Chichen Itza, where Annie the LMD is currently exploring one of the mysterious temples. There is a loud rumble, and she is knocked off her feet, landing against a slab where three members of Alpha Flight are being held prisoner. ‘What’s happening out there - it sounds like a volcano!’ Annie exclaims, before seeing Snowbird’s withered form lying on the slab. ‘Oh, please - let me know have damaged anyone!’ Annie exclaim as she looks down at Snowbird, who suddenly whispers ‘Hhhhelllp…’. Annie looks at Snowbird, shocked, before another rumble begins.
Outside, Rick Jones a.k.a. A-Bomb, General Thunderbolt Ross a.k.a. the Red Hulk, and Aaron Stack a.k.a. the Machine Man fall down towards a raging river of lava, opened by the volcano god, Jacawitz, who looms above. ‘These are the ones who brought us the sacrificial gods?’ Jacawitz enquires. Standing on ridge down below is Ixchel the Jaguar Goddess, who tells the Volcano Lord that he must not bury them, as they need their essence. ‘Caution! He’s opened an active lava vent!’ Machine Man exclaims as he manages to extend his arms and hang on to the edge of the ridge. Red Hulk clings to the side of the ledge, while A-Bomb splashes into the lava, ‘Yeah, I caught that, Machine Man!’ A-Bomb exclaims, and as he begins to sink, Red Hulk calls out to him, concerned.
‘I may be able to reach him with minimal damage - can always replace this arm’ Machine Man points out as he extends one arm towards the lava, but Red Hulk remarks that there is no need, as A-Bomb rises from the lava, ‘Guess what’s hot. Whew. I know it doesn’t look pretty, but I highly recommended armor plates if you’re ever going lava-diving!’ A-Bomb exclaims. He climbs out of the lava and asks ‘So now we’re up against six of these bruisers? Guess we better get started smashing’. Red Hulk reminds Rick that they didn’t have enough intel on this before, and that hasn’t changed. He grabs A-Bomb by the wrist, and leaps away from the ledge, pulling A-Bomb with him. Machine Man flies alongside them, while A-Bomb declares that they should go back, as they can take them. ‘We’re doing something different’ Red Hulk replies, despite Rick’s protests.
At that moment, ‘-could kill them now, Ixchel…’ one of the returned gods exclaims as several of them enter the temple. Annie hears them, and as she stands near the withered Sasquatch and Aurora, quickly hides behind another wall. ‘…to not pursue the northern gods was a mistake!’ one of the Mayan gods exclaims. Their forms are strikingly human as Ixchel, Ah Puch and Camazotz stride down a corridor. ‘No, Camazotz. Greater opportunity presents itself in El Salvador. All gathered together, we can bring back nearly the whole pantheon at once!’ Ixchel states. They are joined by Tohil, as Camazotz remarks that it seems too good to be true, as this power-building took them decades in the past. Tohil asks him if he needs more proof that this is their time. He adds that the ods of this age, their power, and their people, give them all they need to become rulers of all creation. Annie hears this, and closes her eyes.
Outside, Machine Man reports that the Earth is thinnest at this point, that there is just six meters to the surface. ‘Follow me’ Red Hulk declares as he smashes a tunnel in the side of a cliff. Examining his new surroundings, he is pleased that they can still see the pyramid from here. ‘All I see is something I never thought I would. General Thaddeus Ross, running from a fight!’ A-Bomb exclaims. Red Hulk turns to Rick and tells him that he is not going to pull his head off and drop kick it because he knows Rick wants to pay these Mayans back, but that he best shut his ugly mouth right now. ‘Have you not heard anything Machine Man said? They’re bringing their kind back by using people like us’ Red Hulk explains. Looking through a pair of magnifying goggles, Machine Man explains that it is just a theory. ‘An extremely sound theory from me, and I’m rarely wrong. Look’ he adds, as a bright light bursts from the top of the temple, he suggests that the gods are leaving. ‘Let’s get over there!’ Red Hulk orders.
