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December 11, 1971. Saturday afternoon
Avengers Mansion. Two hundred feet above it and dropping

Half of the Fantasticar was coming down for a vertical landing on the lawn of Avengers Mansion. Internal gyros, normally strained to the utmost by balancing the craft under the Thing's fearsome weight, were burdened instead only by the encumbrance of two women in Fantastic Four uniforms: Sue Richards and Alicia Grimm.

“What's wrong?” Alicia asked, which surprised Sue because she had not even said anything yet. Of course, she had probably heard shouting from below over the ‘woosh’ of the Fantasticar's hover jets.

“In the street below,” Sue said, “more protesters complaining about the Avengers. But, worse than that, the National Guard is closing in on the mansion.”

“Do you think there'll be violence?” Alicia asked as the amazing craft landed within the walled enclosure of the mansion's grounds, well out of reach of the protesters and picketers outside the walls.

“I don't know,” Sue said. She paused to see if Alicia needed help exiting the Fantasticar only to see Alicia hop out on her own. Sue grabbed their wrapped present box out of the front seat instead. “But I'll tell you one thing,” she continued as they walked up to the front door of the mansion, “not a word about it to Natasha if we can help it. I just hope this doesn't spoil her party.”

No sooner had they reached the front door than it opened and, to their surprise, they were greeted at the door by Hercules.

“Well! Are these two younger sisters of Venus I have never met before?” Hercules asked to flatter them. His voice was so deep Sue and Alicia felt like they could get lost in it. His accent was neither Greek nor Italian nor Elizabethan English, but seemed to have the best elements of all three – whatever one considered those best elements to be. He was wearing a white dress shirt and gray slacks, but his muscles were bulging under his garb so much he looked like he was in danger of popping his buttons every time he inhaled. When he touched each of their hands his touch was gentle and when he kissed their hands their legs felt wobbly. Then, when he was done with welcoming them, he turned more serious. “You will find the others in the library already. And do not worry about this rabble outside. If any man here,” he said, now loudly enough to be heard by everyone out on the street, “dares interrupt the festivities within, they will answer to Hercules!”

Sue and Alicia walked in past Hercules and, being familiar with the mansion, made their way unescorted through the dining room to the library.

“He looked as dreamy as he sounded, didn't he?” Alicia asked.

“Uh-huh,” was all Sue could say. Even though both women were in their mid-30s, Hercules had made them feel as giddy as schoolgirls.

Gwen Parker met them at the library door. Since she did not have a costume to wear to the party, she had come in a casual, diamond-patterned top and matching miniskirt. “Hey!” she said and embraced both women with a hug. “We've been waiting for you,” Gwen said. “Come in!”

The library was decorated with streamers and a banner declaring ‘Happy Baby Shower, Natasha!’ The carpet was littered with confetti.

“Oh, I'm so glad you could come!” Janet Pym said as she came out from behind the portable wet bar set up for the party. “Sue, is that your original FF costume? You look terrific in it!”

“Yes, it still fits!” Sue said as the women hugged and kissed. “I wasn't coming back to New York to my old friends without getting back in shape. But where's your costume, Jan?”

Janet Pym had worn four different costumes before she retired in '68, but now she was wearing none of them – just a Halston white satin halter dress. “Dear,” Janet said, putting her hands on her hips and standing like a model, “anything I wear is a costume!”

Everyone had a good laugh at that, including the next closest woman. Elizabeth also went by ‘Betty’ or ‘Betsy’ and, back in the late '40s, was also known as Golden Girl, but lately she was known more as Mrs. Rogers or, to those in the know, the wife of Captain America. She was the oldest woman here by 15 years and her face was wrinkled and a little saggy under her black domino mask, but she still looked to be in good shape under the short yellow dress and green cape she used to wear while fighting crime. Good sport that she was she had even dyed her hair blonde again for this occasion, though it had long since turned mostly white. She hugged and kissed both Sue and Alicia too when it was her turn, as everyone here were good friends. “Janet has been telling us stories of what it was like being the only female Avenger back in the beginning,” Elizabeth said, “and making us all jealous. How are you liking being the only woman in the Fantastic Four now, Alicia?”

“That's not entirely true,” Alicia said. “Crystal puts on a costume and joins us sometimes too. Now, if someone could point me to Natasha I've got hugs to dispense over there, too.”

