As the doors to the Baxter Building slid open, Iron Man and Wasp stepped into the sleek, high-tech lobby. Susan Richards greeted them with a warm smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Tony, Janet. It's always good to see you," she said, ushering them in. "Reed's been... deeply focused on his work lately. But I'm sure he'll be glad for the break."
Tony raised an eyebrow beneath his helmet. "Let me guess—he's buried himself in equations again, hasn't he?"
Susan offered a faint chuckle. "When is he not?"
Janet glanced around the room, her tone playful. "Well, if he doesn't come out soon, we'll drag him to the table ourselves."
But before the banter could continue, Reed Richards emerged, adjusting his gloves and clearly distracted. He managed a nod of greeting.
"Tony, Janet. Welcome," Reed said, his mind clearly elsewhere.
Tony clapped him on the shoulder. "I've got some wild theories about Asgard that might actually interest you for once, but—what's up? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Reed hesitated. "It's Ravonna. I've been running simulations and... something's wrong. I can't put my finger on it yet, but I'm worried."
Tony exchanged a quick glance with Janet, then asked, "And Hank? Has anyone seen him? He usually never misses poker night."
Reed's face tightened slightly, but before he could answer, Tony continued in a lighter tone, trying to lift the mood.
"You know, Reed, you've been kinda distant lately. Everything alright on your end?"
Reed gave him a flat look, his tone dry. "I know fourteen ways to lock you inside that suit and turn off the cooling system."
Tony grinned. "Ah, there's the Reed I know."
In the corner of the lounge, the rest of the gang had begun to gather. Hawkeye found himself awkwardly seated between the two powerhouses—Hulk and Thing—both looming over the poker table like ticking time bombs.
Hawkeye raised both hands in mock surrender. "Alright, big guys, let's keep the smashing to a minimum tonight, yeah? We're here to play cards, not turn the place into rubble."
Thing cracked his knuckles. "As long as the greenie here doesn't cheat."
Hulk narrowed his eyes. "Hulk doesn't cheat. Hulk wins."
As the laughter broke out around the table, no one noticed the flicker of movement in the shadows—a silent Doombot monitoring the room from a hidden alcove.
Elsewhere, Doom and Lucia observed everything from the shadows.
From their hidden lair, screens flickered with live footage of the Baxter Building and Avengers Mansion. Doom's voice cut through the silence like a blade.
"Proceed with the plan," he commanded Lucia. "Disruption... is our ally."
Lucia gave a cold smile. "The world won't see this coming."
---
Back at the Baxter Building…
Wasp and Susan Richards were sharing a rare moment of peace, unaware that their safety was moments from collapse.
"It's nice having some calm for once," Janet said, sipping tea.
"Don't jinx it," Susan replied with a small smile.
Suddenly, the room filled with blinding light and a high-pitched hum. Before either could react, Doombots burst in. Gas hissed from hidden vents, and the women collapsed. In seconds, they were gone—replaced by disguised Doombots with bombs hidden in their cores.
---
Aboard a high-tech airship…
Wasp stirred, groggy. Her eyes fluttered open.
"Susan…?" she whispered, then spotted Lucia looming over her.
Before she could react, Lucia unleashed a stun blast, knocking her out cold again.
"Sleep, little wasp. You'll wake up when it's needed," Lucia muttered.
---
Moments later, Iron Man arrived at the scene of the breach.
His systems were already detecting anomalies.
"Jarvis, give me visuals—what the hell just happened here?"
But before he could process it, Lucia appeared behind him, her energy crackling.
"Too slow, Stark." She hurled a blast of force that sent Iron Man spiraling off the building and into the sea.
---
Elsewhere, chaos erupted.
The Avengers and the Fantastic Four quickly assembled. Hulk emerged from the waves dragging robot debris behind him.
"Hulk smash fake tin men."
"They were Doombots," Reed confirmed grimly. "And they replaced Susan and Janet."
Black Panther stepped forward, analyzing the damage.
"We need to move. Let's find our missing teammates. Doom has made his move."
"Let's hit his castle now," Johnny growled, flames dancing on his skin.
"He took Sue. He made it personal."
"And Janet," added Hank grimly, appearing from the lab, his voice tight with worry.
But Stark, now climbing from the sea, soaking wet and furious, raised a hand.
"If we storm Latveria without clearance, we'll be branded as criminals. Doom wants us to strike first."
"So what, we sit around and wait?" Thing snapped.
"No," Stark replied, eyes narrowing. "We outsmart him. And we get them back."
---
Within the cold walls of Doom's castle…
Susan awoke, chained but alert. Wasp was beside her, bruised but breathing.
"Where are we?" Susan asked, straining against her bonds.
"Some kind of dungeon. Classy, right?" Wasp muttered, then raised her voice.
"Hey, Doom! Nice hospitality. You throw this party for all your enemies?"
The heavy doors creaked open, and Doom stepped inside, regal and menacing.
"Your spirit is admirable, Wasp. But this is no party. This… is the beginning of a reckoning."
Susan met his gaze. "You won't win, Victor."
Doom simply turned, cape sweeping behind him.
"I already have."
---
As backup from both the Avengers and Fantastic Four arrived, the battlefield grew tenser. Black Panther moved swiftly, expertly disabling Lucia with a well-placed strike that short-circuited her weapon systems. "One threat down," he said calmly. "But the real challenge still stands."
Roaring with fury, Hulk lunged at Doctor Doom. "DOOM!" he shouted, swinging with full force. But Doom, with terrifying precision, raised a hand and blasted Hulk back with an energy surge, sending the green giant crashing into a nearby cliffside.