A short time later, the trio are at the temple. Red Hulk asks Machine Man what he is finding, and Machine Man reports that the gods are not here, and that the energy readying was similar to what he saw when they moved the pyramid back to this location. He adds that he thinks they teleported themselves this time. Red Hulk asks if they have fail-safes operating, to which Machine Man replies that normally, as with last night when any of them are inside, the structure is an impenetrable hyperactive mega-device, so as soon as they are gone, the pyramid is completely inert, meaning they can enter.
Coming to another part of the temple, the trio finds a large crystal, held in position over a square hole in the floor. Red Hulk remarks that it might be for focus, like a laser, while Machine Man peers down the darkness of the hole and announces that he is convinced the main functions of the pyramids’ long distance teleportation was to expand the Mayan gods’ influence, before reporting that he is detecting Annie at the bottom of the hole. Red Hulk looks shocked, and calls down to her, before leaping down the hole. ‘What happened to all the not-charging-in?’ A-Bomb enquires.
Red Hulk lands, and unsettles the dust on the temple floor. ‘You’re back!’ Annie exclaims as she shines her flashlight at Red Hulk. ‘And you’re here’ Red Hulk replies, reminding her that he asked her to stay out of the action. ‘You were making a perfect distraction for me to check out the pyramid. Lives are being lost, I had to’ Annie tells Red Hulk, who tells her that it is her life that concerns him here. Annie asks Red Hulk if he remembers when he wasn’t sure she even counted as being alive. ‘I’m still an android, designed for missions. A war machine like Aaron, but different’. Annie reminds Ross that they are called Life Model Decoys - expendable, to take the place of real people. ‘Then take this order, lady. Never call yourself expendable again! You’re…as real as it gets’ General Ross tells Annie, who smiles up at him.
Machine Man and A-Bomb appear, ‘Good to see you are well, Annie’ Machine Man announces as he shines a bright light on Annie, before asking her if she has discovered anything here. Annie reports that the bodies of Alpha Flight are down the corridor, and starts to lead her companions to them. Machine Man remarks that if the Mayans return, this building will become active again, and Ross and Jones will have their own essences added. ‘Then hurry, this way!’ Annie exclaims. Arriving in the room, Machine Man turns his hands into spotlights, lighting up the room. A-Bomb stands over the withered form of Jeanne-Marie Beaubier a.k.a. Aurora, while Annie goes back over to Snowbird a.k.a. Narya, and informs the others that she could actually hear Snowbird speak, before pointing out that Snowbird has moved her hand since she left the room.
Standing over Dr Walter Langkowski in his Sasquatch form, Red Hulk asks what the Mayans are doing with Alpha Flight, and why Snowbird is better off than the rest. ‘I would say she’s that well off’ Annie mutters, while A-Bomb looks down at Aurora and asks ‘Alpha Flight, they’re all mutants, aren’t they? I mean, that’s essentially what we are, but we’re not…natural’ he adds. Accessing his files, Machine Man reports that Snowbird is not a mutant, though her shape shifting abilities are supernatural. He explains that her file suggests this derives from another pantheon, that of the Inuit.
Machine Man suggests that Snowbird’s connection to that power system is helping her fight against the Mayans. Red Hulk suggests they get Alpha Flight out, and then level this place. ‘Now you’re finally talking!’ A-Bomb exclaims.
Annie picks up Snowbird and wraps her in her cape, ‘They’re gods out there, but when they enter the temple, they look as human as anyone’ Annie explains, while A-Bomb remarks ‘The Mayans kept referring to us as gods, too…I don’t get it’. Red Hulk puts Sasquatch over his shoulder, while A-Bomb picks up Aurora, and as they walk down the corridor, Machine Man shines the lamps from his hands ahead of them, while asking ‘How else would people thousands of years ago have seen you?’ He points out that these figures accept the status, and use it. ‘While they seem to be demanding worship, I don’t get the impression they consider themselves deities of creation’. Red Hulk frowns, and declares that, either way, he is going to be their devil.
Shortly, Red Hulk, A-Bomb, Machine Man and Annie load Snowbird, Aurora and Sasquatch into their jet, while A-Bomb asks where the Mayans went. ‘Because if no one has any objections, I’m going to turn that pyramid into a rubble pile’ he declares, telling Annie that she can have the big jewel when he is done. Suddenly, Machine Man announces that he is receiving a secured line message on a private transmission from Captain America. ‘Make it fast, Rick!’ Annie calls out to A-Bomb, while a panel rises from Machine Man’s head and a small monitor depicts Captain America. ‘Red Hulk team, come in. Did you get my earlier calls?’ Captain America enquires. Machine Man replies that he didn’t, and points out that it is possible they were blocked.
