Atomic's breaths came out in quick, sharp, frantic bursts as he struggled to catch his breath. Every action he made felt as if his entire body was waddling through heavy sand. The helmet over his head, intended to conceal his identity, bore a deep crack in the visor. Exposing a sliver of his left eye and face.
Usually, such damage would have been a quick and easy fix thank to his powers. But Atomic was far too tired and drained to do spare that energy. It was taking everything he had to simply stand on his feet or even fly.
However, that didn't mean he was immobile.
Under Atomic's feet, a glowing disk helped him hover over the ground. Using this, he skated all around the street with swift and succinct movements that helped him avoid the Abomination's attacks.
A loud crack rumbled down the street from another failed attack, causing the Abomination to snarl. The gamma powered man's large arm shot forward and grabbed a light pole. With a wide swing, Abomination swung the pole to try batter Atomic away. The air crackled with tension as Atomic, despite feeling the weight of exhaustion in his bones, narrowly dodged the brutal swing, barely avoiding what could have been a deadly blow.
Drawing on his fading energy, Atomic focused the embers of his power. With a flick of his wrist, he erected several sharp Adamantium spikes from the concrete beneath the Abomination. The razor sharp spikes erupted violently from the below, piercing upward and striking into the Abomination's massive form, tearing through his flesh and eliciting a roar of pain and fury from the gamma-powered behemoth.
"Enough games!" Abomination roared and lifted a leg. With all his might, he brought it down to the ground.
The street shuddered violently as a wave of destruction surged forth, causing the asphalt to ripple and crack like a broken mirror. Jagged pieces of debris burst violently into the air, kicking up dust into the sky. The sound of shattering concrete filled echoed through the streets, creating a cacophony of chaos that reverberated through the surrounding buildings.
In his tired state, Atomic was unable to dodge or block one of the fast-flying pieces of debris. The chunk of stone struck him in the stomach and his loud yell of agony filled the street. Not able to withstand the pain, he crumbled to the floor with his hands holding his bruising stomach. Before Atomic could try to stand, the Abomination appeared over him and grabbed him.
Atomic's eyes widened as he felt his torso slowly begin compress. Exasperating his injured stomach. "A-ah!" He screamed in pain.
"Any last words, you bug?" Abomination growled, ready to crush Atomic into paste.
A pained wheeze was all Atomic could muster to say as he desperately struggled to pry away the Abomination's large fingers.
Abomination grinned at the sight of Atomic's agony and slowly increased his grip on the young man. The beast of a man blinked as a flash of light erupted from around Atomic's chest and quickly found that he was now struggling to close his grip any further.
This action was Atomic's final act of desperation. Under the Abomination's grip, Atomic had transformed the upper body section of his tattered suit into a layer of thick adamantium. Encasing his vital organs in a protective layer.
If I survive this… I owe Logan a beer. Atomic thought as he watched Abomination's face contort into a rage as he continued to try to crush him under his powerful grip.
Much to Atomic's horror, he felt the adamantium protecting him begin to wane under the Abomination's strength.
"S-stop…" Atomic managed to wheeze as he wracked his brain for a solution. The Abomination chuckled darkly and ignored Atomic's plead for mercy.
As he felt the Adamantium begin to bend into his ribs, a solution appeared with Atomic's mind.
…Transform the oxygen in his lungs into acid.
The idea was simple and easy. It wouldn't even take that much energy for Atomic to execute.
But if he truly managed to switch the oxygen in the Abomination's lungs into corrosive acid, he might irrevocably end the man's life. There was no assurance that his gamma mutation could mend and heal the charred and melted organs from the acid.
Atomic felt an unsettling turmoil churn within him as he wrestled with the possibility of killing the man. He had never envisioned himself falling into such a situation where he would have to make the choice of ending another's life. In the end, what choice did Atomic truly have?
It was either his life or the Abominations. A cruel individual who laughed at the sight of death and destruction.
I don't want to die. Atomic thought. I'm… sorry.
Closing his eyes, Atomic readied himself to do what was needed, when all of a sudden, a loud roar echoed down the street.
Abomination paused, his eyes narrowing in realization as he turned to face the distant figure of the Hulk. The air crackled with tension, and for a moment, Atomic, despite his dangerous situation, found himself captivated by the sight of one of Marvel's most legendary icons.
