink your blood!", Sabretooth snarled.

"Go to the pub and grab a mug instead", Union Jack replied as he scored a direct hit on Sabretooth's head with a brick he grabbed from his roof-top perch.

"All you're doing is making me mad", Sabretooth bellowed as he pounded at the wall of the building where Jack had sought shelter, causing the wall to collapse.

Launching a line across to another building, Union Jack leaped to safety and swung around to level into Sabretooth with another powerful kick.

Jack quickly surveyed the situation. Sabretooth was stunned, but it would be only a matter of seconds before he was back up and on the attack again.

"I think I've got it", Jack said as he launched another cable towards Sabretooth, wrapping the mutant in the steel wire. And before Sabretooth could flex and break free, Union Jack leaped over towards a light pole and scaled it quickly.

"This had better work... if I don't get electrocuted first", Jack thought as he quickly launched the other end of the cable up on to the electric wire that dangled loosely at the top of the pole.

Zzzzzzzzzztttttttttttt!!

Sparks and energy flew and the air sizzled as several hundred thousand volts of electricity traveled through the cable and into the wire that surrounded Sabretooth. Lights flickered and went out in the area as Sabretooth let out with a mighty scream.

"Aaauuuuuuuuuugggggghhhhh!", he screamed.

And then it was quiet. Union Jack could smell burnt hair and flesh as the putrid odor filled the air. He looked over to where Sabretooth, despite all the energy he had just been blasted with stood still. But the eyes were blank and vacant.

"Ha! Is that your best, Flag Boy? I'll.....", Sabretooth was saying, but then he fell down, face first, into an unconcious hubble of flesh and hair.

"Whew", Union Jack thought. "I didn't think he'd ever go out!"

"Good job", a voice came from behind him.

Union Jack turned around and there stood The Black Widow, Spitfire, Hercules, Vision and The Gargoyle, The Avengers.

"Ummmmm", Union Jack started to say. "How long have you guys been here?"

"We just arrived", the Widow said.

"We got a report on the police wire and got here as soon as we could", Spitfire added.

"Man, I'm glad to see you", Union Jack said. "That... thing was crazy!"

"Sabretooth is one of the most dangerous criminals and murderers in existence", Vision said. "But it appears you handled him quite efficentially."

"Looks can be decieving", Union Jack said with a groan. "I was lucky!"

"Why didn't thou summon us before tackling yon' crazed murderer?", Hercules asked.

"Didn't have time", Union Jack said. "He killed some people and I had to stop him."

"And he nearly killed you", Spitfire said.

"But he didn't" the Widow said. "You're not used to being part of a team and your reaction is understandable."

"But I screwed up", Jack admitted.

"You did fine", the Widow said. "But next time, use your communicard and call first so you can have back-up. Sabretooth is far too dangerous for any one of us alone. You were lucky, but you need to be smart as well."

"I'm just not used to being part of a team", Jack admitted.

"You'll adjust and do fine", the Widow said. "And we're proud of you!"

"Verily", Hercules said. "With the defeat of such a vicious foe, thou has't truly proven that thou are a fine choice for the Avengers!"

"What Herc said", Gargoyle agreed with a pat on the back for Union Jack.

"Ouch!", Union Jack flinched..

"But maybe for now, we should get you checked out by our medical staff", Spitfire commented.

"Just a scratch... and a bruise or two.... and maybe a broken back", Union Jack sighed. "I'll be OK."

"Let's go finish things up with the local officials and then we can get you back to the castle to get checked out", the Widow said.

"I can handle things here if you'd like", Vision spoke up. "Go back to the Castle and get treatment for your injuries."

"Sounds good to me", Union Jack agreed. "Is it OK, Widow?"

"That'll be fine", the Widow said. "We'll head back to the Castle. Thank you, Vision."

"No problem", the Vision said. "No problem at all."