Shades of Green- Epilogue 2

Shades of Green

Epilogue Two- Group Therapy


Lair of the Masters of Evil


In a flash of brilliant green light, the Masters of Evil return to their hidden lair, its dark and sinister surroundings fitting that of the world's most deadly team of villains. As soon as they arrived, the gathered villains seperated from one another, despising the closeness that they briefly shared with one another. Baron Zemo slowly stalked towards the large screen, resting his hands on the control panel as he lowered his head, a feeling of both frustration and rage boiling within his very being. Without warning, Zemo raised his fists high into the air and unleashed a long loud primal scream, causing the other members of the Masters of Evil to stand in silence within the room as they looked on.

"I was a fool to allow The Leader to trick me! I should have known that his offer would be false and his actions would prove to be nothing but deceitful!", Baron Zemo snarled, smashing his fists down upon the control panel.

"I told you that the creature couldn't be trusted!", Enchantress hissed, resting against a nearby steel wall.

"No, tell us something we don't already know!", Red She-Hulk mocked bitterly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Watch your tongue, witch!", Enchantress hissed, igniting her hands in mystical energy.

"You think you can scare me, blondie?", Red She-Hulk taunted with a sly smirk.

"You should be afraid, mortal wench! I'm the most powerful sorceress in all the nine realms!", Enchantress exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at Red She-Hulk.

"Pfft! You think that impresses me? So you can do a few magic tricks. Big freakin' deal!", Red She-Hulk snorted, not even remotely impressed by Amora's proclamation.

"Do not test my patience, Red She-Hulk!", Amora snarled, stepping forward to challenge the female Scarlet Smasher.

"Just try it, blondie! I'll smash your face in before you even know what hit ya!", Red She-Hulk snarled in response.

"That's enough! I will hear no more of your bickering!", Baron Zemo yelled, not even bothering to turn and glare at the two females.

The two females backed away from each other, the Enchantress sending Red She-Hulk one last glare before walking away, which seemed to only amuse the female Scarlet Smasher. Judging by the tone of Baron Zemo's voice, he was in no mood to deal with two fighting females, which would solve nothing. The leader of the Masters of Evil continued to stare directly at the large blank screen, his eyes staring off into nothing as his mind began to contemplate all that had happened within the last forty-eight hours.

"You're all pathetic.", Red She-Hulk muttered, immediately catching Zemo's attention.

"Is there something that you would like to say, Ms. Red?", Zemo questioned, turning away from the control panel to glare at the female Crimson Smasher.

"Yeah, I do. I just would like to say that I was stupid for even teaming up with you morons! You idiots couldn't even take down the Avengers, let alone the Hulk!", Red She-Hulk hissed, narrowing her fiery eyes upon Baron Zemo.

"You've got a lot of room to talk, red! You couldn't even take down the Hulk's little woman!", Abomination snarled, coming face-to-face with Red She-Hulk.

"You're one to talk, Blonsky. If I do recall, the Hulk has been using you as his own personal punching bag for years!", Red She-Hulk retorted, clenching her gloved hands into fists as she got into a fighting stance.

"Say that to my face, witch!", Abomination growled, narrowing his eyes upon the female Crimson Smasher.

"I just did, ugly!", Red She-Hulk sneered, not backing down an inch.

"Enough!", Baron Zemo shouted, the volume of his voice echoing all throughout the entire lair.

Once again, Zemo managed to defuse a confrontation for the time being, but it wasn't going to last forever. All of these super villains that now stood in the lair, each with their own agendas and aggressive personalities, were ticking time-bombs just waiting to go off! It was only a matter of time before something else would set either one of them over the limit, especially those with short tempers such as the Abomination, Red She-Hulk, Enchantress, and the Crimson Dynamo. Surprisingly, the only two villains who remained absent from these usual conflicts were Wonder Man and Skurge the Executioner, who seemingly didn't care about what petty squabbles that their fellow teammates engaged in on a regular basis.

"You wanna know why you and your Masters of Evil can't win, Zemo?", Red She-Hulk questioned.

"What are you getting at, Red She-Hulk?", Baron Zemo demanded, narrowing his eyes at the deadly female.

"It's quite simple if you would take the time to think about it. You see, unlike the Avengers, none of you truly trust one another. You're all too worried about your own pathetic agendas to actually accomplish anything! That's why you always fail! Not only are all of you unfocused, but there is simply no trust between any of you!", Red She-Hulk shouted, her fiery eyes blazing as they glowed in the dark surroundings.

"Since you seem to know so much about trust, why don't you tell us who you are?", Abomination challenged, a twisted smile revealing dagger-like teeth.

