As Thor's goats accellerate to near Mach-one, the Black Knight begins to worry about the effects of such accelleration (specifically, what it feels like to drop 10,000 feet to the surface of the ocean, and then sink like a stone), but neither cold, nor thinness of oxygen, nor battering force of the goats' slipstream seem to have any effect on him - part of the goats' enchantment.
"Cor, I hope I don't fall, it would take forever to walk back to New York from out here!" mumbles the Black Knight, holding on for deal life.
As they rise from the NYC skyline and enter radar, several military jets come up to investigate.
When they reach visual range, the interceptor pilots switch to private channel. "Epsilon Three to Ep Leader, I have visual."
"So do I, Ep 3" confirms the flight leader.
"Do we report this? Two flying goats with ancient warriors on their backs?" queries the hapless pilot.
"And you want us ALL to be grounded pending a psych eval, Ep Three? I'm reporting equipment failure."
And Thor and the Black Knight continued towards Norway unmolested. Thor had recognized the coastline from the maps and sketches, and the goats land on a large island centered around a small mountain near the Norse city of Hammerfest, in (way) Northern Norway. Once the goats land, their protective enchantments vanish, and the near-Arctic cold slams into the Black Knight like a hammer.
"Bloody hell but it's cold!" exclaimed the sable swordsman. "I can't feel my balls, I think they've retreated into me abdomen! let's kill these goats and crawl inside them for some warmth, OK?"
"Eh? You're cold?" Thor notes the snow and arctic wind and realizes the Knight may indded be freezing. "The cave entrance should be around here somewhere...".
"Well, I guess we can go look for the cave instead. But I would have packed my arctic tunic if I'd known we were coming to the bloody frozen north! Maybe there will be some violence to get the blood flowing again, if we're lucky! let's go find that stone and get back to civilization where we can have a nice, luke warm lager!"
"Here, Knight... touch Mjolnir, perhaps ve can do sometink yet." Thor closes his eyes and begins to envision a warm summer wind blowing around the Knight. A small whirlwind, not more than a breeze, begins to form around the Black Knight, slowly travelling the length of his body, and then dissipating. Once gone, Garrett can feel warmth returning to his body through the enchanted metal of his armor.
"Now, about the cave entrance..."
Thor and the Black Knight cast about awhile, with Thor and his mallet taking what seem to be triangulations. They lead the two up the side of a mountain, into steep hills covered in ice and snow, through a narrow opening barely large enough for the Black Knight to get through. Beyond the narrow crevice the tunnel widens until it is approximately ten feet wide, and ends in a rock wall. Carved into the wall is a large double-door standing 15 foot high, and across the front is a round seal marked with runes, which caution about proceeding no further.
Thor translates the runes for the Knight. Then shrugs his shoulders and proceeds further, heading for the door. No mere mystical seal can withstand the strength of the God of Thunder!
BK's brain functions are just a littl bit impaired by being in the great white north and all that and so it takes him a bit to realize what the mighty midget is trying to do. With great exasperation he plucks the mighty midget off the ground, Thor's legs pistoning mightily in the air!
"Oy! Hold up there, don't go doin' something rash, pally! Mebbe the ol' ebony blade can be of some help with them magickal runes, there. What say we try it first?"
The Black Knight approaches the door, extending the Ebony Blade before him like a blind man his cane. Slowly, the runes of the seal begin to glow, and a matching fire seems to be awakened in the runes which etch the Black Knight's blade. The red glare of the glowing runes fills the cavern with an eerie glow, and both Thor and the Black Knight can feel the magical blade attempting...and then succeeding...in overpowering the enchantement of the seal. With a small explosion, the seal fragments and flies in all directions, shards bouncing harmlessly from both adventurers. The doorway itself remained closed, but unsealed.
Thor wriggles his way out of the Knight's grasp and KA-THUDs to the floor. Straightening his chainmail and raincoat in a display of dignity disguising embarassment, he proceeds towards the door. He strides to the door and lays both wrinkled palms against the surface of the door.
