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A seedy hotel in San Francisco. A man sits in his room alone. He has chosen this place because no one asks any questions about their fellow residents here. Everyone here is hiding from someone or something. He is hiding from the authorities. Not just the police, mind you - superhumans as well. Once, he was a man. A scientist. An expert on radiation. Now, he is more. In a sense, he is radiation. His name is Dr. Chen Lu, but the public at large knows him as the Radioactive Man.
He has spent the last few weeks following his escape from the Vault lying low, as he promised the Crimson Cowl (remember Vault #4 - Warden Matt). But he cannot continue living this way. He has had a much needed vacation, but now it is time to get back to work. The only things holding him back are lack of funds and no plan. Getting money is not really an issue for someone of his abilities - but coming up with a good plan is something different altogether. So many times in the past he has relied on the plans of others - most recently, Baron Helmut Zemo (remember when RM was the Thunderbolt known as Core? - Baron Matt). It seems as if he no longer has any inspiration. Well, perhaps a walk will do him good.
Wearing a trenchcoat with a hat pulled down over his head, the Radioactive Man begins walking the streets. Sometimes a walk helps him think of new ideas. After traveling a few blocks, however, he finds that tonight holds no inspiration for him. Perhaps he should reconsider the Crimson Cowl's offer, he thinks. "It seems I'll always have a home with the Masters of Evil," he muses.
Seattle, Washington. A five star hotel. A man in his late fourties sits in a chair, flipping through channels on the television. "American tele- vision," he thinks. "Pathetic."
His son, a young man in his early twenties enters the room. "Father," he says, "I have the components you requested."
"Excellent," the father says. "Let us begin our work."
As the Radioactive Man walks back to his hotel, he passes several prostitutes on the street. "It has been a long time since I have had a woman," he thinks. "Perhaps I should take one." He begins to approach a prostitute, and then changes his mind. "She would not survive the experience," he notes, "and disposing of the body could be a problem. And of course, death by radiation is bound to attract some attention. Perhaps some other night, when I have a more secure position." The Radioactive Man returns to his hotel room, and falls asleep. And dreams.
In his dreams he is a god. He crushes the souls of the puny mortals at a whim. Cowards worship him. Those brave enough to defy him are tortured for his amusement. He fills this tiny planet with glowing death - for his is the kingdom, the power, and the glory - forever and ever.
The Radioactive Man awakens. He ponders his dreams. "Perhaps I have been a pawn too long. It is time to make my own mark. I do not need to rely on others for direction - I can forge my own. This earth can be mine. All who live shall tremble at my name!"
The next morning a plane arrives in San Francisco from Seattle. The father and son exit the plane. They get their baggage, rent a car, and drive to another five star hotel. Once there, they unpack their luggage - several electronic devices which they assemble.
"Father," the son says, "the cloaking devices you built into our luggage worked brilliantly!"
"Of course it did, my son. And this device," he says as he indicates the completed device, "will help us find the man we seek." The father holds the device in his hands. It is in the shape of a gun, with a sensor package at the barrel end of the device and a small monitor near the handle. The father aims the sensor outside the window and activates it. The sensor begins to send out pulses all across the city. In a few minutes, the sensor begins to beep.
"Here are the coordinates," the father says as he lets the son look at the monitor. "Let us go."
The two men don the outfits in their luggage. One is a bright red suit of armor. The other is a green suit of armor. The Crimson Dynamo and his father the Titanium Man (remember them from Iron Man #350? - Matt) blast off through the window and streak over the skies of San Francisco.
Further south along the same coastline, near San Diego, an historic launch is being prepared. Floating one mile off the coast of this Californian metropolis is Hydrobase II. A joint venture of the U.S. government and Stark Enterprises, Hyrdrobase II is intended to continue the same scientific research in the Pacific Ocean that the first Hydrobase currently performs in the Atlantic.
Standing on the beach, looking at this marvel of modern science, is Dr. Walter Newell. Newell is reknowned throughout the scientific community for his work in studying the oceans, but he's probably better known to the general populace as the Avengers affiliate Stingray. He stands in the moonlight wearing his Stingray costume, holding his helmet in his hand. He looks out at Hydrobase II as the waves splash salt water over his boots. Pride fills his heart as he thinks of how much this new Hydrobase will be able to accomplish. He places his helmet on his head and begins swimming out to Hydrobase II, little knowing that all his dreams will be crushed soon.
The Radioactive Man sits on his bed. "I shall tear this town apart. People will tremble at my name. Let those heroes come. I can crush them!"
He begins to grow ever brighter and then walks out of his hotel and onto the street, destroying whatever gets in his way. He begins marching towards city hall. Scores of policemen descend upon him, pelting his radioactive body with bullets. "You are ants to me!" the Radioactive Man shouts as he continues his march. "Ants!" The Radioactive Man grows even brighter as he slams a fist into a nearby police car, igniting the engine.
The commotion is soon spotted overhead. "The Radioactive Man is on a rampage!" thinks the muscular figure flying above the fray. "My appointment with Newell will have to wait - I must stop this senseless destruction!" With that, the hybrid son of an American and an Atlantean descends upon the Radioactive Man. As he slams into the villain, Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner unleashes his battle cry, "Imperious Rex!"
"Sub-Mariner! Prepare to die a quick death!" Radioactive Man says as he strikes at Namor. Namor avoids the blow.
"Better men than you have tried and failed!" Namor answers. "Your ilk shall never conquer the Avenging Son!" Namor staggers the Radioactive Man with an earth-shattering blow and then lifts an abandoned police car over his head, preparing to slam it into the Radioactive Man. But before he can, the car shatters into thousands of pieces.
"Back away from Lu, Defender," comes a voice from the air.
Namor turns to face his attackers. "Titanium Man and Crimson Dynamo! Foes of Iron Man! You'll soon find that the Avenging Son can easily answer any challenge!" Namor blasts into the air and slams into the Crimson Dynamo. He begins to pummel the Dynamo, but the Dynamo unleashes an electrical shock which stuns the Defender. Namor is forced to release the Dynamo, and is instantly bombarded by the Titanium Man's pulse bolts. He falls to the ground and is battered into unconciousness by the Radioactive Man.
"Why do you come to my aid?" the Radioactive Man asks. "You are not the same men who were my allies years ago."
"No," the Titanium Man answers. "But we wish to be your allies for the future. You and I are two of the greatest minds on this planet. Together, we can claim this world as our own."
"How?"
"I have a plan. But first, you must join us."
"The Radioactive Man no longer serves anyone."
"Of course not! I propose a three-way equal partnership. We have already demonstrated how effective our combined power can be," the Titanium Man says as he gestures at the unconcious form of the Sub-Mariner. "Together we will rock this Earth to its foundations! What is your answer?"
The Radioactive Man ponders for a moment. This will give him the opportunity he desires, to make people fear his name. And this new Titanium Man seems incredibly confident. Perhaps he does have a plan that will work. In the time since he escaped from the Vault, all he has done is rampage through downtown San Francisco out of sheer desperation. What does he have to lose?
"Very well, we are allies."
"Excellent!" the Crimson Dynamo says as he extends his hand.
"Our combined might shall be undefeatable!" the Radioactive Man says as he places his hand over the Crimson Dynamo's.
The Titanium Man places his hand over the Radioactive Man's. "And now let the world tremble before the might of... the Titanic Three!"
Next Issue: Can Stingray and Namor hope to prevent the Titanic Three from claiming Hydrobase II as their own? The Titanium Man's plans for global domination continue!
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