In the lab of the Savage Land mutate Brainchild was Tony Stark, the Invincible Iron Man and he tried to figure out how things had gotten to this point.

'How could this happen? How did the Skrulls manage to catch everyone off guard?' Tony Stark thought while looking through Brainchild's base for anything useful. The recent battle that Deadpool had with the Savage Land Mutates had done heavy damage to it.

Iron Man hoped that Rhodey would be able to deal with whatever the Skrulls were up to. They were always up to something. Usually conquering or blowing things up.

Suddenly a table covered in all sorts of devices appeared in the room. Stark found the note attached to it.

Thought you could use this.-Cable

"Great I got Skrulls, and now the wild card of the X-family gets involved," Tony muttered to himself.

To be honest Tony never liked Cable at all. He was thankful they were in completely different circles of the world and in the super hero community. Other then teaming up to fight Donald Pierce once he couldn't recall ever meeting Nathan 'way too many middle names' Summers.

'He's a complete enigma,' Stark thought 'And keeps changing his MO every so often, making nearly impossible to predict. Though gun trotting warrior, or psychic messiah, leader of X-Force or a member of the X-Men…he always makes a mark and is up to something.'

It was near instinctive for Stark to understand the equipment. It was partly due to Extremis, which the Skrull virus didn't destroy, and the fact this equipment was based off his own designs. Tony also had hope given he'd have to be alive to design this technology without Cable sending it to him. Time travel made things like that less certain then more certain to Iron Man.

'These are upgrades to the device Reed and I made to expose that imposter Captain America should work on the current batch of Skrulls,' Tony thought as he went to work. Tony remembered how a stranded Skrull turned Captain America into an even bigger super star so he could take Steve's form and use that status to cause everyone to think anything 'different' was really a Skrull in disguise and have America rip itself to shreds. And all so he could get revenge on ending up stranded on Earth.

Whatever Cable's reasons for giving out this technology it was quite possible that it would save the world from the Skrulls. Tony knew that their taking over the world was not in Cable's plans.

It was one of the few things Tony was sure of involving Cable. And he noted that not even Cannonball, Domino or Cyclops could honestly understand what Cable's plans were all the time.

'Enough thinking about enigmatic mutants,' Tony thought. "I got bigger problems."

V-V-V

Not too far away from where Tony Stark was working was a crashed star ship and it was filled with metahumans, living and some considered dead wearing older versions of their costumes. Their story was that they were the real articles and had managed to escape from the Skrulls.

With their minds filled with paranoia and having encountered Skrulls that could hide themselves as humans so well that not even people with a sense of smell like Wolverine and Daredevil could tell them from the original article the two teams of Avengers dealt with the matter in usual super hero fashion.

Beat the crap out them all and sort out who is what later.

Flying overhead Sentry, who claimed to have the power of a million exploding suns, confronted the Vision that came out of the star ship. The Vision didn't want to discuss why he was the real Vision with the Guardian of Good.

"I'm Void and it is all your fault," Vision gleefully stated as his body shifted to look more like the Void.

Sentry recoiled in fear and self loathing. Void/Vision found this amusing, and extremely easy. He wondered why K'lurt never used his powers this way on Sentry. It wasn't a challenge at all.

The incredibly powerful super hero's mind was as malleable as Skrullian flesh. It was frankly amusing to play with. And the fool liked like he was about run off crying.

Then suddenly Void/Vision was slammed in the back of the head and his eye contact with Sentry was shattered. The false Vision was then blasted into the ground with an energy blast.

"I don't know who you are, but you aren't the Vision or Void," Ms. Marvel snarled.

Suddenly Ms. Marvel was hit with a blast of ice from "Void". Vision looked enraged at having been knocked out of the sky and his fun interrupted.

"No, I am not," Vision remarked and suddenly shifted his form. "I am Paibok the Power Skrull! And while he might love you, I hate every one of your kind!"

"Finally something simple to deal with," Luke Cage said as he slugged Paibok in the jaw. The force of the blow from the former Hero for Hire knocked the super powered Skrull back a few steps.

Paibok armored up like the X-Man Colossus. Luke Cage's eyes widened as Paibok's punch sent the former Power Man flying. Luke Cage was driven through several trees before stopping. Even for someone with skin as hard as steel it was painful.

"Finally someone we know is the enemy for the first time in this mess," Ronin commented happily as he fired off some arrows he got from the fallen imposter Hawkeye. As odd as that was, Clint felt like he was coming home again with a bow in hand and arrows flying at the bad guys. It felt so good and like it was the right thing to the strong willed super hero.

"Hawkeye blind him with a flashbang arrow, Ms. Marvel blast him while he's blinded," Wasp ordered.