Just as his aged muscles prepare to flex and strain against the hinges of the portal, the Black Knight who has been standing with his arms folded against his plated chest in amusement lays a gauntleted hand on Thor's shoulder.
"'Ow 'bout we give the 'andle a go first, eh mate?"
And with that The Knight gingerly tries the door handle.
The door opens, and the Black Knight and Thor both find themselves in an octagonal chamber, hewn roughly from the rock. There is a door opposite, and a small engraved stone about waist height, with runes. Thor recognizes this as a challenge/response riddle, and the correct answer would allow one to proceed into the next room in safety. The wrong answer...who can say what the wrong answer, or no answer, might bring? Both of our magical-sensitive heroes can feel the very stone around them suffused with black sorcery. The writing on the rock says:
The Black Knight looks around cluelessly. He senses the magic but feels it all around him. He is unsure where to strike with his ebony blade to combat it. Might as well try to fight the very air itself!
He sees Thor studying the rune stone intently and goes over. He is just about to say something when Thor whirls around as if aware of his intention, diminutive fingers pressed to his lips, rheumy eyes glaring! The Black Knight shrugs his shoulders and plunks down on the floor whistling selections from Glenn Miller's Greatest Hits.
Thor returns to contemplating the rune stone, his aged mind, addled by alcoholic dissolution, trying mightily to recall the answer to what seems like a fiendishly obvious riddle, if only he could remember!
He remembers the deer who eat the leaves of the great World Tree. And he clearly remembers the vipers who eat the roots.
His memory dredges up a name, Vidofnir, which translates as "tree snake." Some how that seems wrong, a little too obvious, a bit off.
Other names associated with serpents come to mind: Graback, Grafvolluth, Goin and Moin. None of them seem quite right.
He keeps dredging up an image of a bleak and snowy coast bestrewn with corpses and...
A mighty serpent that consumes the bodies! Yes, the vile snake "tearer of corpses" that gnaws on the very deepest roots of the mighty ash tree.
"Nidhogg!" shouts Thor in a triumphant tone!
The riddle-stone begins to glow with a red fire, and the runes etched into its surface collapse, and then re-form, saying:
Thor reads the words to the knight and scratches his beard.
"Well, bucko?" Grates the Black Knight impatiently, "Do you know this one or not?"
Thor's head sinks. He cups his wrinkled brow in his calloused hands. "Oh Knight," he moans, "Knight! Knight! Knight!"
"What?" The armored man shifts agitatedly from one boot to the other. "What?" "WHAT?"
"I KNOW the answer. I swear by the eye of Odin I know it!"
"Well bloody spit it out then so we can get past these nursery ryhmes and get to some head chopin' and stem to stern splittin' man!"
"But I cannot remember!" Thor moans deep and low. "If . . only . . ."
"If only what, you unwashed wagnarian warthog?"
"If only I had a drink."
"Oh fer the luv of . . . " The Knight rolls his head in annoyance and then produces a flask. "This is my private supply of ale you gluttonous goat-rider! so go easy on it."
Thor gratefully accepts the flask and lays into it with a mighty draught.When he hands it back to the Knight it is of course empty. The Knight sighs heavily with disgust.
"You better get this right Thundermite, or I'll kill you before the trap does!"
"Thor smiles with confidence. " Breidablik - Baldur's ten halls east of Jormungrund. The gate was built by Sindri, who forged my own Mjolnir, and his smiths, and through it no sorrow or sin will ever pass, nor old age, nor illness."
"Forged your own hammer!?!" The Knight is incredulous. "You knew the answer all along didn't you? You just wanted to lay waste to my precious supply of spirits!!!"
Thor looks down guiltily.
"Why you -- I oughtta--!" The Knight mumbles in disgust.
But before the Black Knight can continue, the runic tablet changes again, and this time it says:
Black Knight's body cocks to one side confidently. "Ha!" He laughs. "Even *I* know that one."
Thor looks up from his translating wearily. He's pretty sure the ebony Knight has no more liquor and wouldn't give it to him if he did. The sweet warm current is already fading from his veins. If the caliginous-clad Camolotian weren't here. Thor would probably lie down and sleep forevermore.
