The Warrior

Issue 2- The Captain (Part 2)

"So either you have a second heart,

or the juiciest secret in the galaxy."

--Aimee

Years Ago, Planet Earth, the United States of America, New York City, the Lower East Side

"I am so going to regret letting you do this," Budd mutters from his seat at the kitchen table. "You better give a nice speech at my funeral, something with amazing imagery."

  "It's just spaghetti," a feminine voice calls from the kitchen. "Everybody makes it, so it can't be hard. Besides, my chilli didn't kill you, did it?"

  He shakes his head. "Nope, bloody well wished it had though. Plumber wasn't too pleased."

  "Fine, you've made your point," mutters the voice. "You keep this up and I'll never cook for you again."

  "Not seeing the downside," he replies.

  "You'll also never see me naked again," says the woman as she steps out of the kitchen with two bowls. "It's a package deal."

  Budd's eyes move across her, taking in every detail of her form.

  Her pale skin, her light-brown hair cut very short, her sparkling green-brown eyes. He also knew what she had beneath her baggy clothes, that body of muscles toned over years of fighting thugs and super-villains.

  Perhaps the bravest person he had ever met. She could be stubborn, boy did he know that, but she was also fiercely protective and focused. Defiant to a fault.

  She was, in his eyes, a masterpiece in body, mind, and passion. She was Allison Leary, and she was perfect in every way. He knew she was the woman he would one day marry, once he figured out how he was going to propose...

  "Would you rather eat the food or me?" Allison asks with a cocked eyebrow.

  "I won't even dignify that question with a verbal answer," Budd says with a smirk. "Let's just get naked."

  She shakes her head. "I didn't mean... Your dirty mind. Eat your meal and maybe I'll let you have dessert."

  He smiles at her as she places his bowl before him. "Whose being dirty minded now?"

  "Who says I'm being dirty?" she asks. "I could have cake in the fridge."

  "Hey, we can involve the cake," he says. "I have no problem including cake in the fun."

  She shakes her head as she places her bowl down and then leans in towards him. "Why do I put up with you?"

  "Because I'm handsome, funny, heroic, well-endow..."

  He is silenced as she takes her lips to his in a deep, long kiss that leaves him literally breathless.

  He closes his eyes as they break apart, and he sucks in a deep breath.

  His eyes open again and instantly widen at the sight before him. Allison's face has decayed, only patches of hair remain and several chunks of flesh are completely rotted away. Maggots squirm out from behind her left eyeball.

  Her mouth opens and a deep voice that ripples the very air about him screams, "why did you leave me?"

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TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW OF MALDWYN BUDD, CONDUCTED BY TONY STARK