The Hulk, towering and imposing, effortlessly tore off the remnants of a tattered shirt that hung from his muscular frame, revealing gleaming green skin. The sheer power radiating from the Hulkwas palpable and seemingly limitless.
So... strong. Atomic thought.
"Hulk!" Abomination said with glee and threw Atomic aside. No longer interested in crushing the costumed young hero into paste. He had a new opponent to test his power on.
Atomic was, unfortunately, still encased in adamantium, making him much heavier than usual. He was unable to free himself in time to avoid falling headfirst onto the asphalt. With his world spinning around him, he slowly fell unconscious.
••o••o••o••
"…Is that all you got?" Abomination sneered as he glared at Hulk.
Hulk growled as he pulled his arm back, preparing to unleash another punch onto the Abomination's face. But before he could land the blow, Abomination pulled his leg back and kicked Hulk through the air and into an apartment building with incredible power.
Smirking at his power, Abomination rose and sprinted after Hulk. With a mighty leap, he scaled the apartment building and peered out through the large hole made by Hulk's body. One of the apartments residents blinked in shock at the sudden hole that tore through her living room. Walking towards it, she turned her head and watched as the Abomination peeked inside with a cruel grin. The woman released a frightened scream and quickly ran away. Hearing the woman's scream, Abomination chuckled in amusement.
Suddenly, a hail of bullets rained down on Abomination's back, causing him to growl in irritation. He turned around to see a military helicopter firing its minigun.
"Ross!" the Abomination growled at the sight of the man in the helicopter.
Flexing his powerful muscles, Abomination effortlessly scaled the side of the apartment building, each powerful movement bringing him closer to the rooftop. As he reached the top and surveyed the cityscape below, a helicopter thumped through the air, its searchlight casting a stark beam that illuminated his path.
A wicked smile spread across Abomination's face as he took off running across the rooftops, the whirring blades overhead barely drowning out the deafening roar of the minigun that spat a relentless stream of bullets in his wake, tearing through the air and rooftops with a furious crackle.
A few blocks away, Atomic laid unconscious on the pavement, his body sprawled at an awkward angle. Around him, a group of officers and military personnel stood in a tense silence. Apprehension etched on their faces. They exchanged urgent whispers while keeping a watchful eye on the fallen young hero.
To the sides, several brave yet cautious New Yorkers peered from alleyways and doorways, their expressions a mix of curiosity and fear as they had witnessed chaos that had destroyed a long stretch of Harlem. Even now, the distant sounds of havoc reverberating through the streets from the far off confrontation.
"It's like he's… encased in steel," Officer Thomas said as he tried to remove Atomic's adamantium shell costume. "I'm not sure if he can breathe."
"Do you think he's a mutant? I mean, how else was he able to do everything he did?" Private Lowery asked.
"It doesn't matter what he is. He saved several lives today." Lieutenant Dunn said in a heavy voice. He moved to stand next to Atomic and peered down into the crack of his visor.
Is he… a kid? Dunn thought with a growing horror and incredulity.
At that moment, Atomic's eyelids fluttered open, the world coming into focus as a low groan escaped his lips. As he regained his focus, a barrage of faces hovered above him, each person displaying a mix of emotions—some wore expressions of deep gratitude, their eyes shining with relief.
In contrast, a few others held a cautious distance. Brows furrowed in concern. A hint of fear flickered in a few gazes, and confusion reigned across the collective watching crowd as they struggled to comprehend the situation unfolding before them.
"Did… I win?" Atomic joked, trying to ease those around him.
"Uh… no," Lowery said. "That guy you fought is now fighting the Hulk. It looks like the green one is on our side this time."
"I see," Atomic nodded and tried to sit up but paused when he felt the weight from the thick adamantium layer of his suit pressing down on him. In a flash of light, he reverted his costume back to its original materials and fixed his visor. Despite how exhausted he felt, he pushed himself to his feet. Which ended up being a mistake as he felt his world spin.
"Here, I got you, son," Dunn said as he helped steady Atomic before he could fall.
A thunderous crash reverberated through the city, causing heads to turn in alarm. As the flashes of sparks illuminated the night, a military helicopter, emblazoned with the insignia of Ross's airborne division, tore through a massive billboard, its rotors still spinning erratically as it crash landed.