Just as Thor's eyelids droop to a closed position The Black Knight slaps him on the back of the head with his gloved hand. "Wake up geezer!" He bellows. "Prepare to be gadzooked and bewildered as I finish this trilogy of tripe and get ready for the blade brandishing part of this debacle I let you lead me into!
Thor cocks his head with interest.
"That would be that half-faced woman that you pagans stole her name from us. She gets the bad dead and Odin gets the good ones -- and you stole her name from that most eternal of torments H--"
Thor puts a hand up towards Black Knight's helmet.
"No friend. It is not Hel of which the riddle speaks -- "
"And I certainly wasn't going to say Hel either now was I?" exclaims the Knight petulantly. "Obviously it is those winged women you stole from our angels. I have heard them called the choosers of the slain--!"
"No not the Valkries, but rather Freya the goddess of love and fertility, she who cried the golden tears. Freya lived in the field of folk. It is she who divided the slain warriors with Odin. One half went to Folkvavagar, while the other half went to Valhalla. Valiant women also went to her hall."
The Knight draws his sword and leaps in the air. "Bliminey! Cripes! Bloody Hell! The dwindled drunkard 'as lost 'is mind and answered the question wrong! 'es sealed our bloomin' doom! We're in for it now, no mistake! Not e'en a fox'ole to hide in!"
The writing on the stone flares with crimson flame once more, but disappears. The doors in front of you swing outward, admitting you into the inner chamber. Smaller than the first and octagonal in shape, there is a black cauldron over a set of ever-burning coal. Behind the cauldron, stirring its content, is an ancient crone. She looks up at your entrance, and whispered..."Free, after so many years...free!"
"Good 'eavens! What a bloody old hag!!" Black Knight exclaims as he lands from his flying leap at the old woman's feet."Whew! That smell! Somebody dig a five foot 'ole for this nodder to fall over into!"
Thor drops reverently the short way to his knees. "Norn sister! Weaver of Fate! Designer of the Destiny of men and gods and giants. Grant us your infinite mercy."
Black Knight whaps a gloved hand against the back of Thor's bald head, "Get off a your bloody knees you knee-high nincompoop! It's somebody's nana! I'd recognize that mothball smell anywhere! Ya don't scare me ya bony old chicken plucker you!"
Thor gasps in horror, "Knight you don't know what you are saying! If she's a Norn our dooms are sealed!!"
Black Knight knocks against Thor's head making hollow sounds with his tongue, "You nutter! If she's such a 'oly terror 'ow did she get imprisioned 'ere so easily then, eh? eh? Right? Bloody well right! All right you 'ag let's 'ave it. "Oo are you and 'ow did yuh get 'ere yuh withery wench?"
"In times past I was imprisoned here by the Crafty One, before Ragnarok...the God of the Nuclear Fire is a jealous and vain god, and for all his power cannot still stop himself from aging." She turns to Thor. "That you do not recognize me, Old Redbeard, is not surprising, for although Loki needs my craft, he has forbidden me a taste of what he himself demands. Almost I did not recognize you myself, Hammerer....but you have grown old, if not quite so old as I have, trapped here under Loki's dominion."
"I am Idunn, once the Keeper of the Golden Apples which kept the Aesir young, and now the prisoner and slave of Loki...only, I am a slave no more! As of old, you have come to the aid of those in need."
Thor's jaw drops.
Idunn. Sweet beautiful Idunn -- gentle keeper of the apples of youth. So ancient and worn like time itself. Thor's eyes water. And then his face turns red with rage.
Loki! That base viper! His poison seems to permeate every step Thor takes. To see Idunn so aged and mistreated by the loathsome fiend makes Thor's body literally quake with rage.
Black Knight stands unimpressed. He waits for the little thunder runt to make a move. He doesn't plan dirtying his blade on this decrepit bag of bones and he certainly has nothing to say to her. His eyes roll in his helmet. He thought he'd at least get to kill a frost giant or two in this bloody barbaric northern wasteland. Maybe he should have gone with Hellcat at least that ballsy bitch could have gotten them into deep trouble by now and he could be cleaving his sword into a few Irish pigs.
