The Thunderbolts have accepted Blackrock's offer. They now have a New York headquarters, sponsorship and even steady, honest paychecks. The one thing they don't have is credibility
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Moonstone had pushed the hardest to accept this offer from G.B. Blackrock, billionaire petroleum magnate with delusions of becoming Tony Stark. A man like that is a man they can use.
The main problem will be getting out from under his micromanaging thumb.
There are only four of the Thunderbolts left, since Fixer was on Zemo's side, and none of them really have the confidence to truly stand up to her if push comes to shove. This is why she's content to let Melissa and Abner think they're in control. It's easier to manipulate them if they believe they are making the decisions.
"Everyone uses everyone, Songbird," comes the cynical doctor's tone. "This time, though, we get to use as much as we're used. Don't let your insecurities get the best of you."
She hadn't turned away from the computer, going over the schematics of the headquarters. Learning the ins and outs.
"Why do you think this is a bad thing? We have jobs, we have a sweet pad, and we're on the right side for a change!" Atlas pipes up as he brings a sandwich in from the kitchen.
"It's about time some good luck came our way. We've had our share of crap luck. We fight Doombots, nobody notices. We fight weird mutant monster swarms, nobody notices. Everybody still thinks we're bastards, and dammit, now we've got the chance to prove them wrong!"
"I don't think any of you are bastards," the new boss of the Thunderbolts says as he walks through the door.
"That's why I think you'll have no problem adjusting to your new teammate, who's doubling as my head of security. Some of you may have met him in your prior lines of work as the Molten Man."
Blackrock steps aside to let the gleaming man walk in behind him.
"May I present the new Mark Raxton. The Golden Man."
"I'm Atlas - used to be Goliath and I'm not proud of it. Songbird over there thankfully changed her name from Screaming Mimi. That's Moonstone, the only one of us who's keeping her bad guy name. Don't much blame her, because Meteorite wasn't too catchy."
Trying to be upbeat. Trying to feel good about this. They need something to feel good about.
"Mark here has already earned my trust, Mr. Jenkins," Blackrock says to Mach IV's statement. "I'm sure he'll earn yours as well. I don't think I'll need a 'spy,' Dr. Sofen. I think you'd have to be incredibly stupid to spit in this gift horse's mouth, and I think much more highly of your collective intelligence than that."
"We'll have it later. Right now, we should go test the training facilities downstairs. If we're going to have... Golden Man on our team, we'd better start learning how to work with him."
Never that good to have a member foisted on the team, but... maybe heroes do it differently.
"Hopefully, we can be ready for patrol work later this week."
"Actually, don't worry about patrols just yet. There are plenty of reactive independent operators in this city. I told you I'd be running a tight ship until I can be sure this investment is sound. I've got a job for you to start working on."
"Dammit, I knew it. We will NOT be your personal hit squad or your elite team of corporate thieves or anything else you might be thinking in that ultra-competitive mind of yours, Blackrock!"
"Actually, Ms. Gold..." he says, restraining the admonishment in his voice. "The job is to bring down the Kingpin of Crime, Wilson Fisk, once and for all. I'm sure we can all agree that this is the right thing to do."
The main problem will be getting out from under his micromanaging thumb.
There are only four of the Thunderbolts left, since Fixer was on Zemo's side, and none of them really have the confidence to truly stand up to her if push comes to shove. This is why she's content to let Melissa and Abner think they're in control. It's easier to manipulate them if they believe they are making the decisions.
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"It's our best option, Melissa," he says, quietly.
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"We're being used, Abner. I'm so tired of being used."
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She hadn't turned away from the computer, going over the schematics of the headquarters. Learning the ins and outs.
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"It's about time some good luck came our way. We've had our share of crap luck. We fight Doombots, nobody notices. We fight weird mutant monster swarms, nobody notices. Everybody still thinks we're bastards, and dammit, now we've got the chance to prove them wrong!"
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"That's why I think you'll have no problem adjusting to your new teammate, who's doubling as my head of security. Some of you may have met him in your prior lines of work as the Molten Man."
Blackrock steps aside to let the gleaming man walk in behind him.
"May I present the new Mark Raxton. The Golden Man."
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"Hey."
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"You're planting a spy in our group so blatantly, Blackrock?"
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"If people are trying to recover from wrong choices they've made in the past, we should welcome that. Hi, I'm Mach-IV. I used to be the Beetle."
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Trying to be upbeat. Trying to feel good about this. They need something to feel good about.
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"Oh, there's pizza coming. Housewarming gift, seemed reasonably traditional."
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Never that good to have a member foisted on the team, but... maybe heroes do it differently.
"Hopefully, we can be ready for patrol work later this week."
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"Actually, Ms. Gold..." he says, restraining the admonishment in his voice. "The job is to bring down the Kingpin of Crime, Wilson Fisk, once and for all. I'm sure we can all agree that this is the right thing to do."
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"Hardly the tasty way to do it, though," she mutters.
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