“You'd better come over here because I'm not sure I can get up out of this chair,” Natasha joked and everyone had another good laugh. Natasha had swollen up hugely in her final months of pregnancy and looked like she was ready to pop any day now. Her maternity dress looked nothing like the tight black uniform she usually wore at Avengers Mansion.

“I think,” Sue said, “that you had better see our present before we do anything else.” The cover of her box was wrapped separately and was easily removed. After taking it off, Sue lifted a helmet full of electronics out of the box. “Reed built this,” Sue continued, “and I'd better tell you the story behind it before you put it on. As you know, the Fantastic Four has been busy lately without explaining why. For the last four months we've been dealing with another extraterrestrial threat. A powerful entity calling itself Overmind came to Earth promising to save us from the coming attacks of both the Kree and Skrull armadas for a price: the mental enslavement of every mind on Earth. We've driven it away, but not before it had...tinkered with a lot of people's minds.”

“Surely our minds are alright,” Natasha said. “I don't feel any different.”

“We'll find out in a moment,” Sue said as she brought the helmet over to Natasha. “This machine should disrupt any outside influence on your mind if there's been any. And Reed assures me it's perfectly safe for you and the baby.”

“I guess it won't hurt to try, then...” Natasha said as she hesitantly took the helmet and put it on. “Oh!” she cried out right away. “Oh no!”

Everyone else tensed, fearing this was some trick from a disguised enemy but Natasha did not seem to be in pain, just surprised.

“Wanda and Pietro!” Natasha cried, struggling to get out of her chair. “I can't believe we abandoned them when the Super-Skrull took them prisoner!”

Sue just nodded knowingly. “Reed thinks up to a million minds were tampered with by Overmind, usually just making them more complacent and accepting than usual to prevent heavy resistance to his takeover of Earth.”

Everyone in the room then agreed to try on the helmet, though only Janet found herself surprised by her suppressed thoughts. “I can't believe I didn't come out of retirement already and help out,” she told everyone. “I'm sorry.”

“I thought it was odd that there was no rescue mission already,” Gwen said, “but I just assumed I was being kept out of the loop about something.”

“Sadly, you weren't,” Natasha said. “Now, is someone going to help me out of this chair so we can do something about them?”

“Oh no you don't!” Janet said, pushing her back down in her chair. “For one thing, you're going to have to sit this mission out. And a second thing is that we have a baby shower that's barely started yet. Wanda and Pietro have waited this long and I'm sure they wouldn't want to deny you your shower.”

“What about telling the other Avengers?” Natasha asked.

“We can do that and kill two birds with one stone,” Janet said cryptically. She pressed an intercom button in the room and said, “Oh, Hercules, would you kindly come back to the library?”

Janet poured drinks for everyone while they waited for Hercules.

“I am here,” Hercules said, announcing his arrival as if it was necessary, “but I am puzzled by your request,” he said as he walked into the middle of the library and began to slowly undo the buttons of his dress shirt. “I normally go shirtless in combat, so I do not see why watching me take off a shirt is any more exciting.”

“Oh believe me, we do,” Janet said as she sipped her banana daiquiri. Everyone else seemed to agree and the rescue mission was temporarily forgotten.

Hercules was slipping off his shirt when there came a loud commotion from outside. Everyone paused, because a voice was clearly audible though it was coming from outside the mansion. It was hard to make out what he was saying through the thick walls but it was clearly someone using a bullhorn.

“Attention, Avengers!” everyone could hear clearly when it was repeated even louder and the voice was now unmistakably that of Senator Craddock himself. Everyone had heard him, either in person or on television, dozens of times calling for the arrest of the Avengers.

“Pardon me, ladies,” Hercules said, “I shall attend to this beside the other Avengers. We shall let nothing interfere with your party, Natasha.” With that, the Prince of Power turned and swept out of the room, leaving every woman present feeling a little soberer and a lot less like celebrating.

“It’s alright,” Natasha told everyone. “Craddock is crazy, but he won’t stand up long to Hercules.”

Sue looked around the room, hesitant to bring this up. “It might turn worse than you think,” she said at last and then went on to describe the activities of the National Guard outside.

Natasha looked around at each of the five other women with her and saw that they had all known more about what was going on outside. “And no one was going to tell me anything?”

“And ruin your party?” Jan asked back. “I know I wasn’t going to say anything unless the mansion was actually being invaded.” The rumble of combat coming from outside suggested that Jan’s comment might not be far from coming true.