Finally Thor is able to move --
"Idunn! Beloved Idunn!" He cries. "My heart weeps for you, my soul is in torment!" He grabs her about the knees in a gesture that would appear comical if not so truly pathetic. "I shall free you from this prison or die in the attempt!"
Black Knight regards his blade and thinks of a quick and easy method of freeing them both. "Bloody brilliant!" He snorts, "As if things weren't bad enough we get to trot her along with us and risk life and limb protecting her I guess," he sighs, "well nothing for it then. At least try and keep up, eh what?"
The Black Knight hardly knows what he is saying, he's really just babbling to cover his interior confusion over what to do. One part of him wants to slay the woman because thou shalt not suffer a witch to live! One part just wants to get back to civilization to replenish his hootch stash after that bastard Thor drank it. One part wants to start quoting from Macbeth.
Then all the parts have an epiphany!
"Oy, see 'ere, we didn't come all this way for some crone, I don't care if she's your cousin or whatever! We came 'ere to get the rune stone and thas it! Freeing this grannie ain't a part of the bargain! Loki put her in 'ere, I say we leave 'er, or don't you remember what happened last time we pissed off Loki, eh?" and BK looks d.o.w.n. on Thor pointedly.
Thor shifts sheepishly in place.
"Aye, ye remember! So, ye old crone, just give us the Norn stone and we'll be on our way, all right? But until I get me my stone, nobody's leavin this here room!" The Arthurian legend crosses his arms in his most determined fashion.
Thor's face becomes as red as blood. The red brings out the sparse strands of white hair sticking randomly out of his scalp. He shakes with rage a moment before being able to speak and when he finally does it spits out in a wet and volcanic stream, soaking his bristling red beard.
"Vraise von finger against sveet Idun undt I shall split your skull as surely as I vould any giant's steely het. Idun ist comink vith me mit or mit out you. If she hast the stone then it ist in goot hands as e'er there vere as she kept de apples of golt for century upon century. Undt if she knows de whereabouts of de stone den she vill tell uf her own free vill for she ist still Idun undt I am still Thor. Neber threaten dis lady -- dis goddess -- in mine prescence again or I vill surely strike de dead!"
Thor's short but stocky frame stands ready -- arms at his sides like a gunfighter. He knows the Black Knight to be a formidable warrior and capable of providing a worthy battle.
"Gentle, sweet Thor, you have always been our protector and savior; the mortals feared Odin, but loved you!" began Idunn, "But there is no need for contention between comrades. I would not surrender the stone to Loki, for he has grown too powerful already in his wickedness and cowardly ways - but I will willingly give the stone to you, for even at your height of power, never did it have dominion over you. As always, I shall trust in your stalwart heart!" With a quick shimmer, Idunn reaches between space and time, and removes the Norn Stone from a small pocket, along with one of her fabled Golden Apples. "Here is the stone, given me by Verandi herself for safekeeping - to you I pass its stewardship. Also, take this, the last Apple I was able to hide before the Tricky One imprisoned me." Pressing them into Thor's hands, she stepped back.
"Now I shall do what I should have done after the Fall in ages past, and retreat to my hidden garden, where not even Loki may find me. Fare well, Redbeard Odinson - the elemental spirits of the airs know how to call me, if I am needed".
And with that, Idunn fades from sight.
Thor looks down at the stone; it appears to be a plum-sized, egg-shaped emerald, but there is a mystical glow in the center of the gemstone. The golden apple is as Thor remembers it, its skin gleaming, beckoning....and unfortuntely, of a seedless variety.
"Well, now that we've got what we came here for I guess we better get back to the Big Apple" said the Black Knight. "But first I think we need to have a little 'discussion' about certain thunder gods and their attitudes. Since you've got your hands full, allow me to begin the debate!"
The Black Knight whips his sword out and slams it down on top of the mini-thunderer's un-protected pate! "Do you find my first point persuasive, you pint-size pissant?"