"On it," Ronin said as he cocked his bow.

"Hey I'm the team leader," Luke Cage grumbled as he got up.

Wasp gave Luke Cage a withering glare. The steel tough skinned super hero flinched even though Wasp was only a few inches tall. Janet had a slight smile showing the former Hero for Hire that here was more to being a leader then saying you were.

Hawkeye fired his flashbang arrow. Paibok seemed amused that anyone thought mere arrows could hurt him. Then there was a massive flash of light and a thunderously loud bang. The Power Skrull covered his eyes.

Ms. Marvel let loose an energy blast at the stunned Skrull. Paibok fired electric blasts at random. Suddenly a red and white shield slammed into Paibok's knees. He was knocked off his feet.

Wasp began to hope against hope that Captain America really was alive and had exited that starship. The world needed the real Captain America more then ever. She had no idea what to make of the current Captain America, supposedly Bucky. The original Bucky who had been found by the Soviets, made into a cyborg and kept on ice until they needed him for an assignment.

Janet then felt strange at how willing to accept such a story she was. And for it to be something she felt was plausible. Yet she'd lived through a lot weirder like when she was turned into a wasp-like being during a crisis that turned out to a lord of time trying to keep them on Earth and busy before Onslaught showed up.

"Foolish Knave!" Thor yelled as he drove Paibok into the ground with his uru hammer. It sounded like a blacksmith hammering on a piece of metal every time Thor struck the Power Skrull.

"Clint I..." Mockingbird pleaded as Hawkeye bore through her with an enraged look on his face. He knew this couldn't be Bobbi. Bobbi was killed way before this Skrull invasion started. Yet she was the one person that hadn't come back. Hell even he had come back two or three times now. Bobbi's soul was in Hell and the Skrulls weren't going to take her soul for this Invasion. This imposter couldn't be her!

"What do you want?" Hawkeye snapped at Mockingbird. She gave him the same angry expression Bobbi would give him when he did something stupid. That made Clint even more pissed off at the Skrulls for what they had done.

"I'm here to help and hurt that he…he was a fake," Mockingbird said sounding sincere to Ronin. She was surprised when that Hawkeye was killed by a dinosaur and he was a Skrull.

Clint was about to give an angry and sarcastic comment when Captain America held up a hand. By reflex that got Clint to be quiet.

"We can discuss whatever problems we have after the fight," Captain America said a calm and firm tone. He didn't have to speak up to get his command across.

Suddenly Thor was sent flying with a massive blast of ice. The Norse God of Thunder looked enraged at that. The Norse God was instantly on his feet spinning his hammer.

"You dare stand against me?" Paibok snarled."Then you will die as well."

Suddenly Paibok was hit in the face with webbing. The webbing grew cold and brittle and shattered. The Power Skrull's eyes narrowed as he glared at the wallcrawling hero.

"Like you weren't going to kill us anyway?" Spider-Man joked. "Please it's always 'kill' or 'ice' or 'destroy' with you guys."

"Avengers Assemble!" Captain America yelled out as the group rushed at Paibok.

Wasp blasted Paibok inside his ears. With Paibok distracted by the pain, Thor, and Luke Cage hammered on him with their fists. Spider-Man used his strength and agility to hit the Power Skrull where Luke and Thor weren't. With Paibok's attention on them and his earache, Ms. Marvel flew behind The Power Skrull and blasted his unguarded back.

Paibok howled in pain. He let out a massive burst of electricity to drive off Thor and Luke Cage. Captain America's shield hit Paibok's jaw so hard even in its armed state there was a loud crack.

As soon as Captain America's shield was out of the wound, Mockingbird hit the same spot with her battle stave. Paibok's blood lust reached even more incredible heights as this ad hoc group was making him look like an embarrassment.

The team broke off their assault. Paibok charged for the archer. Hawkeye fired an arrow that didn't hit the Power Skrull. Paibok thought for a moment it was in fear that the archer missed.

It was then Paibok lost his footing as it was slippery grease arrow that Hawkeye fired. Paibok was once again introduced to the ground. The grease froze sold and Paibok staggered to his feet.

Suddenly a yellow blur flew at Paibok. Sentry drove his fist into Paibok's armored gut, and the sound of metal being crushed filled the air.

"I've had it with people messing with my head," Sentry snarled. Golden energy crackled around the enraged hero. Paibok feared he'd done the worst thing he could do to the Guardian of Good.

Sentry's next punch sent Paibok flying through the air and through a mountain of ice outside the Savage Land. The scream from Paibok made it clear that hurt a lot.

"Wow," Spiderman gasped. "He's super pissed."

"There's some hope for him yet," Ares said holding up the severed head of "Power Man". Luke Cage gave Ares a dirty look but the Greek God of War didn't care.