"You think I'm gonna tell you morons who I really am? I don't think so! In other words, to hell with all of you!", Red She-Hulk responded, turning and storming out of the lair, leaving the Masters of Evil to themselves.

The Masters of Evil watched as Red She-Hulk disappeared, none of them knowing or caring where the female Crimson Smasher was going, for they all had bigger issues to deal with at the moment. As much as he hated to admit it, Baron Zemo had to admit that Red She-Hulk had a very valid point, one that could not go unnoticed any longer. If the Masters of Evil were to survive and work together as a team, there was many things that would have to be done, and the only one that could accomplish this was none other than the deadly Baron Zemo. After all, it was his leadership and incredible cunning that made the Masters of Evil such a deadly force to begin with, for who else but Baron Zemo could accomplish such tasks?

"She's got quite a temper, doesn't she?", Wonder Man remarked nonchalantly.

"I hate that foul monstrous crimson witch!", Enchantress hissed in a low menacing tone.

"Regardless, she still has a point.", Baron Zemo remarked dryly.

"What are you talking about?", Abomination demanded.

"She's right in the fact that we're unfocused, that there is no trust between us, which only serves in hindering our conquest of the world.", Baron Zemo explained calmly before stopping, turning to face the large screen as he began furiously pressing buttons on the control panel.

"But all of that is going to change. We must understand one another... understand what each of us truly desire... and gain the trust of one another. It is only then that we will be able to destroy the Avengers and conquer the world!", Baron Zemo finished, turning away from the screen to look at his fellow Masters of Evil.

"Why should we trust you, Zemo? You tried to control me in the past, so what makes you think that I'll be so foolish to agree with you again?", Enchantress questioned in a bitter tone of voice, narrowing her green eyes upon Baron Zemo.

"Because I know what you desire, my lovely Enchantress.", Baron Zemo replied, slowly walking towards the Asgardian sorceress, stopping just a few feet away from the deadly femme fatale.

"Then tell me what I desire, Zemo?", Enchantress challenged, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You desire revenge against Thor for rejecting you and your affections. Indeed, he was a fool to chose a mere mortal woman over a goddess, especially one that is as beautiful as yourself.", Baron Zemo answered, causing Amora's eyes to widen briefly before she turned away, her heart still wounded by Thor's rejection.

"You've guessed right, Zemo.", Enchantress confirmed in a low voice.

"And you, Emil Blonsky, you want the Hulk dead, the military recognition that you rightfully deserve, and your beloved wife Nadia to hold in your arms, do you not?", Baron Zemo questioned, walking over to the Abomination, who lowered his gaze to lock onto Zemo's own.

"Yes, that's what I want.", Abomination growled menacingly, keeping his gaze locked onto Zemo until the royal purple clad villain walked away.

"Anton Vanko, your family has suffered greatly because of Tony Stark and his father! Do you not want revenge against him for all that he has caused?", Baron Zemo questioned, coming face-to-face with the Russian arch-nemesis of Tony Stark.

"Yes, more than anything! I want Stark to suffer!", Anton Vanko snarled, clenching his right hand into a fist.

"And lastly, you, Simon Williams. Do you not want your humanity back? To be normal once again?", Baron Zemo questioned, walking over to stare into Wonder Man's crimson hued eyes as the purple ionic energy that consumed his body began to radiate even brighter from his form.

"Yes, I would do anything to be normal again. Anything...", Wonder Man replied, staring down into his purple ionic energy hands.

It was here and now that all of them had come to an agreement, for all of them now knew that only by working together as one could they hope to destroy the Avengers and get what they desired most! It was at this moment that all the beings that consisted of the villainous Masters of Evil: Baron Zemo, Enchantress, Executioner, Abomination, Wonder Man, and Crimson Dynamo, did they all come to an mutual understanding. It was this understanding between these villains that would allow the Masters of Evil to become more deadly than ever before!

"Then rest assured, my allies, for if you follow me, I'll make sure you get all that you desire and more!", Baron Zemo proclaimed to his fellow Masters, his tone confident and filled with determination.

"So what do we do now?", Abomination questioned.

"We do nothing... for now. When the time is right, we shall strike at the heart of our enemies!", Baron Zemo responded before turning his attention back towards Enchantress.

"However, there is something that you can do for me, my lovely Enchantress.", Baron Zemo suggested, focusing on the beautiful blonde Asgardian sorceress.

"And what would that be?", Amora asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"I need you to steal something very important... something very powerful. My sources determined it's location to be within Rome. I want you to steal... Pandora's Box!", Baron Zemo answered, his tone becoming sinister as it was deadly serious.