Thor steps gingerly aside from the cowardly telegraphed swing.
From where he stands he kicks his boot deep into Black Knight's shin.
The sable swordsman yanks his leg away from the munchkin's shin strike! "You'll not defeat the Black knight with such feeble tactics, uppity little git!"
Thor looks at the Black Knight sadly and takes a step back.
""I vill not fight with you Knight," he says quietly, "I only fight with enemies and you are not dat."
Then he turns his back on the Black Knight and heads out towards his goats. "I have vat I came for and I am goink home. I suggest you follow me unless you vant to valk. Or unless you vant to strike me from behind. Dere is much on my mind . . . Loki and Idun are alive and many others might be also. I haff no time to vaste in honorless combat."
And with that Thor begins to ascend to the surface.
The Black Knight and Thor climb their way to the cavern opening, and mount the goats in hard, wary silence. Thor invokes their magic, and like small, deformed raindeer they leaped forward with their burdens, streaking towards NYC, and the office of Dr Wendell Vaughn.
The reindeer...err...mystical nordic god-goats land at the University, and find Dr. Vaughn burning the midnight oil. He welcomes you with cheerful countenance, especially when he finds that you have obtained the first of the Rune Stones. From a small refrigerator he pulls a six-pack of beer, a straw, and a half-dozen bottles of mead.
"I recall you feel uncomfortable removing your mask," comments Dr. Vaughn, "so I took the liberty of buying these." He hands the six-pack and straw to the Black Knight.
"I found these in a Norweigan grocery on 45th and Rose," he says, offering the mead to Thor. "I hope they meet with your approval, Thunder God."
Thor polishes off a bottle of the mead.
"That base coward! That lowly scoundrel! To attend to his own interests when the fate of a wee lass is at stake? When next the Black Knight doth meet with this ignoble Baron there shall be an accounting!" exclaims the Black Knight.
Thor finishes another bottle and belches triumphantly.
"Whatever his problems are, they might be related to these headlines" he continues, showing the latest newspapers to the pair. The newspaper relates how Zemo's USA and European holdings have been frozen pending an investigation into alleged War Crimes. There are also sidebars about both the Black Knight and Thor, speculating that they are the same who breifly fought for the Nazis in WWII, and how they are both also being sought by the authorities.
Thor stops drinking and gets very quiet and still.
"What means this? Do they besmirch the honor of last son of Camelot? Why, I shall strike down the... " begins the Black Knight, before being interrupted by...himself? "Shut it, ye wanker, gwhat's all this then?"
And BK snatches the paper from the Doctor's bewildered hands. Sipping his beer with one hand while he peruses the article his ire grows!
"What kind of shite is this?" the ebon swordsman continues, "I was in the bleedin' SAS back in the war! Killed me a hunnerd of them Naazee bstards, how can these wankers say... Oy, was it you?"
And then an extremely disturbing conversation takes place, Black Knight to Black Knight! Thor has witnessed this before and so is just a little unnerved but Doctor Vaughn is very frightened by this ocurrence, as BK's two voices intertwine with each other, arguing back and forth, almost like in days of old when men were purported to be posessed by demons. After a few moments it is over, however.
"Yeh, all right. I'll tell 'em" declares the Black Knight after his lengthy debate, and turns to Dr. Vaughn and Thor. "It's a lie, the Black Knight did NOT fight for the Nazis in the war. The Black Knight could never take sides against the Crown, 'tis impossible. I believe the accusations about the Zemo family are true, though. Which leaves us with Thor. One lie, one truth, and Thor. Well, me ruddy-faced sprite of a comrade, what have ye to say for yerself?"
Thor looks down the short distance to the ground. He takes a breath and then speeks slowly and carefully. "The Nazis -- the Germans -- they were our people. The descendents of our vorshippers. They vorshipped us again as in the days of old. And the vainity of the gods got the better of them. Loki convinced Odin to support the Nazis. He convinced the Nazis to vorship us and spread our faith back across the vorld again. Most of the gods vere eager to help the Nazi's -- they loved being worshipped again. I argued against helping them, but in the end, I bent to the vill of Odin and the other gods.