Captain America announces that he requested a status report on the Central America situation, and adds that Puck from Alpha Flight has been messaging him non-stop. Red Hulk informs his fellow Avenger that they have had their hands full with the hostiles behind the situation, and reveals that they are about to destroy one of their bases here in Chichen Itza. ‘From what I’m seeing, all the destruction is in El Salvador at the moment’ Captain America replies, adding that the Avengers are still getting a situation under control, but will be able to assist soon. ‘That would be a mistake, sir!’ Red Hulk announces. Cap tells Ross that if he is outnumbered, to accept help, as this isn’t just a Hulk matter, it affects everyone. Cap reports that a group of Avengers affiliates has formed and moved in to help with the flooding from yesterday, and they are now on the scene. Red Hulk is concerned though, and urges Captain America to send them back, but Cap assures him that these are seasoned fighters with considerable power-sets, and they can handle themselves.
At that moment, in amongst the debris and destruction that has struck El Salvador, several heroes have indeed gathered and are rescuing locals and assisting with the clean-up. Amongst the heroes are inactive Avengers Silverclaw and the Living Lightning, who currently serves with the Rangers, as well as the young mutant Velocidad, and local heroes Toro and Junta. ‘How’s it coming?’ Silverclaw asks Living Lightning, who replies that he has started the generators, so the medicos have operating power once again. ‘Wait until I find who did this’ Toro exclaims as he lifts up a car. ‘Move it over here, Toro!’ Velocidad calls out as he speeds about, and rescues someone from beneath the car.
Lights begin to appear in the murky sky overhead, and Junta tells Living Lightning to rein his lightning in, as it is interfering with his gravity field. ‘That’s not me!’ Living Lightning exclaims. Clouds form around the lights, as images of four of the Mayan gods appear - Ixchel, Tohil, Ah-Puch and Camazotz. ‘Sooo…many!’ Ah-Puch marvels. ‘You see? Let’s not make the mistake of earlier. What would the feathered serpent say now?’ Ixchel remarks. ‘That fighting only delays us’ Tohil points out, but Jacawitz exclaims that they must take sacrifice. ‘Bring the temple!’ he declares.
Back in Chichen Itza, Captain America informs the Red Hulk and his friends that local media are broadcasting the confrontation, to which Red Hulk announces that they are going to make the situation a hundred times worse. Explaining the situation, he declares ‘The Mayan gods are building themselves back…using us!’ and asks Cap not to let them come down here. Annie realizes that Rick has gone back into the pyramid, and rushes towards it as a glow emits from the top. Inside, there is a humming noise, and A-Bomb remarks that he hates to destroy historical stuff, but that he doesn’t think tourism is going to help anymore. He slams his first against the floor, and there is a loud BOOOMM, but energy glows, and he is knocked backwards.
‘They pyramid! It’s activated!’ Annie gasps as the glow increases. ‘Now they’ve got Rick!’ Red Hulk exclaims, adding that Rick is all the power the Mayans need. Machine Man shows the situation in El Salvador taken from his scfans of network and phone video. ‘The affiliate Avengers are fighting hard. But the Mayan gods have the clear edge’ Machine Man reports.
Indeed, the destrution continues as Jacawitz destroys some buildings. Silverclaw confronts Ixchel, but is knocked back by a wave of water. Camazotz tosses some of the local heroes about with ease, while Toro slams a car against Ah-Puch, trapping the ghoulish god against a wall. Living Lightning hovers overhead, but Tohil blasts him with fire, and Yum Kaax has spread tree roots throughout the area, capturing Junta and other heroes, although some manage to blast him with their energies. The pyramid appears, and the Mayans start to pukll some of the local heroes inside, while luring other heroes right into the chamber of sacrifice, where they will be used as Alpha Flight were. Machine Man reports that there is no sign of A-Bomb on the video he is receiving.
