E.G.G Episode 46: Arrested Development

AND THERE CAME A DAY, A DARK DAY. A DAY WHERE THE LIVES OF THREE FRIENDS WERE SINGLEHANDEDLY DESTROYED. BUT THAT DAY HASN’T HAPPENED YET. NOW, HISTORY HAS BEEN REWRITTEN, AND E.G.G WILL WAKE TO SEE A BRAND NEW DAY.

Julian Woodfin, now the menace known as Scramble, broke onto the S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier for one purpose: to break out Gravity Master, Gyro Man, and Ailemara, and form the Masters of Doom. With the funding and intelligence of Norman Osborn at their side, the four villains terrorized E.G.G in their greatest battle yet. Though the heroes were barely able to pull through, the victory was not without a loss, as Harry Osborn broke up with Acacia, and left to be with his father.

Click here to read E.G.G Episode 45: Masters of Doom

Click here for Episode 45 Q&A

-Arrested Development-

Allyson Whitcomb opened her eyes to the sound of her alarm clock. She stopped it, stood up, grabbed her towel, and began to make her way to the locker room, which had been favored over individual restrooms due to many, many incidents, most having to do with Josh, in the past. She walked up to the door then stopped. She walked around the corner to see Agent Becket with a laser drill and a camcorder, drilling a hole in the wall.

“Beck.” She said. He stopped and looked at her.

“Oh, uh, Allyson… good morning!” He smiled. She held out her hand.

“Give it to me.”

“Oh come on Allyson! The boys pay top dollar for this stuff!”

“Beck.” Agent Becket sighed and handed Allyson the drill and camera.

“It’s just business Allyson.”

“It’s wrong. And perverted. Now go do your job.” Agent Becket looked at her.

“Are you okay?” Allyson sighed.

“I don’t know, that whole thing with Harry Osborn… it just got me thinking. Mostly about Josh.” Agent Becket sighed loudly and rolled his eyes.

“In case you didn’t notice, you guys are through.”

“Yeah, I know. And I’m still mad but… but I still have feelings for him.”

“Really Allyson? After how he treated you…”

“I know, Beck, I know, it’s just that… I can’t sleep. I can’t function. All I feel is emptiness in my stomach. Loss. I’m not saying I’m gonna go falling back into his arms, but I need him to know how I feel. That team of villains he just went up against… Every time he goes into the field there’s a chance he may not come back. I don’t want to wait for that possibility. He needs to know.”

“Okay, okay, don’t get all mushy on me.” He began to walk off. “But seriously, think about moving on.”

“I will.” She said, as she walked into the locker room.

In his room, Josh was packing things in a duffle bag when James walked into the room.

“Hey neighbor.” He said.

“What is it you need?” Josh asked, continuing to pack.

“Just trying to be friendly.” He said.

“You know I don’t like you, right?”

“Do you like anyone?”

“Lightstream. And Maya, who I’m going to see right now. Now is there anything I can do for you?”

“Well, actually, do know a guy named Charlie?”

“No.” Josh said, throwing his bag over his shoulder. “Any other questions?”

“No, that’s it.”

“Good.” He ushered James out of his room and closed the door. “Oh, and quit yelling in your sleep! It’s annoying and it keeps me up.”

“Um, it’s called nightmares.” James replied. “Everyone has them.”

“Yeah, well next time you have one, I’m coming in your room with a baseball bat, and you won’t have to worry about nightmares anymore.”

“Wow, you’re such a sensitive person.” James sarcastically replied as Josh walked into the elevator.

“Thanks, I get that a lot. Goodbye.” The elevator closed and Josh was gone. Eileen walked up to James.

“Hey James,” She said. “I was gonna try and invent something new to cheer Acacia up, wanna help?” James was about to reply when he noticed one of the monitors on the main terminal.

“Oh, uh, rain check, sorry.” He apologized. “I’ve got some things to take care of.”

“Oh…” Eileen said, looking sadly at the ground. “I understand.”

“But hey, we can hang out when I get back, alright!” James replied, lifting her chin up. Eileen smiled.

“Okay!” She said, happily going about her way. James walked up to the monitor, which was tuned to the news and had the headline: Mysterious Break-In at Worthington Labs.

“Worthington…” He said to himself.

