Once a Hero... ALWAYS a hero

[Captain America]

NOTE: This thread occurs after the events of 'The Search for Captain America' and subsequent thread.

The Vulture descended onto the roof of the abandoned building, his bag of loot clasped in a taloned hand. It was pitch black at night, and none could see. GLoating to himself, he descended a ladder into the building below.

"I got us more loot." He called out, after he had safely stowed a stash in his hidey-hole. Ever since the break-out from top-security prison 'The Raft' months ago, the Vulture had been hiding out with the Trapster and the Grim Reaper here.

Of course, pickings had to be split, and none of them got on... but it was better than being tagged by that accursed Spider-Man, or the New Avengers, or whoever! The arrangement suited Adrian Toombs- the Vulture- just fine. "Reaper? Trapster?" he shouted. "Where is..."

At that point a red-gloved fist slammed out of the darkness, catching Vulture on the nose. With a shout that was almost a squawk, he staggered backwards, clutching his nose. He looked up in alarm.

Standing in the half darkness, were people who were unmistakably heroes. Vulture didn't ecognize some of them- he DID recognize Captain America standing in the forefront... then there was some creepy guy in a cloak.. another guy who appeared to have ... DUPLICATES of himself?... that Daredevil guy and... That purple-arrow freak from the Avengers... Vulture had thought him dead.

"Captain America..." He squawked in surprise. "YOU! They say... they say you're not a hero anymore!" "Sorry, Vulture." said Cap. He swung his fist into the villain's stomach, knocking him over. "Once a hero... ALWAYS a hero."

[TAGS: Hawkeye, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Multiple Man, (Human Torch?)]

[Doctor Strange]

It wasn't long after they returned from a meeting with the forces of balance in the universe, Infinity and Eternity, as well as Death, that they returned to Manhattan - thankfully with Hawkeye in tow, alive and well.

"That's enough, Steve."

Finally he walked out of the shadows, his crimson trench coat swaying gently as he did so as if it had a life of its own. "We're not here today to ensue in another hero-versus-villain fight. You always manage to stay in the loop, Vulture, even while you're imprisoned. And that's why we're here. What do you know of the Registration Act?"

[Hawkeye]

"You better spill it bird brain, I've got no problem clipping your wings if you catch my drift." said with a look of meaning and earnest on Clint's face.

[Captain America]

Cap studied the ground slightly. Thus far, the only real vague plan he had for his Resistance Group was to.. well, continue doing what they had always done. Keep being a super-hero, in spite of the Registration Act.

But Doctor Strange... Stephen... was taking a far-more anti-registration stance. Stephen wanted to fight the Registration Act, and more and more Cap was realising he was probably right. But would he go so far as to.. attack a hero supporting registration? He might well. Would he attack Tony?

...He didn't know. But he didn't need to answer that. Yet. Having Hawkeye join his Resistance had lifted a weight off his mind- it had furhter reassured him that he WAS right, and Clint Barton... one of the most honest people Cap knew... agreed with him.

So he stood back until, as he knew he would, Vulture talked. "Alright! Alright! I hear things.... I hear..." he lowered his voice instinctively. "Big top secret SHIELD project.... it's been numberd... number 32 or 40, or something. Some big way to keep the non-signing up heroes down. That's what my sources tell me." He shivered. "Apart from that, I got nothing except... except that some of the old crowd.. well, there's talk of more heists and stuff, now that SHIELD and all are busy with you 'heroes'..." he trailed off.

He was looking genuinely scared, and that saddened Cap. Suddenly he realised Vulture must believe the propaganda that he really was some mindless killer. And that shocked Steve to the core. he turned away. "Tie him up." he said emotionlessly.

[Hawkeye]

Hawkeye sensed that something had rocked Steve. Maybe being on the other side of the law had gotten to his friend. Something Clint knew all to well about. As Hawkeye tied up Vulture he whispered to him "Don't even think of trying to escape."

[Multiple Man]

"Maybe I should stay here to guard" two multiple came out saluting with his hand. The real Madrox was ready to leave he wasn't sure what to think at the moment the only thing he was sure about was that he was anti-registration.

[Hawkeye]

After watching two identical clones of Multiple Man appear, Hawkeye turns to the captain "Well its your call Captain what do we do next?"

[Human Torch]

Johnny was running late, as he went to check on things back home. Or at least, what he thought was home. He quickly found the building the Captain had told him about and jumped in the air, with hands out.

"Flame on!" Johnny shouted as he flew up toward the window where they would meet.

He landed with his flame still in full force, drawing the attention of Doctor Strange and the Vulture, who was screaming madly.

"If that bird doesn't shut it, he'll be roasted...bet it tastes like chicken," Johnny said, as he let his flame die down to his human form.

[Doctor Strange]

Stephen had listened intently to the Vulture's words. It didn't take a psionic to figure out that something was troubling Steve. No, Stephen didn't want to fight. As a matter of fact, he was a pacifist, only fighting if he needed to. But he was also a supporter of freedom. Through all of the foreign dimensions he's travelled through, most of them had been ruled harshly. The looks on the people's faces, the complete lack of free will...that is what led the doctor to side with Captain America. He didn't want this dimension, the dimension that he was in charge of protecting, to become like those.

"Stop, Johnny. We're not murderers. Your words are just proving the government's point." Raising a hand, Stephen uttered a few words. Instantly, what appeared to be a red piece of sheet metal appeared out of thin air. The metal shifted, twisting in the air and showing amazing malleability. It wrapped tightly around The Vulture, locking his arms to his ribs.

"The Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. Not even the Hulk can escape these."

[Hawkeye]

With a look around the room at those assembled, Hawkeye decided he should adress Steve and those present. "Steve, we understand that this registration act, has hurt you and it hurts us all but, If we didn't believe in what we were doing and didn't have faith in you we wouldn't be here. This is going to be more dificult than fighting any enemy we have ever faced. We are going to be battling our friends. I am prepared to do that, I believe so much in this.I think I can speak for all of us when I say, We believe in the cause and in you. As one of your oldest friends I will stick by you."

[Human Torch]

Johnny nodded to Hawkeye.

"Well said. This fight will be the toughest I've ever been a part of. I'll be fighting my own family...people I've known all my life," Johnny said.

He paused and was given skeptical glances by the Captain and Doctor Strange waiting for him to finish.

"But I'm behind you all the way."