The metallic creak of the helicopter echoed through the night as its pilot struggled to stabilize the aircraft. Below the helicopter, the colossal figures of the Abomination and the Hulk clung fiercely to the landing skids, their powerful forms silhouetted against the bright lights of the city skyline.
"Holy shit," Thomas muttered as a far-off explosion could be seen. The helicopter had made landfall. "Are they…?"
"I have to go," Atomic said and pushed himself away from Dunn's helping hands. But as he tried to step forward, he fell to a knee. "Shit."
I can barely stand. Much less fight. I should just let Hulk finish things off. He'll win just like in the movie… right? Atomic thought.
"Listen, son, you've done enough. You can't even stand. Much less fight." Dunn said as he kneeled beside Atomic. "I'll radio in for backup. Get us some more boots. We'll take down that son of a bitch. "
Atomic took a deep breath and willed himself to draw more of his power. Placing his arms at his sides, he hovered over the ground. "No, it's okay. If I can't stand, then I'll fly."
Ignoring his shaking limbs and Dunn's words, Atomic shot up into the night sky.
••o••o••o••
"You don't deserve this power! Now watch her die!" Abomination sneered, his voice dripping with malice. With a fierce, deliberate motion, he raised his massive arm and plunged the sharp spike protruding from his elbow deep into the Hulk's chest.
A guttural roar of pain erupted from the Hulk as he struggled to push Abomination's arm away, but his opponents strength held him firmly in place against the stone wall he was pressed up against. Hulk's teeth ground together as he fought against the agony surging through him, feeling the bone piercing deeper into his flesh with each agonizing second.
Despite the pain, Hulk's green eyes flickered toward the wreckage of the nearby helicopter, where Betty was trapped, her face pale with fear as she watched the fight from the wreckage. The ground below the helicopter was alive with sparks from the broken rotor blades spinning lazily. Flowing underneath the aircraft, a trail of fuel leaked onto the ground. Growing closer and closer to the falling sparks. Within moments, flames exploded into life as a spark made contact with the fuel. A burst of fire erupted and followed the trail of fuel leading to the helicopter's fuel tanks.
At the realization of Betty's life hanging in the balance, the Hulk's fury ignited like wildfire, surging through him and amplifying his already immense power. His eyes glowed brightly as he released a low growl. Using his new burst of power, Hulk grasped the Abomination's wrists and began to slowly overpower him with a low grow.
It didn't take long for the Hulk to steadily began to force the Abomination back, inch by arduously inch. Abomination's eyes widened in disbelief as he felt Hulk's sudden surge of strength eclipse his own. Desperate to regain control, Abomination tried to push back, but it quickly became clear that he was no longer a match for Hulk's growing power.
With a rage fuled roar, Hulk barreled forward, driving his head into Abomination's chest with a force that left his foe gasping for air. Seizing the moment, Hulk dashed forward and gripped Abomination by the spiky protrusions lining his back. With a mighty thrust, he drove the Abomination headfirst into the wall with a thunderous crash.
With his opponent out for the moment, Hulk turned sharply, his eyes widened in alarm at the sight of flames licking hungrily toward the helicopter. Time seemed to slow as the fiery tendrils ominously approached the aircraft's vulnerable fuel tanks. Turning around, Hulk was about to rush forward just as the flames threatened to engulf the helicopter when a brilliant wave of reddish-pink energy surged across the ground, dissipating the fire as if it had never existed.
Stunned, Hulk blinked in disbelief at the sight of Atomic, who landed unsteadily in front of the helicopter.
"Behind you, Big Guy!" Atomic yelled and jumped forward, his arms moving forward.
The large concrete post that would have slammed into the Hulk was quickly transmuted into water, splashing the large green man harmlessly. Abomination blinked in confusion and spun to Atomic with fury.
"You!" Abomination growled.
"Yeah, it's me," Atomic said and fell to a knee. "I suggest you duck."
Abomination blinked, but before he could react, a powerful blow from Hulk sent him sprawling backward, the impact reverberating through the air. Seizing the moment, Hulk moved in and unleashed a relentless barrage of punches, each strike landing with bone-crushing force against the Abomination's formidable frame.
With a growl of frustration, Abomination tried to break free from the relentless assault but ultimately succumbed to the Hulk's relentless attacks. With a grunt, a bloodied Abomination dropped to a knee on the cracked pavement. Towering above him, Hulk glared down with a fierce intensity, his muscles coiled and ready for the next attack.
