Marvel Comics #1000 Addendum

Disclaimer: "Time for the penguin on your television set to explode."

Chapter 4: Reunion

The South Bronx, New York City.

"Hai!" The Latino man yelled out, doing a punching kata.

"Hai!" The students repeated, imitating his action. He performed the kata some more, the young students, all children, teenagers, and even a couple of adults, repeating his action.

"Very good." The man smiled in approval, bowing. The students all bowed in answer. "Class is dismissed." He ran a hand through his long black hair, tied in a ponytail. Rafael Vega picked up a towel and wiped some sweat from his face. As the students chattered amongst themselves, he walked towards his office. What he didn't notice was one of the students watching him intently. She was a blonde girl, slim and with gray eyes.

Hmmm... The girl thought. I wonder what Sensei is up to... A small smirk crossed her face.

"Hey, honey." A female voice greeted him when he walked inside. Rafael smiled as he saw the source sitting on a couch. It was an Afro-Asian woman with her hair in cornrows, and her expanded belly showed that she was pregnant.

"Hey, babe." Rafael leaned over to give his wife, Sharon Owens-Vega, a kiss. He then put his hand on her stomach. "Little kicker."

"She gets that from you, I think." Sharon chuckled. "You were always the best fighter out of all of us."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, hon." Rafael smiled.

"Hey, what am I, chopped liver?" Another voice stated. Rafael turned and saw a broad-shouldered black man, with short-cropped hair.

"Slag!" Rafael laughed. Richard "Slag" Slagley laughed as the two men hugged. "How you been, man? How's the teacher life been?"

"Rewarding." Slag answered warmly. "It's been wonderful molding young minds." Ever since the Wolfpack finally defeated the criminal syndicate known as the Nine, the group had broken up and went their separate ways, but they had kept in contact. He looked over at an old photograph. It was a picture of a teenage Slag...alongside the rest of the old Wolfpack hanging on a wall. "God, that jheri curl mullet. How long did I have that hair?"

"Longer than it was in fashion." Sharon recalled. "I've been trying to get Rafael to cut his for years."

"I look good with it like this." Rafael insisted. He took the photo down and shared it with Sharon. "Remember this, hon?"

"Yeah." Sharon pointed sadly at a blond-haired boy in a suit and sunglasses. "We took that picture a couple weeks before Sam died. I miss him so much."

"We all do." Slag sighed. "But he was avenged."

"We made the Nine pay for his death." Rafael said. "We tore them to shreds."

"You heard about Wheels, right?" Sharon piped up. "Man got to join the Avengers." (Author's Note: In the Occupy Avengers series)

"A South Bronx boy, one of Earth's Mightiest." Slag shook his head in amusement. "Ain't that a thing."

"Hey, Captain America's a Manhattan boy, and the Thing is from the Lower East Side." Sharon shrugged. "About time that the South Bronx got some rep in the big leagues. I'm just glad he survived the Hydra takeover."

"Me, too." Rafael agreed. "But it wasn't surprising. Wheels was a devious SOB, he would've figured a way out of that."

"Yeah, that's why I'm here." Slag said. "Wheels contacted me last week. He was working in South Dakota, when he sent me this." He pulled out a note from his pocket and handed it to Rafael. The Puerto Rican martial artist gasped as he read through the note...and the included photograph. "Yeah, I can't believe it either."

"But...we destroyed the Nine! Years ago!" Sharon gasped in horror at the photograph. It showed a tattoo of the Nine's symbol. "They can't be back!"

"My guess is that the Nine had some hidden resources in case of something like this." Slag deduced.

Rafael sighed. "We should have figured this. The Nine were pretty powerful."

"...we'll need to call the others." Sharon realized. "Great. First the so-called 'Krakoans' bother me, now this."

"...the what?" Slag blinked.

"The Krakoans." Rafael rolled his eyes. "It's what the X-Men are calling themselves now."

"I'm a mutant, so of course they're going to try and get me to live on their stupid island." Sharon huffed. "Those guys never made things any better for mutants outside their little clique, and now they become an island cult. Go figure."

"Oh yeah." Slag chuckled. "They haven't tried to recruit me yet, but I'll keep an eye out." Rafael sat at his desk, his hands steepled. "You know, you look a bit creepy when you do that."

"...if the Nine really are returning, then you all know they'll be gunning for revenge against us. We have to call the others. We've all kept in contact..."

"Wheels is still in South Dakota, last I heard." Sharon remembered. "He was working with the new Nighthawk and Red Wolf helping rebuild after the Hydra takeover."

"Malcolm's in Texas, working to help abused kids." Slag added. "Makes sense, considering he didn't grow up in the best of households."

"Not until Dad and I managed to help him." Sharon smiled, rubbing her bump. "I guess that's why I'm not too worried about being a mom."

"But I am worried about you." Rafael said to her, concern in his eyes. "If the Nine hurt you..."

"I can handle myself, pregnant or not." Sharon assured. "And Dad has my back, too. Not to mention my stepmother." She laughed. "I think she could scare the Nine off with her yell alone."

"I can believe that." Slag snickered.

"So can I." Rafael muttered. He glanced at Sharon. "Why do both your parents hate me?"

"They don't hate you." Sharon waved it off. "They adore you."

"You dad called me a Puerto Rican punk." The martial artist reminded the speedster.

"He apologized for that."

"After he scared the bejesus out of me."

"He's just protective." Sharon waved it off. She then looked at her watch. "We should get home, babe. I have to get Sammy from the babysitter."

"I have to do a bit of paperwork." Rafael told her.

"I'll take her home." Slag offered.

"Thanks, Slag. See you later." He smiled as his two friends left the office. The martial artist then sat at his desk and seemed to look over the papers on it...and then he stopped and stared at the empty corner.

"...I know you're there, kid." Rafael smirked at the seemingly empty corner. "You may be able to hide yourself from others, but I've learned to see the unseen." The blonde girl made herself visible.

"...how long did you know I was there?" She asked in amazement.

"Since shortly after I entered my office." Rafael smirked. "I think we can assume that since there's no other way into my office than the window, you must have another little superpower."

The blonde rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "I...I can also phase through solid objects. I got these powers thanks to those freaky mists that used to float around."

The Terrigen Mists. She's an Inhuman. Rafael deduced. "I think I can assume that you had a reason to sneak around like that."

"Well...yeah." She nodded. "You knew my cousin. Sam Weltschmerz."

Rafael frowned. "Slippery Sam. Yeah, I knew him. He was a friend."

"I want to help." Linda said. "I've heard things on the streets about the old Wolfpack/Nine battles back in the day."

The Puerto Rican martial artist sighed. "Kid, it wasn't fun and games. We were fighting for our lives. And we didn't always win. Your cousin died in my arms. His last words were pleading me to not let him die in the street. And he died in the street." He shook his head. "I'm not going to have another Weltschmerz's death on my conscience."

"I'm not Sam!" Linda insisted.

"You may have powers, kiddo...but you don't have the training." Rafael told her. "Go home. I appreciate you want to help, but this isn't some street brawl. This is a war. I failed your cousin. I don't want you on my conscience, either."

"...Fine." Linda scowled. She stomped away...through the wall. Rafael watched the spot she passed through for a few moments quietly. He then sighed and pulled open a drawer on his desk. He reached in, then pulled out a pair of sunglasses. Turned the glasses over in his hands like he was examining them.

Man, we sure could use you here, Sam... Rafael thought. He looked up at the spot Linda passed through. Maybe you sent her here? If you did, I hope you understand why I told her no. I don't want her death on me like yours was, pal...

1987 – The Wolfpack make their debut in Marvel Graphic Novel #31.