“He said he was trying to stop the Dark Day right?” James asked, pacing the room, as Venture sat, picking at his staff.

“Yeah, don’t see how that matters none.” Venture replied.

“Well, to do that he’d have to stop Darkstream, an omega class mutant infused with Extremis 1.0.”

“Yeah, still don’t care.”

“How do you stop someone that’s practically invincible?”

“Tch, I don’t know. Take away their power I’d reckon.” James snapped.

“That’s it! Well, I guess you’re useful for something.”

“I’m warning you boy…”

“Save it.” James rushed over to the computer. “While Extremis can’t be removed from the body, the X-gene can, with the mutant cure called Xtractor! He’s probably gonna try to get his hands on some of that!” The computer binged. “And now I know where to find it! The Worthington branch of Alchamax labs!” He rushed out the door.

“You’re wasting your time boy!” Venture called after him. “Psh, rookie.”

“Of course!” James said. “The vial he got from our time broke! So he’s trying to grab some here, in 2015. I’ve got to investigate that break-in!” He grabbed a supply pack and rushed into the elevator.

Eileen, meanwhile, walked to Acacia’s room. It was only the previous day that the Masters of Doom attacked E.G.G, and Harry Osborn left Acacia to be with his father, known to most of the world as the Green Goblin, who had destroyed Acacia’s life in the past. Eileen got to the door, took a deep breath and knocked.

“It’s open.” Acacia’s voice solemnly answered from the other side. Eileen walked in to find her room a wreck. Furniture was tipped, clothes were strewn about. The floor was littered with pictures of Acacia and Harry that had been ripped in half. Acacia was lying in her bed, looking up at the ceiling. She was surrounded by empty Kleenex boxes and her trashcan was overflowing with tissues.

“Hey.” Eileen said, sitting next to her. “How you holding up?”

“I seriously don’t think I have any tears left in my body.” Acacia replied. “Like, I’ve been crying for hours. And you know, I think I’m more angry than sad. I mean, I feel like the biggest shelling idiot on the face of the Earth.”

“Acacia Blanco!” Eileen said. “You are not the idiot, he is. He walked out on one of the most amazing, beautiful, intelligent…”

“Just stop, Eileen.” Acacia interrupted. “I know, you’re all good intentions, but I seriously don’t think there’s anything you can say to make me feel any better.” Eileen sighed.

“That bad, huh?”

“Well, you know, when you dedicate years of your life to a person… tell them you love them...” A tear slid down Acacia’s cheek. She sniffled and wiped it way. “Guess there was one more left.” She said, attempting a laugh. Eileen thought for a while. Then she made a decision.

“Let’s go up to the roof.” She said. Acacia looked at her.

“Of Grand Central Station?” She asked.

“Yeah,” Eileen answered, standing up. “There’s something I want to show you.”

Josh had made his way to Maya’s apartment. He was looking at shelf of pictures while she was in the kitchen, fixing lunch.

“You like ham or turkey?” She called out.

“Turkey, definitely.” Josh replied, examining the pictures. He came across one of Maya and a man holding up a first place ribbon. “Who’s this?” He asked, holding it up as Maya entered the room with two sandwiches.

“He is an old friend,” She said, handing Josh the plate and taking the picture. “His name is Aldrich Killian. He, uh, he’s not around anymore.” She set the picture down.

“What happened?” Josh asked.

“He committed suicide a few years ago.” Maya said, sitting on the couch.

“Oh, man, I’m so sorry.” Josh said, sitting next to her.

“Yeah, well, you know. Job takes its toll on some people more than others.”

“What’d you guys win first place for?”

“Oh, that was the annual science expo.”

“Science expo? What, Reed Richards wasn’t competing that year?” Maya laughed.

“No, he was actually banned, so…”

“Right, right. I didn’t know you were a scientist.”

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me.” She said, smiling.

“Oh, well I have a fair share of secrets myself.” Josh replied.

“Bet I’ve got more.” Maya teased.

“Doubt it…” Josh laughed.

“Okay then, how about you tell me a secret, something no one else knows, and I’ll tell you one.”

“Alright then, you go first.”

“Okay, uh… oh! Did you know that I once dated Tony Stark?”

“What?! Are you kidding me!”

“Not at all.”

“Then what are you doing with a guy like me?” Maya looked down.