"You know it really isn't looking like any of the people on that star ship are who they say they are," Ronin commented as he looked at the "escapees" with distrust.

"I am Captain America," Steve Rogers said forcefully. "I was captured years ago and only now have we managed to escape."

"I say we just kill them all and get this over with," Ares mused. "Really it'd save us time and we could get back to New York City for the usual gathering of teams."

"I don't care what you think," Ronin snapped getting into Ares face. "We're the Avengers and I don't know if that means anything to you but that means we don't go around slaughtering people for any reason!"

"You have guts Clint Barton," Ares noted with an almost approving nod. "And no common sense. No wonder my brother considers you one of his friends."

"You two done yet?" Wolverine yelled as he fought off a raptor. A huge pack of them and other dinosaurs were coming. They were attracted by the smell of meat and blood the dead Skrulls were giving off. To them it was the all you can eat buffet.

Ares loaded his guns and opened fire the raptors. The gleeful expression on his face didn't sit well with Wasp or Captain America. Janet wondered what the hell Tony was thinking considering Ares to be an Avenger. Especially since he'd tried to kill them several times in the past. Perhaps Carol would know given Tony told her what his reasons for gathering them as the Mighty Avengers were. Though given the look Ms. Marvel gave Ares as she picked up a raptor and threw the small dinosaur at a T-Rex she might not know either.

Sentry smashed the skull of a T-Rex. A fire had been awakened inside of the gold clad hero. He was tired of having his mind messed with and being the weakest link in the Avengers when he should be the strongest.

Thor caused gale force winds and lightning to deal with the various dinosaurs coming at them. The savage creatures had enough smarts to get away from the devastating storm coming right at them.

'Show off,' Ares thought as he cut off a raptor's head with an adamantium claymore.

Invisible Woman forced the dinosaurs back with with her invisible force fields. An Iron Man in his classic armor blasted a T-Rex with his repulsors.

Even united the heroes that came to the Savage Land were guarded and careful in case what Ares said was true, and everyone on that crashed starship was a Skrull.

V-V-V

As Tony worked on his armor he heard the sounds of battle outside. There was an ominous crack not long before Spider-Woman entered the base.

"Tony," Spider-Woman stated calmly. "You are a Skrull."

"I'm a Skrull?" Iron Man asked sounded more confused and annoyed then anything.

"Yes you are," Spider-Woman said after shifting her body to a Skrullian form "One of our finest generals."

"Explain the whole mess that destroyed Force Works to when Onslaught attacked and the return of the heroes," Tony remarked. "Really I'd love to hear how that fits with your plan."

"I…." The Skrull Queen hesitated. Even she didn't know what the hell was going on when she read about that series of events. Of all the things she ever expected him to do asking about that mess was never even on the list.

"See being a Skrull would make that easy to explain," Tony said as he worked on one of his gauntlets. "A pat answer to deal with a total mess. But life is messy."

"You should be quaking in fear," Spider-Woman snarled. "A complete wreck! Not asking about nonsensical parts of your history!"

Tony rolled his eyes at her. This was her master plan to deal with him personally? How pathetic did she think he was? He knew he had been the butt of many jokes since the Civil War mess but honestly.

"Yeah some Skrull Queen taking nonsense should hurt me after all the other things that have happened to me," Tony said sarcastically. "Really was that best plan you could up with? Not that I can see how a Skrull Empire ever was forged given your track record."

Phoenix and Beast walked into Brain Child's lab. The two stood behind the Skrull Queen. A malevolent sneer was on the face of the Skrull Queen. Tony nearly rolled his eyes. The Skrulls seemed to love the X-Men's forms and powers. The War Skrulls when they attempted to conquer the Shi'ar Empire, the fact that one of them had been pretending to be Wolverine before ironically being slain by the real Wolverine.

"You are out numbered Stark," The Skrull Queen stated in a smug tone. "And He loves you."

Suddenly Iron Man let loose a barrage of repulsor fire and blew Pheonix's head off. He didn't want anything even a quarter as powerful as that running out. Yet it seemed so…easy.

"You really couldn't make a decent Primal Force of the Universe copy could you?" Iron Man noted as he pulled down his faceplate.

The Skrull Queen had a "deer in headlights" expression on her face at this turn of events. Iron Man decked her with a single punch. She dropped to the ground with all the grace of a sack of bricks.

Faster then the Skrull Beast could see, Iron Man turned and sent him flying out a hole in a wall and into a tree. There was a loud crack heard and a scream of pain. Tony smiled as they always underestimated how fast he could move in the armor.

Recalling what happened earlier Iron Man flew out and found Echo bandaging her left arm. She looked tense as she stared at Iron Man.