“I don’t understand any of it,” Alicia said. “I mean, I know he claims the Avengers committed treason when you didn’t hand your Kree prisoners over to the government right away, but…”

“You must be too young to remember what McCarthyism was like,” Betsy said. “Some politicians think the louder they speak against other people the more people who hate and mistrust will support them.”

“I know all that,” Alicia said, her brow furrowed with concern, “but I am sure there’s something more to it than that even. I just don’t know what it is…”

The conversation was interrupted by what sounded like an explosion at the south end of the mansion. Gwen, who was closest to the door, opened it and leaned out into the dining room. “Um,” she said, “does anyone else think that sounded like it came from the kitchen?”

“The mansion’s been breached. Come on,” Natasha said. She tried to spring out of her chair but the child in her stomach would not let her. She held the arms of her chair tightly and struggled to her feet.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Betsy asked sternly, stepping in front of her.

“I’ll look into it,” Sue said as she turned invisible. “Everyone keep Natasha from leaving this room.”

“I’ll follow behind in case you need backup,” Jan said before she left, either before or after Sue, none could tell.

Natasha took a step forward before Betsy put her hand on Natasha’s chest to stop her. Natasha looked her grimly in the eye and said, “Betsy, you’re what, 52? And you haven’t been Golden Girl since 1949? Even eight months pregnant, you couldn’t stop me from leaving this room.”

“Natasha,” Alicia said, stepping up beside Betsy, “I’m blind and I can see that you shouldn’t get involved in this fight. Why can’t you?”

Because I’m a hero! she wanted to say, but it was heroes she was speaking to so that seemed insufficient to sway them. She started to speak, though she hardly knew what words would come out, but was cut off by the sound of shooting coming from much closer, perhaps even the south end of the gallery.

“I’m going out there to lend a hand,” Betsy said.

“I can help,” Alicia said.

“Gwendolyn, it’s up to you. Don’t let Natasha out of this room,” Betsy said before she and Alicia left.

Natasha ran to her handbag the moment they were out of the room and took out of it her ‘widow’s sting’ bracelets.

“What did everyone just tell you?” Gwen asked stepping between Natasha and the door as Natasha was putting her bracelets on.

“They were telling me that heroes do selfless things, Gwen,” Natasha said. “And tell me this: if they had asked you to stand between Peter and what his sense of responsibility told him to do, would you stop him?”

Gwen only had to think about that for a moment before she stepped aside but she put her hand on Natasha’s shoulder as she passed Gwen. “Wait,” Gwen said. “Give me a bracelet.”

“You’re not a hero,” Natasha said.

“Like heck I’m not! You think that waiting for Peter to come home safely adventure after adventure isn’t selfless? I may be no fighter, but neither are you in your condition.”

Natasha thought about it for only a moment before handing over one of her bracelets and giving Gwen rapid instructions on how they worked. What sounded like rockets being launched and exploding at point blank range stopped the instructions prematurely. The explosions shook the library and were echoed by similar noises coming from outside.

“The rest of the Avengers must be dealing with the same threat outside,” Natasha said. “Come on!”

They did not have far to go to find signs of the combat. The south wall of the dining room had a gaping hole blasted through it from the other side and something big was moving towards it from the south end of the gallery. It looked like a man-shaped robot with gleaming yellow armor, maybe nine feet tall, walking with its head hunched forward but still scraping the low ceiling. It had barrel-like weapons instead of hands and big cables leading from the weapons to its back. It looked exactly like mandroid battle armor, in fact, such as the Avengers were facing outside the mansion at that exact same moment for the first time.

The mansion's defensive system had activated and even while the south end of the mansion was being drenched in flame-retardant foam by the sprinkler system some of the sprinklers were dumping a glue-like foam that hardened around the intruder and slowed its movement, only to crumble and break and allow it full movement again.

“This way,” Natasha whispered. “If it's heading for the hole, we can come around it from the entrance and flank it.” It was a sound plan, or would have been had the intruder been heading for the hole. When Natasha and Gwen came around the corner, the metal giant was already facing them and raising its weapons to attack.