‘I can be of help here, Ross!’ Annie protests as Red Hulk loads her into the ship. ‘You’ll be more help if you get Alpha Flight back to Gamma Base. Figure out what’s happened to them. It’s the key to fighting these things’ Red Hulk tells Annie, while ordering her to clear the rest of Alpha Flight to be brought in. ‘You’re going to let outsiders into our base?’ Annie asks, surprised. ‘Blindfolded from a drop-off point so they can assist. Okay?’ Red Hulk declares. He smirks when Annie kisses his cheek and tells him that he is learning to let people help, and that she thinks this is her influence. ‘Hm’ Red Hulk mutters. Shortly, Annie takes off, and Machine Man asks Red Hulk if he thinks there is a way to reverse-engineer Alpha Flight‘s condition, or whether that was solely to manipulate Annie to move out of harm’s way. ‘What do you think?’ Red Hulk replies.
Machine Man reports that he is now unable to receive any transmission from the epicenter of the battle. ‘Assume that’s not good’ Red Hulk declares, before asking how far away six hundred miles is, adding that they can get there if they “haul ass”. Suddenly, a voice can be heard from the trees above. ‘I wouldn’t bother, red one!’ a brown monkey declares. ‘You’ll just tire yourself, and it is almost over’ a dark monkey declares. ‘Who is that?’ Red Hulk calls out. ‘Two life forms, in the tree!’ Machine Man points out. Red Hulk begins to shake and topple the tree, ‘Get down here, whoever you are!’ he booms. ‘Rude!’ one of the monkey’s shouts. ‘Brother, I lose my grip!’ the other declares. Machine Man states that his radar shows the life forms are not large. ‘I can apprehend them…’ he announces as he extends his arms and takes hold of them, bringing them out of the tree, Machine Man identifies them as Howler Monkeys. ‘The puppet found us!’ the brown monkey exclaims.
‘Release Hunahpu and you will have my gratitude’ the brown monkey exclaims, while the black monkey, Hunahpu warns Machine Man to release Xbalanque, otherwise he will do something unfortunate to him. ‘Let ‘em go’ Red Hulk tells Machine Man, who sets the monkeys onto the ground. Machine Man assumes that they are also ancient Mayan entities, as monkeys generally do not speak, and that they do so in a way all can understand, as the other Mayans did. ‘Look, Hunahpu, the big toy addresses us!’ Xbalanque exclaims. ‘What an incredible age’ Hunahpu remarks. Xbalanque asks if the red god made it, to which Red Hulk tells the monkey not to worry about what he did, and asks the monkey how they are connected to those “freaks”. ‘Were you freed from the crystal cave with them? Answer!’ Red Hulk demands.
‘Ha! The red god thinks we spend eternity with bad ball players’ Hunahpu exclaims as both monkeys climb up the Red Hulk’s arm. ‘No. Big red fool! We sleep in El Castilo. We protect the world as Huracan tell us!’ Xbalanque declares, and stroking the Red Hulk’s face, adds ‘We lure them behind the crystal of no escape until they trick your friend’. Hunahpu then adds ‘That Bomb-A let them free! They have one thousand years to grow their minds!’ ‘You two imprisoned them?’ Red Hulk asks as the monkeys drop to the ground and wrap leaves around themselves. ‘The twins not always monkeys’ Hunahpu explains. ‘All Mayans man, no matter what you see. But others not see us, long as we have tails’ Xbalanque points out.
The monkeys climb back up into a tree as Machine Man asks ‘They are people? How did they become as they are?’ Xbalanque laughs and exclaims ‘The toy talks again!’, while Hunahpu explains ‘We drank the water, toy. Never drink the water!’ There is a glow in the dense forest, ‘Them am back!’ one of the monkeys exclaims. ‘Sense the serpent - NO!’ the other declares, as they swing through the trees, away from the light, which reveals a pyramid materializing nearby. ‘Your Bomb friend, they use him!’ Hunahpu declares. ‘Now the gods have the god king!’ Xbalanque declares. ‘What god king - who?’ Red Hulk calls after the monkeys. Red Hulk and Machine Man turn around, to see a massive winged serpent with arms looming over them. ‘The time of the calendar has come. The new age begins now. The Mayan gods return to rule. Kukulcan leads them all!’ the Mayan god king hisses. ‘That god king’ Machine Man utters….