"Yes, I helped the Nazis. They even formed their symbol from the image of my hammer. They used my magic in their air strikes.It vas glorious to be vaging var on the Christians again.
"But ven I saw the death camps. The cowardly murders of so many innocent folk. I could stomach the Nazis no more. I broke my promise to them -- and instead of the mild Russian vinter they asked for I gave them the vorst I could muster. I began to knock their planes from the sky . . . but no matter. The gods, the Nazis, the murdered jews, the var itself vere all just pawns in Loki's game. He only vanted the atomic bomb. He pressed the Nazis into trying to invent it. But it didn't matter who did -- as long as it vas made and exploded. And ven it vas he used that power to make himself the god of atomic and now nuclear energy. He used that power to bring forth Ragnarok and change it so that he survived. My vife, my father, my children, everyone, everything I cared about was destroyed because the gods were vain enough to listen to Loki and help the Nazis.
"Yes I am guilty. I haff paid the highest price for my folly. I am still paying. That is why I vill never let another make my decisions for me and I vill never take battle lightly again. I haff killed everythink I ever loved. I pray Knight -- take thy magic blade and strike me dead. You vill be doing me a favor."
Then Thor slowly and methodically finishes the rest of the mead.
The Knight's sword arm breaks free of the other's grasp as the mighty weapon whips out, but instead of cleaving the miniature deity it only cleaves the air as BK hurls it to stick into the far wall.
"I fought the Nazis! I'm glad I did. My only regret is I didn't get a chance to start killing them sooner. They were evil blighters. But, after the war," the Black Knight coninues, his voice dropping to a low, sepulchural tone, "I fought in some conflicts that were not so righteous. Some I didn't find out until after, but later on, I didn't even care. Some for the Crown, some for money. I was a soldier, I killed other soldiers, not women and children. I told myself it made a difference. Now, I wonder if maybe the Nazis didn't think the same thing themselves. Now all I hope is that the battles I wage for the right purpose can offset the battles I waged for the wrong."
"Aye, for did not even Sir Launcelot and King Arthur himself fall from grace? Not all can be as upright as the Black Knight! If you fought on the side of evil out of filial duty then that is understandable. You fell prey to the tricks of Satan, who always uses our best motives towards our destruction. If you would be shriven of your sins then make a good act of contrition. Let us meet these base rumor-mongers with verity. When we shine the light of truth on those who have aimed these charges 'gainst us we will divine their true motives, for good or ill! The Black Knight shall not hide from their accusations, but respond with God's own truth!"
The Black Knight strides over and rips the blade from the wall.
"On my sword I swear that my purpose shall not be deterred and I am resolved e'en more now to see the child rescued and evil vanquished. I had sooner throw myself upon my blade and suffer the hellish damnation of a pagan's death than suffer such treatment unanswered! Thor, my comrade in arms, will you join me in this? Will you swear upon your fabled mallet as I have sworn on my Ebony Blade?
Thor's red and yellow look up past his bushy red brows. In those eyes is a glimmer of hope and pride and purpose that has not been there in a long while.
Here stands before him a warrior true. A man of his beloved Midgard with a virtuous heart and a noble spirit.
"Yes," Thor says, setting down the alcohol with a determined thud. "Yes friend Knight! The past shall be avenged! I swear upon Mjolnir that I shall spend every ounce of strength, of heart, of life left in me in completion of this quest. I shall drink naught. I shall rest naught until righteousness triumphs! Lead on, armored champion -- where you lead Thor follows."
And as Thor stands -- he seems just a bit less small.
Dr. Vaughn wipes a tear from his eye - Thor and the Black Knights speeches have deeply touched the romance of his soul, and for a moment he wished he were other than he was, able to take up arms alongside them...but no. He was just an occult academic with a bounty of knowledge but no talent for that which he studied.