“Get back!” Natasha yelled. Fearing that Gwen would freeze up in combat, as she appeared to be doing, Natasha pushed her around the corner and prayed the cover would shield her but there was no time to save both of them. Three mini-rockets launched with a ‘Fwoosh-fwoosh-fwoosh’ from the arm of the metal giant and sped straight for Natasha. The mini-rockets would have easily have hit their target too, had they not been deflected at the last moment by an angled invisible forcefield. The rockets bounced off and sailed into the wall of the thankfully empty staff quarters, as there was little wall left there when the dust and smoke cleared.

“Where is everyone else?” Natasha asked as she and Gwen opened fire on their attacker with electricity arcing from the bracelets, sparks showered from the electricity striking the attacker. The air sizzled and stank of ozone now in addition to the smell of rocket propellant hanging heavy in the air. The attacker paused, as if accessing the strength of their attack.

“We’ve had some injuries already, none serious,” Sue said from somewhere nearby. “I ordered everyone else to get out. What are you doing here?”

“Helping you delay this thing until the boys get done outside and come help us,” Natasha said.

“Can’t we stop him?” Gwen asked.

“Alicia says it’s a robot, not a person in there, because she would sense something like that,” Sue said. “But we don’t have anything between us that can stop this robot.”

Natasha’s mind raced. “What about the helmet you brought to the party?” she said on a sudden inspiration. “If it can wipe out implanted thoughts, could it do anything to circuitry?”

There was a moment’s pause before Sue answered, “Yes, I think so, if we overloaded it!”

“Go get it!” Natasha shouted to Gwen. She could see the robot was getting ready to move again.

“No, I’ll hold it off, you go get it!” Gwen shouted back as the robot raised its weapons. Its right barrels were stuffed with foam and inoperative, but it took aim with its left barrels. “I’ll get it!” Gwen shouted, changing her mind at the last moment.

The barrel on the robot’s left arm rotated, dropping the rocket launcher to a lower position. From the nozzle in the top position, a jet of flame emerged.

Sue turned visible and jumped next to Natasha. “Stay close to me!” she yelled. The jet of flame wrapped around the invisible barrier around the two women. They were safe from the flames, but the heat was intense. “I’m about to make more forcefields than I’ve ever made before,” Sue said. “When Gwen gets back with that helmet, you’ll have to get it on that thing’s head yourself. Use your bracelet on the helmet and you should overload it. Can you handle that?”

The robot began stepping slowly towards them. Fire was all around them now and sweat began to trickle down the bodies of the two trapped women.

“I’ll have to,” Natasha replied without any bravado. She knew that whether she and her baby lived or died depended on what she did next.

“I’ve got it!” Gwen yelled as she emerged from the dining room.

“Stay where you are!” Sue yelled. She stared at the robot and concentrated. The robot’s next step never touched the floor, as its foot hit something invisible and rolled off the top of it. The robot tried to right itself, but found invisible forcefields littering the floor like huge marbles everywhere it tried to step. The robot tripped and fell forward.

“Throw it to me now!” Natasha shouted to Gwen as the wall of fire disappeared around them. Sue’s personal forcefield collapsed from the strain of holding too many fields in place at once and she collapsed to the floor just as Natasha caught the thrown helmet. Natasha sprinted as fast as her baby allowed her and she mashed the helmet down on the robot’s head. She fired electricity into the helmet and saw sparks fly from the helmet. The robot shook and then, with an unsatisfying anticlimax, simply sagged to the floor and stopped moving.

The exertion was too much for her and both nausea and dizziness overcame Natasha before she collapsed to the floor. Flame-retardant foam was still dropping from the ceiling sprinklers and dollops of it splashed off of the fallen robot onto Natasha, but mostly it fell on the burning rugs, floorboards and wallpaper that had been ignited by the flamethrower. Natasha looked up and saw Sue, still lying on the floor, look up at the same time. Gwen was bending over Sue to check on her.

“My baby shower…sucked,” Natasha joked and smiled.

“You think this was bad…you should have seen my wedding,” Sue joked back.

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Elsewhere, Mr. Kline tried one last time to reestablish contact with his mandroid robot via remote control. Failing, he let the controls fall from his hands. “Well, so much for intermediaries,” he said calmly. “I guess I’ll just have to do this myself.”

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To Be Continued...

Next: In Black Widow #9: This is it! Be back in 4 weeks for the birth of Clint and Natasha’s baby! You can come in with the special guest-stars, but just don’t let Mr. Kline sneak in with you! “Joy to the World” – don’t miss it!

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