Chapter 62: The Broken Avengers with a Defeated Appearance
This was the critical period for Ross's presidential campaign. He certainly couldn't run for the highest office in the land while trapped in his Red Hulk transformation. After agonizing over the decision for what felt like hours, Ross finally chose political power over superhuman strength.
There were many enhanced individuals in the world, but there was only one President of the United States.
Fortunately, no one knew that the Red Hulk was actually Secretary Ross.
Ryan extracted the inhibitor serum and loaded it into a vibranium-tipped injection device. He selected a spot where Ross's thick crimson skin was relatively thinner—near the neck—and administered the experimental compound.
"Urgh!" Ross groaned as the serum entered his bloodstream.
The moment the chemical entered his system, Ross felt painful tingling throughout his massive frame. His red skin began gradually returning to its natural human tone as his enhanced physiology slowly reverted.
His hulking body began shrinking as gamma-irradiated bones compressed and hypertrophied muscles atrophied back to normal human proportions. Within minutes, he had returned to his original form.
"I only have a spare lab coat here. You can wear it for now."
Ross looked unusually drained after reverting to human form. He gratefully accepted Ryan's offered lab coat and asked with concern, "Will I transform spontaneously in the future? Is there any way I can actively control the change?"
Ryan shook his head honestly. "Unknown. You'll need to experiment and learn to manage it yourself. If you really can't figure it out, consult Bruce Banner—he's had years of experience. I'm leaving you with additional suppressant doses. If you feel another transformation coming, inject yourself immediately."
"Thank you, Ryan. I won't forget this."
The facility's power grid had been restored, and Ryan and Ross took the elevator back to ground level. Military cleanup crews had already arrived and were securing the devastated battlefield.
"We can't let this terrorist attack go unpunished. Assaulting a U.S. military installation is a federal crime, even for so-called superheroes," Ross declared with righteous anger.
Ryan advised strategically, "Don't target all the Avengers simultaneously. Start with the weaker, more vulnerable members first."
He gestured to a nearby formation, and seventeen enhanced soldiers immediately marched over in perfect military formation.
"SIR!"
"Reporting for orders, sir!"
Ryan nodded approvingly. "Subjects Four and Seven, you two will escort Secretary Ross back to Washington and provide personal security detail."
"Yes, sir!"
The seventeen super-soldiers followed Ryan's commands without question, though Ross couldn't help but notice their absolute loyalty with slight unease.
Enhanced soldiers naturally respected superior strength. These operatives hadn't fully understood Ryan's capabilities before today's battle, but now they'd witnessed firsthand just how overwhelmingly powerful he truly was.
Seventeen of them had struggled against a handful of second-tier superheroes, while Ryan had single-handedly engaged the Avengers' heaviest hitters. The difference in combat effectiveness was staggering.
Ryan continued his instructions to Ross: "The remaining fifteen will stay here for now. I need their assistance with additional experiments. When you move against the Avengers, notify me immediately and I'll provide tactical support."
Ross nodded agreement. "Understood. We should focus on creating more enhanced soldiers so we don't run out of manpower during the next engagement."
Ryan simply smiled enigmatically and said nothing further.
The Avengers' assault had destroyed a classified military research facility—an action indistinguishable from domestic terrorism and a direct provocation against federal authority.
The political consequences would be swift and merciless.
Ross's armored limousine arrived for extraction. Before departing, the Secretary suddenly turned back. "Ryan, I'm considering giving our enhanced unit an official designation. What do you think of calling them 'The Knights'?"
"That's your prerogative," Ryan replied calmly.
The Knights? And who would be their King?
S.H.I.E.L.D. Triskelion - Situation Room
The strike team that had barely escaped the military compound was already engaged in heated recriminations.
The first to voice accusations was War Machine James Rhodes, who should have been confined to a wheelchair for life after Ryan's devastating attack. Not only had he avoided permanent disability, he'd recovered with superhuman speed and was once again piloting his armored suit.
