Covert Task: Icarus/Dialogues

Task 1

Start

Agent Coulson:

We have an emergent situation.

Tony Stark:

Japan's favorite son, Sunfire, is here in the U.S. He's moving fast, and leaving a trail of fried Test Subjects behind him.

Nick Fury:

Track him down and find out what he thinks he's doing.

Agent Coulson:

Start by finding Test Subjects who might have survived an encounter with him.

Complete

Agent Coulson:

Boss, it looks like Shiro's going after particular groups of Test Subjects and leaving others alone.

Nick Fury:

And the reason for that would be...?

Agent Coulson:

Several of the Test Subjects have a diamond-shape branded into their necks. If Mister Sinister created them, Sunfire could be making a pre-emptive strike against him. Also, it's hard to get anything coherent out of Test Subjects, but one of them seemed to suggest that Shiro was investigating Incursions.

Nick Fury:

That's your next stop, then, Agent. Try to intercept him at an Incursion site.

Task 2

Start

Maria Hill:

Our mission parameters include countering Incursions in any case. See if you can cross paths with Sunfire at one of them.

Complete

Maria Hill:

He was here. We're getting closer.

Task 3

Start

Tony Stark:

Too many Incursions to keep track of. We lost Shiro again. Look around, Agent. There's got to be a clue here somewhere.

Complete

Tony Stark:

Aha. There we go. Now we're on the trail again.

Task 6

Start

Tony Stark:

At last he shows himself. Sunfire's tangling with the Grim Reaper's Maggia crew. Take your team in and have a little sit-down with the Reaper himself. He's bound to know something.

Complete

Maria Hill:

Start interview.

Cute euphemism.

Grim Reaper:

Maria Hill:

This doesn't have to be antagonistic, Reaper.

I'd say it's a little late for friendship, Agent Hill. Ask your questions so I can tell you I don't know.

Grim Reaper:

Maria Hill:

Except you do know. I'll keep this simple. Why has Sunfire targeted you?

All right. He came after me because he thought I'd know something about Sinister's experiments--which I don't--and about Incursions--which I also don't. He's fishing. I don't even think he knows what he's looking for. So I told him Ultron had the answers he needed. Hell, it might be true.

Grim Reaper:

Maria Hill:

And he just took your word for that?

He was already on a wild goose chase. I figured I'd give him another goose, and save myself a future problem. He goes after Ultron, he's out of our hair. Plus, if he dies, we don't have to deal with him again.

Grim Reaper:

Maria Hill:

End interview.

Task 7

Start

Tony Stark:

Drop in and give these guys a hand against this group of Ultrons. We need a new mass noun for Ultrons. Murder of crows, exaltation of larks... domination of Ultrons?

Nick Fury:

Whatever. Scrap 'em and find out if Sunfire's been here already.

Complete

End... end... end-d-d-d... *BZZZZzzrrttt*

Ultron:

Wasp:

Good luck getting any useful data out of these.

Black Panther:

You never know. Ultron is a very careful harvester and collector of data. There may well be something here that tells us where Sunfire is headed next.

Task 9

Start

Hank Pym:

These Ultrons are a mess, but I've recovered some data impressions that might be useful. Something Sunfire learned from Ultron sent him looking for demons. It's not clear what, but--

Tony Stark:

Doesn't matter. That's the lead we're looking for. Agent, you're demon-hunting now.

Complete

Tony Stark:

This is not looking good. All of these demons are babbling about Mephisto.

Nick Fury:

Sunfire's after Mephisto? That's nuts. He can't take Mephisto alone.

Hank Pym:

He might not be trying to.

Tony Stark:

You're cute when you're being indirect, Pym, but how about you just say what you want to say?

Hank Pym:

That's the thing, I'm not sure yet. I'm still unscrambling the data from these Ultrons.

Tony Stark:

Well, while Hank puts that puzzle together, we better find Mephisto before Sunfire gets in way over his head.

Task 11

Start

Tony Stark:

We've found Mephisto... and just in time. Sunfire's already here.

Hank Pym:

This is worse than we thought. From what I've gathered from the Ultron's data impressions, he's trying to find a lead to Apocalypse.

Professor X:

Yes. I have made contact with his mind. He is desperate, and haunted because he was once a Horseman.

Angel:

That experience never leaves you. It can make you crazy for revenge if you let it. Believe me, I know. A man could sell his soul to get that revenge.

Professor X:

That, I fear, is exactly Shiro's intent.

Nick Fury:

Not on my watch. Agent, you will stop Sunfire from doing anything stupid here. Then we'll deal with the news about Apocalypse.

Complete

Sunfire:

I did not ask for your help!

Angel:

You needed it, though. Shiro, if you're joining the fight, welcome aboard. But we're not going to stand by and watch you turn yourself into Mephisto's pawn.

Sunfire:

My last hope of finding Apocalypse has vanished.

Tony Stark:

Finding him? Is he here?

Sunfire:

He is coming. I can sense it. Worthington, you can too, can't you?

Angel:

I felt something, yeah. I guess I didn't want to admit what it was. I wonder if all of us in the Horseman alumni club can feel it.

Tony Stark:

Why didn't you come to us first? You know Nick hates it when people go cowboy. Or ronin.

Sunfire:

It was not your problem. It was mine.

Tony Stark:

Apocalypse is enough of a problem for all of us. Shiro, work with us on this. We'll keep you from selling your soul, or wearing white after Labor Day.

Angel:

Plus we could use your help hunting Apocalypse, if he's about to start recruiting Horsemen again.

Sunfire:

I make no promises... but I thank you for keeping me in possession of my soul.