Tony lifted his faceplate. He knew Echo won't be able to understand him other wise. Plus a Skrull even with the need to chew the scenery like a bad B movie star won't expose their face to the former assassin.

"I had to deal with Spiderwoman…or whoever she really is," Tony said clearly. "I don't have any way on hand to prove I am a Skrull or not."

"That's more then she gave me," Echo grumbled as she tightened the bandages around her broken arm.

"We now have a means to deal with these Skrulls," Iron Man said with a bit of hope. "And did Daredevil ever tell you about the X-Men?"

"No he didn't," Echo replied. "I know Wolverine is a member of that team but that would be it."

"Well one of them is a time traveler and he wanted to help me for some reason. Remember when everyone on Earth turned pink for a little while? Well he's the one who gave me some technology."

"There are days I wonder if I should have told Ma...Daredevil to leave me alone or if I should have never become an Avenger," Echo stated as she shook her head."Given the outlandish events that far from what I am used to dealing with."

The Hood's gang, the Incredible Hulk and his forces, and the D'Sparyre and such were not something she had been trained for. She considered herself a street level hero and not the level of stuff like the Silver Surfer or the Abomination.

"And I didn't even tell you the back story of that X-Man," Iron Man commented. "Trust me that whole incident on turning everyone pink is tame compared to that."

"I really don't want to know," Echo replied.

Tony put down his faceplate and chuckled. The history of the various X-Teams and Cable himself were convoluted and could give someone a splitting head ache. And given what happened in that mess with the Invaders Echo was selling herself short as being Avengers material.

The two heroes entered Brainchild's laboratory and Tony finished up his device. Echo did her best to bandage and make a splint for her broken arm. The former assassin looked at the Skrull Queen and wondered how long she had been among the Avengers. And made Maya wonder if the Madame Hydra that 'Spider-Woman' freed was really a Skrull. It also explained why she got the two teams to work together to fix the temporal mess that the Invaders showing up caused.

Echo kicked the Skrull Queen in the head as the alien tried to get up. The shape shifter slammed into the ground hard.

"We need to find the others," Iron Man said in a firm tone. "Now we can find out who is a Skrull and who isn't."

Iron Man then picked up what looked like a pair of Skrullian hand cuffs and put them on the Skrull Queen. They would adapt to her powers and keep her from being able to shapeshift to escape them.

The two heroes then followed the sounds of battle to find the Avengers mopping up the last of the dinosaurs that stood to face them.

Iron Man turned on his device and all the Skrulls reverted to their natural forms. The only people left unchanged were Wolverine, Wasp, Ares, Wonder Man, Sentry, Ms. Marvel, Echo, Ronin and Iron Man.

Tony lifted his face plate and showed he was who he was, and the face plate of the classic armor of his being used was raised to show a Skrull.

Formerly disguised Skrulls had various reactions. Some looked completely shocked, others screamed they were the real deal and this was a trick, and some looked annoyed, and others showed exactly how many powers they really had and attacked.

"Captain America" snapped and charged at the Avengers. Ares gutted the Skrull with his claymore and then beheaded the faux hero. The God of War then eyed the shield of the fallen imposter.

"Clint I..." the Skrull Mockingbird begged.

"I knew it!" Ronin snapped looking at the imposter Mockingbird. "My wife is dead."

Suddenly the Skrull Thor spun his hammer. In a flash the Skrull Jewel, Skrull Mockingbird, Skrull Invisible Woman, and the faux Thor all vanished.

Iron Man pressed a button on his device and all the Skrulls changed shape. Now they were all cows.

"Don't you think this a bit much?" Clint Barton asked as he watched a Skrull in the tattered remains of Spider-Man's costume eat some grass.

"It worked well enough for Reed," Iron Man noted with a slight shrug. "They're docile, and won't be hurting anyone. What's wrong with it?"

A T-Rex walked by and ate the Skrull Queen in a single bite.

"That's why," Ronin said with a sigh.

"Hey I didn't kill them," Iron Man said with his hands up and palms open.

"We need to find a way out of here," Wasp stated.

"Sure let's go find a super villain base and hotwire a jet," Clint commented with an amused grin. "Given nearly everyone has a base down here we're sure to find something."

At the first base the Avengers explored they found something completely surprising. It was the Quintjet the New Warriors hijacked and managed to lose. It only took Iron Man a minute to purge it of any traces of the Skrull computer virus.

"Now it doesn't matter what side you were on in Civil War," Wasp said in a commanding tone. "Right now we are the Avengers. And we have a world to save."

"Yeah Avengers Assemble!" Clint yelled. "Now let's go kick some Skrulls off Earth."