“Well you know, to people like Tony Stark, girls like me have a one night expiration date...”

“Oh, sorry.”

“Hey, that’s life. Now what about you?”

“Me, huh, okay, uh… did you know that I’m an ex S.H.I.E.L.D agent?”

“What! Really? S.H.I.E.L.D?”

“Yep.”

“No way!”

“Yes way. I was totally an agent.”

“Wow. That’s incredible actually. Hey, speaking of exes, you said you had one? Recently?” Josh exhaled.

“Yeah.”

“Well, what happened?” Josh shrugged.

“You know, conflicting interests and what not.”

“Oh come on!”

“What?”

“Don’t give me the song and dance, I want the nitty gritty!” Josh sighed.

“I didn’t have a lot of free time, and she didn’t feel I was trying hard enough in the relationship.”

“So what? She needed too much attention?”

“Well, no, just more than I was giving her.”

“Well that’s a stupid reason to call it off.”

“Yeah…” Josh rubbed the back of his neck. “And, well… there was this other girl…”

“Oh! Now we’re getting to it!”

“I didn’t cheat on her or anything, I just had a little crush, she was a super, so…”

“Oh, well shell, I don’t blame her. I’d be jealous too.”

“Really?”

“Uh, yeah! All those superhero girls are unrealistically hot. And, you know, most of them excel in the chest department…”

“Okay, it was nothing like that!”

“Well you’re a guy, guys like that stuff.”

“Look, I just thought Lightstream was a pretty amazing hero.”

“Oh, so it’s Lightstream. Wasn’t she in Arizona for the longest time?”

“Well yeah, so was I.”

“You’re from Arizona?”

“What’s wrong with the good ‘ol AZ?”

“Nothing, you know, for an off the radar state…”

“It is not!”

“I’m only teasing!” They both laughed. Then they looked into each other’s eyes. Maya slowly leaned over and kissed Josh. They went for a while, then stopped. “Was that weird?” Maya asked.

“No, not weird at all.” Josh said. Maya smiled, and the two continued to kiss.

At Worthington Labs, James got off of the elevator on the 32^nd floor. There was police tape everywhere, property was damaged, and officers stood around, surveying the area. An officer approached him.

“You can’t be up here.” He said. James flashed his E.G.G ID.

“E.G.G, division of S.H.I.E.L.D, I was sent here to investigate.” He said, holding his breath.

“Oh, well whatever, just stay out of our way kid.” The officer replied, walking away. James sighed with relief.

“Well, it’s good for something.” He said, putting it away. “Now, let’s see…” He walked down the hall examining everything. “There was obviously some kind of fight…” He looked down to see a deactivated laser beam. “He tripped the alarm here…” He walked to a door that had been kicked down. He looked up at the sign that read: ‘Genetic Mutation Cure’.

“He came through here,” He looked to see cabinets ripped open and papers scattered everywhere. “Didn’t have proper time to search because the alarm was blaring, so he tore the place apart…” James looked behind him to see a freezer had been opened. He walked in to see vials upon vials of the mutant cure. And one missing. He also saw many of them shattered and bullet holes in the wall.

“Fight broke out here, he only had time to snag one…” He exited the room. “Made his way back into the hall, went for the elevator, but…” He looked on the wall across from the elevator and saw bullet holes as well. “Reinforcements cut him off. So he circles around, takes the corner and…” James stepped on something. He looked under his foot to see a vent cover. He picked it up and flipped it around to see a web line attached to it. “Bingo.” James said, smiling.

Eileen and Acacia stood on the roof of Grand Central Station.

“What is it you have to show me all the way up here?” Acacia asked. Eileen grabbed Acacia’s shoulders.

“Are you ready to have your mind blown?” She asked. Acacia shrugged.

“Yeah, I guess, what is it?” Eileen took a deep breath, then she unzipped her E.G.G uniform.

“Acacia…” She said, opening it to reveal her costume. “I’m Lightstream.” Acacia stood, dumbfounded.

“No way…” She said, as Eileen put the mask on. “No shelling way! Are you serious!” Eileen nodded.

“Yep.”

“So what, did the original Lightstream die or something, and you took her place, or…”

“What? No! I’ve been Lightstream the entire time!”

“That’s insane, how did I not notice!”

“I don’t know, I mean, even Celeste picked up on it…”

“Wait, Celeste knows?”