"Surely you have a method of contacting this Zemo fellow? Perhaps he might shed some light? Also, do you need an attorney? I have an excellent lawyer, who has seen me through many procedings when people objected to the teaching of the history of the Occult; some would have anything but the Bible banned from being read, and even they can't agree on which version! I am at your service!"
"Cheers on the lawyer, mate," answers the Black Knight. " We can use it, I think, since me barrister's back in Sheffield and Thor's is tied up until Doomsday with suits from the damage those stinky goats of his did. The lawyer and you can arrange to make our statements for us while we get on with finding the other Norn Stone. As far as getting hold of Zemo i don't think we've got any way..."
"Aye, indeed we do, for do we not have these magical communicative devices of rectangualr shape..." says the Black Knight, interrupting himself again, and continuing "Oh, yeah, the bloody communicards. Maybe we can use these to get in touch with that wanker Zemo. Hmm, let's see, maybe if I press this... "
The communicator sputters to life, and the aged, homely face of Jarvis, Baron Zemo's major-domo, fills the screen. "Good morning, good Sir Knight. How might I be of service?"
"Hullo, Jarvis old-boy. Thor and I just got back from the frozen North and we hear that his glorified Baron-ness has dropped out on us! But we're good guys, we don't hold grudges, so we wanted to get whatever info his highness happened to turn up while he wasn't getting the Norn Stone so we can go get it ourselves. What d'ya say, mate?"
"I can tell you that Mr. Fanfoom resisted every attempt short of violence to part with the Norn Stone," begins Jarvis, "and that he seems well-connected to the criminal elements in Hong Kong. He seems to have excellent data sources, and very good personal security."
"Anything short of violence, eh?" begins the Black Knight. "Well that's our speciality! Nothing the dynamite duo enjoys better than inflicting destruction upon the criminal classes! Jarvis, we're going to head off to Hong kong, could you arrange to have somebody meet us there with whatever info you may have on this Foom guy, like security, etc.?"
"We are honored to be of service, good Sir Knight" concluded Jarvis as the sable swordsman talks over him relentlessly.
"Thanks, BK out! Dr. Vaughn, you and the lawyer can take care of this business with the police, we've no time to waste, we must depart for the fabled Orient! Thor, me lad, shall we away?"
"I will call my attorney, and see what must be done. How are you getting to Hong Kong?" askes Wendell, amazed at the Black Knight's tireless energy. However, the Black Knight's answer is forstalled by a telephone call. Dr. Vaughn picks up the handset. "Dr. Vaughn here."
"Wonderful, Patsy! The Black Knight and Thor have likewise been successful, but I'm afraid that Baron Zemo has dropped out -- apparently Interpol is trying to find him and question him about war crimes stemming from his actions in WWII. The Feds are co-operating, and also looking for BK and Thor, for much the same reason."
Wendell pauses while Patsy swears up a storm, and continues.
"I'm engaging legal counsel for Thor and the Black Knight, and while they are off to Hong Kong we'll see what kind of arrangements we can come to... yes, they're already back, and ready to depart for Hing Kong...I'll tell them. Wonderful! See you then."
Dr. Vaughn turns to the Black Knight and Thor. "Wonderful news! Hellcat and Herbie have also been successful, and are on their way here - they should be here in a few hours. Perhaps I might go out and get some refreshments for all of us -- including the goats, I'll stop by a Thai restaurant, they'll love it -- while we wait for them to arrive!"
"Ah, marvelous!" concludes the Black Knight. "With four Avengers we can actually engage in some strategy, as opposed to our usual drop in thru the skylight plans. Zemo's info should tell us where the stone is, all we have to do is go in and get it. He probably has lots of technical mumbo-jumbo to interfere with us! Herbie can take care of that. Maybe magical too, those orientals can be very sneaky. Hellcat can take care of that. But what's sneaking in without a distraction to take care of the guards? Nothing, that's what! And a distraction's what we do best, eh, my dwarfish deity of destruction? heh heh heh, I can hardly wait, Foom will know what it means to cross the Avengers! Now what kind of food did he say he was getting? Oh well, just so long as he remembers to get some lager, I seem to be fresh out...