"Thor, I don't have anything personal against you, but you bear significant responsibility for this mission's failure."
Thor hated being blamed for others' shortcomings and immediately fired back, "You were the ones who couldn't handle seventeen enhanced humans, not me. If anyone needs to examine their performance, look in a mirror."
"But you arrived late to the battlefield. That's indisputable."
Iron Fist Danny Rand, his shattered arm encased in medical nanomesh, glared with unconcealed fury. "Didn't anyone properly assess enemy capabilities before launching this operation? Seventeen super-soldiers, and now Matt Murdock is dead. Someone must be held accountable!"
Of the four Defenders, only Jessica Jones had escaped serious injury—the others were physically and psychologically devastated.
Luke Cage, in particular, would still be trapped under that Abrams tank if Strange hadn't opened an emergency portal.
"Stop making excuses for your inadequacy," Carol Danvers said bluntly. "It makes you look weak."
Peter Parker added his perspective: "It felt like facing seventeen Captain Americas simultaneously. They were faster, stronger, and absolutely ruthless. Director Fury's rules of engagement about avoiding soldier casualties made an impossible situation worse."
"Exactly! Nick Fury bears primary responsibility for these tactical constraints."
"Someone needs to answer for this disaster. I refuse to die in the next poorly planned assault!"
"Yelena Belova is dead," Bruce Banner said quietly. "We need to figure out how to explain this to Clint Barton when he returns."
"And that Red Hulk completely neutralized my effectiveness," Banner continued with obvious frustration. "He cost us half our combat strength. Without that interference, we might have had a chance."
Without Hawkeye's tactical leadership and seemingly supernatural luck, coordinated team battles had become exponentially more difficult.
The atmosphere in the situation room was oppressive, with everyone desperately searching for explanations for the mission's catastrophic failure. Losing two heroes in a single engagement represented an unprecedented disaster.
Nick Fury remained grimly silent throughout the entire debriefing while Doctor Strange looked visibly defeated.
Deputy Director Maria Hill whispered privately, "This reminds me of the early Avengers, but back then we had Steve Rogers and Tony Stark—leaders who could unite everyone toward common objectives."
Fury understood the comparison all too well. Without reliable leadership, the team faced insurmountable internal challenges.
Strange addressed Fury directly: "We need better preparation for the next engagement. Everyone must unite behind a single strategy. Ideally, we should recruit additional heroes specifically to counter those enhanced soldiers supporting Ryan. I believe we can defeat him next time."
Thor had previously defeated Thanos in single combat, so he remained confident he could overcome Ryan. He'd simply underestimated his opponent during today's battle.
One Hour Later
The federal government issued comprehensive restraining orders against all S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and New Avengers team members, prohibiting them from leaving the country or using superhuman abilities. Federal marshals were authorized to arrest any violators on sight, including the Winter Soldier.
Not only had their mission failed catastrophically, but now they were fugitives under federal surveillance. The psychological impact was devastating.
After the debriefing concluded, Thor approached Strange privately. "Sorcerer Supreme, I need to understand why we must eliminate this Ryan character. Couldn't we recruit him into the Avengers instead?"
Strange shook his head emphatically. "Impossible. He represents an existential threat—a destroyer of timelines. Think of him as Earth's version of Ragnarök. As long as Ryan lives, he embodies apocalyptic destruction."
The mention of Ragnarök struck Thor deeply.
The fire demon Surtur had defeated his sister Hela but had also annihilated Asgard itself in the process.
Thor didn't fully understand Strange's mystical reasoning about Ryan's world-ending potential, and he was too emotionally exhausted to debate cosmic metaphysics.
Thor left the Triskelion with Korg's reassembled form and walked to the building's rooftop. He raised Stormbreaker toward the heavens, and immediately the Bifrost descended in a brilliant column of rainbow energy.
As the Rainbow Bridge's light engulfed them, Thor and Korg disappeared, leaving Earth's mightiest heroes more divided and demoralized than ever before.
End of Chapter 62
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