“Well, yeah. Her and Fury, and now you. But that’s it. I hope…”

“Wow, Eileen, I mean… just wow!” She began to jump up and down. “This is so cool! Hey, remember when I said there was nothing you could say to make me feel better?”

“You were wrong?”

“Dead wrong! Oh man, this is… wait a minute. Josh.”

“Yeah.”

“So that means…”

“Yep.”

“Gross! Have you heard some of the things he’s said?”

“I try not to.”

“Are you gonna…”

“No. Never.”

“Well, you have to someday.”

“We’ll see. In the meantime, wanna know what life’s like from my point of view?”

“Do I!” Eileen grabbed Acacia.

“Well hang on!” The two friends flew off, Acacia screaming with joy the entire time.

Allyson was walking through the Inner Shell when a female agent rushed up to her.

“Allyson, thank goodness you’re here!” She exclaimed, handing off a bunch papers to her. “I’m totally swamped and I’m way behind! I really need you to review these reports with Director Westbrook!”

“What? Um, Amy, I’m not sure that’s such a good…”

“Allyson, please! I’m seriously gonna die if you don’t do this for me!” Allyson sighed.

“Okay, fine.”

“Thank you! He’s in conference room A-5, I owe you my freaking life!” Amy rushed off. Allyson looked at the reports.

“Well, I guess this is a sign.” She said to herself. She walked into the conference room to see Josh playing a game on his phone. She cleared her throat. “Josh.” He stopped and looked at her, then quickly stood up.

“Oh, Allyson, hey…” He said, looking around nervously. “I thought someone else was coming.”

“No, it’s me.” She said, setting the reports down. “Listen, I know things ended kind of abruptly, and well, we really haven’t gotten a chance to, you know, just talk…” She looked to see lipstick smeared on Josh’s cheek. She frowned. “Although I guess you’re perfectly fine with the way we left off.” She turned and stormed out of the room.

“Wait, Allyson! What are you talking…” He felt his cheek and looked down at his fingers. “About… Crap, I thought I got all of that off!” He rushed after her. “Allyson, come back!” She turned quickly.

“Just leave me alone!” She snapped. “You’ve clearly moved on, so there’s nothing for us to talk about.” She turned back around and left. Josh sighed.

“Way to go Westbrook, you blew it again.” He walked back into the room to review the reports, alone.

At that moment Acacia and Eileen reentered E.G.G Base.

“And of course Acacia, you know that this is a secret…” Eileen warned. Acacia zipped her lips.

“You won’t hear a peep from me!” Acacia said. Eileen smiled and went to her room. Acacia entered hers to find Celeste wearing combat gear, strapped with grenades and a flamethrower. There was also a giant chest sitting next to her.

“What the-” Acacia said. “Celeste, what is all this?”

“It’s all mom’s Oscorp Arsonist gear!” She exclaimed. “You and me! Round two! Let’s go!” Acacia broke down laughing.

“Oh Celeste!” She said, hugging her tightly. “You’re the only thing I need in my life. As long as you never leave me, I’ll be okay. Got it?” Celeste smiled.

“Okay Auntie Acacia,” She said. “But can we still set things on fire?” Acacia laughed.

“No, but we can get some cookies instead.”

“Yay!” Celeste exclaimed, as she happily skipped off. Acacia smiled, then followed her, and they both went to eat cookies.

It was late and everyone in E.G.G Base was asleep. Suddenly, James began to shout.

“No!” He called out in his sleep. “Get away from them… No!” He continued to shout. Josh walked out of his room with a baseball bat in his hand. He walked to James’s door when Eileen came out of her room, put her hand on his shoulder, and shook her head no. Josh grumbled under his breath and sulked back to his room. Eileen opened James’s door and walked in, closing it behind her.

“No!” James shouted. “Please… No!” Eileen moved his covers, crawled into the bed, and laid down next to him. She wrapped her arms around him and brought him close to her. “Stay back! Stay…” James fell silent, and then began to sleep peacefully in the safety of Eileen’s arms.

Alright, make sure you tune in next week Thursday, September 3, and catch the Q&A for this episode! Then come back the next day, September 4, for E.G.G Episode 47: Experiment X-23! The countdown to E.G.G's 50th Episode Spectacular begins!