"Is that the best you've got?" Doom muttered, his cape fluttering in the wind.
The rest of the heroes sprang into action, engaging the incoming wave of Doombots. Iron Man soared overhead, firing repulsor blasts. "These things just keep coming!"
Johnny Storm, already lit up in full flame, shouted, "Let's torch 'em, Thing!"
The Thing smashed a Doombot in half. "About time we did some clobberin'!"
Amidst the chaos, Black Panther's voice cut through the noise. "Everyone! Focus your attacks! We fight as one. For Susan and Wasp!"
His command refocused the team, pushing back the bots with coordinated precision. Still, Doom stood unshaken, absorbing or dodging each attack with unnerving ease.
Then, just as the battle reached its peak, Doom raised both hands. "Enough."
The Doombots froze. The battlefield quieted. With a flick of his wrist, Wasp and Susan appeared behind him, unharmed—though visibly shaken.
"You may go," Doom announced coldly. "I have what I wanted."
"What's the game, Doom?" Iron Man asked, lowering his helmet's visor.
But Doom merely turned away. "Time will reveal all."
Back at Avengers HQ, tension crackled in the air. The heroes gathered around a table, eyes fixed on Stark as he projected schematics of Doom's castle and data from the encounter.
"We were lucky he let us walk away," Johnny muttered.
"Luck had nothing to do with it," Stark said grimly.
He stood with a heavy frown, arms crossed as he stared at the display screens. "Doom's after something big," he said, the seriousness in his voice drawing everyone's attention.
"But we can't access his tech," Black Panther added. "Whatever he used during the fight was either cloaked, encrypted, or destroyed. We have no way of knowing what he's really up to."
Thor slammed his hammer against the floor, frustrated. "Then we are left in the dark while Doom prepares for something worse?"
No one had an answer.
Meanwhile, inside the towering halls of Doom's fortress, Doctor Doom stood before a glowing holographic display.
His cold, calculating gaze followed the shifting images—Susan Storm and Janet Van Dyne. But then, the projection flickered, revealing a shocking truth: the Susan Storm who had returned was not the real Invisible Woman. She had been replaced… by a Skrull.
Doom's metallic voice echoed through the room, "So, the Skrulls move in shadows once again. Even the mighty are not beyond their reach."
Miles away, in the quiet solitude of his private mansion, Ben watching the same feed through Super Ultron.
He narrowed his eyes. "The Skrulls are working faster than we thought," he muttered, arms folded. "If Susan's already been replaced, they're deeper in this than anyone realizes."
He stepped closer to the screen, his tone growing sharper. "What else have we missed?"
The realization weighed heavily on him—not only had their enemy infiltrated their inner circle, but the very trust holding their alliances together was now under siege.
A faint breeze stirred the long silvery strands of his hair as he turned away from the projection. "They'll need me soon," he said quietly, more to himself than anyone else.
"But for now… I watch. And prepare."
As dawn broke over the horizon, casting golden light across the marble floors of his home, Ben was again seated on his villa, gazing toward the city.
---
Subway Station – Early Morning
The air was thick with tension. Inside a crowded subway station, terrified civilians huddled behind ticket booths while the Avengers stood facing the Serpent Society. The villains had taken hostages, and the narrow platforms offered little room for error.
Captain America raised his shield, eyes locked on King Cobra. "No sudden moves. Let the civilians go, and we can talk."
But before things could escalate, a familiar voice cut through the noise.
"Wait! Everyone, hold on a second!" Ant-Man stepped forward, hands raised in peace. "Let me try talking to them."
Cap turned his head slightly, not lowering his shield.
"Ant-Man, you've got to understand—these guys aren't just troublemakers. They're trained, dangerous, and they've taken lives."
Ant-Man kept walking, slowly approaching the Serpent Society. "I know who they are, Cap. I've treated half of them at the Big House prison. There's a chance they'll listen to me. Just give me a minute."
King Cobra narrowed his eyes. "You're wasting your breath, insect. We're not negotiating. Madame Viper and HYDRA will be here any moment to finish this."
Hawkeye scoffed. "You're bluffing. Viper's in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. HYDRA's in pieces."
Cobra flinched slightly. "What…? But I received a message. She said…"
His voice trailed off, confusion flickering across his face. The uncertainty caused a ripple of unease through the rest of the Serpent Society.
"Listen," Ant-Man said calmly, "You've been lied to. You don't have to go through with this. I'll trade myself for the hostages. Let them go."
Captain Marvel shot him a glance. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to save lives," Ant-Man said, stepping forward.
But King Cobra snapped back to fury, mistrust etched into every word. "No. It's a trap. Avengers don't sacrifice themselves… not unless it's a setup!"
He raised his hand. "Attack!"
Chaos erupted.
The confined space exploded into action—Cap's shield ricocheted off metal beams, Hawkeye's arrows flew, and energy blasts lit up the tunnel. The Serpent Society fought with venomous precision, slithering through the battle with practiced evasion.
Despite the Avengers' coordination, the villains used the tunnels to their advantage, slipping into the shadows and escaping through emergency exits before the heroes could regroup.
When the dust settled, the civilians were safe—but the villains were gone.
Iron Man landed beside Ant-Man, his faceplate lifting just enough to reveal a scowl.
"You let them go," he said sharply. "They played you."
Ant-Man clenched his jaw. "I tried to avoid bloodshed."
Hawkeye shook his head. "And they used that to disappear."
Captain America looked away, frustrated but silent.
The battle was over, but the aftermath left the team fractured—disheartened, and wondering if mercy had just cost them more than they could afford.