The Avengers Battle the Earth-Wrecker by Otto Binder Page B

insect buzzed through a window purposely left open, and began enlarging in mid-air, to land on her feet as a full-sized girl.
    “Nice two-point landing, eh?” she said with a smile.
    “Skip the p-l-a-n-e talk,” said Hawkeye, “and give us p-l-a-i-n talk. Did you overhear any plans of Karzz the Conqueror?”
    “Yes, some,” the Wasp answered, and she recited her story. When she was through, Captain America banged his fist against the wall, cracking off plaster.
    “Easy, Winghead,” admonished Iron Man. “Our good friend Anthony Stark donated this hangout to the Avengers, and it costs him for repairs. Go punch Hawkeye if you have to let off steam.”
    “Oh, thanks,” grunted Hawkeye. “That won’t cost Stark anything—it’ll probably just cost me a handful of loose teeth.” He glowered at Iron Man, then at Cap. “What’s eating you?”
    “It’s just not knowing Karzz’s full plot,” explained Cap. “All we know is that earth disasters involving water, fire, and air will occur. But how will those three machines he’s…uh…importing from the future do it?”
    “Worse yet,” spoke up Goliath, “we only know vaguely where each machine will operate—in the Antarctic, in the South Seas, and in the Sahara. All of those are big places if you don’t know the exact spot.”
    “And for that reason,” said Cap, “we can’t turn this job over to the authorities or the military. You can’t send cops or soldiers halfway across the world to an indefinite place. This calls for specialized skills and training. Therefore, it’s a job for the Avengers only.”
    “You’re not just beating your gums, Leader Man,” agreed Hawkeye. “But which of the three earth menaces do we tackle first?”
    “That brings up the most significant thing,” said Iron Man thoughtfully: “that Karzz, according to the Wasp, will launch his other three earth-wreckers simultaneously.”
    “Right,” nodded Cap. “And that means we have to split up and try to stop all three at the same time, as soon as possible. Let’s see, we’ll pair off like this: Iron Man and Hawkeye to the Antarctic, Goliath and Wasp to the South Seas, and….”
    “And you alone for the Sahara?” put in Hawkeye. “Come off it, Dad. Are you trying to pretend you’re as good as any two of us?”
    “No, I’m also pairing off,” Cap said with a grin, “with Steve Rogers.”
    “Hoo Boy,” groaned Hawkeye. “Alter-ego jokes yet.”
    “Well, somebody has to go it solo,” Cap reminded him.
    “But look, if any of you others finish your job soon enough, you can rush and give me a hand. Okay?”
    They all nodded agreement.
    “Since time is of the essence,” Cap went on, “I’ll deliver you all by rocketplane first, then I’ll head for the Sahara.” His face went grim. “But we’d better be in top condition for the most important mission in Avenger history. Take-off will be in six hours. That gives us all time for some sleep, a shower, a hot meal, and checkout of individual equipment. We’ll all take survival kits along, of course. We may be on the job for long hours, if not for days.”
    He paused, his eyes going bleak.
    “The giant comet that was pulled toward earth will arrive in ten days, Karzz revealed. His other three earth dooms must be timed to occur, or reach their peak, at that same date. In short, if we fail, the end of the world will come before this month is over.”
    They all winced.
    “The deadline of doom,” murmured Iron Man, “is what we Avengers are racing against this time.”
    “And not only doom for twentieth-century earth,” Goliath reminded them, “but for all the thousands of galactic worlds in the future.”
    “If we fail,” added the Wasp with a tremor in her voice, “we lose the world and Karzz wins the universe.”
    “It’ll serve him right,” drawled Hawkeye. “If all the people on those twenty thousand other worlds are ornery jackasses like humans on earth, then poor Karzz will have some mess to