"Hulk smash!" he roared, a thunderous declaration of his fury, as he raised both arms high above his head.
Then, with a ferocious cry, he brought his fists crashing down onto Abomination's back and head, the sheer force of the blow echoing in the surrounding chaos as a wave of dust flew around them. The entirety of Harlem shook as the Hulk's might could be felt amongst its inhabitants as he once again channeled all his rage into delivering another devastating strike.
As Abomination's massive form thundered into the ground, the surrounding plaza trembled violently, fissures spidering out across the pavement from the epicenter of impact. Like a marionette with its strings severed, Abomination's hulking body went slack after the second twin hammer fists.
With his triumph undeniably secured, Hulk planted his foot triumphantly atop the defeated Abomination and unleashing a primal roar that resonated through the air, shaking the already fractured pillars and nearby structures.
Breathing heavily, Hulk turned his gaze toward Ross, who stood outside the helicopter beside Betty. With a low growl, Hulk reached down into the massive crater and pulled out the Abomination's motionless form. He then tossed the Abomination toward Ross, who looked down at Blonsky's unconscious body.
Atomic breathed heavily and held out his arms. Tendrils of shimmering energy coiled around Abomination, compelling the massive creature into a kneeling position.
As Abomination settled onto the ground, the concrete beneath him began to tremble and shift, morphing into a series of intricate chains and heavy locks made from adamantium.
These formidable restraints, linked together with a metallic clink, wrapped securely around the slumbering beast, ensuring the he would remain confined and unable to break free from his enforced captivity.
"Here, don't lose them," Atomic said tiredly, tossing the keys to Abomination's restraints to Ross's feet.
Ross frowned and glanced down at the keys while Betty approached the Hulk. Atomic observed them sharing a moment when suddenly, a bright spotlight from a news helicopter illuminated both of them from above. Hulk sighed and was about to run away but stopped to look at Atomic.
Much to Atomic's surprise, Hulk nodded at him. A small sign of respect from the powerful man.
Atomic, unsure of what to say, nodded back. He then watched as Hulk jumped away and disappeared into the city with the news helicopter following behind him.
"You were the one fighting Blonsky," Ross said to Atomic after losing sight of the Hulk. He then turned to his daughter, who was staring in the direction where the Hulk had last been seen. "Who are you?"
"...Atomic," Atomic answered carefully. He looked around at the crowd held back by the police and military; their phones pointed in his direction, recording and taking pictures.
Ross frowned and glanced at the crowd. Normally, he would have demanded that Atomic be brought in for questioning. Still, after the events of that day and considering his daughter's current state and the presence of numerous onlookers, Ross felt far too exhausted to do so. Nevertheless, this didn't mean he was finished with the individual who called himself Atomic.
But before Ross could speak, Atomic rose over the ground.
"Make sure you keep him under lock and key, General," Atomic said in his most serious voice. "Those chains are made out of one of the strongest materials in the world... If he escapes, It'll be on you."
Atomic didn't allow Ross to reply and shot up into the sky. Leaving behind a trail of red and pink.
••o••o••o••
"That's what I get for trying to look cool," Atomic said as he leaned against a brick wall within an alleyway on the outskirts of Brooklyn.
Grimacing, he attempted to take a step forward but found that his legs felt as though they weighed several tons. His vision was beginning to blur and darkness was closing in on the edges of his vision. He tried to remove his helmet with his hands since he lacked the energy to dissolve it, but Atomic discovered that his fingers were uncooperative.
"Come on… don't pass out," Atomic muttered weakly.
Atomic had never pushed his powers as far as he did today. He had exceeded every limit he thought he had in ways he never imagined possible. It was an eye-opening experience, transitioning from using his abilities for everyday tasks to facing a gamma-powered adversary capable of destroying an entire city block with ease.
It had never been clearer to Atomic that his mind, body, and stamina were severely lacking in strength. If it weren't for Hulk's timely appearance, he would have most likely died.
But if my powers are exactly like Atom Eve's, there's a good chance I would have just come back to life. Atomic thought. Now on his knees. Still, I would rather not test that aspect of my power and find out I can't revive myself. It's too risky.
"Damn it…"
With the last bits of adrenaline finally leaving his system, Atomic collapsed onto the ground, too tired to move another muscle. Slowly, his eyes began to close and he finally fell prey to his exhaustion.