Superman Sentinel of Liberty 4

The Cosmic Cube has been completed.

The once, wrinkled, old, broken Red Skull has been rebuilt, the body of the former Captain America as his own, and the power of a Kryptonian flowing through his veines.

But now that he was all powerful, the Red Skull knew that now would be the perfect time to attack the only people keeping him and HYDRA from taking over the world: Superman and the Avengers.

However, the Skull knew that he could not do it alone, so he assembled his own team of warriors, based on former opponents the Avengers had faced. The Mandarin, Brother Blood, Madame Masque, Crossbones, and the Crimson Dynamo. Together, they are the 'Masters of Evil'.

They attack Avengers Tower with a vengance, just as the team was deadlocked in a vote of weither or not to kick Superman out of the team, following his attack on SHIELD. Iron Man is the first to fall in battle, due to the power of the Mandarin's rings. Wasp is next, followed by Vision (who is blown to pieces), Falcon, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch who soon find themselves prisoners to the Masters.

Meanwhile, Superman and SHIELD Agent (and currently, his only real ally) Sharon Carter were still working together in Clark Kent's apartment after leaving the Tower, still trying to find a weakness to the cosmic cube when the call comes. Clark knows that the Tower is under attack, and he knows he has to help, but Sharon will not let him go alone. Armed with a pistol, Sharon flies over with Superman and the tower climb the floors, getting closer and closer to the top, and Clark's teammates.

First is the Dynamo, frozen solid with a blast of frozen breath, then hhis armor is shattered to pieces by a very angry Superman.

Next comes Crossbones, who (armed with a shotgun with a Kryptonite bullet) nails Superman in the shoulder, but is easily stopped by Carter with a weel placed martial arts kick to the head.

Madame Masque has another plan on the other level, holding Wasp hostage with a gun to the head, but dispite the pain in his shoulder, Superman's speed is still fast enough to disarm Masque and rescue Wasp, telling her to free the others as he and Sharon continue the mission.

On the following floor, Superman faces his toughest challenge: Iron Man. Controlled by Madarin's rings, Iron Man unleashes on Superman, slamming him through the building and back down to the first floor of the tower. Superman, faced with a choice he doesn't agree with, but knows what he has to do, does what he must: he beats Iron Man until his armor fails, apologizing to his old friend, and heading back up, getting closer and closer to the top floor.

Closer and closer, Brother Blood latches himself onto Superman's back, driving his teeth into his still weakend skin. *BANG!* Blood's body goes limp as Superman stares over at Carter, holding a smoking gun. To save Superman's live, Sharon had to kill.

Finally, they reach the top floor as Red Skull stands tall, the beaten Avengers laying at his feet. His face only has one emotion: domination. Superman, who can barely stand, stares Red Skull down, knowing that he has to stop him at any means. Then, like two bullets firing right at eachother, Red Skull and Superman battled it out.

With every ounce of strangth that he has, Superman fights off the Red Skull, just as the Captain had done decades earlier. Windows shatter. Buildings rattle. Sonic booms sound like nails on a chalkboard to the sonic waves heading across New York with every blow that is taken. Then finally, Superman does it. The Cosmic Cube falls out of the Skull's hand and into Superman.

In an instant, Superman is tempted by its powers. He could do anything with the power of the cube. he could become anything he wanted to be. he could be a god. But power corrupts, as Superman knows, and with the use of his strength, Superman crushes the Cube, returning its awesome power to the heavens.

The Red Skull's body returns to the old, useless form it was before as SHIELD agents swoop in, taking the Masters into custody. Superman finally gets the medical attention he deserves as well, Sharon personally removing the Kryptonite Bullet from his shoulder.

Hours later, the Avengers re-assemble, as the Vision's new body is programed as Superman finally learns the results of the vote towards his expullsion from the team...seems that only one person voted for Superman to be kicked out, and that was Quicksilver. However, knowing that Superman saved his sister, the Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver chooses to change his vote...but he still doesn't like Superman. One single bit...

On the roof of the tower, Superman catches up with Sharon, asking her why she had to kill Brother Blood. Sharon replies 'You have you way, and I have mine.' But at the same time, Superman questions how Sharon knew his real name and his identity. He tells him that she knows all about him, then calls him by another name...Kal-El.

Sharon Carter knows Superman's true identitys from both Earth and Krypton...but how.

Meanwhile...

The power of the Cosmic Cube plasted out of Earth and into the atmosphere, drawing the attention of something (or someone) of unlimited powers, and it is coming to Earth...

To Be Continued...